Haredi community leaders are launching a large-scale consumer initiative aimed at reducing the cost of living for families of Yeshiva students, following the recent economic sanctions imposed on Yeshiva students who do not report for IDF service.
The program, expected to begin at the start of the Hebrew month of Elul, was initiated by the Vaad HaYeshivos with the backing of leading rabbis. It seeks to combine the purchasing power of approximately 100,000 households to secure permanent discounts on essential goods and services.
According to a Kan News report, the initiative will revolve around a prepaid card which will be distributed among eligible students. Donations and other funding sources will be loaded onto the cards, giving holders access to discounts at major food and retail chains, as well as eligibility for prize drawings.
Organizers say the program is designed to function similarly to a credit card company by leveraging the combined buying power of tens of thousands of families. "We bring 100,000 families who will remain loyal to the sellers, and in return we expect lower prices," a source involved in the initiative said.
In addition to negotiating discounted prices, the Vaad HaYeshivos plans to establish a system to monitor market prices and use its collective consumer influence to pressure retailers into lowering prices if costs rise.
Negotiations with several of Israel's largest supermarket and retail chains are currently underway, with organizers aiming to finalize agreements before the program's expected launch in the coming weeks. The initiative is intended to create an independent economic support system for families of Yeshiva students.