This week in Jerusalem: Peggy Cidor’s round-up of city affairs 374434
After almost 13 years without a chief rabbi, Jerusalem will finally hold elections for the position on October 21.
By PEGGY CIDOREscalator repairmen stand at the bottom of the escalator alongside city shoppers at the newly renovated Hadar Mall in Talpiot this week.(photo credit: SARAH LEVIN)A booming business Despite the significant drop in income and clientele at the various malls in the city due to Operation Protective Edge, the recently renovated Hadar Mall in Talpiot had 97 percent occupancy in August, or about 20,000 visitors per day. There was a 160% increase in revenue in the stores.The mall underwent a NIS 100 million renovation that included the addition of one and a half stories to the building and 900 more parking spaces.Tzilla, to be or not to be? Tzilla – the Hebrew acronym for afternoon programs in preschools, kindergartens and grades 1 and 2 – became a real suspense story for parents in the last week of August. Following an announcement by the municipal Education Department and the Jerusalem Parents’ Association, an agreement was signed by the preschool teachers and the municipality to run the after-school programs at reduced prices.But in the last two days of August, an unexpected change of heart by the Education Ministry (which finances the agreement) turned the tables and left the parents without any affordable solution for their children after school hours.The suspense was alleviated at the last moment, with a new agreement signed by all the parties.Paz Cohen, the president of the Parents’ Association, issued a letter to the parents clarifying the situation. The 600 preschool teachers signed the agreement with the community centers as well (which run the after-school program).Prices – which are still being debated between the Parents’ Association and the municipality (still awaiting the Education Ministry’s announcement of its financial participation) – range between NIS 360 and NIS 550 a month per child, depending on the family’s income.Neighborhood festival Late songwriter Naomi Shemer once wrote a song about the land of “every day a festival or a scandal.” Now it’s the German Colony neighborhood’s turn for a funfilled event, with a festival on Emek Refaim Street on Monday, September 15, between 5:30 and 11 p.m. Handmade crafts will be displayed alongside performances by musicians and stand-up comedians; there will also be a new initiative launched by the Yad2 website, to encourage and promote wise consumers, with tips for reuse and retail of vintage items. The festival, which is more like a fair, will also have a special Jewish culture site, with liturgical songs for the upcoming holidays and a corner for youth movement activities.For more details: www.live.yad2.co.il/ neighborhood/ Local glory What do the king of Sweden, the king of Morocco, former Israeli president Shimon Peres and Dr. Debbie Weissman, a Jerusalemite and devoted activist in promoting interfaith dialogue, have in common? They have all been awarded the Interfaith Gold Medal – Peace through Dialogue. The award was initiated and sponsored by Sir Sigmund Sternberg of London and is given through the International Council of Christians and Jews. Until last week, Weissman was the international president of the ICCJ and was awarded the medal just before ending her term of office.Hail to the chief rabbi After almost 13 years without a chief rabbi, Jerusalem will finally hold elections for the position on October 21, right after the High Holy Days.A meeting of the election committee, held last week at the mayor’s office, approved the composition of the electorate: 12 representatives of the city’s synagogues, 24 representatives from the city council and 12 rabbis and public figures, recommended by Barkat and the religious affairs minister.The decision came after the representatives of the synagogues and the city council received a ruling by the High Court to act as quickly as possible to enable the election to take place.New adviser at Safra Square Eli Malka is the new legal adviser of the Jerusalem Municipality. Amnon Merhav, the former legal adviser, was appointed CEO, replacing Yossi Heymann, who left the position a year ago. Malka, formerly the deputy legal adviser, has a degree in law and public administration from the Hebrew University.Wait for me, again The inauguration of the Jerusalem Arena has been postponed yet another time, to September 11. The official opening was originally planned for last week, August 31. The reason for this new delay? The municipality hasn’t yet given the arena its permit to use the arena and open it for public use. And one more important detail – the final cost of the largest and most ambitious construction project in Jerusalem since the Old City walls: NIS 409 million, mostly from Mifal Hapayis and the government.Through the mountains The high-speed railway from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Last Thursday, the longest tunnel – dug with minimum damage to nature – was completed, with diggers meeting on both sides of the tunnel. With a length of 11.5 km., it took 22 months. At the end of the work on this very important project, there will be a double track for high-speed trains for a total length of 57 km., with two tunnels (the second tunnel is not yet completed) connecting the capital with Tel Aviv, through Ben-Gurion Airport. The direct journey from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv will take only 28 minutes.
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