Yitzhak Goldknopf

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Yitzhak Goldknopf
Goldknopf in 2023
Ministerial roles
2022–2025Minister of Housing & Construction
Faction represented in the Knesset
2022–2023United Torah Judaism
2025–United Torah Judaism
Personal details
Born (1950-10-30) 30 October 1950 (age 74)
Jerusalem

Yitzhak Issachar Goldknopf (Hebrew: יצחק יששכר גולדקנופף; born 30 October 1950)[1] is an Israeli politician who serves as the leader of Agudat Yisrael and as the leader of the United Torah Judaism party, following the resignation of Yaakov Litzman.[2][3] He also serves as a member of the Knesset for Agudat YIsrael, and previously served as the Minister of Housing and Construction between 2022 and 2025[1] He previously served as a member of the Jerusalem City Council.[4]

Biography

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Goldknopf was born in Jerusalem to Malka and Yehuda, a follower of the Ger Hasidic dynasty.[5] Goldknopf is married, and has ten children.[6] Goldknopf is CEO of the Beit Yaakov and Beit Petahia kindergartens and daycare centers,[7] which he inherited from his father.[3]

Political career

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Goldknopf is a member of Agudat Yisrael's national committee.[citation needed] He was elected to the Jerusalem City Council in 2003.[4]

Yaakov Aryeh Alter, rebbe of the Ger dynasty, appointed Goldknopf to replace Yaakov Litzman as leader of Agudat Yisrael in June 2022.[8] Goldknopf was additionally assigned the first spot on the party's electoral list ahead of the 2022 election,[9] and was elected to the 25th Knesset. He was appointed Minister of Housing and Construction on 29 December 2022, and resigned his seat on 6 January 2023, as part of the Norwegian Law.[1]

Goldknopf is well known in the religious community because of his position as chair of the "Committee for the Sanctity of the Sabbath". The committee has fought for restrictions in the Israeli public space, including a campaign that forced El Al to stop flying on Saturdays. Goldknopf intervened in a highly publicized spat in 2022 between the Ger leadership and Knesset member Meir Porush, who accused them of undermining his bid for Mayor of Jerusalem.[3]

Goldknopf was filmed in March 2025 dancing at a wedding to an anti-Zionist Neturei Karta song about Haredi draft evasion. He subsequently apologized and responded that it was a family wedding and he did not approve of the song, but did not want to offend the groom's family. Party leaders Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid, Avigdor Lieberman, and Bezalel Smotrich condemned the incident, as did former prime minister Naftali Bennett.[10][11]

He announced his resignation from his ministry in Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet on 12 June 2025, after failing to pass a bill that would have exempted a majority of Haredi Jewish men from conscription.[12][13] He subsequently returned to the Knesset per the Norwegian Law.[1]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "חבר הכנסת יצחק גולדקנופף". Knesset (in Hebrew). Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Hasidic faction picks replacement for Litzman to serve in Knesset". Times of Israel. 25 June 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Israel's Gur Hassidic leader picks next Knesset representative". Al-Monitor. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b Beniya, Yehonatan (31 October 2022). "הרשימות והפוליטיקאים שמחכים לקול שלכם". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  5. ^ Cohen, Israel (21 June 2016). "בת 96 בפטירתה: מלכה גולדקנופף". Kikar HaShabbat (in Hebrew). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  6. ^ Fox, Nina (2 November 2022). "אחים של ראשי עיר, רבנים וקצינים בכירים לשעבר: הפנים החדשות בכנסת". Ynet (in Hebrew). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  7. ^ Israel, David (27 July 2022). "Litzman's Successor at Agudah Welcomes Gantz as PM, Eyes Finance Ministry". Jewish Press. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  8. ^ Adamker, Yeki (24 June 2022). "הרב יצחק גולדקנופף יחליף את ליצמן ביהדות התורה". Walla! (in Hebrew). Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  9. ^ "רשימת יהדות התורה בבחירות לכנסת ה-25". Maariv (in Hebrew). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
  10. ^ Freid, Shilo (23 March 2025). "Haredi minister sparks outrage in dance to song slamming IDF". Ynet. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  11. ^ "Yitzhak Goldknopf filmed dancing to anti-Zionist Neturei Karta anthem, sparks outrage". The Jerusalem Post. 23 March 2025. Retrieved 24 March 2025.
  12. ^ "Ultra-Orthodox minister Yitzhak Goldknopf resigns over IDF draft laws". The Jerusalem Post. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  13. ^ Freid, Shilo (12 June 2025). "UTJ chair resigns from cabinet after bill to dissolve Knesset defeated in draft row". Ynetnews. Retrieved 12 June 2025.