The other day I was speaking to an old friend of mine. While he is certainly not conventionally charedi, he learned in kollel for many years, lives in the heart of a charedi neighborhood, and sends his children to charedi schools. He voted UTJ in the last elections. I asked him who he's voting for in the forthcoming elections.

"Probably Lapid," he replied.

I was, to use the British expression, gobsmacked.

"Are you serious?" I asked.

"Yes," he replied. "Nobody has done more to help the charedim."