"As the election approaches, in these days when the evil inclination is trying to lure the public with lashon hara (gossip), controversies and the denigration of Torah students, an initiative, already joined by thousands of yeshiva students, has taken off, promising a fair prize."
Haredi Lottery For Yeshiva Students Aims To Cut Down On Elections Talk, Ramp Up Torah Study
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Ha’aretz reports that a new initiative put together by a group of haredi yeshiva students in Israel is gaining a growing following.
Haredi yeshiva students who do not discuss the upcoming Israeli national elections can enter a lottery twice each week to win a NIS 500 ($133) prize.
Qualification for entry apparently is based primarily on the honor system.
"As the election approaches, in these days when the evil inclination is trying to lure the public with lashon hara (gossip), controversies and the denigration of Torah students, an initiative, already joined by thousands of yeshiva students, has taken off, promising a fair prize," an ad promoting the initiative reportedly declares.
One of the yeshiva students who created the initiative said its goal was to have yeshiva students focus on Torah study instead of arguing about politics with fellow yeshiva students.
"I know that hundreds or even thousands of students have already joined the initiative," he said. "This way they won't disrupt their studies with idle talk. And since their financial condition isn't brilliant, we can also help some of them,” he reportedly said..