This is an election poster published by Agudat Israel on an unknown date, although it was certainly printed before the party’s union with Degel Hatorah in 1992. The poster gives us a fascinating insight into the Israeli political system in general and the politics of the Ultra-Orthodox world in particular. The poster calls on viewers to consider the importance of a number of issues and how Agudat Israel would act in government to remedy all these issues. The poster features a number of different policy issues, such as defending the nature of Shabbat, forbidding unnecessary abortions, and ensuring that Ultra-Orthodox men and women are not conscripted into the army. The poster finishes by stating that “we need a strong Agudat Israel.” The poster, unlike many other election posters in the Ultra-Orthodox sector, conveys its message using a relatively modern design.
In 1992, the Ultra-Orthodox parties Agudat Yisrael and Degel Hatorah merged into a joint list called United Torah Judaism. The union was intended to increase the Ultra-Orthodox’s power in the Knesset following the rise in the electoral threshold. The two parties that make up the United Torah Judaism list function in the Knesset as a joint faction but are actually independent parties.
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Agudat Israel – Agudat Israel (or Aguda) is the political wing of ultra-Orthodox Judaism. It was established in Europe in 1912 as a response to the defeated motion at the 10th World Zionist Congress to fund religious schools. The motion was sponsored by the religious Zionist party, Mizrahi and as a result of its failure, several Mizrahi members resigned from the party and the Zionist organization and formed Agudat Israel. Before the creation of the State of Israel, Agudat Israel was anti-Zionist and opposed the creation of a political Jewish state. After 1948, the party represented the interests of the ultra-Orthodox in the Knesset. Agudat Israel runs its own school system in Israel, outside of the state religious school system.
Elections in Israel – Israel is a democratic country, and general elections for the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, take place, according to the law, once every four years. The nationwide elections are based on a multi-party, proportional representation system. The legal voting age in Israel is 18, and all Israeli citizens from sectors may vote and be elected. Using voting slips with the initials of the parties, citizens vote for their preferred party and not for individual candidates. The 120 seats in the Knesset are then assigned proportionally to the parties according to the number of votes received. After the elections, the president of Israel chooses the leader of the largest party or of the party that is most likely to form a viable coalition government. This leader then forms a government, the Knesset gives it a vote of confidence, and the leader then becomes prime minister.
