Despite the involvement of MK Moshe Gafne, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat still refuses to meet with Degel Councilman Eliezer Ruchberger.

It has been a few difficult months between the mayor and the Yahadut Hatorah faction in the city, focusing on the chareidi councilmen and their efforts to prevent growing chilul Shabbos in the capital. The mayor has repeatedly told Yahadut Hatorah he has no personal connection to new Sportek Movie Theater, which the mayor explains is situated on a private area, Ruchberger says otherwise and relations between him and the mayor has reached a new low.

Gafne spoke with the mayor on the phone last week in an effort to mend ties but it appears his efforts were unsuccessful. Gafne reportedly expressed criticism over the mayor’s decision to boycott the party’s leader on the Jerusalem Council but the call did nothing to change this reality.

The mayor reportedly told Gafne “This hypocrisy is unacceptable with me. On the one hand the slander against me and incitement against me as if I am an enemy of Israel. On the other hand you sit with me [in the coalition] regarding the achievements in the [funding for chareidi] classrooms and funding for shuls and other needs of the sector”.

Gafne then briefed Councilman Yitzchak Pindrus on his conversation with the mayor. Gafne explained he will not meet with the mayor for as long as he continues the cherem against Ruchberger, giving his councilman full backing. Pindrus explained he is unaware that the mayor was boycotting Ruchberger but added if this indeed the case then he too as well as Deputy Mayor Yisrael Kellerman must do the same, refuse to meet with the mayor.

Adding to the confusion there was a report the mayor invited Ruchberger to a meeting on Friday, 29 Menachem Av. Ruchberger confirms this to be so. The mayor’s office says there was no invitation and no meeting between the two. In addition, officials in the mayor’s office on Sunday morning 1 Elul express anger of Ruchberger and his statements appearing in Yated Neeman, which the mayor’s staff call “lies and incitement against the mayor”.

Kikar Shabbos News quotes a senior mayoral aide saying “Ruchberger is busy chasing the mayor seeking headlines for the newspaper he works for. He should teach his chareidi friends how to spend their energy to assist the tzibur that sent him to represent them on the council”.

Ruchberger told Kikar “I am an elected official to represent Gedolei Yisrael and the chareidi tzibur and the needs of Yerushalayim, the holy city. The tzibur is pained over what is happening in the city regarding Shabbos. Sadly there are so-called chareidi advisors to the mayor that advise him on chareidi matters and the results are seen with much pain regarding Shabbos and regarding what is taking place in mixed neighborhoods”.

“I will continue to faithfully represent the position of gedolei yisrael and the needs of the chareidi tzibur without fear for this is why I was elected”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)