The Haredim are in tension: Will Yair Ravivo succeed in appointing a new Ashkenazi chief rabbi in Lod?

June 21, 2022   

1. The collapse of the Bennett-Lapid government is leading people to take steps just before it is too late for them. Is this what Lod Mayor Yair Revivo also intended to do? Those around him say the rumors are "fake," but they still exist. Bennett and Lapid's announcement of the dissolution of the Knesset will perhaps put an end to the plans, since in transitional governments there is no option to appoint rabbis. But the plan is still in place, it should be remembered, if indeed the mayor's denials are not true. This is a plan to appoint an Ashkenazi chief rabbi for the city of Lod, wearing a knitted kippah, as the leaders of the city's Torah groups hope. It is possible that their support for Revivo's candidacy in the local elections will be assured. A committee was recently established in Lod to appoint a city rabbi. In Lod, let us recall, the great Rabbi Shimon Meir Biton was elected a year and a half ago, as a Sephardi rabbi, but it is the right of every mayor to decide on the appointment of another rabbi - and there is a situation in which Revivo is definitely interested. In the Haredi neighborhood of Ganei Ayalon-Achismech, rumors have been circulating for a long time that the mayor intends to appoint a rabbi (Ravibo himself is also a rabbi, there are rabbi Torah scholars in the city, and especially Deputy Minister of Religious Services Matan Kahana, who would probably be happy with such an appointment). As Haredim, this naturally stresses them. "Will a rabbi be in charge of the kosherness of the mikvahs? of their construction? of the kosherness of the restaurants and shops in the city?" say residents we spoke with. Not that Rabbi Biton's kashrut, a Chabad follower, lectures the Lithuanian public in achismach, and still - don't compare him to a national religious rabbi. 2. The local elections are already looming around the corner, in about a year and a half. In order to win the mayorship, Revivo will have to make 'deals' with the Haredi public as well. Precisely for this reason, this is exactly the time to set boundaries and demands for him. Rest assured, and Revivo probably knows this too, that the Haredi in the city will not unanimously support one candidate or another, as is the custom of the Jewish community since ancient times. The Lithuanians in the Ganei Ayalon neighborhood are divided. Some support the rabbi from Sloboda and others support the great Rabbi Hezkiyahu Avraham of Broida. And there are also smaller communities led by rabbis with less influence: for example, the Dayan Gaon Rabbi Mordechai Silman, son of the Rabbi Silman, a resident of Modi'in Illit who recently moved to live in the Haredi neighborhood. Add to the mix Jerusalem residents, Hasidim from various Hasidim, some Chabad Hasidim - and you have a recipe for crumbs, crumbs, each of whom the mayor will have to please. Not an easy task, rest assured. 3. A few days ago, Degel HaTorah chairman Moishe Gafni invited the mayor to the Degel HaTorah house in Bnei Brak for a conversation. At the end of the meeting, a statement was issued on his behalf, according to which the meeting raised "issues related to the community and education sectors in the city in preparation for the upcoming Shanhal, as well as the issue of public buildings in the city for the welfare of the residents." I tried to find out from Gafni, as he walked through one of the Knesset corridors, what was discussed at that meeting. "I'm not saying," he was honest enough to admit. Let me guess how such a conversation goes. We emphasize, this is just a wild guess. Gafni: Are you crazy? A knitted rabbi? It's not enough that the Haredim in Lod don't trust the kosherness of the Chabad rabbi's mikvahs (there are different methods in mikvahs), nor his kosherness, now you'll bring a rabbi with a knitted kippah, and then ask Degel for support in the elections? Revivo: The Haredi community in the city is divided and fragmented anyway, who would guarantee me blanket support? Gafni: You're not really aware that there is a leader for Degel, his name is Rabbi Gershon Edelstein. Supporting you would oblige the entire Lithuanian public. Revivo: That's not what they explained to me, but let's assume that's the case. You'll understand that the support of the Torah-oriented core in the city is more important to me, both numerically and morally. I'm part of them after all, closer to them. 4. So - A: It's not really clear what was discussed at that meeting and what the two men said to each other B. It's not certain that a government will be formed soon, and if and when it is formed, it will allow Revivo to appoint rabbis as he pleases (on the one hand, Revivo is a man of Netanyahu. On the other hand, Netanyahu needs Gafni and his loyalty to the coalition. On the third hand - Gafni is not going to quarrel with Bibi over the Ahisamach business, certainly not when it is necessary to restore the yeshiva budget, pass a revised conscription law, and repair some other damage left by the previous government - and with all due respect to the city of Lod) c. It is not clear whether Revivo will be able to do all this good for the national religious public in Lod, and if he will indeed be elected for another time. It will be interesting to follow the progress of the election process. It is possible that the process will be stopped not because of the protest of the residents of the Ahisamach neighborhood, but because of the moves taking place up there, in the Knesset.