As was recently reported by YWN-ISRAEL, it was only a matter of time until Yahadut Hatorah files another petition to the Supreme Court in its ongoing efforts to delay the Jerusalem Rabbinate election. It is clear that if the chareidi party does not believe a chareidi candidate will become the next Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, it prefers to continue without anyone filling the slot.

The petition will challenge the changes made to the electorate body by Deputy Minister of Religious Services Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan, alleging the new reality no longer provides fair representation of the cities shuls and residents. Under the new reality, the representatives in the religious council will not vote and this slants events in favor of the non-chareidi candidates. In the past, the religious council represented 25% of the votes. These votes are now in the hands of representatives of Ben-Dahan, who represents the dati leumi community.

In addition, the chareidi party hopes to push off the election until November 2014, for the leading dati leumi candidate for Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Aryeh Stern Shlita, will turn 70 and no longer be eligible to run.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)