The Gerrer Rebbe refused a meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during the coalition crisis, Ladaat website reports. However, the rebbe did accept a request for a meeting with one of the Tel Aviv grocery store owners who is leading the battle to close on Shabbos.

The crisis, which lasted a number of days, signaled the coalition might fall over the matter of Chilul Shabbos. It was during these days, PM Netanyahu requested a meeting with the Gerre Rebbe Shlita, Ladaat News reports. The rebbe declined. It is believed, based on interviewing persons close to the rebbe, the meeting was denied because the rebbe does not meet with persons who are not Shomer Shabbos.

The rebbe did however agree to meet with a Shomer Shabbos Tel Aviv grocery stores owner, who happens to be leading the battle in this case, trying to continue closing on Shabbos. Kobi Bremmer spoke with Kol Berama host Noam Zeigman, explaining he met twice with the Gerre Rebbe, who received him warmly. He explains the rebbe listened to every word as he was apparently of receiving the information first hand, from him.

Bremmer added “I went to the Gur Beis Medrash in Jerusalem on my own, and got in line. When we got to the gabbai he realized I don’t exactly fit in. I showed him the newspaper clippings of how I am leading the fight for the stores to remain closed on Shabbos and the gabbai moved me up to the front to enter and see the rebbe. We spoke for 12 minutes and the gabbai told me it was a ‘world record’. Our second meeting was even longer”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)