[RBS] A balanced analysis of the upcoming primary for Mayor of Beit Shemesh

[Shlomo Walfish]

A balanced analysis of the upcoming primary for Mayor of Beit
Shemesh<http://walfish.blogspot.co.il/2013/08/a-balanced-analysis-of-upcoming-primary.html>


As someone who made Aliya from the USA to Beit Shemesh for 5 years, I would
like to share my perspective on the upcoming Mayoral candidates. I consider
myself a Jew who loves almost all Jews (except for the few evil ones) and
really love Beit Shemesh.

It can become the best place to live and a great example to other cities in
Israel as a place for ALL types of Jews.

Sefardi, Mesoraty, Dati Leumi, Chareidy, Russian, American, British, South
African, French, Ethiopian and more.


If you like the Incumbent Mayor from Shas and how this city has been run
the past 5 years this may not be for you. However although he may have done
some good things, many people think that there has been mismanagement. The
streets are not always clean, many things are neglected, and many people
did not like the way the Mayor handled the Orot fiasco. It was a bit
reminiscent of the way Mayor David Dinkins handled the crown heights riots.
I have also heard that there are some fine shomer shabbat families who have
left Beit Shemesh as a result. This is very unfortunate. I would like to
live in a place that is open and inviting to all good Jews.


There are 2 candidates running against the incumbent Mayor.

Eli Cohen and Aliza Bloch. There will be a poll this week and the winner
will face of the incumbent.


I would like to analize 3 main points.

*1. Qualification.*

*2. Loyalty/Allegiance*

*3. Electability*


*1. Qualification.*

Eli Cohen comes from a strong organizational management background (senior
positions in the Sochnut and Mekorot Water Company) He is also a former
senior administrator at the Jewish Agency for many years, and has been
active in the Likud party. Aliza Bloch is an accomplished school principal
who is credited with turning around Bronko-Weiss School. Although Aliza
Bloch has done some great work in the school system, one has to ask if this
qualifies her to run a city. Yael Van Dyke is an Amazing principal in
Ulpanat Gila, but I wouldn't suggest putting her up to be Rosh Haiir. There
are many wonderful and great people in this city, but to run it properly
you need experience. Eli Cohen is a Vatic Beit shemesh resident living here
for over 30 years, more than double the amount of time Aliza Bloch has
lived here. He has been active in Likud and knows his way around
politicians. On this point I would say Eli has more of a background and
experience in dealing with governmental institutions, million dollar
budgets and managing hundreds of employers. Therefore Eli is more qualified.


*2. Loyalty/Allegiance*

This is a very important issue. Moshe Feiglin from Manhigut Yehudit points
out that a Major problem with Israeli politics is that in national
elections we do not have local representation. We vote for a party and the
party selects the MK's. The MK's can then do whatever they want with
impunity. In the USA and most western democracies, people vote for a LOCAL
representative. That person who they grew up with, know and trust, they
send to washington to represent them nationally. If he does good for the
people he is re-elected if not, not.

If local people elected Bogie Ya'alon as an MK, and were appalled by him
voting to release 104 terrorists endangering everyones lives, they would
make it clear to him that they will never support him again. This may make
him reconsider who his loyalty is with. The people, or the leader of his
party.


Eli Cohen has been active in the Likud for many years and has lots of
connections, yet for this campaign to be Mayor of Beit Shemesh he made a
bold decision to run as an independent. He did not ask for the endorsement
of Likud or any other National group or party. He openly says I want to
work for ALL residents of beit shemesh and be beholden to you. Aliza Bloch
joined the race later on and was immediately endorsed and even appointed by
the National head of the Bayit Yehudi party Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid
from Yesh Atid as well as Likud.


When comparing these 2 approaches it is blatantly obvious where the loyalty
of each candidate lays.

Eli Cohen specifically and intentionally rejected running as a Likud
candidate since he wants to represent ALL residents of Beit Shemesh.
Including Sefardim, Chareidim, Dati Leumiim and everyone. Balancing the
interests of the many different groups in Beit Shemesh is a hard enough job
to do. The last thing a Mayor needs is to have a conflict of interest and
have to answer to and show loyalty to a national leader or party. He should
be working exclusively for YOU the resident of Beit Shemesh and NO ONE ELSE.


On the other hand. Aliza Blochs Campaign was endorsed and funded by Bayit
Yehudi and Yesh Atid. This is a conflict of interest and means that she
must show loyalty to people and parties that do not live in Beit Shemesh,
and quite frankly have no vested interest in it's future and growth. While
I may agree with many things the Naftoli Bennett does in a National arena,
and may even vote for Bayit Yehudi, he is NOT a resident of Beit Shemesh
and has no business telling us who to vote for, who is more qualified, and
who will be better for the future of Beit Shemesh.


Would Naftali or Yair Lapid like if we Beit Shemesh residents told them who
to vote for in Ranana for their local elections? I understand why he wants
to have people loyal to him become the Mayors of cities in different parts
of Israel. This may be good for him on a National scale. But WE residents
for Beit Shemesh need to think about what good for us LOCALLY even if we
agree with those 3 parties on National issues. Unless their leaders live
here, they have no business telling us who to vote for.

Dov Lipman is the only local MK and at least has the right to have an
opinion on the issue. But my feeling is that his endorsement of Aliza was a
result of him towing his party line and supporting his party leader. I
would not be surprised if he thought Eli Cohen was more qualified. Feel
free to ask him. This is a great example of how the current political
system can put MK's in a conflict of interest. Having to choose between the
local people and their parties leaders interests. Suffice to say whoever
affect their future career more will likely get more allegiance.


Amazingly 4 members of the local Bayit Yehudi faction have crossed lines,
and defied the candidate choice of their party leader.  Shalom Lerner,
Jacky Edri, Dr. Sammy Ben-Adi and Mishael Nechami ALL from Local Bayit
Yehudi have endorsed Eli Cohen! They have ALL jeopardize their future with
that party in order to be loyal to the residents of Beit Shemesh. This is
democracy at it's best and should set the tone for political reform in
Israel that will enable people to vote for local representatives who will
go on to represent them nationally as well. They all deserve to be
commended for standing up for YOU the people.


Any national party or leader who is not local resident that tells local
branches who should be the candidates and leaders without letting the
locals vote for themselves, is acting like a dictator and showing contempt
for the local residents. This applies to ALL parties that do this, weather
it's Bayit Yehudi, Yesh Atit, Likud or Shas. This is the opposite of how a
democracy should work.


*3. Electability*

Finally the issue of electability.

A neighbor of mine said how can you support for Eli Choen? he doesn't wear
a Kippah and is not frum.

The first thing I said was Frum is a 4 lettered word that starts with an F.
Then I said, My Rabbi, Rabbi Berel Wein says  *"It's not the kind of
Yarlmuka that matters it's what's under your Yarlmuka that matters"*

He said "well he doesn't even wear a Yarlmuka" I said to him you're missing
the point. It's what's in the persons head, his intentions. As far as I
know Eli Cohen is a Masoraty Traditional Sefardy Jew. He is not Mechalel
Shabbat and the 2 times I saw him he was giving a Dvar Tora from the parsha
and wearing a Kippah. He is very humble, does not have an inflated ego, is
sincere and genuinely cares about ALL residents of Beit Shemesh. He
respects Tora, Rabanim and Tora institutions. To disqualify him because he
does not wear a kippah is very small minded. Besides perhaps after becoming
Mayor of a mostly Shomer Shabbat city he will begin to wear a kippah
regularly.


I then asked him, if there was an election for the Mayor of London and a
Liberal frum Jew was running against a conservative christian and he
thought the christian was better, would he vote for the the Jew? He said
"well that's different it's not in Israel" I then asked, so when the Gerer
Rebbe endorsed Mayor Nir Barkat in Jerusalem against a Frum Chareidy
incumbent Mayor, was the Gerer Rebbe wrong??? Did he pick the wrong guy? He
said "ummm you got a good point" As far as I know Mayor Nir Barkat is a
great Mayor for Jerusalem he is a qualified pro and truly represents all
the residents. He is loyal to the people, land and torah of Jerusalem and
Israel.

*Eli Cohen can be the Nir Barkat of Beit Shemesh **uniting the people and
making Beit Shemesh a better place for ALL the residents.*


 Although I have NO problem whatsoever with a woman in office as an MK or
Mayor, I also think it is permissible according to Halacha. Unfortunately
not everyone shares that view, especially in the Sefardi circles. I would
even say it's against their religion to put a woman in a dominant
leadership position. We can both agree that this is unfortunate, but it is
what it is. Beit Shemesh is not Netanya. There are lots of Sefardim and
even Chareidim that realize they can actually have a better quality of life
if Beit Shemesh were cleaned up and managed professionally, bringing
business and opportunities here creating more parks, public infrastructure
and facilities, more school buildings for EVERYONE etc. These people very
well may vote for Eli Cohen for a change and step up, but may not be able
to bring themselves to vote for a woman. I believe all honest polls show
that Eli Cohen against the incumbent has a much better chance than Eliza
Bloch against the incumbent, for this and the other 2 reasons.


*In Summary:*

In my opinion, Eli Cohen is more qualified, he has proven his loyalty to
YOU the resident of Beit Shemesh and no one else, and stands the best
chance of winning against the incumbent Mayor. Since rama Gimmel, Daled has
been zoned to specifications of a more Hareidy crowd, the influx of many
thousands of Hareidi families in RBS over the coming five years, will mean
that the 2018 election will likely go to a Hareidi candidate. Hopefully,
Eli will be able to credibly oppose incumbent mayor, in what will probably
be the last opportunity for the city of Beit Shemesh to remain open and
inviting to ALL jews, also keeping our real estate value strong.


Since I am not sure which lists will let this post go though,

If you appreciate this analysis please forward it to everyone you know in
Beit Shemesh now BEFORE the poll this week.

Thanks

Shlomo W.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.cs.huji.ac.il/pipermail/rbs/attachments/20130804/8b4eba6d/attachment.html>