Ashkelon City Hall was one of many taking part in The Shabbos Project, which was hosted worldwide this past Shabbos, Parshas Lech Lecha.

Ashkelon Mayor Itamar Shimoni was distanced from his office for a period of time after being arrested and since his return to work, he is moving closer to Yiddishkheit. He now makes sure to daven three times daily and is often seen attending religious events as well has having become a regular visitor to Uman, to the tziyun of Rav Nachman ZT”L. Hence, Mayor Shimoni was more than pleased to have his city officially play a role in The Shabbos Project in the hope of bringing in others to at least participate in this one annual Shabbos.

In the background of events, despite the mayor’s enthusiasm over his newly-found Yiddishkheit, there is a growing number of concerned residents who feel the city is turning chareidi, as has occurred in other cities around Israel. The city pool was recently closed on Shabbos and there was a community slichos event in the city sport center for children, not to mention giving grants to avreichim instead of students and a hachnasas Sefer Torah, all with the assistance of City Hall. They feel the mayor is becoming an ardent supporter of frum-sponsored events while ignoring other city needs and services.

Some residents accuse the mayor of ignoring other matters as the city is becoming dirtier and traffic and other issues are being ignored. They feel the mayor is too concerned with religious events and he has stopped addressing many other significant responsibilities including jobs and needs of the non-religious community in the city.

They explain the mayor has every right to become frum and to support his new life but on his own and using private funds, not at the expense of the city and its residents.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)