It looks like the Haredi city of Harish will be built. That decision has been passed already and continues to be supported. Cities, though, do not just get built overnight. They require a lot of planning.
At a planning meeting of the region, under discussion was the allocation of land for a cemetery. An engineer of the local council stated her opposition, saying that there is no way they will allow the haredi residents of Harish to be buried next to them (i.e. the current dead residents of the area). She explained that it is illogical that people who do not serve in the army should be buried near a monument in memory of fallen soldiers (from the border patrol divisions). (source: Hamevaser via Kikar)
As an aside, I wonder if she would allow any haredim who did serve in the army to be buried there...
Obviously, such a discriminatory statement must be rejected.
On the other hand, I do not know why the haredim care so much (Hamevasser made a big deal out of it, and involved haredi councilmen to fight it) - haredim do not want to get buried near secular/irreligious/less religious people/mechalelei shabbos anyway. They have always wanted separate burial sections away from the general public, and whenever they can they work to that effect.
I guess I can say it is worth fighting over the principle of the discrimination. It will just look funny a few years down the road when they will have more clout and large enough numbers and they will want their own section for only the dead of the haredi community...
Since when have some Chareidim applied the same standards to themselves that they demand from others?
ReplyDeleteThey want "Chareidi-only" neighbourhoods but insist that they themselves can live anywhere they want.
They'd scream loudly if someone tried to put in a secular cemetery next to one of theirs but get upset when the seculars don't want them around.
And what would a Chareidi city look like? Separate neighbourhoods for men and women?
Cities, though, do not just get built overnight. They require a lot of planning.
ReplyDeleteYes, like forethought as to not placing ex-Mea Shearim residents in the middle of a mixed city, and making sure new building developments have proper infrastructure before letting kabblanim build tens of thousands of housing units.