Haredi Public's Moti Leitner: Israel’s future is our responsibility, too - opinion

A community must prepare its children for the lives ahead, enable its families to achieve economic independence, and accept its share of responsibility for defending the country.

Nearly one in three Jewish children entering first grade in Israel attends a haredi (ultra-Orthodox) school. Some demographic projections suggest that by 2050, almost one in three Jewish Israelis could be haredi.

These figures carry a profound responsibility for our community. The education our children receive, the opportunities available to them, and their contribution to the country will help determine Israel’s future.

We are haredim. Torah learning and religious commitment are central to our lives. We know the challenges facing our community because we live within it. And we believe the responsibility for addressing them belongs to us.

For decades, haredi political leadership has concentrated on protecting Torah learning, religious identity, and communal independence. But the challenges of the coming decades demand a broader understanding of responsibility.

A community must prepare its children for the lives ahead, enable its families to achieve economic independence, and accept its share of responsibility for defending the country.

The future of haredi society and the future of Israel are inseparable. Across haredi society, families are already making choices that reflect this understanding.

Parents are seeking schools that combine serious Torah education with broader learning. Young men outside full-time Torah study are entering employment and military service. Women are seeking a greater voice in decisions affecting their communities and the country.

Nearly 19,000 haredi students were enrolled in higher education in 2024-2025, more than four times the number 15 years earlier. State-haredi schools are providing children with religious education alongside general studies.

These developments are taking place through families, educators, rabbis, and organizations working within haredi society.

The Haredi Public party has emerged from this constituency. Its slogan is simple: “Hapam lokchim achrayut.” This time, we take responsibility.

For us, that begins with education. Children deserve serious Torah learning alongside the knowledge and skills to earn a dignified livelihood, develop their abilities, and contribute to society.

It extends to military service. Those seriously devoting their lives to Torah learning should be able to continue learning. Those who are not seriously learning should share responsibility for defending Israel, within frameworks that respect their religious commitments.

Service is not merely a concession made to secure exemptions for others. The obligation arises because Israel is our country too.

Women already carry enormous responsibilities within haredi society. Their experience and abilities should also find expression in political leadership and in decisions affecting the country.

These commitments describe a haredi life in which religious identity and national responsibility belong together.

A lasting political voice

The Haredi Public is contesting the forthcoming election to give political representation to a constituency already pursuing a broader understanding of responsibility.

Representation in the Knesset would give that constituency a voice in decisions about education, employment, military service, and public policy. It would also give greater political standing to the people and institutions already working for change within haredi society.

The significance extends beyond our community. As the haredi population grows, its education, economic independence, and participation in national defense will increasingly affect Israel as a whole. Government policy matters, but lasting progress also requires people within haredi society who are prepared to take responsibility for these questions themselves.

We believe this undertaking should be understood across Israeli society. The responsibility for leading it belongs within haredi society, while its consequences concern the country we all share.

We have recently been approached about withdrawing from the election. We have no intention of doing so.

Our decision to enter politics reflects a commitment that extends beyond a single campaign. The people whose aspirations we represent are already building their lives around these responsibilities, and their political voice deserves to be heard.

We are here to stay. We are not going anywhere.

The question is no longer whether haredi society will shape Israel’s future. It will. The responsibility we are accepting is to help determine what kind of future that will be.