Grapevine: How long is temporary?

In a long-overdue change, the municipality published double-page ads in English and Hebrew informing bus travelers of what it called “temporary changes” to traffic/transportation on Emek Refaim Street.

One page showed a complicated map, and the other provided information about changes in the 77, 77A, and 97 bus routes in and around the German Colony. How much more helpful it would have been to publish the complete bus routes of the above, plus bus routes for 34 and 18, which for years passed through the German Colony and the surrounding area.

One Hebrew paper, in writing about how the city is changing, headlined the story “The Tel Aviv-ation of Jerusalem.” It would be more appropriate to compare the capital with Chelm. How could Mayor Moshe Lion allow so many bus route changes during the summer vacation period? How “temporary” is temporary? The light rail construction on Keren Hayesod Street and King George Avenue has been going on for nine months with no end in sight.

The Strauss Street extension from the center of town has been blocked off for the same period. The only recent improvement on Keren Hayesod is the removal of a long section of the white board that concealed the view, and its replacement with wire fencing that enables passers-by to get a clear view of both sides of the street.

Returning tourists coming to Jerusalem will be completely confused and inconvenienced. No consideration has been given to them or to people with mobility problems.

■ NOT FOR the first time, documents of the Jewish Community of Ireland are being presented to the National Library of Israel.

On Wednesday, July 8, the Israel-Ireland Friendship League, whose members mostly live in Ra’anana, Herzliya, and Kfar Saba, will come to Jerusalem for the presentation of the 23rd volume of the Genealogical History of the Irish Jewish Communities, authored and compiled by Stuart Rosenblatt, president of the Irish Jewish Genealogical Society.

Among those who are expected to grace the event is Irish ambassador Sonya McGuiness. Entertainment will include a Celtic harp player.

■ IT’S RARE for either a bride or groom to be part of the entertainment line-up. But at the wedding of Odelia Ouzon and Eylon Damari, the bride, who is a highly talented musician, played her bass saxophone with vigor.

At the urging of the bride’s brother, nearly all the guests arrived early at Ein Hemed National Park, a few kilometers outside Jerusalem, for fear that the highways might be blocked by haredi anti-draft demonstrations.

The bride is the daughter of noted historian Dr. Francoise Ouzan and Hadassah cardiologist Dr. Elisha Ouzan, and the groom is the son of Katriel and Rina Outmi Damari. Many Hadassah division heads were seen among the guests.

■ THERE ARE not many instances in which both a husband and wife receive their country’s most important award in recognition of their individual contributions to society.

Rabbi Yosef Kapach, one of Israel’s most learned scholars and the head of the Yemenite community, was awarded the Israel Prize for his contributions to rabbinic literature and his interpretations of Torah and Mishna. His wife, Rabbanit Bracha Kapach, ran an extraordinary social welfare network from their home in Jerusalem, through which literally hundreds, if not thousands, of people were helped.

Rabbi Kapach, who was a judge in the Supreme Rabbinical Court, died on July 21, 2000, leaving a significant legacy of writings on religious subjects.

A memorial conference in his name will be held at Yeshurun Synagogue, 44 King George Avenue, at 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 5. Speakers will include his grandson, Rabbi Oz Ya’acov Kapach, who, like his grandfather, is deeply involved in spreading the teachings of Maimonides. He is also known for his extensive outreach.

■ HOW MANY people were aware that the Balfour Declaration was almost scuppered by Anglo-Jewry? Jonny Wolfson, a popular speaker on historical topics in Israel and Britain, will discuss how this extremely important document in contemporary Jewish history met with considerable opposition in some influential Jewish circles in Britain.

He will be speaking to members of the Israel Branch of the Jewish Historical Society of England at Beit Natan-Shir Hadash, 1 Rubin Street, in the Talbiyeh neighborhood on Wednesday, July 8, at 7:45 p.m. Admission is NIS 25.

■ WORKING PARENTS with young children are worried about what to do with them during the summer holiday. Some take them to work, but the youngsters get bored and restless, and the parents can’t really concentrate on what they should be doing at their respective places of employment.

Summer camps are the ideal solution, but not everyone can afford them; aside from that, not all camps offer day-long activities.

Shoshi Goldberg, the co-director of the Chabad of Rehavia-Talbiyeh, is offering the possibility of a three-week summer camp for youngsters aged 3-6.

The cost for the full three weeks is NIS 2,100, and NIS 900 for one week. When there are two or more siblings, there is a 5% discount for the second child onwards. The camp will operate from August 2-20 and will include morning prayers, arts and crafts, drama, storytime, cooking and baking, sports, lunch, and lots of fun.

The camp will be held at 2 Ibn Ezra Street in Rehavia, with regular outings to an amusement park and other sites.