Shas undecided how to relate to Adina Bar Shalom

Adina Bar-Shalom, eldest daughter of Hagaon R' Ovadia Yosef zt"l, may declare her candidacy for the next presidency.

According to a report by journalist Shalom Yerushalmi in Ma'ariv, over the last few days Bar-Shalom has been checking through associates the opportunity to get the 10 signatures needed in the Knesset in order to stand for election in due course. Bar-Shalom wants to be the candidate of Shas, but also is seeking signatures of other Knesset members.

Bar-Shalom's reaction to Maariv: "I do not respond in the meantime. That will be the best thing to do for me right now."

Bar Shalom's first approaches came naturally to Shas. The associates' approach left Shas leaders perplexed. Bar- Shalom is indeed the daughter of Harav Ovadia zt"l, but Shas has never supported the promotion of women. Jewish law also disqualifies women from serving in roles of public officials. One of the leaders of Shas said on Tuesday that "if Adina will submit her candidacy, we will bring it to the decision of the Council of Sages of the movement."

A senior official in the political system claimed yesterday that Bar- Shalom is a groundbreaking educational character who turns to broader audiences, but the President must also be an internationally recognized figure. "President Shimon Peres placed new standards for the job, and there was no man like him around the world. The next president must maintain this status. Candidates such as Bar-Shalom may be known in the country, but I doubt if anyone heard of them abroad," the officials said.

The list of candidates for president include members of the Knesset Reuven Rivlin, Benjamin Ben- Eliezer and perhaps Silvan Shalom. This weekend Professor Dan Shechtman, winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry announced his candidacy. The names of Dalia Itzik, Natan Sharansky, and others, were mentioned.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!