Rabbis from the ultra-Orthodox community of Mea Shearim in Jerusalem met Thursday in order to find solutions for repeated incidences of violence perpetrated against cleaning services in the area.
The rabbis convened after the Histradrut, Israel's workers union, stopped providing cleaning services for the area following the cases of violence.
During the conversation, the Histadrut's Jerusalem chairman, Danny Bonifil, said that he is prioritizing the health and safety of cleaning workers operating in the area, and therefore if violence continued against them, they will not enter the neighborhood to perform their duties.
In response, the rabbis highlighted the fact that those perpetrating the violence consisted of a handful of people, and that the residents of Mea Shearim appreciate and respect the cleaning workers. Similarly, the rabbis also pledged to take personal responsibility for the safety of the sanitation workers, and prevent violence acts against them.
Bonifil, upon hearing the rabbis' commitment, said the workers will return to work.
"If the commitment is fulfilled, we will be able to meet the target and clean the neighborhood by Passover, as was done throughout the city. We ask the residents to take responsibility and take care of the safety of the dedicated workers," a representative of the municipality of Jerusalem said.