Telshe Stone Mayor, Avraham Rosenthal, met on Tuesday afternoon with Degel Hatorah chairman, MK Moshe Gafne, as the latter wishes to replace him on the party ballot ahead of the upcoming municipal elections. As reported earlier by YWN-Israel, Gafne has set his eye on the former head of the party list in Betar Illit, Yitzchak Ravitz, bumped from the top position by Dudi Zlatz in Betar. It is being reported that the city’s mora d’asra, HaGaon HaRav Aryeh Shulman Shlita favors the removal of Rosenthal, as do numerous other rabbonim in the city. Rosenthal has served in his post for four terms.

Rosenthal was interviewed by Kikar Shabbos News, and he explained that before Pesach, he visited with HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita and was told he should run in the upcoming elections.

When asked to respond to reports that the party wishes to replace him with Yitzchak Ravitz, he expresses anger, citing he is in the community for close to forty years, when it was a few hundred families, and they wanted to bring hundreds of avreichim, who did not arrive. He advises a replacement “Come and live here for a few years. Be here for a few years, learn about the place and its needs, and then the young generation can take over the leadership”.

He added, “We are not ready to solve the problem of people looking for work”, hinting directly to the young Ravitz.

When asked about retiring, Rosenthal admits he thought about stepping down to be with his family but points out a great deal of work remains. He rejects outright that someone from the outside, who does not live in Telshe Stone, comes and thinks he can head the community.

When told it is the mora d’asra who wants him out, Rosenthal stated he does not speak against rabbonim, preferring to remain silent.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)