The Cabinet approved today a proposal to build 16 new communities, in the framework of the country\'s demographic and security struggle. The new towns will house between 200 and 500 families each. Housing Minister Natan Sharansky, who proposed the program noted that the new communities would \"address a wide variety of living environments to satisfy all the different segments of Israel\'s population\" and would be located in strategic security and demographic points across the country. \"If we don\'t settle these places,\" Prime Minister Sharon said, \"someone else will.\"
In other Housing Ministry news, it was announced today that the city of Lod would be granted preferential status, in an effort to refurbish the deteriorating city. Finally, Housing Minister Sharansky\'s proposal to rebuild the Hurva Synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem was also approved today. Arutz-7\'s Tamar Yahel notes that the synagogue was built over 500 years ago - the first synagogue to be built in Jerusalem since the destruction of the Holy Temple 1,400 years before. It was destroyed by the Jordanian Legion in 1948.
In other Housing Ministry news, it was announced today that the city of Lod would be granted preferential status, in an effort to refurbish the deteriorating city. Finally, Housing Minister Sharansky\'s proposal to rebuild the Hurva Synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem was also approved today. Arutz-7\'s Tamar Yahel notes that the synagogue was built over 500 years ago - the first synagogue to be built in Jerusalem since the destruction of the Holy Temple 1,400 years before. It was destroyed by the Jordanian Legion in 1948.