A balanced analysis of the upcoming primary for Mayor of Beit Shemesh

As someone who made Aliya from the USA to Beit Shemesh 5 years ago, I would like to share my perspective on the upcoming Mayoral candidates. I consider myself a Jew who loves almost all Jews (except for the few evil ones) and really love Beit Shemesh.

It can become the best place to live and a great example to other cities in Israel as a place for ALL types of Jews.

Sefardi, Mesoraty, Dati Leumi, Chareidy, Russian, American, British, South African, French, Ethiopian and more.

If you like the Incumbent Mayor from Shas and how this city has been run the past 5 years this may not be for you. However although he may have done some good things, many people think that there has been mismanagement. The streets are not always clean, many things are neglected, and many people did not like the way the Mayor handled the Orot fiasco. It was a bit reminiscent of the way Mayor David Dinkins handled the crown heights riots. I have also heard that there are some fine shomer shabbat families who have left Beit Shemesh as a result. This is very unfortunate. I would like to live in a place that is open and inviting to all good Jews.

There are 2 candidates running against the incumbent Mayor.

Eli Cohen and Aliza Bloch. There will be a poll this week and the winner will face of the incumbent.

I would like to analize 3 main points.

1. Qualification.

2. Loyalty/Allegiance

3. Electability

1. Qualification.

Eli Cohen comes from a strong organizational management background (senior positions in the Sochnut and Mekorot Water Company) He is also a former senior administrator at the Jewish Agency for many years, and has been active in the Likud party. Aliza Bloch is an accomplished school principal who is credited with turning around Bronko-Weiss School. Although Aliza Bloch has done some great work in the school system, one has to ask if this qualifies her to run a city. Yael Van Dyke is an Amazing principal in Ulpanat Gila, but I wouldn't suggest putting her up to be Rosh Haiir. There are many wonderful and great people in this city, but to run it properly you need experience. Eli Cohen is a Vatic Beit shemesh resident living here for over 30 years, more than double the amount of time Aliza Bloch has lived here. He has been active in Likud and knows his way around politicians. On this point I would say Eli has more of a background and experience in dealing with governmental institutions, million dollar budgets and managing hundreds of employers. Therefore Eli is more qualified. Eli thinks Aliza is very competent educator and would be open to appoint her as head of education or something along those lines so we can have the best of both of them

2. Loyalty/Allegiance

This is a very important issue. Moshe Feiglin from Manhigut Yehudit points out that a Major problem with Israeli politics is that in national elections we do not have local representation. We vote for a party and the party selects the MK's. The MK's can then do whatever they want with impunity. In the USA and most western democracies, people vote for a LOCAL representative. That person who they grew up with, know and trust, they send to washington to represent them nationally. If he does good for the people he is re-elected if not, not. 

If local people elected Bogie Ya'alon as an MK, and were appalled by him voting to release 104 terrorists endangering everyones lives, they would make it clear to him that they will never support him again. This may make him reconsider who his loyalty is with. The people, or the leader of his party.

Eli Cohen has been active in the Likud for many years and has lots of connections, yet for this campaign to be Mayor of Beit Shemesh he made a bold decision to run as an independent. He did not ask for the endorsement of Likud or any other National group or party. He openly says I want to work for ALL residents of beit shemesh and be beholden to you. Aliza Bloch joined the race later on and was immediately endorsed and even appointed by the National head of the Bayit Yehudi party Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid from Yesh Atid as well as Likud.

When comparing these 2 approaches it is blatantly obvious where the loyalty of each candidate lays. 

Eli Cohen specifically and intentionally rejected running as a Likud candidate since he wants to represent ALL residents of Beit Shemesh. Including Sefardim, Chareidim, Dati Leumiim and everyone. Balancing the interests of the many different groups in Beit Shemesh is a hard enough job to do. The last thing a Mayor needs is to have a conflict of interest and have to answer to and show loyalty to a national leader or party. He should be working exclusively for YOU the resident of Beit Shemesh and NO ONE ELSE.

On the other hand. Aliza Blochs Campaign was endorsed and funded by Bayit Yehudi and Yesh Atid. This is a conflict of interest and means that she must show loyalty to people and parties that do not live in Beit Shemesh, and quite frankly have no vested interest in it's future and growth. While I may agree with many things the Naftoli Bennett does in a National arena, and may even vote for Bayit Yehudi, he is NOT a resident of Beit Shemesh and has no business telling us who to vote for, who is more qualified, and who will be better for the future of Beit Shemesh.

Would Naftali or Yair Lapid like if we Beit Shemesh residents told them who to vote for in Ranana for their local elections? I understand why he wants to have people loyal to him become the Mayors of cities in different parts of Israel. This may be good for him on a National scale. But WE residents for Beit Shemesh need to think about what good for us LOCALLY even if we agree with those 3 parties on National issues. Unless their leaders live here, they have no business telling us who to vote for.

Dov Lipman is the only local MK and at least has the right to have an opinion on the issue. But my feeling is that his endorsement of Aliza was a result of him towing his party line and supporting his party leader. I would not be surprised if he thought Eli Cohen was more qualified. Feel free to ask him. This is a great example of how the current political system can put MK's in a conflict of interest. Having to choose between the local people and their parties leaders interests. Suffice to say whoever affect their future career more will likely get more allegiance.

Amazingly 4 members of the local Bayit Yehudi faction have crossed lines, and defied the candidate choice of their party leader.  Shalom Lerner, Jacky Edri, Dr. Sammy Ben-Adi and Mishael Nechami ALL from Local Bayit Yehudi have endorsed Eli Cohen! They have ALL jeopardize their future with that party in order to be loyal to the residents of Beit Shemesh. This is democracy at it's best and should set the tone for political reform in Israel that will enable people to vote for local representatives who will go on to represent them nationally as well. They all deserve to be commended for standing up for YOU the people.

Any national party or leader who is not local resident that tells local branches who should be the candidates and leaders without letting the locals vote for themselves, is acting like a dictator and showing contempt for the local residents. This applies to ALL parties that do this, weather it's Bayit Yehudi, Yesh Atit, Likud or Shas. This is the opposite of how a democracy should work.

3. Electability

Finally the issue of electability. 

A neighbor of mine said how can you support for Eli Choen? he doesn't wear a Kippah and is not frum.

The first thing I said was Frum is a 4 lettered word that starts with an F. Then I said, My Rabbi, Rabbi Berel Wein says  "It's not the kind of Yarlmuka that matters it's what's under your Yarlmuka that matters"

He said "well he doesn't even wear a Yarlmuka" I said to him you're missing the point. It's what's in the persons head, his intentions. As far as I know Eli Cohen is a Masoraty Traditional Sefardy Jew. He is not Mechalel Shabbat and the 2 times I saw him he was giving a Dvar Tora from the parsha and wearing a Kippah. He is very humble, does not have an inflated ego, is sincere and genuinely cares about ALL residents of Beit Shemesh. He respects Tora, Rabanim and Tora institutions. To disqualify him because he does not wear a kippah is very small minded. Besides perhaps after becoming Mayor of a mostly Shomer Shabbat city he will begin to wear a kippah regularly.

I then asked him, if there was an election for the Mayor of London and a Liberal frum Jew was running against a conservative christian and he thought the christian was better, would he vote for the the Jew? He said "well that's different it's not in Israel" I then asked, so when the Gerer Rebbe endorsed Mayor Nir Barkat in Jerusalem against a Frum Chareidy incumbent Mayor, was the Gerer Rebbe wrong??? Did he pick the wrong guy? He said "ummm you got a good point" As far as I know Mayor Nir Barkat is a great Mayor for Jerusalem he is a qualified pro and truly represents all the residents. He is loyal to the people, land and torah of Jerusalem and Israel. 

Eli Cohen can be the Nir Barkat of Beit Shemesh uniting the people and making Beit Shemesh a better place for ALL the residents.

Although I have NO problem whatsoever with a woman in office as an MK or Mayor, I also think it is permissible according to Halacha. Unfortunately not everyone shares that view, especially in the Sefardi circles. I would even say it's against their religion to put a woman in a dominant leadership position. We can both agree that this is unfortunate, but it is what it is. Beit Shemesh is not Netanya. There are lots of Sefardim and even Chareidim that realize they can actually have a better quality of life if Beit Shemesh were cleaned up and managed professionally, bringing business and opportunities here creating more parks, public infrastructure and facilities, more school buildings for EVERYONE etc. These people very well may vote for Eli Cohen for a change and step up, but may not be able to bring themselves to vote for a woman. I believe all honest polls show that Eli Cohen against the incumbent has a much better chance than Eliza Bloch against the incumbent, for this and the other 2 reasons.

In Summary:

In my opinion, Eli Cohen is more qualified, he has proven his loyalty to YOU the resident of Beit Shemesh and no one else, and stands the best chance of winning against the incumbent Mayor.

Since rama Gimmel, Daled has been zoned to specifications of a more Hareidy crowd, the influx of many thousands of Hareidi families in RBS over the coming five years, will mean that the 2018 election will likely go to a Hareidi candidate. Hopefully, Eli will be able to credibly oppose incumbent mayor, in what will probably be the last opportunity for the city of Beit Shemesh to remain open and inviting to ALL jews, also keeping our real estate value strong.

Since I am not sure which lists will let this post go though, 

If you appreciate this analysis please forward it to everyone you know in Beit Shemesh now BEFORE the poll this week.

Thanks