The fact that there are numerous ‘camps’ among the frum community in Netivot resulted in an extremely stormy municipal election which unfortunately pitted groups against one another instead of displaying achdus. There are various groups in the city, including the Yeshivas HaNegev of HaGaon Rav Meyer Shlita, the Abu-Chatzeirah family, and Rav Yoram Avargil, who all ran under one list, standing against Rav Yaakov Yisrael Effergan, known as “The Rentgan”.

Rav Meyer visited with Gedolei HaDor and produced a letter against The Rentgan as the others felt threatened by his list. The letter was an extremely stern one, which by the way was never publicized or published in newspapers after a number of gedolim retracted their signatures.

The Rentgan ran a clean campaign, ignoring the negative publicity against him and the niddui against his small children, along with the insults he endured during the pre-election period. The list received more votes that the Shasag list representing the other religious parties.

While Shas ran a parallel list in the election, Rav Ovadia Shlita did not come out against The Rentgan and following the election, Rav Effergan credited Rav Ovadia with his success, stating so publically. Rav Ovadia invited Rav Effergan and the two met for over 10 minutes. Rav Yosef Shlita gave The Rentgan words of chizuk, telling him “don’t be scared or afraid. They also hounded me in my younger days in Yerushalayim until Rav Ezra Atia ZT”L came to my side. Continue your Torah work and supporting kollelim in the south.”

Prior to his departure, Rav Effergan received a new sefer from Maran Rav Ovadia Shlita, which contained a personal inscription from the Rav.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)