A brief overview:
The pashkevil was put up by the residents of the Heftsiba neighborhood, also known as Kneh Bosem neighborhood named after Rav Meier Bransdorfer, and it complains about two specific actions of the workers of the "haredi" Abutbol (mayor of Bet Shemesh).
The first it complains about is them showing up one day and removing all the tzedaka boxes from the bus stops, packing them into the car and driving off. Luckily, as the car was leaving,some of the residents succeeded in saving the boxes to return to the owners.
The second is regarding a beit midrash in the neighborhood that regularly suffers from the electricity shutting off due to inadequate supply. They took the initiative and raised money to buy a very expensive thick electric cable to connect the shul's electricity up to a neighboring building which would provide them with a stronger supply. They even made sure to hang the cable at a height of over 7 meters, to avoid any possible problems, when all that is required is 4 meters of height. There was no reason at all to stop them from doing this.
Yet, lo and behold, the "haredi" Abutbol saw things differently and in his tricky smarts he sent his workers while the members were in the middle of shmoneh esrei, and they disconnected the local phones of the shul's gabboim for the duration of the work so nobody could call into the shul and let them know what was going on, who proceeded to cut the cable and remove it, taking it with them! Simple theft in broad daylight!
Even worse is that this cable was so expensive that avreichim paid for it out of money they already donn't have enough of, taking it from money they would have used to buy food, just to be able to sit and learn Torah without disturbances of the electricity being turned off, and in the winter to have some heating.
Legalized Theft!
Perhaps the best part of it is how it is dated: Day One of the Order of "Lavan Ha'Arami" - as if to say these are the actions of someone behaving like Lavan.
There was no reason at all to stop them from doing this.
ReplyDeleteAre there no zoning laws and regulations about and permits required to run a large electric line from one building to another in Bet Shemesh?
I find that very hard to believe!
the whole pashkevil is completely ridiculous.
ReplyDelete"They took the initiative and raised money to buy a very expensive thick electric cable to connect the shul's electricity up to a neighboring building" as stated in the Pashkevil, means that they were illegally getting electricity from another building rather than setting up their own electricity meter through the Electric Company and paying their own bill.
ReplyDeleteThey may not have been stealing from the other building if they were repaying the residents of that building for their share of the electricity, but they were clearly doing something which the authorities have every justification to prevent, since it also presents hazards to the public!
As Rafi G. stated: The whole Pashkevil is completely ridiculous.
So where does the 4 meter height come from - seems to be the leg they're trying to stand on to say it was legal.
ReplyDeleteI thought they were going to blast the move to close all the stores-in-machsanim there, since there is no commercial zoning in any part of Cheftziba. (After all charedim don't need commercial zoning since they have no business working of course.)
they arent saying its legal because its higher than the standard 4 meters, they are saying it is safe.
ReplyDeleteOf course they were shocked and awed at the iriya's unprovoked aggression. In our town you can build and operate an entire school on public land, without any municipal reaction - even when you start trashing the legal school across the street. Kal vaChomer a few pushkeh's and an extension cable should be fine.
ReplyDelete