Weekly Update 20

January 10, 2025

Hello everyone,

This week, several topics:

• New and troubling revelations regarding the event/conference hall adjacent to the Ohel Yaakov synagogue in the center of the Moshava;
• The path to turning Meisadim 100 into a public community project is short and feasible; everything was already prepared during the previous term—we just need the will to carry it out.
• The council has announced the expropriation of land in the Zichron Yaakov area for the expansion of the educational complex (contrary to the information provided to us by the plenary members). Hopefully, this won’t bring the massive Zichron Yaakov project upon us before its time.
• Another director at the community center has left—the wonderful and creative director of the Culture Department, Yoel Virba. We invite you to the charming final project he left us—Zichronites Nights.

New and disturbing revelations regarding the event hall adjacent to the Great Synagogue in the center of the town:

As I wrote last week, the plan to build the event hall on the courtyard area adjacent to the Great Synagogue—an area that is partly public and partly requires verification as to whether it is even owned by the council—was submitted to the Haifa District Planning and Construction Committee without informing the council members and without us having seen the plan. This is a violation of all rules of proper administration regarding the council’s work.

This week it became clear that, based on the information we have, the plan—which was submitted without the council’s approval—includes a request to rezone the land and build an event hall covering 280 square meters!!!! That is a lot. Until we receive reliable information from the council chair, these are the figures we must rely on. The plan also includes a change in land use designation because the courtyard area is classified as open public space (OPS)—land on which no structures may be built, only gardens, playgrounds, etc. None of this was mentioned to us at the council meeting. And I have no doubt that if the correct information had been provided, most council members would have joined me and voted against it, just as I did.

I would like to point out that the plan, which was submitted behind our backs and perhaps even without the signature or knowledge of the current council engineer, did not pass the council’s preservation committee, nor was the National Heritage Preservation Council notified. The number of violations—specifically, the lack of proper administration and the concealment of information—associated with this plan is beyond count. I’m having a hard time keeping track of it all myself.

I have not yet received a response to the numerous letters I sent, but it may have helped, as I have learned that the plan has been halted and the head of the District Committee is scheduled to visit the site. I hope the District Committee will understand that national heritage sites cannot be exploited for profit and will halt the plan entirely. I would like to note that my colleague, Dr. Avigayil Dolev, who is examining the issue from a professional perspective, supports the construction of a smaller hall. The amendment she requested to be included in the council meeting minutes regarding her exact position has been included. However, we both agree that there were violations of due process here, and the plan must be made public and subject to discussion.

The Founders 100 (Old Ya’abetz) and Promoting Youth in the Community:

“It is not upon you to complete the task, nor are you free to desist from it” (Mishnah Avot 2).

The current council head has a wonderful opportunity to act wholeheartedly to complete, develop, and empower the world of young people in Zichron Yaakov. The initiative to establish a youth center was conceived and implemented during the previous term by Council Head Ziv Deshe and then-Council Member Maskit Laufer, who viewed it as part of the community vision of our party, “The Party for the Moshava.” A commitment to creating appropriate services for young people, just as they believed in and worked to establish the Early Childhood Department for ages 0–3, to promote services for the elderly, and to establish a community center branch for the ultra-Orthodox community.

They had excellent partners and hands-on professionals at the Zamarin Community Center, led by Alon Shnir, a manager and entrepreneur at heart who rallied the entire community center staff. A Youth Center director was hired, and operational budgets were allocated. At the same time, the council in the previous term streamlined planning and construction procedures: first, the council plenary approved the contract update process; then, the contractual agreement with the Israel Land Authority (Israel Land Authority), which owns part of the land, so that the building could be used for a variety of public and community purposes and not just for educational facilities.

The total budgets allocated to the complex, which were actually budgeted and mostly utilized, amount to approximately 2,500,000–3,000,000 NIS and include:

• Construction of a wing for the Hila Project under the Education Department
• Construction of a community workshop
• Construction of a new parking lot with approximately 40 parking spaces
• Renovation and preparation of the adjacent sports field and its commissioning
• Installation of electrical, water, plumbing, aluminum, and other systems
• Installation of air conditioning systems
• Addition of restrooms
• Reviewed proposals from several designers for the youth center
• Planning and budgeting for an elevator—preparation plan prior to submitting a building permit application.

The council at the time approved the budget for the elevator’s construction. However, it could not be carried out due to the presence of students from the Nili School in the building. Once they left, we entered the post-election period for the council. But now we can finish the job—there is a plan for the elevator and accessibility; we need to finalize the building permit, increase the budget to the current amount, issue a construction tender, and then open the three planned centers there: for youth, senior citizens, and artists. We will support the council head in advancing these plans.

Issue – Expropriation of land in Zichron Ya’acov for the expansion of the educational complex

Expansion of the Education Campus located near the Moshava High School—the expansion includes the construction of two new schools: Keshet Democratic School and the Tanachic Yeshiva High School. While we are all pleased about the construction of schools here, there are two main challenges.

First, a budgetary issue. The Ministry of Education funds only part of the construction costs, and the remainder must come from the council’s coffers, which are still reeling from the massive deficit in both development funds and the operating budget from Mr. Abutbul’s previous term. Additionally, the construction of the two schools will take place on Zichrona land and requires the actual expropriation of land.

In other words, even if these areas were zoned for public buildings or public spaces, the law still requires an expropriation process. This means that anyone with a stake in the matter who fears harm to their property can take action (invoking Sections 5 and 7 of the Land Ordinance (Acquisition for Public Purposes) under the Planning and Building Law).

The council head and the engineer explained to me in conversations I had with them that this is not really an expropriation but rather a land readjustment (I explained this in detail in Newsletter 16).

But unsurprisingly, this is the notice published a few weeks ago in the HaGafen newspaper, which indicates that this is indeed an expropriation. The local committee is acting in accordance with the law in this procedure, and in this case, it is acting at the request of the council head or the council administration. In other words, contrary to what we were told, this is indeed an expropriation procedure and not merely a land readjustment. And if there is another explanation, or if the council has legal opinions regarding what the implications of this expropriation and the development of these plots might be—it is a shame that these were not properly communicated to the council members before a decision was made.

Now, all we can do is hope that the assumption of the two—that the development of the Zichrona area for the educational complex will not serve as a catalyst for the premature development of the Zichrona neighborhood—proves to be correct.

What’s happening at the Zamarin Community Center?

A recent and rather unfortunate update: Yoel Virba, director of the Culture Department at the Zamarin Community Center, has announced his resignation, and a job posting has been published. I would like to remind you that this is the third departure from the Zamarin Community Center since Abutbul took office—Community Center Director Alon Shnir left, Youth Coordinator Omer Gendler was fired, and now Yoel Virba.

Yoel is a community cultural entrepreneur, and we have all experienced the cultural richness he has brought over the past five years. One of the many wonderful initiatives Yoel organized through the community center is the “Zikronites” evenings—performances in pubs and cafés during the winter, funded with assistance from the local council. He managed to organize this year’s series. Attached is the current schedule—you’re invited to come and enjoy this charming project, which has been running for several years and I hope will continue even after his departure. For full and up-to-date details, please contact the Zamarin Community Center.

Yours,

Limor Zar Gutman