Secularists fight Charedi housing plan

Occupancy of the 4-5 room flats, which should begin three years from now, is expected to impact on Kiryat Yovel’s streets, which have become increasingly mixed. On Zangwill Street, female teenagers dressed in shorts walked back from school on Monday besides yeshivah students in black suits. A billboard advertising succahs that are “the easiest in the world to assemble” stood by one calling on secular residents to “rally for a free Jerusalem”.

Most of the new apartments will house people from Bayit Vagan, where there is a severe housing shortage. Arye Holzer, a Charedi lawyer who submitted the bid, said that a commercial area will also be built.

“I don’t think there will be friction” between Bayit Vagan and Kiryat Yovel because of the project, he said.

But secular Kiryat Yovel residents are worried about having more than 1,000 new Charedi neighbours.

“Already on shabbat, Charedim they walk in the middle of the street,” said Judith Sudilovsky, a journalist who lives locally. “It’s their way of doing things: not to take into consideration that this is not a religious neighbourhood and that people drive here. This project is at the entrance to the neighbourhood and you wonder how long they will let us drive in and out there. How long will it be until they close it? It’s like being imprisoned in your own neighbourhood.”

A religious immigrant from the UK, who asked not to be identified, said she blamed both sides for the tension.

“There are religious people here who deliberately antagonise and secular people who do the same. You can’t have an argument without two sides.”