Weekly Update 57

October 17, 2025

 First topic: Finally, after nearly a year, two companies have been appointed to the Zamarin Community Center Audit Committee. However, the lack of transparency there continues.

 Second issue: What is the status of the development work in the Villas in the Woods neighborhood, and why have I not been provided with information and documents regarding the project for months, in violation of the Freedom of Information Act?  

 Third issue: Has the threat of demolition of the building at 100 HaMeisadim Street (the old Ya’abetz School) and its conversion into a residential neighborhood been lifted? What important community activities are taking place there, some of which are even expanding?

 Fourth issue: This coming Tuesday, a special council meeting will be held (in place of the regular meeting scheduled for the beginning of the month, which was postponed due to the holidays)—attached to this email is the agenda and the topics to be discussed at the meeting. Please review it, and if there is any topic you would like me to ask a specific question about, etc., please email me as soon as possible.

In the next newsletter, I will report on the decisions that were made.

 

First Topic: At long last, after nearly a year, two members have been appointed to the Zamarin Community Center Audit Committee

For a year, since the two members of the Audit Committee stepped down, the corporation has been operating without an Audit Committee. I shared with you that I submitted an inquiry regarding the management of the Community Center and the lack of transparency; the Head of the Council, backed by the Council’s legal advisor, evaded answering and referred me to the Community Center director. I am now pleased to report that two members have been appointed to the Audit Committee: Attorney Sarah Lucas and CPA Naama Zamir.  This is a volunteer position. These are two impressive committee members—a lawyer and an accountant. I know the first one personally, and she is indeed a principled and impressive woman. But I remind you that even if a candidate has the appropriate qualifications, it is forbidden to appoint associates. I hope there will be full disclosure and scrutiny regarding any ties—of any kind—between the two members of the new Audit Committee and their proximity to or support of any members of the Community Center’s management, including the deputies and council members—whose actions they are required to examine and audit.

In light of the lack of transparency on the part of the Council Chair and the Council administration regarding events at the Zamarin Community Center, and after I submitted an inquiry—neither the council chair nor Deputy Chair Zila Reshef, who currently heads the community center’s board of directors, reported the appointment of the community center’s audit committee to the full council. I only learned of the appointment in passing.  Here too, due to the lack of transparency, I have no answers—whether the issue of prohibited conflicts of interest was examined by the community center’s board, whether the community center’s legal advisor inquired about and is aware of a potential conflict and approved it. I am merely stating facts here—who was appointed to the audit committee and what the guidelines stipulate. As for what actually happened, I have no knowledge due to the lack of transparency. Here is another important reason why transparency is needed.

 

The Audit Committee always plays an important role in overseeing the community center’s board of directors. This is especially true in Zichron Yaakov, where there is a lack of transparency for the public regarding what happens at the community center, since the minutes are not published for the public.

Perhaps the new Audit Committee will be the solution—and they will ensure transparency, proper management, the recruitment of employees through a proper process, the publication of the minutes, and perhaps even live streaming of the meetings. Just as is done with council meetings.

 

Second issue: What is the council administration hiding regarding the development work in the Villas in the Forest neighborhood?

For months now, starting on August 18, 2025, I have been exercising my right under the law and the Local Authorities Ordinance to request access to or a copy of the documents pertaining to the development work (drainage, paving, and resurfacing) in the Villas in the Woods neighborhood on Shazif, Shikma, and Tapuach Streets. Anyone who lives on or passes through these streets can still see the excavations and the work that has been halted on Tapuach Street. It is unclear to anyone why.

Right at the start of the work, I contacted the council head with the following request:

Two months!! I have been sending this request over and over again. On August 31, I even went so far as to visit the council offices in person to submit my request. Two months have passed, and they have neither responded to me nor provided me with the documents, which is contrary to every law and regulation.

Of course, I also contacted the officials at the Ministry of the Interior responsible for the council. By law, the Ministry of the Interior, which oversees the local authority, is supposed to assist the work of opposition members. It is not doing so. Here is the latest response I received from the official at the Ministry of the Interior.

I don’t understand: Do two months of appeals to all relevant parties at the council not constitute “exhausting the process with the local authority”? How long am I supposed to keep appealing to the council head without even receiving an “acknowledgment” of receipt for all the reminders I’ve sent?

So yesterday, Thursday, October 16, 2025, I wrote again to the council chair, the gatekeepers at the council, and the official at the Ministry of the Interior:

And what is actually happening on the ground? For several weeks now, the work has stopped, and there are no clear answers as to why or what the reason is. I have a few theories on the matter but am still waiting for documents to verify certain facts before publishing them. As things stand, the drainage pipe infrastructure has been laid, and as of today, the entire Tapuach Street is a construction site.

For the information of the Council Chair and coalition members—I will never tire of this. The public demands transparency and proper governance. I will not stop, even in the face of your ugly attacks against me, as if I were harassing council staff with frivolous requests. Is this a frivolous request?? Why, after two months, haven’t you sent me documents that are sitting with the treasurer at the click of a button? Documents I am entitled to review and receive copies of, in accordance with the Local Authorities Ordinance.

Third issue: Saving 100 HaMeisadim, the old Ya’avetz School

About a year ago, in Newsletter No. 6, I wrote about the need to preserve and develop the 100 Founders complex, which was the old Ya’avetz School. The site is designated for public buildings, serves community activities, and allows for a variety of additional community activities. Part of the site is owned by the Israel Land Authority (ILA), and part is owned by the Council. During Ziv Deshe’s terms, an agreement was reached with the ILA regarding the site and the expansion of public uses there, in addition to educational facilities. The building underwent renovation during Ziv Deshe’s term, including dozens of classrooms and various spaces, a large shelter, parking for dozens of vehicles, a sports field for public use, and even a transit station adjacent to public transportation.

Over the past few years, building on initiatives from the previous term, the renovated complex has served the public in several ways:

· The “Hila” Educational Center—an educational framework for high school graduation for students for whom this social-educational setting is more suitable than a regular high school. The center enables many young people to continue in a setting tailored to their needs, prevents them from dropping out of school, and, above all, maintains a social framework and support system for the youth. The facility operates in the western wing of the old Ya’avetz building under the auspices of the Ministry of Education’s Shahar Division and the Council’s Education Department, which do excellent work with the youth and have even won a national award in the past as an outstanding unit.

· Moad Community Activities Led by Rabbi Silverman – In addition to community outreach, the Moad community synagogue operates on weekends and Jewish holidays in one of the building’s spaces, contributing significantly to the Zichron Yaakov community.

· About three years ago, a system of photovoltaic panels was installed on the building’s roof to generate electricity from green energy. Prior to their installation, the building received a structural stability approval from a structural engineer, who authorized the placement of the panels on the roof.

· During the 2023-2024 school year, students from the Nili School studied here while their own school underwent reinforcement, renovation, and expansion. To this end, extensive safety work was carried out on the building. The building received all required safety certifications; otherwise, permission for the children to remain on the premises would not have been granted. During the 2024-2025 school year, due to a lack of protective shelters at the “HaChita” school, students in grades 7–8 studied here.

· The community workshop, which also serves as a center for sustainability and community. It operates in the large eastern wing of the building in the courtyard and is run by volunteers, the Zamrin Community Center, and the Environmental Quality Department. Recently, a community sewing workshop and an active sustainability center were added alongside it.

· In the large shelter, a table tennis club for the senior citizens’ community is held—a club organized by the H.Z.B. and led by H.Z.B. volunteers

· According to past plans—some of which have a budget allocated for implementation—there were plans to establish a youth center, an artists’ center, and, most importantly, a special activity center for the town’s retirees.

About a year ago, genuine concern arose regarding the fate of this valuable complex following repeated statements by the council head that the building was slated for demolition. At that time, I wrote in the newsletter:

“Why would the council head take an active public building—which has safety certifications and where hundreds of students studied safely last year—and decide it is slated for demolition? It is important to understand that building a public structure of this size today would cost the council nearly 30 million NIS, so who stands to gain from demolishing the building?

To that end, we must remember that the complex is divided into two plots, one owned by the council and the other by the Israel Land Authority (ILA). Before introducing community uses for the building, the council, led by Ziv Deshe, formalized an agreement with the ILA so that the building could host a variety of public activities and not just serve as an educational facility. This is an important arrangement that allows for extensive uses for the benefit of the community.

However, according to the agreement, if the council does not use ILA’s land for public activities, the land must revert to ILA’s ownership, and ILA will immediately convert the area from public use to residential use or to a mixed-use zone combining residential and high-density commercial use, as permitted by TAMA 35/4 guidelines.

If the Israel Land Authority converts its portion of the land to residential use—the council, after declaring the building slated for demolition, will join in and convert its portion to residential use as well—and just like that, we’ll have residential buildings in the heart of the moshava. In an area that’s already congested today.”

A year ago, I had a genuine fear that yet another important community project would be destroyed in favor of real estate and contractors. A year has passed, and following the public disclosure of the issue—which led to public awareness—I can say with due caution that, as of now, the complex continues to operate for the public good and is even expanding.

The community workshop is currently celebrating its 5th anniversary and is expanding. The workshop is a creation of the Community Center Authority and the community of volunteers.
I’m attaching a joyful announcement that strengthens community activity at the site—an announcement distributed to the public this week that’s worth joining—

For five years now, our workshop has been the beating heart of community action.

A place where anyone can build, consult, repair, create, and share knowledge.

Here, the tables are filled with personal projects, joint initiatives, and spontaneous encounters between different generations and communities.

 

And now we’re expanding!

Next to the workshop, we’re opening a new sustainability center. A hub for social and environmental entrepreneurship, workshops, lectures, events, and activities that will spark the imagination, help us all protect the environment, and strengthen our local community.

Information about all events is available on our page on the community center website

You are invited to follow us, come visit, get involved, and be part of the community making a real difference in Zichron Yaakov.