Yated Wars: Reactions to the New Charedim

There is a ferocious battle going on regarding the takeover of the Israeli newspaper Yated (which is entirely unrelated to the American Yated). In part, it relates to the general power struggle taking place with the decline of Rav Elyashiv's court. It also relates to attitudes to the new chareidim.

The old Yated was vitriolically zealous. It represented the most extreme group of charedim, whose figurehead was Rav Elyashiv and whose natural successor is Rav Shmuel Auerbach (more about him, with whom I am personally familiar, in another post). Here is a link to an editorial from the pre-takeover Yated, regarding the "new charedim" that I discussed in the previous post. It's a strong condemnation of the "new charedim," concluding with a declaration that the Yated is proud to be  extremist. The editorial insists that it is not categorically opposed to the idea of a person working for a living, as long as the person recognizes that it is not the ideal. The ideal is for a person to be supported by others! And to raise one's children with that goal! (It amazes me that they can propose this so brazenly, apparently without an inkling that is entirely contrary to Chazal.)

According to my sources, this editorial was the last straw. The newspaper has now been taken over by the other Charedi camp, whose figurehead is Rav Steinman and who is funded by an American called Shimon Glick. They are not moderate in any objective sense of the term; see this interview with someone from that camp, who cites Rav Shteinman as saying that one should not support any hospital or other institution, only limud Torah! Still, they are certainly more moderate than the previous group. Although not exactly supportive of the new charedim, they aren't in an all-out war with them.

But both camps are in a war with each other. Check out the following links:

Rav Chaim Kanievsky: Rav Shteiman Is The Manhig HaDor

The Shameful Truth Surrounding Yated is Revealed
בשירות המדינה - יתד נאמן (PDF)
 הסכסוך ביתד נאמן: זעקה בבית הרב אוירבעך

Coming up next: The Future of the New Charedim