Elad Deputy Mayor Yisrael (Sruly) Porush plans to announce his candidacy in the city’s mayoral race. The race for mayor appears to be a growing one as Shas is working to announce the candidacy of Tzvika Cohen, but this will depend on the city’s Sephardi Chief Rabbi Mordechai Malka Shlita, as was reported by YWN-ISRAEL last week. Rav Malka is adamantly opposed to Cohen’s candidacy at this time.

The decision by Sruly Porush, a son of MK Meir Porush to run in the mayoral race will split the chareidi vote, a move that will undoubtedly lead to tensions between Yahadut Hatorah and Shas. Kikar Shabbos quotes a Shas official anonymously stating “It is hard to believe the Sruly Porush will run against the candidate of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita. One must remember in the last mayoral elections, Maran worked towards the election of his father R’ Meir in the Jerusalem mayoral race.”

Others point out that Yahadut Hatorah running a candidate against Rav Ovadia in Elad would lead to a split between the chareidi parties and this is unwanted at present.

The city has a Sephardi majority and most feel that any candidate running under a Shas banner, one who is endorsed by Rav Ovadia, will emerge the successor with or without Yahadut Hatorah’s cooperation.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)