Rabbi Meir Mazuz
Rabbi Meir MazuzYaakov Naumi/Flash 90

Rabbi Meir Mazuz, who heads the Kisse Rahamim yeshiva, on Tuesday morning hosted UTJ leader MK Moshe Gafni after Gafni voted.

Rabbi Mazuz welcomed Gafni warmly, reminding him of the importance of unity and the agreement Gafni had participated in.

"Today marks a historical turning point, which with your help will continue and grow to complete unity between all of the Torah-observant communities," Rabbi Mazuz said, blessing the UTJ party with great success. "Today is the test."

Gafni also told Rabbi Mazuz of the various activities aimed at ensuring success in the elections, promising to serve as his worthy emissary in the new government and to help the Sephardic community and support its values in every way.

Rabbi Mazuz was the spiritual leader of former MK Eli Yishai's Yachad party. Last month, after polls consistently showed that Yachad would not pass the electoral threshold, Yishai received Rabbi Mazuz's blessing to bow out of the race, and the two declared their support for the Ashkenazic-haredi UTJ party.

The decision followed two months of negotiations and included an agreement under which Yishai will join the public sector to work for the benefit of the haredi community, and following the elections will receive an appointment that will deal with solutions to the housing shortage in the haredi community.