Tzfas Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita was interviewed by Galei Yisrael’s Kalman Lipskind. Rav Eliyahu admitted his disappointment with many players, including the Bayit Yehudi party. He explained he is not able to understand why Bayit Yehudi, the dati leumi party, cut a deal at the expense of electing a dati leumi Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Yerushalayim. He added what many do not understand is that it is not just a matter of electing a chief rabbi, but having a say in an entire network, one that includes appointing rabbis of the many neighborhoods of the capital. Rabbi Eliyahu explained that today there are no dati leumi rabbonim appointed as rabbonim of neighborhoods because there have not been dati leumi rabbonim at the helm of Yerushalayim and once again the opportunity was lost.
He blames the loss on the fact the Rabbi Chaim Amsellem’s people shifted to Rav Amar and this shifted the race. He added Bayit Yehudi’s Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan regretted the deal made with Rav Amar, adding “Rav Eli is a friend of mine and it is difficult to speak of him in this context”.
Rav Eliyahu feels that some of the Bayit Yehudi faction members do not understand their shlichus which compels them to see a bigger picture. He explained the party officials need to understand that in order to advance an agenda the correct people must be placed in the key positions. “When the party does not advance its people, those who believe in the derech, the party destroys the building in which it sits”.
Regarding the vicious campaign against him waged by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, Rav Eliyahu added “Tzipi Livni’s agenda is clear. It is leftist extremist. She pushes her agenda using the Justice Ministry. It is most unfortunate that Bayit Yehudi did nothing in response. Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein broke the law. The left marched and Weinstein acquiesced”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
Bemichilla mikvodo shel harav Eliyahu, had he presented his candidacy earlier he would likely have received the support of HaBayit HaYehudi. But he presented his candidacy at the very last moment, long after HaBayit HaYehudi sought out harav Amar and promised him their full support. Under those circumstances there was no way to support harav Eliyahu. And there is broad consensus in the D”L community that, irregardless, harav Amar is an excellent choice who is eminently worthy of the position.
Bitter loser
Chaval on Yerushalyim.
They’ve lost their greatest represntative .
A Rabbi together with his Father A”H have dedicated their entire lives to ALL Jewish people & Hashem.
Kol Tuv Vehatzlacha.
That’s exactly what Hashem wanted; no dati leumi rabbonim in Yerusholayim. Following the bitter debacle of Rosho Benett an alumni of the dati leumi hesder joining the worst anti-dati elements to destroy Torah and Judaism all Dati Leumi Rabbanim should do some soul search in bitter embarrasment and admitt loud and clear we have failed; our derech has failed!
#4- ROFLOL. Check the election results. Harav Arye Stern, a prominent dati leumi rabbi, was just appointed Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi of Jerusalem. Harav Amar, who was nominated by HaBayit HaYehudi, was appointed Chief Sefardi Rabbi of Jerusalem.
Oh, and Naftali Bennett is neither a rasha nor an alumnus of a hesder yeshiva and, needless to say, he is not destroying Torah and Judaism or anything of the sort.
RAV Eliyahu will be the Chief Rabbi in TEN years, we r looking forward.
Is destroying the fabric of yeshivas and Kollelim from the way our Gedolim set it up, not called destroying Torah and Judaism?
Is supporting the dangerous Giyur bill not called destroying Torah and Judaism?
Is making a pact with the vicious Lapid to keep chareidim out of the coalition not a rishus?