Title: Turbulence in Elad as Torah Elders Clash Over Mayoral Election Support
Date: [Insert Date]
The city of Elad has been thrown into a storm as the Council of Torah Elders of Degal faces a major disagreement over the support for the incumbent Mayor Yisrael Proush in the upcoming mayoral elections. The controversy stemmed from a recent decision by Maran Hagard Lando to back Mayor Proush, despite a previous agreement between Shas and the Torah Flag to support the Sephardi candidate.
In a handwritten letter published on Tuesday evening, Garmetz Bergman, the elder of the Council of Torah Elders of Degal, criticized Maran Hagard Lando’s decision and emphasized the importance of upholding agreements. Bergman wrote, “The way of the Torah is to uphold the agreements, as the Torah requires. Claims that the observance of the Torah depends solely on a representative are baseless and lack credibility.”
The letter further stated that the observance of the Torah and Judaism is essential for avoiding controversy and blasphemy and questioned the leadership’s commitment to the “Degal HaTorah” movement. The chairman of the spiritual committee of ‘Yeted’, Rabbi Natan Zuchovski, refused to authorize the publication of the letter.
This letter follows a scathing letter written by Maran Gerad Lando, published in ‘Yidd’, which criticized the value and binding nature of agreements between parties. Lando emphasized that the mayoral race should be solely focused on the interests of Judaism, education, and the observance of the Torah.
Disagreements within the spiritual leadership of Degel Torah have been an ongoing issue but were usually kept behind closed doors. The decision to publish these letters in public and in the media represents a significant shift in tactics.
According to reports, the letter is viewed by the Lithuanian public as an insult to the spiritual leadership and is likely to rally support around Maran Gerad Lando. The clash among Torah Elders is expected to intensify in the coming days, ultimately shaping the leadership battle for the future of Elad.
As Elad citizens await the election results, tensions continue to rise in the city, underscoring the deep divisions within the religious community regarding this mayoral race.