Who they are
Adlerstein was born in New York in 1950. He attended Queens College and received ordination at Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim, then moved to California in 1978 to teach. He taught at Loyola Law School, worked for the Simon Wiesenthal Center and co-founded Cross-Currents. He moved to Jerusalem in 2017 and now heads global faith engagement at Israel365.
Positions and record
Haredi service: Supports deferment for genuine full-time Torah learners, with others serving in the IDF or another national-service route compatible with Haredi religious practice.
Education: Supports serious English and maths instruction for Haredi children alongside their religious education.
Employment: Rejects treating earning a living as incompatible with Haredi religious life and supports greater participation in work and national life.
Where they stand
Holds the party line on every issue.
Judea & Samariaparty lineNo line on the West Bank beyond haredi towns and hesder yeshivas along the eastern border Two states / withdrawalSovereignty / annexation
Gaza & Securityparty lineNothing on the war or the hostages, but it wants conscription tracks in the Shin Bet, the Mossad and the police, and a body for haredi reserve families Deal & disengagementFull military control
Haredi Enlistmentparty lineAbsolute protection for a young man learning all day. Everyone else serves, in the army or in national and civil service
Universal draftPreserve exemptions
Judiciaryparty lineIt has taken no position on the courts Court can strike lawsKnesset can override
Economyparty lineTraining, civil-service affirmative action and five times the housing starts, with yeshivas weaned off state money onto private support
Social spendingFree market
Educationparty lineHaredi schools stay independent, with maths and English taught inside them through the state-haredi stream
State runs the schoolsParents and communities
Religion & Stateparty lineRuns on the sector's own institutions, not on the state's religion policy Civil / pluralistReligious authority
Nation & Citizenshipparty lineNo position on citizenship. It asks the state to open the gates to every Jew and to fund absorption past the airport Equal citizenshipJewish national state