Shas
News and updates about Shas

Report: Shas Leaders Offered Ministerial Positions
Shas is close to entering Netanyahu’s coalition and its three leaders have been offered ministerial portfolios, reports say.

Will Shas be the Next to Join?
Livni tells Shas she expects to see them join the coalition as Netanyahu calls for ‘broad-based unity.’

Shas to Lapid: It’s Not All About the Cameras
Shas head Aryeh Deri tells Yair Lapid to stop thinking about the cameras, start thinking about the country.

Yishai: Netanyahu Prefers Lapid over Us
Shas minister says Yesh Atid party head will say 'no' to any compromise over hareidi enlistment.

Rabbi Yosef Slams 'Yeshiva Hater' Lapid
Rabbi Ovadia Yosef slams Yesh Atid chairman, says he is "contemptible" and "hates yeshivas".

‘Forced Hareidi Enlistment Means Rebellion, Chaos’
Forcing hareidi men to enlist in the IDF would mean rebellion and chaos on the streets of Israel, Shas leader says.

Shas Apologizes for Attack on Bennett
Shas co-chairman Eli Yishai called MK Uri Ariel and apologized for an article that appears in Shas's publication.

Study: Hareidi Parties Do Not 'Extort' Governments
A study said that accusations against hareidi parties that they “blackmailed” the government for funds and positions was not true

Shas Newspaper: Bennett Cannot Appreciate Torah Study
A new anti-Naftali Bennett screed appeared in the weekly Shas-affiliated Yom Leyom newspaper.

Yishai to Zionist Rabbis: Save the Torah World
Eli Yishai of Shas defends his record on the land of Israel, seeks help from Bayit Yehudi.

Jewish Home MK: We Can Find a Way to Build Bridges With Shas
MKs from the Jewish Home were seeking ways to build bridges with members of Shas movement, MK Yoni Chetboun says.

Jewish Home MK: I Spent More Years Learning Torah Than Shas MK's
Jewish Home MKs begin speaking, criticizing Shas for its long-time dismissal of Religious Zionism as being "less religious".

Yishai Appeals to Jewish Home for Help on Hareidi Draft
Shas chairman MK Eli Yishai is convinced that Shas is going to find itself in the opposition

Bayit Yehudi in Fierce Attack on Shas
"Suddenly they remember that we are 'religious like them' but in the elections they called us 'goyim.'"

Likud: Lapid is 'Condescending'
Sources in Likud did not like Lapid's assertion that he could be Prime Minister soon.

Shas MK: Who's Prime Minister Around Here, Anyway?
Ariel Attias said that Yair Lapid was throwing his weight around in coalition pre-negotiations as if he had won the elections

Gerrer Rebbe, Rabbi Ovadia in Emergency Confab
Shas and UTJ coordinating their moves over attempt to increase hareidi enlistment to IDF.

Hareidi Parties Preparing for Opposition
"We will sit with Shelly Yechimovich in the opposition," says Shas's Aryeh Deri.

Deri: 'They' Don't Want Hareidim in the Govt.
Shas MK Aryeh Deri said that he was “worried” about the potential "hatred in the nation” emerging from the coalition negotiation process.

Hareidi Parties May Form 'Blocking Bloc' to Lapid
Shas and United Torah Judaism may work together to prevent Lapid from drafting yeshiva students.

Netanyahu's Gov't Coalition Could Take A ‘Step to the Right’
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu could form a coalition that is more right-wing than centrist, if he so chooses - but it requires work.

PM Reaches Out to Shas, Yesh Atid - But Not Yet Jewish Home
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will meet Thursday with Shas chairman Eli Yishai, as he seeks to build a coalition.

Shas and UTJ Insiders: Not Afraid to Join the Opposition
"We are not shying away from entering the opposition...if Netanyahu makes his position more extreme...we won't be there," says Shas.

Report: Shas Not in Netanyahu's Pocket
The Shas party may not automatically recommend Netanyahu for Prime Minister and will present a list of 'demands' in exchange for doing so.

Police Arrest Suspect in Burning of R. Ovadia Books
Police on Tuesday arrested an individual who is suspected of burning books authored by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef in Yehud over the weekend.

Qatar Quietly Helping Yemenite Jews Reach Israel?
A Lebanese source says that a group of Jews from Yemen are on their way to Israel – via Qatar.

MK: ‘3 Bandits’ of Shas are Misleading Rabbi Yosef
Bayit Yehudi MK, leading religious-Zionist rabbi in serious accusation: Shas higher-ups are deliberately misleading Shas spiritual leader.

Bayit Yehudi's Bennett: ‘We Must Be Doing Something Right'
Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) Chairman Naftali Bennett says a flurry of attacks from everyone means “We must be doing something right."

Rabbi Ovadia Slams Jewish Home: They Uproot the Torah
Shas's Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, seeing Shas losing ground, launches an unprecedented attack on Naftali Bennett's Jewish Home party.

A-G to Decide: Is Shas Distributing Election Amulets?
Election Committee Chairman asks Attorney General to weigh in on complaint over Shas prayer kits.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Released from Hospital
Rabbi will continue to rest at home while he recovers from a minor stroke.

Deri: Netanyahu Prefers Coalition with the Left
Aryeh Deri, one of the leaders of the Shas party, accuses Netanyahu of preferring a coalition with parties from the left rather than Shas.

Poll: Likud Beytenu, Left are Neck on Neck
Eleven days to elections: Second poll shows the right-hareidi bloc in the lead with 66 seats, but center-left parties still rival Likud.

Bennett on Shas Ad: Russians Are Not a 'Separate Sector'
Jewish Home chairman meets Russian-speaking immigrants after Shas ad, tells them he sees them as being part of Israeli society.

Rabbi Yisrael Rosen Offended by Shas Ad: Spot is Entirely False
Ad "not only sullies the reputations of conversion judges," but also attacks the chief rabbi, "who has final authority on conversions."

Shas Defends Message, Extends Broadcast of Controversial Ad
Shas: The ad, "did not say one bad word about anyone...A country which fights assimilation abroad cannot allow assimilation from within."

Shas TV Ad Targets Lieberman, Russian Immigrants
A TV ad on behalf of Shas targets olim from Russia, suggesting some of them are non-Jews who did not convert properly.

Shas to PM: Will You Preserve Jewish Character of Israel?
Shas asks PM to confirm values "based on Jewish tradition that is fundamental to the continued existence of Israel as a Jewish state."

Deri: Shas Joining Left is a 'Bad Joke'
Aryeh Deri dismisses as "a bad joke" reports that his party is in talks with the left to create an obstructive bloc to the Likud.

Likud Beytenu Official: We Prefer Lapid Over Shas
The Likud Beytenu would prefer to form a coalition with Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid over Shas, a senior official in the party says.

Amsallem’s Plan: Aim for 40 Years’ Peace
The head of the new Am Shalem party reveals his “40 years” plan.

Political Parties Ask Peres: Work to Free Pollard
Ten of Israel's parties from across the political spectrum have united in a call to President Peres to work for Pollard's release.

Secularists Succeed in Banning Rabbi Ovadia App
Shas agrees to no longer use a smartphone app which allows users to receive blessings from Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

Deri Apologizes, then Does It Again
Shas co-leader retracted anti-"white" remarks, then said Likud won't appoint senior Sephardi ministers.

Atias: Likud is Hypocritical when Attacking Peres
Housing Minister Ariel Atias (Shas) criticizes the Likud for speaking out against comments made by President Peres regarding peace.

Secularist Group Seeks to Ban 'Rabbi Ovadia' App
Shas has released a smartphone app which allows users to follow the activities of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and receive a blessing.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef: Vote Shas So We Can 'Bend Netanyahu'
Shas' spiritual leader tells yeshiva students to vote for his party so that Shas can "dictate terms to the government."

New Religious Party Urges Hareidim to 'Share the Burden'
New party Am Shalem, led by former Shas MK, urges hareidim to contribute to the state.

Christmas Tree Gone from Jaffa Gate
Report: Jerusalem municipality claimed the tree was "a three-day event."

Shas Furious over Christmas Tree at Jaffa Gate
City councilor says a prayer rally will be held Sunday to protest the municipality's decision.

Shas to Attack Bayit Yehudi, as Bennett Challenges
Shas has decided to attack Bayit Yehudi and its chairman, Naftali Bennett, in the hope that it can sway dithering voters

Activists to Hareidi Parties: Include Women or Get Out
Feminists ask the Elections Committee to ban hareidi parties over their all-male Knesset lists.

Political Left Down to 34 Seats
A new poll shows the left wing failing to win voter support while religious parties grow.

Deri Receives Some of Yishai's Powers
Eli Yishai takes the #1 spot on the Shas list but transfers some of his powers to Aryeh Deri.

Yishai Beats Out Deri for Top Shas Spot
After much speculation, the Shas Knesset candidate list shows Eli Yiishai retaining the top spot

Prayers for Rabbi Ovadia Yosef
Shas spiritual leader is suffering from extreme pain in his leg.

Hareidi Parties May Go Left
Hareidi-religious parties Shas and Yahadut Hatorah say they may not ally with the right after the next elections.

Eli Yishai: Unification could Help Shas
Shas may benefit from Likud – Yisrael Beitenu union, because religious voters will leave Likud.

Amsalem: Leftist Media Reliving Oslo Days With Deri Bid
The media has been very forgiving of Aryeh Deri, barely mentioning his conviction on bribe-taking - and there's a reason for that
