It looks like whatever working arrangement between the Orthodox and the Conservative was peaceful until now might finally come into conflict.
The Haredi representative in City Hall is upset about this and considers it a breach of the status quo. The event will cause large scale chilul shabbos and should not be sponsored or promoted by the City. The representative of Agudat Yisrael in haifa sent a letter to the mayor, Dr. Einat Kalish, complaining about this and Kalish promised to look into it.
sources: ColBo News, HaiPo, Haskupim
With chilul shabbos always being acceptwed in Haifa, I am not sure how this is breaking the status quo. They have always had buses running on Shabbos there - the only city in Israel to officially allow it. A little bit of singing and guitar playing, most of which will not even be on Shabbos (being that the event ends at 8pm which is not even tzeis yet for most of the summer), does not seem like such a breach in the status quo. I wonder how this will play out. And, it is happening on the beach, not in front of a shul or at a local park, so most of the people there are likely being mechalel shabbos anyway - perhaps such an event will open them up a bit to some traditional Judaism...I think it would be better to turn a blind eye to such an event rather than turn it into a fight.. I guess we will see what happens..
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