Capital Crisis

But the fact that he owes his election to a chareidi coalition makes him quick to deny that he’s beholden to any side. “I don’t need to please secular people or chareidim,” he says. “I need to ensure quality of life for everyone.”

Those are fine sentiments, but what do they mean in a city where there are protests against building schools for chareidi children in traditionally secular areas like Kiryat Yovel, and where religious protesters block streets because a movie theater has opened on Shabbos?

“The religious-secular struggles have gone quiet in this city since I became mayor and set boundaries,” he says proudly. “We observe the status quo: no business on Shabbos, but wherever there are restaurants open we can’t close them by law.

“And although mixed neighborhoods are not a good idea because they cause tension,” he continues, “where they do exist, chareidi kids will receive exactly what secular kids get. They need schools near their homes — why should little children have to travel far by bus?”