With national elections less than 90 days away, 11 Shevat 5773, chareidi politicians are also looking ahead to local elections, the Jerusalem mayoral race in particular. This will become relevant in another year, not a long time in political years.

The last chareidi mayor of the capital was Uri Lupoliansky. The bid by Meir Porush was sabotaged by now Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, who pulled the Gur chassidic vote away, leading to Porush’s defeat and the election of Nir Barkat.

The current administration is not looked upon favorably by the chareidim, for the mayor is allocating too much funding for secular cultural events in their eyes, not to mention his blind-eye policies regarding chilul shabbos and other issues they feel are inappropriate in the holy city. Chareidim feel that their numbers speak loudly and they feel it is time that the capital is run by chareidim, not secular individuals.

Rosenstein feels the chareidim are not being treated fairly on the city council and promises in the next administration, they will remain in opposition unless they receive responsibilities, portfolios and ranking commensurate with their representation.

Jerusalem Councilman Shlomo Rosenstein told the weekly “HaShavua” chareidi newspaper that he and his colleagues are already busy looking ahead at the elections and he feels it is entirely possible, perhaps likely, that there will be a chareidi candidate. He mentioned Deputy Mayor Yitzchak Pindrus as being a most suitable candidate. He adds that in the rotation schedule, the upcoming election chareidi slot would go to Degel HaTorah, since Porush, who is affiliated with the chassidic Agudas Yisrael Party ran in the last election. (Lupoliansky by the way was from the litvish Degel faction).

Rosenstein adds however that he will not have another situation like in the previous election and therefore, “we are only going if it is certain”, meaning they plan to get an accurate reading on a chareidi candidate’s chance before running.

Rosenstein is optimistic, predicting in the next election the chareidim will number at least 9 on the city council.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)