Comments on: Op-Ed: Deri Blinded by Personal Ambitions

By: spectrum

spectrum — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 05:43:48 +0000

Interesting article, but do really need to have such lashon hora and bizayon talmidei chachamim-filled articles just to raise this websites popularity??
Yes, HOT TOPICS are hot, but they most often “burn” the writers and readers

Pun intended

By: zappy

zappy — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 04:43:04 +0000

i agree with mr Gold completely

By: MDU

MDU — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 04:29:46 +0000

Bad analysis:

1) Once Deri is a leader there ought to be only one leader. Two leaders and two policy making camp will destroy any party. Once Maran picked Deri, Yishai’s policies will harm shas.

2) Deri is a expert politician not only “the young charm”

3) once he is assured the leader and policy maker of the party then he can do the right things to promote his party and it’s policies.

By: limnos yameinu

limnos yameinu — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 03:08:54 +0000

Although I agree with the general analysis, there is a thorough misunderstanding of Sefardic history. There is no need for Rav Cohen Shlita to get his outlook from Ashkenazic Yeshivos.This outlook was the opinion of the great Roshei Yeshivos of Porat Yosef who were even against voting in Israeli elections. There were Sefardic leaders who were very zealous and totally opposed to the state of
Israel,like the Saba Kadisha,Harav Elifandri zatzal.Rav Ovadia zatzal had a very strong Yeshiva outlook and was still able to connect to the average Jew,an ability that Rav Amar has as well.However this strong Hashkafa does have Sefardic roots.

By: Arye

Arye — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 21:53:57 +0000

Now with this article that YWN posted made me understand how comments with chutzpah against Gedoley Yisrael is condoned.

By the way, Rav Cohen shlit”a is the perfect man for this job and will no doubt bring Arye Deri greater power. Who else but Rav Cohen can take better care of the so-called “religious” Zionists? It’s only anti-chareidi Bayit Yehudnik like this author who’s blinded.

By: Toras Moshe

Toras Moshe — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 21:11:06 +0000

This Gold guy should stick to his day job. Political analysis will never be his forte. Deri was more successful with his left-of-center policies when he ran Shas the first time then Shas was successful when it moved too far to the right. This is a welcome back to the basics where it all began for Shas. Chacham Ovadia was no right-winger. Rav Cohen is the best man closest to Rav Ovadia. Rav Amar had a falling out with Rav Ovadia.

By: Yagel Libi

Yagel Libi — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 20:13:49 +0000

Harav Cohen’s anti-Zionist and anti Religious-Zionists views are certainly out of touch with the rank and file of Sha”s. I have heard and even read numerous comments by longtime Sha”s supporters who think that the Rosh Yeshiva’s views on this central issue have been influenced by Ashkenazi charedi thought and do not represent the longstanding support of Sephardic gdolim for Zionism, Religious-Zionism and the State of Israel.

That being said, so far polls indicate that Sha”s is only losing 3-4 seats. Deri seems to be counting on party-loyalty outweighing other issues for the majority of Sha”s supporters and only time will tell to what extent party-loyalty can prevail over substantive issues.

By: Happy Olah

Happy Olah — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 19:59:36 +0000

Wow. That was an impressive analysis Mr. Gold. I had the same thoughts when I heard the news, but I couldn’t understand why Deri was making two tremendous blunders: distancing Rav Amar and embracing Rav Cohen. Your explanation makes sense. If it is the real reason for Deri’s irrational choices then I am disappointed that Deri put his own career above the success of the party.

By: akuperma

akuperma — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 19:50:47 +0000

Choosing the Rosh Yeshiva of the leading non-Ashkenazi yeshiva is an inherently safe choice.

Shas has to decide whether to give up being a frum party and go the way of Bayit Yehudi (i.e. give up pushing Torah and instead push the IDF), or become hareidi even if it alienates some supporters. It no longer has the option to be both. If it goes all out zionist, nothing will differentiate it from Likud, and one might argue that those Sefardim who consider Zionism as a replacement for Torah have long since become part of Likud. By supporting conscription Shas would alienate Sefardi Bnei Torah. Remember that the whole raison d’etre dor Shas 40 years ago was to resist the movement to assimilate religious Sefardim within the zionist movement.