MK Moshe Gafne has turned to Maale Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel on behalf of the talmid torah and chareidi school in the city numbering 150 talmidim explaining they are bursting at the seams and require additional space.

According to Gafne, school officials have turned to Maale Adumim school officials a number of times, speaking with David Sharret, who holds the city’s education portfolio. They quote him as saying “Let them get out of Maale Adumim. This is the order from above, not to give the chareidim a foothold but to let them go to a Jerusalem neighborhood”.

In his letter Gafne points out that chareidim are part of the population, and the city must address the school’s space issues and while the mayor has promised to assist, in fact, he has done nothing. Gafne was straight forward, explaining as Kashriel works to have Maale Adumim annexed as part of Israel, he must be aware that this will take chareidi support and this will not occur for as long as he treats chareidim in Maale Adumim as he does.

Maale Adumim spokesman Chezi Zissman told the media the statements attributed to Mr. David Sharret vis-à-vis the chareidim are lies and untruths. He adds that in fact, the talmid torah is in an old building and when the city was informed of problems, NIS 60,0000 was spent to replace the pipes. This was one of four buildings that was refurbished by the city.

Zissman adds that the school is ‘recognized’ but not a part of the public school system and therefore, the city does not receive Education Ministry funds for it but the city nevertheless did the necessary work. He concluded “This is the way it has been and will continue in the future”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)