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IN-DEPTH FEATURES
Note: Because of the recent elections, we have rescheduled
the second half of the article "Chareidi Music and Non-Music"
for next week. United Torah Jewry's impressive results
at the polls in last Tuesday's local elections held in cities
and local councils around the country can be attributed to
the thousands of dedicated activists and volunteers who made
special efforts to carry out directives by gedolei
Yisroel, led by Maran HaRav Eliashiv, shlita, to
strengthen religion everywhere by working to promote UTJ,
according to the party's national political leadership. UTJ's
achievements are more apparent in places with large
concentrations of chareidim, but formidable results were also
apparent in development towns, where the party received wide
support from a large portion of the traditional sector and
from voters not typically among its constituents.
New Bnei Brak Mayor Frankental Receives
Overwhelming Mandate
Rabbi Yissochor Frankental of UTJ was elected mayor of
Bnei Brak after receiving 48,979 votes out of 52,573
voters (93 percent). After being accused of indifference, the
city's residents streamed to the polls resolutely: of the
83,859 eligible voters 62 percent arrived at one of the
city's 123 polling places to cast their votes, compared to
58.5 percent in the previous municipal elections, and about
43 percent in the country as a whole.
Fourteen of the 23 seats on the city council went to Agudas
Yisroel-Degel HaTorah, five to Shas, two to Mafdal and two to
Iggud Bnei Torah Sephardim (Kad). The election results showed
30,782 votes for UTJ, 9,740 for Shas, 4,769 for Iggud, 3,080
for Mafdal, 1,684 for Likud, 1,187 for Shinui, 862 for Labor-
Am Echad and 194 for HaIchud HaLeumi. For the first time
ever, no secular representatives will sit on the city
council. Shinui did not even come close and even the Likud
was nosed out.
The new city council members from Agudas Yisroel-Degel
HaTorah are Rabbi Yissochor Frankental, mayor; Rabbi Yaakov
Asher, deputy mayor; Rabbi Yissochor Dov Beigel; Rabbi
Yisroel Moshe Friedman; Rabbi Meir Yehuda Marmorstein, Rabbi
Nosson Tzvi Cohen; Rabbi Yaakov Cohen; Rabbi Avrohom
Rubinstein, deputy mayor; Rabbi Chaim Dovid Rosner; Rabbi
Yaakov Virzhabinsky, Rabbi Shlomo Zacharia Kostlitz; Rabbi
Shlomo Stern; Rabbi Meir Moscovitz and Rabbi Yehuda Haber.
The newly elected city council members from Shas are Pinchas
Tzubari, deputy mayor; Eliyahu Dadon; Nissan Yigal Guate;
Natan Betzalel and Avraham Partosh.
From Iggud Bnei Torah Sephardim are Rabbi Yosef Machbub and
Rabbi Asher Prosper Almaliyach.
From Mafdal, Yaakov Solar and Dr. Moshe Gavra were
selected.
Beit Shemesh
United Torah Jewry became the leading party in Beit Shemesh
last week, garnering over 19 percent of the city's votes.
Hundreds of party activists toiled on Election Day, helping
UTJ win 291 votes more than in the Knesset elections just
eight months ago.
Daniel Vaknin (Likud) was elected for a third term as mayor,
which came as a disappointment to UTJ supporters hoping to
see him defeated by independent candidate Natan Shitreet, who
had UTJ and Shas backing. Vaknin won by a 7 percent margin
with 9,055 votes over Shitreet's 7,734. Attorney Shalom
Padida came in a distant third with 1,750 votes, trailed by
David Gozlan with 848 votes.
The new city council will be comprised of three
representatives each from UTJ, Shas and Likud, two
representatives each from Mafdal, Dor Acher and Mishpacha
Achat and one representative each from Beit Shemesh Achat and
Darkei Noam. Even though UTJ received almost 50 percent more
votes than Likud, they wound up with the same number of
representatives.
United Torah Jewry received 3,784 votes, Shas 2,964 (a
decrease of some 800 votes compared to the Knesset
elections), Likud 2,651, Mishpacha Achat 2,469, Dor Acher
1,827, Mafdal 1,722, Beit Shemesh Achat 1,065 and Darkei Noam
927. Four other parties were left out of the city council
after they failed to pass the cutoff with a minimum
percentage of votes: Shitreet's Shemesh Chadasha, which
received 760 votes, Yeish Atid with 593 votes, Chemed with
543 votes and Shinui, which hoped to receive two mandates but
fell far short with just 450 votes.
UTJ not only became the most powerful list on the city
council, but also gained an additional mandate compared to
last time, thanks to concerted efforts by volunteers to bring
as many potential supporters to the polls as possible. The
voter turnout in the city's chareidi neighborhoods was as
high as 85-90 percent compared to an city-wide turnout rate
of 66 percent, which was still well above the national
average.
UTJ's Rabbi Yitzchok Reich Elected Head of
Rechasim City Council
United Torah Jewry supporters in Rechasim were
delighted over the election of Rabbi Yitzchok Reich as head
of the city council. Although since no other candidates were
running his election was guaranteed, figures in Rechasim
called the change revolutionary, saying the town would stride
forward in all areas of life, particularly the absorption of
new families seeking to live in a place with established
Torah life and the services an orderly kehilloh has to
offer.
After the official election results came in congratulations
messages arrived from around the country--from the mayors of
major cities, from local officials and from many of Rabbi
Reich's acquaintances, wishing him well in his new post.
Rabbi Reich won wide support in every segment of the town's
constituency, including backing by non-religious activists.
During a visit to Rechasim, Degel HaTorah Chairman MK Rabbi
Avrohom Ravitz told local supporters he was amazed by what he
saw. When he inquired why virtually the whole town supported
Rabbi Reich everybody noted his professionalism and
affability. His supporters added that they believe he will be
the one to effect change in the Torah community, the largest
organized chareidi community in the North.
Upon receiving the final results at 1:00 a.m. a convoy of
cars set out from the national headquarters to Rabbi Reich's
home in the Bnei Beitecha neighborhood and brought him to a
hall prepared in advance at the national headquarters. He
thanked all of the campaign workers, particularly Election
Staff Head Rabbi Shlomo Houminer, who worked on the campaign
night and day for several weeks. Rabbi Houminer will himself
serve as a council member. Second on the UTJ list is Degel
HaTorah Chairman Rabbi Avrohom Mishkovsky. R' Yitzchok
Sultan, a local Shas activist who remained at Rabbi Reich's
side throughout the campaign, also received special
thanks.
Rosh Kollel Meoros HaRav Moshe Yaakobi congratulated Rabbi
Reich on his election to office, and HaRav Meir Padida of the
Darkei Torah kehilloh wished him success in his
endeavors for the general good of all residents. An
unprecedented list uniting UTJ and Shas won six council seats
with 1,866 votes.
Degel HaTorah's Sweeping Success in
Netanya
Degel HaTorah's sweeping success in the local elections in
Netanya last week brought an enthusiastic response in
the city's bnei Torah sector and in chareidi
population centers around the country. Local observers claim
the election results demonstrate Netanya's bnei Torah
chareidi community has been under represented for years.
The stormy local campaign leading up to Election Day was
marked by plots against the local Degel HaTorah list, called
Degel HaRevachah. Activists came from around the country to
assist the local chareidi community fend off its opponents.
Degel HaTorah heads in Jerusalem, led by Deputy Mayor Rabbi
Uri Maklev, arrived in Netanya several days before the
election and stayed on to help local party workers and
activists with the campaign, bringing with them a wealth of
organizing experience and the know-how to garner votes from
various different sectors. Degel HaTorah MKs such as Rabbi
Moshe Gafni and Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz also came to back
Netanya's chareidi community.
The approximately 3,200 votes Degel HaTorah received earned
the party two historic seats on the city council and
demonstrated that the city's large bnei Torah
community, which some people had been trying to keep hidden,
can no longer be ignored. Netanya's chareidi community has
thrived in recent years, developing an array of nursery
schools and kindergartens, talmudei Torah, Beis Yaakov
schools and high schools, yeshivas, kollelim and
numerous botei medrash. The city also boasts an active
teshuvoh movement and a major Lev L'Achim branch as
well as chesed organizations in all areas of life.
Local chareidi figures say that despite the flourishing
bnei Torah community, for years various people have
been working to keep it under represented. Once all efforts
at cooperation had been exhausted gedolei Yisroel told
community members to run independently. The election results
had a unifying effect on the city that promises to foster
continued growth. Party representatives Rabbi Moshe Lachover
and Rabbi Yaakov Levy thanked all of the campaign workers and
activists, pledging to serve as shluchei derabonon for
the good of all chareidi residents and the other sectors that
supported them.
Various Communities
In Carmiel a UTJ representative was elected to the
city council for the first time. The party received 1,314
votes-- more than four times the number of votes it was given
in the Knesset elections last February. Shas and Mafdal won
slightly more votes and in general the religious parties
increased their power in the city. Mayor Adi Eldar, who won
UTJ backing, hurried to announce that as far as he was
concerned they would be the first ones in the coalition he
plans to set up. In Carmiel, as in other parts of the
country, Shinui will be unable to impose its will by leaving
the chareidim out of the coalition.
In Hadera UTJ breathed a collective sigh of relief
when it was eventually announced that despite the initial
results that appeared otherwise, Yisrael Sadan, who Rabbi
Gafni described as UTJ's "representative" in Hadera, was
elected mayor for a second term. The combined UTJ-Mafdal list
managed to secure two seats, which was considered a
respectable showing in light of the circumstances: During the
campaign UTJ branches were set on fire, houses were broken
into, promotional material and lists of activists were
stolen; on Election Day itself disinformation was spread that
party workers say caused the loss of 300 votes--enough to
gain a third mandate. Nevertheless, since the total number of
council members was reduced from 21 to 19, UTJ did well by
retaining its two seats. It got 11 percent of the vote and is
the third largest party in Chadera.
In Ganei Tikva UTJ got itself on the map by taking two
seats running together with Shas despite attempts by local
figures to split the list. The 330 votes the list won were
enough to get UTJ representative, Attorney Rabbi Yonah
Moshkovitz, onto the city council. He thanked the party for
its support, making special note of Rabbi Gafni and Rabbi
Gutterman, who arrived several times during the campaign to
offer encouragement. In Azor, too, a UTJ
representative gained a seat on the city council, surprising
everybody.
In Rechovot another attorney, Rabbi Aryeh Shtauber,
will serve as UTJ's representative in a rotation with Rabbi
Shlomo Stern. UTJ ran with Shas on a list called "Shasag,"
which retained its three seats. This was considered a solid
achievement since the number of city council members was
reduced and because the list ran without the support of
additional factions that backed it in past elections. In
general the religious parties increased their seats from 5 of
23 to 7 of 21 in Rechovot. Shinui, which did not support
Mayor Shuki Forer, fell short of its expectations taking only
two seats, just like Meretz. Forer has already declared he
would prefer the chareidim over Shinui in his coalition.
In Raanana Darkei Noam, the list backed by UTJ, made a
surprise showing with two seats. In Herzliya a UTJ
representative won a spot on the city council for the first
time ever, in a rotation with a Shas representative.
In Netivot UTJ and Shas joined forces with all of the
other religious factions in the city for the first time. The
united list won five seats on the city council with almost 32
percent of the vote. UTJ's Rabbi Yonah Pfeuffer is second on
the list. In Zichron Yaakov the party won two seats.
In Tzfat a combined UTJ-Shas list won three seats. In
Yerucham a UTJ-Shas list called Moreshet Yerucham won
two of nine mandates; during the last term the list held four
out of 11 seats.
In Tel Aviv, as part of the Eli Aminov and the
Neighborhoods list, UTJ doubled its power. In
Tiberius, as well, UTJ managed to place a
representative on the city council in a rotation with the
Shas representative. In Gan Yavneh UTJ held one seat
on the city council for 24 years-- until the last term--and
this year the party's 360 votes were enough to regain the
seat.
In Petach Tikva one UTJ representative will serve on
the city council and in Be'er Sheva a united UTJ-Shas-
Mafdal list won three seats. In Arad another UTJ-Shas-
Mafdal list gained two seats. In Ashkelon UTJ managed
to secure two seats for its representatives after a combined
list with Shas won a total of three seats. In Ofakim
two members of the local UTJ chareidi kehilloh will
serve on the city council. In Kiryat Gat UTJ managed
to put two representatives on the local list it supported.
In Natzerat Illit UTJ took one seat. In Afula
Degel HaTorah posted an astounding performance, coming just a
few dozen votes short of a second mandate; there a UTJ
representative will serve in a rotation with a Shas
representative. In Chatzor Haglilit two UTJ
representative won spots on the city council.
In Ashdod UTJ won two seats and a local Sephardic list
called Kol Halev also won two seats. In Dimona UTJ
representative Rabbi Avner Mussai won 777 votes--12 short of
what he needed to secure a seat on the city council. In the
last elections he fell 11 votes short.
UTJ representatives also serve in Jerusalem, Haifa, Beitar
Illit, Modi'in Illit, Telse-Stone, Elad and Emanuel, where
elections were held previously.
Far from the front lines of the election campaign a fierce
battle was waged in the towns of Kadima and Tzoran, which are
now united under a single council, and Chinuch Atzmai school
Netivot Moshe was caught in the thick of the fighting once
again. Yet this time, following the wide support the school
has drawn, candidates fought over the religious vote, each
promising to help the school more than the next.
Yossi Malka (Meretz), the acting chairman of the Tzoran
council who won in the previous elections after waging a
campaign against the school, tried to send forth a message he
had only good intentions toward the traditional constituents.
Meanwhile Malka won the support of resigning council head
Ezra Levy, who has been working indefatigably to hinder the
Torah-based school's development and oust it from the
town.
Levy even confronted Rabbi Moshe Gafni in court over the
school's status, but he lost the case and was ordered to post
guards outside the two Netivot Moshe schools. Levy told Gafni
that despite his resignation he would continue to do
everything in his power to prevent the schools from operating
in Kadima. But his comeuppance came from a different
direction.
Independent candidate Yitzchok Golberry, a Kadima council
member identified with the friends of Netivot Moshe who
supports the school openly, vied for the council chairmanship
after Rabbi Gafni himself worked to unite Kadima and Tzoran.
Chareidi and traditional voters combined forces to assist
him, and after the vote count showed him victorious cheers
went up all around. When Rabbi Gafni called to congratulate
him, Golberry said he would continue to promote the school
and would even seek a permanent solution by allocating land
and providing all necessary assistance.
by Eliezer Rauchberger
The Likud Party will be licking its wounds from last week's
local elections for a long time to come, but it can derive
some consolation in the knowledge the beating it took could
have been much worse. It was rather amusing to hear Ariel
Sharon following election day declare that Likud remained the
biggest and the leading party in local government, a claim in
stark contrast to the facts. On the other hand it would be
hard to call what took place a "crushing defeat."
The Likud arrived at last week's elections on the heels of a
fabulous showing in last winter's Knesset elections. Thus
anyone who anticipated a repeat performance would indeed view
last week's results as a major defeat. But municipal
elections are a whole different story for all of the parties.
To win local elections requires a strong, established party
with the infrastructure and resources at the local level to
run a successful campaign and a candidate the local populace
holds in high esteem. If either of these factors is lacking,
the race is lost.
Powerful Likud mayors were reelected in places like Netanya,
Raanana, Rechovot, Ashdod and Beit Shemesh. On the other hand
Likud mayors lost their reelection bids in many other cities
including Ramat Gan, Bat Yam, Rosh HaAyin, Eilat, Nahariya
and Dimona. In places like Ashkelon, Kiryat Shemoneh and
Sderot a second round of voting will be held and the Likud
candidate will have to work hard to win.
Based on election forecasts the Likud came prepared to handle
the possibility of a stinging defeat. They hired an outside
communications consultant who, together with the Likud
spokesman, drafted a list of responses and phrases that was
distributed to party leaders, ministers and MKs. This prep
sheet even included a list of questions reporters might ask
along with desirable responses. The basic motto was that the
Likud did not lose but maintained its power, a message needed
to prevent anti-Likud sentiments from gaining momentum. In
general the party prefers to see the cup as half full--or to
be more precise, one-quarter full.
One Likud minister I met with the day after the elections saw
the results as a green light from the public to continue with
the present economic program. "If after all of the difficult
decrees imposed on the public and the heavy recession the
Likud is still out there and considered a prominent party
despite losses in several places, there can be no doubt we
are on the right path," he reasoned. "By the time the next
elections arrive the economy will already be out of the mud,
the public will be earning more and then our success will be
guaranteed."
Likud heads can permit themselves to think such thoughts, but
the public is unlikely to see things in the same light. If
the economic and security situation does not improve the
Likud will be hit hard in the next elections. However, if the
national mood picks up and the Likud can point to
achievements in economic, social and security spheres the
party is sure to win in the coming elections regardless of
last week's elections.
by Eliezer Rauchberger
Shinui suffered a worse setback than Likud, although party
officials may be slow to admit it. They boast of securing 50
new seats on councils across the country, but this
achievement remains a far cry from the party's goal of laying
down roots in every town and city. For a party with fifteen
mandates in the Knesset, 50 council members is small change.
Shas, for example, with its 11 mandates, has more than twice
as many council members; even Mafdal or Meretz with six
mandates each have more to show for themselves.
Shinui's appetite was whetted following the elections in
Jerusalem and Haifa, but they made a critical mistake by
projecting the results in these two cities to local elections
elsewhere. In Jerusalem they rode the wave of popular anti-
religious sentiment and in a city with such a large chareidi
population it comes as no surprise they managed to get two
representatives on the city council. Neither can Haifa serve
as a case study for the rest of the country. Mayor Yonah
Yahav may have run on the Shinui list, but he has always been
a Labor man through and through.
Shinui was bitterly disappointed in Tel Aviv (Avraham Poraz
and Tommy Lapid's hometown), Rishon Letzion, Kfar Saba,
Eilat, Ashkelon, Bnei Brak and Herzliya, among other
places.
Following the Likud, Shinui appears to be the biggest loser
in these elections. Is this a sign of the beginning of the
end for the party? Some observers said that the vote makes it
clear that Shinui's great success in the Knesset elections
was a one-time protest vote that is not likely to be
repeated.
Will the gloomy vote count serve as a hint to local Shinui
candidates to start looking for a new home before the next
elections come around? Only time will tell.
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