""With good omen and good fortune, a son has come to us" - this is how the newborn's grandfather, Rabbi Eliyahu Cohen, a well-known figure in the Bukharim neighborhood, who sits and studies the Torah day and night in the Zufiyof synagogue in Jerusalem, greeted me. "And what am I going to do here, I don't know anyone from the media?" He laughed at me and wished me luck.
The son's father, Yishai Cohen, the political correspondent for the Kachar Hashabbat website, arrived smiling and excited, or actually very tense: Will they come or not? Will there be people or not? And most importantly, how will the alliance be?.
I wished him well and set off: to photograph the arrivals. By the way, the newborn was named "Avraham.".
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Among the first to arrive was journalist Yaakov Rivlin from the community. From the first moment he seemed in a hurry, shaking hands, wishing Mazal Tov. Behind: PR man Asher Gold. He actually waited patiently. .
While taking pictures at the entrance to the hall, I notice Shas MK Yoav Ben-Tzur sitting and talking with Nati Lasri, the former Jerusalem council member who has retired. I run to take pictures, and comments start flying around. Yoav Ben-Tzur responds: "I am no one's enemy, I separate politics from friends.".
Zvi Hakak (standing), who was the servant of the Gra"a Yosef zt"l, arrives. With a quiet smile, he wishes Mazal-Tov, and turns to walk aside. Ariel Deri, CEO of "Kol Beramah", calls him back to the table: An important question about the Duma's election matters is on the agenda. Zvi, as usual, does not answer. He smiles and nods his head.
Reporters Zvika Gronich and Chaim Illoz sat to the side to chat. Thus a table of reporters from the Shabbat Square was formed. To the side, Shimon Liberty, a former editor at the Haredim10 website, sat engrossed in his device.
Ofer Hadad from News 2 and Yaakov Rivlin from Kikhila are talking. This time the joke is at the expense of a well-known politician. They laugh - I'm filming. Rivlin immediately scolds me: "I didn't see an invasion." I show him the result, but he's not satisfied: "It's dark." I don't agree with him. Tell him how it turned out.
Michael Malchieli, a member of the Jerusalem City Council, who was placed on the Shas list in the Knesset elections, stood aside to exchange impressions and unofficial reports with the faction's outgoing chairman, Nati Lasri.
Itzik Elharar, director of the office of the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yosef, discussed data and technical failures known only to him, which he explained to the PR man and strategist Asher Gold, who for his part understood the mistake that everyone was making. The conversation continued, but the baby was already approaching the hall - so I withdrew.
As an aside, one of the journalists corresponded in the WhatsApp group of the Council of Wise Men, which is managed by journalist Yossi Elitov. They convinced him that "in this city" there are only criminal gangs. I'm just curious to know which city they're talking about...
A few minutes later, in the same group, another journalist writes Nadav Perry's report on the death of Uri Auerbach. Meanwhile, journalists claim that if the son's father wants to create a media buzz around the alliance - he should name his son Uri.
Ofer Hadad stands aside, and the curious bend over to read what appears on the screen. He, at the pace of reading, turns the page and slowly scrolls it. The curiosity fades when everyone bursts out laughing. It must have been a good joke...
Rabbi David Yosef, a member of the Council of Elders, arrives at the hall, greets the father of the son with good luck, and then meets his nephew Yoni Yosef. Not a word about politics, just general questions, the smile widens, everyone is curious to see how it will end. A few minutes pass and everyone realizes that there will be no political talk here.
One of the Shas senior figures argues at length with journalists about Aryeh Deri's retirement, and whether it was planned or if it was a real retirement. No one believes him that it wasn't planned, and he pulls out his device, replays the WhatsApp conversation with Deri that day, and shows the reporters what Deri corresponded with him - and how real it was. Everyone clucks their tongues and tells him: "You're probably the only one in Shas who didn't know. Maybe you were transparent.".
Avi Avihatseira, Avigdor Lieberman's advisor, and someone who looks like a Bennett impersonator to those who don't know him, arrived, wished Mazal-Tov, and quickly left. Where are you in such a hurry, I asked. "I'm in a very hurry. There's an election now. There's no time for anything. Not even to eat," he replied.
Moshe Glasner from Kol Berama arrived, wished Mazal Tov, and immediately joined the Rivlin-Ariel Deri conversation about Dumas matters. When he ended the conversation playfully, someone said to me: "It looks like a gathering of groups of journalists to get updated on the elections. Who even remembers that there is an alliance?".
Rabbi David Yosef finishes the mincha prayer. Everyone is waiting for the mohel, a member of the 'council', Rabbi Reuven Elbaz. MK Yoav Ben-Zur approaches to speak with the rabbi. Half-words are not understood, and mainly silence and hints in the eyes. We are very careful not to let the bird of the sky carry the voice...
Meanwhile, Nissim Al-Kesalsi arrives. As someone who has been here and now is in a hurry, he goes directly to Rabbi David Yosef. After greetings, Rabbi David said to him: "I didn't recognize you, you've lost almost half your weight." Nissim smiled and explained that he had indeed been on a diet for a long time. Rabbi David said goodbye to him, not before saying: "Take care of yourself.".
Ariel Atias declares that he is not involved in politics - and everyone smiles to themselves. Motti Lavie and Moshe Glasner have a long conversation with him. How could they not? Of course, only about politics.
Then, to clarify details, Glassner moved aside with Atias, to understand details that he was missing. Atias explains, expands the canvas, and the explanations illuminate the political map in a different light. Glassner did not let up until he received an explanation for every move.
The mohel, Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, immediately turned to leave after the vows. But before that, he approached the grandmother, the mother giving birth, and greeted her and wished her well, along with explaining what to do and how to care for the baby.
While rushing out of the hall, Rabbi Reuven Elbaz ran into Aryeh Deri. The joy is evident on Rabbi Elbaz's face. Deri arrived by surprise, alone. He begins to talk to Rabbi Elbaz about the elections, while the Rabbi, for his part, is silent, listening and refusing to answer in front of the photographers. Only when they moved away did he begin to speak.
The son's father was called immediately after the brief conversation with Deri to Rabbi Elbaz. Deri stood up for a picture, while the council member said to Aryeh: "Well, how's our guy?" Aryeh laughed and refused to answer.
Aryeh Deri is also in a hurry to leave. Just before he leaves, he approaches Yoni Yosef, hugs him, kisses him, gives him a traditional kaffa on the cheek and says: "You work for that party, I understand. You are a friend of Baruch Marzel. But why is your brother Ovadia Yosef going to be appointed a member of Eli Yishai's Council of Elders? Tell him not to do that and stay to support us in the party..." Yoni Yosef smiled awkwardly and made no commitment.
A minute after Aryeh Deri left, the parking lot outside cleared out - and Eli Yishai took over. He entered the hall, smiling from ear to ear. No one stood up, no shouting - and everyone just smiled at him. For his part, he remembered everyone, waved goodbye and said there was no need to 'open a table.' He sat down with everyone.
Eli Yishai sits down, handshakes, a toast to 'Cheer', Moshe Glasner begins his joke tour about his successful performance at Hanoch Daum - and Eli Yishai responds with a personal jab. Aryeh Erlich from the family newspaper shouts a sentence from the program at him from the end of the table, and Eli Yishai responds: "Did you see it? It's great, I didn't know you'd see it.".
Those sitting at the table continue to laugh and enjoy themselves with Eli Yishai. Only one person gets up from the table: Asher Medina, one of the directors of Shas's public relations headquarters. He remains loyal to the boss, standing on the sidelines and keeping his distance. His uncle Amar, the chief of staff's assistant and a member of Shas's staff, who was also sitting at the table, suddenly found himself completely focused on his phone. He didn't leave it until Friday, when he got up from the table.
When Eli Yishai leaves, unlike Aryeh Deri, who left alone for his car, several of the people in the hall stand up and accompany him to his car. Radio broadcaster Shmuel Ben Atar approaches to wish him well: "May you also raise a Torah oleh.".
