The Hiddush association had filed a suit against the municipality in February, after they found that the "Religion and Tradition" page of the city's website only included Orthodox Jewish institutions. Conservative, reform and even modern Orthodox institutions were left off the list.
Despite statements by representatives of the legal division of the city to Hiddush promising a change to the list, the association received a notification last week stating that the list would be completely deleted and only mikvahs and places to bring damaged sacred texts would be listed. The municipality informed Hiddush that the list would be deleted as synagogues are not municipal institutions.
"Yet again it becomes clear that the capital of the State of Israel does not act as the capital of a Jewish and democratic state, which has engraved on its flag a promise of religious freedom and equality, but as a backless branch of the ultra-Orthodox parties threatening the continuity of the mayor's rule," said Rabbi Uri Regev, the Director-General of Hiddush.
"Instead of welcoming the multitude of religions and varieties in the city, the municipality prefers to make far-fetched excuses," added Regev. "The true face of the municipality was revealed in this affair, and all attempts to portray it as a municipality worthy of serving as the capital of Israel and as a source of pride for the Jewish people and the entire world - are nothing but public relations antics."
There are about 17 conservative and reform communities in Jerusalem along with religious and educational institutions belonging to the two movements, according to Hiddush. There are also a number of modern Orthodox and egalitarian communities, as well as independent communities that don't identify with a specific sect of Judaism. Christians and Muslims make up about 40% of the city's population. None of these communities were represented on the municipality's site, according to Hiddush.
The municipality's close relationship with the ultra-Orthodox community has come under fire in the past over various issues, including neighborhood name changes, rules at the Western Wall player plaza and funding.When the municipality decided to change the name of the Har Nof neighborhood to Neot Yosef last year, some residents claimed that the decision to change the name of the neighborhood was connected to Shas, a Sephardi ultra-Orthodox political party.