Bayit Yehudi holds memorial faction meeting for Uri Orbach
"Uri was a trailblazer. He was our north star," Bennett says, commemorating Orbach.
By LAHAV HARKOV
Bayit Yehudi will continue to follow Uri Orbach's vision, party leader Naftali Bennett said Tuesday at a faction meeting in the Knesset in honor of the pensioners' affairs minister, who died at age 54 from a blood disease on Monday."Uri was a trailblazer. He was our north star," Bennett said. "He brought us such pride. He never folded the flag and stood up for his beliefs about the Land of Israel and the Torah of Israel. Anyone who knew Uri knew he had a very gentle handshake but values of steel stood behind it."Bennett referred to a Hebrew phrase Orbach coined meaning "token religious person," adding that, though Orbach came up with it, he was not one."His vision was great, and only because of it the whole change in Bayit Yehudi happened," he added, referring to Orbach's idea to open the party's ranks and hold a primary, which led to Bennett's victory and the party growing from three to 12 seats.The Bayit Yehudi leader vowed the party will continue in Orbach's path, in which "we say out loud that we love the Land of Israel, the people of Israel and the Torah of Israel."Construction Minister Uri Ariel said Orbach was both brave and modest."Uri was fearless in standing for what he believed in, and with his special humor, he would break down all resistance," Ariel said.According to Ariel, Orbach "does not need memorials. He is alive, and his legacy continues. I hope we will merit to learn and implement some of it."