Askanim affiliated with Degel Hatorah are competing for a limited number of slots in Jerusalem City Hall as well as some positions which were promised to the Shas party.

The powerful position is the head of the city’s Chareidi Education Unit, and according to a Kikar Shabbos News report, based on behind the scenes information, there is a battle between senior Degel askanim for the post. There are also some who question why the deputy post in the Chareidi Education Unit is promised to Shas instead of remaining in Degel’s hands exclusively.

Degel Hatorah and Shas teamed in the municipal election, which lead to the election of Moshe Leon as mayor. It was also decided that the posts in the Chareidi Education Unit would be divided between the parties, with Avraham Betzalel and Yisrael Kellerman dividing the responsibilities as the elected officials responsible for the portfolio.

It was also decided that the head of the unit would be a Degel post and the deputy post would go to Shas. However, about a month ago, the head of the unit, Itamar Bar, stepped down and the post remains vacant at this time. This is the professional post which was filled by Bar for a long time. Kikar News reports the reason the position has not been filled in the internal machlokes in Degel among the askanim vying for the post.

The top candidate is Yosef Rotenberg, a principal of a Kiryat Ata talmid torah. The second person is the deputy mayor of Beit Shemesh, Shmulik Greenberg. At this time, Mayor Leon has a vote in the selection committee, but he is not becoming involved, permitting Degel to work it out internally.

In Shas, tempers are flaring as the party was promised the deputy slot would go to the sephardi party but to date, there has not been a tender for the position.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)