'The young people are here'

Arutz Sheva spoke with Rabbi Dr. Daniel Tropper, Former Chair of the first Jewish Home Election Committee and founder of Gesher, a Jerusalem-based organization whose goal is bridging the gaps between different segments of Israeli society. at the Jewish Home’s special conference this week.

Rabbi Dr. Tropper said that he was “happy and delighted” that younger people are now taking an active role in the party.

“When I came to the last meetings of the Mafdal (the now defunct National Religious Party, ed.) this was the color of the hair of 80 percent of the people in the room,” he said, pointing to his gray hair. “And today it’s a minority. The young people are here.”

He explained that holding primaries gave younger people a sense of ownership.

“By having primaries and making the party more democratic, we found a way to bring in more and more of the young people. They feel a part of it, and that makes all the difference. They feel ownership, and this feeling should give the party much more power for the future.”