Smotrich Criticized for Neglecting Affairs by His Own Party
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Minister Zionism party is criticized for neglecting religious affairs, particularly the appointment of city rabbis, despite Smotrich's achievements in other areas. The party has failed to secure key rabbinical positions in major cities, losing to Haredi candidates. The article also questions Smotrich's assessment of Rabbi Kalman Bar's religious Zionist affiliation and his alleged lack of support for a religious Zionist candidate in the Chief Rabbinate election. The author urges Smotrich to make religious affairs a priority for his party.
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- Minister Bezalel Smotrich's party is criticized for neglecting religious affairs and failing to secure city rabbinate positions.
- The party has seen successes in appointing religious judges and rabbis in some smaller communities.
- Smotrich's stance on Rabbi Kalman Bar's religious Zionist affiliation is questioned.
- The article alleges Smotrich did not fully support a religious Zionist candidate for Chief Rabbinate.
Minister Bezalel Smotrich, despite notable achievements in Judea and Samaria and other areas, is facing criticism for his party's neglect of religious matters, particularly the appointment of city rabbis.
While Smotrich has been instrumental in significant developments in Judea and Samaria and in handling war-related economic and educational matters, the party, with seven Knesset seats, has not allocated sufficient resources or personnel to the religious portfolio. The author contrasts this with the Shas party, which dedicated multiple individuals to religious affairs, suggesting that even assigning one or two advisors to focus on this area would have been beneficial. The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining relationships with local officials and community leaders to succeed in rabbinical appointments.
Despite successes in appointing religious Zionists to municipal rabbinates in some smaller communities and the appointment of seven new religious judges and three presiding judges to regional rabbinical courts, the party has seen its candidates lose in major cities like Tel Aviv, Beersheba, and Givatayim to Haredi candidates. Smotrich attributes these losses to internal struggles within the religious Zionist camp, but the author contends that his direct intervention could have resolved these issues.
Furthermore, the article questions Smotrich's stance on Rabbi Kalman Bar, whom Smotrich does not consider part of the religious Zionist movement, despite strong support for Bar from other prominent religious Zionist rabbis and MK Simcha Rothman, who was Bar's student. The author highlights Bar's extensive background in religious Zionist institutions and his deep connection to the teachings of Rabbi Kook and his disciples, suggesting Smotrich's dismissal of Bar is a misjudgment.
Regarding the Chief Rabbinate election, Smotrich claims internal conflicts led to losses, but the author disputes this, stating Smotrich did not actively support the religious Zionist candidate Meir Kahana. Instead, some of Smotrich's advisors allegedly worked to elect another candidate, Micha Halevi. The article concludes by urging Smotrich to prioritize religious affairs as a central goal for his party, rather than viewing them as a burden that detracts from other political battles.
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