Binyamin Friedman, a member of the staunchly anti-Zionist Edah Haharedit organization, was arrested last November, after he assaulted police officers during an anti-draft demonstration.
After being arrested, Friedman refused to cooperate with what he called "the heretical Zionist government", and was sentenced to eight months in Hadarim prison, near Netanya. Friedman is scheduled to be released Thursday, and will be greeted by a massive march in his honor in the Meah Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem, Kikar Hashabbat reports.
Haredi Jews will be bused in from all over the country to attend the rally, which will be attended by several prominent haredi rabbis. Friedman will also receive a $24,000 "reward" for his long sentence from wealthy haredi donors.
Friedman had received significant support from anti-Zionist elements in the haredi world following his arrest. Anti-draft activists demonstrated outside of the prison in which he was incarcerated, and his wife received an all expenses-paid trip to the United States, where she was the guest of honor at a summer camp belonging to the Satmar hassidic sect.
Satmar also held a special day of intensive Torah study in his honor.
The grand Rabbi of Satmar also wrote Friedman a letter of encouragement, commending him for "standing up at the risk of your life against the wicked Zionist police in the Holy City", and telling him that "you are both our representative and the representative of the Almighty."