The ongoing disagreement among senior Shas officials in Ashdod regarding who will become the next head of the city’s religious council has ended in a rotation agreement. Religious Affairs Minister Yaakov Margi has compelled the sides to accept a rotation agreement, as has become customary in similar disputes in Agudat Yisrael.

The problem is that the level of integrity is so low that there is a doubt if the parties will adhere to the agreement. As such, Ovadia Dahan, the current head of the religious council, was compelled to file his letter of resignation in advance, dated Adar 5772.

Involved in the dispute are askanim Ovadia Dahan and Meir Amar. They were unable to reach an agreement on their own, compelling the intervention of the party leaders. Dahan was appointed to head the council last Sivan, replacing Shlomo Elizera, Chareidim reports, as part of Shas’ takeover of religious services in the city.

It is reported the matter reached Rav Ovadia Shlita, as well as demanding the intervention of party leader Eli Yishai.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)