Degel HaTorah
- My Old New Land
- Jun 27, 2023
- 2 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Degel HaTorah (Banner of the Torah) is an Israeli Ashkenazi Haredi political party.
The party was founded by Rabbi Elazar Shech in 1988 after a split from Agudath Israel, due to political differences. From its creation to 2022, Knesset members had varied from 2 to 4.
In the video below, you can see one of the first reunions of the party's leaders at Rabbi Shech's house.
Agudat Israel and Degel Hatorah sometimes feuded with each other but later joined forces under the political coalition Yahadut HaTorah in 1992.
That same year, the party won two Knesset seats (including deputy member Moshe Gafni who is still active) and joined Yizhak Shamir's coalition government. Since its establishment, three national conferences of the party have been held (1990, 2006, 2016). The conference takes place over several days and includes lectures and discussions. The conference culminated with the arrival of its spiritual leaders.
Degel HaTorah's pre-eminent sages were Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky (1928-2022) and Rabbi Gershon Edelstein (1923-2023). After Edelstein's death, Dov Lando has become the new spiritual leader of the party.
Party representatives have served as mayors of different cities in Israel such as Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Modi'in Illit, Beitar Illit, Raksim, Kiryat Yaarim, and more.
Following the position of the founder of the party, Rabbi Shech, who supported the principle of Land for Peace, Degel HaTorah is considered less right-wing than Agudat Israel.
But under the spiritual leaders who succeeded Rabbi Shech, there was a shift to the right in the party's positions, which was expressed in the statement of its leader, Rabbi Haim Kanievsky, on the eve of the elections to the twenty-second Knesset (2019), that the ultra-orthodox parties must oppose the transfer of territories to the Arabs.
Its political platform can generally be understood through several key areas:
Religion and state
A strong commitment to preserving and strengthening the role of Jewish law (Halacha) in public life, particularly regarding Shabbat observance, educational frameworks, and state policy.
Military service
Ongoing support for exempting yeshiva students from mandatory military service, a longstanding and deeply divisive issue within Israeli society.
Social policy
A focus on securing funding and institutional backing for Haredi schools, religious organizations, and community services.
Economic policy
Broad support for increased government funding and welfare assistance benefiting religious communities and yeshivas.
Security and territorial issues
Traditionally more pragmatic than ideologically driven on diplomatic and security matters, though in recent years the movement has often aligned with right-wing and coalition-oriented positions within the broader Haredi political landscape.
Degel HaTorah’s politics are best described as religiously conservative and community-focused, with decisions driven less by geopolitical ideology and more by protecting the autonomy, funding, and continuity of the Haredi world.
The newspaper "Yitad Naaman" is the official voice of Degel Hatorah and reflects its positions and views.
As of May 2026, Degel HaTorah Knesset Members are: Moshe Gafni, Uri Maklev, Yaakov Asher and Yitzhak Ze'ev Pindrus.
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