Givat Shmuel Council Members Reject Parents' Letter on Bnei Akiva Yeshiva Dispute
Five members of the Givat Shmuel city council have publicly opposed a letter issued by the Parents' Council regarding an ongoing dispute at the Bnei Akiva yeshiva. They argue that the letter does not represent the majority of the Parents' Council members and was not signed by most representatives, thus it should not be considered the official stance of the entire council. The council members emphasized that the Parents' Council's primary role is to act in the best interest of the students and the yeshiva, not to take sides in the conflict between the municipality and the Bnei Akiva yeshiva center. They called for broader dialogue within the Parents' Council to reflect the majority opinion. The response was signed by council members Gal Lantchner, Dor Haralaf, Raz Schreiber, Adi Gross, and Moshe Marer.
Previously, the Parents' Council of the Bnei Akiva yeshiva expressed full support for the Givat Shmuel municipality and Mayor Yossi Brodny amid the dispute over the yeshiva's future and operational regulation. Their letter praised the municipality's efforts to ensure the yeshiva's stability, improve education quality, and protect public interests. They highlighted improvements since the municipality's involvement, including reduced parental fees, renovated facilities, and ongoing investment in educational and value-based projects.
The Parents' Council also referenced a past agreement between the yeshiva center and the municipality that regulated tuition oversight, dedicated parental funds, classroom density, and inclusion of disadvantaged populations. They noted that after a mediation meeting, the municipality proposed a new fair draft agreement focused on educational needs, which the yeshiva center reportedly did not respond to or offer an alternative. The parents expressed concern over halted dialogue and the potential misuse of yeshiva grounds for real estate development, stressing the site must remain dedicated to educational purposes.
The letter outlined three demands: immediate resumption of negotiations, assurance of oversight and transparency, and preservation of the yeshiva complex's full educational designation and area. The Parents' Council concluded by urging all parties to prioritize students' welfare and pledged to continue working closely with the municipality for the yeshiva's future. The letter was signed by Parents' Council Chair Yanki Abramovitz and representatives Michal Lifshitz, Moran Iron, Noa Zoin, Zevik Horvitz, Ortal Shapira, Miri, Guy Ben David, Yael Nur Barkovitz, Mordechai Koppel, Anat Shpeter, Yafit Kinan, Revital Raz, and Prof. Carmit Altman.
