With the elections for Jerusalem Chief Rabbis set for Tuesday 27 Tishrei, supporters of Rabbi Shlomo Amar Shlita for the post of Jerusalem Sephardi Chief Rabbi met in City Hall with Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat. Among the people taking part in the meeting was Deputy Minister of Religious Services Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan, whose Bayit Yehudi party is backing Rabbi Amar’s candidacy.
Bayit Yehudi and the mayor are backing Rabbi Amar along with endorsing Rabbi Aryeh Stern’s Shlita candidacy to become the next Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the capital.
Prominent dati leumi community posek Rabbi Chaim Druckman expressed his concerns over the candidacy of Tzfas Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita, explaining Rabbi Eliyahu’s decision to enter the race could cost the dati leumi community a victory regarding Rabbi Amar’s bid for the position.
It is reported that Rabbi Druckman has called on Rabbi Eliyahu to drop out of the race but it is unlikely that he will comply with such a request. Rav Druckman feels Rabbi Eliyahu will take votes from the dati leumi tzibur’s candidate.
Despite Rabbi Druckman’s objections to Rabbi Eliyahu’s candidacy, some other prominent dati leumi rabbonim and poskim support his candidacy. This includes Rabbi Elyakim Levanon Shlita (Chief Rabbi of the Shomron Regional Council), Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg Shlita (Rosh Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh), Rabbi Yehuda Amichai (Machon Torah V’ Haaretz) and dozens of others.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Remarkable?
The charedim are backing the frummer “zionistic” Rabbi Eliyahu,
Whilst the datim are backing the hitherto “less zionistic” more liberal and vague Rabbi Amar
What’s the deal going on?
Think that DL & Shas have shaken hands and agreed, “We will vote R. Amar if you vote for R. Stern”….only explanation that makes sense.
There is tremendous respect for Rav Mordechai Eliyahu zt”L held in Charedi circles and perhaps that shows their adherence to his son.
#2 I am Dati Leumi and R’ Eliyahu Shlita should definitely win over a Shasnick or Haredi in general.