Grapevine: A battle in Harish, a festival in Tel Aviv
In several municipalities in which the mayor is an appointee of the Interior Ministry rather than an elected official, would-be candidates for mayor are extremely disgruntled.
By GREER FAY CASHMANInterior Minister Eli Yishai (L), Rabbi Shlomo Amar (R)(photo credit: Courtesy: Chief Rabbi of the Western Wall )
■ IN SEVERAL municipalities in which the mayor is an appointee of the Interior Ministry rather than an elected official, would-be candidates for mayor are extremely disgruntled. This was the case when Yoram Marciano, a former Labor MK and former deputy mayor of Lod, stood a very good chance of winning elections that were never held because Interior Minister Eli Yishai decided to appoint Meir Nitzan.Similarly, Amram Mitzna was the appointed caretaker mayor of Yeroham until the election at the end of 2010 of Michael Biton, who entered office in 2011.Now the secular sector of Harish is demanding that appointed mayor Nissim Dahan, a former Shas government minister, be replaced. They want elections before Harish is turned into a haredi town. Up until now, Harish has been a mixed, “live and let live” community, but residents are fearful that once the haredim become the majority, the lives of other residents will be made miserable.The kibbutzim and the Arab towns and villages that border Harish are also unhappy with what will constitute a haredi town, when plans approved by the government are implemented and construction completed. The Arabs, for their part, are fearful that some of their land will be appropriated for haredi housing.The request to replace the mayor has been rejected by Yishai, who heads the Shas party. Construction and Housing Minister Ariel Attias is also a member of Shas, and both side with Dahan.Dahan argues that secular people were never particularly attracted to Harish – since if they had been, they would have come in large numbers. Now, if housing becomes available, it will be snapped up by the haredi community.The secularists in Harish – which is located near Hadera and Umm el-Fahm – appealed to the Haifa District Court against the conversion of the town into a haredi enclave. The court ruled that if they want to live there, the Construction and Housing Ministry must make adequate provision for them.Meanwhile, Attias announced at a news conference this week that marketing has begun for the first 5,000 housing units.It looks like a losing battle for the secular community.■ THERE IS also a haredi problem of a different kind in Rosh Ha’ayin, where Chief Rabbi Azaria Basis is preventing the paving of a road over a cemetery that dates back to the Second Temple period. Construction of the eight-lane road, intended to link the communities of Samaria with the central region, began several months ago but hit a stalemate when Basis accused workers of desecrating Jewish graves.
In the interim he has held many discussions with Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar and other leading rabbis, in an attempt to solve the problem so that work can progress without the graves being desecrated.■ WITH PRICES rising and money getting tighter, many – especially those with large broods of children – are looking for low-cost or free entertainment.One of the options is the annual Succot Icon Festival for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Role-playing, which takes place in and around the area surrounding the Tel Aviv Cinematheque. Members of the public who have not yet seen the Cinematheque’s impressive new auditorium are in for a treat. The seats are spacious and there is plenty of legroom between rows, so that seated patrons do not have to stand every time someone walks past them. In addition, the grading of the rows enables the vertically challenged to have an unblocked view of the screen, even when sitting behind a tall person.This will be the 16th consecutive year of the festival, which this year is directed by Tomer Shalev and focuses on the concept of both real-life and fantasyworld “discoveries.” The fact that Icon has been running for so long is indicative of its popularity with readers and cinemagoers.There is a tremendous amount of diversity in the three-day program running from October 2 to 4, with more than 100 events, including lectures, panel discussions, contests, professional workshops, comical and musical shows, and animated events.Icon is produced by nonprofit organizations that work all year long to promote a following for creators of science fiction, fantasy and role-playing. They strive to make these genres more accessible to a wider public as well as to niche audiences, while also providing a platform for independent filmmakers and young authors.Festival attendees will be able to enjoy trivia games and a huge fair of science fiction and fantasy merchandise. Aside from providing entertainment and a lot of food for thought, the festival is also a forum for recognizing talent, and will include the Geffen Awards ceremony for best Hebrew published or translated science fiction/fantasy books of the year, and the Einat Awards for the best short stories.
