Shas (Hebrew: ש״ס‎, an acronym for Shomrei Sfarad, lit. Sfarad's guards (of the Torah)) is an ultra-orthodox religious political party in Israel.^[1] Founded in 1984 under the leadership of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a former Israeli Sephardi chief rabbi, who remains its spiritual leader today, it primarily represents the interests of religiously observant Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews.^[2]

Originally a small ethnic political group, Shas is currently Israel's fourth largest party in the Knesset, and, according to The Jewish Daily Forward, “the unchallenged kingmaker of Israeli politics”.^[3] It has joined several coalition governments with both Labor and Likud since 1984.^[1] In Benjamin Netanyahu's present coalition government the party holds four cabinet posts.

History[link]

Shas was founded in 1984 prior to the elections to the eleventh Knesset in the same year, in protest over the small representation of Sephardim in the largely Ashkenazi Agudat Yisrael,^[2] through the merger of regional lists established in 1983. It was originally known as The Worldwide Sephardic Association of Torah Guardians (Hebrew: התאחדות הספרדים העולמית שומרי תורה‎, Hitahdut HaSfaradim HaOlamit Shomrei Torah). The party was formed under the leadership of former Israeli chief Sephardi rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who established a seven-member Council of Torah Sages and remains the party's spiritual leader today. In founding the party, Yosef received strategic help and guidance from rabbi Elazar Shach, the leader of Israel's non-Hasidic Haredi Ashkenazi Jews.^[4]

Ideology[link]

The stated purpose of the party is to “return the crown to the former glory”, and to repair what it sees as the “continued economic and social discrimination against the Sephardic population of Israel”.^[5] Focusing on the needs of Sephardic Orthodox Israelis, Shas established its own government-funded education system called El ha-Ma'ayan, which became popular in poor Sephardic towns, increasing the party’s popular support.^[3] A strong advocate of Halakha, the Jewish religious law, Shas follows an extreme policy on issues of religion and state, and actively engages in the Baal teshuva movement, encouraging non-Orthodox Israelis of Sephardic and Mizrahi-Jewish heritage to adopt a Haredi Jewish lifestyle.

At first Shas followed a moderate policy on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, after Yosef had declared that lives were more important than territories,^[2] but has since moved to the right, and opposes any freeze in Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank.^[3] In addition, it is skeptical towards the US Obama Administration's intentions regarding the Peace Process and has begun to support a consolidation of Israeli Settlement interests, especially regarding yeshivas and Jewish Holy Sites in the West Bank. It further believes in a 'United Jerusalem' and supports the Greater Jerusalem plan. In 2010, Shas joined the World Zionist Organisation, having made significant changes to their Charter.^[6]

Shas demands and endorses a compensation package for those Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews that were forced to leave their host countries and their property behind, making it a condition for its being willing to accept any peace deal with the PLO and bilateral peace agreements with Arab Countries.^{[citation needed]}

Elections and influence[link]

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Political poster for Shas,
featuring Eli Yishai.

The majority of Shas voters are themselves not ultra-orthodox. Many of its voters are Modern Orthodox and 'traditional' Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews. Due to its alignment with the promotion of an 'authentic Middle Eastern' Israeli culture, which fits well with traditional Zionist beliefs of a revival of authentic, non-Europeanized Jewish culture. However, they are still representing, by principle and not practice, their Sephardi and Mizrahi Haredi Jewish Sectors in the Knesset. Shas has at times been able to exert disproportionate influence by gaining control of the balance of power in the Knesset within the context of the traditionally narrow margin between Israel's large parties.

In the elections to the eleventh Knesset in 1984, Shas won four seats.^[2] Following Aryeh Deri's conviction on corruption charges in 1999, Shas gained 17 seats in the 1999 elections, its strongest showing since its formation. Although 26 seats were projected for the following election had they run in 2001, instead Shas was reduced to 11 seats in the 2003 election because the two-ballot system was amended.

In the 2006 elections it gained one more seat after running what the BBC called “an aggressive campaign that targeted the neo-conservative economic policies of the previous government”,^[7] and joined Ehud Olmert's coalition government, alongside Kadima, Labor, Gil and between October 2006 and January 2008, Yisrael Beiteinu. In the government, Shas party leader Yishai was Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor, and Deputy Prime Minister whilst Ariel Atias was Minister of Communications, and Meshulam Nahari and Yitzhak Cohen were Ministers without Portfolio.

Following the 2009 elections in which Shas won 11 seats, it joined Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government and holds four cabinet posts. Its current leader, Eli Yishai, is one of four Deputy Prime Ministers, and Minister of Internal Affairs.

On 4 December, Shas launched its United States affiliate, American Friends of Shas, based in Brooklyn.^[3]

Controversy[link]

Since 1999, several of Shas's MKs, including Aryeh Deri, Rafael Pinhasi, Yair Levy, Ofer Hugi, and Yair Peretz have been convicted of offences including fraud and forgery. In addition, elected MK Shlomo Benizri was convicted of bribery, conspiring to commit a crime and obstruction of justice on 1 April 2008.^[8] Benizri subsequently resigned and Mazor Bahaina, number thirteen on the Shas list, replaced him.

The party was mired in scandal after the indictment and subsequent conviction and imprisonment of its former party leader, Aryeh Deri, on corruption charges in 1999. While Yosef distanced the party from Deri and installed Yishai as the new party head, many Shas voters saw Deri as the victim of a discriminatory political witch-hunt and continue to support him.

In 2010, as United States President Obama called for talks between Netanyahu and Abbas, Ovadia Yosef called Palestinians "evil, bitter enemies of Israel" and said "Abu Mazen and all these evil people should perish from this world. God should strike them with a plague, them and these Palestinians." Saeb Erekat of the PLO said Yosef's remarks were tantamount to a call for "genocide against Palestinians." Yosef later apologized for his statements, and wrote to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, "I support your efforts and praise all the leaders and the peoples – Egyptians, Jordanians and Palestinians – who are partners and wish the success of this important process of achieving peace in our region, and preventing bloodshed. May God grant you longevity and may you succeed in your efforts for peace and may there be peace in our region."^[9] Previously Yosef had called Arabs "vipers," and called for Israel to "annihilate" Arabs. "It is forbidden to be merciful to them. You must send missiles to them and annihilate them. They are evil and damnable."^[10] A spokesman later argued that his comments were only aimed at murderers and terrorists, and not the entire Arab world. ^[11]

Shas opposes any form of public expression of homosexuality, including Gay Pride parades, especially in Jerusalem. Shas MK Nissim Ze'ev accused the homosexual community of “carrying out the self-destruction of Israeli society and the Jewish people”, calling homosexuals “a plague as toxic as bird flu”.^[12] However, it officially condemns any form of violence against gays and lesbians.

Current Knesset members[link]

Shas party ballot 2009

Eleven Shas candidates were elected to the 18th Knesset:

1. Eli Yishai
2. Ariel Atias
3. Yitzhak Cohen
4. Amnon Cohen
5. Meshulam Nahari
6. Ya'akov Margi
7. David Azulai
8. Yitzhak Vaknin
9. Nissim Ze'ev
10. Emil Amsalem (Amsalem was later expelled from Shas and currently sits as an independent, but still a member of the Likud-led coalition)
11. Avraham Michaeli

See also[link]

• Hardal
• Shomer Masoret

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website (Hebrew)
• Shas Knesset website

v t e Parliamentary political parties in Israel Kadima Likud Yisrael Beiteinu Shas Labor Independence United Torah Judaism Agudat Yisrael Degel HaTorah United Arab List-Ta'al National Union Eretz Yisrael Shelanu Moledet Hatikva Tkuma Hadash Maki Meretz The Jewish Home Balad Whole Nation Portal:Politics List of political parties Politics of Israel

Kumar Sanu (alias Kedarnath Bhattacharya, born in Kolkata) is a leading Indian Bollywood playback singer.^[1] He was awarded the Filmfare Best Male Playback Award over five consecutive years. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2009.^[2]

Early life[link]

Kumar Sanu's father Pashupati Bhattacharya was a vocalist and composer. He trained Sanu as a singer and tabla player. After getting a degree in commerce from Calcutta University, Sanu began performing publicly in 1979, singing at shows and restaurants around Calcutta. He modeled his singing style after Bollywood singer Kishore Kumar.^[3] Later he developed his own singing style.^[3]

Career[link]

In 1987, music director and singer Jagjit Singh offered Sanu the chance to sing in the Hindi film Aandhiyan. Sanu then relocated to Mumbai, where Kalyanji-Anandji gave him chance to sing in the film Jaadugar. Kalyanji-Anandji suggested that he change his name from Kedar Nath Bhattacharya to Kumar Sanu.^[3]

Sanu started off singing Jagjit Singh's film songs, and went on to work with composers including Naushad, Ravindra Jain, Hridayanath Mangeshkar, Pt.R K Razdan, Kalyanji Anandji, and Usha Khanna.

For the 1990 film Aashiqui, music directors Nadeem-Shravan got Sanu to sing all but one of the songs which included "Ek Sanam Chahiye", "Tu meri zindagi hain", "Nazar Ke Saamne", "Jaane Jigar Jaaneman", "Ab Tere Bin Jee Lenge Hum" and "Dheere Dheere Se". He won the first of his record five consecutive Filmfare awards as Best Male Playback Singer. His next Filmfare Awards came for songs in the movies Saajan (1991), Deewana (1992), Baazigar (1993), and 1942: A Love Story (1994).

Sanu often collaborated with Nadeem-Shravan. Some of their collaborations include songs in movies like Aashiqi (1990), Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991), Sadak (1991), Saajan (1991), Deewana (1992), Dil Ka Kya Kasoor (1992), Kal Ki Awaz (1992), Shreeman Aashique (1993), Salami (1993), Damini: Lightning (1993), Dilwale (1994), Agni Sakshi (1996), Raja Hindustani (1996), Jeet (1996), Pardes (1997), among others.

In a career spanning two decades he has sung with composers including R.D. Burman, Anand-Milind, Anu Malik, Jatin-Lalit, Nadeem-Shravan, Himesh Reshammiya, Ismail Darbar, Kalyanji Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rajesh Roshan, Sajid-Wajid, Viju Shah, Uttam Singh for Dushman, Raam Laxman, Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen, Anand Raj Anand, Aadesh Shrivastava, Vishal-Shekhar, M. M. Keeravani & Vishal Bharadwaj.

He has also created music for Indian films and also produced the Bollywood film, Utthaan. Currently Kumar Sanu team up with Rakesh Bhhatia and together they produced Hindi feature film based on the four street children of Mumbai. All four children are doing shoe- polish on railway platform in order to earn their daily bread and butter. Mithun Chakraborty is acting in his movie as a lead role. Recently Kumar Sanu has sang for epic Bengali film Hason Raja, which directed by UK-based filmmaker Ruhul Amin.

Sanu was in the panel of judges on Sony TV for Waar Parriwar, a reality show based on the bringing together of a singing gharana (family of singers) and on Zee Bangla TV in a music reality show called Sa Re Ga Ma Pa - Vishwa Sera.

Awards[link]

• 2009: Padma Shri: India's 4th highest civilian honour given by Government of India.

Filmfare Awards[link]

Won[link]

Nominated[link]

Star Screen Award[link]

Notable Bollywood Filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Kumar Sanu at the Internet Movie Database