After enduring much hardship and continuing the battle with mesirus nefesh, the residents of Jerusalem’s Kiryat Yovel neighborhood celebrated the opening of their new shul, a shul that enjoys legal status and will be free from the legal conflict surrounding the rapidly growing chareidi area.

The minyan began in a private home and after much difficulty, legal battles and opposition in the street from secularists, has finally been granted legal status in a neighborhood building. The event was marked with a hachnasas Sefer Torah last week. The procession began in the private home that served as the first shul, to its new legal location approved by Jerusalem City Hall.

The Torah was dedicated in memory of the avreich R’ Bentzion Devoratz, purchased by attorney Refael Shtub who has been representing the local kehillah pro bono.

The ceremony was approved by the municipality, and police were on hand to ensure the procession was not marred by those who oppose the growing chareidi presence in the area.

The completion of the Sefer Torah took place a week earlier, with Maran Rav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita participating.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)