Early this morning (Monday), residents of the Neve Yaakov neighborhood in Jerusalem woke up to the sound of bulldozers from the Jerusalem Municipality, which had arrived to demolish the Heichal Nissim synagogue. This is a caravan that was erected without a license and has been operating there for eight years. Despite all the efforts made, the synagogue's collectors were unable to obtain a license.
Many police and riot police arrived at the scene to maintain order, while about 150 members of the synagogue's worshippers tried to stop the destruction. Four people were arrested at the scene.
The land on which the caravan was placed is designated for a school, and the Talmud Torah 'Torat HaEmek', currently located in the caravans, is to be built on the site.
It should be noted that the municipality managed to raise approximately 20 million shekels for the construction of the kindergarten, intended for 1,000 children from the neighborhood's residents - and the contractor has even begun carrying out the work on the ground.
Senior officials in the Jerusalem municipality tell the Haredim10 that the building was erected illegally, and on land designated for schools. City council members negotiated with the tax collectors, offering them other alternatives - but they stubbornly refused every offer.
""This is an illegal structure, erected without a building permit, on public urban land," the mayor's office says. "The structure prevented the construction of two schools for the benefit of many hundreds of children in the neighborhood who suffer from a lack of educational buildings. Despite many opportunities for self-evacuation, including an alternative solution offered by the municipality, the structure did not evacuate on its own, and therefore the municipality implemented the court order to allow the continuation of work on building the schools on site. The evacuation was carried out in cooperation with public representatives and community leaders in the neighborhood.".
Council member Michael Malchieli (Shas), one of the synagogue's worshippers, who has worked hard in recent months to legalize the synagogue, tells Haredim10: "I am very sorry for the demolition of the synagogue, and the sights are difficult to watch. We in Shas are committed to doing everything we can to help this important community, to find an allocation for the construction of a permanent home." However, the worshippers are also directing their anger at him. According to the worshippers, in recent years they have approached all the Haredi council representatives, led by Shas representative Michael Malchieli, who also prays there, and promised to help them. However, they say, Shas is still sleeping through the winter, and has not done enough on the issue.
A group of worshippers even demonstrated in front of Aryeh Deri's house in Har Nof.
The residents' representatives also claim that all of the neighborhood's rabbis, except one, strongly opposed the eviction. The residents also say that the rabbis were willing to change the synagogue's structure so that it would fit into the plan to build a Talmud Torah school, but "it seems that someone wanted the synagogue at all costs.".
Council member Aryeh King (United Jerusalem) claims that the Jerusalem Municipality is exercising selective enforcement, directed only at Jews and synagogues, which is illegal and immoral.
MK Gafni said: "The Jerusalem Municipality is forcibly evicting synagogues and Haredi schools, and is not doing the same for secular institutions. Anyone who supported Nir Barkat bears direct responsibility for harming Haredi places of prayer and educational institutions.".
The Jerusalem Municipality stated that the demolition of the caravan was carried out at the request of the majority of the neighborhood's rabbis. The municipality emphasizes that the Haredi council members also supported the demolition. According to them, the reason for the demolition is the construction of a Haredi school that is to be built on the land on which the synagogue is located.
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