Officials of the Torah V’Avodah organization have sent a letter to Bayit Yehudi party officials asking them not to endorse Tzfas Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu in his bid to become the next Rishon L’Tzion of Israel.

In their opposition to Rav Eliyahu they explain a chief rabbi must be acceptable to all, and a rav whose hashkafa includes disqualifying others, even if they agree with him, is not the candidate they wish to see elected. They feel a chief rabbi must concern himself with bridging gaps and uniting the different camps and not the contrary.

“We prefer the candidacy of a rav who is willing to hear the different voices of Torah in the beis medrash instead of one who permits only one voice to be heard in his beis medrash”. They point out that there are many qualified candidates and the party should endorse one of those who are more open minded and willing to accept a different hashkafa.

They feel that “Rav Eliyahu is pasul because of some of the statements he has made in the past as well as because in many areas, his position negates that of the Zionist dati leumi community.”

Shmuel Shetach and Tehila Nachalon, heads of the organization, sent the letter following the fall of the Amar Bill, realizing Rav Eliyahu is a viable candidate as a result. They feel by Rabbi Eliyahu deciding to disqualify others, in essence, he disqualified himself.

Officials in Rav Eliyahu’s office declined comment.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)