Bnei Brak Municipality Approves Funds for Elevator in Abandoned Building

The Bnei Brak Municipality approved over half a million shekels for the construction of an elevator and acoustic ceiling in an abandoned building slated for demolition. Shlomo Elbaum, chairman of the city's audit committee, sent a letter to the Ministry of Interior requesting an investigation into the reimbursement of these funds from the personal accounts of the mayor, city treasurer, and council members who approved the budget. Elbaum's letter indicates that the municipality approved accessibility budgets for the "Eckstein" seminary based on its old address, even though the institution had already moved. The building in question is derelict, with plans approved in June 2022 to build a transportation terminal on the site and a demolition permit issued in July 2023.

Elbaum described the situation not as a minor error but as a "repeated and systematic pattern of behavior." He stated that accessibility budgets for the seminary at the old address were repeatedly brought for council approval while the location remained abandoned. He also pointed out that the seminary's current location already has an elevator, challenging the municipality's claim that the funds were intended for the new site.

According to Elbaum's letter, in June 2025, 411,820 shekels were approved for an elevator, with 326,000 shekels from the Ministry of Education and 85,000 shekels from the city's budget. In September of the same year, an additional 40,000 shekels were approved for acoustic and sensory accessibility for hearing-impaired individuals. By December, the municipality requested an additional 118,000 shekels for the elevator, bringing the total allocated for it to 530,000 shekels. In total, 570,000 shekels were approved for both projects.

Elbaum's appeal to the Ministry of Interior came three days after the ministry imposed severe restrictions on the municipality due to a deficit of approximately 130 million shekels as of early 2025. The ministry is examining the municipality's financial conduct broadly. The municipality explained the deficit was due to difficulties in property tax collection, unexpected expenses for assistants, and reduced income from the war. The Ministry of Interior stated that the accessibility approvals were made before the restrictions were imposed, necessitating a thorough review of the municipality's expenditure controls during the period the deficit accrued.