This week in Jerusalem

There will be milk today

The first national mothers’ milk bank will open in the Romema neighborhood in April, in a cooperative effort between Magen David Adom and the Association for Mothers’ Milk Donation.

Previously, new mothers who could not breastfeed their babies sought the services of non-profit groups that do not operate everywhere and are not always accessible to all. This new initiative will enable all interested nursing mothers to donate their milk to the bank, which will ensure that every baby who needs mothers’ milk and cannot get it for any reason will have access to this precious nutrition.

The participation of MDA in the project will ensure a high level of supervision regarding quality, appropriate storage and distribution. The Health Ministry will participate in the funding of this important project, which will operate from within the MDA facility in Romema. According to official figures provided by MDA, some 30% of breastfeeding mothers can donate extra milk they do not use for their own babies. Any healthy woman who has milk can donate to this bank, suitable for premature babies and babies born full-term.

For the sake of Rachel

Is Rachel’s Tomb on its way to becoming included in the area of Jerusalem’s jurisdiction? For the moment this does not seem possible, due to international considerations (the Tomb is located some 600 meters south of the city beyond the 1949 Green Line). Nevertheless, efforts are under way to change the situation de facto if not de jure.

The first step was a relatively discreet municipal decision to connect the site to Hagihon – the city water system. This was recently completed at a cost of NIS 1 million; now the water for the Holy Site, which hosts tens of thousands of visitors and pilgrims a year, no longer comes from Bethlehem. A move to include the site in the city’s area was initiated by Deputy Mayor Meir Turgeman, head of the local planning and construction committee. He has excellent relations with Interior Minister Arye Deri, who has the authority to decide upon such a change, but for now, the answer is no.

Accessible democracy

Smart glasses, tactile maps, wheelchairs and walking sticks – these are only a few of the devices now available for visitors to the Knesset with special needs, including persons with cognitive disabilities.

Additionally, a video, in Hebrew, English, Arabic and Russian, will appear the Knesset’s site to explain and guide the visitors regarding the new facilities. This complements the yearlong renovations undertaken to make the Knesset building accessible for people with special needs. The wide range of devices now available make the Israeli parliament accessible for visitors and workers with a wide range of disabilities. Earlier this week, Knesset Speaker MK Yuli Edelstein inaugurated service point where the devices are distributed.

Peggy Cidor’s round-up of city affairs