A new beis knesses was started in Jerusalem's Ramot
Beit for the Chanichei Hayeshivos kehilloh when a
temporary prefab structure arrived recently. The congregants
recently made a round of visits to gedolei Yisroel
shlita, including Maran HaRav Eliashiv, HaRav Aharon Leib
Shteinman and HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, to receive their
blessings for success in expanding the bounds of
kedushoh in the neighborhood.
In recent years a transformation has been taking place in
Ramot Beit as more and more chareidi families move in and
other residents move out. After Ramot Alef and Ramot Gimmel
were populated by thousands of chareidi families years ago,
Torah is now coming to Ramot Beit. Recently the bnei
Torah public has begun to purchase apartments in the
neighborhood, but as in every new chareidi population center
these families encounter numerous difficulties.
The neighborhood kindergartens are in a state of crisis
although kindergarten classrooms belonging to government and
government-religious schools stand unused. The neighborhood's
chareidi residents must also contend with a dire shortage of
land for the construction of botei knesses and in the
meantime they often have to walk far from home to join a
minyan.
Recently the local avreichim organized the setup of
Beis Knesses Chanichei Hayeshivos, but lacking a suitable
place to hold tefillos and after all attempts by city
councilmen to find an appropriate site in one of the
neighborhood's public facilities failed, the avreichim
decided to bring in a used prefab structure, which is really
too small to accommodate the dozens of avreichim who
have moved into the neighborhood.
Just days after the structure was placed in a location where
it disturbs no one, complaints began to arrive from neighbors
and the city's legal department instructed Antiquities
Authority inspectors and City of Jerusalem inspectors to
issue the gabboim an eviction notice.
Residents asked the municipality to cancel the eviction
notice, claiming that without an alternative location to hold
tefillos there is no choice other than to allow the
prefab structure to remain until a suitable permanent
solution for the beis knesses is found.
The offices of the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor came to their
aid and the Mayor told city officials to find a quick and
suitable way to assist the beis knesses.
The City of Jerusalem says the municipality has accompanied
the kehilloh from the start and even held several
tours and meetings to locate a site to build the beis
knesses. Nevertheless City Spokesman Gidi Schmerling says
the neighborhood was not originally zoned for the chareidi
public, which makes it difficult to find appropriate building
lots. The City also says the Administration for Religious
Facilities is working to block the eviction until a solution
is found and to alter the Urban Building Plan to add space
for botei knesses in the neighborhood.
