Some are calling it anti-Semitism, nothing less, as the Herzliya City Hall has approved dismantling tens of sukkos in the city. The sukkos in question were constructed by store owners in areas of the city.
As Am Yisrael prepared to begin Sukkos, the city moved in and destroyed many sukkot ahead of shabbos, not leaving the sukka owners any recourse. Reports indicate as mispalalim were heading to shul, the sukkot being destroyed.
Uri Levy, a local pizza shop owner is quoted as explaining to Kikar, that two weeks before yomtov he applied for a permit for the sukka, which was received by surprise. Only a day before yomtov was the permit granted. They began building the sukka at the last minutes to accommodate clients.
About 30 minutes before yomtov Uri received a phone call from fiends, who told him “They are taking down the sukka”, leaving him angered and puzzled. Tens of others were taken down as well in the predominately secular city.
Uri explained he was in tears, unable to understand who would order such an act, calling the city hotline number in search of an explanation. No one was at the other end to respond. He did reach a city representative affiliated with the dati leumi community, and he explained that sadly, he was powerless and unable to assist against the powers that be.
Uri concluded that such an act in the Diaspora would be met with calls of anti-Semitism but here, oddly and sadly, it is tolerated.
YWN did not receive a response from Herzliya City Hall. Kikar’s report also does not include a City Hall response.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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6 Responses
outrageous, but not suprising for Herzliya, the most secular city in the country.
While chareidim are sharply criticized for calling the chilonim Nazis, one can see that there is great provocation to do so. While I am not condoning the calling of fellow Jews ‘Nazis’, one cannot judge too quickly.
Is this the Israel that Netanyahu spoke about at the UN? One free of persecution against the jews? For this we need a state?
I think before judgments are made, we need to hear the whole story. Perhaps it wasn’t done maliciously but rather done in a number of ways that I can think off the top of my head. Maybe they dismantled the wrong sukkah (misinformation). Maybe it wasnt built up to code. Was it a hazard to people’s wellbeing and safety? Was it built on the “publics right of way” or on city ground? Was the correct permit applied for and received? Was it built according to the permit’s specifications?
I am not making any judgment calls on this one. I think more information needs to be provided- this article leaves much to be desired.
To eeleer #4
Are you equating,
Taking my grandmother and her kids, disrobing them gassing them, burning the bodies and working the survivors until they dropped dead, as the same as taking down sukkus?
It seems to me your not judging at all.
I also think that we need to hear the entire story. In many cases, sukkot are built by restaurants on the sidewalk, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street. In such cases, it is the responsibility of the city government to remove the structures. Despite what posters 1, 2,, 3 and 4 seem to think, there is no requirement for the State of Israel to allow a free-for-all on public domain, even for the fulfillment of mitzvot, if it interferes with the safety of others.