As the elections for the new Chief Rabbis of Israel nears, Shas is working to maximize its position, albeit working at a disadvantage, seated in opposition in Knesset today.
Shas is aware that Bayit Yehudi is carefully monitoring the election, not just to push for its candidate, Rabbi David Stav, but equally important who will serve on the local level. For example, if Holon Chief Rabbi Avraham Yosef Shlita or Beersheva Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri Shlita is appointed as the next Rishon L’Tzion, Bayit Yehudi will act swiftly and use its political might to appoint a dati leumi rav.
Shas has worked long and hard, and almost without being noticed as it placed it people at the helm of many a local rabbinate around the country. Shas does not wish to lose the local control but wishes to place its man in the Rishon L’Tzion seat.
Bayit Yehudi understands this and now that it controls the Ministry of Religious Services, it will do its utmost to have dati leumi rabbonim fill voids on the local level.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
7 Responses
The more important issue is conscription. Bayit Yehudi is leading the charge to conscript all yeshiva students (starting with “some” but within a few years including “all”). That is a life or death issue.
“Chief Rabbi” is an Israeli government official charged with distributing patronage. It’s nice, but it isn’t really a life or death matter. After all, it isn’t like the “Chief Rabbi” is the gadol, or even the posek, for the government – it’s only a senior bureaucrat. Note how Rav Yosef’s significance really only began AFTER he left being “Chief Rabbi”.
that is true akuperma,
however you see how much damage political people can do
From the narrow perspective of frum yiddens’ self-interest, perhaps who serves on the Rabbanut is not life or death.
But for the rest of Clal Yisroel, it is.
That is because for many of them, the Rav Shechunna and Rav Ha’Ir are the only Rabbonim they will ever have personal contact with.
The question is: Will their contact with these Rabbonim be a Chilul HASHEM or a Kiddush HASHEM.
The track resord of the past couple of decades has been that it has been a Chilul HASHEM at every level, first and foremost with Rabbi Metzger, who was known to be corrupt and incompetent, but served the interests of haredi askanaim.
We now have the chance to have Rabbonim appointed who truly wish to serve the people and are qualified for the job.
As long as there is haredi and Shas control, that will not occur. Instead, more hacks who are related to the power brokers.
City, Moshavim and Area Rabbonim are important people for the residents of Israel.. Also these positions are well-salaried and SHAS does not want to lose these jobs, the dayanim and hachsherim that come with it.
For the outside world the status of Chief Rabbi is still an honored and respected position and carries weight in South America, Canada and European countries.
Seems more complicated than posted.
UTJ does not support the candidacy of one of the Yosef son’s and will vote instead Rav Eliyahu..
The truth is that almost every local rav should be a dati leumi rav, as it is only the datim who support the institutions of the medinah. Charedim don’t follow the official rabbinate; why should they care who gets the job?
#1. Don’t let the facts interfere with your opinion. You are mistating Bennett’s position. This is from the JPost Feb. 24, 2013 “But Yesh Atid did compromise on the issue for the first time over the weekend in ongoing talks with its political ally, Bayit Yehudi chairman Naftali Bennett.
According to a Channel 10 report confirmed by both parties, Lapid agreed to Bennett’s request to increase the number of haredim who would be given draft exemptions from 400 to 2,000. He also acquiesced to haredim being drafted at age 21 rather than 18.”
This doesn’t go into effect until well after this government is out of office. Much will change. Bennett worked to get a comprimise from Lapid.
Why is a Chareidi life worth more than a Hesder Yeshiva or other Dati soldier who is also learning? Also, what about Chareidim who are not learning? They should be exempt too?
If someone is really a learner, he should stay and learn, everyone else….join the real world. You can learn, work and protect your fellow Yidden too. This is NOT anti-Torah.
I don’t support Bennett and I certainly don’t support Lapid, but what is right is right! and beating up and harrassing Chareid soldiers who are in the IDF is sick and a perversion of Torah.