With Rosh Chodesh Adar behind us, Bnei Brak City Hall is preparing for Purim and this includes the closure of Rabbi Akiva Street on Purim night as was the case last year. City officials are working with police and preventing youths from other areas from causing a ruckus in Bnei Brak remains a high priority.

Hundreds of police will be deployed in vital area, some in uniform and many undercover. They will monitor goings-on in the city’s streets as was concluded in a meeting between senior police commanders and Mayor Chanoch Zeibert.

Shortly after the meeting opened the mayor called on police to widen the scope of its activities in the city on Purim to include areas that were not covered last year.

Police will monitor persons getting off buses and taking other actions to prevent unruly holiday celebrants from coming to the city from elsewhere. Cars parked illegally will be towed and sanitation workers will remove garbage bins from certain areas to prevent setting them on fire.

Fire department officials are also coordinating with City Hall and the city’s ‘106’ emergency operator staff will be increased on Purim.

Rabbi Akiva Street will be closed as determined by police on Purim night. As in past years, kiosks and eateries in the city will close on Purim night no later than 10:00PM. This is an additional step towards maintain order in the city. Stores in violation of the 10:00PM curfew will be heavily fined.

Police have already stepped-up patrols and operations in the effort persons illegally selling fireworks before Purim. Police and city inspectors will respond immediately to calls reporting fireworks sales.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)