Hackney's Mayor and his wife, Councilor and Mrs. Joe
Lobenstein visited Hackney's twin town Haifa and were
received by Mayor Mr. Amram Mitzna and his deputy Mr. Moshe
Starkman.
Mr. Mitzna showed keen interest in the workings of British
local government and showed pleasant surprise at the growth
of the chareidi institutions in England in general and in
Hackney in particular. He welcomed exchange visits between
residents of Hackney and Haifa so as to promote good
relationships between the two.
Councilor Lobenstein, who was previously given a tour of
Haifa's chareidi institutions including the school for
children with learning difficulties as well as the large
compound of the Seret-Vizhnitz organizations, told Mr. Mitzna
that there is growing concern among the Jews abroad about the
confrontational atmosphere between the chareidi and secular
population in Israel.
He praised both Mr. Mitzna and Mr. Starkman for the help
which they have so far given to Haifa's Torah community and
appealed to them that this -- together with encouragement for
shemiras Shabbos -- should continue to be given also
in the future.
During his stay in Israel, Councilor Lobenstein paid a
courtesy visit to the Mayor of Jerusalem, Mr. Ehud Olmert,
with whom he had an extensive and frank exchange of views
about the worsening attitude of the secularists versus the
chareidim throughout the country.
"We abroad notice it every time we read an Israeli newspaper,
which is of particular sorrow for us in view of the
precarious state in which the State finds itself at present",
said Mr. Lobenstein.
Mr. Olmert said that "the fault for the tension lies on both
sides" and he is doing everything in his power to "lower the
temperature and bring about a more cordial relationship."
On the subject of the ongoing discussions between Israel and
the Palestinians, Mr. Olmert was quite emphatic that
"Jerusalem is and will continue to be the undivided capital
of Israel."
Councilor Lobenstein also attended an emergency meeting of
the World Aguda Executive which was especially convened to
discuss the consequences of Prime Minister Barak's decision
to disband the Ministry of Religion and promote the
"secularization of the Jewish State."
