It's a well-known phenomenon. Positive, successful
initiatives in the chareidi community, such as chessed
activities and exemplary communal organizations, are
appreciated by many, even in the secular media.
Even the daily Ha'aretz, not known for its love of
chareidim (to put it mildly), has joined the chorus of
secular newspapers who inadvertently reply Omen to
impressive achievements of the Torah observant community.
That paper recently published an article about the exemplary
planning of the city Elad, and entitled it, "Magnificent
Torah in a Magnificent Receptacle."
The article appeared in Ha'aretz's daily culture
supplement. Staff writer Esther Zandberg chose to elaborate
on the topic of environmental planning in the wake of a
contest for the best plans for the civic and educational
complexes of Elad-Mazor. An awards ceremony in honor of the
winning architects, Meir Buchman and Sefi Goldenberg, was
held last week in Tel Aviv's Beit Hamehandes. The prize was
5,500 dollars.
The newspaper notes that as far as it knows, this is the
first time that the chareidi sector has chosen construction
plans by means of a public competition. "This is also,
according to all opinions, a rare opportunity to become
acquainted with the main priorities of a social group whose
needs and tastes are not known to the secular community and
incommensurate to the world view of many. Interestingly, most
of the competitors and the judges were also secular,"
Ha'aretz writes.
The article describes the city of Elad which is intended for
over 8000 families, hundreds of whom are currently already
living there. The planned center is divided into a commercial
center and an educational complex for schools and Torah
institutions. According to the paper, "The dimensions of the
built-up area suit a city much larger than Elad." The paper
also notes that, to the secular eye, there is a conspicuous
absence of a shopping mall and entertainment centers, "which
are not especially popular in Torah communities."
The winning architect, Meir Buchman, says that, unlike in
many secular cities, top priority in Elad is given to
pedestrians and baby carriages. He notes that when he
prepared the plans for Elad's center, he focused on the fact
that the Torah community "prefers a respectable style, over a
bold or modern one."
The paper comments that this approach "should without a doubt
give rise to thoughts about the link between form and
content."
Ha'aretz notes that the street system of the city
corresponds to the way of life and structure of the chareidi
family. The article mentions that an auxiliary law, providing
for stone outer surfaces of the buildings, will accord the
city an impressive appearance. Truly, "Magnificent Torah in a
Magnificent Receptacle."
