Number One in Jerusalem – Education

The holiday season has come and gone, though Israeli flags and colorful flowers can still be seen along the Jerusalem streets.

Like every year, this small decorated porch rates as a favorite sight.

The Shavuot holiday started as Shabbat ended, making it a two-day holiday celebration for many Israelis. But outside of Israel, it was 3 days long, so no complaints. This all-time favorite image is from a wall mural when the Jerusalem Cinema City when newly opened.

We moved last week. With too much to do, packing, sorting and tossing (can you believe the strap on this bag was so old it disintegrated!) I had to pass up so many events that I will not try and list them all.

But if there is only one place to go in Jerusalem to take a break, the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens would be at the top of the list.

To see the brides posing for their wedding photos in the lush gardens,

and multiple groups attending workshops and meetings, it is hard to remember this was a Jerusalem garbage dump not so many years ago.

Go a bit further up the street (why do all Jerusalem streets appear to only go up?) from the Jerusalem Botanical Gardens is the Hebrew University Givat Ram campus. On top of the hill is the Kfar HiTech, High Tech Village sign.

Across the Begin Highway from the Hebrew University campus is the ever-growing and expanding, Azrieli College of Engineering Jerusalem. Remember back in 2019 there were so many events it was hard to keep up?

And on the other side of the highway is the growing and expanding Lev Academic Center, Jerusalem College of Technology JCT.

For the one event I attended this week, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion was the featured guest and speaker.

It was the groundbreaking ceremony for the Machon Tal Campus of JCT.

Currently, Machon Tal serves over 2,100 women studying at JCT. 

How good to see the current President of Lev Academic Center Professor Chaim Sukenik and Professor Joseph Bodenheimer, JCT’s fourth president (1993-2009) that evening. 

Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon, the Rabbinic Head of the Jerusalem College of Technology was also at the groundbreaking, important event.

The Machon Tal Hackathon in 2019 was impressive, along with the other Israeli – Jerusalem – innovation labs and startups. The new women’s campus will be the permanent home of future academic excellence for up to 3,000 female students in nursing, computer science, industrial engineering, accounting, and management.

When he entered and the entire time Moshe Lion had a broad smile.

A happy and positive event, filled with smiles was the one piece of “work” I was able to manage this past week.

The new campus is poised to provide increased opportunities for religious women to pursue higher education and attain quality employment in scientific and high-tech industries.

It will enable the opening of an industrial engineering and management track as well as a new nursing program for Haredi women, and a brighter future. More photos HERE

I did not get to the Israeli Education Week events at the Jerusalem International Conference Center I had on my calendar.

Back to unpacking, but I wanted to share this one important education story you may have missed seeing.

Full disclosure, I have known Professor Sukenik and his wife, a long-time friend, for many years.

Who would guess we took Organic Chemistry in college at the same time, our paths diverged, and we would meet up again on the Jerusalem streets?

Hope to see you all on the Jerusalem streets – and for a happy occasion!