Mizrahi and Sephardic Jews seeking to buy homes in the “David’s Gardens” housing project in Bnei Brak claim they have been discriminated against.
The project, named after David Lubinsky of the Lubinsky Group, is currently being built in an area between HaRav Kahanman Street and Highway 4.
Yedioth Ahronoth and Ynet have received numerous complaints alleging the Lubinsky Group sales representatives and private investors were doing everything in their power to avoid having to sell apartments to anyone who is not Ashkenazi.
A Yedioth journalist calling to ask about apartments under the Mizrahi last name Hadad was told there were no apartments available. “Try in three or four months,” the sales representative, Tzipi, advised.
When calling again, this time under the distinguished Ashkenazi name Sternbach, Tzipi was much more courteous and offered one of the nicer apartments available.
When asked what kind of population is expected to live in the 500 housing units in the complex, Tzipi answered: “Very homogeneous. Fifty percent Lithuanians, 50 percent Hasidic.”
And what about Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews? “There are some,” Tzipi replied with some trepidation. “Very few.”
A close acquaintance, who tried himself to buy an apartment in David’s Gardens, said some apartments were sold to Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews, but only on the sixth floor. Meaning, apartments a Haredi family would have a hard time living in, as the elevators do not operate on Shabbat, making it hard to get in and out of the apartment with young children in strollers.
A Yedioth journalist dressed as a Haredi yeshiva student and introducing himself as having the last name Uzon was then sent to visit the sales offices in person.