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NEWS
Widespread Efforts to Mobilize UTJ Voters on Election
Day
By Y. Ariel
UTJ mobilized enormous support around the country on Election
Day, as voters turned out in droves to sanction the Name of
Heaven by casting their ballots for the United Torah Judaism
list and working to promote the party, following calls by
maranan verabonon, including Maran HaRav Eliashiv
shlita, who even instructed yeshiva students to make
every effort to increase the vote.
On Election Day elderly and young people could be seen out on
the streets from early morning until the polls closed,
working to get out the vote. Many volunteers went to a
vosikin minyan in order to get started as early as
possible. Long lines of vehicles were parked outside of
campaign offices, ready to pick up voters unable to reach the
polls on their own and to transport UTJ poll
representatives.
Rabbi Menachem Shapira, who heads Degel HaTorah's Municipal
Department, divided the country into six sectors and
dispatched the party's three MKs — Rabbi Avrohom
Ravitz, Rabbi Moshe Gafni and Rabbi Uri Maklev. Also making
the rounds of various cities were Rabbi Yaakov Guterman and
Rabbi Yaakov Asher, the mayors of Modi'in Illit and Bnei
Brak, where elections were not held. Bnei Brak Deputy Mayor
Rabbi Avrohom Rubinstein also assisted in this effort.
Many women devoted themselves to the task of mobilizing
voters, putting in long hours of work throughout the day. At
numerous polling places UTJ activists were on hand late into
the night, returning home only after all the ballots had been
counted.
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