Chareidi cities are the most beautiful, cleanest and best-
kept in the country. Five chareidi cities won prizes from the
Council for a Beautiful Israel at an awards ceremony last
week as part of the Beautiful Community in a Beautiful Israel
competition. In addition to receiving five stars this year,
Beitar Illit received the Golden Star for remaining among the
prize winners for five consecutive years.
All five of the chareidi cities taking part in the
competition won prizes. Beitar Illit won five beauty stars
and the Golden Star Award, Modi'in Illit and Elad also won
five beauty stars, and Kiryat Yearim (Telzstone) and Emanuel
won four beauty stars.
"This is an especially positive and refreshing trend that
demonstrates that the chareidi public attends to
environmental quality and clean surroundings more than any
other sector in Israel," said Rabbi Yitzchok Pindrus,
chairman of the Forum of Chareidi Cities at the Center for
Local Government and mayor of Beitar Illit. "This is a
certificate of recognition for the chareidi public and the
leadership of the chareidi local authorities, which have
proven, by investing efforts and correct explanations and
with the full cooperation of the residents, that it is
possible — and imperative — to maintain clean
surroundings that are pleasant to live in."
Beitar Illit has been taking part in the competition for ten
years and last year it won the prestigious Beauty Banner in
recognition of the city's concerted efforts to maintain the
quality of life and aesthetically attractive surroundings.
At the ceremony, the Five Beauty Stars and the Golden Star
awarded to Beitar Illit were received by Mayor Pindrus and
Municipality Director and founding council head Rabbi Moshe
Leibovitz, who praised City Improvement Department Head Rabbi
Mendy Schwartz, Department Director Rabbi Mordechai Zeideh
and Deputy City Secretary Rabbi Betzalel Yaakobson, who work
all year round to preserve the surroundings and the quality
of life for Beitar residents.
Modi'in Illit Council Head Rabbi Yaakov Guterman said Modi'in
Illit is notable for its beauty and the residents are aware
of it and cooperate all year to preserve the city's special
character. He praised Councilman Rabbi Menachem Shapira who
is in charge of environmental affairs, and Rabbi Tzvi Levy,
director of the Environmental Department, for their major
contributions toward receiving the prize for the third
consecutive year.
