A Guest Post by B'Yachad
Why Vote BeYachad?
The difficulties for any mayor (or even any Prime Minister in Israel) in achieving real progress, are largely due to the constant need to deal with disparate coalition partners and pander to their narrow partisan agendas.
Shalom Lerner therefore created a new party “BeYachad” to run for the mandates for city council.
“BeYachad” means Together – and it’s not just a name, but it describes our philosophy and agenda.
When forming BeYachad Shalom Lerner decided to forgo the standard practice of simply listing "old boy" politicians.
The BeYachad List include a refreshing & inspiring range of folks, each with an impressive CV of successfully, and selflessly, serving the population of Bet Shemesh – both men & women (yes, how many women do you see on other lists?), including from Sephardi, Ashkenazi, Ethiopian, Russian, French, British (me!), and American backgrounds.
BeYachad is a party consisting of individuals who are not only accomplished people but people who have accomplished much for our community.
All BeYachad members are shomrei mitzvot whose lives are guided by Torah. This influence enables BeYachad members to remain steadfast to their own ideals while recognizing, respecting and working together with the wonderfully diverse nature of our city's populace.
BeYachad members have enhanced the education of our city. BeYachad will enable every child to have an equal opportunity to receive a first rate education.
BeYachad members are innovators and pioneers in tzedaka and chesed. BeYachad will create win-win partnerships between the Municipality and the charitable sector, and focus on improving the Municipal Welfare Services.
BeYachad members have spearheaded city building and expansion. BeYachad will continue to make sure the city’s limited land and infrastructure are distributed fairly and (solely) according to community needs.
BeYachad members have successful business and industry experience. BeYachad will actively attract businesses to Bet Shemesh, increasing local employment and wherewithal.
Let's join BeYachad to helpBet Shemesh flourish beyond its humble beginnings of the 1950’s and to join the ranks of other cities.
If you’re comfortable with the current rainbow nature of our city’s population and wish to live harmoniously with all of its inhabitants, then Shalom Lerner MUST be your choice for Mayor.
And if you want Shalom to be EFFECTIVE to implement change & progress as our Mayor, you MUST vote his party “BeYachad”!!
BeYachad, Together, For Bet Shemesh – A City We Can All Be Proud Of!!
One area that has not yet been discussed on this list is the role that advertising has played in the mayoral campaign.? As someone who has been in the marketing business for 15 plus years, I'd like to weigh in.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I hope it is clear to everyone that Shas has poured a tremendous amount of money into this campaign, money they will not be able to pour into the ongoing management of the city.? So if you think Abutbol can make great things happen in the future because of the Shas connection, you are wrong.? Shas wants a charedi mayor in Bet Shemesh and they are pulling out all the stops to make it happen.? Each weekly Hebrew paper this past week had page after page of Abutbol ads.? (Imagine the good that could be done with all that money, but that's besides the point.)
Second, Abutbol and his national party have run a fantastic campaign, both quantitatively and in terms of strength of messages.? But with advertising and messages come implied messages as well.? For example, Abutbol and Shas spent a nice amount of money on a 16-page glossy "magazine" with Haaretz-type branding across the top.? Most of the magazine is devoted to various nedarim that Abutbol has made regarding Bet Shemesh's future, and a large chunk of the content is also focused on slamming the current mayor.? Very little is devoted to Shalom Lerner.? This is a classic technique designed to discount the legitimacy of the true competition.? By not mentioning Lerner, it seems the real battle is against the current mayor.
Third, when it comes to advertising, there is a tendency to stretch the truth.? And it gives someone like Abutbol the ability to talk about himself like he is going to solve all of the city's problems.? So when someone like Abutbol has that opportunity (to stretch the truth), he runs with it.? To quote the recent magazine, "As Mayor, I pledge to revolutionize municipal services."? Does anyone take the time to think about a ridiculous comment like that?? Meanwhile, Shalom Lerner won't make these kinds of promises, because he doesn't want to make empty promises just to win.
I can go on and on about the role of advertising in this campaign, but let me finish with just one thought:
We all made Aliyah and now we are living a life that we believe HaShem wants us to live, in the Land in which he wants us to live it.? But as Olim, I believe we have another responsibility: It's our job to impact this country in a positive way.? A national party rolling into Bet Shemesh two months before the election, pouring a ton of advertising money into the campaign and then leaving once it's over is not what we as Olim should be standing behind.? This big-budget, slick marketing campaign may well win the election for Abutbol, but it sure as heck won't help the Anglo residents of Bet Shemesh in the least.?
Shalom Lerner, whom I have gotten to know very well during this campaign, refuses to lie, refuses to stretch the truth and refuses to be something he's not.? As Torah Jews, we're taught to respect that and to teach our kids to strive for it.? And I believe that as Torah Jews in RBS/Bet Shemesh, we should vote for it as well.?
Go'el Jasper
so you mean that is why Shalom Lerner did not promise to bring back the thousands who have left BS for Modiin and other places, like Abutbol did?
ReplyDeleteNobody else is offering a party list anywhere near the BeYachad quality.
ReplyDeleteDavid Morris is a great candidate for office - impeccable record of public service.
Jackie Edri, over the past five years, has helped every school in the neighborhood, and many many shuls get built and running.
Dudu Schwartz is manager of the national Shaalei Torah network of schools, chesed programs and over 20 kiruv 'garinim' all over the country...
These people are not career politicians. They are WINNERS, who care about EVERYBODY, and getting them into office will be tremendous for Bet Shemesh.
If Shalom Lerner gets in as Mayor, and Beyachad is strong in Council, then Bet Shemesh has every chance of moving finally out of the Maabara, Chamulot, Protekzia and Cronyism.
We'll finally put Bet Shemesh into the hands of the residents, with the quality leadership we deserve.
Dear Fellow RBSA Resident,
ReplyDeleteLike me I am certain that your head is spinning from all of the election frenzy surrounding our city.
Like me you may have learned for many years in American yeshivos under the guidance of great rebbeim.
Like me you chose to either start your family here or make aliyah with you family in order to live and breathe the atmosphere of Artzeinu Hakedosha.
And like me you chose Bet Shemesh because of the beautiful views, proximity to Yerushalyim and a high quality of life for our families.
And like me the time has come for us to choose a mayor.
I certainly hope that, like me, you will choose Shalom Lerner.
Like you and I Shalom Lerner is an oleh and a Ben Yeshiva.
Like you and I Shalom Lerner chose to start his family here in Eretz Yisroel.
Like you and I Shalom Lerner chose Bet Shemesh for all that it has to offer as the best place to raise children and have a high quality of life.
For the past 5 years Shalom has served us in the city. For 2 and 1/2 years as council member and for the last 2 and 1/2 as Deputy Mayor.
Shalom was the first anglo to serve in the capacity as Deputy Mayor of Bet Shemesh.
He became the address for anglo citizens to turn. He is a direct line that speaks, hears and most importantly understands our "Anglo" language. Phone calls are returned. Issues are investigated.
Shalom demonstrates that he is the representative of all of the city. Although he lives in the Giva, Shalom opened his door and heart to Ramat Bet Shemesh from day one.
Shalom (and Jackie Edri) have assisted scores of RBSA residents with their chinuch issues.
During the Second Lebanon War Shalom spearheaded efforts to absorb over 1,200 refugees fleeing the rockets in the North. In addition to being a major act of hatzalos nefashos Shalom put the name of Bet Shemesh on the map as a city of chesed parallel to none.
Shalom has met with and heard the concerns of our precious teens from the teens themselves.
Shalom has taken an active interest in the mosdos chinuch and chesed of RBSA.
Shalom procured hundreds of food boxes for the chagim for needy residents of Ramat Bet Shemesh as well as Bet Shemesh.
Shalom ensures that each Pesach needy families in RBSA have Shmura Matza.
Shalom understands the needs of all facets of our community.
Shalom has been accused of being just a nice guy who only knows how to smile. But when events warranted Shalom showed us that he can be tough for the sake of our residents.
Last year Ramat Bet Shemesh was the scene of unprecedented acts of violence by a minority of kanoim against Charedi, Dati and secular citizens of Bet Shemesh. While the majority of politicians remained quiet it was Shalom Lerner who rose to the occasion. Shalom arranged a peaceful gathering to address this issue and stand up to the few trouble makers giving our city a bad name.
In that instance Shalom was no "Mr. Smiley Nice Guy". He was a strong and determined leader who did what had to be done.
Shalom Lerner did all of the above before he was running for mayor. He did that not to self serve but rather as a servant of the people.
Many of my friends have told me that I must vote for Moshe Abutbol because…
Like me, he is Charedi and yeshivish.
Out of curiosity I went to listen to Moshe Abutbol. He is a nice man. He makes many promises.
Promises, that although they sound great, in my opinion, can not be fulfilled.
I heard him speak of 20 years of community service to the residents of Bet Shemesh. Yet until the election I had never seen or heard him.
I heard that Moshe Abutbol was a Deputy Mayor and city council member for Shas.
Yet I have not heard what he accomplished for the residents of RBSA or Bet Shemesh during those 20 years.
I do know that in the 5 short years as public servant Shalom Lerner has accomplished many things.
And as mayor he will do even more.
It is wonderful that Moshe Abutbol has made wonderful promises but as an Anglo I want results. With Shalom Lerner I have seen concern, action and results without any consideration of political backlash.
Like me, you on this Tuesday, have the ability to make a choice that will help in making Bet Shemesh a even more wonderful city for all of its inhabitants.
Like me, vote for Shalom Lerner.
Sincerely,
An RBSA Anglo Charedi Resident
I think that there is a debate scheduled for tonight in the hall under Bais Teffilah.
ReplyDeleteit should be a great forumn to see Abutbol and Lerner squaring off about their promises and whether they hold water in the eyes of the other candidate.
i think it is scheduled for 9:00- 11:30
look here http://www.bhol.co.il/forum/topic.asp?topic_id=2513326&forum_id=3845
Where will be the earliest place to see the results online?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to say here, but I have no idea...:-)
ReplyDeletemaybe sun4u (the municipal website)