MKs Yossi Beilin (Meretz-Yachad) and Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) have joined the fray in a religious power struggle being waged between Breslav Hassidim and secular-minded residents for control over a synagogue in a quiet Haifa neighborhood.

On Monday, at Beilin's behest, the Knesset's Interior Committee will discuss the fate of the Meir Synagogue in Romema which, secular residents say, has been "commandeered" by a group of about 20 families loosely associated with Breslav Hassidism. Gafni declined to comment before the discussion Monday.

Beilin, speaking from Egypt where he was on a diplomatic mission, said that he normally did not get involved in municipal-level disputes, but the Romema synagogue was different.

"When people told me about how a bunch of weirdo Breslav Hassidim forcibly took over a synagogue that was run by a group of liberal Israelis that wanted a place to pray where they could feel comfortable, I felt I had to get involved," he said.

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