Despite lagging in the polls, the threat of competition from the current mayor and Aryeh Deri's surprise announcement, Meir Porush says he is undaunted in his quest for the mayoralty.
By PEGGY CIDOR
MK Meir Porush, the haredi mayoral candidate, arrives precisely at 11:30 a.m. for our scheduled interview. We meet in the dining room of the Prima Palace Hotel near Kikar Davidka, which for years has belonged to his family and where Porush is still looked upon as the boss. As soon as he enters, the receptionist and the chief waiter greet him with a mixture of respect and affection.
Porush plays it cool as he humbly asks for "a table that won't disturb the guests," and orders only his "usual black coffee with milk, no sugar."
His white-yellowish beard seems even longer than on TV and his sidelocks are hidden beneath his kippa. In the pockets of his long black kapota (coat) two cell phones vibrate every few minutes.
To each caller, Porush responds that he will call back within an hour, and meticulously records each call in a small notebook.
The matter of who will represent the haredi sector has been a hot issue over the past few weeks. Last month, Porush surfaced as the rabbis' choice for an Agudat Yisrael candidate. According to an internal United Torah Judaism rotation agreement signed before the last municipal elections, a Degel Hatorah representative was to serve one term (Mayor Uri Lupolianski), and then a candidate from the party's second faction, Agudat Yisrael, would replace him.
But with Porush lagging in the voter surveys and support waning for him even within Agudat Yisrael, some haredim are concerned they will lose out to a secular candidate.
Meanwhile, Lupolianski has on more than one occasion indicated that he was interested in running for a second term, despite the pre-election agreement. And rumors that began last week that charismatic political figure and former Shas head Aryeh Deri may run as an independent mayoral candidate were confirmed Tuesday morning.
"Can you give me a definition for the soul?" he opens. "Don't bother; I'll tell you: The soul is life. And Jerusalem is the soul of Israel. So without Jerusalem there is no life, nothing."
Asked what he is after, Porush answers as if reciting a text by rote. "I am a seventh-generation Jerusalemite and my grandchildren are the ninth generation here. My father and grandfather have been involved in Jerusalem's affairs for generations. Jerusalem is the heart and the soul, and for me it goes without saying that I should dedicate myself and my capacities for the benefit of the city. I have never asked myself how I can influence things but rather what I can do for the city."
Asked why would he renounce his position in the Knesset, perhaps even joining the coalition after the next elections, for a risky mayoral campaign, especially in light of negative reactions from the secular press and residents, Porush answers with a tentative smile, lost in his beard. "It's all propaganda. The residents of Jerusalem - secular, religious and Orthodox - all live in peace here. All this stuff about tension and hatred among the different populations is invented by people who have their interests here, but it doesn't match the reality on the ground.
"Have we [haredim] ever closed one restaurant or pub or cinema that is open on Shabbat? Have we ever prevented a secular event in the city? It's all lies, invented and used by people to improve their political situation."
Porush wouldn't even allow the most recent issue at stake, the caravans for haredi kindergartens in the predominantly secular neighborhood of Kiryat Hayovel, to cloud his vision.
"Children have to go to school. There are haredi families now in that neighborhood [Kiryat Hayovel]. Where are their children supposed to go?" he says. "But I believe that these things should be settled in respect and harmony, with the [neighborhood] administration, that it shouldn't be a reason for tension among residents. Believe me, I know exactly how to handle these matters without hurting anyone."
Porush was born in Jerusalem on June 11, 1955. He is married with 12 children and several grandchildren. He studied at a talmudic school in the city and was elected to the Knesset for the first time in 1996, after 15 years in the Jerusalem Municipality.
While in the municipality, he served as an Agudat Yisrael city councillor, and for five years as deputy mayor under Teddy Kollek. In the Knesset, he served as deputy minister and later minister of construction and housing. In 2005 he said that prime minister Ariel Sharon reminded him of Benito Mussolini. Porush has also declared more than once his opposition to Israel holding nuclear weapons.
The Porush family is one of the oldest, wealthiest and most prominent in Jerusalem's haredi community.
PORUSH SOUNDS confident, sure of himself and his victory. "All these talks about problems between the haredi and secular sectors are very exaggerated in the atmosphere of the elections," he says. "By the way, they also existed before there was any thought of a haredi mayor. The only issue that really matters here is demographics: When the city was reunited in 1967, the Jews were more than 70 percent [of the population] and the Arabs were barely 30%. Today, the Jews hardly scrape in at 64% and if we don't act urgently and seriously, we're going to lose that battle, which is the only one that really matters.
"I know that I have the experience and the connections in the government and the high authority to do it," continues Porush. "It is first and foremost an issue of unaffordable housing and employment. When I was in charge of the Construction and Housing Ministry, I passed a law to encourage people to buy apartments here, with grants and special loans. It will be one of the first things I will take care of.
"Regarding jobs, I have already begun taking steps to alleviate the problem, and asked [prominent haredi businessman] Shlomo Kallish to create a forum of businessmen and investors who will propose solutions and bring investments and new enterprises. He is already working on it," he says. "I will see that all the residents are satisfied, secular and Arabs included. I truly believe that only satisfied residents among the Arab sector can prevent them from falling into extremists' hands."
Apart from one remark, Porush is very cautious not to criticize the current mayor, Uri Lupolianski.
When asked what made him decide to run, he almost loses his temper. "There's no way we can afford five more years of inaction in this city. We're running out of time."
As soon as the words are out, Porush composes himself and vaguely utters a few words on his decision "not to criticize anyone, but just to concentrate on the matters at hand."
A week later, Porush's emotions get the better of him again, during a meeting with secular and modern Orthodox residents in the Katamonim neighborhood. "We can't go on like this with five more years of inaction," he lets slip before retreating to a safer, "I don't want to waste your time on criticism. I wish to concentrate on what I can and want to do for the benefit of the city - check my records, see what I achieved when I was deputy mayor with Teddy Kollek and later at the Construction and Housing Ministry."
Strangely enough, Kollek's name comes up again and again. Although the legendary mayor wasn't exactly known for his smooth relationship with the haredi community, Porush doesn't hesitate - both in the interview and at the meeting in Katamonim - to mention him with respect and admiration.
"I want to revive Kollek's legacy here [Jerusalem]. He was always aware of the smallest details and took care of things personally," recalls Porush. "I remember that because I was close to him and I know how he achieved things. This will be the example I follow. Kollek is and will be my mentor, my teacher and rabbi."
WHEN ASKED about the increase in numbers of residents who leave Jerusalem, Porush denies that the trend is connected to the growth of the city's haredi population. "We did the first survey on this issue in 1986. At the time I was serving as deputy mayor under Teddy Kollek. The survey was conducted by Dr. Israel Kimhi of the Jerusalem Institute of Israel Studies (JIIS), the same institution that still conducts these surveys today," says Porush. "The actual results have not budged an inch from those of 1986: 44% [of respondents] said then that they left because housing in the city is not affordable, and 25% because they couldn't find a decent job. The rise in the number of haredi residents was then, and is still today, only the fourth or fifth reason."
"He is right," says Kimhi. "I remember very well that first survey, and it's true that the high price of housing and the lack of jobs in the city were then and still are the major reasons behind the migration out of Jerusalem. But nevertheless, because of their high birthrate, the number of haredi residents is only growing every year."
"In all our surveys we can clearly see that about half of the residents who leave Jerusalem are haredim, and they do it for the same reasons that non-haredim leave: unaffordable housing and a lack of job opportunities," adds Dr. Maya Choshen, who has headed the JIIS surveys for years. "The result is that young couples and young families - haredim and secular alike - are those who leave the city, which means that soon, after the haredi population, only the older generation will stay here."
"Until I married, I lived with my parents in a building where eight out of the 10 families were not haredim and we had all a very good relationship," adds Porush. "I know that today it's not like that anymore, and I am sorry for that, and if, as future mayor of the city, I agree to re-draw the separation line between haredi and secular neighborhoods, I will do it with a broken heart and only out of lack of choice, because as far as I'm concerned, we should all live together and I'm sure we can do it."
DURING THE two meetings, Porush conveyed extreme confidence in his chances of being elected. The sense was that the sooner he could stop wasting his time on the trivial matter of elections, the sooner he would be able to roll up his sleeves and get to work.
Even the local political bombshell - Deri's candidacy - didn't seem to penetrate his self-confidence.
When asked by Katamonim residents about other possible haredi candidates, he would only say: "In the end there will be only one haredi candidate, and I am sure it will be me, since I am the only one with the necessary experience and connections."
Is Porush really unconcerned by the prospect of Deri's candidacy? According to various sources both within and without the haredi community, nothing is less certain. But it seems that for the moment Lupolianski is riling Porush much more than the Shas candidate.
Lupolianski, who seemed to admit his defeat and even announced he would return to Yad Sarah, has mounted, according to Porush's assistants, a new offensive. "He [Lupolianski] has given interviews to the haredi press, praising his deeds on behalf of the haredi community, which mired relations between secular and haredim. And he stands behind the unflattering polls of Porush, in a last bid to convince the rabbis to give him the candidacy. But it won't work, Porush will not surrender," says an assistant to Porush.
"It does matter to him - and a lot," says Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, founder and head of Zaka (Disaster Victims Identification). "In fact, Porush's situation is rather strange: He is encountering problems where he wasn't expecting them, while things are going fine where he was concerned - Lupolianski's attitude regarding the United Torah Judaism rotation agreement, and his bad relationship with the Boyan hassidic sect. But there especially, it seems that the problems are behind him; Lupolianski has publicly admitted that he is no longer a candidate - though make no mistake, he is still very interested and has even opened a not so secret campaign headquarters led by his son, sending the rabbis a clear message that he's still around and ready if they change their minds at the last minute.
"On the hassidic sects front, things are progressing quite well," adds Meshi-Zahav. "Of course, each one of these sects has got what it wanted. Porush had to promise them lots of favors when he takes office, but now it seems that the main problem is coming - of all places - from the Lithuanian haredim, and that he didn't expect, at least not in such magnitude."
As for the Deri factor, Meshi-Zahav sounds almost enthusiastic. "If Deri runs, there's no doubt that he will sweep the whole city in tremendous excitement. Jerusalem will top the news every day. No one can beat Deri, no one.
"I believe that besides Shas supporters and traditional Sephardim, many others will join [and support Deri], including many Ashkenazim, both haredim and Mizrahi religious Zionists," continues Meshi-Zahav. "He [Deri] electrifies the public, there's no question about it. The Litvaks? Well, I don't know, some of them might even vote, at least secretly for Deri. Voting openly for him? I don't know - maybe, maybe not.
"The thing is that Porush is right about one thing: There's no way we will have two haredi candidates - no way. This is something that happens only with the secular sector," says Meshi-Zahav. "So who's going to win? I think that despite Deri's tremendous charisma, he will have to withdraw and leave the place for Porush.
"Because the Ashkenazi haredim are very tough, tougher than the Sephardim in any case, you can't beat them. They will put pressure, you know how it works inside the haredi community. It's all leshem shamayim [for the sake of heaven], of course, only for the sanctity of the people, and then they [Ashkenazi haredim] will involve the rabbis, spiritual issues and matters of belief. Deri is very sensitive to these things, and I'm afraid he will ultimately withdraw."
Meshi-Zahav adds that in any case, the final decision will be made on election day. "We, the haredim, as you all know, come to vote about 100%. And the secular voters - 40%-43%, perhaps? And also, I don't believe the polls published over the last few weeks, I think they are controlled by secular people. But in any case, it's most interesting to look at the picture from the inside. For example, when you find out that the PR people who represent the local candidates belong to the same companies that represent the candidates to the primaries at Kadima, you may ask yourself who's completely crazy here."
Anat Hoffman, former Meretz city councillor and current head of the Israel Religious Action Center, the legal and political arm of the Reform Movement in Israel, believes that having Porush as mayor will sectorialize the city.
"Meir Porush has been raised and prepared all his life for the job of mayor of Jerusalem on behalf of the haredi community," says Hoffman. "His family, his constituency awaits him there for one purpose only: to see that he takes care of their needs, nothing else.
"When Meir Porush speaks of 'the children of Jerusalem,' he means only the haredi children of the talmudic schools, not all the other children of this city," she continues. "He understands, lives by and obeys only the codes and customs of his [haredi] community. All his skills - he is definitely a bulldozer who pushes through and accomplishes tasks - will be devoted only for the sake and needs of his community.
"Porush doesn't suffer from the need to be nice and to find favor in the eyes of the general public, like, to a certain extent, Lupolianski. His goal is first and foremost his constituency."
She adds: "I sat beside him at the city council for 10 years, I know him well. What I cannot understand is the attitude of people like [deputy mayor under Kollek] Amos Mar-Haim, who advocates supporting Porush."
SO WHO is candidate Porush? Is he, as Yossi Elituv, deputy editor of the haredi weekly Mishpaha, recently said, "the real thing" as opposed to Lupolianski, which he described as "the haredi nice guy?" Or is he, as Mar-Haim says, "the best manager around who can bring in the investments and the money needed to save the city"?
What kind of mayor could Porush become if elected? The zealot haredi who announced bluntly on the first days of his campaign that the Tourist Information Center at Jaffa Gate should be closed on Saturdays, despite the fact that the municipality employs there only non-Jewish clerks? Or the native Jerusalemite who says that his childhood memories from secular neighbors are peaceful and harmonious?
Mar-Haim, a diehard secular Jerusalemite who has publicly supported Porush, said this week: "For months I have tried, with no success, to find a candidate from the Labor Party. I wanted to see as mayor [Hadassah Medical Organization director-general] Prof. Shlomo Mor-Yosef, but he refused. I wanted to see here [Deputy Defense Minister] Matan Vilna'i, and he refused. So did MK Ami Ayalon. The other big parties have not succeeded either; there is no Likud or Kadima [mayoral] candidate.
"So I am realistic. What are we left with?" continues Mar-Haim. "I have a lot of respect for [opposition leader] Nir Barkat, especially for the fact that he stayed on the city council for five years, but frankly, what this city needs above all, is someone who has already proven his capacities in managing and leading local affairs, and has the much-needed connections.
"For me, there's no doubt this person is Meir Porush. Not that I am blind to the haredi-secular issue here, but let's be honest, when we had a secular mayor, wasn't it him who dared to close Rehov Bar-Ilan? Or decided to open a separate education department for haredim? [Olmert] swore then that he was only fixing old discrimination against the haredi sector. As for Porush, I know him personally, and I am sure he will not discriminate against the rights of secular residents."
"You, the secular, should encourage us [haredim] to be at the helm of the country," says Porush with a soft smile. "When we govern, we govern seriously. But there's more: When we are in charge, we become much less extremist - it's a proven fact. I will be, God willing, mayor of Jerusalem, for the best and for all."
As soon as our meeting ends, he pulls out his notebook to begin returning calls.