Modiin-Maccabim-Reut is planning a change over to electric transportation as part of a “green” revolution for the environment and lifestyle in the city.
Modiin Mayor Chaim Bibas and the CEO of “Better Place” Israel, Moshe Kapolinksi, signed an agreement stating that the company would install a charging infrastructure throughout the city for the benefit of electric cars.
During the agreement signing ceremony that took place last Thursday, the mayor said that in the future the possibility of turning the municipality’s vehicles into electric would be explored.
In recent months, the Municipality has considered the model of participation with Better Place in preparation for the introduction of electric cars to Israeli roads in general and Modiin in particular. The expected date for the output of electric car models is 2011.
Following the company’s proposal to the municipality, around five months ago, negotiations started. The final agreement is similar to other agreements the company has with other cities, such as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Ramat Gan, Raanana, and others.
According to the agreement, the initial stage will include laying down an infrastructure of between 50-60 charged poles in streets and central sites in the city, but still specific places had not yet been agreed upon.
It must be noted that in addition the company provides each electric car buyer with a charging pole for his home and place of work.
The engineering department of Modiin is working in coordination with the company in planning local spots for charging poles which will be stationed next to the central sites in the city so drivers can charge their cars while waiting in an orderly fashion.
The CEO is Better Place, Moshe Kaplonski: “The municipality takes care of the citizen’s life quality and understands that the change to electric cars will allow for cleaner lives within the city limits. In addition to the city charging infrastructure the citizens will be able to install charging poles in their private parking spots.
After signing the contract, the mayor went out to see a charging pole for himself and he stated that Modiin is one of the leading cities in the country in the “Green” department. In addition, he said that “Cooperation is another step in this direction. There’s no doubt that the introduction of electric cars to Modiin’s streets will change the perception of transportation in Israel and we are happy to be one of the main cities involved in this project”.
Environmental Revolution: City-Wide Infrastructure for Electric Cars
February 4th, 2010
Modi’in Parent & Child Bowling Club News
February 4th, 2010by David Nachenberg
An average of a dozen parents and children have been meeting twice a month at the bowling center and the kids have shown marked improvement the last few games. On Jan. 18, Sara Nachenberg started the ball rolling with a strike and a nine-count at the beginning of the game. Meital Rosenzveig spared in the 6th frame. Tzachi Ben Ezra had a strike and a spare towards the end of the game and finished with an 84, his highest game of the season. On Feb. 1, David Kops began with a strike in the 2nd frame. Eli Klausner struck and Sara Nachenberg spared in the 8th frame. Ephraim Zacks had his best game of the season. Most of the children bowl without bumpers.
The parents also recorded some decent scores. On Jan. 4 Howard Klausner spared in the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th frames, A spare in the 8th and a turkey (3 strikes in a row) in the 9th and first two balls in the final frame catapulted his score to a 174. On Jan. 18 Jack Ben Ezra struck in the 8th, spared in the 9th, and had two strikes and a 9 in the final frame to finish with a 139, his highest score of the season. Other scores: David Nachenberg - 149, Howard Klausner - 135. On Feb. 1 Yonah Kops rolled some powerful strikes, clocked at 17.9 mph (29 Km/ hour) and finished with a 157. Other scores: David Nachenberg - 145.
The next two sessions of the parent & child bowling club are slated for Mondays Feb. 15 and March 15 at 19:35 (7:35 pm).
Soccer Scene: Ben Sahar has scored one goal in 14 games for Espanyol this season. Our “homeboy” has scored two goals in three contests for the Israeli National Team.
Tennis Tribulations: Shahar Peer has improved her World ranking to 22nd place. In three tournaments in January 2010, she has a 9-3 won-lost record. Peer has earned $79,902 thus far in the new year.
“Singles Bowling Nite” Local singles and single parents will meet on Mon. night Feb. 8 and March 8 at 8 pm (20:00) at the bowling center at Yishpro.
Restaurant Review: Pisgat Ha-Baguette
January 20th, 2010by David Nachenberg
Looking for a nice, new Kosher place to eat at or for take-away? Pisgat Ha-Baguette at the Merlaz Center in the middle of Emek Dotan is just that place. This is their 4th store (the other 3 are in Jerusalem), and they feature a variety of hot and cold sandwiches, salads, meals, and of course beverages. It is a certified Kosher meat restaurant, but for the vegetarians there are omelettes and ample choices of salads. And they offer a low-cost children’s menu. The prices are consistent for other eateries in the Modi’in area. The only thing lacking are desserts. The manager, Oded, is congenial, and the establishment appears very clean. Overall it gets a thumbs-up rating. Oh, and they make deliveries too. Bon appetit and b’tayavon.
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz in Modiin
January 13th, 2010Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz visited Modiin last Tuesday. Mayor Haim Bibas and the management of the Municipality held a business meeting with the minister, which was also attended by Knesset Member Tzion Pinion, who serves as the coalition organizer on the financial committee. Steinitz’s advisors also attended the meeting.
The mayor also raised a number of issues important to the city during the meeting, amongst them the issue of spare money for improving and developing the city in many different aspects. The minister promised to look into the issue and to set up a follow-up meeting in his office. He noted that the State of Israel can be very proud of a city such as Modiin-Maccabim-Reut.
Municipality of Modiin, Maccabim and Reut is Distributing Breathalyzers to New Drivers
January 13th, 2010The municipality has started an operation in collaboration with Modiin’s police force, to distribute breathalyzers to new drivers. The device runs on batteries and is connected to the driver’s car keys. This new tool is a non-disposable alcohol level tester that allows the driver to measure his competence prior to getting behind the wheel. Activating the device is simple, by pressing a button and blowing into a special opening for three seconds. A few seconds later an indication light goes on; a green light signifies that the situation is “secure” and the alcohol concentration within the driver’s blood is below 0.02%. When the yellow light goes on, this indicates that the driver should exercise caution because the alcohol level in his blood ranges from .02 to.05 % and he should wait an hour and a half before driving. The red light signifies a dangerous situation, the driver’s alcohol level is higher than .05% and he should wait at least three hours before starting to drive. Before starting to drive, the driver should repeat the test 2-3 times, waiting for a period of three minutes between each test.
The municipality has recently purchased 300 of these devices and driving instructors throughout Modiin will distribute the devices to those students who pass a driving test and get their license. Mayor Chaim Bibas said: “This is an initiative that is mainly educational and will raise consciousness amongst teenagers about the dangers of driving under the influence. The device is constantly with them and attached to their car keys. If they perform the test after leaving a pub or club, it will make them think twice before getting behind the wheel and endangering their lives and the lives of others.”
Rocks Thrown on 443 Wednesday Morning
January 13th, 2010Several rocks were thrown at cars traveling on Rte. 443 on Wednesday morning, at about 9:30. The incident took place near Beit Sira, the Palestinian village just beyond Maccabim.
New Religious Studies Track at Yachad High School
January 7th, 2010The Yachad High School is opening a Religious Studies Track (Telem), in cooperation with and assistance from Jerusalem’s Shalom Hartman Institute.
The track will open in September 2010 for grades 7 and 8 and grow each year until it is offered through grade 12.
Telem will increase religious study for students who wish to deepen and strengthen their religious identity, while maintaining Yachad’s format of homeroom classes shared by students from all backgrounds.
Telem Track students will get 10 hours a week of Jewish Studies - 6 Gemara, 3 Machshevet Yisrael, and 1 Halacha with others Telem students and 3 hours a week of Tanach with their homeroom class. Telem will be taught by religious teachers. The program will include extracurricular programs (day trips, lectures, meetings with religious leaders, and more) based on Yachad’s belief in the importance of experiential learning.
Telem will be offered within Yachad’s impressive new high school building, which will open in September 2010, at the end of Beit Shean Street (across from the soccer fields). The high school will include a beit midrash, library, computer lab, science labs and other facilities needed by a high school.
For more information, please email the Yachad High Principal Uri Deutch at uriii111@gmail.com.
Committee for the Establishment of a Religious High School is Warming Up
January 5th, 2010About two weeks ago, the local media reported on a letter written by Mayor Chaim Bibas requesting to set up an appraising committee to look into the issue of setting up a new religious high school. The committee has already gone into action.
The committee members, headed by Shimon Harel, Alex Glicksberg and Dr. Dalia Doron, met and established a tentative agenda by which they would act in the following weeks, until the point during which they would be required to present their final suggestions to the mayor.
The committee has met with a number of different elements within the municipality, chiefly the mayor himself. In addition, meetings have been held with council members Michael Harlap and Vivian Elbaum, both of whom expressed support for the founding of the new high school. Meetings were held as well with Modiin’s rabbis, Rabbi David Lau and Rav Yaakov Chikotai, as well as with senior officials from the Jerusalem branch of the Education Ministry. While managing the various meetings the committee has also invited city residents to express their feelings on the issue via email to: tdati@modiin.muni.il
Moish Levi, in charge of the city’s education file in the Municipality, made clear that the committee has started working with vigor. In order to allow the committee to reach final conclusions within the shortest possible time, the municipality has seen to it that all of the necessary data and information needed is provided to the committee. Levi went on to say that just as he had promised in the past he is still working for the institution of a new religious high school in the city for those residents interested.
The Yachad school, with a mixed student body, has also made changes to become more attractive to religious students.
Sports Update
January 1st, 2010by David Nachenberg
Four parents and four children bowled in the Modi’in Parent & Child Bowling Club on the Winter Solstice, December 21. Howard Klausner topped all the parents by rolling a couple of convincing strikes. He converted a split to spare in the 9th frame, finishing with a 131.
Among the children, Eli Klausner and Sara Nachenberg rolled 63 and 61 respectively.
Upcoming sessions are slated for Mondays Jan. 4, 18, and Feb. 1 at 19:35 (7:35 pm).
Singles’ Bowling
Area singles and single parents are invited to a bowling night on Monday, Jan. 11 at 19:45 (7:45 pm). Afterwards they will be going to a local Kosher eatery. Each person will pay for his / her game and food at the restaurant.
In tennis, Maccabim’s own Shahar Peer won two titles in 2009, and boasts a singles won-lost record of 41-23. Peer is ranked 30th in the World and she earned $445,659 in 2009.
May this “Modern Maccabees” continue to illuminate the sports playing field and make us proud.
Bibas on the 443 Decision
December 30th, 2009Press Release from Mayor Bibas
The decision by the Supreme Court to allow Palestinians to use highway 443 will endanger drivers. The decision is of more concern given last week’s incident in which an Israeli citizen was killed in the Shomron. After a period of unrest (shootings and stone throwing), the 443 has been safe and quiet. The decision of the Supreme Court is liable to jeopardize this and negatively affect the safety of Israeli citizens using the road. Highway 443 has national implications and the Supreme Court’s decision will have an immediate adverse affect on the number of drivers using this road.