The decision in Jerusalem to halt the operation of the genizah (shamus) collection center adjacent to Shamgar has resulted in “bizayon” (disgrace) regarding items of kedusha which may not be discarded. The situation is expected to deteriorate as Pessach approaches, as people, shuls and mosdos clean house ahead of yomtov.
The free service run by Jerusalem City Hall halted over six months ago, not too long after Mayor Nir Barkat assumed office. It was reported the funds for the project dried up, compelling a cessation of the program.
In the beginning, protests were abated by statements that the genizah service would soon reopen, but this was not the case. The city has washed its hands of the matter, placing the responsibility on the shoulders of the Jerusalem Religious Council, which already is seeking to remain afloat amid difficult budgeting realities.
One partial solution is the appearance of private genizah collection bins around the city, but along with one’s genizah, one is expected to pay, per the size of the bag being inserted into the bin.
According to Rav Chaim Miller, a veteran Jerusalem politician and now grassroots activist explains that a frum family generates an enormous amount of genizah between children in cheider, school, yeshiva and seminary, and they simply cannot afford to pay at genizah collection bins.
R’ Miller adds that the accumulation of genizah in various areas around the streets of the capital attests to the need for the service and just how many people relied on it, adding that significantly smaller populations of the capital enjoy services, questioning why this sizable population is being discriminated against.
Rav Miller, who heads the L’maan Yerushalayim organization, is pressing City Hall and officials to re-implement the vital service towards preventing the bizayon that exists today, which will only worsen towards Pessach.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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3 Responses
Why does the frum community expect “the government” or “the municipality” to cover every expense? If families have to pay for this service themselves they more be more selective about what sheimos is as well. I have often seen whole newspapers thrown in the sheimos bins. There is no way that a full page travel advert on one side and a full page restaurant ad on the other side of the page are sheimos, but itis easier to be lazy and throw the whole newspaper away.
Genizah has become very problematic, especially with the increasing number of Erev Shabbos torah handouts in the shuls. Our shul must get at least 50 copies of 15 different handouts weekly. It pays for the various mosdos to sell advertising space and issue these leaflets but what happens to these sheets by Motezai Shabbos is a real busha. The other problem is that people dump their family genizah (or what they think is genizah) at the shul’s doors and assume the shul will take care of it. Now I see the shuls, in turn, dump it at the Moetza or Eariya who are left holding the bag. Literally.
Dvar Torah sheets, magazines and the like do not necessarily need genizah. Consult your local rav. I don’t see why the gov’t should subsidize chumros.