JERUSALEM (VINnews) — As Jerusalem’s light rail project continues to progress through chareidi neighborhoods, opposition to the project has grown more vociferous and more violent. In the last week, there have been repeated acts of vandalism and destruction of municipal property on Bar Ilan street, the central thoroughfare which the train is slated to traverse.
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On Motzaei Shabbat, vandals torched six new electric light poles on the street. Later in the week, a tractor was torched, causing an estimated 400,000 NIS in damage. The tractor was supposedly being guarded by municipal inspectors who were apparently asleep when it was torched. The next night a similar incident occurred, causing another 350,000 NIS worth of damage to a municipal tractor.
י-ם: רחוב בר אילן. קיצונים הציתו מספר עמודי חשמל בציר העבודות של הרכבת הקלה. pic.twitter.com/QfGaxhAIp1
— חדשות המוקד (@hamoked_il) December 3, 2022
On the same night a huge protest demonstration took place on Bar Ilan street against the light rail project, sponsored both by the Eda Chareidis and by a group associated with the Jerusalem Faction founded by Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach. Demonstrators closed the road and clashed with police, chanting slogans against police. Mounted police arrived and assisted in dispersing the crowds.
Thousands of Meah Shearim residents are utilizing judicial options to oppose the light rail route, which is slated to have three underground stations below the neighborhood. According to the Kalkalist newspaper, 4000 residents submitted opposition to the planned route, claiming that “building underground stations will destroy the unique atmosphere and ambience of the neighborhood
“The stations will disrupt the activity of the light railand will cause discomfort to all of the users. They will also attract unwanted elements, including derelicts and criminals.”
The very next article is titled, “The Growing Hate And What Can Be Done.”
How about learning to live together with people with whom you don’t agree on everything?
When did Chareidim get into the habit of destructive demonstrations? You get the feeling they’re always looking for something to riot about. Agreed they are a small subset but more like hooligans than shomrei mitzvos.
Not exactly Torahdik behavior. Probably explains the Shidduch Crisis.
The government and police are complicit by letting them get away with rioting , just like in New York and Seattle during summer of Floyd protests .
Someone please remind me!
Did I not read the the residents of Benai Brak are demanding the government also build a light rail there? Is it so they can do the same?
“The unique ambiance and atmosphere” of a ghetto slum? Buses were also attacked: Now, there is no bus service. Stores and banks have closed, and empty store fronts abound. Over-crowded slums cause anti-social behaviour: What does the new Minister of Housing plan to do about this?
I remember protests on the building of the Ramot road that divided Ezrat Torah and Sanhedrian. The protesters were going crazy.
We asked Rav Schienberg OL”H whether we should go. He did not seem too impressed with the whole thing but said, if you go, stay far away from the protestors and violence.
Since then I have seen so many protests, and they do NOTHING to stop the city planners.But the bochurim have a good time and feel good about themselves.Is that what it is about?
I agree violence isn’t a good thing. at the same time the government just to spite chareidim keeps trying to edge into their neighborhood. not because the non chareidim want to live there or anything. just to spite the chareidim. the chareidim tried voting, reasoning, protesting but the govt continues to ignore the charedeim i don’t see the govt trying to impose charedism in non chareidi areas (not halachic values rather social values) i don’t see them closing streets for shabbos in tel aviv. so why open streets in geula?
The aruch hashulchan was against the new invention of trains called “der ban” in 1840. Can’t believe we’d still fight those old settled battles