Tel Aviv
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The municipalities of Tel Aviv and neighboring Givatayim are taking on organizations working to promote Jewish identity among Israeli youngsters, accusing the groups of imposing traditional Judaism and infringing on the rights of two cities’ secular populations.

In an interview with the Hebrew daily Haaretz, Tel Aviv Deputy Mayor Assaf Zamir said that the municipality would protect the city’s secular character, warning that organizations spreading traditional Jewish views would be barred from local schools.

“We will secure the secular-ness of the city’s schools,” said Zamir. “We are looking for ways to limit the entry of organizations which spread Orthodoxy and do not respect the rules of pluralism. The city will work to prevent the infiltration of religious content into the secular public education system.”

According to the Haaretz report, the Tel Aviv municipality has ordered principals to report all organizations operating in their schools and to describe the nature of the content those organizations teach to students.

The City of Tel Aviv has expressed concern regarding religious women working in local schools via the National Service, and has asked school administrators to report on the nature of their activities.

On Monday, Givatayim Mayor Ran Konik announced via Facebook that no non-staff members would be allowed to convey any education content to or in any way teach students at local kindergartens – a subtle jab at the organizations promoting Jewish identity which have been explicitly targeted by the Tel Aviv municipality.