The mikva fight in RBS that came to air over the past few days is one of those volatile tinder boxes that could destroy the seemingly peaceful atmosphere that generally prevails in the neighborhood.
For those not from RBS who don't know what is going on, an email was sent to the local neighborhood email list mentioning that the haredim are trying to take control of the Dolev Mikva, and also mentioned a number of problems already on the haredi half of the split mikva that will be exacerbated if they are allowed to take over and control the whole mikva. The writer asked that women call the mayor to complain, and by doing so help to thwart the takeover.
A response to that email was sent in the name of a rav who said the contents of the email were not true, for more information be in touch privately.
After that a number of other people wrote to the list each stating their perception of the problem with the mikva takeover bid.
Here is the background as I understand it. There was originally one mikva built in the neighborhood. That one mikva also had a fight at the time over who would control it, and control was split between the general community, headed by the "moetza ha'datit" - religious council responsible for mikvas and eruvs and other religious services, and the second half, dubbed the "mehudar mikva" for some reason (strange since they were built together, so the hiddur was really just in having haredi "balaniot") controlled by the local Haredi rabbonim.
And peace reigned. For the most part. Over the years there were problems and little fights. but overall, peace reigned.
Then the city built a second mikva - the Dolev Mikva. Again, control was split by the Moetza HaDatit controlling the "left side" and the local Haredi rabbonim controlling the right side.
And peace reigned supreme.
At that point, the original mikva, which was always considered problmeatic and poorly contructed and designed, was closed for repairs. It remained closed for a long time, and is still closed, rendering the Dolev Mikva to be the only mikva in the neighborhood.
And then the Mikva was politicized. It was used in a deal negotiated on behalf of coalition stability. It was used in horsetrading - the Dati Leumi representative agreed that the DL community (i.e. the Moetza Datit) would control the Lachish Mikva when it would reopen, and the Haredim would eventually take over the Dolev Mikva. This was in exchange for a guarantee that the Dati Leumi would retain control over the Moetza HaDatit and their guy, Ben-Margi, would be left in charge of the Council and not be replaced.
And peace reigned supreme.
And then RBS G came to a vote. The DL reps voted against, and the mayor tossed them out of the council coalition. And then, ripped up the agreement to keep Ben-Margi in his position, and instead replaced him with a Shas guy, Yehuda Medzizda.
Despite the fact that that half of the agreement was deemed null and void because B'Yachad was no longer part of the coalition, the second half of the agreement, the part about the mikvas, is still on the slate for being implemented.
So now, as the Ashkenazy Haredi rabbonim are pressuring Abutbol to come through and implement the original agreement, the DL community is upset that they are getting short shifted. They lost the Moetza HaDatit, and they are losing the mikva.
On the one hand, by law the mayor has no say in this. And it is political interference for him to influence religious services with political bartering. And the Moetza HaDatit, by law, is the only body authorized to provide these services, and no private party can control a city religious service. Build a private mikva/ No problem. But not a city mikva.
On the other hand, the DL rep, ostensibly with the, perhaps tacit, authorization of the community they represent - isn't that the definition of appointing a leader to represent the community? that they have the right to speak on behalf of the community because they seemingly know what the community wants and what is in its best interests? - was willing to give up the Dolev Mikva and take only the Lachish Mikva, despite knowing that it is a lousy mikva.
So, if they were willing to take the Lachish Mikva then, and give up the Dolev Mikva, why complain about it now?
I understand complaining about the agreement being only partially implemented, to the detriment of the DL community. But complaining about the details of the Dolev Mikva and the way it is run and what might happen if it is taken over by the Haredim, that is something they were ok with until now, and only because they lost the Moetza HaDatit are they upset about this. It seems a bit disingenuous of them.
There are issues about the way the mikva is run, and I know some of the issues were resolved over the past few days as the rabbonim were approached and told what the facts on the ground are about how the balaniot deal with certain situations, but that is really just putting out fires and not really indicative of running the mikva with reason.
Of course, the issue of the law remains, and it remains a question how the mikva could be bartered when the law says it has to be in the hands of the Moetza HaDatit. Perhaps it is simply a matter of being willing to just look away on behalf of communal peace (assuming it was under agreement), but this is one avenue that can be pursued.
Another issue is that Mayor Moshe Abutbol has refused to meet with the DL representatives to discuss possible solutions. He is supposedly coming under heavy pressure by the Ashkenazy rabbonim and askanim to transfer control of the Dolev Mikva, and does not seem, as usual, to be able to stand up to them.
I don't understand why this is an issue right now, as the Lachish Mikva is still not open. Perhaps it is goign to open very soon. I don't know. But even if the original agreement is goign to be upheld, fairly or unfairly, it should not be done so before the Lachish Mikva is reopened.
Also, the agreement is not really logical, as Dolev is really the higher concentration of the Masorati and Dati community, while Lachish is more of a concentration of the Haredi community. So the control is being given in a backwards way. Except for the fact that Dolev is a better constructed mikva, so even though it doesnt make much sense based on location, that is the one everybody prefers.
The DL and Sefardi communities are trying to apply pressure back on Abutbol by enlisting Rav Ovadia Yosef. Abutbol is listening to the Ashkenazim, and perhaps getting Rav Ovadiah to state his opinion on the matter, about how sefardi women are being forced to dip in ways that do not conform with Sefardi halacha (lchatchila at least), that might apply opposing pressure on Abutbol to rethink the matter.
So, I think the DL argument, except on specific "how the women are treated and checked" issue, which I dont want to get into, is disingenuous, because they were willing to give up Dolev and are protesting it now because they are now losing everything. At the same time, if the first half of the agreement was nulled out and voided, the second half should be as well. Along with the law. Along with the question of whether the mikva, and other religious, services should be part of political barter at all.
One thing I don't understand is why the current arrangement cannot remain in place. Why not let the mikva remain split in half, if that has allowed peace to reign until now, and let the Haredim control the right half and the DL control the left half. Why is there a need to take over the whole mikva? This is something I don't understand.
One more thing, the numbers supposedly are clear that almost 2/3 of the women using the Dolev mikva (again, for the past year at least, the only mikva in the neighborhood) are using the DL side. They know this based on the payments collected on both sides. While the Haredi side might be more crowded in general, that is probably because the balaniot are taking upwards of 15-20 minutes to check each woman, thus causing a long line to form, while on the DL side they are moving women along at a brisker pace.
My recommendation, worthless as it is, is to allow us all to continue living peacefully together, and allow the current arrangements to continue with the mikva split in half, allowing women to continue using whichever side they want (even though this solution is not ideal).
The following letter (translation after the original Hebrew) is written by Rav Nir Vargon, Rav of the Ramat Shalom shul and community.
שערוריות הפוליטיזציה של שירותי הדת בבית שמש/ ניר ורגון
נפתח בחידה: מי צריך לפקח על מקווה של המועצה הדתית אשר בנייתו והוצאותיו השוטפות ממומנים מכספיה של המועצה הדתית, ואשר שני שליש מהטובלות בו מעוניינות בפיקוח של המועצה הדתית אבל מצד שני לחרדים האשכנזים יש כוח חזק במועצת העיר? אם עניתם שהמועצה הדתית צריכה לפקח, תשובתכם נכונה לכל מקום בעולם, חוץ מבית שמש.
ברמת בית שמש א' ברחוב נחל דולב, ישנו מקווה חדש יחסית, שנבנה מכספי המועצה הדתית והוצאותיו השוטפות מקופת המועצה הדתית.
לאחר הבחירות בהם התחזק הציבור החרדי האשכנזי באופן משמעותי, החליטו הרבנים החרדים האשכנזים שיש לתרגם את הכוח הפוליטי לשליטה על המקווה, והחתימו את ראש העיר החדש מר משה אבוטבול על הסכם קואליציוני (להלן "ההסכם הידוע לשמצה"), שלפיו המקווה בדולב יעבור לשליטה חרדית אשכנזית מלאה, ונשים שאינם מעוניינות בבדיקות הקפדניות והמתמשכות הנהוגות אצלם ולקבל את פסקיהם המחמירים, ייאלצו ללכת למקווה ישן יותר, קטן יותר, ומרוחק יותר בנחל לכיש.
כמובן יש לציין שהסכם ידוע לשמצה זה, לא עבר את מליאת המועצה הדתית והוא נחתם על ידי ראש העיר בטרם נכנס לתפקידו באופן רשמי, כך שאין לו שום תוקף רשמי.
הסכם זה לא יושם מיד, כיוון שהמקווה בלכיש נכנס להליך של שיפוצים. בינתיים הוסכם שהמקווה בדולב יחולק לשנים. אגף רגיל בהשגחת המועצה הדתית, ואגף חרדי שלמרות היותו ממומן על ידי המועצה הדתית, הפיקוח בו הוא של הרב דודוביץ' ושות' חברי עמותת "מים טהורים" החרדית האשכנזית. באגף זה הבדיקות קפדניות ביותר באופן שאינו מחוייב על פי עיקר הדין, ובכל שאלה הלכתית פונים אך ורק לרב דוידוביץ' ושות', שאינם ידועים כמקילים דגולים. הסיבה לפיצול היא שבעיני הרב דודוביץ' ושות', הרב ביטון רב העיר והרב ספקטור האחראי על המקוואות אינם נחשבים רבנים. יש לציין שהסדר זה רחוק מלהיות כשר למהדרין מבחינה חוקית.
מנתוני התשלום למקווה בהסדר הזה עולה, שרק כשליש מהטובלות משתמשות בחצי החרדי האשכנזי, ואילו שני שליש מהטובלות משתמשות בחצי שבפיקוח של המועצה הדתית.
בעקבות הדחתו של ראש המועצה הדתית מהמפד"ל והחלפתו באיש ש"ס יהודה מדזדה, החליטו הרבנים החרדים האשכנזים שהגיע העת לקבל שליטה על כל המקוואות, גם בלכיש וגם בדולב בניגוד להסכם הידוע לשמצה. בעקבות פעילות נמרצת של רבני רמת בית שמש ונציגות הנשים יוזמה זו נבלמה. אך ראש העיר בליווי הרב דוידוביץ', נציג הרבנים החרדים האשכנזים, כפה על רב העיר הרב ביטון את יישום ההסכם הידוע לשמצה בפגישה שבה הושמץ הרב ספקטור ולא הורשה להשתתף.
כל מאמציהם של רבני הקהילות ברמת בית שמש א', ונציגות נשי רמת בית שמש א' להיפגש עם ראש העיר ולהניאו מההחלטה, עלו בתוהו. לראש העיר אין זמן להיפגש עם נציגי הציבור ברמת בית שמש א' אלא רק עם הרב דוידוביץ', נציג החרדים האשכנזים.
מדוע אני מכנה הסכם זה הסכם הידוע לשמצה?
מפני שמועצה דתית מקומית אמורה לספק שירותי דת בהתאם לצורכי הציבור ולא בהתאם לכוח פוליטי והסכם קואליציוני.
האם יעלה על הדעת שחרדים אשכנזים יקבלו מים נקיים וזולים יותר, גז מהיר וזול יותר רק מפני שהם זכו בבחירות?
האם יעלה על הדעת שעירייה תנהל מדיניות, על פי הסכמים שנחתמו בחדרי חדרים, בלי לעבור את מועצת העיר?
האם יעלה על הדעת שראש העיר יכתיב לרב העיר ולראש המועצה הדתית כיצד לנהל את המקוואות, ולמעשה יפקיע מסמכותם את ניהול המקוואות?
האם יעלה על הדעת שראש העיר פוגע בשני שליש מציבור הנשים ברמת בית שמש א', מבלי שהוא מוכן אפילו להיפגש איתם ועם רבניהם?
בכינוס חירום של "וועד הפעולה למען השוויון בשירותי הדת", שהתקיים במוצאי שבת ד' אייר הוחלט שלא יעלה על הדעת. אנחנו יוצאים למאבק לשימור המצב בו כל קבוצה תקבל מקווה לפי צרכיה. בוועד הפעולה שותפים רבני רמת בית שמש א' הרב יוסף אדרי – 'משכן אברהם ומאיר', הרב שי נפתלי – 'בית הכנסת הספרדי רמת שילה',הרב בועז מורי – ראש ישיבת 'לב התורה', הרב יצחק עמיאור –בית הכנסת הספרדי 'אור ברמה', הרב רפאל רונס – 'בן צבי', הרב ניר ורגון – 'רמת שלום', הרב דניאל דרייר – 'נחלי תפילה', הרב חיים סולובייצ'יק –'אור שלום', הרב דניאל מאיירס – 'מנורת המאור' הרב איתיאל אריאל –'המרכזי האשכנזי', הרב מנחם קופרמן –'אהבת ציון', הרב זאב רונס – 'רמת שילה', ונציגות הנשים , ועוד נציגי ציבור.
אל תטעו, לא מדובר כאן על מאבק על מקוואות ברמת בית שמש א', אלא על צביונה של בית שמש כולה, ואולי גם על צביונה של המדינה כולה. מדוע?
האוכלוסיה החרדית האשכנזית מתרבה בכל המדינה, לא רק בבית שמש, ועיני איננה צרה בכך. אנו שמחים על כל תינוק יהודי שנולד תמיד, על אחת כמה וכמה במצבנו הדמוגרפי היום. אבל המשמעות של תהליך זה היא, שבשנים הקרובות האוכלוסיה החרדית האשכנזית תטפוס יותר ויותר עמדות שליטה בשילטון המקומי והארצי. אם לא נאבק על זכויותינו מול הכוח הפוליטי החרדי האשכנזי, אם לא נרגיל את הפוליטיקאים החרדים האשכנזים שהם חייבים להתחשב ולדאוג לצרכיהם של מי שאינו כמותם, מדינת ישראל תהפוך להיות מקום שקשה מאוד לחיות בו.
אבל אם נאבק ונצליח, אזי יש תקווה לחיים של אחווה שלום ורעות בין כל השבטים והעדות בישראל.
הכותב הוא רב בית הכנסת "רמת שלום" ברמת בית שמש א'
בשם וועד הפעולה למען השוויון בשירותי הדת
(my translation)
The Scandal of the Politicization of the Religious Services in Bet Shemesh, by Nir Vargon
We will start with a riddle: Who needs to supervise over the mikva of the Moetza HaDatit that was built and paid for by funding from the Moetza HaDatit, and where 2/3 of the women dipping in it are interested in the supervision by the MOetza HaDatit, yet from the other side, the Ashkenazy Haredim have a lot of power in the City Council?
If you answered that the Moetza HaDatit needs to be doign the supervision, your answer would be right everywhere in the world, except in Bet Shemesh.
In RBS A on Nahal Dolev there is a fairly new mikva, that was built with Moetza HaDatit funds, and is maintained from the Moetza HaDatit funds.
After the last elections, in which the Ashkenazy Haredi community was considerably strengthened, the Ashkenazi Haredi rabbonim decided to convert their political strength to cotrol over the mikva, and they signed an agreement with the new mayor, Moshe Abutbol, on a coalition agreement, in which it was agreed that the mikva of Nahal Dolev would be transferred to complete control by the Ashkenazy Haredim, and women not interested in the rigorous and lengthy inspections as is common by them, and not interested in using their stringent halachic decisions, can go to the older, smaller, mikva that is firther away on Nahal Lachish.
Of course, it should be stated, the agreement never passed the plenum of the Moetza HaDatit and was signed by the mayor before he officially took office, and therefore has no official validity.
The agreement was not implemented right away, as the mikva on Nahal Lachish was undergoing renovations. in the meantime, it was agreed that the Dolev Mikva would be split in two. The "regular" wing under the supervision of the Moetza HaDatit, and the "Haredi" wing despite being funded by the Moetza HaDatit. The supervision of Rav Davidovitz and partners as members of the Haredi Ashkenazy amuta "Mayim Tehorim". In this wing the inspections are extremely strict in a way that is not obligatory according to the halacha, and any question that arises, the question is directed only to Rav Davidovitz and his amuta partners, who are not known as great "meikilim". The reason for the split is because in the eyes of Rav Davidovitz and partners, Rav Biton, the rav of Bet Shemesh, and Rav Spektor, the rav responsible for the city mikvas, are not considered rabbonim. It should be noted that this arrangement is far from being "kosher l'mehadrin" according to the law.
From analyzing the mikva payments under the current arrangements, it turns out that only 1/3 of the women dipping are using the "Haredi side", while 2/3 of the women dipping are using the side supervised by the Moetza HaDatit.
In the wake of the Head of the Moetza HaDatit from the Mafdal party being pushed out, and being replaced by Yehuda Medzida of Shas, the Ashkenazi Haredi rabbonim have decided that the time has come to take control over all the mikvas., on Lachish and on Dolev, against even the notorious agreement.
Due to furious activity by the rabbonim of RBS, and female representatives, this was thwarted. But the mayor, with Rav Davidovitz, the representative of the Ashkenazi Haredi rabbonim, forced upon the rav of the city Rav Biton the agreement and its implementation in a meeting in which Rav Spektor was vilified and was not allowed to participate in.
All efforts of the community rabbonim of RBS A, and the female representatives of RBS A, to meet with the mayor and to try to convince him to reverse his decision, have failed. The mayor doesn't have the time to meet with the community representatives of RBS A, but only with Rav Davidovitz, the rep of the Ashkenazi Haredim.
Why do I call the agreement "notorious"?
Because the local Moetza HaDatit is supposed to provide religious services in accordance with the needs of the community, and not based on political power and coalition agreements.
Is it conceivable that Ashkenazi Haredim should get cleaner and cheaper water, more efficient and cheaper gas, just because they won elections?
Is it conceivable that the City Council should direct a policy, according to agreements signed in back rooms, without passing them through the City Council?
Is it conceivable that the mayor should dictate to the rav of the city and the head of the Moetza HaDatit how to manage the mikvas, thereby taking away their authority in managing the mikvas?
Is it conceivable that the mayor would offend 2/3 of the women of RBS A, without even being willing to meet with them and with their rabbonim?
In an emergency meeting of the "Action Committee for Equality in Religious Services", that met on Motzei Shabbos, 4 Iyyar, it was decided that this is not conceivable. We are going to fight to maintain the status of every group having a mikva that meets its needs.
The Action Committee is made up of the following rabbonim of RBS A: Rav Yosef Edri, rav of Mishkan Avraham u'Meir; Rav Shai Naftali - Bet Knesset Sfardi Ramat Shilo; Rav Boaz Mori - Rosh Yeshivat Lev HaTorah; Rav Yitzchak Amior - Sfardi Bet Knesset Ohr B'Rama; Rav Raphael Ronnes - Ben Zvi; Rav Nir Vargon - Ramat Shalom; Rav Daniel Dryer - Nachalei Tefilla; Rav Chaim Soloveitchik - Ohr Shalom; Rav Daniel Myers - Menorat HaMaor; Rav Itiel Ariel - Central Ashkenazi; Rav Menachem Dopperman - Ahavat Tzion; Rav Zev Ronnes - Ramat Shilo, along with female representatives and other community leaders.
Don't be mistaken, We are not talking about a fight for the mikvas of RBS, rather over the character of RBS in general, and perhaps the character of the whole State.
The Ashkenazi Haredi community is growing all over the country, not just in Bet Shemesh, and I am not opposed to that. I am overjoyed for the birth of every jewish child, always, and especially in our current demographic situation. But the ramifications of this process is that in the coming years the Ashkenazi Haredi community will take more and more leadership positions, in local and national government. if we do not fight for our rights against the political power of the Ashkenazi Haredim, if we don't train the Ashkenazi Haredi politicians that they need to be considerate and concerned for the needs of others, the State will become a place in which it will be very difficult to live.
But we will fight and we will succeed, and there is hope for the ability to live in peace and harmony between all the tribes and ethnicities in the nation.
The author is the rav of Ramat Shalom in RBS A
In the name of the Action Committee for the Equality of Religious Services
I am actually very surprised by this, as I know Rav Davidovitz personally and he is not an extremist, and he is not a big machmir especially in inyanei taharas hamishpacha. For him to be running a "takeover" or a "land grab" just to be in control is not like him at all, so I don't understand the motives behind it.
Again, my recommendation, worthless as it is, is to allow us all to continue living peacefully together, and allow the current arrangements to continue with the mikva split in half, allowing women to continue using whichever side they want (even though this solution is not ideal).
Please follow two rules when commenting on this:
- if you are going to comment on any wording of the letter, please only comment on the Hebrew version. The English version is my translation and perhaps I used words that are not accurate and whose meaning was not intended by the original author.
- Please keep comments on topic and respectful. Preferably trying to find solutions to the problem.
Feel free to correct anything I wrote if you have better information, a better or more accurate understanding of the situation or if I made any mistakes or inaccuracies.
