Playing with the wording of an agreement has permitted chareidi support R”L for a toeiva community center for men and women in Yerushalayim. According to a Mynet report, a number of chareidi city councilmen this week have voted in favor of city funding for the ‘Open House’, which is operated to serve the toeiva community in the capital. This was accomplished by removing any reference to “gays” in the wording, replacing it with “providing funding for a special needs population”, now backed by chareidim.

Councilman Chanan Rubin of the Hisorarus party is quoted saying “I was and was not surprised”, adding that despite chareidi objections, the bottom line is they voted for the budget once the wording was changed to sanitize the intended recipient of the funding. Rubin admits he was surprised for usually, such an item would not pass even if the wording was amended to remove any direct reference as in this case.

Dr. Laura Warton, a councilwoman representing the Meretz party is also pleased, announcing the chareidi backing permitted passing the funding and now, her party does not have to turn to the Supreme Court for assistance.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)