By COLlive reporter
The municipality of Tel Aviv has announced that religious stands, including Chabad’s iconic Tefillin booths, are now illegal.
The new law stipulates that the city will not issue permits for “stands in general and prayer stands in particular” near educational institutions.
The required distance is 1000 feet from schools, kindergartens, community centers and “any other institution that primarily serves minors.”
Israel’s Channel 20 reported that the new legislation was written by Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Reuven Ladiansky, leader of the “Chai – Secular Greens” known for its anti-religious positions and activities.
An unexpected response to the decision came from the student union of the Ono Academic College, among Israel’s fastest-growing institutions of higher education located in Kiryat Ono, a city in the Tel Aviv District.
Elchanan Felhimar, Chairman of the student association, wrote a post on Facebook titled “Live and let live – action and talk.”
“Following the Tel Aviv Municipality’s decision to deny the possibility of placing tefillin booths near educational institutions, starting tomorrow as a sign of protest, the student union will place a permanent stand on the lawn offering Tefillin to whoever wants to put them on,” he wrote.
“While people are trying to exclude the Jewish people and its commandments, the Union will strengthen and give the right and ability to as many Jews as possible that wish to put on Tefillin.
Felhimar emphasized that “the Student Union is a pluralistic association that respects every person according to their religion and belief and allows all students – Arabs as Jews, haredim, religious and secular to live their lives without any restriction.”
Very very disgusting. The city should be ashamed. Especially in our Jewish land. Shame the city has to act this way……I’ll leave the rest up to you.
Só discusting , how can these people be so blind to the most inner beuty of Torah Umitzvot!!!!
Nevertheless, look at the beauty of these secular students’ response: this is the true “am keshei oref”–the stiffnecked stubbornness of our people for G-d–in the merit of which may we see Moshiach now!