A rally was held in Tsefas two weeks ago to protest an
Absorption Committee plan to place non-Jewish immigrants in
the city's completely chareidi Me'or Chaim neighborhood, as
well as in the religious Tzahal neighborhood.
A letter sent by neighborhood representatives to Absorption
Minister Yuli Tamir stressed that these Christian immigrants
have no place in a religious-chareidi neighborhood, and that
such a step would result in serious conflict.
The protest rally was held on Thursday, Nisan 29, in a
building intended for the immigrants. Residents stressed that
by dint of a 1996 government decision, this particular
building had been slated for religious residents in need of
housing. According to the decision, the entire building was
slated for local residents and it was stipulated that its
future residents would be religious.
The residents protest that the new plan to give non-Jews
apartments in their neighborhood was deliberate, totally
ignores past promises as well as offends religious families
already residing in the building. The neighborhood committee
organized the protest rally at the request of rabbonim and
local residents. The rally was attended by about 200
residents.
The letter sent to the Absorption Committee states that the
residents have nothing against the immigrants who are
supposed to move in except for the fact that they do not fit
in with the neighborhood. Residents stress that they have
learned from reliable sources that these are churchgoing
Christian immigrants who surely have no place in a religious
neighborhood.
"Neighborhood housing problems are quite serious and there
are many religious people who want to live here. It is
therefore quite paradoxical that you have chosen to settle
non-Jewish residents in the neighborhood, ignoring the 1996
governmental decision," stress the residents, adding that
they will continue to hold protest rallies until the building
is made available to religious residents.
Residents plan to organize a protest rally in front of the
Absorption Ministry in Jerusalem if the problem is not
addressed. Representatives of the religious community in the
Tsefas City Council were among the participants in the
rally.
