President Reuven Rivlin was scheduled to visit the Mishkenos Yaakov Talmid Torah in Yerushalayim on Sunday, Rosh Chodesh Elul. The talmid torah is located in the Ramot neighborhood of the capital. The president was going to make an appearance as is customary for the opening of the new school year for the chareidi tzibur. Last year the president visited a school in a chareidi area of Beit Shemesh.
However, the school sent a message to the president via City Hall requesting that he not come and visit another venue, Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) reported on Tuesday, 26 Menachem Av.
City Halls officials explain that pressure from rabbonim led to the cancelation of the presidential visit. Unnamed officials are quoted explaining that the president’s harsh statements following the stabbing attack perpetrated by Yishai Schlisel at the toeiva parade in the capital led to the rabbonim pushing for the cancelation.
Security and logistical personnel assigned to the president have already visited the talmid torah in preparation for the visit.
A ‘chareidi source’ in City Hall was quoted by Galei Tzahal reporters Oriyah Elkayam that “President Rivlin is viewed as persona non grata” by the talmid torah.
Officials in the President’s Residence expressed sorrow over the cancelation, stating all that remains is the hope that a shiur in ahavas chinam will have many participants.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat commented “I am sorry over the erroneous decision of the Kehillas Yaakov School. We are blessed with a president with deep Yerushalmi roots, a true friend of the city who works all the time for unity among the people and we are honored to host him in Jerusalem at any place and at any time. The school’s decision is inconsistent with our duty, especially in these days, to educate our children in all sectors about ahavas chinam, to accept one another, tolerance and bringing one another closer”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
A loss for the talmidim not to meet and hear from President Rivlin, he is always quite appropriate, well mannered and has a legacy of dedication to Yerushalayim and its residents.
@#1
I disagree, President Rivlin was supported by the hareidi parties in his campaign for presidency and the first instant he was in office he started to lecture them about “equal burden.”
Now, with this affair at the “gay pride” parade, he needed to be critical but in a manner that would not inflame tensions or point the finger at any group.
If he was truly seeking to unify Jews, he would try to stress that all parties should seek to respect others, including the religious public of Jerusalem, for whom this parade is a source of great sorrow.
His attitude of blame towards the right wing was even more execrable
Perez went to visit the mourners in the Fogel family massacre and their extremely respectful acceptance of him was exemplary, considering his partial blame for creating the situation. We cannot always expect people to be so exemplary.
Also, with Rivlin, it’s more of a “Et tu, Ruby?” situation, he was an integral part of the Likud and the right wing, harder to swallow his defection.
Let’s pray for him that he remembers his roots, Be”H.
Why on earth should he visit a talmud torah. He has no connection to torah and is not a personality that our children should aspire to emulate. Let them see Rabbonim and tzaddikim!
What “harsh statements” are the rabbonim referring to?
Comments #2 & 3:
Exactly. You hit the nail on the head.
Anyway, isn’t there some other Arab terrorist Organization that Mr. Rivlin has to apologize to today?