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The Jerusalem Municipality stands accused of destroying a yard belonging to a Kiryat Moshe talmid torah, accusing the city “of throwing dozens of children into the streets”.

City workers arrived on Monday, escorted by police and the destruction of the yard of Talmid Torah Toras Chaim got underway. Officials explain they have nowhere to study at present since the destruction of the yard leaves them without accessibility to the building.

The talmid torah was established about a decade ago and is home to 130 talmid in grades 1 through 8. It is unique in such thee are talmidim from the chareidi and dati leumi sectors as well as chassidim affiliated with Breslov and Chabad.

The city’s response: The allegations against the municipality are false and without foundation. This is an area owned by the municipality intended for the road and a sidewalk for the use of the residents and for the welfare of public institutions and education there.

A year ago, the management of the Planning and Budgeting Committee reached agreement with the talmid torah, with the latter promising to evacuate, which it did not. Out of concern for public safety and required by law, the municipality paved a sidewalk there, but a certain factor acted on its own and destroyed it, causing damage to public property worth about 100 thousand shekels.

In a court decision, it was determined that this was urban land, and therefore the municipal police had fenced off the area in order to return the sidewalk to the residents’ welfare.

It should be emphasized that contrary to the contention, there is nothing to prevent the Municipality from operating the talmid torah in the existing structure and that the Municipality will continue to ensure that the public area will be returned to the public as required by law.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)