No one visiting the town of Lod at dusk can miss the muezzin’s call to prayer. Though it originates in only certain neighborhoods, it can be heard throughout the entire city.

Lod lies in the center of the country. Some 30% of its population is Muslim. Recent complaints about the muezzin are a sorry reminder of the challenges facing the town. Nevertheless, it is worth recalling that its Muslim and Jewish populations have lived together in a rare state of harmony for several decades.

There is, however, one issue that comes up again and again, causing tensions between the two communities. In fact, it comes up five times a day, when the muezzin calls the faithful to prayer. It might seem innocuous from a distance, but the call to prayer from the mosques raises tensions that threaten the fragile state of coexistence in the city.

Officially, the municipality holds that the call of the muezzin, particularly at high volume and in the early hours of the morning, is a violation of city ordinances. For several months now, the authorities have actually measured the volume and issued warnings to the imams of the local mosques. Now those same authorities are asking the police to enforce the law, claiming that the mosques are disturbing the peace. The municipality also asked the Ministry of Interior to summon one of the imams to a hearing, reasoning that the calls to prayer coming from his mosque are in violation of municipal ordinances, and his salary is paid by the ministry.