Nachum and Rabbi Aharon Ungar on Hatzibur-Haharedi & Israel’s Upcoming Election

We knew that our journey to Chicago would afford us the opportunity to speak with certain guests live and in person who we don't normally get a chance to speak to. In fact, tomorrow we will speak with the owner of the kosher stand at Wrigley Field. Obviously the most important person at Wrigley Field. Um but over Yantiff, my cousin Yasi Cohen pointed out a gentleman. He said, "You see that guy over there in Chul? He's running for Knesset on the 27th of October." And I said, "What? And he's here for Yantiff? Who are you talking and he tells me his name and didn't mean much to me and all of a sudden he brings me over after diving to say hi to this gentleman and I realize it's our old friend Aron Anger who I know for over 40 years and Aron agreed before he heads back to Israel to join us live in studio here in Chicago. A pleasure to welcome you back to JM in the AM. >> Thank you so much. It's incredible to be back on the air with you. I mean, we're not going to use the opportunity here, precious air time, to go through our history, but let's just say it was a long, long time ago that you were first on JMA. >> Absolutely. You you you broadcast live from our Jewish Expo show. >> Unbelievable, I'll tell you. Anyway, our own great to reunite. Uh I had been told by friends and acquaintances in Israel that you're there for many years. You moved there in what year? >> 2003. >> Wow. So, it's a long time already. >> We've been pamesh for 23 years. And a year ago, we moved to a shrine. >> In what neighborhood? >> Now we're living in Sharif. >> Oh, wow. >> You're right in the heart of everything. >> Yes, absolutely. Walking to everything. >> Raiskin. >> Yeah. Right there. >> Unbelievable. Uh our grandparents apartment was on that street. That's why, you know, it's so meaningful to me. Um and and at some point, and this is not surprising to me, by the way, if you would have told me when you were living in Englewood years ago that you'd run for political office in Bergen County, I would have believed it. Now that you're in Israel, it doesn't shock me that you've gone ahead and tossed your hat into the ring with uh Don't say it, don't say it. Correct. That's the name of the new party. >> New parties don't always do very well historically in Israel. >> Granted, absolutely. >> But this one, I don't know. There's some energy here, right? >> Things are really moving. It's we we're we are picking up steam as more and more people find out about us and what's different about us and what we stand for. And we're picking up steam in many different communities in the karedi community other religious communities and even in the secular community because >> we are hoping to be able to bridge gaps and to be able to fill in areas where people are not being served. >> And by the way, it sounds like from my look, we spoke to two people from your party. We spoke to Rabbi Feffer who's not officially on the list. >> Well, he's the head of the rabbin committee, >> right? And we spoke to Zea Glands, our old friend. And it just sounds like that the reason you might be on the path to success as opposed to other new parties is because of what you just said. You're appealing to a lot of different groups who want in on this surge for unity and surge for problem solving that you're bringing to the table. >> Correct. We are clearly a Karedi party and we clearly lean to the right and but we are trying to fill a void where there are so many Karedim who feel that they're not being represented. It's not that we have anything against the Karedi community. We're part of the Karedi community. We are run by Das Torah, but we feel that there are many people who don't want to sit and learn all day or can't sit and learn all day. So there are many problems because of that. Many people in the Kdi community are unable to get make a good decent living even if they leave the base mish because they feel they have to have more of an income. They don't have the skills. So first you have the problem >> and sometimes even legally they can't go into certain lines of work. Right. >> Correct. Because if you don't have a bakrut you're not allowed you don't qualify for something. Each thing is different. Now it's much worse. But since they've passed new laws against the benefits of the kared it's even far worse in terms of getting a job and qualifying for different things. So what we're trying to do is make it so that if a ki person decides that they don't want to sit in the base mar that they're not discriminated against within their own community. There needs to be alternatives. It's not that we we want to support Torah. We want anybody who wants to learn and sit full-time to learn. They should continue to do so. The only issue is those who don't. They need to have a way of making a living. So they need more skills. They need not to be discriminated against first of all. Secondly, that many of them just have very basic math skills. They don't know any English. So, it's we have to develop a vehicle for them to be able to support themselves. The state can't keep doing it. >> So, you're not just a party. You're going to end up having to be some type of educational system or at least direct people to, you know, what what they can do educationally to pick up some of these skills to progress in the workforce. I mean, this is a whole effort beyond politics. What many people don't realize is there is a state sponsored Karedi school system in Israel that started a number of years ago to meet this need. But it's not >> that teaches basic academics. >> Yes, absolutely. But that's good to know. >> But if you send your child there, you're lambasted. You're pushed out of your own community. So these schools exist, but they haven't caught on because there's not an infrastructure. So they what we want to do is help continue to build these. So the the next generation if they choose to go to work if they choose a different path obviously staying within the kdi community that they will have the skills to do so >> anger is here he's on the list he's one of the people that will be in the knesset if enough votes are gotten for don't tell me I have to remember the name of the new party um how did you get into politics like how'd they find you to even be part of this list that's an interesting story I mean the truth is shortly after metal yacht back in 2003. I think after a year I actually ran for the city council with Gimmel with with >> meaning in Bamesh. Absolutely in Beamesh. I was we won the election but I was much higher on the list and I guess they needed a pretty face with an with an American there. But uh >> were you the highest ranking Anglo at that point in that in that party? No, there was one other but in any case the uh I I was I so I started to get involved then I did not then I stood stepped back this time what happened was completely I mean I should a friend of mine in decided he wanted to start a political party and he wanted somebody to help him and he he approached me because I've been involved there different things in the community and I'm active and been an entrepreneur so I know how I've gotten things done so he invited me join him and we took us a while. We filled out the papers. We had to had to um set up at the party in terms of there's all whole bunch of legalities. Takes a lot of money and lawyers, >> I would imagine. So, >> so we got it set up and then one day somebody in Shul tells my friend that there's another party I just heard about that's starting up. Why don't you hook up with them? So, he met with them and uh in the second meeting he invited me to join them. And to make a long story short, um we decided not to work together, but our party that I helped start decided not to run in this election >> and they invited me to come join them. My partner in the first um in the first party was not interested right now in doing that. So I went ahead and joined them and as it worked out, I wasn't even sure I was going to be on the list, but they offered me this slot number seven, which is pretty good. >> Very nice. Aaron Anger is here. We're live in Chicago. You head back to Israel tomorrow if I'm if I'm correct. >> You got it. >> The website is hatore-har h a h a r e d i hatare. You can also search it.org and the English one is slen. Now I bring up the website because there are people in the United States, obviously we're listening, we're speaking to people on both sides of the world, but there are people in the United States who would like to support this effort and we're just unclear. There is a donate button on the page. Can one just literally go and you know they make a credit card donation? Is there anything that because it's a whole political party thing. Is there anything they need to know in advance of this? Like how do they support your efforts? >> They cannot make a a a donation directly to the party. Okay. >> Um the law is that you have to be an Israeli citizen in order to donate towards a specific >> So a citizen who's listening right now could do it in theory. >> Yes. If you have to be an Israeli citizen, you can do it without a problem. Um I think there I don't know exactly how else you can support the party. There are ways that you can do things that are >> No, but that's important because there are a lot of people who have dual citizenship. There are a lot of people who are Americans listening in Israel. They could actually go to the donate button and just support your efforts. >> 100% and it would be very important and helpful. >> Um, okay. So, is this the one issue? Is this it? Like, is this the the platform of the party? How to handle the relationship with the Karedi community within the confines of the political system, the state of Israel going forward? Is that really, and I'm not minimizing it, that's a really important goal as you described. But is that it is that 100% of the focus of this effort? >> Essentially, yes. If you look at it from a very broad perspective, the main issues for us is Karedi enlistment in the army that if you're learning in full-time and you should not go to the army, you should you should learn otherwise you should serve like anybody else in some way. The second major major issue is proper education that you have alternatives. Not that you're going to necessarily use them, but you have alternatives as you grow older if you want them. And lastly, within the community itself, we feel that the Karedi community should be part of Medina Israel. We live there. We are a large and growing community. And it's not healthy for this for our community of the And it's not healthy for the state for us to be at odds all the time. We have to bridge gaps. We have to find a way. And personally, I think Americans are best suited for that because we didn't grow up us or them. We grew up trying to make shalom between all the different groups in America, >> right? We didn't grow up in an environment where the rhetoric is so sharp that it's hard to get past that. >> Exactly. >> Uh so you are bringing from the other side of the world a really important component and that's the the effort just to make peace and to move forward in a peaceful fashion. What do the neighbors in Shahasset say? Are are are people who live in and I know there's a mix of people in Shahass but those in the more parts of Shallay are they behind your efforts? Like do they do they appreciate what's going on here? >> I think they absolutely do. Certainly I think it's it's easier to get support I feel in the Anglo community in the community. >> However, we have a broad base of support. The issue that we're running into is that some people feel that you can't run a Karedi party without having a gudo behind you, >> right? >> But all Karedi parties started without a gut behind them. So you got to start somewhere. Basakov started without a gut behind her. So if you you have to start we do everything with deskto it's not like we don't have we have an entire committee that works with us Rhu Yeshua Feffer who's been a a dynamo been on so many different broadcast platforms and is explaining the goal of the party the roles of the party so he's a dian I mean we have we have we have lots of people who support us throughout the community but not everybody will say it out loud >> yeah I get that that's it's been the case with a lot of things in Israel and some of the more some of the other familiar names we mentioned. Zea, of course, very meaningful to the New Jersey community. That's where she's from. Our good friend, Rabbi Oppenheimer, who's up north in Israel. He's uh served in in a rabbitic um uh capacity both out west and in the Queens area of New York. A lot of people know him and and see his articles and stuff. And there are other familiar names who are on this list. Yet Edlerstein, I think, is a name that's uh familiar to many people. So, there are a lot of people on this list who are really um dedicated to making this thing work. Uh, I know that the polls in Israel are completely unreliable before October 27th. Israel is famous for that. You'll never get truthful results from any type of poll. But is there a way for you and I know it was just Sukus and I know you've been in the United States, but is there a way for you and others and your colleagues to to uh get the feeling that this is moving well, that there's real momentum behind you? If you go according to the um things that we're reading online, whether it's X or whether it's Facebook or things that people are sending to us directly, we definitely have a broad base of support. We are definitely gathering steam. >> We haven't shown up in many of the uh surveys, right? However, we strongly feel that because we're a new party and because we're within the Karedi community, there are a lot of people who support us who aren't going to say so publicly. >> They won't tell a pollster that, >> right? But when you get into their their kalp when you get into your uh little booth and you vote, we strongly believe that we will have tens of thousands of additional people voting with us. Um the slogan is uh and that essentially means now we are taking responsibility. >> It is time to do our responsible part to move forward in the way that you said in a peaceful manner with others in Israel. >> Yes. But that's al our sense of responsibility is twofold. Number one, it's within the Karedi community. There are so many people just don't feel they have the proper representation. That includes we have so many Americans and other who come to Israel, they can't find a place. I'll tell you a little story. A friend of mine, a RV, well-known guy, excuse me, the word guy, he he once told me that among his peers, he is the outcast. Why? Because he works. What did he do? He was the founder and head of a very large girl seminary. >> And that was considered work. That was work. Here he is. He's in. He's working with hundreds and hundreds of girls every year. But he was but because he wasn't learning full-time, he was pushed aside. This is what we're dealing with. We need to find opportunities also for who want to come to Israel who have to feel that I can find a place for me. I can work and not be pushed out of the community that I want to be part of. My children can go to schools where they're going to come out with a balanced education. So they they will also have opportunities. Mr. Hashem, they'll sit and learn. But if they don't want to learn full-time, they should be able to have the skills to do something else. >> We're in Chicago with Aron Anger. A pleasure to reunite with him over Yantiff and great to have him on the air before he leaves town to go back to Aritz. The election is 3 weeks from tomorrow. As you know, it's going to be a very fill in the blank. It's going to be a very what three weeks. I'm sure it's going to be very active, very energetic, and unfortunately, it's going to be a lot of stuff flying in different directions between parties, right? >> Yeah. A lot of Americans may not realize that although the uh elections in America they take like a year. So we start way ahead already starting things and it's like three months the whole thing from beginning to end >> and then with three weeks. >> Exactly. So now that we have three weeks left now's the real election. Now you're going to see now there's going to be so much activity pro and >> serious campaigning. >> Exactly. So uh >> do you get do you get assignments? Does the leader of the party say our today we need you here and there or wherever you know to to speak to them or to do this like you're gonna have a whole roster of stuff to do over the next three weeks. >> Well, as you said when I have been here in the states for two months because we also had a grandson. >> Thank you. So maybe >> maybe so we are going so when I get back I will be doing a lot more. We have >> programs in people's homes. Parliament is not asking for money but explaining our positions and giving to people a chance to answer questions. Also, we have people sometimes going out to the streets and in busy areas like the shook to reg people. So, it's not like they assign you have to do this. >> We all volunteer for the for to help out. >> Just keep spreading the word is what they want. >> Big deal. >> Simple as that. Um, quickly, a couple of minutes left. In 2003, you made aliyah. So, you were living where? Right before the aliyah in what town? In what city? >> In South Florida. >> Oh, you were down in Florida. >> Yeah. >> At Bokeh. We started in Bokeh and then we moved to North Miami Beach. >> Oh, cool. >> And then we moved to Miami Beach. >> So, who makes the decision that it's time to go east? >> Um, >> I want to encourage our listeners to consider doing what you did. >> Well, >> which I'm hoping you recommend. >> When I asked my wife to marry me, it was a condition that she had to be willing to when it's possible for us to make aliyah. and she as a lawyer gave me a counter offer. Her counter offer is okay I'll go but you have to find a way that we can continue the same standard of living. >> Nice. which I felt >> that's not a crazy thing that was fair. So it took me a little while but we got there >> nice and immediately went to chemist and as you said were there for a couple of decades before heading to amazing and you would encourage we got to do this you would encourage those listening in the United States to get there as soon as possible >> 100% and think of it think of it when you come later when Mashiach's coming you won't be able to afford the real estate I mean now's the time to come >> now's the time don't delay what a pleasure to see you again >> absolutely >> good luck with this you know Hopefully you do very very well. I mean, >> but no matter how well you do, I I think you've established a um a foundation here to really make this thing grow as the future continues. Well, that's another very important point if I can just add that it's even if god forbid we do not pass the threshold this time we have lain the foundation and that based the way things are now with the left and the right being pretty much 50/50 >> um there's a good chance there'll be new elections not so far down the road and we'll be in a much better position again to continue to spread the word continue to build our base and Mashem get into the Knesset >> looking forward to reuniting with you in the holy Please. >> Terrific. Looking forward. We'll help you. >> Thanks so much for being here. This everybody, if you want information, just go to the website and if you are an Israeli citizen, uh you are allowed to actually donate and support the party. Again, if you're an Israeli citizen, you can search online. You'll find it. And there is an English um web page. Uh so it's self-explanatory and their mission is there. And of course, again, the opportunity to support them is there as well. A couple minutes left from Chicago on a Monday. Hey, you're listening to JM in the AM Um,