After the retirement of Yaakov Litzman: Yitzhak Goldknopf, secretary of the Rabbinical Committee for the Sanctity of the Sabbath, director of the Beit Yaakov kindergarten and daycare network, and who previously served as the Hasidic representative on the Jerusalem City Council - has been appointed as a candidate for Gur Hasidic on the Agudath Israel list, starting in the next Knesset.
The decision was made after a meeting last night with the Rebbe of Gur. The appointment is being made at a time when the public standing of Gur Hasidism is at its lowest point. This follows the brutal campaign of violence against members of the community of the Rosh Yeshiva of Gur, Rabbi Alter.
One of Goldknopf's greatest struggles, as Secretary-General of the Rabbinical Committee for the Sanctity of the Sabbath, was against the "Shefa Shuk" chain, after the Alon Group acquired the AM:PM supermarket chain, which operates on Sabbaths. Goldknopf waged a holy war, and for eight years the chain falters among the Haredi public, until it collapses.
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The announcement of Goldknopf's appointment immediately sparked opposition among many in the ultra-Orthodox community, amid allegations of alleged oppression of female Haredi kindergarten teachers at the Beit Yaakov kindergarten chain, which he heads.
Media personality Assaf Lieberman from Kan News wrote on his Twitter account: "There is a big mess now among the Haredim ahead of the appointment of Yitzhak Goldknopf as MK to replace Litzman. The man headed an education network that deducted high percentages from kindergarten teachers' salaries to the point of allegations of exploitation. I hear that a protest by Haredi kindergarten teachers against the appointment is starting to develop.".
He added: "Of course, politically, while United Torah Judaism is set to fight for the votes of the ultra-Orthodox against Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir, not everyone there is happy about another challenge like this, this time from the kindergarten teachers.".
Media personality Eli Bitan from Moreshet Radio responded to him: "Kindergarten teachers, teachers, teachers - the greatest oppressor in the Haredi sector. The cruelty and wickedness directed against the most Haredi families, and the worst of any of Lieberman's decrees - is on its way to the Knesset. How can Gafni, Deri, Pindaros, Maklev, Malchieli, Arbel, Margi, Azoulay be able to sit in the same room with him?"'
He later added: "Explaining for the benefit of the cousins: One of the common methods of oppression in the Haredi education system is to fire teachers and kindergarten teachers every year and then rehire them, so that they do not accumulate seniority and to oppress a large part of their rights.".
Surfer Yonatan tweeted in response: "Yesterday, like every year at this time, my wife received a dismissal letter from the Rabbi's 'Beit Yaakov' kindergarten chain." Isaac Goldknopf. "With God's help, she will continue to work there next school year, as she does every year. So why was she fired? So that she wouldn't accumulate rights. As part of our 'Meet the Intended Knesset Member' section.".
Public relations officer Rafi Perlstein tweeted: "He is unworthy. I wish this decision would change. We deserve honest representatives, with a clear conscience, with morality. This man is simply unworthy.".
In honor of Yitzhak Goldknopf: A bill by MK Ram Shefa, submitted today, would compare the starting salary of teachers and kindergarten teachers to the average salary in the economy, which currently stands at 12,059 NIS.
— Itay Gadsi (@itayg1) June 1, 2022
Journalist Venet Tali Farkash responded: "Let's put it this way, instead of a businessman being a businessman.".
Neta Katz, a former Gur Hasid, wrote: "If in the end Yitzhak Goldknopf does indeed become a member of the Israeli Knesset, we are guaranteed great fun. He is a character blessed with a lot of color and little knowledge. We have more plots planned with the man.".
