Jerusalem's Bikur Cholim hospital battle puts city's pluralism to the test
A political dispute in Jerusalem regarding the repurposing of the historic Bikur Cholim hospital building has highlighted tensions between secular and ultra-Orthodox communities. Deputy Mayor Yosi Havilio successfully challenged plans to turn the site into a large seminary, though the compromise remains a point of contention.
Why it matters
The conflict reflects broader struggles over urban planning, religious pluralism, and the demographic character of Jerusalem's city center.
Who says you can't fight city hall? Deputy Mayor Yosef (Yosi) Havilio battled against Mayor Moshe Lion – even though the liberal-minded lawyer is a member of the coalition – and won, but only a partial victory.The fate of the capital's oldest Jewish hospital, Bikur Cholim – opened on Straus Street in 1925 after moving from the Old City and closed in 2020 – will determine whether downtown Jerusalem is accessible to all its residents.So said Havilio, the longtime community activist and politician who, for decades, has represented the voice of the secular, pluralistic, and traditional community in the haredi (ultra-Orthodox)-dominated municipality and is a deputy mayor heading the Ha'ihud Ha'Yerushalmi faction. The municipality had approved plans to allocate the historic and much more beautiful eastern building for a seminary for 1,000 haredi teenage girls run by the Slonim Hassidic community, triggering an uproar among liberal Jerusalemites.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in