After a series of meetings between all the professional bodies responsible for safety and enforcement in the city of Bnei Brak, it was decided to initiate a special regulatory process to address approximately 2,500 pirated sukkah balconies that were built over the past few years without a permit - and are subject to immediate enforcement and demolition procedures. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move was launched under the leadership of Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Planning and Building Committee, Rabbi Menachem Shapira, who has worked throughout the past year to create a practical solution to the 'balcony crisis' that will ensure the safety of the city's residents - and remove the threat of demolition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move was intended to curb the immediate threat of the Land Enforcement Authority, which intended to carry out sweeping enforcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alongside the municipal outline, the rabbis of the city of Bnei Brak, Harchai Landa, Harshatz Rosenblatt and Haram Ben Shimon issued a "call to action" in which they unequivocally state that performing a mitzvah on a balcony that is not approved constitutes a "mitzvah that comes with a transgression" and a severe Torah prohibition of "you shall not put blood in your house.".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In their special letter, the city's rabbis emphasize that, in addition to the importance of the sukkah commandment, "it is a rule in all of the Torah that there is no deed that is reprehensible, and certainly in something that poses a danger to oneself and others, a person is not permitted, even in order to fulfill the deed of the sukkah commandment, to nullify the deed and detestable of "And you shall make a parapet for your roof and not let blood fall.".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rabbis warn that one should not rely on the apartment owner's self-assessment, as "great expertise and knowledge are needed to decide on such a serious matter," and add that the obligation to bring a certificate from a knowledgeable expert is "a Torah obligation, and a major part of fulfilling the mitzvah of a sukkah so that there will be no halakhic mitzvah that is followed by a transgression.".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Rabbi of Badatz Bnei Brak, Rabbi Yehuda Silman, also warns in a letter, which was joined by the Rabbi of Badatz, Rabbi Shariel Rosenberg, that following disasters, it is no longer the absolute duty of residents to obtain an engineering plan from a certified engineer in order to avoid failing to comply with a Torah prohibition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move was born in response to the threat of the Land Enforcement Authority, which announced its intention to systematically and comprehensively demolish building additions that constitute "suspected danger to you and the public." The authority submitted a detailed survey at a cost of hundreds of thousands of shekels that maps all balconies in the city without a permit with the aim of carrying out immediate demolition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a result, the municipality led intensive work with enforcement agencies. The result: the creation of a special and unprecedented track - the enforcement authority agrees not to take enforcement action against anyone who rushes in and brings engineering safety permits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In light of the outline that was formulated and approved, official letters are currently being sent from the Engineering Department of the Bnei Brak Municipality to residents whose matter is not regulated. The letter explicitly clarifies to residents that the property "has a building addition for which a building permit has not been found and which raises suspicions of the danger it poses to you and the public.".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In light of this, the balcony owners are required to immediately submit to the municipality "a prepared and signed engineering opinion that negates the suspicion of danger.". <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is further emphasized that the opinion must be submitted "as quickly as possible and at the latest within 60 days.". <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Engineering Department sets a clear ultimatum to the residents and warns: "If the required documents are not received within 60 days, the file will be returned for enforcement proceedings carried out by the Land Enforcement Authority.".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a significant change compared to the possibility of taking uniform enforcement measures against all balconies. The outline does not grant a building permit retroactively, but it is expected to prevent the demolition of balconies that have been found to be stable and safe, while providing a clear and concise response to structures that may pose a danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Planning and Building Committee, Rabbi Menachem Shapira, said during a field tour that took place: "We are placing a rigid and uncompromising demand here alongside the opportunity for arrangement. A family that does not act to issue the required permits with the professionals will find itself facing a broken trough, and the case will be returned to a severe enforcement process and demolition. Although we were able to prevent a harsh ruling and sweeping enforcement, danger is not child's play. Every owner of a balcony has the obligation to ensure in advance that its use is completely safe, and the mitzvah of a sukkah should not be observed in a structure whose stability is in doubt.".<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Land Enforcement Authority stated: "According to our enforcement policy, prohibited work or use that constitutes a danger or hazard to public safety, including 'expanding dangerous construction, including for the purpose of a sukkah balcony,' are a high priority for enforcement. We planned to act decisively, but in light of the city administration's activity, we agreed to allow residents a 60-day window to prove engineering stability, before we exercise demolition powers."\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new outline joins another broad planning initiative led by the municipality: approval of a "Line 0" urban development plan for all brownfield sites in the city. The plan grants horizontal building rights to synagogues, yeshivahs, and public institutions, allows for construction up to the boundary of the lot in appropriate cases, and significantly shortens the path to obtaining a permit, without the need to promote a specific and separate urban development plan for each institution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This promotes a comprehensive policy of regulating religious and public buildings in the city, instead of leaving thousands of residents and institutions facing an unresolved planning reality for years.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u05dc\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8 \u05e1\u05d3\u05e8\u05ea \u05e4\u05d2\u05d9\u05e9\u05d5\u05ea \u05d1\u05d9\u05df \u05db\u05dc\u05dc \u05d2\u05d5\u05e8\u05de\u05d9 \u05d4\u05de\u05e7\u05e6\u05d5\u05e2 \u05d4\u05d0\u05de\u05d5\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05d1\u05d8\u05d9\u05d7\u05d5\u05ea \u05d5\u05d4\u05d0\u05db\u05d9\u05e4\u05d4 \u05d1\u05e2\u05d9\u05e8 \u05d1\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d1\u05e8\u05e7, \u05d4\u05d5\u05d7\u05dc\u05d8 \u05e2\u05dc \u05d4\u05ea\u05e0\u05e2\u05ea \u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05da \u05d4\u05e1\u05d3\u05e8\u05d4 \u05de\u05d9\u05d5\u05d7\u05d3 \u05dc\u05d8\u05d9\u05e4\u05d5\u05dc \u05d1\u05db-2,500 \u05de\u05e8\u05e4\u05e1\u05d5\u05ea \u05e1\u05d5\u05db\u05d4 \u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0\u05d8\u05d9\u05d5\u05ea \u05e9\u05e0\u05d1\u05e0\u05d5 \u05d1\u05de\u05d4\u05dc\u05da \u05d4\u05e9\u05e0\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05d0\u05d7\u05e8\u05d5\u05e0\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05dc\u05d0 \u05d4\u05d9\u05ea\u05e8 - \u05d5\u05d4\u05df \u05d7\u05e9\u05d5\u05e4\u05d5\u05ea \u05dc\u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05db\u05d9 \u05d0\u05db\u05d9\u05e4\u05d4 \u05d5\u05d4\u05e8\u05d9\u05e1\u05d4 \u05de\u05d9\u05d9\u05d3\u05d9\u05d9\u05dd. \u05d4\u05de\u05d4\u05dc\u05da \u05d9\u05e6\u05d0 \u05dc\u05d3\u05e8\u05da \u05d1\u05d4\u05d5\u05d1\u05dc\u05ea \u05de\"\u05de \u05e8\u05d0\u05e9 \u05d4\u05e2\u05d9\u05e8 \u05d5\u05d9\u05d5\"\u05e8 \u05d4\u05d5\u05d5\u05e2\u05d3\u05d4 \u05dc\u05ea\u05db\u05e0\u05d5\u05df \u05d5\u05d1\u05e0\u05d9\u05d4, \u05d4\u05e8\u05d1 \u05de\u05e0\u05d7\u05dd \u05e9\u05e4\u05d9\u05e8\u05d0, \u05e9\u05e4\u05e2\u05dc \u05dc\u05d0\u05d5\u05e8\u05da \u05d4\u05e9\u05e0\u05d4 […]","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":1064171,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[178,28767,38209,50388,9706],"class_list":["post-1064170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-24","tag-178","tag-28767","tag-38209","tag-50388","tag-9706"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n