"The synagogue may be broken, but we surely aren't." So says David HaIvri of Kfar Tapuach this morning, following no fewer than three demolitions of a synagogue in a Tapuach neighborhood in the past 24 hours. Although the structure was billed as a headquarters for the teachings of Rabbi Meir Kahane - reports that ignited the ire of Justice Minister Yosef Lapid of Shinui, beginning a process leading to its destruction - residents say that it was in truth nothing more than a simple prayer-and-study center.
The story began yesterday almost immediately after the Supreme Court turned down a petition to prevent the permit-less synagogue from being destroyed. Many hundreds of soldiers and policemen quickly arrived on the scene, closing off the area so that the expected hundreds of Yesha supporters would not be able to come and hamper the destruction efforts. Over 100 managed to arrive before the area was closed. In the ensuing scuffle, several members of both sides were hurt, and it was even reported that one soldier fired in the air. The soldiers took out the Torah scroll, the holy books, and the benches and other furnishings, and transported them out of the area; HaIvri says he does not know where they are, and that dialogue with the army at this point is impossible.
The soldiers then began demolishing the wood structure, some 200 square meters (2,150 sq. feet) in size, while wrestling - and arresting - some two dozen people who attempted to barricade themselves on the roof. Once the synagogue was destroyed, the forces' work was done, and they left. "Within a short time," HaIvri recounts, "30-40 people came and started rebuilding it from whatever pieces they could find in the ruins. Late last night, the army came a second time and brutally broke it down again, ramming it with their jeeps. This morning, our guys started building it once again - and the army came a third time, and once again tore it down. Right now, there are some people up there, studying with their rabbi - a man from one of the towns about a half-hour away who has been coming every day for the past few weeks to teach here... We've had better days, and we'll yet have better days."
Ten families live in the new hilltop neighborhood, in addition to the 70 families who live in Tapuach itself. Community officials said that a permit had been requested for the synagogue, but the government was unwilling to hold off on the demolition order.
The grassroots organization Cities of Israel released the following statement:
"We are shocked at the destruction of a synagogue, which could easily have been authorized by Defense Minister Mofaz. If the identical event were to happen in Europe, it would rightly be castigated as anti-Semitism. Indeed, pressures from abroad to raze Jewish homes and institutions in [Judea and Samaria], while Arab homes and institutions sprout untouched, are just that - anti-Semitic."
The organization also called on "Israel's friends abroad" to strongly protest and denounce the American pressure that "Prime Minister Sharon has specifically indicated is the impetus for these steps."
The story began yesterday almost immediately after the Supreme Court turned down a petition to prevent the permit-less synagogue from being destroyed. Many hundreds of soldiers and policemen quickly arrived on the scene, closing off the area so that the expected hundreds of Yesha supporters would not be able to come and hamper the destruction efforts. Over 100 managed to arrive before the area was closed. In the ensuing scuffle, several members of both sides were hurt, and it was even reported that one soldier fired in the air. The soldiers took out the Torah scroll, the holy books, and the benches and other furnishings, and transported them out of the area; HaIvri says he does not know where they are, and that dialogue with the army at this point is impossible.
The soldiers then began demolishing the wood structure, some 200 square meters (2,150 sq. feet) in size, while wrestling - and arresting - some two dozen people who attempted to barricade themselves on the roof. Once the synagogue was destroyed, the forces' work was done, and they left. "Within a short time," HaIvri recounts, "30-40 people came and started rebuilding it from whatever pieces they could find in the ruins. Late last night, the army came a second time and brutally broke it down again, ramming it with their jeeps. This morning, our guys started building it once again - and the army came a third time, and once again tore it down. Right now, there are some people up there, studying with their rabbi - a man from one of the towns about a half-hour away who has been coming every day for the past few weeks to teach here... We've had better days, and we'll yet have better days."
Ten families live in the new hilltop neighborhood, in addition to the 70 families who live in Tapuach itself. Community officials said that a permit had been requested for the synagogue, but the government was unwilling to hold off on the demolition order.
The grassroots organization Cities of Israel released the following statement:
"We are shocked at the destruction of a synagogue, which could easily have been authorized by Defense Minister Mofaz. If the identical event were to happen in Europe, it would rightly be castigated as anti-Semitism. Indeed, pressures from abroad to raze Jewish homes and institutions in [Judea and Samaria], while Arab homes and institutions sprout untouched, are just that - anti-Semitic."
The organization also called on "Israel's friends abroad" to strongly protest and denounce the American pressure that "Prime Minister Sharon has specifically indicated is the impetus for these steps."