A moment before taking the oath of office, to become a Member of Knesset, Alon Shuster of the Blue and White party took time for a bracha, Birchas Kohanim, that he will succeed in his new post as MK.

The person who gave him the bracha was the Chief Rabbi of Or Yehuda, Rabbi Tzion Cohen, who had a long acquaintance with Shuster, even when Shuster served as the head of the Shaar HaNegev Regional Council and Rabbi Cohen as the council’s rabbi.

The two met on motzei Shabbos in the framework of Shuster’s traditional visit to the Cohen family for Mimouna. Rabbi Tzion Cohen used the occasion to congratulate the elected MK, “Blessings and success and be MeKadesh Shem Shomayim, in the framework of his new role.”

It should be noted that during the election campaign, Shuster and the Blue-White party suffered severe attacks from the Likud and the right-wing parties. Rav Cohen said that as rav of the city, he distances himself from political argument but he has been personally acquainted with Alon Shuster for many years, and states, “This is a quality man, the salt of the earth, who has dimensions, who will undoubtedly contribute greatly to the Knesset and to bring people together. I am sure that after they know him and his abilities, both on the right and among the religious and chareidi public, they will cooperate with him to raise Keren Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael as well as Toras Yisrael.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)