Ex-Jerusalem Mayor Lupolianski Arrested in 'Holyland' Probe

Let's hope that the allegations against former Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski are not true:

Uri Lupolianski was arrested Wednesday for allegedly receiving over three million shekels in bribes from the entrepreneurs behind the Holyland housing project in Jerusalem. He is also suspected of money laundering. His remand has been extended for five days.

Police think some of the money was paid when he served as chairman of the city's Planning and Construction Committee, and some when he was already mayor. The vast majority of the money did not go into his own pocket but to the Yad Sarah charity, which lends medical equipment to the needy and infirm, and which Lupolianski founded.

Investigators suspect that Lupolianski received 1.4 million shekels for Yad Sarah from the Holyland investors before 1999, and another 1.4 million between 2000 and 2006. In addition, they believe he received $30,000 for use by political activists who worked for him in the municipal elections campaign of 2003, which he won.

In 2005 he allegedly received 100,000 shekels as a contribution to a Torah study school for adults ('kollel') which his son managed.

Meanwhile, there is tense anticipation of the return to Israel of another former Jerusalem Mayor – Ehud Olmert – who was also a Prime Minister. Olmert is expected to arrive in Israel Wednesday night after cutting short his stay abroad in Spain. It is not known whether police intend to arrest him, but he, too, is a suspect in the Holyland affair.

The Rishon LeTzion Magistrates' Court agreed to the police's request Tuesday and extended the remand of Meir Rabin, one of six suspects in the Holyland affair, by ten days. On Wednesday, police asked to extend the remand of five other suspects by nine days.

And Now For Some Anti-Porush Graffiti

The orange spray paint declares that "Porush is only for the ultra-Orthodox". For some reason I am not impressed by the anti-Hareidi appeal. I think that Lopolianski has proved such prejudices to be false. Not only that, Porush proved that he knows how to serve the general public when he was the Deputy Housing Minister.

Once again I protest the defacing of the city for political purposes.

Porush Meets the Srugim

25 Tishrei, 5769

Last night Jerusalem mayoral candidate Meir Porush had an "eye-level meeting" with residents of Giv'at Shaul at the Noam School. The purpose of the meeting was to enlist the support of the National Religious public for his candidacy.

The residents expressed the feeling that Mayor Lopolianski and United Torah Judaism have been discriminating against the National Religious community in different areas. Porush said that if he is elected mayor he will be a true partner of the National Religious community, just as he was when he was head of the Housing Ministry.

A flier was available containing letters from Rabbis Dov Lior, Elyakim Levanon, and Yisrael Rosen is support of Porush.

Here's an exclusive Cosmic X picture from the meeting:

The Porush Campaign

28 Elul, 5768

I try to be positive. I like to write about positive things, to see the "good of Jerusalem" (Psalms 128:5). Unfortunately I don't always succeed, especially if I write about politics. Today I have the pleasure of writing a positive post about something political.

Meir Porush is one of the candidates in Jerusalem's mayoral race. The Porush campaign is ingenious. Take a look at the advertisement on this bus:



It says, "Jerusalem will love Porush". In the circle it says "from experience". So what's so ingenious? Take a look at the picture of Porush. They made him into a comic book character! That is ingenious! Most candidates post their photos all over the place. The people at the Porush campaign realized that a photo of a Chasidic Jew with a long beard may turn off certain voters, and that's an understatement. Lopolianski, Jeruslaem's outgoing ultra-Orthodox mayor, had a short, well trimmed beard gave him a less "threatening" appearance than Porush. Porush's advertising agency apparently realized this, so they turned Porush into a cuddly cartoon character. Isn't he just adorable?