Baby steps to aliya aid

The writer of this column has complained from time to time about the hardships endured by neighbors of the Prime Minister’s residence, but these are minimal in relation to those of Beit Hanassi.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
Beit Hanassi 311 (photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Beit Hanassi 311
(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
■ IF YOU’RE the head of a large and flourishing immigrants association and you want to celebrate the 20th anniversary of your aliya, the most natural venue would be your place of work – especially if the premises have a hall suitable for gatherings of more than 100 people.
Thus on Tuesday of this week, when David London, the executive director of the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel, together with his wife Karyn, who is the director of ATZUM – The Roberta Project for Survivors of Terror, celebrated the 20th anniversary of their aliya, the venue was naturally enough the AACI Dr. Max and Gianna Glassman Family Center in Talpiot. Their son Yitzhak was unable to join his parents as he is a paramedic in a combat unit and was called on duty.
Yitzhak, who was a baby at the time of his aliya, literally took his first steps on the plane en route to Israel from the United States. The Londons shared some of their experiences, such as buying a car, cleaning chickens in a bathtub, having a baby in Israel, the panic that set in when their kids got lost in the Banyas and much more with which many of their guests could readily identify.
■ THE WRITER of this column has complained from time to time about the hardships endured by neighbors of the Prime Minister’s residence, but these are minimal in relation to those of Beit Hanassi. Notices were affixed to electric light poles on Hanassi and Radak streets this week warning drivers that with the exception of vehicles of residents of those streets, there would be no parking on Monday between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m.
due to a special event at Beit Hanassi. The event was a state dinner that President Shimon Peres was hosting for Greek President Karolos Papoulias, which was due to begin at 8 p.m. and was preceded by a reception that began at 6:30.
If any of the president’s neighbors had also planned a party for that night, they were in trouble because the notice stated that any vehicle not belonging to a resident of either street would be towed away. Drivers don’t stop to read a small notice on an electricity pole. Imagine if someone had hosted a 1 p.m. luncheon and all the guests came out at 3:30 or 4 p.m. and discovered that their cars had been towed away.
■ MA’ARIV REPORTS that the followers of Rabbi Yosef Eliashiv are embarking on a course in first aid in case there is need to use it on the frail 101-year-old arbiter of Jewish law, who recently underwent successful surgery at Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
Given his age and his history of ill health, the followers closest to Eliashiv, who inter alia is the spiritual leader of the Degel Hatorah Party, don’t want to take any chances.
While Hatzala emergency response paramedics could be on the scene in less than four minutes should anything untoward happen to the revered rabbi, those in his immediate orbit say that even four minutes is too long a time to wait. Among the things they’re learning is what to do in case of a heart attack.
■ MAYBE BECAUSE he realizes that he is unlikely to emerge the winner in the contest for the next chairman of the Labor Party, venture capitalist, philanthropist and community activist Erel Margalit still finds time for non-political activities. Thus he was on hand last Friday at the Aminadav Forest for the graduation ceremony of youngsters involved in a year-long community service project that he initiated more than a decade ago to help the students of Jerusalem.
The youngsters turned up with their families and had a great day of fun and a little formality. Margalit, who believes in setting an example, volunteers at schools throughout the year. Now he’s looking for a new team of youngsters for the upcoming community service year and, together with a team of recruiters, will begin a four-day recruiting campaign.