New leadership The newly elected president of the Parents’ Association in Jerusalem, Paz Cohen, and his deputy, Arik Kaplan, met this week with Mayor Nir Barkat. The mayor congratulated the two new leaders and reminded them that education – including the need to enable parents to participate in decision-making – was the basis of his involvement in the city’s affairs. Judging by the amicable interaction between the two parties, it looks like the tension that characterized the relationship between the mayor and the former president of the association, Eti Binyamin, does not exist and that things will go much more smoothly between them.On one issue in particular, the two sides seem to share the same view about the importance of Jerusalem. Cohen informed the mayor of his efforts to move the headquarters of the national association from the center of the country to the capital. And to be on the safe side, Cohen asked that the mayor keep him posted on any decisions regarding the education system in the city.The best spa in the city According to Condé Nast Traveler magazine, the best spa in the city is at the Mamilla Hotel. The Akasha Spa was listed this year on the magazine’s annual roster of the world’s best spas. Akasha was the only Israeli spa included on the prestigious list, which names the best resorts from New York to Delhi. There are spa facilities, a gym, Pilates and organic food at the bar at Akasha, not to mention the opportunity to sweat in style in the spa’s luxurious hammam.
M is for Mondays at the movies Following a proposal by city council member Merav Cohen (Hitorerut B’Yerushalayim), as of this week there will be discounted movie tickets on Mondays.As part of the efforts to make our cultural life more affordable and accessible, the decision applies to all the movies theaters in the city. The municipality, through the community and culture administration, accepted Cohen’s proposal and obtained the green light, as well as the required funding, to launch the initiative. As a result, we may find that going to a movie on Mondays will cost about 25% less but will require some logistics in obtaining tickets on such a popular day – a small price to pay for such an improvement.Study session The successful Limmud movement, which started in England and spread across the Jewish world, has reached the Holy City. On May 10, for the Lag Ba’omer celebration, Limmud Jerusalem – which the organizers hope will become an annual tradition – will take place at the Herzl Museum on Mount Herzl.Among the topics are Zionism, Halacha, religious feminism, the social protest and its Jewish roots. Registration is available through wufoo.com.Payment can be made via Pay-Pal to Hamelitz. For more information: www.limmudjerusalem.org
Tons of tours One of the city’s most successful projects, the annual Yad Ben-Zvi marathon of Jerusalem tours takes place this year from May 10 to 12. This spring’s program of 120 guided tours includes bicycle tours, the Bukharan neighborhood, in the footsteps of the Irgun, graffiti in Jerusalem, a culinary tour of Mahaneh Yehuda, the Freemasons in the Holy City, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the Gur Hassidim, the zoo by night, the Russians and their footprints in our city and characters from Nobel laureate S.Y. Agnon’s literary works. For more details and registration, go to http://marathon.ybz.org.il/
A decade of poetry Makom Leshira (a place for poetry), one of the most prestigious poetry projects in the country, is celebrating its 10th birthday. Despite many problems, such as changes of venue due to lack of funds, the initiative is growing and will hold a week of poetry events, some with musical accompaniment, from May 6 to 10. The opening event on Sunday at 8 p.m. (in English) at 16 Emek Refaim Street features two guests from abroad.Local poet Hava Pinhas-Cohen will give a talk and introduce Slovenian poet Barbara Pogacnik and American poet and Jewish scholar Barbara Falk, who will discuss poetry, culture and the use of foreign languages The rest of the programs will be in Hebrew. Entrance to the events is free, but registration is required. Call 652-4601.