One of the best-known and often-used quotes by Menachem Begin, which has long survived him, is “There are judges in Jerusalem.” But even the judges of the Supreme Court, who are so despised by Justice Minister Yariv Levin, can frustrate and disappoint the very sector of the population that is among their strongest supporters.
Since the beginning of the current war, the Foreign Press Association in Israel has been petitioning the various authorities for permission for its members to enter Gaza.
Such permission has been consistently denied, meaning that much of the reporting about what goes on in the region comes from Gazan journalists stationed there since before the war, who are understandably sympathetic to the Gazan population, and foreign journalists who manage to enter from Egypt.
The FPA has appealed the denial of access to Gaza, which has prevented its members from properly carrying out their work.
A hearing that had been set for April 7 has been postponed indefinitely. A notice informing the FPA stated that a new date would be set but did not specify when this would happen.
The notice was signed by Chief Justice Isaac Amit, whose title and authority Levin refuses to recognize. Justice in Jerusalem? Evasive, just like peace.
Jerusalem Foundation event for women in leadership
LAST THURSDAY, some 100 women who are leaders in a variety of organizations, institutions, and business enterprises gathered at Tantur Hills Hotel in east Jerusalem for a leadership-at-different-levels event initiated by the Jerusalem Foundation.
Activities at the event were aimed at inspiring and training new leaders who live in a shared society.
There were lectures and panel discussions, such as a panel on female leadership moderated by Riham Jaber, who heads the foundation’s east Jerusalem division, including its center for business initiatives.
Foundation president Arik Grebelsky noted that the foundation works all over the city and with all sectors of the population with the aim of enhancing all parts of the capital physically and demographically.
For him, it was very exciting to bring 100 highly successful women together to prove that every glass ceiling can be broken when the goal is clear and when everyone works together to achieve it, as is happening in east Jerusalem.
MDA gets new ambulances in honor of the Dee family
IT SEEMS that Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah never stop competing with each other. When volunteers from both respond to a call, they get along well and, when necessary, help each other in providing medical care.
But the people at the top of both organizations are less mutually gracious. It’s somewhat reminiscent of Israel’s parliament.
Just after United Hatzalah had announced the expansion of technological capabilities at the launch of a new center in Bnei Brak, MDA announced the gift of three new ambulances donated in memory of the three members of the Dee family from Efrat who were brutally murdered by terrorists who opened fire on the car in which they were traveling.
Lucy Dee, 48, was critically wounded, and her daughters, Rina, 15, and Maia, 20, were killed instantly. Lucy succumbed to her wounds three days later.
Donated by an anonymous benefactor, the three ambulances were dedicated at a ceremony in Jerusalem, attended by Rabbi Leo Dee, the husband and father of the victims; his daughter, Keren; his parents, Barbara and Anthony; his sister, Sarah Callman; and other Dee family members.
Also present were representatives from the Israeli Friends of MDA, senior MDA officials, volunteers, and staff.
One of the three new ambulances, bearing the names of the two Dee family daughters, has been stationed in the Efrat Regional Council, where they lived. The other two ambulances have been deployed in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, where they will serve local residents and contribute to saving lives in these areas.
“Tisha B’Av is the saddest day of the year, but it is also the day when the Messiah is said to be born, teaching us that from our greatest suffering comes our greatest salvation,” said Rabbi Dee.
“The donor and MDA have created an incredible path to redemption, and we thank them from the depths of our hearts.”
In expressing appreciation to the anonymous donor, MDA director-general Eli Bin said: “These ambulances will join our teams working day and night to save lives, and with great hope they will also help bring new life into the world. May their memory be a blessing.”
If Israel’s paramedic organizations keep competing with each other, it can only be beneficial to the health of the nation, particularly as it involves thousands of volunteers – Jewish and non-Jewish, secular and religious, and of different ethnic backgrounds. Helping people in medical distress is a unifying factor.
Generations at Hebrew University
IT’S DOUBTFUL that any family can boast of five generations of its members attending the Hebrew University, which on April 1 celebrated its 100th anniversary. But there is at least one family with a history of four generations of Hebrew University students, with three generations of alumni.
Starting with Ben-Zion Luria, a Polish immigrant who arrived in Jerusalem in 1929 and worked as a laborer before advancing in academia and government prior to becoming a leading researcher in biblical studies, his son, Prof. Menachem Luria, also enrolled at HU, specializing in human-atmosphere interactions and environmental science.
Then came the third generation, Dr. Shai Luria, an orthopedic professor, and his siblings Gil, a financial analyst, and Adi, an engineer. The most recent member of the family to follow in the Luria tradition is Amit Luria, who is studying law and urban planning at HU.
By the time the university reaches its 120th anniversary, a significant figure in Jewish tradition, there is bound to be a fifth generation, or possibly a sixth.
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