The Knesset Finance Committee approved the annual budget for the office of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is in the midst of a number of criminal trials against him. The annual budget was lowered from 538,000 NIS to 522,000 NIS.
In line with the law, a former prime minister is entitled to such funding for five years after stepping down, but the annual budget must be approved anew each year.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
IDF soldiers taking part in counterterrorism operations throughout Yehuda and Shomron arrested 9 suspects during the night.
** The number of unemployed rose 0.5% last month to 185,500.
** A chief military medical officer of an EU nation died in a Tel Aviv hotel of an apparent heart attack. NATO community chief medical officers taking part in training exercise in Israel. The exercise will continue despite the death. Today’s venue is Soroka Medical Center in Beersheva.
** Partner (Orange) cellular in Israel reports annual profits down 25% to 146 million NIS.
10:12: Kibbutz Meitzar (Golan Heights) A male was transported to hospital in serious condition after being thrown from a horse and attacked by a wild boar.
** The issue of illegal aliens, primarily from Sudan and Eritrea living in southern Tel Aviv remains a top news story as more and more women continue to come forward to report they too were attacked.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
The final numbers are in, and here is how the OU Kosher Consumer Relations Department responded to thousands of questions in the month leading up to Passover:
· More than 2,000 inquiries were submitted to OU Kosher’s Webbe Rebbe (for information related to OU policies and OU products) and Social Media “OU Kosher” on Facebook and “@OUKosher” on Twitter;
· More than 5,000 phone calls were answered using the OU Kosher Hotline (212.613.8241);
· More than 10,000 individuals downloaded of the OU Kosher phone APP, a technological development which was substantially covered by Jewish and secular media;
· More than 61,000 copies of the OU Guide to Passover were printed and distributed;
· More than 100,000 unique visitors logged-on to the OU Kosher Passover website, www.oupassover.org .
And this was only part of OU Kosher Consumer Relations’ 2012 Pesach experience. The world’s most recognized kosher symbol proved once again that it is also the top destination for kosher information year-round — particularly regarding the challenging preparation for Passover.
According to Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of OU Kosher, “We begin gearing-up for next year’s Passover literally the day after this year’s Passover has ended, under the leadership of Rabbi Shmuel Singer, working with Avigail Klein, to communicate with companies certified by the OU for Passover on their product results, and working with new companies in the process to develop products to be certified for the up-coming holiday. It is no wonder then, that when Pesach is actually approaching, so many thousands of people turn to the OU to answer their holiday-related questions.”
Rabbi Moshe Elefant, Chief Operating Officer of OU Kosher, explained, “OU Kosher invests much time and resources into providing excellent consumer relations. There is no time during the year when it is as busy as the Pesach season. OU Kosher’s Consumer Relations team touched many thousands throughout the world, serving a critical role in helping Jews around the world to prepare properly for the holiday.”
Rabbi Eli Eleff, OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinator and Consumer Relations Administrator, noted, “We received 150 calls alone on erev Pesach (the hours prior to the holiday) when the OU Kosher hotline was opened for three hours. Callers thanked us profusely for being open to help with their questions; and many last-minute calls came from rabbis, as were from people who had been told by their rabbi to contact the OU. In fact, inquiries were received about products certified by other kosher organizations, as we were informed that the OU was the only agency open to help consumers erev Pesach.”
OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinators Rabbi Eli Gersten, Rabbi Chaim Goldberg, Rabbi Michael Morris, Rabbi Aharon Brun-Kestler, Rabbi Gavriel Price, Rabbi Eli Eleff, Rabbi Dov Schreier and Rabbi Daniel Nosenchuk rotated hotline coverage to answer questions on Jewish law and OU Kosher policy. “We had two people taking calls at the same time as there were approximately 500 calls per day coming in to the hotline the week leading up to Passover,” Rabbi Eleff shared.
Rabbi Eleff paid particular tribute to Rabbi Benjamin Geiger, “who has done a masterful job of managing the OU Kosher Hotline since taking his position at the OU less than a year ago.” The week before and the week of Passover, Rabbi Geiger would return calls at night which had been left on the hotline voicemail – sometimes up to 50 at a time. Chana Raizel Segal was also trained to answer calls on the hotline regarding OU certified products.
“Given the illness of OU Posek (decisor of Jewish law) Rav Chaim Yisroel Belsky, archives of the past four years of pre-Passover webcasts, recorded together with OU Posek Rav Hershel Schachter, were posted for the community’s enlightenment and study, in response to the many inquiries received,” said Rabbi Eliyahu Safran, OU Kosher Vice President of Communications and Marketing.
Rabbi Moshe Zywica, OU Kosher Executive Rabbinic Coordinator and Director of Operations, played a leading supervision role in the entire efforts. Rabbi Zywica noted that the OU Kosher Consumer Relations staff is able to reach large audiences in great part from the high quality resources and maintenance provided by the interdepartmental professionalism and teamwork of OU Marketing and Communications, headed by David Olivestone, OU Senior Communications Officer; and the OU Internet Department, headed by Gary Magder, Director of Digital Media Marketing.
Rabbi Elefant answered Pesach-related questions on the Zev Brenner Show every night for four weeks; Senior Rabbinic Coordinator Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz, editor of the OU Guide to Passover, spoke with Rabbi Yosef Wikler on the Jewish radio station Hidabroot; and Rabbi Gersten, Rabbinic Coordinator for Recording Rulings and Policy of OU Kosher, spoke on “JM in the AM” with Nachum Segal.
Highlights of the special ASK OU Passover presentation at the Queens Jewish Center in Forest Hills, where Rabbi Geiger serves as spiritual leader, included Rabbi Rabinowitz addressing “OU Wine and Grape Juice;” an “Ask the OU Rabbis” Question and Answer session on holiday and year-round kosher issues featuring Rabbis Elefant and Gersten; and Rabbi Dov Schreier, Rabbinic Coordinator for Food Service at OU Kosher, on “Hotels, Catering and Restaurant Issues for Pesach and Year-Round.”
Additionally, special presentations by OU Kosher Rabbinic Coordinators were given in Brooklyn; Columbus, OH; Lakewood, NJ and Toronto.
Rabbi Elefant emphasized, “As the world leader in Passover preparations, OU Kosher is constantly upgrading our relations with the kosher consumer to better connect with, and contact us. From “How to kosher,” to “What medicines can I take on Passover?” “Can I use this product on Passover?” or “Where can I shop after Passover?” the Orthodox Union will continue to best assist consumers in all of their pre-Pesach and post-Pesach shopping and preparations needs.”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Councilman David G. Greenfield is working with the New York Board of Rabbis to convince the city to require a higher level of kosher certification standard when seeking a new vendor to provide kosher food in detention facilities run by the New York City Department of Corrections (DOC).
After hearing shocking stories from constituents about Orthodox Jewish inmates not being provided access to glatt kosher food, Greenfield met with Commissioner Dr. Dora Schriro and other DOC officials to discuss the situation and work on a resolution. Greenfield also wrote to Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Edna Wells Handy to request that the city follow the examples set by the State and Federal government, both of which require that kosher food served in prisons meets the certification standards followed by the majority of the Orthodox Jewish community.
“Everyone has the right to practice their religion freely and without government intrusion. This extends to those who are incarcerated in city facilities. Nobody should be forced to choose between eating and following their religious beliefs. It is exactly in challenging areas like our prison system that shows whether we are doing enough to protect an individual’s religious rights. That’s why I will continue working with the appropriate city agencies to make sure that we have glatt kosher food available for all inmates who require it in city jails,” said Greenfield.
The city currently follows a lower standard for kosher food certification that does not meet the requirements of most Orthodox Jewish individuals who are incarcerated here. This means those individuals might not eat for several days. In response, Greenfield asked DOC Commissioner Schriro and DCAS Commissioner Wells Handy to require that the winning bidder meet acceptable kosher certification standards like those outlined by the federal government. These include agencies such as Union of Orthodox Congregations (OU), Organized Kashrus Laboratories (OK), Star K, K’hal Adas Jeshurun (KAJ) and others outlined in the Federal Bureau of Prisons Religious Certified Food Products Specification Quote Sheet.
The DOC manages several jails in the five boroughs, including the famed Rikers Island. All of these facilities are temporary holding facilities for defendants who are awaiting trial or have been sentenced to one year or less in jail. More than 100,000 prisoners go through Rikers Island each year on charges ranging from relatively minor infractions to major crimes including murder.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
Marking the shloshim for Rav Eliyahu Deri z”l, family and close friends of the niftar held a shloshim event in Har Nof’ Toldot Yitzchak Shul. The main speaker was Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, who told the family that Rav Aryeh Deri is not an “askan” as most believe he is, but a “talmid chacham and a big rav”.
The rav added that following shiva everyone expected to hear from Aryeh Deri regarding general elections, but this was not the case. Rav Ovadia credits Aryeh Deri with establishing many yeshivot, yeshivot that do not discriminate between Ashkenazim and Sephardim.
The rav added that most view him as an askan and simply are unaware of his torah knowledge and who the real person is.
Regarding another son of the niftar, Rav Yehuda Deri, chief rabbi of Beersheva, Rav Ovadia said the rav never stops, visiting shul after shul, always concerning himself with his tzibur. The rav added Rabbi Deri simply understands his position and remains determined to spreading the word of torah.
The rav concluded that the niftar has tremendous merit in the Next World as a result of his sons and the paths they have chosen.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
An IDF officer and soldier were wounded by terrorist sniper fire from inside Gaza a short time ago. The incident occurred in the Kissufim area. The wounded were transported to Soroka Medical Center’s trauma unit in Beersheva. MDA reporting one injured moderately and the second light.
YWN-ISRAEL will provide updated information as it is released.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Last minute preparations are underway for the Wednesday night, eve of 3 Sivan 5772 hachnasas sefer torah at the tziyun of Dovid HaMelech on Har Tzion. Many admorim and roshei yeshiva have indicated they will be in attendance.
The completion of the sefer will take place between 17:00-18:00 in the Grossman home at 5 Ratzabi Street in the Beis Yisrael area of Yerushalayim. The actual procession towards the Old City is expected to begin at 19:00, and it will be led by the children, the ‘tinokos shel beis rabon’ accompanied by music and dancing. A seudas mitzvah will follow the event.
Over recent years, the tziyun, which is presumed by many as the makom kvura of Dovid HaMelech has gained popularity. There is a daily neitz minyan and a daily recitation of the entire sefer tehillim begins at 16:00 followed by mincha and maariv.
Shabbos: Mincha on erev Shabbos begins a half hour before shekiyah, followed by kabolas Shabbos and maariv. On Shabbos morning, shachris is neitz and mincha is a half hour before shekiyah followed by seudas shlishis, maariv, and melave malka, with over 300 people attending the latter.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
An annual New York City tradition begins Wednesday, as Fleet Week kicks off with the Parade of Ships along the Hudson River.
It will be the largest Fleet Week since the celebrations began 25 years ago. The festivities will mark the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the penning of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
A flotilla of 17 tall ships and 10 warships will sweep into New York Harbor, some from as far away as Indonesia.
The vessels will sail past the Verrazano-Narrows bridge, the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson before turning around at the George Washington Bridge.
The first ships will be visible from Lower Manhattan just after 9 a.m. Later, they will move to docking stations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Staten Island.
This will be the first Fleet Week celebration since the U.S. withdrew its combat forces from Iraq in December.
Visitors are welcome to come aboard the vessels from Thursday through next Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for the Brooklyn vessels, which are only open Saturday to Monday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
(Source: WABC)
One of the best kept secrets for travelers in and out of John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens is the Rockwood Beach Jewish Center, a full service Orthodox synagogue located just five minutes from the metropolitan area’s busiest airport.
The Howard Beach synagogue is easily accessible by bus, train, bicycle and car at exit seventeen off the Belt Parkway. Offering minyanim for Shachris, Mincha and Maariv, daily shiurim and many seforim, the Rockwood Beach Jewish Center not only caters to traveler’s religious needs but also features a fully stocked kitchenette with snacks, beverages and a microwave. For families traveling with small children, the spacious facility has a toy filled playroom to entertain the youngest of travelers.
The Rockwood Park Jewish Center, which was originally founded in 1950, has been under the leadership of Rabbi Tzvi Berkowitz for the past fourteen years and is convenient not only to JFK but also to the Five Towns, Queens and Brooklyn. The synagogue, located at 156-45 84th Street, welcomes visitors, particularly during the busy summer months, to take advantage of its complimentary hachnasas orchim, and also offers free on-site parking.
For further information please contact the Rabbi Berkowitz at the Rockwood Park Jewish Center at 718-641-5822.
For Chesed Parking, reservation is required.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
Just weeks after Pentagon and Central Intelligence Agency officials warned publicly of the dangers posed by leaks about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, top officials at both agencies and at the White House granted Hollywood filmmakers unusual access to those involved in planning the raid and some of the methods they used to do it, newly released government records show.
At a briefing in July 2011, Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Mike Vickers told filmmakers Michael Boal and Katherine Bigelow that the leaders of the the Special Operations Command couldn’t speak to them for appearances’ sake. However, Vickers said that the Pentagon would make available a Navy SEAL who was involved in planning the raid from its earliest stages.
‘On the operators side, Adm. McRaven and Adm. Olson do not want to talk directly, because it’s just a bad, their [sic] just concerned as commanders of the force and they’re telling them all the time-don’t you dare talk to anybody, that it’s just a bad example if it gets out-even with all sorts of restrictions and everything,’ Vickers said, according to a transcript of the meeting released Friday to Judicial Watch. The conservative watchdog group filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit demanding the documents.
‘The basic idea is they’ll make a guy available who was involved from the beginning as a planner, a SEAL Team 6 Operator and Commander,’ McRaven said.
‘That’s dynamite,’ Boal replied, according to the transcript.
Bigelow, best known for ‘The Hurt Locker,’ also chimed in. ‘That’s incredible,’ she said, gratefully.
‘He’ll speak for operators and he’ll speak for senior military commanders,’ Vickers continued, adding that the designated SEAL would essentially be a mouthpiece for McRaven and Olson. ‘The only thing we ask is that you not reveal his name in any way as a consultant because again it’s the same thing, he shouldn’t be talking out of school, this at least gives him one step removed and he knows what he can and can’t say,’ Vickers added, vouching that the SEAL cleared to meet with the filmmakers would be able to provide ‘lots of color.’
The Pentagon is now withholding from the public and the press the same name DoD gave the filmmakers. The response sent to Judicial Watch explains the deletion by citing privacy concerns as well as a statute allowing the Secretary of Defense to protect the names of members of ‘routinely deployable’ and ‘sensitive’ units. It is unclear whether the court will uphold such a withholding given that the name was already disclosed to a member of the public by a senior official, apparently with some forethought.
A Pentagon spokesman stressed Tuesday night that the name given to the filmmakers was not that of someone directly involved in carrying out the bin Laden raid.
‘The identity of a planner, not a member of SEAL Team 6, was provided by USSOCOM as a possible point of contact for additional information if the DoD determined that additional support was merited,’ Lt. Col. James Gregory said. ‘No additional official DoD support was granted, nor to our knowledge was it pursued by the film makers.’
Some Republicans have accused the Obama administration of having shared secret information with the movie team in order to paint President Barack Obama in a flattering light in a film that was originally scheduled to come out before the November election. The film, now called ‘Zero Dark Thirty,’ has since been delayed to Dec. 19.
(Source: Politico)
12 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed and gills removed
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
4 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
12 (1/2-inch) slices fresh mozzarella, roughly 1 to 1 1/2-ounces per slice
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Toss the mushrooms in the balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup of olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.
While the mushrooms are cooling, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, herbs and the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil.
Place 1 slice (2 if the mushrooms are large) of mozzarella in the cupped side of each mushroom. Distribute the bread and herb mixture evenly over the mushrooms and return to the oven to roast for 5 to 6 minutes or until the mozzarella is molten and the bread an
By Emuna Braverman and Elizabeth Kurtz, of www.gourmetkoshercooking.com
www.gourmetkoshercooking.com is a new and exciting site where you will find over 900 great kosher recipes – with particular emphasis on ideas for Shabbos and holidays, the best new kosher products, gorgeous table top decor, articles on kosher wine and healthy eating, featured giveaways, travel, cooking with kids and much more. Content is updated weekly so visit us often. Your family will be glad you did!
d herb topping a nice golden brown. Serve either hot or at room temperature.
New York State Governor Cuomo insisted Tuesday that passing a minimum wage hike this year would be tougher than getting gay marriage or pension reform through the Legislature.
He’s come under fire from liberals for not pushing GOPers hard enough for a minimum wage hike after expending political capital on the other issues.
But Cuomo said the philosophical divide on bumping the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $8.50 is likely too big to breach.
(Source: NY Daily News)
Mayor Bloomberg’s helicopter is taking flak from angry East Siders.
He has repeatedly ignored a curfew at the East 34th Street Heliport, using it several times on nights and weekends when it’s supposed to be closed, according to neighbors and a television report.
“I personally like Mayor Bloomberg. This is not a vendetta. I just think in this instance it’s hypocritical,” heliport neighbor Ron Sticco told The Post, noting, “He should abide by the rules.’’
WABC/Channel 7 reported Bloomberg violated the curfew at least 16 times, adding he used the heliport eight times last weekend.
It aired video shot by Sticco showing Bloomberg leaving the chopper with his girlfriend, Diana Taylor, and her two dogs.
Sticco told ABC, “If you’re concerned about the quality of life in this city, then don’t land a helicopter in front of my apartment with the choking exhaust and intolerable noise when it’s closed.”
The heliport, which is city-owned but leased to a private operator, is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the week and closed on weekends. It was not clear what, if any, penalties the mayor might face for breaking the rules.
Bloomberg, a licensed pilot, made at least one of the landings himself, according to the station.
“It’s my understanding it’s not closed on the weekends,” Bloomberg told WABC.
His spokesman declined to comment last night.
(Source: NY Post)
On the heels of a class-action lawsuit that accuses the NYPD of making unjustified arrests, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly issued new rules for how cops can patrol in privately owned apartment buildings, the Daily News has learned.
The order, issued Monday, says officers need probable cause to arrest someone for trespassing — and that police should take “reasonable measures,” such as asking for ID or building keys, to verify whether someone who is stopped and questioned has a right to be there.
In the past, police have also taken the additional step of verifying those claims — by knocking on someone’s door, for example. But that scenario isn’t addressed in the new order.
Landlords who register for Operation Clean Halls give police permission to routinely “vertically patrol” their buildings.
But the New York Civil Liberties Union filed a federal suit in March that accused the NYPD of routinely violating the rights of residents — most of them black or Latino — by making unjustified trespassing arrests in those buildings.
The group said residents have learned to carry ID at all times or risk getting arrested while throwing out their garbage or getting their mail.
It also said police assumed the program gave them the right to stop people outside the buildings participating on Clean Halls.
“It absolutely seems like the rules were not spelled out clearly at all,’’ said Alexis Karteron, senior staff lawyer for the NYCLU. “It seems like the order recognizes there are serious problems with the program, but the NYPD still as a long way to go.”
Kelly has said Operation Clean Halls is intended to add a layer of security for people who can’t afford to live in dorman buildings.
(Source: NY Daily News)
It was a shocking site this rosh chodosh morning when mispallalim of the Tehila L’David Shul in the chareidi community of Tel Tzion arrived for shachris. They saw the damage to the shul caused by a vandalism attack during the night. The Tzion is located adjacent to Kochav Yaakov in the Binyamin Regional Council district of Shomron.
When the mispallalim arrived early for their neitz minyan they saw that the shul had been broken into and the three sifrei Torah were missing.
They looked around and immediately realized that the shul had been vandalized, desecrated. The tzedaka boxes were broken open, as was the Aaron Kodesh. Gabbai Rav Shai Davush documents that the damage was significant, adding he believes the vandals entered via a window.
The sifrei Torah were found thrown in a corner, on the floor, and the outer silver cases broken. Police were summoned and preliminary information points to footprints leading to a nearby Arab village.
IDF commanders were also informed and they indicated as a result, they will be installing sophisticate surveillance cameras around the yishuv perimeter.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Neighbors of the Atias family z”l of Moshav Bar-Yochai told Kol Berama Radio that Rav Rafael and his rebitzen were simply models of tznius and chessed. They explained that the children, even the little ones, were always dressed extremely modestly, even the little ones who would never leave home without socks.
Rav Chaim Ben-Shimon, the gabbai of a shul in the community where the niftar davened spoke of the mesirus nefesh of the niftar, his total dedication to the shul, the community, his neighbors.
Rav Ben-Shimon stated that the loss remains incomprehensible for mispallalim of the beit knesset and neighbors, adding the Atias family was among the veteran families, in the yishuv for two decades, and the niftar was a member of the town council as well.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Police have arrested at least ten suspects following an investigation into an organ for profit operation. The ring is suspected of harvesting human organs from poor destitute people, persuading them to sell body parts for profit. Members of the ring paid $1,000 to$10,000 for body parts. The recipients of the organs on the other hand paid $100,000.
The investigation is on an international level after Israeli authorities were alerted a number of weeks ago by European Union authorities, which stated that a Turkish citizen was taken into custody in Kosovo. While in custody he told that he had a kidney removed by the ring, and claims that after the surgery he was simply thrown out into the streets.
Police report that for one thing, the donors were ill informed, not at all aware of the risks associated with the organ donation. Secondly, police state that after receiving the organ, the recipients often did not receive proper medical care.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
It was a somewhat unique scene in the Satmar beis medrash on Yoel Street in Meah Shearim on Tuesday morning, Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5772. A possibly mentally unstable male ran into the shul and began randomly hitting mispallalim. It took a few minutes, but the mispallalim did manage to restrain the violent male and carry him outside.
Police were summoned to the scene to deal with the disorderly male.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
As Yom Yerushalayim was observed on Sunday, Jerusalem City Hall released statistics pointing to what Mayor Nir Barkat calls “positive trends” in the capital 45 years following the liberation of the occupied areas of the holy city.
For the first time in 15 years, the population of students in Jerusalem’s secular schooling system is increasing. This major demographic shift highlights an improvement in the attractiveness of the city for young secular families.
The city has seen a 4% increase in qualification for matriculation among high school students in the national and national-religious educational systems.
Businesses in the center of the city, and along the route of the Jerusalem light rail, have seen an increase in revenue for the first time in many years.
According to recent polling, Jerusalem residents are satisfied with their lives and more optimistic about their future than residents of other cities around the country.
Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkat: All residents of Jerusalem can feel and are enjoying, the dramatic changes taking place in the city. They support the trends, and deserve much of the credit for the great renaissance the city is experiencing. After 15 years of decline, there is an increase in the secular educational systems and a dramatic rise in qualification for matriculation. The city is breaking records in the number of tourists and our cultural and sporting events are attracting thousands of participants from Israel and abroad.
As a result of focused efforts and major investments by the Jerusalem Municipality, the city has seen a rapid scaling in the number of international businesses now investing and setting up offices in the city.
Jerusalem is reclaiming its place as the cultural capital of Israel, while simultaneously attracting more young families and gaining an international reputation for accessibility and excellence.
Jerusalem is committed to continuing to invest in education, culture, economy, and the overall ambiance of the city, in order to make it worthy of its name, its history, and its role as the capital of the State of Israel.
Educational System Scaling in Jerusalem:
After a decade and a half of consecutive decline (12%), there is has been an increase this year in the number of students in the national education system in Jerusalem.
In the school year 5772 there are 11,133 students in elementary national education institutions as opposed to 11,024 students in 5771.
Elementary religious education has also seen an increase in students after years of decline in their numbers. 11,003 students attend the religious national education institutions as opposed to 10,872 students in 5771.
After years in which no major increase in the number of students eligible to receive matriculation certificate was recorded, matriculation eligibility percentage in the national education sector has increased by 4% to 64.03% as opposed to 59.42% in 5769. Furthermore, an increase of 4% was recorded in the religious-national education sector in the school year 5770 to 68.09% as opposed to 64.27% in 5769. An increase in eligibility for the matriculation certificate emerged following reforms initiated by the Municipality, the Knesset, and the institution of new educational programs.
The percentage of students eligible to receive the matriculation certificate, which met the university threshold requirements, was 87% in Jerusalem in comparison to 85% in the nationwide figures.
The Municipality launched this year the “Barkat Model” developed by the mayor as an administrative tool aimed for school principals. The model includes 30 indicators that examine not only grades, as was the case with previous methods, but also includes ethical and social indicators such as volunteering in the community, recruitment to the IDF, parental satisfaction, social environment, violence level and more. The model has been highly commended by principals, teachers and parents’ committees and is currently being expanded to other cities in the country.
The Young Choose Jerusalem 52% of the residents who moved to Jerusalem in 2010 are between the ages 24-30, and only 47% of the residents leaving Jerusalem are between the ages 24-30.
Satisfaction:
Jerusalem city residents are optimistic about their life: 89% of the city’s residents are satisfied with their life as opposed to 87% in Israel, and 86% in Tel Aviv.
City residents are optimistic about their future: 70% of residents feel that their lives in the future will improve as opposed to 62% in Tel Aviv and 53% in Haifa. 59% of the city’s residents are satisfied with their financial situation. 56% are satisfied with their level of income. 83% of the city’s residents are satisfied with their workplace.
Tourism: In 2011 the number of night stays in Jerusalem hotels amounted to 3,854,500 nights, 18% of all night stays in Israel. 80% of the tourists who visited in Israel in 2011 visited Jerusalem.
The most visited sites were the Wailing Wall (visited by 60% of all tourists), the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem (55%), the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem (48%) and the Mount of Olives (46%).
Jerusalem was selected as one of the top 25 most sought after destinations in 2011 in a survey held by the prestigious and popular website “Tripadvisor”; Jerusalem reached the position of number 13 out of 337 tourist destinations worldwide.
Hotel revenues from tourism in 2011 amounted to NIS 1,567,497 billion. A massive summer campaign by the name “Spend two days in Jerusalem” resulted in an increase of 30% in the number of Israeli visitors in the city during the summer.
So far, in 2012 an increase of 44% has been recorded in internal tourism. The Jerusalem Municipality created a special program to facilitate and promote hotel construction, including close supervision by developers, removal of bureaucratic obstacles, distribution of grants, and decreasing municipal taxes for the purpose of encouraging developers to build additional hotel rooms in Jerusalem.
Of the new hotels that are already designed, two belong to luxury chains: the Waldorf Astoria, constructed with an investment of 150 million dollars and containing 230 rooms, and a Four Seasons hotel containing 200 rooms.
Culture and sports:
In the last three years there has been a cultural and sports revolution in Jerusalem. Culture budgets were doubled and the number of cultural events and festivals in the city has been tripled. Jerusalem has returned to center stage, attracting the major sports, cultural events and major international events in the country. Jerusalem has become the nationwide leader with the new sports and cultural complexes set up by the Municipality which are intended to host numerous and diverse events. These shows will be delivered by internationally acclaimed performers, and include the Maccabiah and a variety of other leading film, theatre and art schools in the country.
The second international Jerusalem Marathon was held this year, attended by 15,000 runners including 1,500 runners from 50 different countries worldwide. The marathon received positive feedback in Israel and worldwide and significantly contributed to the city’s economy and its branding worldwide. A new sports arena, funded in part by the Israel Lottery, is under advance construction stages and will become part of the national sports complex which also included the expanded Teddy Stadium (31,000 seats), an Olympic swimming center, an upgraded tennis center, a sports hotel, a light rail station and more.
In addition, the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority set up bicycle routes, seating corners, lawns and sports and recreation facilities along HaMesila Park, from the Khan rail station and up to the Malcha rail station, along the old rail route.
City Center:
The city center occupies its natural place as Jerusalem’s principal place of business. According to R.I.S. report: for the first time in years businesses in the city center and along the light rail route have increased their income. One of the main goals set by Mayor Nir Barkat in the beginning of his tenure was intense physical and economic development in the city center for the purpose of attracting visitors and maximizing the potential inherent in the Jerusalem Light Rail. The Municipality has made intense efforts to upgrade the Jerusalem city center as the shopping, culture, recreation and leisure center for both the city’s residents and visitors. These efforts include, among other things: A higher level of maintenance, supervision and cleanliness, handling sanitary and safety challenges, business promotion and development, production of cultural events and more.
Additional figures:
Jerusalem, the nation’s capital, is the largest city in Israel, both in terms of its geographic area, 125.2 thousand dunam, and in terms of residents living in the city. In 1948 Jerusalem’s population amounted to 82,900 people. In 2011 Jerusalem’s population crossed 800,000 as 801,000 residents live in the city, of which 407,000 are Jews (62%), 281,000 Moslems (35%), 14,000 Christians (2%) and 9000 undenominational (1%).
The five cities to which city residents emigrate from Jerusalem are: 10.3% to Beit Shemesh, 8.4% to Tel Aviv, 5% to Betar Illit, Givat Ze’ev 4.7% and 4.2% to Modi’in Illit.
The word “Jerusalem” is referenced in Google 40,100,000 times.
The word “Jerusalem” appears in Google 137,000,000 times.
The average winter day temperature in Jerusalem is 12 degrees and 29 degrees in the summer.
Before its unification Jerusalem’s municipal area was 38.1 square kilometers.
The overall length of Jerusalem roads is 1,253km.
The longest street in the city in Menachem Begin Avenue, 15.7km in length.
The shortest street is A-Tabuna stairs, 7.60m in length followed by Matityahu Street, 9.55m in length.
There are 173,055 walking routes in Jerusalem.
There are 28km of highways in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is located in the Judean Mountains, therefore there are 34.9km of stairs, for the residents’ convenience.
There are 2000 archaeological sites in Jerusalem.
15,000 runners attended the Jerusalem Marathon with runners from more than 50 countries worldwide.
This summer the city will host numerous events, including: The Light Festival. The International Film Festival. The Front Stage Jerusalem Street Party. Jerusalem Season of Culture. The Wine Festival at The Israel Museum. The International Festival of Puppet Theater. Hutzot HaYotzer Festival. And numerous other events.
(Figures were taken from the Central Bureau of Statistics, Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies, Jerusalem Municipality divisions, Tourism Bureau, Hotels Association and the Jerusalem Development Authority).
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz reported on Tuesday, Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5772 that since the Second Lebanon War, Hizbullah has increased its missile arsenal tenfold, now numbering 60,000 missiles of various types and range.
The IDF commander simply stated that since the last war in southern Lebanon, which took place in 2006, the terrorist army has been working to upgrade, and it has succeeded with the help of Syria, Russia and Iran. Today, the missile threat is a serious one, with many of the opinion that while Israel prefers a diplomatic solution, it is only a matter of time until the next military conflict with Hizbullah.
Senior commanders have warned that in the next war, the “entire country will be the homefront,” simply meaning that in all likelihood, missiles will be launched at Israel by Hizbullah in southern Lebanon and by Hamas and its allies in Gaza.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
