Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Political reporter Sam Sokol joins host Jessica Steinberg for today's episode.

After a 14-year-old ultra-Orthodox teenager was killed and three others were injured by a bus ramming into protestors following a mass Haredi rally against IDF conscription, Sokol discusses the chaotic street scene and fires set in the middle of the busy road by young men and teens roaming around Jerusalem's Romema neighborhood on Tuesday night.

The rally, which was the initiative of a group of leading ultra-Orthodox rabbis, and connected to the Jerusalem Faction, an extremist ultra-Orthodox group, opened with fiery speeches, reports Sokol, as leading rabbis railed against the government’s draft exemption bill and the Haredi Shas party, which supports it.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

Police set to charge bus driver who ran over Haredi protester with aggravated murder

Teenager killed, others injured after bus runs over Haredi protesters in Jerusalem

Senior ultra-Orthodox rabbi: Those enforcing Haredi draft are fighting against God

Thousands of Haredim protest against conscription in Jerusalem

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.

IMAGE: Ultra-Orthodox protest against IDF recruitment in Jerusalem, January 6, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/sam-sokol/">Political reporter&nbsp;Sam Sokol&nbsp;</a>joins <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/jessica-steinberg/">host Jessica Steinberg</a>&nbsp;for today's episode.
After a 14-year-old ultra-Orthodox teenager was killed and three others were injured by a bus ramming into protestors following a mass Haredi rally against IDF conscription, Sokol discusses the chaotic street scene and fires set in the middle of the busy road by young men and teens roaming around Jerusalem's Romema neighborhood on Tuesday night.
The rally, which was the initiative of a group of leading ultra-Orthodox rabbis, and connected to the Jerusalem Faction, an extremist ultra-Orthodox group,&nbsp;opened with fiery speeches, reports Sokol, as leading rabbis railed against the government&rsquo;s draft exemption bill and the Haredi Shas party, which supports it.
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-january-07-2026/?utm_source=article_hpsidebar&amp;utm_medium=desktop_site&amp;utm_campaign=liveblog-january-07-2026">Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.</a>
For further reading:
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/police-set-to-charge-bus-driver-who-ran-over-haredi-protester-with-aggravated-murder/">Police set to charge bus driver who ran over Haredi protester with aggravated murder</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/teenager-killed-others-injured-after-bus-runs-over-haredi-protesters-in-jerusalem/">Teenager killed, others injured after bus runs over Haredi protesters in Jerusalem</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/senior-ultra-orthodox-rabbi-those-enforcing-haredi-draft-are-fighting-against-god/">Senior ultra-Orthodox rabbi: Those enforcing Haredi draft are fighting against God</a>
<a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/thousands-of-haredim-protest-against-conscription-in-jerusalem/">Thousands of Haredim protest against conscription in Jerusalem</a>
Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-times-of-israel-daily-briefing/id1547404042"> Apple Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1vhvFPvN0fFn5YRHCEcxrn">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnR6FOcOvFdMbb0w1n0Ev0orcVkufgZ89">YouTube,</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.
IMAGE: Ultra-Orthodox protest against IDF recruitment in Jerusalem, January 6, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Welcome to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing: Your update on what’s important in Israel, the Middle East and The Jewish World.

Welcome to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing: Your update on what&rsquo;s important in Israel, the Middle East and The Jewish World.

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