Beitar Illit Mayor Rabbi Yitzchok Pindrus (Degel
Hatorah) completed a one-week visit to New York to set
up the Friends of Beitar Illit Development Foundation.
He was accompanied by Deputy Mayor Rabbi Akiva Ovitz
and City Council Member Rabbi Yaakov Weingarten.
Rabbi Pindrus met with heads of kehillos, rabbonei
kehillos and numerous philanthropists in order to
increase awareness of the chareidi city south of
Jerusalem.
During the eleven years since Beitar Illit's founding
the city's population has grown to a total of 25,000
residents of whom 15,000 are children, Rabbi Pindrus
told his hosts, adding that the city needs the help of
Jews from abroad in order to promote further
development and to meet the residents' needs.
The foundation's New York office will be managed by Mr.
Ezra Friedlander of Flatbush, who will be responsible
for increasing awareness of Beitar Illit among U.S.
Jews. During his U.S. stay Mayor Pindrus spoke before
various kehillos in Flatbush and conferred with
philanthropists, Agudas Yisrael leaders and ranking
government officials.
In a meeting with Mayor Pindrus, New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg expressed his admiration and support,
saying he would assist Beitar Illit in any way
possible. Mayor Pindrus also met with Mr. Sam Domb, one
of New York's leading contributors to Israel who gave
his name to the newly-paved road connecting the
existing portion of Beitar to the adjacent ridgeline
where Phase B is being built. Domb is expected to
arrive in Israel for the road's dedication ceremony.
"As a city that has seen such rapid and successful
growth in a very short time," said Mayor Pindrus upon
his return from New York, "Beitar Illit is greatly in
need of assistance by the Jews of the world in order to
promote its development and social welfare. I hope we
will soon be able to reap the harvest from the seeds we
planted during this short visit, and utilize it for the
benefit of Beitar Illit residents."
