An order to evacuate a Chabad shul in Ramat Beit Shemesh Gimmel has already been issued at Beit Shemesh City Hall plans to demolish the structure. The gabbai and mispallalim of the newly-founded Chabad minyan are working to prevent the destruction of the caravan, which City Hall explains was positioned illegally. The mispallalim of the shul met on motzei Shabbos parshas Shoftim to discuss their options.
During the meeting the fear was expressed that City Hall is not showing any leniency in the matter and that the shul will be removed. The participants in the emergency meeting agreed to do everything legally possible to prevent the removal of the shul in the new neighborhood. One of the decisions involves manning the shul all the time in the hope of preventing the removal of the caravan.
The mispallalim explain many Chabadniks moved into the area and they have no shul to daven in. A tractor arrived at the caravan on erev Shabbos to destroy the caravan because it is standing in a public area. The mispallalim blocked the tractor with their vehicles.
City Hall officials explain the caravan was placed without a permit, now in a public area that is intended to be a green area. Officials explain the caravan prevents progress on building the public park. City officials’ add the policy of the local government is to prevent pirate structures, including shuls and this will not be an exception.
“We respect the Chabad kehilla along with other kehillos in the neighborhood and we call upon them to submit an official request to the appropriate city committees”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
So as someone who is living here over a year I see both sides. Chabad has had a minyan down the block from the caravan in an apt building for the last year not sure why they needed now a caravan. On the other hand that area nothing has been done to it and is across a park that my kids just use as a place to play in the mud. So if the city is not going to acknowledge the needs of the city I understand where they are coming from. We can’t have schools and shuls if the city doesn’t build them. We wait here like sitting ducks and we pay taxes like every one else in Beit Shemesh.
Sadly there are 12 “illegal” shuls in the large new section of town, all overflowing and without ezrat nashim, as the city has NO PROCESS or “official request” method to get a permit! Others are in parking lots, literally on the sidewalk, and in other “future development” areas. The city has refused to give permits or create a straightforward process for doing so, and all these shuls have been trying for the past 1 1/2 years.
On the same note, the new section of town, now with over 500 families, has no mikvah or kindergartens either! Then the city gets upset when people take measures to create the needed infrastructure!
Chabad builds, and the city comes after them? (And not the other twelve!)
And the mayor and majority of the city council are charedi??? For this we have a charedi mayor?
This kind of lack of foresight is one of the reasons many residents of Beit Shemesh and RBS A were against moving forward with the building of RBS Gimmel until there was proper planning for the infrastructure (including schools, Shuls, Mikva’os, and stores) the neighborhood would need. Those who fought that battle, though, were painted as “anti-Chareidi” and were therefore ignored – leading to the situation now at hand. Ironic, isn’t it.
an Israeli Yid
I could not agree more with the IsraeliYid and #2.
The chareidi mayor and his construction minister have been a trainwreck from the minute they pushed RBS gimmel forward.
They have no long term plans how to sustain vital services to the already existing neighborhoods.Shortage of school buildings and 200 classrooms? Kick out the one irreligous school and steal their 12 classroom building. No mikvah in RBS gimmel? Just build RBS dalled hey and vov so that we can fill them with more famlies from benei brak, then everyone will have bigger problems then a mikva.
You disagree with us? You are anti torah, anti chara eidi and anti gedolim.
These politicians make yarmulka wearers everywhere look bad.
Akiva M i wouldn’t be so quick to say all 12 shuls are illegal b/c the one on the sidewalk you are talking about the city told them to put it their they didn’t want to put it their so obviously there is someone in the city to talk to….
In any case I bought my apt over 6 years ago you don’t think that was enough time for the to get their act together….I never thought anyone was anti charedi i just don’t understand where the city is when we are all here and need schools and shuls and mikvas.
why do Zionists like to destroy shuls?