HaGaon HaRav Nissim Karelitz Shlita testified in the Tel Aviv District Court, reportedly an unprecedented move, all towards saving a shul.

The event occurred Thursday morning, 2 Shevat 5772, compelled by a dispute regarding the Heligman Shul in Bnei Brak. The owners, who are not frum but inherited the building from the shul’s founder, wish to convert the property to a residential building. The rav told the court that the original owner and founder of the shul wished to leave the building for a hekdesh.

The story actually begins about 60 years ago, when the founder of the shul expressed his desire to turn over the shul to a hekdesh. At that time, the founder was assisted by HaRav Nachum Meir Karelitz towards achieving this, but he was niftar a short time before the process was completed.

Over recent years the family members who inherited the property have decided to shut down the shul and convert the property. The rav came to court to give first-hand testimony, explaining he was present when these matters were discussed with the shul’s founder and Rav Nachum Meir, and he remembers that the intention was to turn it over to a hekdesh property. At that time, brothers Yehoshua and Mordechai Heligman arrived in Bnei Brak and the latter entered into negotiations with Vaad Bayis V’Nachla to buy a field upon which they planned to build a shul.

The rav waited in the vehicle until he was called to give testimony, and he was brought into the building through an official entrance, bypassing a security inspection. The rav spoke for about an hour, telling of his personal acquaintance with the shul’s founders, and their desire to keep the shul going via a hekdesh.

Those present report the presence of the Gavaad and his testimony left quite an impression of his honor.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)