Absorption Minister MK Zeev Boim and his entourage, MK
Michael Nudelman and a delegation of ranking Absorption
Ministry and Jewish Agency officials visited Modi'in Illit to
see first hand the outstanding efforts to meet the spiritual
and physical needs of immigrants living in the city.
The Minister and his entourage, who arrived following an
invitation by Council Head Rabbi Yaakov Guterman, saw
immigrants working at local high-tech companies and were
impressed by their quick acclimatization and absorption into
the general population.
Following a reception at Rabbi Guterman's office and a survey
of past, present and future life in Modi'in Illit, the guests
inaugurated the Hila Youth Center on Rechov Shaar Hamelech
and praised the Council Head for his success in advancing
immigrant youths and bringing them into the existing
educational frameworks.
The group then went to the Kesem Mall, where an adult ulpan
offers Hebrew studies in keeping with the spirit of
Yiddishkeit. The Absorption Minister asked about every
student and his country of origin, identity and satisfaction
with the course.
The government officials were unable to contain their
amazement over the positive and encouraging responses
regarding the rapid absorption, assistance from the
Absorption Ministry, the Jewish Agency and various
departments of the local council and most of all the progress
in understanding Hebrew and integration into community
life.
Later a meeting was held at the offices of CityBook, which
employs dozens of immigrants from the US, the former Soviet
Union, European countries and other countries. On hand were
representatives from various countries of origin, who told
the Absorption Ministry and Local Council officials about
difficulties faced by the various communities, ways to ease
their absorption and impressive achievements by the Local
Council and various organizations in the areas of welfare,
education and culture. Participants at the meeting include R'
A. Duchbena, Mrs. K. Abadi (South America), Mrs. T. Tamim
(France), Mrs. S. Greiber (former Soviet Union), Mrs. Y. Katz
(US) and Mrs. R. Feigin of the Welfare Department.
During the meeting, participants in study projects sponsored
by the Local Council's Department of Immigrant Absorption and
Naaleh appeared before the Ministry officials, making a great
impression with their fluent Hebrew and their satisfaction
with their progress in understanding their lessons at school
and their social and scholastic integration in their
respective classes.
Afterwards tours were conducted at CityBook, Matrix,
Imagestore and Tescom, companies that employ hundreds of
chareidi women, including a considerable number of
immigrants.
At the end of the visit the Minister and his entourage
gathered for a working meeting with Rabbi Guterman, his
deputies, Rabbi Mordechai Goldberg and Rabbi Eliyahu Malul,
councilmen, Council Treasurer Mr. Avi Eden, Council Secretary
R' Yair Kirshbaum, the director of the Welfare Department,
Mrs. M. Miller, and other council employees involved in
immigrant absorption.
