The Modi'in Illit Election Committee, which was appointed by
the Interior Ministry, officially approved the election
proceedings in the city. At a meeting held on the day
scheduled as election day the committee announced the new
council would once again be headed by Rabbi Yaakov
Gutterman.
Election Committee Chairman Mr. Shmuel Oren and Committee
Secretary R' Yonah Brenfeld told the committee members
selected by the representatives of the various parties that
there was no need to hold elections since only one council
list and one candidate for council chairman was submitted.
The election committee surveyed the agreements between the
various parties that led to the United Modi'in Illit list,
which includes all of the parties in the city: Degel HaTorah,
Agudas Yisroel, Shas, Marbitzei HaTorah Hasfaradim (related
to Degel HaTorah) and Ganei Modi'in. The committee noted
avoiding elections was perfectly legal and made balloting
unnecessary.
Afterwards the committee members and their deputies signed a
protocol approving the single candidate for city council
head, Rabbi Gutterman, and the first 15 candidates on the
United Modi'in Illit list as council members. During the
meeting, participants noted how pleased city residents are to
be spared the need to cast votes, in keeping with directives
of gedolei Yisroel.
Rabbi Gutterman delivered a short speech, saying he intends
to continue with the numerous initiatives he began during his
first term, confident the new council members will support
his work for the sake of all of the city's residents.
In Emanuel, Rabbi Yeshayohu Ehrenreich, the representative of
the chareidi kehillos in the city, was elected head of
the city council with an absolute majority of 56 percent. The
chareidi lists identified in United Torah Jewry received four
mandates (three went to Gad and one to Al) while the Shas
list (Zeh) received three mandates.
