-eztadyon_a.jpg "צילום: מנספלד קהת")
Stadium. Religious enraged (illustration)
Photo: Mansfeld Kehat
Religious want Haifa stadium closed on Shabbat
Council Member Rabbi Aryeh Blitental protests decision to operate football field located near neighborhood with many religious residents
Many religious residents of Haifa's Neve Shaanan neighborhood have turned to City Council Member Rabbi Aryeh Blitental, expressing their fear that the football activity in the local athletic stadium would be resumed on Saturdays.
The stadium served in the past as a football field for lower league teams, but was recently turned into an athletics field only.
Recently, after police decided to prevent lower leagues teams from playing in fields located at the city's southern entrance due to lack of galleries, the option was raised to move the teams' matches to Neve Shaanan.
Blitental turned to Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav, as well as to the city's chief rabbis and to United Torah Judaism Knesset members, demanding that the status quo which has existed for years be maintained.
According to Blitental, "We must honor Shabbat and refrain from operating the stadium, which is located near a neighborhood with a high concentration of religious residents."
