In response to a High Court ruling to raze Kehillas Ayelet HaShachar in Givat Ze’ev, a rally is set for Sunday evening to express opposition to the demolition order.

Mispallalim explain that they have already paid out Arabs in the past who claimed the shul was built on their land but the High Court would not hear this, preferring to accept the position of left-wing organizations including ‘Yesh Din’. Mispallalim point out the shul is used by 400 mispallalim.

Residents of the community and mispallalim of the shul are calling upon the general public to join the battle to save the shul. The rally on Sunday is set to begin at 19:00.

The court on Sunday agreed to hold off with the demolition until 2 Elul after shul officials in an urgent appeal showed papers documenting the shul legitimate ownership of the building.

It is also reported on Sunday, hours before the start of the rally, that Shas leader Economy Minister Aryeh Deri and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon reached agreement by which the state will ask the High Court to place the demolition order on hold to permit the sides to reach agreement. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu agreed to the move.

The agreement calls on mispallalim to vacate the shul within one week and the shul will be sealed for a half year during which time efforts will continue to reach agreement with the Arabs who claim ownership of the land. In the past, efforts to reach agreement with the Arabs failed as they were unwilling to accept any sum, demanding the demolition of the shul.

Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita also turned to PM Netanyahu to become personally involved to prevent the demolition.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)