Menachem Carmel is a well-known figure in Degel HaTorah, heading the housing committee of the party. He is next on Degel’s Knesset list but he may quickly find himself outside the inner circle. HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita has called for a boycott of ads from the new HaPeles newspaper that was launched to compete with Yated Ne’eman after losing a court battle against Yated’s new management.

Carmel’s supermarket chain Bar Kol continues to advertise in HaPeles, which has led to Rav Kanievsky placing a ban on his Heichal Malchus Hall in Bnei Brak. Carmel is explaining that his advertising agency made the move and he simply was not aware that ads were still appearing in HaPeles.

Chadrei Chareidim reports that there is much back room politics taking place and it appears that Carmel’s loyalty to gedolei yisrael shlita is in question and despite his statements seeking to clarify matters, it is likely that he will be ousted in the near future.

It should be pointed out that the Kupat Ha’Ir tzedaka hands out shopping vouchers to avreichim before yomim tovim that may be redeemed in Bar Kol stores, amounting to 4 million NIS annually in Bar Kol revenue in addition to 500,000 NIS in vouchers at Ponevezh above the 4 million NIS sum. Therefore, Carmel has a great deal to lose in addition to his position of prominence in the community as Chadrei intimates the yomtov voucher program for his stores may shift to other stores.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)