A resident of Kiryat Malachi tore down a sign separating 'men' and 'women' ahead of the Chabad children's parade in the city.
This is a sign that was placed along the procession route, in several central locations in the southern city.
The local newspaper 'Angels' attacked Chabad for the 'sectoral separation in the public space': "Kiryat Malachi is on the trend of Haredi. For the first time since the Lag BaOmer procession of Nachalat Chabad began, this morning signs were placed separating men and women along the procession's movement axis. Women on the right - men on the left.".
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The local newspaper added: "The traditional Chabad Lag BaOmer procession has been held for decades in Kiryat Malachi and has been a symbol of unity and acceptance of all residents from all sectors. Every year, children, girls, women and men join the procession. But this year, as mentioned, the Chabad leadership took this unifying event and tarnished it by actually hanging the segregation signs. An act that is even contrary to the law, according to which it is forbidden to impose segregation in public spaces.".
As far as is known, the person who removed the signs even rushed to file a police complaint about the "threats" he received, he said, after he tore down the signs.
A Chabad official in Kiryat Malachi commented on the event to COL: "This is an agitating factor. There is no coercion in the public space, Chabad has never forced anything, but only acted with true love of Israel. In such a holy procession in honor of Rashbi, and with the recitation of Torah verses and Shema Yisrael, the participating public always knew how to respect and maintain proper and appropriate separation. There is no need for these signs in the public space, they may have been hung without due consideration.".
