[Avodah] Handicapped Accessibility in Jerusalem

[Akiva Miller]

On Areivim (subject line same as here), several people have bemoaned how
difficult it is to use a wheelchair (and many other assistive devices) in
the Old City in general, and the Kotel area in particular. In terms of
absolute, quantifiable, objective fact, I can't imagine how anyone could
dispute that. I am bringing the topic to Avodah in order to discuss what
our feelings and attitudes should be towards this situation.

Orach Chayim 150:2 (it seems to me) teaches the halacha that - all else
being equal - the town's shul should be built at the highest point in town.
I can certainly see the kavod and prestige that would result from such a
location, but wouldn't this also make it difficult for the weak and
elderly? I can't imagine that this halacha was speaking only to communities
of young folks.

At face value, this halacha seems to be teaching that the accessibility
needs of the minority are less important than the impression that the
edifice would make upon the majority. Can this really be?

I often remark that we are fortunate to live in a time when the technology
has allowed us such efficient wheelchairs. Our economy has allowed us to
make building codes that require ramps and such, which would have been
laughably expensive just a few decades back. Ditto for "kneeling buses" and
the like. But it seems to me that you don't need technology or wealth to
realize that if the shul is built at a median altitude, it will be easier
for *everyone*. And yet Chazal thought it is a better idea to make the shul
look impressive.

Surely I'm missing something here. Can someone please set me straight?

Thanks
Akiva Miller
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.aishdas.org/pipermail/avodah-aishdas.org/attachments/20181004/0e365a37/attachment-0001.htm>