The petition, which stretches over dozens of pages, shows the chain of events that led to the municipality’s decision to allocate the structure to the seminar and the transition of the talmud torah to an alternative building on Chachmi Street in Bayit Vegan, due to the distress of the seminar.

In light of the announcement by the school’s officials this week that it will not open for the coming school year if they are not given additional space to accommodate the large number of students.

As such, the city, represented by attorney Kedar, an urgent session of the court to address and rule on the mater by accepting the city’s position, and to instruct the Minister of the Interior to re-approve the allocation.

The municipality claims in its petition that there is concern that the respondent, i.e. the Ministry of the Interior, is basing its opinion on extraneous considerations that are not relevant for the purpose of the allocation. Thus, for example, the municipality expresses surprise that the move to other buildings in other neighborhoods in the city has been approved by the Interior Ministry, but not for the transfer of this structure, which raises concern that the Interior Ministry has succumbed to pressure that is not the best interest of the students and the parents.

In its petition, the municipality rejects the alleged claims of discrimination against Sephardim and states that the city’s policy regarding changes in these structures and matter of buildings in general in the city is intended to avoid a situation of non-acceptance of Sephardi students.

The petition also mentions Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, in an interview he gave on Wednesday, 24 Menachem Av to Kol Chai Radio on the subject of Sanhedrin, in which he explained that the Interior Ministry’s decision to allocate the building was due to lack of knowledge about the parents’ opposition to the move. In another place, including the two additional structures approved by the Ministry of the Interior, there is even the objection of the parents, which cannot be taken into account that the municipal authority can decide on the basis of professional considerations in this matter.

Deri said in the interview: “It’s a shame that we have reached the point where we have reached a very painful issue. On the other hand, I understand the great need for the seminar and both sides are right.”

The city told the court in the petition that the current situation endangers the opening of the school year, which will result in damage to the entire school system and thousands of Jerusalem students.

Sources in the municipality are quoted telling Kikar Shabbos News that the municipality of Jerusalem found itself in an internal chareidi crisis, which it did not want and did not intend at all. The only consideration that led to the municipality is the distress of hundreds of girls in a crowded building of the seminary, and that this is a seminar that responds to the municipality’s requests to bring in dozens of Sephardic girls above the average, and on this basis reached understandings about the transfer of the building. The Sanhedrin also will not be harmed but will move to another new and high-quality location. Thus, the students are transported to it from all over the city.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)