Herzliya council member filmed taking tefillin, then gave conflicting explanations

Herzliya city council member from Yesh Atid, Daniel Chartok, was allegedly filmed taking tefillin and other sacred items belonging to a city resident who distributes informational materials on religious topics, according to the complainant. The incident has led to a police complaint, while Chartok reportedly changed his version of events several times.

We reported this evening (Wednesday) on Channel 14 News that in recent months, confrontations in Herzliya over religious issues in public spaces have been increasing, and at the center of the latest uproar is Herzliya city council member Daniel Chartok of Yesh Atid. According to the allegations, Chartok was filmed taking tefillin and sacred items belonging to a city resident known for handing out pamphlets about Judaism at intersections and asking passersby for donations.

According to that resident, a complaint was filed with the police after the incident. He said the council member initially denied the incident, and later explained that he was acting as part of his struggle against what he described as "religious coercion." The allegations and the video documenting the incident sparked criticism and angry reactions on social media.

The complainant is being accompanied by Likud city council member Rafi Kadushim, who said it was a grave violation of sacred items and religious freedom. Chartok, meanwhile, did not respond to our request for comment on the matter.