To: Rabbi XXXX shlita
Re: Clarification
In light of the libelous, hate filled, fabricated and unprecedented attacks against me from the
activists in the campaign of my opponent, and as they themselves state they are only doing so out of propaganda considerations, I hereby declare:
1. I have consistently spoken out for the Haredi community and at every juncture in my public
life I aided the Haredi community as much as I was able, and G-d willing I will continue to aid the Haredi community in the future, as per its needs with no discrimination G-d forbid. Just as I aided the Biala Rebbe at the request of Rabbi Litzman, when I served in the position of the Director General of the Aliyah and Klita department in the Jewish Agency. The opposite is true as I will prove that permanent structures for the Torah and educational institutions that today are housed in caravans are definitely attainable.
2. The spirit of the Shabbat that is so unique to Beit Shemesh was always important to me and that was the basis upon which I raised my family. In contrast to the libelous, false and malicious words said, I never expressed any desire to institute public transportation on Shabbat nor do I support any form of public chillul Shabbat, as it is clear to me that our city has and always has had a traditional Jewish atmosphere.
3. With regard to the Nahari Law and the status of Yeshivot, I would like to clarify in a clear manner, that the Torah world was always important to me and close to my heart and therefore I will work as hard as I can to find the public financing in order to maintain the law in its present form.
4. All of the talk concerning the alleged stopping of construction for the Haredi population is based on false rumors. However I said and continue to claim, that we should build for Haredim as well as for other populations such as newcomers and young couples from Beit Shemesh, the children of the founders and builders of the city, out of the supreme value of “Doing what is good and just” as it says in the Torah.
5. In contrast to the distortions of the truth presented to Hagaon Rav Shteinman that were published and exposed, I have never been supported by Lapid and Yesh Atid. The absolute opposite is the truth: I rejected a generous offer from the Yesh Atid party out of a desire to build a positive relationship with the Haredi public.
It is important to note that the real issue with regard to the municipal elections in our city is
the professional management of the city, out of a policy of equality, transparency and honesty. All
attempts to divert the discussion to a war of religion and mudslinging, stem from irresponsible machers and spin doctors that are setting one group against the other, without considering the future of the city and the need to live
together in harmony on the day after the elections. It is my hope that these sincere words from the depth of my heart will fall on receptive ears that seek to hear the truth as it is.
In peace and brotherhood
Eli Cohen
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"One candidate for mayor, Eli Cohen, has the support of Bennett, Lapid, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."
ReplyDeleteThat is a quote from
Harry Goldmeier
"MK Lipman Comes Out for Eli Cohen in Beit Shemesh Race
Member of Knesset Dov Lipman (Yesh Atid) expressed support, Thursday, for Eli Cohen in the race for mayor in Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem. Rabbi Lipman - a Beit Shemesh resident - said, in a statement, "Eli Cohen has demonstrated a remarkable ability to manage and will run the city with great professionalism. Even more importantly, he will be a unifying force in a city which desperately needs that unity."
Referring to the recently concluded campaign between Cohen and Aliza Bloch of Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home-New National Religious Party), a Yesh Atid statement said, "Members of the party's Bet Shemesh branch, led by MK Rabbi Dov Lipman, worked for the goal of unity to succeed in all the city's internal battles over the last few years. We applaud Eli Cohen and Jewish Home for taking this important step towards unity and are proud to be part of the joint list which will return Bet Shemesh to all its citizens and enable the city to reach its remarkable potential.""
Hmmn.... Seems like #5 is completely false.
#3 seems to imply if he cant then it wont continue...........Sounds like Bayit Yehudi and Yesh Atid speech to me.......................
If #3 and 5 are phony then why should anyone believe the rest.
Truth or false-You be the judge..........................
Cohen is supported by Dov Lipman as a private resident of Bet Shemesh. yesh Atid is not involved in these elections. they arent running a party and are not officially endorsing anyone. Initially Lipman supported COhen in the name of Yesh Atuid, but when it came time to make it official and sign a deal,. Cohen rejected Yesh Atid.
ReplyDeleteAs an MK and high-profile (at least in Beit Shemesh) member of Yesh Atid, Dov Lipman should make the distinction perfectly clear between when he's speaking for himself and when he's speaking as a member of his party.
DeleteHey Anon
ReplyDeleteSeveral known and convicted pedophiles in RBS have Abutbol and Chen posters on their house. Does this mean that Abutbol is connected to pedophiles?
The fact that Lipman, a Bet Shemesh resident, supports Cohen, has no connection to Lapid.
Be careful with your dot connecting...
Moshe Abutbol is connected to Aryeh Deri and other convicted felons. does that mean Moshe Abutbol is a felon?
ReplyDeletePlease, I beg for intellectual honesty. Leave your emotions out of this discussion. Eli Cohen made a factual STatement which is proven wrong by Yesh Atids own statement. That means it isnt true.
ReplyDeleteAlso, # 3, clearly means if he cant find the money he will do away with the nahari law.
If you want Eli Cohen for Emotional reasons, thats your choice but dont confuse truth with emotions
May Hashem give us the correct Mayor!
Good letter. Firm, fact-oriented (I think Rafi's response to Anonymous is sensible and convincing), and above all, taking a tone that is mature and devoid of hyperbole and venom. I think there are those that can take a lesson from this letter in how to engage in adult and responible communication.
ReplyDeleteAnd I want to thank Rafi for making this blog an extremely useful forum for information about this election, part of the blog's usual role as the best (by far) source for local Beit Shemesh news and events.
Anonymous: And what's so bad about Yesh Atid? Personally, I'd be more prone to vote for someone they endorsed than, say, a Shas candidate.
ReplyDeleteRafi you are right. There is one sided Sinas Chinam and Sheker being spread by Chadash. The rest of the Sinas Chinam and Sheker is spread by bloggers posting taglines like yours
ReplyDeletehaha yefei nefesh losers. please move to modiin. or better yet scaahsdale heh heh heh B Shemesh is now enshrined as the first city to transform from a chiloni one into the SunnyHome of G-ds people for eternity. as the posuk says: houses full of goodies that you didn't fill, vineyards full of veiner that didn't be plantin. v'od yudo netuya. hAAAAA!!
ReplyDeletethis morning eli cohen said on Bet that this was not a religious issue. which of course explains why bennet told the world that it was assur for a non-haredi to vote for a hareddi. what a liar you people are a bunch of smug frauds.
and sholom lerner ( who i disagree with but respect and would have understood had you voted for him if he ran) has also you given you mussar (and bloch) but you people are such frauds and so full of infinite pride and hate you compeltely ignore them. jerks.
that is F - R - A - U - D s. now get off my phone (and out of my city as well)
i gues it was abutbol who back stabbed bloch also. you people are so full of hate for haredim you make me sick get lost. haha all of your lies didn't help you squat. the good news for you is abutbol really is a nice guy anf if you really want to live in peace with your enemies he wil accpt you with open arms. but you are to full of your own bs to eat your infinite pride.
oh whoops... cohen said that the bloch spectacle was not him... and you naive imbeciles supposedly believe him. no.that is not the real story the real story is that you are a bunch of hate filled faux intellectual bigots. youare motivated by nothing but your infinite hate for aunthetic Judaism.
g-d has saved us from dani vaknin II. B Shemesh will not return to the cesspool it was under his tenure. that should make you happy.
ReplyDeleteyou people remind me of the american Jewish traitors who vote for the anti-semitic and pro-Iranian nuke Obama cuz they are so married to their shita of liberalism that it trumps all logic and what should be seder adifuyot in allegiances.
ReplyDeleteget off my phone