Jerusalem – Modi’in and Modi’in Illit Mayors Engage in a War of Words Over National Heritage Site

Jerusalem – A war of words has erupted between Modi’in Mayor Haim Bibas and Modi’in Illit Mayor Yaakov Gutterman following Mayor Gutterman’s statement to Yated Neeman that an archeological site called Khirbet Bad-Issa in Modi’in Illit will only be open to ultra-Orthodox visitors.

According to Haaretz (http://bit.ly/SPc4Oe), the site is a village dating back to the Second Temple era. The location was declared a national heritage site in 2011 by the Israeli government. Per the government’s announcement, the site was only intended for ultra-Orthodox visitors.

Gutterman has said that the site “will operate according to the doctrines of our forefathers, according to the Jewish historical sources presented by the Bible, the Gemara and ancient Jewish sages only. The site will be open only to the ultra-Orthodox public, which will keep it a proper place for them to visit and connect to their Jewish roots, without the distortions and disruptions of other places, where there is fear of hearing false opinions.”

But Bibas denounced Gutterman’s comments in a letter to the Mod’in Illit mayor, saying, “National heritage sites are places central to the history of the Jewish people and should be open to everyone, whatever their worldview or religious affiliation may be.”

He continued, “As you know, two years ago, we inaugurated the Aneba Park in Modi’in – the city’s central park. Since it opened, thousands of Modi’in Ilit-Kiryat Sefer residents have visited it, since your city doesn’t provide adequate family recreation facilities. Up to now, I have refrained from discriminating between ultra-Orthodox and secular visitors, despite the multitude of petitions by Modi’in residents complaining that the park is being taken from them.”
Bibas concluded his letter by threatening to prohibit ultra-Orthodox Jews from accessing the park unless Gutterman’s city allows secular visitors to the national heritage site.