Honoring the right-wing bloc's victory in this week's Knesset elections and the expected return of the haredi parties to the coalition, the Belzer Rebbe (Grand Rabbi) on Friday sent a bottle of wine to Shas chief Aryeh Deri, wishing him success.
Journalist Moshe Weisberg, who reported the gesture on his Twitter page, said that the Belzer Rebbe spoke on the phone with Deri, congratulating him on his success in the elections.
The elections saw the Sephardic-haredi Shas party grow from nine Knesset seats in the 24th Knesset to 11 seats in the 25th Knesset.
Deri responded to the Belzer Rebbe by asking him for a blessing for the success of the new government.
The Belzer Rebbe also instructed his representative in the Knesset, MK Yisrael Eichler (United Torah Judaism) to hold a "kiddush" on Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath) in honor of the victory.
A "kiddush" is a small luncheon, with the ritual blessing over the wine - and sometimes over bread as well - at the beginning. It is often held in celebration of lifecycle events, or in thanks for a miracle.
Such "kiddushes" are expected to be held in other right-wing strongholds as well, for the same reason.