United Torah Judaism

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "United Torah Judaism" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

United Torah Judaism יהדות התורה‎
Leader	Yitzhak Goldknopf
Founded	1992; 32 years ago (1992)
Ideology	Ashkenazi Haredi interests[3] Religious conservatism Social conservatism Social democracy[4] Haredi non-Zionism
Political position	Economic: Centre-left Cultural/ethical: Right-wing[5]
Religion	Haredi Judaism
International affiliation	World Agudath Israel
Colours	Navy blue
Knesset	7 / 120
Most MKs	8 (2019)
Election symbol
ג‎ ج‎ [6]
Politics of Israel Political parties Elections

United Torah Judaism (Hebrew: יהדות התורה, Yahadut HaTora), often referred to by its electoral symbol Gimel (ג‎), is a Haredi, religious conservative^[7] political alliance in Israel. The alliance, consisting of Agudat Yisrael and Degel HaTorah, was first formed in 1992, in order to maximize Ashkenazi Haredi representation in the Knesset. Despite the alliance splitting in 2004 over rabbinical differences, the parties reconciled in 2006, in order to prevent vote-wasting. In April 2019, the party achieved its highest number of seats ever, receiving eight seats.

Unlike similar religiously-oriented parties like Shas, Mafdal and Noam, UTJ is non-Zionist. Unlike some other Haredim, the party is notable for its usage of technology and electronic communication.^[8]

Before the establishment of Degel HaTorah and the formation of United Torah Judaism, the two factions were united under one united Agudat Yisrael party, but the late mentor and supreme guide of the non-Hasidic group, Rabbi Elazar Shach, broke away from the Hasidic wing when he concluded that the party was not representing all Ashkenazi Haredim. At that point, he split from them, and created the Degel HaTorah party for the "Lithuanian" Haredi Jews (also known as "Mitnagdim" by some). He chose the name Degel HaTorah, meaning "Flag of The Torah", to be a contrast to the well-known flag of Israel and its connection with the secular-dominated State of Israel (an "anti-Torah" entity, in his opinion). Rabbi Shach was known as an outspoken critic of the secular Israeli way of life.

The UTJ party also had considerable influence on the Israeli Sephardi Jews' Shas party. In fact, the Shas party was founded by Rabbi Shach at an earlier juncture when he was previously also frustrated with the policies of the Hasidic rebbes; so, he turned to the Sephardic Jews, and urged his own Ashkenazi followers at that time, to vote for the new Shas party, which they did in record numbers. Later, Shas broke with Rabbi Shach, as it adopted its own independent political stance under Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. Yet, Shas generally goes in the same direction, as it has similar values, needs and interests within the state.

Haaretz cited that some women activists have protested the fact that UTJ, along with other Haredi parties, refuses to run female candidates for office.^[9] UTJ responded that they have the right to follow the Jewish laws of modesty, which separates roles of men and women, and maintain that they do not deny women the right to vote for any other Knesset parties of their choice. They add that Haredi women will not vote for them if they elect women.^[10]

In January 2004, the party split back into its two factions following a disagreement over how to join Ariel Sharon's coalition, which had been negotiated by Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv. Rabbi Eliashiv wanted the five MKs to have a three-month "waiting period" before accepting jobs in the government. Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter, the Gerrer rebbe, however, thought that all Agudat members should accept positions immediately. The Agudat MKs argued that they should be entitled to follow their own rabbis' ruling, while their Degel HaTorah counterparts accused them of disrespecting Rabbi Eliashiv. The Agudat faction proceeded to follow the rebbe of Ger's instructions, with MK Yaakov Litzman accepting the position as chairman of the Knesset Finance Committee. This infuriated Degel HaTorah and its leaders, and in response, they left the party, dissolving a twelve-year-old partnership.

In December 2005, there was a meeting between representatives of the two factions, presumably to smooth over the ill-feelings of the previous year and to attempt to re-group before the March 2006 elections. A number of issues were worked out, such as Degel HaTorah's insistence on the joint list being equally divided between the two parties. (In the past, Agudat Israel has received slightly more votes than Degel HaTorah.) Degel HaTorah has re-organized itself. It has a fully equipped modern party office on Hamabit Street 10 in Jerusalem's Geula neighborhood. It conducted a party convention, its first in 15 years, in December 2005.

In early February 2006, Agudat Israel and Degel HaTorah agreed to run together as United Torah Judaism, despite the fact that the contentious "sixth seat" issue remained undecided. The two groups finally compromised by proposing dividing the sixth seat between two representatives on a rotating schedule (as was done in the last Knesset between the Belz and Vizhnitz communities for the fifth seat).^[11][12] This solution seemed to mollify the respective groups, and paved the way for the re-establishment of a joint list for the 2006 elections, although the Belz court was reportedly irked that once again, it was being asked to sacrifice part of its representation.^[13]

UTJ MKs told reporters that any decision to join future government coalitions will be dependent on achieving two "central posts" to be split between Agudah and Degel. Similarly, in order to avoid the problems that led to the 2004 split, disagreements about joining a coalition will not be determined by a majority vote of MKs, but rather taken to the party's rabbinic leaders.^[12]

Various media interviews with the party's Knesset members confirmed that it would strongly consider joining a coalition with the Ehud Olmert-led Kadima party, should it be offered to them after the elections.^[14] In March 2006, the rabbinical leaders of UTJ, including Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, issued public declarations urging the Haredi public to vote for the party's list. In the election, the party increased its mandate by one, to six seats.

This article is part of a series on
Conservatism in Israel
Ideologies Conservative Judaism Jewish conservatism Jewish fundamentalism Kahanism Religious conservatism Zionism Cultural Ethnic Nietzschean Neo- Religious Revisionist
Principles Agrarianism Ancestral worship Anti-Arabism Anti-Palestinianism Anti-Iranian sentiment Anti-Islamism Islamophobia Authority Clericalism Familialism Hebrew revival Homeland for the Jewish people  Irredentism Greater Israel Israeli settlement Jewish culture Jewish state Judeo-Christianity Judeo-Christian ethics Halachic state Jewish supremacism Chosen people Jewish values Law of Return Aliyah Militarism Begin Doctrine Gadna Natalism Nationalism Cultural Religious Ultra Orthodoxy Patriotism Property rights Sovereignty Theocracy Third Temple Three Oaths Tradition
Intellectuals Eldad Ginsburgh Ha'am Hazony Jabotinsky Kahane Klein Kook Levin Lieberman Ruppin Samson Sharansky Talmon Yosef
Politicians Begin Ben-Gvir Bennett Dayan Edelstein Eitam Kahane Lieberman Netanyahu Peretz Shaked Shamir Smotrich Yosef Ze'evi
Literature "Iron Wall" (1923) The Case for Israel (2003) Defending Identity (2008) The Virtue of Nationalism (2018) Conservatism: A Rediscovery (2022)
Parties Active Agudat Yisrael Degel HaTorah Likud National Religious Party–Religious Zionism New Hope New Right Noam Otzma Yehudit Shas Yisrael Beiteinu Defunct Ahi Eretz Yisrael Shelanu Hatikva Hatzohar Herut The Jewish Home Kach Moledet National Religious Party Religious Zionist Party Tehiya Yisrael BaAliyah
Alliances National Union National Unity Union of Right-Wing Parties United Torah Judaism Yamina
Organisations Active Betar Hilltop Youth Im Tirtzu Institute for Zionist Strategies Jewish Internet Defense Force Kohelet Policy Forum Lehava Machon Meir Mercaz Olami My Israel Defunct Gush Emunim Irgun Manhigut Yehudit
Media Arutz Sheva B'Sheva Channel 14 HaTzofe i24NEWS Israel Hayom Makor Rishon Mida The Jerusalem Post
Related topics Antimilitarism in Israel Non-conscription Torato Umanuto Refusal Far-right politics in Israel Haredi Judaism Immigration to Israel African Citizenship and Entry into Israel Law Prevention of Infiltration Law Israeli–Palestinian conflict Israeli settler violence Price tag attack policy Jewish political movements National camp One-state solution Politics of Israel Liberalism in Israel Refusenik Torat Eretz Yisrael
Conservatism portal Israel portal
v t e

UTJ wants to maintain a status quo relationship in regard to religion-and-state issues. The party has no uniform opinion on the issue of increasing settlements in the West Bank.^[7]

UTJ has always been a coalition of two individual parties, choosing to take advantage of Israeli election law in order to maximize the number of seats it can gain in the Knesset (and thus maximize its influence):

• The Agudat Yisrael ("Union of Israel") party that is guided by the followers of Hasidism in Israel, and also consisting of Ashkenazi Jews. The leading members of this party are the followers of the Ger, Vizhnitz, and Belz Hasidim.
• The Degel HaTorah ("Banner of the Torah") party that is guided by the rabbinic heads (usually the leading rosh yeshivas ("deans") of the Lithuanian yeshivas) of non-Hasidic Haredi Ashkenazi Jews.

The Agudat Yisrael faction takes its directions from the Hasidic rebbes of Ger (Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter), Vizhnitz (Rabbi Yisroel Hager), and Belz (Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach). Policy decisions are also weighed and decided by a Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah ("Council of Torah Sages"), a council of communal rabbis, made up of mostly senior and elderly rebbes.

Degel HaTorah's pre-eminent sages are Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, of Bnei Brak. Policy decisions are also weighed and decided by their own "Moetzes" (Council) of experienced communal rabbis, made up of mostly senior and elderly rosh yeshivas.

Election	Leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Government
1992	Avraham Yosef Shapira	86,167	3.29 (#7)	4 / 120	3	Opposition
1996	Meir Porush	98,657	3.23 (#8)	4 / 120		Coalition
1999		125,741	3.80 (#9)	5 / 120	1	Coalition
2003	Yaakov Litzman	135,087	4.29 (#8)	5 / 120		Opposition
2006		147,091	4.69 (#8)	6 / 120	1	Opposition
2009		147,954	4.39 (#6)	5 / 120	1	Coalition
2013		195,892	5.16 (#6)	7 / 120	2	Opposition
2015		210,143	4.99 (#9)	6 / 120	1	Coalition
Apr 2019		249,049	5.78 (#4)	8 / 120	2	Caretaker
Sep 2019		268,688	6.06 (#6)	7 / 120	1	Caretaker
2020		274,437	5.98 (#5)	7 / 120		Coalition
2021	Moshe Gafni	248,391	5.63 (#7)	7 / 120		Opposition
2022	Yitzhak Goldknopf	280,125	5.88 (#6)	7 / 120		Coalition

• Agudath Israel of America
• Hasidim and Mitnagdim
• World Agudath Israel
• Chardal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yahadut HaTora.

• United Torah Judaism Knesset website