Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky toured several chareidi
educational institutions in the city last week on the opening
day of the 5764 school year. The Department of Chareidi
Education was happy to note the school year opened without
any serious hitches, except for a few mosdos that have
not yet found a solution to classroom shortages.
Municipal officials say that in order to alleviate the severe
shortage of classroom space the Department of Chareidi
Education has budgeted some NIS 4 million to add 60 portable
classrooms.
During last week's tour Mayor Lupoliansky was accompanied by
Deputy Mayor and Chareidi Education Commissioner Rabbi Uri
Maklev, Chareidi Education Department Director Rabbi Binyomin
Cohen and the department staff. The Mayor helped children
cross the street safely during the course of the tour. The
Department says the traffic caution and safety project has
been given high priority, even in its routine activities. The
traffic safety coordinator for the chareidi sector has
contributed significantly to an impressive success rate in
controlling illegal transporters.
High-ranking city officials also took part in the dedication
ceremony for Talmud Torah Hadras Yerushalayim-Zichru Toras
Moshe and the Beit Margalit school, both of which were built
in response to longstanding space shortages. The buildings
were constructed/renovated through a rushed organizing push
of two months with the help of the Department of Chareidi
Education and other municipal departments. They are using two
warehouses used by the City of Jerusalem and the IDF Home
Front Command and were built at a total cost of NIS 8
million. Hadras Yerushalayim has 16 new classrooms while Beit
Margalit has 14 new classrooms.
Mayor Lupoliansky thanked Rabbi Cohen, saying that over the
coming month the municipal staff would already meet to begin
preparing for next year's opening. "The school year opens
every year on the same date and we must be prepared for it,"
he said.
