Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, a Gerrer Chossid, visited Arad in an effort to lower the flames of machlokes between his tzibur and the secular residents before Rosh Hashanah. Recently, on a Shabbos, there were confrontations between chareidim and secular residents that turned violent.

A meeting took place on Tuesday morning 28 Elul including Litzman and Mayor Nissan Ben-Chamu, who is affiliated with Yesh Atid. It was agreed upon that both sides would remove the signs deemed as offensive by the other. The city promises to look into working with and advancing some of the needs of the growing Gerre community.

The meeting followed a meeting between representatives of both sides. Mayor Ben-Chamu released a message following his meeting with Litzman, stating all involved are in agreement, that matters must be addressed calmly and responsibly.

The mayor said, “This morning, Minister Yaakov Litzman and the members of the Chasidic committee came to a meeting in my office, attended by Deputy Mayor Dudi Ochana and my Deputy Mayor Eli Mazliach. At the meeting between us, there was a willingness to begin confidence-building measures between the sectors that would reduce the tension in the city, with an emphasis on the public sphere. In the first stage, all protest signs will be removed as agreed between the residents and the committee, and the Sabbath will be discontinued from private homes.

“As a goodwill gesture, the Municipality will discuss two requests relating to land allotments that have been submitted to the municipality some time ago, for a children’s kindergarten and the second for the construction of a shul near the Shuvu School building in the area intended for a public building.

“It was agreed that the discourse will continue at the level of the residents and at the level of leadership after the holidays, in order to discuss other issues that are troubling the sides. Wishing all a Chag Somayach”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)