If you don't want Zionist rabbis there are plenty of other places you can go to live!!!

free loaders they need to contribut to society or suffer, I hope the boycotte cause they won't get city hall servises that way, cause than they can say horay to poverty.

All he needs to do is look at all of the lovely eruv poles and lines placed all over the city by different haredi organizations! and if he is mis-informed about the eruv issue is it not possible that he is mis-informed about issues of kashrut and mikvot? It seems to me that this is yet another attempt to undermine the duly elected representatives of the city!

They can boycott by leaving town -- it might reduce the arnona (rates) for the people, including religious people, who pay such high rates to make up for their exemptions (based on the number of telated people living in their apartments)

They can live off the state there and riot untill their hearts content.

The time has come to stop this theocracy! This country is a democracy and must be governed as one without threats of coercion and boycotts by the Ultra-Orthodox who do not even recognize Israels right to exist. In many ways they are no different from the Arabs. They don't serve in the IDF or do National Service. They leech off the State and are just as critical of Israel when it comes to loyalty! They stand shoulder to shoulder with the Arabs in condemning Gays who, unlike them, are loyal to the country and serve in the IDF! Jews with Arabs against Jews! They should join "Peace Now!" Let us now see what Mayor Barkat is really made of. He has given in over the Safra Parking on Shabbat issue. Does he have the balls to confront the Haredim on this matter?

The datim threaten to boycott. Barkat must let them continue playing .The parasites mean nothing to anybody so let them boycott--they have nothing else to do.

Maybe this is a smart ploy to get the parking lot open on the Sabbath. If they boycott all city services and government then we can move on with those who want to make it work.

If you don't want rabbis running politics, then keep the politicians out of religion.

Even though I'm not religious, on principle, I will stop eating at restaurants if the mayor pushes through a politically-nuanced choice for Chief Rabbi. I feel confident that the religious establishment knows its rabbis better than a secular politician. It's time we stop running their lives and claiming they interfere with ours. We, the chilonim, must end our hypocrisy.

More likely "United Torah Judaism" Bullshitsm!

It should only be a zionist - do we want somebOdy from the inside as mayor working to un-zion our zion ir hakodesh ?. he will do so much damage we wont be able to recover. if any non zionists have trouble with that then let them leave and go back to the non zionist germany or poland . israel is for israel lovers, if they think any country will treat them better bye bye.. at least there they will have to pay taxes and be members of society . not like the leaches that they are now .sucking the country dry . why is jerusalem the pooresr city in israel --they are the cause and they are the reason -and their rabbis tell them not to become productive members of society.

It's time for a two state solution. Partition them OUT of Israel, and let's see how long they can make it on their own.

That's what you get for keeping the parking lot closed and giving into these sick evil hateful people. The hugs for thugs policy isn't a good one. Rabbi Feuerstein is correct, a Zionist figure is absolutely essential, especially in the holiest city in the world.

If you , as you write , are non religious , why look at the Kashrut certificate ? Do you do it everywhere ? or only if a Zionist Rabbi is elected in Jerusalem ? I'm non religious , 100 % . When i'm eating in a restaurant , not important for me if they have a certificate or if they serve a steak with butter and shrimps & mussels . I think that you are the HYPOCRITE or a LIAR .

that is a news story on cbn.com. What is your opinion y-net readers?

So the Druze who seem to do nothing for themselves need to leach off the public coffers but the Haredim who are the same (some serve in the army too) are parasites who live off the tax-payers... What about the poor? and the needy? and the demanding? As for the boycott I really do not understand. Kosher is kosher is kosher. You want glided kosher fine. Eat at home. You do not trust the mikve? Ok take out a tape-measure. You are not sure about the rain water? Ok... but you trust that Jesus cultic rabbi who asks you to worship him? And its not like in Bnei Brak that there are these B.S. problems.

Such a problem. The herediim are going to be upset. Again and again and once again they threaten to boycott, riot, throw dirty diapers and generally stamp their feet like spoiled children. Mr. Mayor, please don't upset them. They are such religious and sensitive souls. A Zionist rabbi, oy gevalt!!!

They amount to 5% of the population of Israel, yet they rule?

I thought Rabbi Lau the Younger was the leading candidate. Isn't he acceptrable to the Orthodox Zionists?

The anti zionist charedi were here before the secular zionists arrived. So anyone who complains about not contributing, i have a newsflash. They dont recognize the state, they are antizionists! Its better if the secular zionists give Jerusalem back to the charedi and the palestinians. Then both sides would achieve a type of peace and right to live as the want.

If Bibi can call for Arabs to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, demand at least the same from Jewish 'leaders' as well

Number 12 – You are WRONG! The ultra-orthodox and all the other extremists have hi-jacked the Jewish religion. They have stolen it from the rest of us. Judiasim is my religion also, it is the religion of Reform Jews, Conservative Jews, Habnick Jews, Nationalist Jews, Secular Jews and every other Jew around the world. It is about time that we stop allowing the Ultra Orthodox to tell us what the Jewish religion means to each of us. They are NOT the authority. As long as we stand idle and do not reclaim our religion from these extremist, we will continue to loose our own identities and values. Do you really want somebody else telling you what you believe in?

And while he's at it teach the Cheridim a thing or two about honesty, general decencey and cleanliness. A few things they seem to consider "just not important" (most heredim are dirty, lazy crooks)

As a modern orthodox jew I am ashamed and embarrassed by the ongoing divsions by the so called "protectors of our faith". The car park riot on shabbas and now this refusal to adhere to the law of the land which is a Torah requirement is shameful. Lets not fall into the arabs trap of defining everyone as zionist or not - 10 years ago this was not a title for individuals but an assumption

This is a classic example of giving somebody your hand and then they want your whole arm. Presumably, the secular founders of the State thought it appropriate to offer some recognition to the very religious in return for whatever role they may have played in the founding. From what I understand, the idea was to give them control over civil matters like marriage and divorce and to keep them away from the military and the economy. Somewhere along the way, however, this so-called Status Quo went off the rails, and now the Haredim, who make up a tiny minority of Israel's population, as was pointed out in another talkback, think they can run roughshod over the secular majority and then spit in the face of the government because of their irredentist religious beliefs regarding the secular state of Israel.

Jerusalem is a world class city and the centre of the Jewish world. It needs a world class Rabbi, Zionist or otherwise As it has two chief rabbis, at least one should represent the Zionist side of Israeli life Wasn't Rav Kook a world class Zionist Rabbi