Incitement at Kiryat Shmonah: "Hareidim are taking over"

Secular factors in Kiryat Shmona have started an incitement campaign against Hareidim, according to a report by the Ma'ariv newspaper, with the claim that their city is becoming too Hareidi.

What has evoked their rage is that on Monday evening second Hakafos which are organized each year in the Tzahal Square in the city, took place. But in contrast to previous years, this time the organizers decided to put up a jute Mechitza which will separate between men and women. The separation angered some of the residents who claimed that the city "is getting too Hareidi".

"Each year second Hakofos take place here, and men and women have always celebrated separately," a member of the city council, Yigal Buzaglo complained to Ma'ariv. "There was no need to put up a Mechitza in the middle of the square, which caused uncomfortable feelings for some of the public, such as mothers and sisters who came to celebrate together with their husbands and sons.

"For many years the status quo has been kept in Kiryat Shmona between the religious and secular," he added. "The character of the city is not religious, and the religious and secular live here together in harmony without separation between men and women."

The mayor, Harav Nissim Malka, responded that his years of term have proved that the fears of the city becoming Hareidi have been disproven.

According to him, "the municipality of Kirtyat Shmona indeed takes part in producing the event of the Hakofos, but the one who leads it is the religious council".

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!