Herzliya Furor: City Council Member Accused of Taking a Resident’s Tefillin

Another clash over religion and public space has stirred debate in Herzliya in recent days. At the center of the incident is city council member Daniel Chartok of Yesh Atid, who, according to a report on Channel 14, was filmed during an altercation in which he took possession of tefillin and other sacred items belonging to a city resident. According to the report, the resident involved in the incident is known in the city for distributing booklets on Judaism at various intersections and asking the public for donations. He said that a complaint was filed with the police after the incident.

It was also claimed that the council member initially denied the allegations, but later explained that his actions were part of his fight against what he defines as “religious coercion” in public space. “Is this the way to act? In this manner?” the owner of the tefillin asked. “To steal things from people? That you don’t want them to hear... This person has been harassing me for more than two years, constantly telling me ‘get out of here,’ ‘leave here,’ ‘this is a secular city, don’t come near here.’”

The footage and the claims that accompanied it sparked lively discussion on social media and drew many responses from users, who strongly criticized the council member’s conduct. City council member Daniel Chartok did not respond to Channel 14’s request for comment on the matter.