United Torah Judaism chief Yaakov Litzman called on haredim to take to the streets in protest of the upcoming nationwide lockdown, set to span the Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot holidays.
Litzman, who had served as Construction and Housing Minister, resigned this Sunday from the government in protest of the Coronavirus Cabinet’s support for a new lockdown.
Channel 11 released recordings from a recent conference of the Gur Hasidic movement – of which Litzman is a member – in which Litzman can be heard calling on haredim to protest the lockdown and promising to help them obtain permits for the protest.
“We have representatives in every city council, and we’re going to make protests after the holiday at 10:00 p.m. in every city: Ashdod, Bnei Brak, Arad, Hatzor – every city.”
“I’ll help you. Protests are permitted… so why should it be prohibited for us? We’re protesting the fact that they won’t let us pray [in synagogues] on Yom Kippur.”