With a number of victories in hand, according to most political analysts, Degel Hatorah is now likely to inform Agudas Yisrael that the tables have turned, and now; it will hold 60% of the joint Yahadut Hatorah pie and Agudas Yisrael will only hold onto 40%. In the past, the situation was reversed, as the chassidim maintained they are the majority. It’s now a litvish ballgame. Many are offended by these categorizations, but reality is what it is, and the parties are separate, and in this case, they opposed one another. Following this election, in the Jerusalem city council for example, Degel has six seats and Agudas Yisrael only three.
Degel Hatorah’s candidate in Jerusalem, Moshe Leon, beat out Agudas Yisrael’s Yossi Deutsch, and Leon is now facing off against secular candidate Ofer Berkowitz. While the polls predict a tight race, Degel officials are exhibiting confidence. That said, if they do not receive the support of the chassidim, Agudas Yisrael, Berkowitz may take the race.
It will be interesting to see how the chassidim act vis-à-vis the runoff election. Most predict that despite the fact that Leon is Shomer Shabbat and Berkowitz is not, Deputy Minister Yaakov Litzman, the Gerrer Rebbe’s man in Knesset, will not support him, but will announce he is voting for Berkowitz, or alternatively, will recommend to the Gerrer Rebbe Shlita that chassidim refrain from voting in the race. This occurred back in the race when Nir Barkat was elected for his first term. Litzman would not back a fellow Agudas Yisrael candidate, now Deputy Minister Meir Porush, his political nemesis, and refrained from backing anyone, opening the door for Nir Barkat. This time, it may be Berkowitz instead of Barkat.
MK Menachem Eliezer Moses however, who is the Vishnitzer Rebbe’s representative in Knesset and chairman of Agudas Yisrael, announced on Wednesday morning that he will suggest to Agudas Yisrael’s Moetzas Gedolei Torah that they back Leon in the race. Moses insists it is time to push party politics aside and look at the big picture, which demands achdus, adding that this is imperative ahead of Knesset elections in 2019. He reminds the tzibur that if the chareidim would have remained united, there would not be a runoff election, but unfortunately, this is not the case.
Aryeh King, who endorsed Deutsch in the mayoral race, and whose party received two seats in the Jerusalem Council announced it should be clear to all, that in the runoff, Leon is the man. In the elections, King, who is Shomer Shabbat as well, insists the religious voting public must vote for Leon.
Echoing King’s message is Agriculture Minister (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Ariel, who heads the Ichud Leumi faction, announcing his faction endorses Leon in the Jerusalem runoff election.
Following a race in which the Degel Hatorah and Shas backed a dati leumi candidate and not the chassidish one, it is clear it is more about party wish lists than what is good for the holy city and it remains to be seen who will emerge the victor on 5 Kislev, Tuesday, November 13th, when the runoff election takes place.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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18 Responses
Your analysis in the last paragraph is incorrect. You need to learn some basic political science.
Degel’s approach to politics, from Rav Shach to the present day gedolim, has always been more pragmatic than idealistic. That’s why Rav Shach encouraged direct voting for an irreligious PM back when that’s how it was done, and Reb Aharon Leib guided the current MKs to negotiate a compromise about the draft.
Here as well, Degel believes that with the current demographics a charedi person will not win an election for mayor of Jerusalem. (Lupolianski got int the first time without an election, and the second time as an incumbent). Better to be pragmatic and support a dati leumi candidate than be idealistic and support the chasidishe candidate, which would result in a chilioni candidate winning.
It’s not your cynical theory of placing “party wish lists” ahead of “what is good for the holy city”. It’s doing, based on the advice of gedolei yisroel, what is most likely to produce a good end-result for the people Degel represents.
As usual with the anti Degel slant. I agree that the last paragraph is offensive and uncalled for.
<> Avi can you please talk like a mentch?
Of course is going to back a chiloni mechallel shabbos to get what they want, it’s how they operate. Another few years of the entire chareidi tzibbur hating Ger, here we come…
Avi Kolko’s end line is a very true analysis of Degel’s position: “what is most likely to produce a good end-result for the people Degel represents”. Degel is not interested in Klal Yisroel; it is interested in its own sector alone. Agudas Yisroel is also split between those who think the party is the personal property of Ger, those who believe it is a wholly owned subsidiary of Porush Inc. or the few who believe the soul of the party lies in Viznitz, although they are not sure which Viznitz. The best thing all the Haredim in Yerushalayim could do in the next round is to vote for the secular candidate Berkowitz simply to show the baalei gaiva who run the haredi and semi-haredi [like Shas] parties, that unity is actually important. What is most likely to produce a good end-result “for me and my people alone, is not”. And please don’t come to me with all this “Gedolei Hador” and “Malach Hashem” business. Did anyone tell HaRav Chaim Kanievsky exactly how much it would cost to print hundreds of thousands of flyers in Yeryushalayim in support of the Shas / Mizrachi candidate Lion? Did they ask him whether that money could be better spent in grants to kollel yungerleit? Did they ask him if throwing handfuls of flyers onto the streets of Yerushalayim erev Shabbos is a way to be bechabed kedushas Yerushalayim? The political parties are run by politicians who use the “Gedolim” to cover their backsides. The politicians are by and large only interested in money and kovod. Deitsch and Berkowitz are two exceptions to the rule; both are principled individuals who want to work for the klal. Berkowitz’ principles are not ours but to force change in the haredi parties, he should now be supported. [I am a Yerushalmi haredi, many of whose friends think the same way] There was a terrible tragedy on the eve of the elections when a family of eight was burnt alive, eight holy neshomas of Klal Yisroel simply wiped out. Where were the customary heart rending cries for “unity” then? Sorry nothing to say, we are in the middle of stitching up klal yisroel; er sorry, we are in a vital election campaign where the future of Yerushalayim/Beit Shemesh/Elad etc. etc. is at stake. Pass a few more rugelach please.
I second Avi Kolko’s thoughts. A more secular mayor can work for the frum, while a frum mayor usually works for the opposition. I know many people that voted against Deutch precisely because he would be hamstrung in working for religious interests. In Lapolianski’s time he was regularly stymied by Havilio and other chevra who took great delight in making his life hell. If you read the official indictment that he was put on trial for – I have – you would likely agree.
Avi ,
False
Peres offered more than shamir in 1990
He offered more than BiBi in 96
Barkat offered more than Leon in 2013
never put pragmatism over idealism
Bar Kamtza did it
to us once
will Litzman do it twice ?!
moshe lion is a secular candidate just like Berkowitz he is not dati !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
it has been claimed to a true chareidi DL or chiloni is the same – both do not kowtow to absurd demands.
“moshe lion is a secular candidate just like Berkowitz he is not dati !”
False
Leon is traditional
and more importantly he never supported all the deviance and every single anti-religious movement and Trend like Berkovitz invariably has!
avreimi,
sorry that your
chevra’s kep are so small you got to get bigger
Though to be fair it’s not your fault probably
Chinuch In this you’ve never likely had
and often does seem that way on a municipal level
Avi K,
That’s why Leon didn’t even get 1 seat in the council? 74,000 of Leon’s votes (out of 79,000) came from degel and shas voters so if they would have gone for duetch, he would have clearly won. Or in seats in the council, degel 6, shas 5 and aguda 3, = 14 which is more then the 40% required to win, so yes the last paragraph is correct and it has zero to do with being pragmatic
1) there were many DL and Chilonim who voted for Lopoliansky as he founded Yad Sara and very well liked by all
2) Degel tries to back the candidae with the best chance of winning
3) How can ANYONE talk against a “Psak” from the Gedoali Hador – Rav Chaim Shlita nad Reb Gershon SHLITA???? – disgusting to write things against what the Gedolim said to do (for theri followers) – This is “The Yeshiva World” isn’t it?
I’m more scared from most frum politicians than most frei politicians. There’s too much politics and hatred and divisions over power…Moshiach should come soon before this gets out of hand…
“MK Menachem Eliezer Moses reminds the tzibur that if the chareidim would have remained united, there would not be a runoff election, but unfortunately, this is not the case.”
Really? I think he should remind himself. After all, it is the Litvish that begged the Chassidim to make peace.
“Following a race in which the Degel Hatorah and Shas backed a dati leumi candidate and not the chassidish one, it is clear it is more about party wish lists than what is good for the holy city.”
Considering that it is Degel HaTorah that is active more than any other party in doing for all of Klal Yisroel, not just for their Litvish constituents. They have projects to benefit Chassidim and Sefaradim as well, not just their own. It is the Chassidim that are always after their own interests. Why did Ger support Barkat against Porush 10 years ago? In order to get the Schneller compound. Why did Belz support Barkat instead of Porush then? To get a similar land area (which they didn’t get in the end after elections).
It is a travesty that the Chassidim call their party Agudas Yisroel when they only care about Chassidic interests. They should call their party Agudas HaChassidim.
Everyone knows it’s not Reb Chaim nor Reb Gershon making the decisions, it’s Yanky kanievsky.
Sad how he manipulates and misinformes them.
Dovid C
Do u really believe that they don’t have Siyata DesShamya even if u r right about Yanky Kanyevsky which I really doubt
I don’t think he is the only one who can speak to Rav Chaiom SHLITA and Rav Gershon SHLITA
Pls don’t makle light of our Gedolim and aslo all og the Siyata DishMaya they have