A statute from a century ago left the ultra-Orthodox community in Zurich, Switzerland, at a dead end and without a rabbi after an election held as a compromise agreement, which was not accepted after the election held in the community. ‘In the Haredi Rooms’ with all the details
Last night (Thursday) the election for the rabbinate of the “Agudat Ahim” KK was held in Zurich, Switzerland, but a compromise agreement reached after about three years between the rabbinical brethren did not receive the required percentage of support from the voters.
As reported, for the first time in the “Haredi Rooms” in the “Agudat Ahim” community in Zurich, Switzerland, which has been without a rabbi and leader for nearly three years, an election rally was held yesterday for the city rabbinate.
After 3 years: community members will vote in elections
The compromise agreement formulated by the community committee, which was voted on by members of the community, was that the eldest son of the late Rabbi Aharon Braish would serve as Gavad, and his son-in-law, Rabbi Zvi Elimelech Padwa, would serve as Rabbi.
The election conference was held yesterday in the community hall, when about 400 members of the community had to vote for or against the compromise.
The community elections work with a special statute established at the founding of the community about a hundred years ago, in which it appears that the candidate for the city rabbinate will be elected only if he has received the support of 2/3 of the community members who attended the election conference.
The election conference itself was attended by a majority of the community members, who began with a speech by the head of the congregation, R. David Ballag, later asked to speak to several members of the community and each spoke and sided for or against the compromise.
At the end of the speeches, each member of the community secretly moved the ballot paper into the box, and at the end, the superiors began counting the ballots.
After a short time, the news was published that the support of 2/3 of the members who came to the meeting had not been received, and therefore even after three years there is still no rabbi for the community.
The community committee issued an official statement, “We are sorry to announce that the Gavad / Raved concept was not accepted at the election rally.”
They will now have to decide in the community committee how to proceed with the crisis, which has been going on for nearly three years.