A group of haredi Orthodox women has formed a political party in Israel ahead of the March elections.
The party, called B’zchutan, or “In their merit,” was announced on Jan. 19 as a response to the existing all-male haredi parties, the Sephardi Shas and Ashkenazi United Torah Judaism.
B’zchutan members said the party will focus on women’s issues, such as support for single mothers, women’s health and women’s rights in Orthodox divorces, according to the daily newspaper Haaretz.
“There are many walls of fear for haredi women within their communities,” B’zchutan leader Ruth Colian was quoted as saying. “They have nowhere to turn.”
In 2013, Colian unsuccessfully petitioned the Supreme Court to mandate that the existing haredi parties include female representation.
Last year, when the March elections were announced, a group of haredi women relaunched a campaign to gain female representation in the haredi parties. They have made little headway thus far. — jta