During the early evening hours on Wednesday, the eve of 7 Menachem Av, Shas MK Michael Michaeli met with Dov Bekshat, a candidate in the Telz Stone mayoral race. Bekshat is expected to compete in the mayoral race as an opponent to the candidate of Degel Hatorah.

Bekshat, who now holds three representatives out of nine in the council, is expected to grow in the upcoming elections, and therefore he is seeking Shas support in his bid to become the next council head.

Shas, which does not have an official representative in the council and is estimated to be capable of mustering sufficient votes for a mandate and a half, is expected to set up a list on its behalf to run for the council. The estimate is based on the number of votes Shas received in the last Knesset elections in Telz Stone.

During the meeting, the possibility was discussed that Shas would support Dov Bekshat as head of the council, which would increase his chances of winning the position. Chadrei Chareidim asked MK Malchieli, if would Shas support Dov Bekshat as head of the council?

“Shas, as a movement of the Sephardic Torah world sees itself as representing Sephardic lomdei Torah in every community in the country, and therefore Telz Stone is also a place where Shas is supposed to be represented in the council,” stated Malchieli in response.

On the question of who Shas will support for leadership, Malchieli explained the question will be raised on the desk of the Chacham HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Cohen Shlita, head of the Moetzas Gedolei Torah of Shas, and the party will act according to its instructions.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)