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9 Nissan 5764 - March 31, 2004 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Petach Tikva's Battle to Maintain Status Quo
By A. Cohen

A coalition of Petach Tikva residents including rabbonim, public officials and community organizers have launched a battle to preserve the status quo on religious issues in the city.

HaRav Boruch Shimon Salomon, the city's chief rabbi and av beis din, has been waging an ongoing campaign against bringing pork into the city. Petach Tikva has absorbed thousands of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, many of whom are non-Jews or tinokos shenishbu, lacking even rudimentary knowledge of forbidden foods and unaware what a deep chord the issue strikes among the city's religious residents. Construction work on a distribution center for non- kosher meat, Rachmono litzlan, is currently being completed.

Of even greater concern are the owners' declarations it will be open seven days a week. Expected to draw customers from all of Gush Dan, it could expose Petach Tikva residents to the sight of blatant, large-scale Shabbos desecration. This serious breach would undermine the foundations of Judaism, says HaRav Salomon.

Recently the Chief Rabbi held an emergency meeting in his home initiated by UTJ city council member Rabbi Shlomo Korlansky and attended by representatives from all of the city's religious parties, both in the coalition and the opposition. Religious council members comprise over 40 percent of the city council.

HaRav Salomon compared the present situation to the well- known medrash about a fool who insists he is free to make a hole in his own part of the boat (Medrash Rabboh, Vayikra, 5). He called on all those in a position to help seal the breach in the walls of Judaism and Shabbos.

The city council members conducted a productive discussion and had several ideas on how to handle the problem. They decided to dispatch a delegation to seek the advice and blessings of gedolei Yisroel and to ask UTJ MKs to meet with the Mayor and submit a motion in the Knesset. Furthermore it was decided to organize a petition drive among Petach Tikva residents while trying to establish a dialogue with the owners in an attempt to persuade them to close the factory and to open a facility for the sale of kosher food instead.

Rabbi Korlansky closed the meeting by saying he would meet with Mayor Yitzhak Ochayoun as soon as possible to convey a clear message voicing the objections of the Chief Rabbi and the others present to the attempts to undermine kodshei Yisroel.

Another petition also initiated by Rabbi Korlansky is currently circulating. Signed by a majority of the council members from all parties, religious and secular alike, it calls on all who have the power to exert an influence to take action against the unfortunate development.

 

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