There has been much machlokes surrounding the Golovnitz project in Beit Shemesh over recent years. There has been a halachic dispute regarding the site, which Asra Kadisha insists is compromising old kevarim. HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita has penned a letter in which he permits moving ahead with moving in to apartments, contrary to the opinion of some in the Eida Chareidis.

The letter was published on Tuesday, February 26, 2019, with Rabbi Kanievsky renders his decision regarding the building site, stating that the ongoing work at the site was done in line with guidance from Gedolei Torah. The letter is released at a time when the first tenants began moving in.

The project began approximately seven years ago, in 5772. A number of groups got together under the ‘Binyan Shalem’ and ‘Givat Yerushalayim’ groups, purchasing the building site for thousands of apartment units in the heart of chareidi Beit Shemesh.

As work at the project began, some archaeological artifacts were discovered, including piers to caves. This led to an immediate declaration by the Asra Kadisha organization of ‘kivrei yisrael’, Jewish graves. They demanded a total and immediate cessation of construction as the monetary damage mounted due to the construction delays, due in part to ongoing Asra Kadisha protests.

The owners turned to Gedolei Yisrael, including HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch and HaGaon HaRav Mendel Spern, and the decision was made that the site was not the remains of Jewish burial, and if there are graves at the site, they are without a doubt from non-Jews. This was based on proof after the site was researched by experts.

The letters from the rabbonim escorted the project, citing anything and everything was done in compliance with instruction from Gedolei Torah, but none of this calmed the Asra Kadisha activists, who continued the protests, who dared to publish their opposition in an ugly fashion, against Gedolei Torah, publicizing this in Jerusalem as well as in New York.

In recent weeks, as the tenants began occupying the site, Asra Kadisha began bad-mouthing the tenants, including a number of extremist rabbonim, who continue speaking out against tenants. Rav Kanievsky was brought into the picture and after investigating the facts once again, the Gadol Hador penned the letter containing a bracha to the tenants moving into the controversial project in Beit Shemesh.

Rabbi Kanievsky writes:

“בעניין שכונת רמת אברהם (גולובנציץ) בית שמש, לאחר שפעלו על פי הוראת גדולי תורה והוראה, והשקיעו דמים רבים לבדיקת והכשרת הקרקעות, בוודאי המקום מהודר למגורי כהנים ויראי ה’.ברכת ה’ יחול על כל המתיישבים שמה”.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)