In Jerusalem Secular And Haredi Prefer To Live Apart

It seems the idea of different communities living near each other creating a diverse community is rare in Israel. People seem to like to live with their own, and not have to worry about other communities and their needs with a little give and take.

According to reports, a haredi city councilman in Jerusalem has suggested establishing a new neighborhood in Jerusalem for the haredi community. Such a plan would make a very nice dent  and go a decent way to solving some of the housing crisis in Jerusalem.

Surprisingly, the leaders of the secular communities in Israel are supportive of the plan, and want it moved along. The head of the community in Kiryat HaYovel, one of the locations where haredim have been trying to buy houses and move in, changing the dynamics of the neighborhood and creating a serious conflict as the secular try to oppose the changes to the neighborhood, has said that "it is time the haredim leave us alone and allow us to live in our own neighborhoods without religious coercion."  (source: Kikar)

On the one hand it is a shame that people cannot find ways to live with other people of different backgrounds and lifestyles, and that everyone wants to remain so insular. On the other hand, at least they are beginning to recognize that and therefore encourage further construction rather than find ways to thwart it.