The Jerusalem Municipality's legal advisor, Atty. Yossi
Chavilio, is threatening for the first time to impose budget
sanctions on the city's chareidi education system. In a
letter given last week to the head of the Unit for Chareidi
Education, Rabbi Itamar Bar Ezer, Chavilio threatens to
instruct the municipal treasurer to halt funding for the Bais
Yaakov school in Ramot Alef if the girls using three
classrooms at a nearby government religious school do not
vacate the building within 14 days.
The letter was delivered at the height of complex legal
proceedings that have been taking place for several months in
this case, where legal decisions have been issued contrary to
Chavilio's stance. These threats could portend a policy shift
regarding chareidi education at the Jerusalem Municipality as
Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky prepares to leave the mayor's
office.
The affair began months ago when, as a result of extreme
overcrowding at the neighborhood's chareidi schools, an
arrangement was made to allocate classroom space at the
government religious school, which was largely unused.
Earlier a decision had been reached to shut down the school,
but the parents of the small number of students fought to
keep it open. Now a number of students are brought in from
other neighborhoods to boost enrollment.
According to an agreement between the Department for Chareidi
Education and the Education Administration of Jerusalem
("Manchi"), permission was granted for Bais Yaakov students
to use three classrooms, with another three classrooms slated
to be made available to them as well. Since both are
municipal schools, the agreement between the two municipal
departments was sufficient.
Parents of students at the government religious school then
launched a campaign to remove the Bais Yaakov classes from
the building. A parents' committee filed a court petition
against the municipality, arguing that the Bais Yaakov school
is not defined as a full municipal institution but rather a
"recognized but unofficial" institution.
A court battle then ensued. The day after the municipal
elections Chavilio sent a fierce letter explicitly
threatening to cut off funding for the school unless the
three classrooms were vacated within two weeks. The
administration at the Bais Yaakov school and Chinuch Atzmai
officials are currently assessing legal options.
Paradoxically the Education Ministry has refused to allocate
additional classroom space to alleviate the crowded
conditions at the Bais Yaakov school in Ramot Alef by arguing
there are empty schools in the neighborhood. Yet when efforts
are made to use these facilities, the Education Ministry
claims Chinuch Atzmai must find buildings of its own to house
the school.
"For the first time the legal advisor is threatening to
impose sanctions," said Rabbi Tzvi Baumel, one of the heads
of Chinuch Atzmai. "I don't know whether this is legal since
the case is still pending in court. Chavilio rushed to find a
way to vacate the building quickly though the government-
religious school stands empty while our institutions are
battling for every square meter. I don't know with what
authority and under which legal mantle he dares to threaten
to stop funding, and we'll respond through legal channels to
this letter with hopes and prayers that integrity and
fairness will overcome inexplicable envy, for the sake of
neighborhood children crying out for a decent roof over their
heads."
