NOTE: Yeshivaworld received quite a few letters on this topic in the past day. We chose one at random, and apologize to the others.
Dear Yeshivaworld,
Thanks for the great informative website, may you be blessed with much Hatzlacha.
As we all know there is a currently a Frum, Shomer Shabbos mayor in the city of Yerushalayim. The rumor is that he (Mayor Uri Lupolianski) discusses everything with Rav Eliyashiv Shlita.
I am finding this harder and harder to believe as time moves along. I would like to inform your readership of the following quotes from yesterday’s Jerusalem Post:
“The Jerusalem Municipality has approved plans to establish a secular cemetery that will allow for civil burial, the city said Thursday.
The proposal, which now needs state approval, would see construction of the secular cemetery in a new 350-dunam section of the main city cemetery in the Givat Shaul neighborhood.
The civil cemetery, which will be run by the Menucha Nechona NGO, which advocates non-Orthodox burials, will serve people who cannot be buried in the main section according to Jewish law, as well as those who are not interested in being buried in such a manner, the city said.
The plan, which was approved by a municipal committee at the initiative of Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski, was transferred to the Interior Ministry on Wednesday for further deliberation, a city spokesman said.
“Jerusalem is a pluralistic city which requires letting each person choose his lifestyle and burial style without coercion of one form or the other,” Lupolianski said in a statement.
The director of the municipality’s religious structures administration, Yitzhak Hanao, said that the new cemetery was meant to address the shortage of burial space in the city, and would employ various burial methods, including double burial and burial in catacombs.“
Anat Hoffman, director of the Israel Religious Action Center, which represents Reform Jewry in Israel, and a member of Menucha Nechona’s board added that Lupolianski had no choice in light of the High Court ruling, adding that he “dragged his feet” as much as possible on the issue.
“This is his initiative to the extent that the snow in Jerusalem was his initiative,” Hoffman said.
As Frum Yidden we must all be Don a fellow Yid Lechaf Zechus, and I am prepared to do that. Let him resign TODAY as Mayor.
I doubt that will happen.
This is the same Mayor who did not resign after the streets of my holy city were shamed this past summer with the “Shame Parade”.
This is the man who the Agudah had as their guest speaker at their last convention!
What does the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah have to say about this new cemetery which will disgrace the kedushas Eretz Yisroel; and specifically Yerushalayim?!
Does anyone believe for a second that Rav Eliyashiv, the Posek Hador, has given a Heter for this disgrace?!
Furious in Yerushalayim – but proud to sign my name,
Chaim Gold.
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28 Responses
ok. So you “Chaim Gold” are saying that everything is the mayors fault. If you had someone else as mayor, this would not happen?? The mayor aint always the only one with a say in the matter. Get your facts straight before you talk. And dont use a fictitious name
I don’t understand the issue. There are already non-Jewish cemetaries in Jerusalem. After all where are all the christian clergy living there buried? There are non-clergy non-Jews living in Jerusalem too. There are people who live their lives without practicing any religion in Jerusalem. There are people who would be more than happy to be identified as Jews, but the ever increasing chareidi religious establishment has set the bar so high they cannot reach it. Where are they to be buried? We deny them kever Yisrael, are we now going to deny them kvura entirely? For better of worse non-Orthodox forms of Judaism are making slow but steady headway in Israeli society. (perhaps the ever increasing chareidi religious establishment should ponder if they are part of that problem and not part of the solution)Their adherents too want to be buried in accordance with their beliefs. Israel is not a theocracy. All that has happened is that a private group and bought land and will do with it what they want in a legal fashion.
I happen to agree and disagree with the mr gold.
Yes the aprade and the cemetery should not have occured in sucha holy place-ir hakodesh.However the mayor’s powers are very limited. Once the goverment gets involved they basically runt eh country.Which is not a religous country but rather an israeli country. If we could stop such horrible things sucha s the aprade for occuring how differnt woudl the country be???
I understand your frustration, however, do you think every mayor in any world-wide city has the power to establish anything as he see’s fit?
In America, we as Frum Yidden opposed the Lieberman as vice president, because anything that he would do for the Jews would be looked down upon by the rest of the country.
In the office of the mayor, many ideas come to the table, but how many are thrown away. Due to what, the mayor can’t bring them into fruition? No, because the government disagrees with them, and fulfill their own dreams (of course, putting the mayor behind them!)
Its a disgrace what happening in the Ir Shel Kadosh, Yerushalayim. But seriously, he’s just a puppet. One thats ruled by the Chiloni government.
He can resign, but who’s taking his place??
you sound like you would rather have teddy kolek back
do you have too short of a memory
be happy with what you have
i agree fully with all of the above
he’s trying the best to work with the frum community
Although it would be nice to hear from R” Elyashiv’s gabia if The Rebbe approves of the mayor, as the mayor claims.
Chaimke:
Why is it that Anat Hoffman is dan lekaf zechus that Lopolianski had no option but you are not?
Further, Givat Shaul may be part of eretz hakodesh and may be part of municipal Jerusalem but it is unlikely part of “ir hakodesh”. Geographically, it is just a little village next to Deir Yassin.
And while we may all daven that Yerushalayim does not have disgraceful parades, expect that things you don’t accept as normative will still be allowed in a democratic society.
How will Lopoliansky’s resignation change any of this? The many non-frum people who voted for Lopoliansky did so because he has long demonstrated that he loves all yidden. It’s a lesson we can all take from him
BTW, how many letters to the editor have you sent when Chareidi yidden beat up others, including soldiers and women rachmana litzlan? And what do you think is the greater chilul Hashem?
And I have always been proud to sign my name!!
Lapolianski had no choice, it was a court order and he tried to delay it as much as possible. Some people just don’t get it. You say you want to be dan Lechaf Zechus but you obviously aren’t. What would you like him to do? Take on the Supreme Court? How far do you think that will get him? I mean really, do you think he WANTS such a cemetery in Yerushalayim? He has no choice. Why can’t you see that? It’s not so complicated. Why must we always look to blame the first person we can find? Do you think he WANTED the parade in Yerushalayim? For heaven’s sake, open your eyes a little before casting blame. Furious? That’s fine, just choose your targets more carefully.
Hey Chaim Gold this is Gershon Gold
How about checking with HaRav Elyashiv before you make an accusation? Maybe there is nothing wrong with setting up a cemetery for non religous. Are they supposed to rot in the street? How many Roman Rashayim and Yishmoelim are buried in Yerushalyim? The problem with us religious folks is when we want to shove our religion down others throats. When we go with Drocheya Darchei Noam you accomplish alot more. This is the same problem with the so called “Mehadrin bussing”. We would accomplish alot more by not having you and all your friends who think you are the only true Yiddishe Derech.
Why exactly shouldn’t these people not be allowed to be buried in Yerushalyim? There are people with different lifestyles than yours and you should respect their desire to be buried wherever they want.
This is exactly the problem with having frum politicians. Have we forgotten that he is mayor for all of Jerusalem: Arabs, Jews, Christians, Religious, and non-religious. Why do we frum think that we are entitled to do it our way only. If there was a non-religious mayor and he would not care about the frum we would all be screaming.
its a tough world out there in israel. i believe mayor uri lupolianski is a fine chareidi suffering the consequences of his job.there are reform shuls, schools and land in jerusalayim.so now there will be a reform or non-sectarian cemetary.it preceded him and until bias h’moshiach it will continue.dont blame him.he is doing what he can with das yisroel.
I CAN UNDERSTAND C G FRUSTRATION WITH ISSUES AFFECTING HIM AS A JERUSALEM CITIZEN BUT AS WRITTEN ABOVE AND EVIDENCED BY THE REFORM THEMSELVES HE DRAGGED HIS FEET ON THE ISSUE AS LONG AS HE WAS ABLE THEIR ARE MANY ISSUES ABOVE AND BEYOND HIS PURVIEW HE TRIES THE BEST HE CAN TO DO WHAT EVER IS IN HIS POWER TO TRY AND KEEP YERUSHALYIM HOLY BUT(DO TO OUR AVEROS YES CHAIM GOLD U AS WELL)WE AREN’T ZOCHE TO THE GEULA
UNTILL WE ALL SERVE HASHEM FULLY WITH OUT LOSHON HARA RECHILUS AND MOTZEE SHEM RA WE HAVE A WAYS TO GO
AND YES IM SURE ANY MAJOR ISSUE IS DISCUSSED WITH RAV ELAYSHAV SHLITA AND THE RAV IS SENSIBLE
ENOUGH AND POLITICALLY SAVOY AT LEAST AS MUCH AS U AND ME TO KNOW WHEN TO PRESS AN ISSUE
Dear chaim gold
and i’m furious at you that you are venting your anger on a mayor who is trying his best under the limited circumstances available to him under the “democratic” tzionishe government
What you need to do is daven for moshiach and the kiyum of the gemara in sanhedrin “ayn ben david ba’a ad shetichleh malchus hazalah m’yisrael”
then you can have a tayna on the mayor
#16, nice point.
#2 Cantoresq
>I don’t understand the issue. There are already non-Jewish cemetaries in Jerusalem. After all where are all the christian clergy living there buried?
Such are the perils of collaborating with the zionits.
I hapen to know first hand That Rav Elyashiv endorses Reb Uri. You see, I am maried to one of the Ravs granddaughters and Reb Uri is in the house all the time. Many times I have been there when noone was allowed in, but when the Rav heard Reb Uri was waiting he said “ahh, such a mezakeh es Harabim, he can come in”.Thank You Reb Uri for doing such a fine job!
The halacha, as taught in maseches Sanhedrin, is that rashaim are not allowed to be buried next to Tzaddikim. Therefore, it seems that the mayor is following the halacha.
why impose upon the non religious and raise their anger. let them live and die the way they want. what responsibility do we frum yidden have to them to be buried by our standards?????
Being that not one person commenting agreed with the letter writer including myself, I find it hard to believe that YWN received “quite a few letters” agreeing with the above mentioned view.
why are you basing your facts from what you hear in the treif J Post?
How naive…
1. mayors aren’t kings! you wish he had the power to do or undo this…. there’s a whole government besides him!
2. Why do you believe everything you read? If that quote was even 1/3 of what he sad I’d be impressed.
3. The reform spokeswoman doesn’t credit him with it… and you do?
4. As sure as you are that R’ Elyashiv said no… maybe you (and I) have no clue what the question or answer really were?
In my opinion, he’s a mcuh better mayor than his predecessor. Let him ask his personal shailos and I’ll keep davening for the Kedusha, safety, peace, health, happiness and beauty of our city.
“Lupolianski had no choice in light of the High Court ruling, adding that he “dragged his feet” as much as possible on the issue.
“This is his initiative to the extent that the snow in Jerusalem was his initiative,” Hoffman said.”
I think that this is the kind of mayor we want.
One that drags his feet with no initiative when forced against halacha and therefore minimizing the damage done to our holy city.
Further, Givat Shaul may be part of eretz hakodesh and may be part of municipal Jerusalem but it is unlikely part of “ir hakodesh”. Geographically, it is just a little village next to Deir Yassin.
Are you for real? Givat Shaul is a magnificent frum torah area full of yeshivas, kollels, bais yakovs, shuls, etc…..little village next to Deir Yassin..do you work for the Abbas government.
Mr. Gold,
Maybe try harder at being dan lekaf zechus.
Did you know that before the previous shame parade Lupoliansky was fined for trying to prevent it ???? Not everything is in his power. Also, as the mayor of thousands of Arabs and other non-jews, he almost certaintly knows he must learn to pick his battles. Sometimes you have to give an inch to gain a foot.
Just remember, many deals and agreements are made behind closed doors. You have no idea what he may have accomplished by allowing this cemetery to be built.
As a resident of Yerushalayim for many years I feel that Lupolianksy is doing a great job. (or would you prefer to have Olmert back ?!!?)
“Yeshivaworld received quite a few letters on this topic in the past day.”
Fascinating how many frum people are upset that despite electing a frum major they still get parking tickets and still have to obey the law.
This makes them mad at the major; a true mensch and Talmid Chochom.
The amazing thing is that of all the “evils” he does, they pick on giving people a decent burial. Would they prefer these people get cremated, G-d forbid?!?
And then to dredge up the Shame Parade! Shame on you! It cost our dear major a lot of money – 10,000NIS in fines IIRC.
Appalled at the mentschlichkeit of all those who wrote this and similar letters.
– Doniels, related to R’ Uri by marriage.
I wish the Mayor a second and third term as the head of Yerushayalim. He is doing a terrific job, has a mentor to talk with and bringing an achdus to the city of gold.