10 Responses

1. The anonymous author of this opinion piece is incorrect. eit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul is almost surely likely to win reelection with a nice margin. He won the election last cycle and since that time the cities demographics have gotten more Chareidi — both Sefardic Chareidi and Ashekenazic Chareidi. Additionally Abutbul will win, like last time, the overwhelming majority of non-Chareidi Sefardim.

   He has all the momentum and it would take a major reversal for him not to win. Beit Shemesh is an increasingly Chariedi town. And that reality will increase as more and more Chareidim move in overwhelming the demographics.

2. “as the non-chareidi majority is working hard to oust him from office”

   Many CHAREDIM want him out also……
   As we have seen in the country’s elections, Charedim (especially English speaking)and Sefardim vote in all parties and are starting to use their sechel for decision making.

3. Abutbul needs to improve,he has been mediocre

   Plus there’s alot of Chareidim in Beit Shemesh (Bet) who refuse to vote ever.

4. The alignments in Beit Shemesh is almost opposite of other cities

5. Please speak to locals before making assumptions. Abutbol has lied to the public. His administration is corrupt. I know for a fact that a yeshivish shul that couldn’t go up unless they paid off multiple people including one administration volunteer who asked for personal gratuities for his signature.

   The mercaz is RBS A is a pig sty. There are not enough garbage bins and they are rarely emptied. The recycling next to the mercaz regularly spills all over across the parking area.

   And for some reason, only in the last fee months new parks went up all across the yeshivish areas while the rest of Bet Shemesh got nothing.

   Most recently, we have been getting campaign materials full of sheker. On a daily basis. The library is on the verge of closing and is being privately funded, but he is taking credit for funding it. There are claims about stabbing Aliza cohen in the back that Aliza herself denies.

   The politics here are a lot more than the points outlined I’m this article. And for the record, I’m chareidi.

6. Sanitation and safety is what being a mayor is all about. If one feels these things detract from religious pursuits maybe being a Rosh Collel is a better occupation.

7. YWN- I’m surprised at you. Generally you are on the Yeshiva side or at least balanced in your articles.
   Did you get paid to publish this election propaganda in the ruse of a news article?
   Also, #2, don’t consider yourself Chareidi if you won’t listen to YOUR Chareidi rabbonim. As the Chazon Ish ztz”l once remarked, those who only listen (or ask) to their rabbonim about kashrus issues etc., and not other inyonim, are like kofrim.
   May Hashem bring Am Yisroel to teshuva and geula bekorov!

8. Unfortunately this article fails to mention the religious status of Eli Cohen. He is a “mesoraty” traditional Jew married to a “daati” religious woman, who is very respectfull of chareidim. He has great faith in Hash-m being quoted by someone who heard straight from him “If Hash-m wants me to be mayor- so be it, and if he wants Abutbul to be mayor- then that is his will”

   There is no purpose in this election being based on “chareidi” vs “non-chareidi” as the seat of mayor has nothing to do with the overall knesset decisions on how the chareidi population will be treated going forward specifically regarding the army. It is a job that requires the management of funds and expansion of our city specifically- nothing more.

   That being said, not only was Abutbul horrifically negligent in the running of the city, desperately giving out money and building parks only in the last 6 months before elections. He himself has done countless actions against and apathetic to the chareidi community, simply because he wanted to “stay out of the political spotlight” and could not look like he was “favoring the chareidim” too much. He has tens of thousands of shekels sitting in city coffers given by the government for schools- because anyone he gives it to will become a big political debate.

   While I would definitely rather vote for a frum person, I am coming to the realization that someone supportive of the frum community- but not looked at as biased, can give us so much more without making it a political stink. He can support our schools, neighborhoods, and businesses without being looked at as “favoring chareidim” by the secular world. In addition to his competence in business and management through schooling and experience (which is something unfortunately Abutbul never received) he is in fact friendly to chareidim and supportive of our lifestyle. He is someone who has the head to properly and evenly distribute city funds without his decisions being challenged. And he is someone who can built up Beit Shemesh using the infrastructure in place and adding more, so encourage a growing stable city that will be beneficial for chareidim and not alike.

   As a bottom line, if there would be a competent chareidi canditate, I would be happy to vote for him. But once it comes down to who can do a better job and make our city a cleaner, more efficient place to live- as long as there is no ant-chareidi problem, it seems obvious that chareidi and not alike would rather their schools get the funding they need, the streets not smell like garbage 5 out of 7 days a week, and the benefits for the chareidi community as a whole come from an unchallenged source happy to give and not fearful of being condemned every step of the way.
   Everyone needs to make their own educated decision- but to remember you are not choosing your Rav- you are choosing the person who will be running the financial- NOT spiritual aspect our our city.

   Choose the person who will DO THE JOB BEST!
   Kol Tuv.

9. פסחים קי”ב א: ת”ר שבעה דברים צוה ר”ע את רבי יהושע בנו ….. ואל תגור בעור שראשיה תלמידי חכמים… רש”י: דטריד בגירסא ולא טריד במילי דציבורא.

   Eli Cohen is a highly experienced administrator who grew up in Beit Shemesh and is focused on runing the city in a professional manner. He is also well schooled in the politics of the city and country and has the desire to be fair and straight will all the sectors of the city, especially the Hareidi sector. He is not anti-Hareidi or pro-Chilloni.

   Running a city can not be a secondary event for its leaders. It is not “bathroom reading” but requires the full time, talents and energy of those involved.

   Aryeh Zelasko
   Beit Shemesh

10. I get the impression that the author feels it a crime for a non-Chareidi group to try to win an election over a Chareidi?

    Also, it seems that it’s never the issues to some people, that it must be an attack against the Chareidi world irrespective of the situation. The issues should be the ONLY factor, not if someone is a Chareidi or not.

    No matter who get elected in any mixed community, the needs of all citizens should be addressed, not just one group. Any smart politician should be trying to expand their base by doing right by people and not focus primarily on his/her group.

    The bottom line, enough with the labels already, its sickening and harmful to all of Klal Yisroel. We should all be working together for the greater good.