People come to buy the video, but also pause to pay a shekel, a contribution to the cost of three specially handwritten copies of the Torah. It's a worthy gesture, but a calculated one too. Anyone paying a shekel also fills out a form, complete with contact details, which enables Shas to campaign more effectively. It is this kind of campaigning, combined with educational and social networks, that has propelled Shas to power. It is particularly effective in places like Mahane Yehuda, where the voices are mostly Sephardi and pictures of Shas's spiritual leaders are everywhere.
People here are extremely grateful to the party.
My family got lots of support, without any conditions. I respect Deri. Shas expects to pick up seats as a result of the Deri affair. In the party's TV commercials, the leader's benevolent face is rarely off the screen. The association might seem strange.