Hareidi journalist and PR man Davidi Zilbershlag has taken hareidi-religious politicians to task for their criticism of the Yesh Atid party, and has suggested that it is hareidi MKs, not secular ones, who threaten the hareidi community. “Enough with the hate,” Zilbershlag said in a Facebook post Friday. He had harsh criticism for hareidi representatives, saying, “As the days in the ‘desert’ of the Opposition pass, it grows clear that the damage that can be done in the desert is great.” “I share a personal friendship with some of the leaders of Bayit Yehudi and Yesh Atid, to my shame,” he said sarcastically. “Let it be known that my good friends include Rabbi Shai Piron, Minister Meir Cohen, Minister Yaakov Perry, Minister Yael German and more. “They are not, and never were, enemies of the hareidi community,” he continued. “The opposite is true… Not even Minister Uri Orbach, Avi Wortzman, Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan and more – they may have criticized, but they are not enemies.” However, he warned, “The odds that they will become enemies and work against us grow from day to day, due to the merciless, unrestrained harassment targeting them.” “Note, my hareidi brothers, that even your responses are more restrained and respectful than the tongue-lashings from representatives of Shas and United Torah Judaism,” he said. He also criticized hareidi politicians for not using the term “rabbi” for ordained rabbis in other parties. “The obsession with stripping Rabbi Piron of the title ‘rabbi’ is amazing… Rabbi Shai Piron, my friend, a learned man, is facing an unprecedented attack of evil, cruelty and shaming.” Zilbershlag praised Rabbi Piron as “untouched by racism... dedicated… free of populist concerns.” He called on the hareidi public, “Give him and his colleagues a 100 day grace period to prove themselves – I am convinced that they will surprise you.”
