Heads of Secular and Traditional Jews for UTJ (Chilonim
Umesoratim Lemaan Yahadut Hatorah or CHULIAH) explained
what brought them to support UTJ in the Knesset campaign in
the upcoming elections at a special press conference in Tel
Aviv last week. The press conference was led by R' Betzalel
Kahn, spokesman for the UTJ Central Election Committee, who
also delivered the opening statements. Participants included
a retired judge as well as a number of businessmen and
investors.
"Our aim is to take part in the zchus of the lomdei
Torah represented by UTJ, as well as talmidei
yeshivos," said Tel Aviv businessman Meir Pe'er, who
serves as Chuliah chairman. "We want UTJ's Torah merit to
stand by us, too." Pe'er said after Chuliah's setup he was
contacted by dozens of people who voted for secular parties
in previous elections, but now intend to vote for UTJ. Pe'er
called on the assembled journalists to vote Gimmel "to open
positive Jewish channels for them."
Judge Aryeh Wolf surprised listeners when he announced his
support for UTJ, saying he voted for the Labor Party in the
last elections. "I have been personally affected by
[assimilation] in my family, and I would like to spare other
families in Am Yisrael from this suffering," he said.
Other participants said they had never voted for UTJ, but in
light of the current situation and the problems threatening
the Jewish people from without and from within, they see
great importance in voting for a party that stands for Jewish
values above all.
UTJ Staff Organization Director R' Yaakov Gutterman, head of
the Modi'in Illit Local Council, initiated the idea to set up
the organization after some who are now members of the group
contacted Staff Organization Chairman R' Moshe Gafni, arrived
at election headquarters and offered to help with the
campaign.
