Kiryat Arba swimming pool mixed swimming hours still being fought over

A year ago an issue was raised in which the secular residents of Kiryat Arba were requesting hours of mixed family swimming at the local municipal pool, but the city administration was refusing the request. The residents at the time were petitioning the Supreme Court to force the city to provide them with a reasonable amount of mixed swimming hours.

At the time I wrote that just like when enough religious people move to a secular town and demand religious services, including, but not limited to, separate swimming access in the pool, and their requests should be granted, when secular people live in a religious town their needs and requests should also be honored.

A year later and the fight is still going on and in the news.

Ynet is reporting that the Supreme Court had heard the case and decided that the City must provide the residents with some mixed swimming hours. After the decision some local rabbis called on the public to cancel their membership at the pool. The pool was even shut down because of this issue for a period of time. Now City Hall has decided to reopen the pool and again only offer separate swimming hours.

It seems an agreement was even reached between the relevant residents and City Hall as to the times and number of hours of available mixed swimming, with the approval of the Court, yet City Hall has decided to break the agreement and not allow any mixed swimming at all.

The new mayor claims he is trying to find a solution but int he meantime the pool needs to be open, even with just separate swimming available for the health needs of the public. Obviously the secular residents are upset over this.

It seems that when the religious, and this is obviously not limited to the Haredi community as this is a case of Dati Leumi, are a minority in a town, they are very good at demanding services to satisfy their needs, be it eruv, mikva, [some] roads closed on Shabbos, separate swimming hours at the local pool, budgets for various events and things, and they rightfully deserve it. It is the job of City Hall to provide the residents of its town with the public services they need. Yet when the religious are the majority, they are not so good at taking care of, and providing for, the needs of the secular minority.

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Interesting Psak: eating in a vegan restaurant without kashrut supervision

Rabbi Dr Dror Fixler published an interesting psak in the recent edition of the torah journal "Techumin" that is making some waves.

Rav Fixler basically paskened that one is allowed to eat freely in a vegan restaurant that does not have kashrut supervision. A person eating in such a restaurant should request that his food be prepared with no wine or vinegar. Fixler add that generally vegan restaurants are happy to show the kitchen to their customers so it would be good to ask to see the kitchen, if possible and look at what ingredients and items are being used in the process.

Machon Tzomet, the publisher of Techumin, added reservations to the discussion and recommend that anyone looking to rely on the psak in practice should read the article and psak in its entirety along with the various reservations before making a decision.
source: Kipa

I would point out this this is not really anything new. The issue has been under debate for a long time, with some rabbis paskening as Rabbi Fixler did and others paskening that one cannot just eat in a vegan restaurant without kashrut supervision.

In light of Rabbi Fixler's article, the Kosharot organization republished its article on why you cannot eat in a vegan restaurant without kashrut supervision. The issues they raise are largely the wine and vinegar, which Fixler addressed, along with issues such as infested greens, bishul akum, and sometimes other issues as well.

A Chabad rabbanit from India posted on Facebook (in a closed group, so it is not shareable) that Rabbi Fixler is wrong and she used her own experience in India as an example of how serious bug infestation can be and the problems it presents.

Worth noting is that INN brings a response from Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef who commented in his weekly shiur last night that the issue is complex and not one to be lenient so flippantly about. Rav Yosef goes on to criticize the rav for being lenient base don  logic without doing much research and without speaking to the gedolim about it. This actually bothers me because he probably has no idea how much or little research Rav Fixler did on the subject and I personally find it highly unlikely that he came up with a kula "klachar yad" - flippantly - and then published it in a respected torah journal without any actual research. I am sure he spent a lot of time researching the matter and Rav Yosef would have been better explaining why Rav Fixler is wrong, or why he disagrees, rather than saying he didnt do enough research.

I would add, and I am not sure it is 100% relevant but it seems to me to be connected, that, at least in the USA, it was common (and might still be?) for people to rely on a psak (not sure from who) that when necessary, such as for a business meeting that cannot be missed, one could eat a salad, sans onion, in a treif restaurant. It seems the same issues discussed above would apply - bugs in the greens, vinegar-based salad dressings, etc - yet no big deal was ever made of that. So perhaps in some places it is more of an issue, such as in India perhaps, while in other places it is less of an issue..

Anyways, as always, never rely on a general article no the Internet for psak halacha, but ask your rabbi if you find yourself in such a situation.

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6/26/19 Rabbis’ Sons Syndrome: Chessed and Kiruv at what cost? In Halacha and Haskafah (audio)

some fascinating anecdotes...

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Israelis: What do you think of the Hebrew Roots Movement? (video)

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Gil Kopach and Dana Varon talking about going OTD (video)

interesting discussion

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Synagogues of Norway (video)

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Avinu Malkeinu - Amit Sofer & Ofir Sobol (video)

this is very cool

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Parshat Hashavua: Korach: with Dov Elbaum and Aliza Bloch (video)

Aliza Bloch, mayor of Bet Shemesh, posts a short dvar torah on the weekly parsha every Friday on Facebook. Sometimes I get to see it and sometimes I dont. This week she was a guest on the show Bein Hashmashot with Dov Elbaum to talk about this weeks parsha, and it was a much longer discussion than the normal minute or two she usually posts.. very interesting discussion..



Shabbat Shalom

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Shabbos Is Almost Here - From Rebbetzin Tap & Friends *Kol Isha* (video)

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PSA: pool, youth club, and library coming to RBS A

the following text is copied form a post on Facebook (in a closed local group, so it cant be shared directly) by Deputy Mayor Rena Hollander:

Great news for the residents of RBS A-
We are pleased to announce that in cooperation with the Bayit Yehudi representatives - Deputy Mayor Rena Hollander, Nissim Bariach and Israel Mendelson - and Mayor Aliza Bloch, yesterday budgets were approved for the construction of a library and youth club in RBS A. In addition, a budget was approved for the planning of a swimming pool in the neighborhood.
The budgets and plans approved are a result of hard work of the Bayit Yehudi representatives and the mayor, as part of the coalition agreement signed between them, according to which the representatives of BY are responsible for allocating the development budgets to the neighborhood.The youth club will be used by the youth in the neighborhood, who are desperately lacking places of gathering and activity.
The library will be a pleasant cultural gem for all residents of the neighborhood.
We plan on allocating more budgets in 2020 to build the pool.
We will continue to act for the benefit of our constituents and the general public in the city !!

Way to go!

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Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein Speech at UN General Assembly (video)

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PM Netanyahu's Remarks at CyberWeek 2019 (video)

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Genesis Prize Impact Video 2019 (video)

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Beereshit 2.0 Will Not Shoot For The Moon - Your News From Israel (video)

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Avraham Fried and Amir Dadon: Livchor Nachon (video)

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election updates and thoughts

A new initiative to cancel the upcoming elections is underway. The initiative is being led by MK Yuli Edelstein, seemingly at the behest of PM Netanyahu. While it has yet to be explained how this initiative is working differently than the previous one, it seems to be a separate and different initiative. Edelstein himself says there is political demand for this. The question is if there is any legal way they can realistically do this.

The reason given is that the people clearly don't want elections. The elections are wasteful and unnecessary.

Let us not forget, this was true two weeks ago when the Likud led by Netanyahu decided we have to go to new elections because the people wanted a right-wing government and the results of the elections did not allow him to form one. Then it was necessary, and now it is wasteful and unnecessary. The entire Likud followed along and did what Netanyahu told him to do and support the dispersal of the Knesset and move to elections. Suddenly we hear all these Likudniks saying elections are not necessary. And not just Likudniks, but all the others as well. Kahlon supported the dispersal vote 100% but now is supporting the move to cancel elections. Few politicians have the spine to do what they believe in - they seem to all be afraid of Netanyahu and feel they must stay on his good side. I guess they are worried that if they cross him he will deem them leftists.

The Haredi politicians have some integrity in saying they will not automatically support it. They clarify that they never wanted these wasteful elections, but do not want a government with Yair Lapid and Lieberman in it. They will check what such elections would bring, and what parties would join together if elections are canceled, and then decide whether or not to support the initiative.

Bennett has the most to lose by a move to cancel elections, yet he put out a statement supporting the initiative to cancel. I suspect he knows the initiative has such minute odds of actually passing that he is safe in making himself appear as concerned for the greater good even at his own expense while he points out the pettiness of Bibi and others. Perhaps, he feels, he can take away a few votes by people who see him now as stately while Bibi is petty.

Such an initiative, which is really a long-shot, seems to assume that if elections are canceled a unity government of sorts would be formed. There is a war of words as to whether or not Likud has made any proposals or offers to Kachol Lavan. Either way, Kachol Laval has, at least publicly, said no. They say Netanyahu already started the process of elections and there is no going back. Without Kachol Lavan, and possibly without some others, they almost definitely cannot get this off the ground. And even if they did, if no unity government is formed, then we are back where we started and nothing has changed.

Avigdor Lieberman said he does not care about the elections, they were pushed by netanyahu. He will push for a unity government with Likud Kachol Lavan and Yisrael Beyteynu whether we have elections or not.

What I find interesting is that Likud is pushing this right now. Just to follow the thought to the end. Let's say the elections are canceled. Then what? Does Netanyahu think he will get another chance to try t form a government? I am not sure why he thinks that. He already had his chance. He already used the full extension period. And he failed. My assumption is that if elections are canceled, the mandate will be given to Gantz to try to form a coalition. Unless a unity government is formed, Gantz almost definitely won't be able to form a basic coalition and we'll be back at starting elections again in a few weeks anyway. Unless Netanyahu has another trick up his sleeve in the form of a way to keep the mandate that will allow him the opportunity to lead the way to forming a coalition. He might, but I have yet to hear an explanation as to why or how Bibi thinks the coalition formation will stay with him.

This evening Ehud Barak, former Prime Minister, announced the formation of a new party that will run in the upcoming elections. He failed before, and I don't expect much from him in this realm in the future. He is running with some accomplished people. Even if he is successful, I am not sure how it helps anyone on the Left, as his party will not be the ruling party. he will basically just be moving around the deck chairs on the Left a little bit more. He'll take some votes from Labor and Meretz and some from Kachol Lavan. Maybe a few from the center right as well, but not many. I don't get why he is running just to be a minor MK.

Regardless of that, I have enjoyed seeing the reactions online of right wingers lambasting him for running and scoffing that this will just help Bibi and is splintering the Left. They are all scoffing at him for something the Right has been doing every single election in the past 20 years - splintering the bloc. They all seem to think they know better and he is stupid for doing this, yet on the Right they are far greater experts and far more experienced in splintering the bloc and wasting votes. The Left has just a few parties and while this might be a splinter, it is nowhere near the proportions of the splintering on the Right.

If the Edelstein/Netanyahu initiative goes through, Barak will be left blowing in the wind. With the level of animosity between Netanyahu and Barak, I would not even be surprised that Netanyahu's entire goal in this initiative is to stick it to Ehud Barak!

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Facebook Status of the Day

this post has made big waves in the frum community...
translation after the post (thanks Ben Waxman for the translation)




Translation:
A dramatic post

I will begin by saying that I have no problem with God himself, my problem is with everything that surrounds him. All the politics and the carnival and the smallness of the mind and the hallucinations and the magnanimity and the sense of importance of most of his faithful messengers and myself. With a life full of meetings and lessons and students and sacrifices and respect but without joy and excitement and faith and purpose, I almost broke down, but then God heard my prayer and redeemed me and my greatness.

So for those who are not up to date, I will say that I recently removed any external religious characteristics, not in order to deny or defy any person or sector as a sector. I just ran out of time. And I realized that for me to continue to take part in it, I needed blind faith, and I no longer had one. I've run out of money.

I will note that I was spiritual enough to believe that a hard life plus a complex and sick soul like mine can win me an entrance ticket to heaven, because Puma Zara Agra. I was already a Buddhist and I was a Christian and even a Shinto I learned, but when my soul finally woke up and I returned home to Judaism's embracing embrace, I turned from a talented child looking for meaning to a righteous and just Jew, devoid of self-opinion, gluten-free and especially lacking basic abilities to get along in the dangerous world God created For us to fail. I became a phlegmatic under the auspices of Judaism, beating himself to the point of bloodshed at night, consumed with self-hatred and feelings of inferiority in front of his servants, who are well-directed with the exact accent and the correct surname. Because if Satan wears Prada then sure God wears Streimel, does not he?

Twenty-five years is too long not to report to myself on the cruise. I was willing to die for the sanctification of God, but unfortunately no one asked me for it. It took me time to question and ask how it is that all that God wants of me is that I turn myself into a borderline personality, stripped of holiness and purity and punctuality and a reversal to the Supreme and a comparison of this form and that. What remains there at the end of all layers and clothes and covers and hiding and lying about lies about lies that sustain entire communities. I once thought that a hidden secret was hidden there, today I know there is nothing but money and honor and money and honor and nothing more. A thousand voices are talking in my head. Moses, Rebbe Nachman, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the Baal Shem Tov and all sixty of his disciples, the Tannaim, the Amoraim, the first and last Gevonim, all speak the words of wisdom and knowledge. But I have long been unable to hear myself.

I admit that I never had blind faith, I was disguised as a blind faith because that is what I understood was required of a holy Jew. I had a career in being blind and innocent and learned and wise and righteous. I left everything I had and moved to a new and fascinating sector that vomited me and my children in disgust, as if we were sticky plastic lumps, and for this they are given my sincere thanks, who knows what would have beenfall us if we had been assimilated in them, To be rescued.

Sometimes I feel that all this distant kiruv is just an excuse, one big show. Exciting, sweeping, well-produced, box-breaking, but a show. Who is far and where are they bringing him closer? And who can even open here and testify that he knows who is far and who is close. And of course I do not claim to claim that the Torah is a lie and that God does not exist. I only claim that I am not personally a reliable source to rely on, and my real truth is that I do not know. Really do not know. The sages have already said, "teach your tongue to say, I do not know," and it took me a quarter of a century to learn it, a little slow and still much faster than most of the rabbis, the influential and the great repentants you and I know who know.

I have a lot to say about the sector I have decided to leave and the hallucinatory secret mutations he is raising, but I will leave my tongue tied to the threshing and only say that I have finally understood that they and I do not believe in the same God and had to do something beautiful one hour earlier.

I know that many of you are deeply disappointed in me. I want to ask you to forgive me that I am still alive and kicking. It is not personal against you. I must continue my journey. I wish all of us a good and exhausting life.

Photo: Kobi Kalmanovitz

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Tweet of the Day

Bahrain’s tiny synagogue has its first minyan in decades thanks to officials, execs, reporters here for White House economic conference on the Palestinians. “Am Yisrael Chai” (The Jewish nation lives). @jdgreenblatt45 @DavidMakovsky @RabbiMSchneier @rmhier @arik3000 @lightstonea pic.twitter.com/JtXwZqKrX8

— David Halbfinger (@halbfinger) June 26, 2019

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Quote of the Day

There is no problem going to a unity government. There is one person, just one,  who would need to step aside.

  -- MK Yair Lapid (Kachol Lavan), in light of the renewed talks of possibly canceling elections and forming a unity government

the question is who that one person might be. Lapid, and others in Kachol Lavan say Netanyahu. Some on the right are saying the one person is Lapid, and without him the unity government could have already happened

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Ayelet Shaked speaks at the Jerusalem Post NY Conference (video)

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PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Genesis Award Ceremony (video)

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Synagogues of the Netherlands (video)

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NEW Mordechai Shapiro MACHAR SHORT CUT LAVONAFILM productions (video)

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reputation laundering by the beis din of beis dins

A beis din appointed by a group of prominent batei din, making this the ultimate beis din of beis dins, a joint task force of sorts, is going to be investigating into the affairs and crimes of Eliezer Berland, leader of a cult within Breslav.

This beis din of beis dins published a letter informing the public of their intentions to investigate, with the agreement of Berland himself, and that in the meantime both sides should immediately stop any hatred and accusations against the other side and not publish anything negative about the other. Anybody with a claim or complaint should come to the beis din and lay it all out before them for consideration. The letter is signed by representatives of the various appointing batei din and by prominent rabbis who are members of this beis din of beis dins.

I am not sure what they feel they need to investigate. The investigation was already done by the police. What is this beis din going to add to that? Much of what was discovered about Berland is online and available for the public to view on Youtube. He has publicly confessed to at least some of his crimes. What more does this beis din want or expect to be able to determine? What are they capable of determining? Does the beis din have the necessary skills to investigate such heinous crimes? Do they have access to the victims to call them in to testify against him, and to persuade them to come and testify again if they dont want to, thinking they had already put this behind them?

And what can their decision possibly be in light of an investigation? Even if they say he is guilty, then what?

Why would Berland agree to this investigation, and to putting himself and his future in their hands? He would agree to it because he knows the risk is negligible. The worst case scenario is that they confirm what the police and courts already determined - that he is guilty. Then what? What can they do to him?  Whatever they say is unenforceable, and he can continue living his life as he wants to no matter what they say.

But that tiny bit of risk is infinitesimal. Berland is in a no-lose situation, and he stands to gain a lot. Just by holding the investigation, they are already showing him honor. he was given honorifics in the letter. He is an important person. And he knows that since there is nothing new for them to discover or add to what is already known by the public, this is going to be a whitewash. Either they will clear him of all wrongdoing and say he was framed, or they will give him a slap on the wrist and say he has since done tshuva and already suffered enough anyway, or they will say his confessions were forced or were confessed when he was sick and not in a clear state of mind.

Berland has everything to gain by this investigation and nothing to lose. This is pure reputation laundering.

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avreichim stay in yeshiva long-term because they want to

I learned something new today.

According to Calcalist, avreichim get a full exemption form the army when they hit 25. They only need the yeshiva bochur deferment until they hit the age of 25. So, base don what we have always thought, that avreichim don't join the workforce because of their situation with the army preventing them from doing so, is not relevant after 25. So far so good.

The new fact is that only 22% of avreichim over the age of 25 leave kollel and join the workforce. 78% of avreichim stay in yeshiva long term, not because they are stuck there because of the army or in order to avoid the army, but because they choose to be there.

Since the national debate over shivyon bnetel, sharing the burden of equal army service, seems to mostly accept, and therefore allow, yeshiva bochurim to learn for at least a few years before they might be required to serve in the army under any plan that might be accepted into law, it seems that this age 25 cutoff for avreichim is probably the most important barometer.

It seems likely that lowering or raising the cutoff age will do little to help, or hurt, anyone. Unless you think that after 25 they are not leaving kollel because at that point they feel stuck with no other realistic options, they are not leaving because they, for the most part, don't want to. They likely wont leave at a younger age either.

If you think they should be encouraged to leave, then you can come up with other programs to try to change the balance, to increase the 22% leaving to join the workforce, but that is already trying to manipulate someone's chosen lifestyle. The debate has always been about pulling out the issue that prevents them from doing what they want, but these numbers indicate they mostly are doing what they want.

The one thing missing that I would like to know from this is if after 25 only 22% leave the yeshiva world - that is between 25 and what age? Is it as soon as they hit 25? Maybe when they hit 28 or 30 or 35 more leave? 25 is still reasonably young enough to go out, join a program to learn a profession or trade and start working, yet they are largely choosing not to. If they are leaving but only at 30 or 35, that would be very different, as starting to learn a profession at that age is already far more difficult.

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Quote of the Day

We will not be slaves or servants for Greenblatt, Kushner and Friedman. We need the economic (support), the money and the assistance, but before everything there is a political solution. For America to turn the whole cause from a political issue into an economic one, we cannot accept this

  -- PA President Mahmoud Abbas

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THE LENNY SOLOMON SHOW WEBISODE 1 (video)

fascinating look back at Shlock Rock history..

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Eli Cohen: The Mossad's Master Spy (video)

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The Shamir?Discovery of a new species/genus - Lithoredo Abatanica (video)

could this be the famous shamir worm, or a relative?

Researchers from Northeastern’s Ocean Genome Legacy Center have discovered a new genus and species of shipworm burrowing into the bedrock of a river in the Philippines. Their work is part of the Philippine Mollusk Symbiont project, a collaboration led by universities in the United States and the Philippines to simultaneously document the biodiversity of the islands and search for compounds that could be used in human medicine.

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New England Patriots Come To Israel (video)

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Yosef Daniel - OPEN OUR EYES (Official Music Video)

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the modern day boys who cried wolf

As reported by Avi Rabina on Twitter, at a hafgana in Jerusalem today, protesters were trying to save one of their friends and fellow protesters from being arrested. They were trying to scare off the police by calling out "Autist", as if warning the cops to lay off that guy because he is autistic. This is in light of the recent hafgana in which police beat up an autistic kid.

Here is the tweet with footage from the hafgana:

שיטה חדשה? בהפגנת הקיצוניים נשמעו צעקות "הוא אוטיסט" "הוא אוטיסט" בניסון להפחיד את השוטרים ולהציל את החשוד ממעצר. pic.twitter.com/uVSlJolkKO

— אבי רבינא (@AviRabina) June 24, 2019

1. (to scoff at the police a bit because they have refused to investigate the previous case), the police don't care and screaming "autist" isn't going to stop them from beating him up and arresting him. Perhaps it might even have the opposite effect!

2. They are now like the boy who cried wolf. If this will be a new tactic used at hafganot to avoid arrest, when there is another situation and the police dont realize someone involved is autistic, they will just ignore the warnings - like the boy who cried wolf.

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public chilul shabbos continues to increase

and the public chilul shabbos in Israel continues to increase.

Now Modiin, led by a Likud mayor, has begun operating a Shabbos bus to the beach, as has Kfar Saba and some other locales. Tel Aviv has announced they will begin operation on Shabbos of a tourist bus running through the city. Ramat Gan, via its mayor Carmel Shama Cohen (also of the Likud) is beginning operation of buses on Shabbos, and it has become a fight with Bnei Braq in general.

All this is added to many other locations and instances around the country (some reported here, some not) that have been increasing public chilul shabbos over the past couple of years.

A. This is a tremendous failure of the Haredi parties that have tried, perhaps only superficially, to fight this. Some might say it is specifically increasing because they are fighting it. Perhaps it is time to either step up the fight or tone it down if there is no intention to make it real.

B. It continues to amaze me that with the Haredi parties talking regularly about how Shabbos observance in the public sphere is of utmost importance to them and is the main issue of their involvement in government, they continue to support Benjamin Netanyahu for Prime Minister, despite the fact that it is under Netanyahu's leadership that the public chilul shabbos has so dramatically increased in recent years. At what point will they tell him no more. And since they have not, why not?

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Rabbis oppose gyms and fitness centers

A group of rabbonim have published and signed a letter against gyms and fitness centers.

According to the letter, the existence of gyms and fitness centers in Jerusalem is a spiritual and educational problem. It would be one thing if they were just there for the secular public, but some advertise as an appropriate atmosphere for the Haredi community.

These gyms have television screens to watch while working out, and there is inappropriate (at best!) music playing in the background, along with general issues of tzniyus.

The letter continues that while we believe exercise is important and necessary for maintaining one's health, these gyms are not just for health but also promote a culture of body worship. For us it is a means, for them it is an end.

The conclusion is fairly tame with calling on parents to be aware of where their daughters are going to exercise and who else is there.

I am happy it is not a ban, but a call for awareness. Nothing wrong with warning parents to be aware of what is what .

I wonder why parents only need to worry about their daughters and not their sons.

The biggest threat posed by these gyms is the statistics that show that most people who take out gym memberships. According to published statistics in the USA, 80% of people with gym memberships do not use them. I am not sure if that number is the same or similar here in Israel, but it is clear that most people dont use the gym after signing a membership. The rabbis could easily warn people of the waste of money involved and that might be enough for the majority to stay away...

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Likud working to reverse Knesset dispersal and cancel elections?

All the news sites are reporting that the Likud is trying to reverse the law that dispersed the Knesset and forced new elections.

According to reports it seems to be unclear as to what is required for such a reversal, with some saying a simple majority of 61 MKs could pass such a reversal while other definitions of the law suggest 80 MKs would be required.

Either way, the proposal going around would be to abandon the elections and let the 21st Knesset stand as it is and a unity government of sorts would be formed between Likud and Kachol Lavan, and maybe some other small parties that might be willing to join as junior partners.

The chances of this actually happening are next to nothing, but never say never in Israeli politics. Stranger things have happened. 

That being said, let's imagine it happening for a moment.

The biggest bloc of voters is found between the centrist right Likud party and the centrist-left Kachol Lavan party. With the Likud seemingly still unable to form a right wing government, and Kachol Lavan seemingly unable to form a left wing government, the next sensible attempt would be a centrist government formed by Likud and Kachol Lavan together. Such a government, if they could work it out and live together, would represent the largest bloc of voters.

If it were to happen, the parties on the extreme right and left would definitely be out. There is no way Meretz would join or be allowed in, and the United Right would likely be out as well, especially if they do not split from the Otzma Yehudit members, and maybe even the Ichud Leumi members. Labor is almost irrelevant, so they could join and the Haredi parties could also theoretically join, though they would have a problem with the Yair Lapid faction of Kachol Lavan and would either have to find a way to come to terms with them or stay out. Lieberman's Yisrael Beyteynu could join, but I have a feeling Netanyahu would veto them.

Assuming the Haredi parties do not join, because of Lapid, the Haredi parties would likely see this as a betrayal by their natural coalition partner they openly supported from the beginning and offered their unwavering support. They will learn that Netanyahu might like them, and might even prefer them, but has no loyalty to them. He has abandoned them in the past and wouold do so again. When it works out, great. And when it does not work, that is also fine. And really he should not be loyal to them in this way - Netanyahu is head of Likud, not head of Shas or UTJ. His job is to form a government and run the State of Israel, not keep this or that person happy.

Labor's irrelevance means adding them would be just to be slightly more representative, but nor not much gain. They could just as easily be left out, but there really isnt reason to, unless Labor refuses because of its more hardcore side, as represented by Stav Shafir.

Again, it seems unlikely to happen, and if it does there will probably be some legal challenges. If it happens, the landscape will get even more interesting. I imagine a unity government, if agreed to, would have Netanyahu agreeing to rule for the first two or 2.5 years and then Gantz for the remainder, maybe even with Netanyahu officially retiring from politics at that point. I have a hard time seeing Netanyahu agree to serve as second in command under Gantz, so I think he would retire at that point - but if he doesnt commit to retiring, I would be wary of him pulling a "stinking maneuver" at the end of his portion and dispersing the Knesset the way he did now in order to not give anyone else even a chance to possibly lead the country.

Another scenario is that the various parties come to an agreement as to reversing the dispersal and canceling the elections, but then something happens, maybe a betrayal. Maybe they reverse the dispersal, but then cant form a government. Maybe the President says Netanyahu already had his chance to form a government and failed, so now it is Gantz's turn. Gantz will most likely not be able to form a government so we would most likely end up at elections again anyway.   

Anyways, it is most unlikely to happen, so feel free to fantasize about the craziest possible scenario you can imagine.

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6/22/2019 Global warming & environmental issues. What are our halachic requirements if any? (audio)

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Palestinians: What do you think of Iran and their support for Palestine? (video)

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Tribute to 2019 Genesis Prize Laureate Robert Kraft (video)

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Synagogues of the Netherlands (video)

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Motty Steinmetz Yehe Ra’avu (video)

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Separate-gender Driving refresher courses to be stopped

When drivers in Israel accumulate enough "points" on their license, by getting speeding tickets and/or other traffic violations, they are required to attend a "motorized driving" course. A refresher course, to remind him of the rules of the road. Maybe it is a bit of a punishment, but anyone who got so many points is also assumed to need a refresher course to get up to date with the rules of the road, fill in any gaps, etc.

These courses are generally operated by organizations that bid for the right to give these courses. They are generally not internal to the "DMV ", but contracted out.

So it seems that these people running the courses were offering (in some locations) separate courses for women and separate courses for women. The problem seemed to be that the courses for men were far more frequent than the courses for women, and women were being turned away from taking their necessary refresher courses until a course could be arranged.

As an aside, perhaps that means there are less women needing these refresher courses than men - i.e., women are generally better drivers than men?

Back on point, a womens rights organization appealed to the Comptrollers office. Dina Zilber initially responded that such courses are to be stopped and the State can only offer courses open to everybody. Now Avihai Mandelblit has submitted to the Minister of Transportation (both outgoing Yisrael Katz and incoming Betzalel Smotritch) that such separate courses are to be stopped. In his letter he says that if a group of people get together independently and put together a course for just men or women that would be fine, but it cannot be offered by the operators of the course.

I guess that means that if, let's say, a course is open to 20 people at a time and someone puts together 20 men who need the course to all register for the same course with the result being that this course is only attended by men, that would be fine. The operators cannot offer the course and advertise the course as a men-only course.

The haredi community is upset about this, again blaming Mandelblit and Zilber for causing women to stay away as women wont go to a mixed course and they'll simply just not renew the license rather than sit in a mixed-gender course.

It is a shame that courses cannot be tailored to the needs of local communities. I don't know if there is anything wrong with this type of course specifically being gender-mixed, personally I see nothing wrong with it, but if a community has needs, and if we want them to integrate into society somewhat, it behooves us to come to them, somewhat, and make it accessible on their terms, to a certain extent.

That being said, the way the Haredi community is going so extreme in so many ways nowadays is disturbing and one thing continues to lead to another. The Comptroller office opposing it isn't going to stop the community from getting more extreme - it might even have the opposite effect and somehow continue to push the extremism along as it then becomes a fight and the haredi community does not often back down when they feel their lifestyle is being attacked. While I get that the law does not allow the State to fund or sponsor gender-separate events that are not religious in nature, and while I think the Haredi community needs to tone down their increasing extremism a bit, I wish there were a way for local communities to be serviced in ways appropriate to them.

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Interesting psak: younger sister before older sister in shidduchim

Kikar has an interesting psak from Rav Shalom Cohen regarding shidduchim.

An Avreich went to Rav Cohen to ask if it is ok for a younger daughter to begin the "parsha" of shidduchim even though she has an older sister that is not yet married and is looking for her mate.

This may not sound like a biog deal to many, but for many in the Haredi community this is a big no-no. Younger sisters do not start dating before all older sisters are married. The only exceptions are in extreme situations, such as they have been waiting too long and the younger is also getting older to the point where it could hurt her chances if she waits any longer, or other similar extreme situations.

In this situation of this specific avreich, the older daughter s 24 years old and has yet to find her mate. The younger sister is 22 and no longer wants to wait. If she starts to listen to shidduch suggestions and starts dating, she is basically being granted permission to pass her sister and get married first, should a shidduch work out for her before it does for the older sister.

Rav Cohen responded that she should definitely start dating and not wait any longer. Chas veshalom, Rav Cohen said, that she wait too long and find herself at an older age and have a more difficult time dating. She should start dating now, but she should get permission form her sister and explain her situation and concerns pleasantly to the older sister.

Rav Cohen concluded with a blessing that in the merit of encouraging her younger sister to date and supporting her rather than holding her back, she too will find her mate and marry soon.

What is left unclear is what happens if the older sister says no? Does Rav Cohen still think she should start dating despite the opposition of the older sister? Whil eit sounds strange that an older sister would say no, it does happen and is not uncommon. In such circumstances, among people who are strict about this, sometimes the older sister is pedantic about the younger sister not dating. It, understandably, frightens her, and makes her think she is getting too old and her chances of finding a mate are decreasing rapidly. The younger sister possibly marrying first can make her look like a problem and hurt her even more.

From his response it sounds like getting permission from the older sister is just a pleasantry and not absolutely necessary, but that is just how I read his words. I wonder what he would actually say in such a case where the older sister refuses..

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Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief Yaakov Katz interviews Jason Greenblatt (video)

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Jews in Sports (video)

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Moshe Dayan: Iconic Military Leader (video)

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Srulik Raizman - Mah Tishtochachi, Davenen (video)

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Cantor Netanel Hershtik | Hamptons Synagogue | Fri night davening live (video)

this was videoed and streamed live online as the davening service was held at an "early" minyan..

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Tweet of the Day

מתוך פרסומת בהמודיע: הגרפיקאי נאלץ לערוך את שם המסכת ולטשטש אותה בגב הכריכה. הסיבה: רחמנא ליצלן קוראים למסכת 'נדה' pic.twitter.com/QLtUJyIwm7

— אברהם גרינצייג (@avigrin10) June 20, 2019

Avishai Greenzweig, haredi journalist, tweeted:
From an advertisement in Hamodia:
The graphic artist was forced to edit and change the name of the tractate of gemara, and also to blur it off the outer binding.
The reason: the name of the tractate is masechet "Nida"

did you get that? an advertisement for a set of gemaras had to be edited to take the name of the gemara out because it isnt modest enough and is not fit for public consumption.

If you thought that ad with the cholent being taken out because Thursday night cholent is too "streety" was just silly and maybe humorous, this is what Hamodia has become. Now names of our holy books cant be mentioned in public in Hamodia.

As a side note, someone (I dont recall who first pointed it out - perhaps Ben Waxman) pointed out that this editing has caused the editor to misplace masechet Bava Kama in Seder Kodshim! The only problem is that Nida is in Seder Taharos, so I dont know why that says Kodshim, or if it indicates something else here is going on as well.

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Ben Gvir prattling on about Norwegians Law

Itamar Ben Gvir is going on bandying about that Rav Rafi Peretz and Betzalel Smotritch should honor their word and agreement and resign from the Knesset, now that they have been appointed to ministerial positions so that he, Ben Gvir, and Baruch Marzel, can enter the Knesset using the Norwegian Law.

I agree with Ben Gvir that agreements need to be honored, but Ben Gvir needs a little bit of patience.

As far as I know, the previous Knesset term passed the Norwegian law, at the time, only as a horaat shaa - a temporary measure only for that specific Knesset term. When that Knesset was dissolved, the Norwegian Law went out of effect.

Peretz and Smotritch have been appointed to ministerial positions in a temporary "holding" government as we wait for new elections. This temporary government cannot pass news like, such as a new Norwegian law. This government is in a holding pattern until after elections and the formation of a new government. Ben Gvir is right, but he needs a little bit of patience and has to wait until the Norwegian Law situation becomes relevant again.

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Quote of the Day

I'll be pushed out of office? Aryeh Deri won't even give me a disciplinary hearing. He knows that if he does, instead of bringing in 6-7 seats in the upcoming elections, I'll bring in 15 seats..

  -- Mayor of Tiberias Ron Kubi, about the possibility of being relieved of his duties as mayor after failing to pass the budget in the third and final attempt

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Citizen Guetta: Episode 5: Where are the Insurance Companies when you need them? (video)

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A settler from an outpost explains his world view (video)

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Ehud Olmert interviews with Yaakov Katz at the Jerusalem Post annual conference (video)

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Synagogues of Netherlands (video)

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Sruli & Netanel \\ Ahavat Chinam (Official Music Video)

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Quote of the Day

I have noticed that the retired writer for Bamachane, Mr Lapid, comes back to life every time the issue of the Draft law is raised. Unfortunately, that same Lapid, in full coordination with Lieberman, in the last week of the government brought down the draft law that they had supported. It was the same exact law, as it had been proposed by the Ministry of Defense. He did this only to get votes and make a living off the hatred and division he sows. It would be good for Mr Lapid to tell his voters the truth - the Draft Law does not interest him one iota, and I am not even sure he is at all familiar with it.

  -- MK Dudu Amsalem (Likud)

Recently I have really been frustrated and disappointed in the Likud, specifically the part of it that blindly follows Netanyahu, and I am even more upset that they repeatedly make me, even if just in my mind, defend Lapid.

The Likud, with the most decisive and right wing coalition probably ever, leading a stable and solid government for more than four years, which as an accomplishment on its own based on Israeli history, needed to rely on Opposition votes to pass a law that the people who most needed it and wanted it within the coalition refused to support for superficial reasons. And they then blame the Opposition for not supporting a government initiative which basically then brought down the government, precisely what the Opposition always strives to do, as if it was their responsibility to prop up the government and help it out with its own coalition problems.

blah

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Cholent street food

I can see it now - food trucks selling cholent parked on the streets near parks in Haredi neighborhoods, near business centers and outside the stadiums hosting sporting events. Maybe they'll pour the cholent into those paper cones, or maybe into tacos, or the classic paper bowl.

A car company wanted to advertise an event in the Hamodia paper. The event was going to be some sort of sale on Thursday night, and an added selling point was free cholent for attendees of the event. The ad bore the image of a car, and next to it was a pot brimming with hot steaming cholent. The image actually looks more like an ad for cholent than for cars.


I would point out, to paraphrase the words of the hadran, they run and we run - they run to nonsense and we run for Torah, by mentioning that while the secular and non-Jewish world advertise their cars for sale with images of scantily clad pretty women, we advertise our cars for sale with pots of cholent! מי כעמך ישראל!!

The Hamodia censors filtered out this ad and rejected it, explaining that the phenomenon of Thursday night cholent is too "streety" - rechovit in Hebrew.
source: Kikar

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Israeli religious sports champions

1. Mazel tov to Yuval Freilich from Neve Daniel for being the first Israeli ever to win the European championship in Fencing (TOI).

I was not even aware there was fencing in Israel.

I know nothing about Freilich, but with Neve Daniel being a religious yishuv, I think it is safe to say that Freilich is religious.

2.  Mazel tov to Mickey Chait from Bnei Braq for winning the Capoeira Championships Tournament of the Mediterranean. Chait and his students who competed captured a number of trophies in the competition, and his sister Miriam won fourth place in the women's competition.

Chait says a lot of the tournaments and events are held on Shabbos, limiting his ability to participate in only a small number of events, but in the last event they had so many shomer shabbos competitors in a variety of events that the administrators changed the schedule to hold the finals on Motzei Shabbos.

Chait is planning to compete next in the World Championships to be held in two months.
source: Behadrei

I am happy they can follow their dreams and use their talents and is able to keep Shabbos the way they want to. Participating in sports has always been particularly difficult for shomrei shabbos.

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the horse and carriage minhag is on its way out

The grandson of the Tzanzer Rebbe is getting married. Mazel tov!

Dovid Halberstam got married last night to the daughter of Rav Moshe (her first name was not mentioned in the announcements I saw)  Halperin from London.

The minhag in Tzanz is that the chosson and kalla, each separately, is brought to the wedding, and escorted by the chassidim, in a horse-drawn carriage, with elders of the chassidus riding the horses.

Being form London, the kalla requested that this minhag be cancelled. She has no interest in being brought in via a horse-drawn carriage. I imagine she feels too refined for such a spectacle.

Despite it being explained to her, and explained that the carriage and horses have already been ordered and that all the Tzanz family weddings follow this minhag, she persisted in her refusal to be brought out as if she is living in the 18th century.

Her request was considered and agreed to, and the horses and carriage order were canceled. I guess it is good that amazon takes returns with so little hassle!
source: Behadrei

I have been to weddings on kibbutzim and in moshavim where at times horses or tractors are used during the wedding (I remember one where the horse was brought into the hall during the dancing, and it slipped on the slick dance floor - that was a big problem. they had a hard time getting it up and was a very difficult site to witness), and the crowd generally enjoys the spectacle.

Turning that into a holy minhag just because a hundred or two hundred or five hundred years ago there were no cars and horses and carriages was the common mode of transportation is just silly. I guess that is similar to wearing a coat under the chuppa because back in Poland or Russia it was freezing cold at outdoor weddings, or like some other customs that have developed over the years. This "minhag" has been dropped by everyone by now, including all hassidic sects, except for Tzanz, and even in Tzanz it is only limited to the family of the rebbe. Not much of a real minhag. I guess now even with the Tzanz family it will peter out after this kalla broke the tradition. I have no problem since this isnt a real minhag anyway. You want a horse at your wedding, get yourself a horse. It doesnt have to be considered an ancient holy minhag.

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Facebook Status of the Day

very sad this is how it is turning out..

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Judah Samet , Holocaust survivor, at the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference (video)

it is too bad that he ran out of time and Steve Linde had to cut him off and end it.

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Tzipi Hotovely at the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference (video)

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Shevet Achim VaAchayot: Gavish-Dickstein wedding edition (video)

there have been a lot of parodies of the fabulous song Shevet Achim VaAchayot, but this one is special, as it was made for the wedding this week of Ayelet Dickstein and Avigdor Gavish. Gavish and Dickstein both lost their families in [separate] terror attacks about 16 years ago. May they have a happy and peaceful life together.

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Yaakov Shwekey - I AM ALIVE (video)

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news lines being shut down

Kikar is reporting that the Ministry of Communications has announced that it is planning to shut down all the "news lines". These are phone lines that people can call to and hear all the latest news, breaking news, updates and whatnot. These are very popular in the Haredi community among people who do not have internet access and don't listen much, if at all, to the radio. You call a number and then hear the news items read out over the phone. There are many different news lines.

According to the Ministry of Communications, these lines are taken advantage of and people stay on the lines for a long time and the phone companies have complained about losing a lot of money because of them.

On the other hand, for many people this is the one way, or the easiest way and most kosher way, for them to get the news. Cutting them off means they won't be updated. Community leaders are worried that cutting off such a service will force a lot of people to get access to the Internet in order to stay informed, and this is something they really don't want to do, but might be "forced" into it.

While I personally think people need to get with the times and not complain that an offered service is anti-haredi (or anti-whatever) just because it is offered only using the latest technologies and not compatible with non-kosher phones or lifestyles that choose to not make it available, in this case I see no reason for these news lines to be canceled. If the phone companies are really complaining about losing money on these lines, they should charge more. Why shut them down? Just like I pay for Internet access, if someone else wants to get his news read to him over the phone let him pay for that whatever the cost is. The phone company does not need to lose money to provide the service, but I think it is reasonable to charge a fair price for such a service.

I also think that the community leaders who run these lines are thinking very poorly of their community. If someone is ideologically opposed to Internet use, will he really start using it just because these phone lines shut down? I think it is far more likely that some alternate service will be created in some way, but it seems pretty weak to me to assume everyone will suddenly cave and get Internet just because the news line is shut down.

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Headline of the Day

‘Hundreds of Jews want to make aliyah and live in Trump Heights’

  -- Israel Hayom

funny. just because of the name, without knowing anything else about it and how remotely far way it is fro everything else in the country? I am sure it can become a wonderful place to live, like many other places, including other towns in the Golan Heights, but just because of the name??? best of luck to them!

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Ron Kubi inexplicably joins the Knesset race

Mayor of Tiberias Ron Kubi announcing that he is founding a new party and running for Knesset fascinates me.

Kubi has not been successful getting together a coalition in Tiberias and has not been able to pass the budget there. He is under threat from the Ministry of Interior for removal from office. He has name recognition, but no real accomplishments other than angering the Haredi politicians. It does seem though that when running for office name recognition is the most important factor, so at least he has that.

When the idea was first publicized a few days ago, the Haredi press celebrated saying this is directly against Lieberman and will take away votes from him. That made me wonder how they forgot that he has fought them and attacked them far worse than Lieberman ever did and if he makes it into the Knesset, which won't necessarily happen, he is sure to continue along that line. They dont have much about this to be happy about.

Others thought it is just to help Netanyahu. They seem to be friends, and in the past Kubi has spoken out in support of Netanyahu. And Netanyahu wants to hurt Lieberman's chances of getting in. So maybe. But still, even if it all pans out with Kubi hurting Lieberman and getting into the Knesset, Netanyahu's other coalition partners won't be happy about it.

Then yesterday Kubi himself attacked the Haredi politicians when explaining why he is running. He also said he will demand the Ministry of Interior and take it away from Deri. Again,  another reason this does not make sense and why the Haredi parties being happy about this does not make sense. In Tiberias the Haredi parties have refused to cooperate with anything Kubi has tried to do - in the Knesset they will play nicer together?

He might just be running as the next natural step after some municipal success (in winning the elections with some added fame). He might be running to save himself from the problems of Tiberias and the risk of getting removed from office. He might be running to help Bibi, to hurt Lieberman and/or to fight the Haredi parties, or any combination of reasons, these or others. He definitely makes the upcoming elections more interesting.

I am not sure it is accurate to call Avigdor Lieberman anti-haredi, as he has been called recently. He has worked very well in the past with the Haredi parties and has never really pushed any anti-haredi agenda. The closest he got is this last government when he insisted on the draft law being passed as it had been formulated by the Defense Ministry without changes. Does that one item make him anti-haredi? He never insisted on forcing secular studies in Haredi schools, never called for lowering budgets to yeshivas or cutting child allowances or anything like that. But, since he is being called anti-haredi, between Lieberman, Lapid and Kubi, assuming they and their parties all get into the Knesset, the Haredi parties will have their most challenging, and probably difficult, Knesset ever. I wonder if they will have ever had more [perceived] enemies in the Knesset than in this coming one.

Personally I think Lieberman and Kubi will both hurt the Likud more than anything will hurt Yisrael Beyteynu in these elections, but that remains to be seen. The best scenario, for Netanyahu, I think, is Kubi hurting Lieberman and taking away enough votes that Lieberman does not get in, but also Kubi himself not passing the minimum threshold. Then Netanyahu has knocked out Lieberman and owes nothing to another potential coalition partner who would have friction with the others.

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