Shas head Aryeh Deri
Shas head Aryeh DeriMiriam Alster/Flash 90

Sephardic haredi party Shas has promised not to use its educational institutions and school network to advance its elections campaign, in a letter written by the party's legal adviser, Attorney Nadav Asael, to Uri Regev, director of the Hiddush liberal Movement for Religious Freedom and Equality.

Regev had previously written to Asael ahead of a petition to the Central Elections Committee, after Shas held a ceremony launching its education headquarters, in which Hiddush claims hundreds of directors of the Shas network of educational institutions took part.

In the ceremony, members of the Shas Council of Torah Sages called on the directors to aid the party's elections campaign.

Rabbi David Yosef, a member of the Council, breached the prohibition of promising blessing as elections propaganda, according to Hiddush.

"I promise that everyone who acts (for the party in elections) - Father (Rabbi Ovadia Yosef ztz"l) will stand for them above in prayer for success in all things," said Rabbi Yosef at the ceremony.

In his letter, Asael wrote Regev saying "I have ordered members of the headquarters not to use institution directors for propaganda."

"Also I contacted the legal adviser of the education network, Attorney Adi Glass, asking to put out a notice from the network to all teachers and directors reminding them of the prohibition and the limitations on them in terms of advancing propaganda...he promised to do so immediately," wrote Asael.

In response, Regev expressed his appreciation for the quick response and emphasized "Hiddush will track the implementation of the promises."