Eli Zigdon
Photo: Yoram Cohen
Shas' careless mistake
Religious party inadvertently hangs elections banner over non-kosher deli in Tiberias
The haredi population of Tiberias was surprised to see a Shas banner – endorsing local faction leader and Acting Mayor Eli Zigdon in the upcoming municipal elections - hanging over a non-kosher deli earlier this week.
Most likely, the sign was hung over the deli in an attempt to counterbalance competing messages of the Likud party, whose headquarters are located adjacent to the non-kosher vendor. Nonetheless, members of the haredi community expressed their discomfort with the juxtaposition.
The controversial sign (Photo: Yoram Cohen)
"To hang a sign for Shas elections over this deli is like giving vermin a stamp of kashrut," said a member of Tiberias' faction of the haredi Agudath Israel party.
Rabbi Pinchas Vaknin, the local representative of the competing Haredi party, stated: "It's not okay, but perhaps it's a mistake. I see this as a mistake and I hope and am sure that the sign will be removed."
Zigdon, however, disagreed. "Why should I remove the sign? How are the two related?"
"The house in question belongs to a man. I will not object to whoever wants to put up a banner in support of me. I won't ask him about the structures that happen to be around his home," he said.
"The sign is located above the deli, not on the deli's property. It's 7 meters (about 20 feet) away from the bureau of Yossi Ben David (of the Likud). Am I endorsing him?"
As of Monday, the sign remained intact.
