Two members of the hasidic Agudat Yisrael's Council of Torah Sages - the Sanz Rebbe and the Modzhitz Rebbe - visited Lithuanian-haredi leader Rabbi Dov Lando's home in Bnei Brak for a meeting focused on their party's position on the Draft Law.
The Lithuanian-haredi Degel Hatorah faction and the hasidic haredi Agudat Yisrael faction traditionally run together in a joint list called "United Torah Judaism," or UTJ.
The Wednesday night meeting, which lasted about 45 minutes, also included yeshiva dean and prominent Lithuanian-haredi leader Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch. It aimed to resolve differences between the communities' leaders, but ended without a conclusion being reached.
The Sanz and Modzhitz Rebbes had an earlier consultation between themselves, and the Modzhitz Rebbe also met with the Ger Rebbe, who is known for his firm opposition to the proposed law.
According to reports within UTJ, the meeting ended without a mutual agreement. The hasidic leaders' proposals to oppose the law or to abstain from supporting it were rejected by the Lithuanian yeshiva heads.
The hasidic Council of Torah Sages now faces a question of whether to instruct its Knesset members to oppose the law contrary to the Lithuanian-haredi leaders' position. Such a move may lead to the law’s collapse and create sharp tension with the Degel Hatorah faction.
Last week, a meeting of Agudat Yisrael's Council of Torah Sages concluded without any decision being made. Following this, it was agreed to hold consultations with the leadership of the Lithuanian yeshiva world.