At a meeting of religious mayors and city council heads, held
last week in the office of Bnei Brak mayor, Rabbi Mordechai
Karelitz, the Forum of Chareidi and Religious Municipal
Authorities in Israel was founded. The unique problems of the
chareidi and religious populations, as compared to those in
other Israel local authorities, were discussed. Among the
current problems in need of solutions are student
transportation, classroom shortages, posting of guards in
schools during the afternoons, and the subsidy of studies and
transportation during summer vacations. Other municipal
authorities do not share all of these problems; or, perhaps,
they do but to a lesser degree.
At the meeting, Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz, mayor of Bnei Brak -
- the largest municipal authority in the chareidi sector --
was appointed head of the Forum. Attendees expressed their
hopes that the Forum would soon begin to formulate its work
methods and to clarify its particular demands to be presented
to the national government.
Upon his appointment, Rabbi Karelitz said that the Forum
should have been formed long ago. "The chareidi sector has
developed by leaps and bounds over the past few years, and it
is inconceivable to reconcile ourselves to a situation in
which not even the most minimal attention is paid to the
needs of this sector, which is entitled to the same approach
that all other sectors receive," Rabbi Karelitz stressed.
It was proposed to nominate Rabbi Karelitz as a candidate in
the forthcoming elections for the chairman of the Local
Government Center position.
The meeting was attended by Rabbi Yosef Shvinger, head of the
Modi'in Illit council (Kiryat Sefer); Rabbi Yehuda Gerlitz,
head of the Beitar Illit council; Rabbi Avner Maatof, head of
Emanuel's council; Rabbi Avrohom Rosental, head of the Kiryat
Ye'arim (Telz-Stone) council; Rabbi Moshe Tawil, head of the
Rechasim council; Mr. Tzuriel Krispal, head of the Elad Mazor
council, and Rabbi Dovid Milgrom, head of the Ramat Chovav
council.
