For those who think money is the answer to everything, this may depend on the situation or the sum. As the battle for control of the mantas community center in Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood continues, Mayor Nir Barkat is seeking an easy way out, one that will not result in chareidim standing at the helm. This despite the fact that today, Ramot’s population is overwhelmingly chareidi. Nevertheless, the mayor offered chareidi officials NIS 1 million to launch their own parallel mantas in the community, a modest buyout to permit others to run the existing operation, but the offer was declined.
Chareidi askanim are well aware that he who operates the community, the mantas and minhal kehilati (community center and local community council) wields a great deal of power, and the chareidim are unwilling to gamble this position remaining in the wrong hands, hence the dispute with City Hall for over the past half year. They feel that with a strong chareidi majority in the community, the time has come to make different decisions regarding the allocations of funds.
The current community council is not in chareidi hands and those in office are seeking a way to avoid elections, realizing such a move would result in their expulsion. In addition to running the community show, the package comes with a budget that far exceeds the NIS 1 million, as well as control of the community council building, which includes a local library and swimming pool.
Deputy Mayor Pindrus was quick to reject the mayor’s ‘generous’ offer, telling him ‘we won’t be bought here”, instructing the mayor to hand over control of the neighborhood to the chareidim and he can feel free to give the secularists the NIS 1 million. Pindrus is expected to meet with Rabbonim Shlita today, Tuesday (September 13th) towards receiving guidance as how to proceed.
City Councilman (Yahadut HaTorah) Rabbi Shlomo Rosenstein made it clear, that he and his colleagues will not acquiesce. He feels confident that at the end, the chareidi tzibur will emerge with a victory since the law backs the tzibur’s majority. Rosenstein was adamant, that the majority will rule.
City Hall responded by denying the accuracy of the information released by the chareidi community, insisting that after being elected, Mayor Barkat announced that the city’s community council’s would be decided by democratic elections, and this is the case here too.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
correction : Matnas not mantas> A matnas is a community building allocated for activities and recreation for the locals.
Pindrus says we can’t be bought. A few days ago you blasted him for endorsing an Orthodox Jew running for another Jew’s seat in New York.
Maybe that’s why Pindrus said, “We won’t be bought HERE.”
From what i have seen and know, there are 4 different RAMOT areas starting with Aleph till Daled. Seems like a mixed neighborhood, predominantly religious. Does that mean Charedei?
There must be powers out there that want Ramot to be considered part of the chiloni neighborhoods in Yerushalayim, even though I would bet that 3/4 of the population are at least data leumi and more like chareidi. I had the displeasure of going to the new Ramot mall which sports a Payless Shoe Source a la America inside. To my tremendous disappointment, the staff is completely chiloni, and even worse 90% of the shoes were sandals or had 5-in heels or both. While Payless’ selections online have a wide variety, this store had very little options available. Even Shabbos shoes, which as everyone knows, R’H is just around the corner and summer is already long over, so why stock a new store with the old season and potentially miss out on the obvious saleability of Shabbos shoes for the whole family. BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. I feel it is because the hanhola is out to make this a chiloni stronghold for the few residents of Ramot that still live there and try to draw from outlying areas those who can drive over, while ignoring the thousands and thousands of chareidim who live within walking distance of the mall.