This Week in Jerusalem

Bezalel will have a new home Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA have unveiled the final plans for the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design’s new downtown campus.

By PEGGY CIDOR
Bezalel Academy of Arts 370 (photo credit: Courtesy of SAANA)
Bezalel Academy of Arts 370
(photo credit: Courtesy of SAANA)
Moving in, moving out The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design has obtained permission from the municipality to use the former Hansen Hospital in Talbiyeh (near the Jerusalem Theater) for its exhibitions and master’s courses. This is certainly a good thing, but there are also some less positive aspects. The Yaffo 23 Gallery on Jaffa Road, a venue for art exhibitions and cultural performances, will close by the end of this month.
For the past four years, Yaffo 23 has drawn a lot of attention.
The last two presentations of Bezalel’s end-of-year Design in Jewelry and Fashion were held there; and more recently, dancers and singers have performed there. Open on Saturday afternoons, the venue provided another option in the city center on Shabbat. But it seems that budget considerations must be taken into account, so with the installation of exhibition and performance sites in the Hansen compound, there was no logical reason to keep Yaffo 23 open. What remains to be proven is whether even after Bezalel vacates the premises, the place will not remain empty for long and will quickly offer the public new cultural events.
In the running Moshe Leon, chairman of Israel Railways, is apparently the haredi community’s latest contender to challenge Mayor Nir Barkat in the next municipal elections. Leon, a former CEO of the Prime Minister’s Office (1997-99), is also the president of the Jerusalem Development Authority, a company shared by the government and the municipality – in fact, it carries out the largest projects in the city.
Last week, haredi sources in the municipality and on the city council admitted that Leon was their prime choice to challenge Barkat, since the decision to run a haredi candidate was rescinded. Not that the haredim are sure that Leon – or anyone else for the moment – could unseat Barkat. But, as one of the haredi leaders on the city council explained, the primary objective is to send Barkat a clear message: “We are not satisfied, so we want you to know that we are not in your pocket.”
Leon is not haredi, but is religiously observant (he even serves as a cantor in his synagogue). And in any case, the search is for a candidate who would be sympathetic to the haredi needs, not necessarily religious – as in the days of the alliance with Ehud Olmert.
As it stands, Leon has neither confirmed nor denied his candidacy. Before he can make any further steps in that direction, he will have to move to Jerusalem and become a resident, which includes paying property tax. Only when that is done will he be able to officially consider his candidacy.
In that event, Leon will be the first official candidate of a large party – Israel Beitenu which, at least in the Knesset and the government, is part of Likud. Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office have denied that Leon’s candidacy would be in the name of Likud, which is good for Barkat – although so far, Likud hasn’t agreed to run Barkat as its official candidate.
Eleven for all Three years of a pilot project and great success among parents have finally ended with a decision by the municipality. The 11th month included in the curriculum of state preschools will be implemented in the city’s entire public education system. The project, which enables parents to reduce by half their need for summer camps and supervised activities, was one of the first initiatives launched by city councillor Rachel Azaria (then still a member of Barkat’s coalition).
Between July 1 and 31, the program offers kindergartens and preschools across the city, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with an option to add an afternoon program until 4 p.m. for an additional fee. The programs will be adapted to the holiday period, with outdoor activities as well, in the same place as the rest of the year, with the same children and the same staff.
Bezalel will have a new home Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA have unveiled the final plans for the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design’s new downtown campus. A $25 million grant from the Mandel Foundation paved the way for the $100m. campaign launched to finance the prestigious project scheduled for completion in 2017. The 400,000-square foot building is designed by Japan’s architectural firm SANAA (Sejima & Nishizawa and Associates) in collaboration with Israel’s Nir -Kutz Architects.
The new building will house classrooms, studios, offices, two auditoriums and various workshops, addressing Bezalel’s needs and allowing for more active social and cultural involvement in the city’s life. Bezalel president Prof. Eva Illouz said that the new campus will be “home to the finest academy of arts, design and architecture in Israel and the leading institute for innovative thinking about Israeli culture.”
The site of the new campus, located in the Russian Compound between the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Museum of Underground Prisoners, was chosen by the government, the Jerusalem Municipality and Bezalel for its unique status as a multicultural meeting place. This will allow the academy to be part of a vibrant urban social fabric while revitalizing the downtown area by bringing students and the spirit of art back to its streets.
Established in 1906 by artist Boris Schatz, with the support of Theodor Herzl, Bezalel is Israel’s leading academy of art and design and is considered one of the most prestigious in the world.
Kosher business in Ramot Following the boycott declared by haredim of some of the stores and restaurants in the Ramot Mall, a delegation of support was organized by neighborhood Yerushalmim activists, led by city council member Rachel Azaria. The delegation will be at the mall today from 10 a.m. to shop and have a cup of coffee to replace the customers who will not go there because of the boycott.
Tensions between the haredi and secular residents of Ramot have existed for years, with some new “peaks” from time to time. The recently opened mall has been the target of repeated attempts to impose strict haredi regulations in regard to dress codes, and gender segregation in the stores. The idea of the delegation is to show that with the support of residents of other neighborhoods, Ramot’s non-haredi population will feel that they are not alone in their struggle to reject attempts to have haredi rules imposed on them. But the mall’s stores and restaurants have to do business, hence the call for residents of Ramot and elsewhere to do some shopping there and have something to eat.
From Zion to Prague A new initiative by the municipality was launched this week; but unless we fly to Prague, we won’t be able to enjoy it. The project, called Culture Will Come from Jerusalem, will export food and art from Jerusalem to one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, the city of the Golem and Kafka, to name just a few. Thirty of Jerusalem’s artists in dance, plastic arts, cinema and music, as well as some of the city’s best chefs, will show Prague’s residents and their thousands of visitors a glimpse of our culture and give them a taste of Jerusalem’s sights and flavors. The festival will run for 10 days and will present visitors with a more pleasant aspect of the city, less connected to the usual items of news and political affairs. Another objective is to expose local young artists to an international audience. As for the culinary aspect, some of the most popular dishes created by Jerusalem chefs will be served at several of Prague’s most prestigious restaurants and will be included on their permanent menus.
Among the participants in the project are choreographers Elad Shechter (Young Vertigo and C.a.t.a.m.o.n groups) and Sophie Krantz of Itadanca; films by graduates of Bezalel, Sam Spiegel and Ma’aleh; electronic musician Adi Olmanski; the Folo folk electronic music; and the Gali ensemble, with a mix of African and Jerusalem tunes and original music. On the culinary side, the chefs include Ilan Gross of Chakara and Kamal Hashelmoun of the St. George restaurant, who will offer some of their best local dishes. These can be obtained at the Bar-Bar restaurant-gallery in Prague at bar-bar.cz/gallery.php