Results in Belgium: Haredim gambled on party that won
In Antwerp - optimism as well as caution was reported - will politicians keep their promise to change the law of core curriculum? • All details and results
- Yoel Bittleman, Behadrey Haredim
- כ"ז אייר התשע"ד
The city of Antwerp looked yesterday (Sunday) like a city at war, police cars were stationed in all the streets, police officers were stationed in the city park and security level 5 was felt in the entire city, especially near Torah institutions.
The reason for the security reinforcement lies in the murder happened Saturday afternoon in Brussels, and of course due to Election Day which was held yesterday in the country. But the talk of the day in shtibels of Antwerp was - what else? - the results of yesterday's elections in Belgium.
Yesterday general elections were held in Belgium for the parliament, the Haredi community in Antwerp was asked to vote for its preferred party. As always the local parties tried to place on their lists a Jewish representative who would enlist the Jewish vote.
Last Shabbos, as on every eve of elections, gabbaim of shulls announced to their people which is the favored party and who are the preferred delegates. This year it was decided to support the leading party which has the most chances to succeed. In various synagogues leaflets were distributed which said that the head of the party promised that when elected he will do anything to change the decree of the core curriculum. Indeed the haredi community in Antwerp gave its vote to H.V.A. party headed by the incumbent mayor.
Two Jewish representatives, supported by the haredi community, failed. These are Andrei Gantman, a secular Jew married to a gentile, who held a pre-election campaign rally in Belz Beis Midrash and participated in an emergency conference held at the home of Rabbi Schiff about core studies.
The second representative who ran for the rival party, Mr. Markowitz, is a haredi Jew, who received 4,000 votes and failed to enter the Parliament, although he had many voices of workers on the stock exchange, about a quarter of the votes he gained came from the Jews of the city.
Haredim this morning were cautious as well as optimistic regarding the results of the elections, depending on who you ask.
Supporters of the party that won the elections - the Mayor's party, argue that the mayor promised to take action to reduce core curriculum studies. Haredi residents in the city also claim that the mayor -elect will cooperate with them on this sensitive issue. In contrast haredi politicians claim that these are all "pre-election promises".
Attorney Henry Rosenberg, a veteran of Antwerp, said: "Overall the Haredi party again opted for the right party, even though it was a big dilemma here since the party that won the votes of the Haredi public is a party which championed significant cuts in child allowances, which is also a significant thing for families in Antwerp where the father learns in Kollel, but decided at the end to go with the party leader, and this is the victory. The haredi community has once again proved its electoral power, and it will serve an important bargaining chip for the haredi community."
The reason for the security reinforcement lies in the murder happened Saturday afternoon in Brussels, and of course due to Election Day which was held yesterday in the country. But the talk of the day in shtibels of Antwerp was - what else? - the results of yesterday's elections in Belgium.
Yesterday general elections were held in Belgium for the parliament, the Haredi community in Antwerp was asked to vote for its preferred party. As always the local parties tried to place on their lists a Jewish representative who would enlist the Jewish vote.
Last Shabbos, as on every eve of elections, gabbaim of shulls announced to their people which is the favored party and who are the preferred delegates. This year it was decided to support the leading party which has the most chances to succeed. In various synagogues leaflets were distributed which said that the head of the party promised that when elected he will do anything to change the decree of the core curriculum. Indeed the haredi community in Antwerp gave its vote to H.V.A. party headed by the incumbent mayor.
Two Jewish representatives, supported by the haredi community, failed. These are Andrei Gantman, a secular Jew married to a gentile, who held a pre-election campaign rally in Belz Beis Midrash and participated in an emergency conference held at the home of Rabbi Schiff about core studies.
The second representative who ran for the rival party, Mr. Markowitz, is a haredi Jew, who received 4,000 votes and failed to enter the Parliament, although he had many voices of workers on the stock exchange, about a quarter of the votes he gained came from the Jews of the city.
Haredim this morning were cautious as well as optimistic regarding the results of the elections, depending on who you ask.
Supporters of the party that won the elections - the Mayor's party, argue that the mayor promised to take action to reduce core curriculum studies. Haredi residents in the city also claim that the mayor -elect will cooperate with them on this sensitive issue. In contrast haredi politicians claim that these are all "pre-election promises".
Attorney Henry Rosenberg, a veteran of Antwerp, said: "Overall the Haredi party again opted for the right party, even though it was a big dilemma here since the party that won the votes of the Haredi public is a party which championed significant cuts in child allowances, which is also a significant thing for families in Antwerp where the father learns in Kollel, but decided at the end to go with the party leader, and this is the victory. The haredi community has once again proved its electoral power, and it will serve an important bargaining chip for the haredi community."
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