A motzei Shabbos urgent townhall meeting was held for residents of Ramot Bet, to discuss a city decision to oust children from the Ezer L’Chinuch network for their building. The decision is part of the ongoing struggle in the community, which now enjoys a chareidi majority, between chareidim and non-chareidim.
In its decision, the city announced it would not place the children in the street, but will permit them to complete the current year, promising a solution between the start of the next school year.
The children have been using a villa in the community due to the lack of classroom space. However, the secular neighbors filed close to 200 objections to the presence of the school, leading to the decision to oust them since using the villa as a kindergarten violates zoning laws.
Among participants attending the meeting were Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yossi Deutsch and Councilmen Eliezer Ruchberger, Yisrael Kellerman, Yochanan Weizman and Shlomo Rosenstein. Also present was Itzik Brenner, who heads the Degel Hatorah Jerusalem branch.
Brenner told the media the city has pretty much tied the hands and parents, who are left with few alternatives other than turning to the courts.
Brenner adds, “We are going for broke since we feel there is no option at present other than evacuating the premises. This is not a private school, but these kindergartens operate and are approved and the city is compelled to find a solution”.
Councilman Weizman added “What is going on there – Sodom and Amora? Avreichim are renting the villa to provide a venue for the little children to learn and they are being thrown all the while there are empty buildings in the community. If we do not turn over table, nothing will move. We will fight on the using the law and we will appeal the decision”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
it is NOT a question of a majority of charadim want the school there verus a few who want it removed. The question is can a majority cause a minority to suffer?
The answer is clear in the beis dins: a majority can NOT cause a minority to suffer by putting a school next to some one’s home when the school is in a place reserved for housing.
It is a clear halacha that is recognized by the beis dins and not a majority of ignoramuses over a few people that prevail !