United Torah Judaism is an electoral alliance of non-Zionist Ashkenazi Haredi groups: Agudat Israel (Hasidic) and Degel HaTorah ("Lithuanian," non-Hasidic). A third faction, Chomat Torat Israel, joined in 2026.
United Torah Judaism has no national or territorial program of its own. Its political decisions, including whether to join the government, are made by rabbinic authorities, not by an internal vote.
United Torah Judaism's main goal is to protect the Haredi way of life: exemptions from military service for Torah study, the Chief Rabbinate's exclusive authority over personal status, and funding for religious education without a required core curriculum. It does not have a structured nationalist or economic ideology.
Heads the listYaakov AsherPROVISIONAL RESULTS · counting complete
United Torah Judaism's distrust of the comes mainly from fear that judges will strike down the exemptions for yeshiva students. United Torah Judaism voted against an independent state commission of inquiry into October 7 in 2025.
United Torah Judaism left the government in July 2025 rather than accept a law that United Torah Judaism judged inadequate. The new leadership, headed by Yaakov Asher, takes a harder line on this issue.
United Torah Judaism also secured more money for Haredi schools, with no requirement to teach math, English and science. This model makes it harder for these students to enter the job market.
United Torah Judaism rejects and Reform conversions. United Torah Judaism also secured less work on the railway network on Shabbat.
United Torah Judaism said it supports “any deal” to free the hostages, in the name of the religious duty to redeem captives, even if this changes the war strategy. The party has not spoken specifically about disarming Hamas.
Israeli ultra-Orthodox parties: we will support agreement for release of hostages (Adnkronos) · Jul 30, 2025 · source ↗United Torah Judaism, including the Degel HaTorah faction, voted against the law on the death penalty for terrorists on March 30, 2026. In 2023, Moshe Gafni was already making any vote conditional on the opinion of the rabbis.
Loi sur la peine de mort pour les terroristes adoptée (Mako) · Mar 30, 2026 · source ↗Updated October 23
Sources : Fourchette calculée à partir de 4 instituts entre le 16 et le 19 octobre 2026. N12/Midgam, Maariv/Lazar Research, N13 et Kan 11/Kantar. Le détail complet par institut est disponible dans l'encart sondages de la fiche.
Compare United Torah Judaism with another partyUnited Torah Judaism is an electoral alliance of non-Zionist Ashkenazi Haredi groups: Agudat Israel (Hasidic) and Degel HaTorah ("Lithuanian," non-Hasidic). A third faction, Chomat Torat Israel, joined in 2026.
United Torah Judaism has no national or territorial program of its own. Its political decisions, including whether to join the government, are made by rabbinic authorities, not by an internal vote.
United Torah Judaism's main goal is to protect the Haredi way of life: exemptions from military service for Torah study, the Chief Rabbinate's exclusive authority over personal status, and funding for religious education without a required core curriculum. It does not have a structured nationalist or economic ideology.
Voting for United Torah Judaism means voting for a non-Zionist party whose participation in government is decided by rabbinical authority rather than a democratic internal vote.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Yitzhak Goldknopf, leader of United Torah Judaism, rejects a Palestinian state, which he calls a “terrorist state” on Israel’s border (May 2024).
Security & National Defense
United Torah Judaism, including the Degel HaTorah faction, voted against the law on the for terrorists on March 30, 2026. In 2023, Moshe Gafni was already making any vote conditional on the opinion of the rabbis.
Military Service & Haredi Society
United Torah Judaism demands the exemption of full-time yeshiva students and rejects any sanctions against them. In October 2026, Yaakov Asher states that the party will not join any government that has not first passed a law to that effect.
Religion & State
United Torah Judaism defends the between religion and state, which leaves marriage to the religious authorities; the party therefore opposes civil marriage.
Democracy & Institutions
United Torah Judaism supported the judicial reform and advocates an override clause allowing the to reinstate a law struck down by the . In October 2026, Yaakov Asher states that the party “needed the override clause” and links it to the law on service for yeshiva students.
Individual Rights & Society
United Torah Judaism opposes any recognition of same-sex couples; in 2006 Moshe Gafni denounced the recognition of same-sex marriages performed abroad. Old statement.
United Torah Judaism (UTJ) was founded in 1992 as an electoral alliance between two distinct Ashkenazi Haredi parties: Agudat Yisrael, close to Hasidism, and Degel HaTorah, a non-Hasidic “Lithuanian” movement founded by Rabbi Elazar Shach in a break with Agudat Yisrael, which he considered insufficiently representative of the political interests of Lithuanian Haredim. The alliance aims to maximize Ashkenazi Haredi representation in the Knesset; decisions on participation in government rest with rabbinical authorities rather than a majority vote of members. It briefly broke apart in 2004 over a coalition disagreement, before reuniting in 2006 to avoid splitting the vote. With the list finalized and submitted on September 8, 2026, Moshe Gafni (38 years in office) and Uri Maklev were removed from the list by the Degel HaTorah leadership, without a split; Gafni was also removed from the chairmanship of Degel HaTorah (one of the party's two factions), ending all of his leadership roles. Yaakov Asher takes the top position on the list. For the first time since 1992, a third faction (“Chomat Torat Yisrael”) joins Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael on the joint list.
On October 11, 2026, United Torah Judaism and Shas sign a surplus-vote agreement and pledge to present a united front in the next Knesset. Yaakov Asher declares that the party “is not part of any bloc” and will not enter any government that has not first passed a law on the status of yeshiva students.
The party resigned from the government in July 2025 after the failure of conscription negotiations.
Together with Shas, it drove an unprecedented increase in allowances for yeshiva students and families.
It secured the passage of a Basic Law elevating Torah study to the status of a foundational value of the state. This constitutes an actual record in government during its term in the outgoing coalition.
Israel should accept a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, even if Hamas is not fully disarmed.
United Torah Judaism said it supports “any deal” to free the hostages, in the name of the religious duty to redeem captives, even if this changes the war strategy. The party has not spoken specifically about disarming Hamas.
Source :Israeli ultra-Orthodox parties: we will support agreement for release of hostages (Adnkronos)· 2025-07-30
Israel should apply the death penalty to people convicted of deadly attacks.
United Torah Judaism, including the Degel HaTorah faction, voted against the law on the death penalty for terrorists on March 30, 2026. In 2023, Moshe Gafni was already making any vote conditional on the opinion of the rabbis.
Source :Loi sur la peine de mort pour les terroristes adoptée (Mako)· 2026-03-30
Who should govern Gaza in the long term?
Yitzhak Goldknopf, leader of United Torah Judaism, says he does not want to govern the inhabitants of Gaza but refuses to give Hamas independent power. The choice of option is inferred from this statement; United Torah Judaism has no plan for Gaza.
Source :Goldknopf : pas de capacité à vivre à côté d'un État terroriste (Srugim)· 2024-05-23
Israel should accept the creation of a Palestinian state as part of a peace agreement.
Yitzhak Goldknopf, leader of United Torah Judaism, rejects a Palestinian state, which he calls a “terrorist state” on Israel’s border (May 2024).
Source :Goldknopf : pas de capacité à vivre à côté d'un État terroriste (Srugim)· 2024-05-23
Existing settlements in Judea and Samaria/West Bank should be able to expand.
Inferred position, with no specific United Torah Judaism statement on this subject. United Torah Judaism has no uniform view on settlement expansion, but several large Haredi cities are located in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank, and Meir Porush supports the development of Jewish communities.
Source :United Torah Judaism (Wikipedia)· 2026-10-11
On which part of Judea and Samaria/West Bank should Israel apply its sovereignty?
United Torah Judaism MKs, including Meir Porush, voted in July 2025 for the non-binding declaration on sovereignty in Judea and Samaria/the West Bank. The party has no specific program on the extent of sovereignty, so the value is intermediate.
Source :La Knesset adopte la déclaration de souveraineté (Kikar HaShabbat)· 2025-07-23
What should Israel do about military service for yeshiva students?
United Torah Judaism demands the exemption of full-time yeshiva students and rejects any sanctions against them. In October 2026, Yaakov Asher states that the party will not join any government that has not first passed a law to that effect.
Source :Kikar HaShabbat, interview de Yaakov Asher· 2026-10-12
Israel should allow civil marriage, in addition to religious marriage.
United Torah Judaism defends the status quo between religion and state, which leaves marriage to the religious authorities; the party therefore opposes civil marriage.
Source :United Torah Judaism (Wikipedia)· 2026-10-11
Public transport should operate on Shabbat where local residents want it.
United Torah Judaism defends the status quo and seeks to strengthen Shabbat observance in the public space; the party opposes public transport on Shabbat.
Source :United Torah Judaism (Wikipedia)· 2026-10-11
The state should keep funding religious institutions and services the way it does today.
United Torah Judaism defends the status quo and uses its weight in coalitions to secure funding for yeshivas and religious institutions.
Source :United Torah Judaism (Wikipedia)· 2026-10-11
A Reform or Conservative (Masorti) conversion to Judaism, carried out abroad, should continue to give the right to make .
United Torah Judaism does not recognize Reform Judaism (Moshe Gafni, 2016) and in 2024 voted for a bill restricting the Law of Return.
Source :Moshe Gafni (Wikipedia)· 2026-10-11
Should the Supreme Court be able to strike down a law passed by the Knesset?
United Torah Judaism supported the judicial reform and advocates an override clause allowing the Knesset to reinstate a law struck down by the Supreme Court. In October 2026, Yaakov Asher states that the party “needed the override clause” and links it to the law on service for yeshiva students.
Source :Kikar HaShabbat, interview de Yaakov Asher· 2026-10-12
The October 7 inquiry should be entrusted to a , whose members are appointed by the Supreme Court president, rather than to a commission whose members are chosen by the Knesset.
Questioned in February 2025 by families of victims, Moshe Gafni, leader of Degel HaTorah (United Torah Judaism), said he did not want a state commission of inquiry. United Torah Judaism has not published an official position. Moshe Gafni is no longer on the list in 2026.
Source :Gafni aux familles du Conseil d'Octobre (Behadrei Haredim)· 2025-02-12
What should be done with the 2018 “Nation-State” law?
United Torah Judaism voted for the Nation-State law in 2018, according to Moshe Gafni out of loyalty to Netanyahu rather than conviction. No recent position on amending it was found.
Source :Les harédim ont soutenu la loi État-nation en échange de la loi sur le service (Srugim)· 2018-07-31
The state should lower taxes, even if this means cutting some public spending.
Inferred position, with no specific United Torah Judaism statement on this subject. United Torah Judaism has one of the most social-democratic economic programs among the Jewish parties, in favor of social spending; the party has not taken a stand on raising taxes.
Source :United Torah Judaism (Wikipedia)· 2026-10-11
Israel should create a civil union open to same-sex couples, with the same rights as married couples.
United Torah Judaism opposes any recognition of same-sex couples; in 2006 Moshe Gafni denounced the recognition of same-sex marriages performed abroad. Old statement.
Source :Moshe Gafni (Wikipedia)· 2026-10-11
Publicly funded services should be allowed to offer separate spaces for men and women when a community asks for it.
In the 2022 agreement, United Torah Judaism demanded that separation between men and women in public services and events not be considered discrimination.
Source :UTJ et le Sionisme religieux demandent que la séparation ne soit pas une discrimination (ice)· 2022-11-20
Haredi schools that receive state money should be required to teach core subjects (math, English, science), like other schools.
In 2016, United Torah Judaism obtained the cancellation of the core subjects requirement, and in 2022 Yitzhak Goldknopf defended funding for Haredi schools that do not teach them.
Source :Haredi political leader: English, math studies useless for Israel's economy (Jerusalem Post)· 2022-10-15
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