The Modi'in Illit Business Center, where over 300 women are now employed, received a boost with the addition of Imagestore. The company, considered a world leader in the fields of scanning and miniaturization, joins the five companies already operating in the city. Ehud Olmert, the new finance minister who was on hand for the inauguration of the work center and the expansion of the business complex, spoke of Council Head Rabbi Yaakov Guterman's extensive efforts to promote employment and the many plans he has for advancing future projects.
The government's decision one-and-a-half years ago to support the Call Center by subsidizing employees' salaries was a landmark for employment ventures in the city. Reputable companies soon opened offices in Modi'in Illit and others are on the way as part of efforts to further boost local employment.
With encouragement from Rabbi Guterman and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Imagestore, which already employs 100 women in the area, decided to invest NIS 2.5 million to open a second work center. During the inauguration ceremony company heads R' Moshe and R' Ephraim Reich thanked Rabbi Guterman, Minister Olmert and the heads of the Trade and Industry Ministry for their guidance and assistance.
When it was his turn to speak, Rabbi Guterman thanked the two brothers for choosing Modi'in Illit as the site for their new service bureau and presented Olmert with a certificate of appreciation in recognition of his "assistance, encouragement and solution for the employment crisis in Modi'in Illit."
Minister Olmert offered thanks to all of the figures who joined together to set up the Imagestore work center and the expansion of the Modi'in Illit Business Center. He recalled touring the city one year ago and learning of the powerful labor force the women of the city have to offer, their good work ethic and their desire to take part in providing parnossoh for their households. "Back then I already thought there is no good reason not to assist them realize this tremendous potential and no reason why they should not find a way to sustain their families in a manner suited to them."
Olmert thanked the director-general of his ministry, Raanan Dinur who, through cooperative efforts with the Director- General of the Employment Services, paved the way for the project's execution. Olmert also spoke of the tour of the city the Council Head took him on at the beginning of the visit, during which he saw the additional employment potential and the fantastic rate of housing construction. "I have been told on several occasions that where there is a good council head or mayor, everything works out. This was shown to be true. The head of the city is an energy storehouse of unceasing activity and of ability to take advantage of every opportunity to make the right connections. I am sure at the time of my next visit to the [city] there will be thousands of women here employed at more and more companies."
Following Olmert's visit at the business center, a working meeting was held at Rabbi Guterman's office. Olmert noted the relatively high salaries among Modi'in Illit women, such as NIS 28 per hour ($6.20) at Matrix, and Rabbi Guterman presented plans for two day-care centers currently under construction as well as figures indicating that 600 of the city's 6,000 families send children to day-care centers (ma'onot and mishpachtonim), while another 1,000 families in the city's new neighborhoods have no day-care solution available to them. In response, Dinur said a model of new day-care centers based on regulations would be created and a day-care training course fully funded by the Trade and Industry Ministry would be opened.
"Your achievements and the marching forward in all areas, particularly in the area of employment, help the Trade and Commerce Ministry as well and therefore there is mutual assistance here," said Olmert at the end of his visit.
