The Chief Rabbinate in the city is not ready to give up the struggle over kashrut domination. Despite a recent High Court of Justice ruling that eateries have the right to proclaim that they are kosher even if not certified through rabbinate services, a fine was given on that basis to a restaurant last week.
Pasta Basta, a popular shuk eatery under the supervision of Hashgacha Pratit – the kashrut alternative of Yerushalmim city councilman Rabbi Aaron Leibowitz – received a bill of NIS 2,200 from the Jerusalem rabbinate. Several additional city restaurants and coffee shops that have moved to Leibowitz’s kashrut certification are convinced they are the next on the rabbinate’s list as part of a plan to put pressure on eateries to stop them from leaving rabbinate kashrut services.
For the moment, no final decision has been made by the owners of Pasta Basta and the other eateries, but most of them tend to ignore the fines and continue using alternative kashrut services.
Good neighbors
The Good Neighbors Project, a joint initiative of the Jewish and Palestinian residents of Abu Tor and the Greater Baka Community Council, is launching a crowdfunding effort to raise the funds to expand their project to include younger participants – 14 to 16 years old.
The “Good Neighbors” project includes joint soccer teams for youths, the teaching of Hebrew and Arabic, a Women’s Forum, as well as plans for a local economic project, an organic garden and a cultural festival. This initiative promotes dialogue between the two populations, even during difficult and tense periods. More details can be found at www. give2gether.com/projects/goodneighbors-abu-tor
Peace time
The bad blood between Mayor Nir Barkat and one of his deputies, Ofer Berkovitch (Hitorerut) has become a public issue. Hitorerut published a pre-Yom Kippur public call to Barkat to do some soul searching and “apologize for his policy errors,” including “leaving behind his political partners without any support.”
One major issue at stake between the two men is the recent “Barkat Plan” to redistribute education venues between haredim and non-haredi residents in non-haredi neighborhoods. Berkovitch complains that this plan aims to serve Barkat’s personal political plans, that it hasn’t been presented to the residents and that it doesn’t reflect the best interests of the non-haredi population that voted for him.
Last week, in an attempt to calm the hostile atmosphere between the two in the tone of the Day of Atonement, Rabbi Benny Lau called for a personal meeting and peaceful dialogue between them. Berkovitch announced his acceptance of the suggestion, but as of press time, there was still no response from Barkat.
End of era
Last week marked the end of an era for Anglos in the city with the shuttering of the Off the Wall Comedy Basement after 10 years of activity. David Kilimnick, who conceived, founded and managed the place where Anglos could hear about their lives through the lens of stand-up comedy, announced that the club has reached its end.
Kilimnick presented his last show on September 28 – without even the mics, which had already been shut down. In David’s Last Memories Show, he performed some of the same routines he did when the club opened 10 years ago. He shared the laughs and cried as he recalled the good times he and the audiences had there during the last decade.