MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Meir Porush feels that he and his Agudas Yisrael colleagues represent the “Four major chassidic courts” and “there is no reason that the smaller chassidus’ should not find a seat around the municipal council tables in the upcoming municipal elections.”
Porush is quoted by Kikar Shabbat saying “There is no reason that in Elad, Betar and Beit Shemesh the smaller chassidus does not receive representation on the local level on the cheshbon of one of the larger chassidic courts since in that community there is no difference in size.” Porush adds that the numbers show in the last Knesset election, they have learned that the chassidim overall brought the votes to Yahadut Hatorah.
He admits that while it is not possible to give every chassidus representation on the local level, it should be done where such a reality is a possibility. He feels that ultimately, by giving the smaller groups representation, the big winner will be Agudas Yisrael and this will benefit all involved in the next election, signaling it is possible to surpass the current reality of seven seats in Knesset.
He adds that in municipalities in which he has a voice and influence, he has succeeded in this plan; citing there are chassidim from Chabad, Slonim, Breslov, Sadigura, Biala, Moditz, Karlin, Erlau, Sanz and others serving on the local level and he feels this represents a measure of success.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Porush has it backwards. The increasingly dysfunctional Israeli governments at both the national and municipal level reflect efforts to accomodate all the small political factions making it impossible to govern with a working majority. This type of pandering to each small group only encourages them to try to exercise blackmail to achieve their parochial agendas and block the will of the majority. Every rebbele with a few chassisim is NOT entitle to political representation
…Meir Porush feels that he and his Agudas Yisrael colleagues represent the “Four major chassidic courts” and there is no reason that the smaller chassidus’ should not find a seat …
He’s right. Why should only Shomer Emunim, Toldos Aharon, Satmar and Neturei Karta get representative seats at the upcoming elections.
gadol haTorah your vision if of a democracy where a many control the few, and the few loose their rights to the will of the many what others call “mob rule”. the proper way is a republic (what america is supposed to be)where everyone is free to d as they choose