There is a major difference of opinion between residents of chareidi areas of Ramot, Yerushalayim and City Hall regarding their visions of the future character of that neighborhood. While Ramot was a stronghold for the dati leumi community in past years, like other areas of the capital, it has become a strong base for chareidi residents.
Chareidim have been fighting an uphill battle during recent years as school buildings once bursting with dati leumi talmidim stand almost vacant amid city refusal to turn them over to the growing chareidi population.
Yated Neeman adds that a tender pertaining to the “Country” area in Ramot A was retracted after the city realized a chareidi nonprofit was likely to be awarded the tender. The city intends the area for retired IDF and Israel Police personnel, not chareidim.
The latest battle surrounds a yeshiva that offers students a bagrut matriculation diploma, viewed as “shatnez” by chareidi residents. The chareidi leaders explain that today, there is no doubt that the chareidim in the Ramot communities are the majority yet City Hall does not allocate services commensurate with the needs of the majority population. Most of the chareidi schools are compelled to make do with substandard buildings, many with serious safety code violations.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
This is an ongoing & difficult dilemma. Neighborhoods change and to who belongs the spoils of the area? If it was originally deigned for the DL KEHILLA, who does it belong to now—how is that determined?
Simple: If the government decides the country is a democracy, then it goes to the yarei v’charadei li’dvar HaShem (i.e. majority rules like in Beit Shemesh). If they should decide it is a religious state, then I guess the religions will have to decide.
i know that at least at one school most of the students & staff are bussed into Ramot from clear across town just occupy an otherwise empty school all in the name of not giving it to the Charaidim
and despite the political battle they think they are winning
the students & staff are also losers as some come to school too tired to learn or teach and do homework after the EXTRA HOURS they spend in transit during rush hour
i am sure if you asked them they do NOT want to be a pawn for ????