Degel Hatorah faction MKs continue making shiva visits to Kfar Chabad following the petira of HaGaon HaRav Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi ZT”L. The fact that the members of the litvish faction are making shiva visits following the petira of the av beis din of the Chabad community has led to much speculation, with the tzibur interpreting the events as being election-related.

After Moshe Gafne visited Kfar Chabad MK Yaakov Asher followed suit, arriving on Sunday evening 27 Teves. YWN-ISRAEL reported that even Yated Neeman printed a column following the petira of the mora d’asra of Kfar Chabad last week. This is viewed as an effort by Degel to bring additional Chabad voters in the upcoming elections.

In truth, the problem with voting Yahadut Hatorah for Chabad focuses on two members of Yahadut Hatorah primarily, MK Yisrael Eichler, who represents Belz and MK Moshe Gafne, from the Degel litvish faction. The two are perceived as outspoken left-wingers. Agudas Yisrael, which represents the chassidish faction is less problematic than Degel, the litvish faction.

In a related matter, Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, Rosh Yeshivat Ohd Yosef Chai, met with HaGaon HaRav Meir Mazuz Shlita. Following their meeting, Rav Ginsburgh announced that he decided he will instruct his talmidim to vote for Yachad; Eli Yishai’s new party.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)