Rabbonim and public figures in and around Petach Tikva have voiced stiff opposition to a move by Shas to support the appointment to the city rabbinate of a rabbi from Zionist national-religious circles in exchange for their support of a Sephardic rabbi, striking a deathblow in terms of the ramifications for religious affairs in the city in the next elections.
During Tuesday's elections for the city rabbinate National-Religious candidate Micha Halevy and Shas candidate Binyamin Attias were selected following a deal between the party and national-religious activists. The selection of Halevy, one of the founders of Tzohar, is a significant achievement for the local NRP, which managed to bring in a national-religious appointment, said national-religious figures.
Following the election, where the mantle of leadership in the city — upheld for many years by HaRav Boruch Shimon Salomon zt"l — was passed on, Finance Ministry Chairman Rabbi Moshe Gafni remarked, "Shas, for the first time, has upset the cooperation among chareidim, despite occasional differences of opinion. In order to secure a Sephardic rabbi who identifies with them, they appointed a non-chareidi rov."
