Speaking to Moti Lavi of Kol Berama Radio on Sunday, 6 Teves, Rabbi Eliyahu Amar, a son of Jerusalem Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shlomo Moshe Amar, admits that he and “a group of people” are working to mend fences between Eli Yishai and Aryeh Deri.
Rav Amar explains that he and the others involved in the effort feel the matter of [re]uniting the Sephardi camp is essential. “There is no other choice” he explains, citing recent election polls that paint a bleak picture that signals they may lose Sephardi chareidi representation in Knesset as a result of the divided camp. Rav Eliyahu added that the petira of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L has resulted in an “awful vacuum” and “there is still confusion at this time”.
He believes there are gedolim and the confusion will pass and the vacuum will be replaced by leadership but for the time being, the situation is difficult.
Rav Eliyahu admits that not everyone is bothered and some are willing to live with things as they are today amid the reality that Shas may soon become nothing more than an entry in the history books, however he feels most are in agreement with him and the split must be reversed and fences mended to unite the Sephardi community once again. He points out that this is true in both the Deri and Yishai camps.
Rabbi Eliyahu explains there can be no doubt that the split will result in fewer combined seats in Knesset and not more.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
Politics in EY are more about egos than legitimate political differences on substantive issues. Throw in the additional dimension of voters willing to mindlessly vote based on some Rav’s edict, you have a formula for dysfunction. This dispute between Deri and Yishahi has all the traditional elements of egos and subordination to a Rav on matters totally untrelated to halacha. Sort of like Groundhog Day revisted.