New Spirit for the Carmel

Increased student activity encourages young people who become more involved in the community to stay in the city.

By PEGGY CIDOR
New Spirit organization_521 (photo credit: Courtesy)
New Spirit organization_521
(photo credit: Courtesy)
The disaster in the Carmel has touched everyone across the country.
Student organization New Spirit and the Tzeirim Bamercaz youth center responded quickly to the situation and dedicated two of their Hanukka parties to garnering support for people in the North who lost everything in the fire. During the two parties – held on Monday at Yad Ben-Zvi and on Tuesday in Kiryat Hayovel – music and singing followed the traditional candle lighting, and the groups collected NIS 10,000 and all kinds of equipment for the victims.
There are already 12 New Spirit groups spread throughout the city, due to the combined efforts of New Spirit, the municipality and the Lev Ha’ir community center. These groups are, slowly but surely, changing the situation for students in Jerusalem, according to Merav Cohen from Hitorerut B’yerushalayim, who says that instead of leaving the city, many young people are now staying here and maintaining their own spaces. In their local communities, they are working hard to attract more youth and young couples and are thereby dramatically shifting the city’s dynamic.
One result of this new trend has been the creation of four Young City projects, led by the municipality and city council members Ofer Berkovitch (Hitorerut) and Rachel Azaria (Yerushalmim), which encourage youth and young families from all streams to take part in cultural and educational activities in four neighborhoods: Kiryat Hayovel, Katamonim, French Hill and East Talpiot.
“Events like this one, to help the people of the Carmel, are perhaps a sign of resilience and hope for us in this city,” said Ro’i, who is active in New Spirit.
Another project already considered a big success by the organization is the establishment of student villages. The newest village was opened at the beginning of the academic year in Kiryat Menahem, where a 40-student capacity community is already full. Village leaders say that Kiryat Menahem was chosen to encourage new and young residents to join this community and enhance it.
Tamar Katzir, a spokeswoman for New Spirit, says that plans are already in the works to increase the number of students in the village. Residents are able to receive a financial subsidy as well as a reduction in tuition fees, in exchange for community involvement and work in the neighborhood. At least 85 percent of students who become involved in such a way tend to stay in the city after they finish their studies, according to Katzir.
New Spirit is considering establishing additional villages in other neighborhoods, which will subscribe to the same concept – residents will benefit from reduced rents in return for invigorating the local population with their community work and engagement.
A party specially planned to celebrate the opening of the Kiryat Menahem village, which was to include President Shimon Peres and Mayor Nir Barkat, was canceled due to the Carmel fires, but a more modest event will take place soon.