City notes: Premiere of new Rabin film held in TA

The Last Day, by director Amos Gitai was set to take place on November 4 – the 20th anniversary of the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

By TAMARA ZIEVE
Yitzhak Rabin in 1985, then defense minister (photo credit: DAVID BRAUNER)
Yitzhak Rabin in 1985, then defense minister
(photo credit: DAVID BRAUNER)
CENTER
In his ongoing battle against the decision to close Tel Aviv’s Sde Dov Airport in 2016, Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi sent an urgent letter to the director of the Prime Minister’s Office this week, asking for the closure of the civilian airport to be postponed to 2019 – the date set to evacuate the adjacent military airbase. As part of the plan, the land where the airport sits is to be cleared and used to develop new buildings, which are to contain some 12,000 housing units, commercial space and hotels. Halevi is appealing for the same amount of time to find appropriate solutions for his city, which he says is reliant on the airport for its tourism, economy and even the welfare and health of its residents, who make extensive use of Sde Dov.
A copy of the letter was sent to the prime minister and the finance, transportation and tourism ministers, along with the directors of their offices.
Premiere of new Rabin film held in TA
The Israeli premiere of the award-winning movie Rabin, the Last Day, by director Amos Gitai was set to take place on November 4 – the 20th anniversary of the assassination of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, at Tel Aviv’s Charles Bronfman Auditorium. A political thriller that combines staged reenactments with actual news footage of the shooting and its aftermath, the film sheds light on issues that remain high on today’s agenda in Israeli society, especially in these times.
Poland-Israel conference celebrates 25 years of relations
Marking the 25th anniversary of the reestablishment of Jerusalem-Warsaw political and trade relations, a biomed business conference is set for Monday at Tel Aviv’s Crowne Plaza Hotel. It will be attended by Polish and Israeli entrepreneurs, investors, biomed company leaders, Polish Ambassador to Israel Jacek Chodorowicz and other officials.
The annual volume of trade between the two countries is estimated at $860 million, and is expected to increase in the coming years.
NORTH
Jewish, Arab soccer players make anti-racism pledge
A soccer match last week between Hapoel Haifa and Bnei Sakhnin, the only Israeli-Arab team in the Premier League, was the site of a joint message against racism. At the opening ceremony before the game, at Haifa’s Sammy Ofer Stadium, the teams united in their message of “We refuse to be enemies” – which was displayed on stadium screens throughout the game.
The ceremony was held at the initiative of “kicking racism and violence from the pitches,” led by the New Israel Fund, with participation of the owner and chairman of both groups respectively, Yoav Katz and Mohammed Abu Younis, who both spoke about racism at the ceremony.
Students, Education Ministry to promote youth volunteerism
The Education Ministry’s Northern District director, Dr. Orna Simhon, hosted a meeting this past week with student council representatives to discuss activities, mainly focused on youth volunteering, planned for the coming year. The Local website reported that at the meeting, it was decided that Simhon would take an active role in the student council, and would help implement the objectives the council had set.
Among the planned activities are a leadership week, promotion of youth volunteerism, implementing the annual theme of “connection between others,” strengthening the council and safeguarding students’ rights.
SOUTH
Young couples, families in Sderot entitled to rent benefits
The Development of the Negev and the Galilee Ministry has announced it will provide rental assistance to couples and young families who are interested in moving to Sderot and other Gaza periphery communities.
This is in accordance with a decision made by the government in September 2014, after Operation Protective Edge, to promote a strategic multi-year plan for the development of Sderot and the Gaza periphery communities.
Sderot Mayor Alon Davidi requested that the government extend this decision to young couples already living in Sderot and the surrounding towns who recently established their families there, a request which was granted.
According to the public notice released by the Negev Development Authority, this covers monthly rent for up to one year, up to the sum of NIS 10,800. Those entitled to receive the benefits include married couples, common-law spouses, families (with or without children) and single-parent families, who wish to rent an apartment in Sderot; as well as a couple or individual who moved to (and still live in) Sderot before 2014 and became a family after this date.
There is a set of precise criteria for obtaining the benefits, which is to be examined by a joint committee of representatives of the ministry and the Negev Development Authority.