The Bnei Torah party, the split-off faction of Degel Hatorah is gaining momentum in some areas ahead of the 18 Cheshvan municipal elections. There is growing anger among Degel Hatorah officials, who point out the votes going to the split-off faction are essentially votes for opposing parties since Bnei Torah will not earn any seats on municipal councils.
Bnei Torah officials view the situation somewhat differently, confident that they will earn a place on both the Jerusalem and Bnei Brak City Councils.
The following photos show the Bnei Torah campaign has hit Bnei Brak as some residents proudly display the party’s campaign signs despite the fact that the rabbonim shlita, including HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita call on the tzibur to vote Degel.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Which Godol/Daas Torah supports Bnei Torah?
HaRav Shmuel Auerbach shlit”a is the “Godol/Daas Torah” that supports this new party.
Personally I have tried reading their new newspaper, Hapeles, and reading their literature to try to understand what they are standing for and why they feel the need to break from Degel and create such a machlokes. I remain totally unclear and cannot understand at all. They are trying to compare themselves to what HaRav Shach zt”l did in 5749 but I cannot see the comparison at all. Other than a feel for revenge against the other Gedolim in Bnei Brak who cleaned out the staff of Yated and replaced them with editors and writers who follow daas Torah, I cannot see what they want.
I understand that HaRav Auerbach is possibly more extreme than other Gedolim concerning the chareidim going to the army and may feel that Degel doesn’t represent his idea of daas Torah. However that is something that applies to Knesset elections, for municipal elections that are taking place now there is nothing differentiating them from Degel. It seems to be totally about representation and control, nothing to do with ideology.
What a shame!