A rotation agreement has been reached between Shas and Yahadut Hatorah in the Rechasim elections. The rotation includes who heads the municipality council, i.e. the person serving as mayor.

The current mayor, Dan Cohen, has agreed to step aside to permit Yitzchak Reich to take over. Reich headed the council in the past and in the outgoing administration serves as a deputy mayor.

The continued growth of the community has prompted the Ministry of the Interior to allocated a budget for the deputy mayor slot and while Reich was not paid, following the election, if Cohen serves as deputy mayor as planned, he will receive a salary as well.

While there are two additional candidates in the mayoral race, since the chareidim are by and large united, Reich and Cohen are expected to be the next mayor and deputy mayor respectively.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)