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Nov 10, 2008
Rockets Fall & A Mayor Arises!
A Guest Post by Shalom Lerner for Mayor (a.k.a. David Morris)
Hizballah fired over four thousand rockets and missiles, raining death & destruction upon the whole North of Israel.
It was the summer of 2006.
Danny Vaknin, the Mayor of Bet Shemesh, was on a city-sponsored trip in China.
I was in the Mayor’s office, with Shalom Lerner, Deputy Mayor, who was at the head of a table of distinguished council members and community leaders.
“What can we do,” Shalom asked us, “to best help our brothers from the North of Israel?”
The team of the Bet Shemesh Municipality, together with Lema’an Achai, which spearheaded a group of local and national charities, put together and implemented an emergency “City of Refuge” program, which successfully housed, fed and even entertained Over A Thousand Refugees from the devastated cities and towns of Northern Israel.
What is more, Shalom successfully united all those people around that table, representatives from chiloni, dati, chareidi, sephardi, Ashkenazi, Russian, left wing and right wing – to roll up their sleeves to help a similarly cross-spectrum population of refugees – so that each group, family and individual were given the care and support they desperately needed – even to the level of numerous special hechsherim on the food, to providing facilities for the Russians to watch cable TV and play chess!
Bet Shemesh was the ONLY city which responded at this level to the refugee problem of the Lebanon War. The City of Bet Shemesh and Lema’an Achai were spotlighted & commended in the post-war Ben Gurion University Report on “The Response of the Non-Profit Sector to the 2nd Lebanon War”.
Seeing Shalom in action – his immediate and unwavering desire to help Am Yisrael, and his efficient and deeply sensitive management, helping to get the job done quickly and efficiently, cutting through any obstacles, even in a National Emergency (read: “National balagan”) environment – made a deep impression upon me.
If he cares this much about the residents of Kireat Shmona, Naharia, Safad, and Tiberius, I reckoned, how much more so he must care about his neighbors and constituents from here in Bet Shemesh.
I have since worked with Shalom on several other projects, in my role as Chairman of Lema’an Achai.
He has always been there for us as an organization, and for the many individual families we help, who have also needed his help. From helping us to obtain a site for Lema’an Achai’s new building, to helpling a poor family, who can’t pay their bills, to immediately get their water switched back on.
I will be voting Shalom Lerner for Mayor of Bet Shemesh – because he cares, he’s capable, he’s straight.
Shalom will clean up our city (physically and politically), and propel it, from being stuck somewhere in the 1950’s, to being the cream of Israel’s cities. Shalom will preserve & encourage the very best from our rainbow populations, creating a better, more prosperous & united city for all of us.
I know, because I have seen with my own eyes how, given the reins, Shalom can achieve what no other mayor in Israel can do.
Hizballah fired over four thousand rockets and missiles, raining death & destruction upon the whole North of Israel.
It was the summer of 2006.
Danny Vaknin, the Mayor of Bet Shemesh, was on a city-sponsored trip in China.
I was in the Mayor’s office, with Shalom Lerner, Deputy Mayor, who was at the head of a table of distinguished council members and community leaders.
“What can we do,” Shalom asked us, “to best help our brothers from the North of Israel?”
The team of the Bet Shemesh Municipality, together with Lema’an Achai, which spearheaded a group of local and national charities, put together and implemented an emergency “City of Refuge” program, which successfully housed, fed and even entertained Over A Thousand Refugees from the devastated cities and towns of Northern Israel.
What is more, Shalom successfully united all those people around that table, representatives from chiloni, dati, chareidi, sephardi, Ashkenazi, Russian, left wing and right wing – to roll up their sleeves to help a similarly cross-spectrum population of refugees – so that each group, family and individual were given the care and support they desperately needed – even to the level of numerous special hechsherim on the food, to providing facilities for the Russians to watch cable TV and play chess!
Bet Shemesh was the ONLY city which responded at this level to the refugee problem of the Lebanon War. The City of Bet Shemesh and Lema’an Achai were spotlighted & commended in the post-war Ben Gurion University Report on “The Response of the Non-Profit Sector to the 2nd Lebanon War”.
Seeing Shalom in action – his immediate and unwavering desire to help Am Yisrael, and his efficient and deeply sensitive management, helping to get the job done quickly and efficiently, cutting through any obstacles, even in a National Emergency (read: “National balagan”) environment – made a deep impression upon me.
If he cares this much about the residents of Kireat Shmona, Naharia, Safad, and Tiberius, I reckoned, how much more so he must care about his neighbors and constituents from here in Bet Shemesh.
I have since worked with Shalom on several other projects, in my role as Chairman of Lema’an Achai.
He has always been there for us as an organization, and for the many individual families we help, who have also needed his help. From helping us to obtain a site for Lema’an Achai’s new building, to helpling a poor family, who can’t pay their bills, to immediately get their water switched back on.
I will be voting Shalom Lerner for Mayor of Bet Shemesh – because he cares, he’s capable, he’s straight.
Shalom will clean up our city (physically and politically), and propel it, from being stuck somewhere in the 1950’s, to being the cream of Israel’s cities. Shalom will preserve & encourage the very best from our rainbow populations, creating a better, more prosperous & united city for all of us.
I know, because I have seen with my own eyes how, given the reins, Shalom can achieve what no other mayor in Israel can do.
Labels:
bet shemesh,
election,
Shalom Lerner
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yes to Shalom Lerner. The FUTURE of Bet Shemesh
ReplyDeleteI'm truly inspired!
ReplyDeleteDavid Morris's impressive first-hand testimony, the likes of which I haven't heard from or about anyone else in this whole campaign, is very powerful.
If I was unsure before, I'm now convinced what is best for Bet Shemesh....
Shalom Lerner for Mayor, and David Morris for Council!!
You've got my vote! Spread the word!!
I am haredi and I believe that Shalom Lerner will be a great mayor. I don't buy all this nonsense about "the gedolim" supporting Abutbul. In any case there are haredi rabbanim in RBS who privately support Lerner. Lerner's the man!
ReplyDeleteI am disgusted by the behavior of a local rav who has been trying to make local american haredim believe that they have halachic obligation to vote for Abutbul.
ReplyDeleteDaas Torah is meant to apply to questions of clear halachic import, and this is not such a case. In any case there are haredi rabbanim supporting Lerner.
We must support Lerner if we want this city to be normal and not an impoverished version of Kiryat Sefer.
How dare that local Rav try to enforce his willo nthose who have other hashkafot. Are hassidei Gur not good Jews? Are Jews who feel that Lerner will serve Haredi interests best not frum Jews!
ReplyDeleteShame on the daas Torah terrorists!
Daas Torah is being used as a weapon by those who have been manipulated and pressured into supporting a certain candidate.
ReplyDeletePlenty of upstanding Haredim will be voting Lerner!
Lerner is frum! Lerner is a holy yid! Lerner is straight and understands the Anglo-Haredi mentality-Lerner, btw also davens at a haredi minyan!
Lerner for mayor!
Those American haredim who support Abutbol without giving this a second thought are fools. Open your minds a bit and you'll realize that this city will be run best by someone who is straight, community minded,professional, and has a brain.
ReplyDeleteAdvice to all the haredim who live in fear of the daas torah terrorists-if you can not overcome the fear of what these people will say about you simply don't mention whom you really intend on voting for. Just do the right thing and vote for Lerner.
ReplyDeleteI'm Haredi and I'm voting Lerner-my neighbors can mind their own business (and I'm sure that some of them are also voting Lerner.
David-you don't have to worry-tons of haredim will be ignoring the daas Torah terror and will be voting Lerner.Haredim are far smarter than some would think.
ReplyDeleteI understand that a local rav spoke out against the daas torah terror-he made it clear that this concept ois being misinterpreted and misapplied.
ReplyDeleteLerner, we love you!
It really disgusts me that some are trying to force their opinion on others and besmirch other good Jews. Why can't Jews imitate the clean campaign of Lerner?
ReplyDeleteThe same insane individuals who have been attacking the wonderful Tov slate are attacking those who want to vote for Lerner-
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you guys just go back into your caves and chill for awhile?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteThe ture colors of certain cave dwellers comes out during election camplaigns-believe me-there are plenty of Lerner supporters who are frummer than you can imagine!
ReplyDeleteLerner for mayor
ReplyDeleteFrom a concerned haredi resident of RBS
Lerner will support the shuls aas he also has!
ReplyDeleteLerner will support the yeshivas as he always has!
Lerner for mayor!
How do all of you think Gur votes?
ReplyDeleteUn az der rebbe votes voten alle chassidim!
It's just that their"daas tora" says something else.
Haredim are not donkeys-they aren't willing to be to be told that gold is dross and vice versa
ReplyDeleteLerner for mayor!
Is it true that Vachnin is backing out and supporting Lerner?
ReplyDeleteCute bit of spam; I didn't write that.
ReplyDeleteNote that this post has my name as a link (to my blogger profile) and the other one didn't.
Rafi -- can you delete my alleged comment, please?
Thanks
Lerner is the greatest!
ReplyDeleteThe daas torah terorists are trying to force others to adopt their political opinions which is not fair.
ReplyDeleteThe daas torah terrorists od indeed belong in caves.
The daas torah terrorists make the mistake of assuming that there is only one rabbi who determines everything-this is not so. The haredi world has plenty of rabbis with plenty of opinions.
ReplyDeleteThese daas torah terrorists should mamesh go back into their caves
Daas torah terror is nothing new but here in RBS it has taken on vulgar proportions-don't these people know that there's a "slight" difference between the Israel haredi apporach and that of the Anglo Haredim?
ReplyDeletePlease be respectful. If you think daas torah is not needed for elections, that is fine. If you think they are that is fine. If you think nobody has a monopoly or somebody does have a monopoly on daas torah, that is fine.
ReplyDeletejust please keep the comments respectful.
David Morris, you're beautiful-and we love your British accent!
ReplyDeleteWhy should Tov candidates had to absorb the terrible insults which have been hurled at them?
ReplyDeleteAnd it is precisely those same hurlers of insults who are telling us that we are "not allowed" to vote for Lerner.
Wake up, haredim are not mules!
Some people appreciate the beautiful community that is RBS-and others are trying to destory the amazing fabric of our community by telling us that we are only good jews if we vote one way.
ReplyDeleteI am ahredi and will not surrender to this spiritual blackmail. I'm voting Lerner!
It is ashame that one particular rabbi has felt the need to take an obnoxious approach to this election-the Netziv teaches us that it is the intolerance for other valid Torah approaches which led to the destruction of the Second Bais HaMikdash.
ReplyDeleteLerner-we love you!
ReplyDeleteShalom Lerner for mayor!
ReplyDeleteDavid Morris for deputy mayor!
Why all the sinat chinam towards haredim who simply have a different opinion?
ReplyDeleteI am haredi, I love Lerner!
Shalom Lerner-how do you do it? how do you succeed so much in politics and stay so clean? You impress all of us.
ReplyDeleteDoes the gentleman who has posted dozens of comments here under different names think he is fooling anyone? I too am a supporter of Lerner, but really, what is the point of these redundant comments?
ReplyDeleteDavid Morris' depiction demonstrates that Lerner is a man of community of, the tzibbur
ReplyDeleteSome might ask-what does it matter if Lerner was active in helping others during the war-but it is in fact an indication of ahavat yisrael which could come in handy in worrying about a clean town, education, services, etc.
ReplyDeleteI'm inspired and will vote for Lerner.
ReplyDeleteI am a Jew who follows my Rav who says that it is fine to vote for Lerner.
ReplyDeleteI will vote Lerner because while Abutbul seems nice that is not enough.
I received a phone call from the Abutbul campaign today and when I told them I would vote4 for Abutbul they told me that the would "check" this.I realized afterwards that this is a type of veiled threat.
ReplyDeleteNow I will vote for Sholom Lerner
I am going to vote for Shalom.
ReplyDeletealthough I was impressed of Abutbol at the debate.
both of them are good.
the bottom line is that Danny Vaknin will be out of office tomorrow.
on this,the two camps agreed.
I am sure that both candidates will work together as one.
both are great people.
Anybody know when the voting starts?
ReplyDeleteDavid Morris-you have a big heart just like thehead og your list. Kol Hakavod on your clean campaigning.
ReplyDeleteYasher koach!
We must respect one another!
ReplyDeleteHaredim should vote Tov! This is the best message we can send the kanaim!
ReplyDeleteAnybody who has been around RBS in recent years knows that Lerner has been a constant presence, a constant source of assistance, a constant representative of the iriya who shown concern. The proof is in the pudding!
ReplyDeleteLet us all remember that David Morris who is on Shalom Lerner's list has been at the forefront of chessed in RBS-imagine what chessed he woul promote when in a position of greater power!
ReplyDeleteI don't know why we must discuss the daas Torah issue ad infinitum-in the final analysis we should just compare and decide who seems more competent.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt that Shalom Lerner has what it takes-if we were in America and we had a choice of the same candidates (theoretically) would we have any doubt?
ReplyDeleteLerner for mayor!
ReplyDeleteShalom Lerner has done so much for RBS and is such a mentsch!
ReplyDeleteRafi
ReplyDeletePlease!!
Close this post for comments. Someone is making a mockery of your blog with all these fake names.
Wipe them off and close this post!