“There are not many religious – chareidi askanim whom are not afraid of Mayor Miriam Fireberg but I am one of them. I am not afraid. I am an offspring of the Tribe of Levi, of Pinchas ben Eliezer ben Aaron HaCohen, and I am afraid only of HaKodesh Baruch Hu, no one else,” state Rav Levy as he announced he is entering the mayoral race, becoming the third candidate.

Levy, a journalist and head of the Revacha Party in Netanya stated education in the city is down, violence is up, and social services are almost non-existent, citing these issues as his main impetus for entering the race.

Also running is City Councilman Reuven Maimon and the incumbent, Mayor Miriam Fireberg, also an Orthodox Jew.

His announcement has caused a tumult, but Levy believes he has a good chance, explaining among the city’s general population voter turnout is low, but among the Degel HaTorah population, the voter turnout is quite high and the party’s representation in the city is quite impressive. He explains the two mandates the party received in the last election was quite an accomplishment and he remains confident he can beat out the others in the race, despite the strong Likud presence in the city.

Levy added that there is a need for someone to represent all the city’s residents, including chareidim, adding at present, there is a dire need for a chareidi girl’s high school, a boy’s elementary school and other institutions and he hopes to begin moving this agenda along after being elected.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)