Tuesday was Election Day in three large Yesha (Judea and Samaria) towns, bringing two new faces into the mayoral chairs.
A controversial mayorial race in the hareidi-religious city of Beitar has unseated Yitzchak Pindros, while in Beit El, Moshe Rosenbaum will continue for another term. In Kedumim, long-time Mayor Daniella Weiss, one of the original Gush Emunim pioneer leaders, did not run for re-election, enabling Hananel Durani to coast to an easy victory.
Beitar Illit
In Beitar Illit, south of Jerusalem and west of Gush Etzion, Hassidic candidate Meir Rubenstein handily defeated Pindrus in what many viewed as a battle between Hassidim and Mitnagdim. Close to 90% of the populace voted in the race.
Rubenstein was backed by the Shas party. A Shas-affiliated party won 9 seats on the 15-seat town council.
Beit El
In Beit El, north of Jerusalem, Yisrael Livman mounted a strong challenge against incumbent Moshe Rosenbaum, but the latter won the three-way election with 48% of the vote. Livman won 40% and a seat on the 9-member town council. Rosenbaum is expected to form a governing coalition with the Har party, affiliated with the local yeshiva. The Bet El Yeshiva's party won more seats than any of the other 4 parties. Under Rosenbaum's leadership, the Beit El municipality has won several awards for its fiscal performance and water management.
Kedumim
In Kedumim, 17 miles east of Raanana, the legendary Yesha leader Daniella Weiss did not run for re-election, and will be replaced by Hananel Durani. Kedumim was one of the first Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. It was founded in 1975, following seven failed ascents by hundreds of pioneers. Finally, after the eighth attempt, known as Sebastia, then-Defense Minister Shimon Peres agreed to allow them to establish a town - today's Kedumim - near the Kadum army camp.
The original core group, named Elon Moreh, consisted of such famous Yesha leaders as Chanan Porat, Benny Katzover, Menachem Felix, and Daniella Weiss. Another town later received the name of Elon Moreh, as it succeeded in building itself closer to Shechem.
Kedumim, currently numbering more than 3,100 people, received municipal status in 1992, and Daniella Weiss was its mayor since 1996. She is known as uncompromising in her belief in the Jewish People's right to the entire Land of Israel, and frequently peppers her public appearances with stories and anecdotes of how the Shomron came to be settled by Jews in the modern era.
More Elections
On Tuesday, Nov. 27, elections will be held in regional councils across the country, including Binyamin, Shomron, Asher, Menashe, Golan, Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee, Megillot, Ashkelon Coast, Jordan Valley, Ramat HaNegev, and 15 more.