Blow to Tifrach Yeshiva: Regional Council head lost

This morning the results of the regional elections held yesterday in 27 regional councils were published.

For the head of the Merchavim council, which totals 14 towns, including the ultra-Orthodox community of Tifrach, three candidates ran: Avner Mori, who until this morning served at the Regional Council for 18 years; Moshe Shai Chajaj, and Baruch Gabrieli.

The battle for the leadership of the Council of Merchavim region is interesting due to the significant support of the Tifrach Yeshiva, students and rabbis, who for many years supported candidate Avner Mori. Hagr"a Piltz signed a letter of support for Mori.

"It has been many years that he has received the support of rabbis in the yeshiva," said a community source. "Most of the time, in recent years, the scales revolved for Mori, due to the support he received."

But a day before the elections the third candidate, Baruch Gabrieli, announced that he was retiring from the race in favor of Chajaj.

Thus the second opponent, Moshe Shai Chajaj overcome Avner Mori by more than 100 votes and won the job.

Chajaj's win was very surprising, especially due to the fact that throughout 18 years no candidate could overcome Avner Mori.

According to sources in the community, Hagaon Friedman, an additional Rosh Yeshiva at Tifrach, refrained from signing and hinted at support of Chajaj.

"There is no doubt that this is a devastating moral blow to the Yeshiva," the source explained. "The Yeshiva enjoyed Mori's reign, which filled its wishes in all matters, and this is not the place to elaborate. There is no doubt that after Chajaj's election the budget will remain the same, but it is unclear what the relationship with the Yeshiva will be."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!