Modi'in residents try to keep away ultra-Orthodox with fee to public park
The park, near the center of the city, features grassy areas, a lake with paddleboating, a large playground and is currently open to all, with no parking or entrance fees.
By Gili Cohen Tags: Orthodox JewsModi'in residents want the municipality to institute an entrance fee to the city's Park Anabe, which they think may stem the flow of ultra-Orthodox from surrounding towns to the popular park.
The park, near the center of the city, features grassy areas, a lake with paddleboating, a large playground and is open to all, with no parking or entrance fees. Since opening last year it has becoming a popular idyll for city residents and outsiders, including ultra-Orthodox residents of nearby Modi'in Ilit.
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Girls celebrating a birthday in Modi’in. |
| Photo by: Gil Cohen Magen |
Recently, a Facebook page was started by residents calling for a fee. Last week, online forums serving the city became populated with calls for the park to be cleaned up and a debate over the institution of a fee for outsiders, eventually sparking a petition.
"If someone wants to enjoy the facilities, they are welcome, but it is appropriate that they pay!" the petition reads. "There is an absurdity in Modi'in where the citizens no longer visit the site because it is overcrowded and dirty. This must be brought to an end."
As of yesterday the online petition had garnered 60 signatures.
Avi Elbaz, a former city council member active in the Free Modi'in NGO, wants the city to maintain a secular character. He says that "there is an awakening here, and I have also experienced it. [At the park], every night there is a celebration of hundreds of Haredi families coming here. They come in masses, with organized transportation from all over."
Elbaz says those who take the most from the park are outsiders.
"The citizens of [Modi'in] paid with their taxes for the construction of the park, while those who mostly enjoy the use of the park are outsiders, and it does not really matter if they are Haredim or others," Elbaz said. "Some of the city residents avoid going to the park because of the crowding with the Haredi families which come there in droves. They leave a lot of trash behind them, disorder and dirt. They do not clean and do not upkeep the place, and do not pay for the payments made by the municipality each month for cleaning the place and upkeep."
A quick visit to the park revealed that indeed, the place is crowded in the summer. People are there from nearby Modi'in Ilit, Ramat Beit Shemesh and other areas.
Charging for a park would run counter to a 2007 decision that parks cannot charge fees. That year the the Knesset Internal Affairs and Environment Committee rejected an Interior Ministry proposal to alter the rules governing entrance fees for parks following a legal challenge to the Ra'anana park's practice of charging an entrance fee. Following the decision, Ra'anana instead began charging non-residents for parking near the park, an idea that some in Modi'in would like to see in their city as well.
The municipality admits that the situation is problematic, saying they can't restrict entry, but cleanup and maintenance in the summer is costly. But they say residents need not fear the Haredization of the city.
"We do not advertise the park too much," a municipality source said. "It is convenient that it is known only to the local residents and those of nearby communities. However, some of the residents are experiencing a genuine phobia against Haredim, especially those who fled Jerusalem, and now fear that they will have to flee the turning of Modi'in into a Haredi town. This is not the case."
In its official response the municipality said that the park sees thousands of visitors daily and is well-maintained. But they added charging for parking is not an option. "The municipality has set up three parking areas, with the cooperation of Israel Railroads nearby, and we have no intention of limiting parking or charging a fee for it," the city said.
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Why do people communicate today through petition and litigation? How about a different approach through dialogue with the leaders of the charedim and a discussion of what is fair? When people dialogue properly, they end up viewing things differently. Use arbitrators and mediators, or go back to the old model of the village elders, instead of violent discourse.
The park is better maintained now. End of the story. This has nothing to do with Haredim. Full stop.
I live in Long Island New York and each town's sub village has its own parks. The parks are supported by the taxes paid by residents of the village and access is limmited to them. Quests are allowed but only when accompanied by a resident and after paying an guest fee. This type of system may help the situation in Modi'in. The intention of Israel was for Jews who survived Hitler's wrath to live in peace. Hitler didn't differentiate between Jews with long beards and black hats and those with tatoos. All went into the ovens. Its sad that there is so much anamocity between us just 60 years later. Also, we were in Eilat a few weeks ago and regular Israelis were throwing their cigarette boxes and soda bottles on the beach. We picked us the gargage around us and placed it in the proper bins. So its not just the relegious that don't clean up after them selves. This is an Israeli behavior.
but against 'ultra-orthodox' the hypocritical left talks about the right to 'breath fresh air.' you HYPOCRITES don't even believe in YOUR OWN supposed-values.
For several years my two oldest kids have worked at the Jerusalem Zoo picking up trash during school vacations. According to them, every group has this problem to some degree. Some people from all sectors of society -- secular, religious, chareidi, Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Arab, old, young -- throw their trash on the ground rather than in one of the many trash cans. But amongst these groups there were degrees of difference and, in their experience, the chareidi community was the most likely to do this. Israel very badly needs a public education program to encourage citizens to treat the country with respect & dignity.
with all that's going on in the world, you choose to just bash the observant as usual...pathetic
I thought they only discriminate arabs in israel, they discriminate haredim too! the only democracy in middle east needs to progress further!
Another, non-discriminatory, idea would be to have police patroling the park and ticketing people who litter, destroy public property, or disturb the peace. That way people can equitably enjoy the park, the fines will bring revenue into the city, and people may actually start taking care of public property. I find that ALL national and city parks as well as beaches in the country are littered with plastic bags, food remains, bottles etc. Many people justify this with "it is biodegradable" which is an ignorant approach. An orange peel on the floor will take years to disintegrate in sand, and if the discarded item is not indigenous/ native to the area (and most things aren't), there can be significant environmental harm to the wildlife and natural setting. I have seen all different types of Israelis leaving the mess behind - Jewish and non-Jewish; Charedi and irreligious. It shows that the lack of concern for public areas and nature crosses all borders of socioeconomic and religious status - and reflects a general disregard for cleanliness/ sanitation and a disrespect for nature and public property. This issue needs to be worked on in public schools and in private homes so we can clean up the country.
Is there any particular reason why the Ultra Orthodox don't clean up? Is it a religious thing, not to touch unclean things? I'm just a curious atheist/former Catholic.
I was in Amman, and one walks in trash up to his knees. There are no trash containers anywhere, so people just throw their food wrappers etc in the street. I am very surprised this is also a Haredi trait.
A lot of Israelits keep their houses really clean, but throw the trash outside. It has nothing to do with religion. They are used to the city employing street cleaners.
Go anywhere in the world, and people move in, people move out, neighborhoods change constantly. My hometown in America has completely changed it's racial character from my youth. The point is that those living comfortably in a location are not happy about the change, although they take the intruders money and run. Here in Israel, if a Jew moves into an Arab neighborhood he is called an extreme right-wing religious fundamentalist. If the wrong Jew moves into a Jewish neighborhood, they are labeled filthy and taking-over by controlling the police and government. Shallow people plot shallow things.
Anyone who has witnessed the sea of black and white in Park Harkon will know what a mess these people leave, its not enough that they dont work or pay taxes, serve in the army they expect everything for free at other peoples exspense.
The Modiin list talked about this for weeks - and also pointed out how the local council had not provided sufficient garbage cans or toilets. There was then an improvement in services. I visited the park with my wife last Thursday at about 5pm. True there were a lot of people from Beit Shemesh, Modiin elite and other localities but the park was extremely clean with hardly any litter on the grass at all; the children there were very well behaved and I commented to my wife that the whole experience was a big kiddush Hashem. So seems to me that the 60 signatories have just got it in for hareidim.
Why don't they have their events in their own parks?
I was in the large park Gan Sacher near the Knesset yesterday and noticed the overwhelming amount of litter literally spread out across the entire park. Also it was swamped with ultra-Orthodox families, but what, is it only the ultra-Orthodox who litter in parks? Really I don't know, I just moved from America in July.
Obviously you have never been to Liberty Bell Park huh?
So what if the haredi want to enjoy the park, is it such a tiny place that there isn't room for residents and non residents alike in the park? If these people coming to party were seculars from out of town the residents of Modi'in would be saying welcome and enjoy our park but because they are religious they are trying to use every trick in the book to keep them out. The haredi have committed no crime but the residents are terrified of them as if they are carrying some kind of plague and their only crime is being religious.
I am religious, also a jew, and a human being, so I cannot support any discrimination, or ways to keep out any group be it Arab or Chareidim from anywhere. However I understand totally the feelings of the local Modiin residents to this intrusion into their beautiful park. Therefore I prefer two of the ideas mentioned: - if the Chareidim are making a lot of mess, then Modiin Iiriya must put inspectors who can give on the spot fines to anyone who makes a mess, and does not clear it up. - if these groups are being bussed in from other areas, then these same inspectors can speak to the organisers and tell them the same thing - keep the park clean - the secular community in Modiin has the right, and should organise activities for themselves in the park, including disco music, live concerts and other activities. I imagine that these sort of activities will not interest the Chareidim, and may in fact lead to a decrease in the number coming to the park. - anyone can make a mess, so it would be wrong to blame only Chareidim if the park is not kept clean. The iriya should keep it clean, no matter who uses it.
One only has to go to Gan Sacher, the largest park in Jerusalem where the haredim have taken over to see the absolute neglect, trash left behind, children running wild with little parental supervision to understand where it leads. They should have their own park, they wish to live alone, play alone, we've had enough. with mufti-culturalism.
of the Zionist movement Haredim from Eastern Europe had to hide the fact they were Religiously Observant in order to come on Aliya through the Jewish Agency, or, if they had a thousand Pounds Sterling, they could get to Mandatory Palestine "on their own", in what was known as "selekstsia", the policy of populating the Yishuv with non-Observant Jews so that it would become a Secular Jewish State. After the State was established, there was a "unofficial" policy that showed deference in bugetary allocations and scheduling prioties that was meant to freeze Halachically Observant Jews out of of the infrastructure. Now that we are more "democratic", the same polittruks imagine they and pull the same shtick. Sorry, the gig is up. Haredim do pay taxes, they are part of the population, and yes, Virginia, they are gradually becoming Israelis, maybe not like the utltra-Secularists, but nonetheless, Israelis.
How can they pay taxes if close to 90% of the men don't work and those women who do, pay practically nothing because they have so many kids? I don't think its right to freeze out anyone, but I also don't think its fair for people to get special treatment just because of their religious practices.
Gosh, that's really objective? Or is this simply an article to stir up prejudice and hate. A park brings families together...please halt the articles of strife. We are one people...we visit eachother's cities. Can you imagine having such a stance in Yerushalayim, the most visited city in the country..I am an orthodox Yerushalmi (my brand doesn't matter) and I welcome visitors - religious and secular from all over the country - and the world. Come visit! You are most welcome!
Sounds like the U.S. before the Civil Rights movement . . .
Perhaps the secular anti-religious element would feel more comfortable in our developing jewel - dirty AND populated by large groups of Bedouin barbequeing every night, making it uncomfortable (unsafe) for us to be there. I choose the parks "over-crowded" with chareidim and other fellow Jews. This month, before Rosh Hashana let's work on accepting all Jews, whatever their stripe!!
I live in Kfar Saba. A lot of Arabs come to our park and in the summer busloads of Haredim. This past month there havent been a lot of Arabs because of Ramadan. The Haredim come now because the yeshivahs are on vacation. Tomorrow they wont be there. These people dont make problems so nobody complains. These people in Modi'in are just showing their prejudice against Haredim. A lot of Israelis leave trash everywhere.
as a Russian proverb goes, "If everyone would swipe the floor in front of one's door, how beautiful the whole city would be."
Why does this remind me of Shaker Heights, Ohio in the 1950's? The description of the Haredim is exactly how the white folks described the black folks moving into "our territory." We, "the white folks" in Israel will become the minority within a few years. If we can't learn to live with ALL our neighbors, Israel will self-destruct.
Organize 20 cute female raunchy dancers to dance in front of them for a month holding signs "we won't leave until you clean rubbish"
Flood the park with city inspectors with police protection, and if anyone leaves garbage in the park - fine them.
... they should ALL be fined for littering.
The experience of taking a awal or sitting in a park or a garden in Jerusalem has changed dramatically with the parks and gardens being packed with ultra-orthodox families with their numerous children making a lot of noise, littering the place, turning fountains into public swimming pools for the children. It's not such a great either experience to go to a Jerusalem park on Thursday night when it's packed with Arab families and THEIR numerous children. Both populations turn the parks into a noisy, dirty, over crowded place instead of a quite, relaxing spot.
Unfortunately, people in our country live in apartment buildings in densely packed cities. The parks are the only place people can recreate. As I said before, a lot of Israelis leave trash. I get sick when Iook around my upscale neighborhood. I sometimes walk down my street picking up trash.People here have no pride.
I was in Gan Sacher yesterday and noticed the overwhelming amount of litter literally spread out across the entire park. Also it was swamped with Orthodox families, but what, is it only the ultra-Orthodox who litter in parks? Really I don't know, I just moved from America in July.
If "some of the residents are experiencing a genuine phobia against Haredim" I suggest the local municipality provide free psychological counseling services. Some of its residents are clearly suffering from mental health issues.
Ahavat Israel????
does not a news story make. Also, the vast majority of people on the online discussion refused to make it an argument about keeping Haredim out. Thanks for fanning the flames of religious intolerance.
I'm with fellow Modiinite Elli Sacks. The issue here is not anti-Haredi sentiment. The issue is that, as an arnona-paying resident of Modiin, I already pay for the park. If an outsider - religious, secular, whatever - wants to use it, let them pay, too!
The new municipal swimming pool already has segregated times for the religious. And surprise: the entrance fees at the segregated times is considerably less than at times of mixed bathing.
Being one who uses this pool at both segregated and mixed times, I can say the the segrated times are most pleasent, with most of the 'riffraff' not attending and it being less than half full :) Great for little kids...
I have no problem with separate times for segregated and mixed bathing, but the entrance fees should be exactly the same for everyone - no matter when they come to swim.
Alternatively, one could argue that the fact that it's only separate swimming for a few hours a week is discriminatory against the population (many religious zionists prefer this arrangement as well) that prefers it. If you're so upset, then just go during the separate hours (kids of both sexes can go at separate hours).
What does this have to do with religion and state? separating religion and state will keep Haredim from visiting parks? This is a social issue, not a political one.
Paying taxes you say? Funny...
Soon they will charge charidim to enter the beautiful Mall. Discrimination among Jews is a horrible thing. Peace, love baby!
The ultra-orthodox say they only care about studying the Torah, and therefore it would be unproper in a strictly ultra-orthodox town to spend money on such things as aesthetics and leisure. Also, ultra-orthodox towns are poor because a large percenrage of their population doesn't work (or only the mother works), also tax collection is law (as it is in Arab towns). So the ultra-orthodox enjoy the parks and gardens of other towns without having to pay for them with their taxes.
Parks cost money. If a city has some and sets the park as a priority, then they have a park. If the people do not want to pay for a park they go to Modeiin, Raanana, and other parks - but they don't support the park - at least not with money.
Substitute the word "Jews" for "Haredim" (in Avi Elbaz's comments) and you have classic anti-semitic demagoguery. "Crowded, come in droves, leave a lot of trash behind them, disorder and dirt. People have a genuine phobia against Haredim."
It is pretty easy to deplore such discrimination against the Ultra-Orthodox until one realizes that soon the Ultra-Orthodox will be demanding segregation by sex and the exclusion of 'immodestly dressed' sane people.
oh yeah, they did, with stones.