Due to the crowded conditions in the women’s section of the Kosel Maarovi during the holiday tefillos, Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky has asked the Prime Minister’s Office to accelerate the pace of the construction work at the Western Wall Plaza, which is slated to add space for thousands of women. Saying that the overcrowding posed a genuine safety hazard, the mayor demanded that the work be completed immediately.
When the wall beneath the Mughrabi Ramp, which leads to Har Habayis, collapsed two years ago, one-third of the ezras noshim had to be cordoned off. Since then construction funded by the Prime Minister’s Office has been underway to connect Dung Gate and Mughrabi Ramp.
In recent months the mayor has been working to obtain permits from security officials, the Antiquities Authority and the Prime Minister’s Office to place the segment of the ramp passing over the women’s section on pillars, which would make considerably more space available to women coming to pray.
Rabbi Lupoliansky also instructed Municipality Director Mr. Eitan Meir to track progress made on construction at the site and to ensure it is executed in a manner that will allow expansion.
This week the mayor again contacted the Prime Minister’s Office to speed up the process. “How can the construction work on Har Habayis be done at the expense of people coming to pray at the holiest site of the Jewish people?” he demanded.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
Does he also want to stop the “pride parade”? How can we worry about enough room for ladies to Daven during peak seasons when there is tremendous Toeivah going on under his watch? Maybe this is one of the reasons it is better that Frum Jews not be Mayors or Presidents! any one else can give the excuse that they are listening to their constituency. Besides look at Mr. Katsav who is no great Tzaddik but stood by his beliefs when it came to calling a Conservative leader a Rabbi!!