Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Vows to Block Chabad Synagogue in Ramat Aviv Gimel

Following the conclusion of Yom Kippur, Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Reuven Ladianski released a sharp video denouncing efforts by Chabad emissaries to establish a synagogue in the Ramat Aviv Gimel neighborhood. The request involves a permit for an "exceptional use" of a space in an underground parking lot within a local commercial center, which Ladianski claims has already been partially occupied. In the video, filmed at the site, Ladianski stated unequivocally, "I will not allow a synagogue to be established here. No synagogue, no yeshiva, no anything will be established in the underground parking lot. We will put an end to Chabad's attempts to take over various spaces in Ramat Aviv Gimel." He indicated the matter would come before the subcommittee for planning and construction, of which he is a member, and pledged to work to prevent the request's approval.

The deputy mayor's remarks sparked significant public backlash on social media platform X, with users questioning his stance and stating, "This is the Land of the Jews," and "Where does this hatred come from? Who does it bother if there's a synagogue at the end of a parking lot?" An examination of the local planning and construction committee reveals it comprises ten council members. Ladianski alone does not possess the sole authority to block the request if professional staff recommend its approval based on planning considerations. However, past precedents suggest the municipality's professional staff often lean against approving exceptional uses that deviate from a space's original purpose.

The Tel Aviv Municipality responded, stating, "There is no impediment to submitting a request for exceptional use to the municipality's local committee, as every request is examined by professional staff, and this will be the case in this instance." Reuven Ladianski's response to C14 had not yet been received at the time of publication.