This week in Jerusalem: Outstanding schools

Outstanding schools 

Despite Jerusalem sliding from 22nd to 25th place in the annual Education Ministry achievements ranking, Jerusalem teaching staff at the ranked schools were given a one-time financial award as part of the Oz Le Tamura reform in accordance with the agreement between the Education and Finance ministries and the teachers’ organization. The stipend for these teachers ranged from NIS 3,448.98 to NIS 9,197.31. 

The Jerusalem schools recognized as outstanding are Rene Cassin; Adam High School; Amal Bnot Zion Jerusalem; Yeshiva Noam; the Hebrew Gymnasium; Kedma Jerusalem; Yeshiva Nativ Meir; Horev Toranit Ulpana; Ironi Dati Rothschild; Gilo Makif; and Ziv High School. Also included are Bnot Pelech experimental; Himmelfarb; Navot Israel; and Ohr Torah Stone for boys. Hamassorti; the Zionist Youth Farm; the High School for the Arts; Tzvia High School; Yad High School; and Pisgat Ze’ev and Oraita High School complete the list.

Lobbyist out

MK Ze’ev Elkin, former Jerusalem and Heritage minister and chairman of the Lobby for Jerusalem at the Knesset, has left the city. Elkin packed his bags last week and returned to Kfar Eldad. Elkin said he was leaving for family reasons.

Park and ride

A new semi-circular parking lot near Givat Hamivtar will be available for the light rail’s Red Line passengers, with spots for those arriving from outside of town. This type of parking lot is the fourth of its kind, with some 1,000 available spaces along the line. It connects to the bike path that runs through Cedar Valley in the western part of Mount Scopus at a central point in the north of Jerusalem (the intersection of Givat Hamivtar and French Hill, adjacent to Route 1 and close to the Red Line of the light rail).

Ride a bus

The Hitorerut pluralist movement is spearheading the availability of free shuttles on Shabbat both within Jerusalem and to the beaches of Tel Aviv. The project was inaugurated last week with two minibuses full of youth. However, it did not meet with the approval of city councilman Yehuda Freudiger (Habayit HaYehudi), who sent a harsh letter to MK Hili Tropper (National Unity). The discord comes as National Unity party head Benny Gantz and Hitorerut head, city councilman Adir Schwartz, last week announced their decision to work together against the backdrop of the upcoming municipal elections.

Us and them

The report on the implementation of the five-year plan resulting from Decision 3790 for the Reduction of Socioeconomic Gaps and Economic Development in East Jerusalem showed a 100% increment in employment program participation. Additionally, some 15,000 people took part in welfare workshops, and 24,000 in classes. 

In 30% of the schools in east Jerusalem (unofficial and non-formal), a full Israeli curriculum has been implemented, and 50% of the official schools under Manhi supervision also have an Israeli curriculum. The number of students studying the Israeli curriculum among all first graders in east Jerusalem has increased threefold since the beginning of the program. New transportation lines are planned, and cleaning services in the east of the city have been improved and expanded. A new five-year plan has now been presented, with an approved budget of NIS 3.6 billion.

Beware 

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has called on Mayor Moshe Lion to condemn the ongoing attacks (in the form of spitting, insults, and even vandalism) on members of the Latin and Greek Orthodox church by Jewish ultra-Orthodox hooligans in Jerusalem. In a letter from the director-general of the ADL in Israel, Lion was requested to publicly condemn this phenomenon and sound a clear voice against hatred towards Christians. 

“As a Jewish leader, it is important that you condemn this anti-Christian phenomenon, just as we expect other leaders to condemn antisemitism where it occurs,” concluded the letter.

Jerusalem is one 

“Jerusalem One led by Moshe Lion” is the name the mayor’s faction has chosen for the upcoming municipal elections set to be held on October 3. Jerusalem One was, for years, the largest faction in the Jerusalem City Council, headed by legendary mayor Teddy Kollek. Asked if the name was a reference to that iconic mayor, Lion said that Kollek was his role model in terms of how to work for the city. Last Thursday, the name and the slogan “Lion, the only one who cares for all” was unveiled at the inauguration of the new headquarters in the Talpiot Industrial Zone. 

Lion’s No. 2 is Dr. Ronit Ahadot Hodzhiev HaCohen, who holds a PhD in neuroscience, and is a lecturer at the Hebrew University and head of the department of sciences and health promotion at David Yelin College. At No. 3 is Lion’s confidant Ofer Ayoubi, who currently serves as the mayor’s senior adviser. No. 4 on the list is Tali Friedman, chairwoman of the powerful Mahaneh Yehuda Merchants Committee, while further down is entrepreneur Amit Peretz, 31.