The Tel Aviv Municipality announced on Monday that it will ban gender-separated prayers in public areas during Yom Kippur (Jewish Day of Atonement).
The letter sent by the municipality reads: "After considering the matter, we reached a decision that the tradition that began during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the municipality set up urban plazas for the benefit of prayers on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), was suitable for that period of time, when it was vital that people convene in open spaces, and not in closed buildings."
"The Municipality of Tel Aviv-Jaffa does not see a need to continue this activity and we must return to what was accepted for years, i.e. the Municipality will not set up any public areas, such as plazas, bustling public gardens, etc. to be used as synagogues/gathering places for a private initiatives and events."
The letter continued to say that "Accordingly, all requests to hold prayers/gatherings have not been approved and we, therefore, cannot approve your request."
Last year there was an uproar during the Jewish High Holidays when the Tel Aviv Municipality announced that they would not allow any gender-separated prayers in public spaces.
Following the announcement, the head of the 'Rosh Yehudi’ nonprofit petitioned the Court of Administrative Affairs against the municipality, but the petition was rejected.
Even so, the court asked the Tel Aviv Municipality to "immediately communicate with the other parties, in an attempt to reach a settlement that would satisfy all sides, in the spirit of the holiday and out of respect for all sectors of the general public in Tel Aviv."