Jewish Home party approves committee to choose new leadership

In the wake of breakaway by Bennett and Shaked, party ditches primaries and will have a 17-member forum select faction’s slate for April elections

The central committee of the national-religious Jewish Home party voted Sunday to establish a committee to compile the party’s slate for coming national elections.

In December, shortly after national elections were set for April 9, Jewish Home’s two most senior members, Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, announced that they would be leaving the party and launching the New Right party. MK Shuli Moalem also left Jewish Home to join them.

Since their exit, Jewish Home has slumped in polls, which have predicted it may even fail to pass the Knesset threshold in the coming elections, compared to eight seats it currently holds in parliament.

The Bennett-Shaked breakaway left the national religious amalgamation scrambling for new leadership. On Sunday, Jewish Home decided not to hold primaries and instead to appoint a 17-member committee that is expected to begin working on Monday.

Jewish Home director-general Nir Orbach said in a statement: “The Jewish Home is alive and well. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”