Parents in Jerusalem neighborhood protest barrier built between secular and religious kindergartens, say 'we must learn to get along'. Haredi contractor: Religious kid can't see teacher in a tank top
Parents in Jerusalem rallied on Sunday morning against the haredi separation barrier built between secular and religious kindergartens.
The parents of children who attend Pashosh kindergarten in Kiryat Hayovel protested against the separation fence established between the secular kindergarten and the haredi kindergarten Etz Hadaat next door.
Protesters carried signs saying: "We can manage without the fence", "Similar or different – still neighbors." They criticized the Jerusalem city council for its decision to build the fence last week. Until then, the two kindergartens shared a joint yard and the secular where haredi kids played together.
Esti Kirmaier, a mother of a little girl at the secular kindergarten, told Ynet: "We must find other sane solutions that don't harm our kids. We share a neighborhood and we must learn to get along. The haredi parents, who requested the city council to build a fence, told us they don't want their children to learn how to swear or be exposed to kids who don't wear skullcaps."
A religious mother whose girl attends the secular kindergarten as well, added: "It's very ugly. I am disgusted by the fence. God is about connection - not disconnections or separation."
It appears some haredi parents are also not pleased with the barrier. Shifra Pereg, a mother of a girl who attends the haredi kindergarten, said: "The fence is very disturbing. It's not clear to me why this separation is necessary."
A haredi father added: "The city council didn't ask anyone about it. It's a grave error, idiotic. Everyone can live their lives without disturbing the other."
The construction of the fence continued Sunday morning. The haredi contractor hired to build it explained the decision: "A young kid studying Torah cannot see the kindergarten teacher in a tank top."
The Jerusalem Municipality responded last Friday by saying: "Due to lack of structures for kindergartens in Kiryat Hayovel, and in order to fulfill the needs of all the students in the area, secular and haredi alike, the city council committee decided to separate the existing building to serve both haredi and secular kindergartens. The fence was built because of a larger outlook, providing the needs of the entire community."
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