■ IN PERIOD movies and television series, the general store in an American one-horse town or British village also doubles as the local post office. That is what is now happening in Jerusalem as a result of the closure of many post offices throughout the city. The closures brought in their wake a slowdown in delivery services, which is frustrating at any time, but more so when bills become overdue because they weren't delivered on time, and weddings and other social events are missed because the invitations arrived after the function. In an attempt to facilitate faster deliveries in the future, 13 stores in the city will add a form of postal service to their existing services. This does not necessarily mean that bills and invitations will arrive any faster, but according to a report in Kol Ha'ir, parcels can now be picked up at the following places: Shufersal Deal and Ninetta Computer Services in Talpiot; the Menta shop at the Pat intersection; the Erez kiosk in Katamon; Nany Cakes Baking Supplies in Givat Shaul; the Bruchim Minimarket in Shmuel Hanavi; the Ba Li and Bablick stores in Gilo; the Strauss Bazaar in Pisgat Ze'ev; the Birkat Eliyahu store in Mevaseret Zion; PhotoMan in Ramot; Erez candy store in Pisgat Ze'ev; and the Har Nof candy store. In addition to a hotel above a former post office opposite the Dublin Pub in the passageway between Hillel and Shamai streets, a hotel, or rather an upmarket hostel, appropriately called The Post, is located above the central post office diagonally across from Safra Square at 23 Jaffa Road. The building dates back to the British Mandate period. Construction began in 1934 and was completed in 1938. The hotel, which is a joint venture of businessmen Rami Ohana, Omer Pikholtz, Idan Tzuk and Rafi Tzaluk, has preserved the original architecture. The hotel offers its guests a bar and lounge, free buffet breakfast, WiFi, a computer station, a 24-hour reception desk, air conditioning, laundry service, rooftop terrace, daily housekeeping, luggage storage, library and several other amenities. It is conveniently close to the Mamilla Mall on one side and the center of the city on the other. In addition, the light rail is just outside, and a host of dining options are close at hand on Jaffa Road, Shlomzion Hamalka, Hillel Street and, of course, the Mamilla Mall. ■ IN THE course of a visit to Yad Vashem on Monday, Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama signed the first-ever agreement between the Albanian Ministry of Education and Sport and Yad Vashem to promote the professional development of Albanian educators in Holocaust studies. The memorandum outlines several projects in the field of teacher training, including a seminar for Albanian educators to be held at Yad Vashem that will be accredited by the Albanian Education Ministry.
PM Netanyahu and Albanian PM Edi Rama(photo credit: KOBI GIDEON/GPO)