Comments on: Jerusalem Has a Future Again!

By: LB

LB — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:34:30 +0000

How about cutting taxes for all college students in Jerusalem? Raising arnona rates sevenfold for foreign-owned apartments that are left vacant most of the year (they’ll be more likely to rent them out, eliminating “ghost neighborhoods”), increasing the Art & Culture budget (it’s a fraction of TA’s), giving real incentives for businesses to move to Jerusalem and actually moving all the government offices to Jerusalem from the Merkaz? Actually enforcing reasonable zoning regulations?

Those are all just small steps off the top of my head, not that I’m holding my breath…

By: Cori

Cori — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:04:44 +0000

“Israel needs to cease to be ‘Medinat Gush Dan,’ and Jerusalem needs to play a big part in that transformation.”

AGREED.
Do you have specific ideas re: this, and how it might unfold in a perfect world (or by means of a miracle)?

Shabbat Shalom.

By: LB

LB — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 18:27:23 +0000

The scene in Jerusalem is primarily made up of Anglo Olim (and their kids), the very few hilonim left in town, and American yeshiva students who come for a year after high school, make fools of themselves and too many of them are an overall bad thing in general (someone needs to supervise, and be accountable). The first two groups aren’t bad, but they are a very small part of Israeli society. Where is everyone else?

I was there pretty recently, and Jerusalem doesn’t need to try to emulate TA and it’s scene – but it needs to be able to be a draw for Israelis of all stripes, and not be that city they go to when they visit their grandparents, or see for the first time when the army takes them.

Israel needs to be a city for all Israelis, not just a few sectors of society. Yes, more bars and restaurants have been opening up, mostly over the past year, but Israel needs to cease to be “Medinat Gush Dan,” and Jerusalem needs to play a big part in that transformation.

By: Ben-Yehudah

Ben-Yehudah — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 16:37:21 +0000

B”H

I am concerned by the conflicting promises Barkat seems to have made to the various sectors in J-M, his misrepresentation of Rav Drukman as endorsing him {a letter from the Sun. shows a clear endorsement of Porush}.

You’re absolutely right on about the foreigners buying up apts. left empty for most of the year.

But, why does J-M need a “night life.” When was the last time you were here? Shlomtzion street opening up is pretty new. Then there’s Emeq Refaim, Talpiyoth, and sections of Baqa and Azza St., in addition to the touristy Ben Yehudah street and Nahalath Shiva.

The sheruts run all night between J-M and TA.

;-}