US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides paid a visit to the city of Bnei Brak on Thursday as a guest of Mayor Rabbi Avraham Rubinstein.
During this trip, the mayor gave Nides an overview of the city, which is predominantly populated by ultra-Orthodox Jews which maintains the ultra-Orthodox way of life. He also showed the municipality's plans for the city's ongoing urban renewal and development.
This includes the construction of new neighborhoods with 3,000 housing units, a light rail and a business complex to attract hi-tech and financial companies.
The two also discussed the city's battle with COVID-19, as Bnei Brak was one of the hardest-hit cities in the early days of the pandemic, but has made vast improvements.
The visit was also attended by United Torah Judaism MKs Meir Porush and Yizhak Pindrus.
"I was happy to hose Mr. Nides and to present to him the many changes taking place in the city today," Rubinstein said in a statement.
"It is an honor for us that the ambassador chose to make his first visit to a local municipality in Israel to the capital of ultra-Orthodox Judaism."
Good first meeting today with MK Mansour Abbas. We discussed the challenges and opportunities of promoting economic development and a feeling of hope for all people to live together in a diverse, shared society. @mnsorabbas pic.twitter.com/buQXiyobpO
— Ambassador Tom Nides (@USAmbIsrael) December 16, 2021
Also Thursday, Nides met with Ra'am head MK Mansour Abbas at the US Embassy in Jerusalem.
"Good first meeting today with MK Mansour Abbas. We discussed the challenges and opportunities of promoting economic development and a feeling of hope for all people to live together in a diverse, shared society," Nides wrote on Twitter.