Housing Minister (Kulanu) Yoav Gallant on Monday, 2 Elul, took part in a working visit to the chareidi community to get a firsthand look at the needs of this community. The visit was arranged by Jerusalem Councilman Yitzchak Pindrus, who took part in the visit and addressed the forum. The working visit included a stopover at the home of an avreich in Kiryat Yovel where Gallant spoke with local avreichim.

The minister then met with chareidi members of the Jerusalem Council including Nechemia Saban of Shas and Yosef Schwinger of the National Council for Holy Sites and Rosh Yeshivas Chevron Givat Mordechai HaGaon HaRav David Cohen Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Chevroni Shlita.

The chareidi councilmen quoted Gallant stating rather than trying to compel chareidim to live in mixed communities, they should be permitted to live in exclusively frum areas. Gallant added “Even in the United States there are such areas”.

The minister was impressed by the dedication to limud that he saw in a beis medrash and he was equally impressed by the gentleness of the avreichim. The minister stated the nation needs 50,000 apartments immediately, including 10,000 for the chareidi sector and 10,000 for the Arab sector.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)