After the tender committee disqualified the bids from chareidi non-profits in Charish a number of months ago, the heads of those organizations have decided to begin refunding deposits made by chareidi couples hoping to buy a home in the new city.

The Ministry of Housing began trying to sell plots in the planned city about two decades ago, albeit without success. No one was interested in the project, primarily due to its geographical location, in the Nachal I’ron (Wadi Ara) area, which is predominately Israeli Arab.

The daily HaMevaser explains askanim concerned with the critical housing shortage for the chareidi tzibur began checking into options, explaining that experience of late has shown that mixed communities lead to confrontation over maters including tznius, Shmiras Shabbos and the public character of a community, leading to their decision to look at options offering an exclusively frum community.

Those representing the interests of the chareidi community worked for years in an effort to persuade the Ministry of Housing to allocate Charish to the chareidim after the former’s failure to attract interested parties for so many years. The askanim agreed to the ministry’s regulations, promising fair pricing for all buyers, and the vaad was established and approved by Gedolei Yisrael and the sales of homes in Charish began. The non-profit organizations were set up; representing various communities in the greater chareidi tzibur.

As the tenders were being evaluated the anti-chareidi media campaign was launched by MK Yair Lapid, leading to immeasurable hostility against chareidim as he was presenting the chareidi takeover of Charish. The one-sided media campaign spoke of how chareidim get the good deal while young secular couples, those serving in the IDF get nothing. Eventually, the chareidi tenders were disqualified and this is the case today.

The report adds that askanim have been proven correct regarding the anti-chareidi campaign for the non-profits representing the dati leumi tzibur, non-frum tzibur and Arab contractors were not disqualified. The only non-profits disqualified from the project are the chareidi-affiliated ones, lending credibility to their allegations that the anti-chareidi hate led to the decision.

The askanim involved of late have consulted with top legal experts and while they have the option of continuing the legal battle with a number of court appeals, including the High Court of Justice, the decision was made to return the funds as the legal process may be a very lengthy one.

Officials will be contacting buyers to verify their bank account information in the near future and the sum deposited on account towards purchase of an apartment will be refunded.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)