Jerusalem is a special city

Jerusalem is a special city. If you ever doubt this, try staying away for a little while. True, many Israelis have become so practiced in the art of staying away from Jerusalem that this has been elevated from simple aversion to full-blown abhorrence. True, many of us who bring up children in this city know that our offspring are preparing to spring off and leave as soon as the opportunity presents itself. True, increasingly Jewish visitors from abroad are becoming inured to the blandishments of the holy city, and developing a marked preference for the lure of Tel Aviv (The Big Pineapple) or Haifa (The Bahai Chapel) or even Hadera (the Big Falafel), over Jerusalem - the Big Grapple.

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The winner of Jerusalem's image campaign

What's the big story of the week? Forget world economic meltdown. Forget Ahmedinejad's version of the blood libel on steroids. Forget road carnage, family brutality, re-enactments of The Godfather on the mean streets of Netanya. All of this pales into insignificance. Even the Day of Judgment, the Season of Repentance, the Days of Awe are Days of Ordinary in comparison with the scoop of scoops. It is of course, the extraordinary decision to allow a cartoon figure to run for Mayor of Jerusalem.

For those of you not privileged to share the delights of Jerusalem living - the uplifted souls and the upturned sidewalks, the exhaust fumes, the exhausted, the fuming, the magical vistas and the tragic missed opportunities, the sheer beauty, the Wall, the Barrier, and all the rest - an explanation is necessary.

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Life and death on King David street

For much of my adult life I have studied, taught and worked on King David Street in Jerusalem. It is certainly no ordinary work address. World leaders stay there - in recent months we have played host to Bush, Blair, then Bush again, Blair, Rice, Blair Carter, Sarkozy, Blair (I'm beginning to think that man has nothing better to do), Brown, Mc Cain, Obama - and that doesn't do justice to the tens of less famous officials - Fishing Ministers from Ruritania and Tax Inspectors from Uzbekhistan.

Then there are the Life Cycle Events. Families compete with each other to hold the most opulent and often gaudy events: barmy Bar Mitzvahs, wild weddings, and far from circumspect circumcisions. And let's not forget the welcome crush of tourists, staying in comfort and often returning home with some expensive artifacts purchased at one of our street's many upscale emporia. More hotels are on the way, along with a plethora of swanky apartment buildings aimed at visionaries and speculators.

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Inspiration from the Haredi community

Although they will not thank me for the endorsement, I have decided to come out in favor of the Haredi community in Jerusalem. Many in the Ultra-Orthodox world are disgusted by the decision of the courts, supported by the Attorney General, not to force businesses in Jerusalem to refrain from selling chametz during the festival of Passover this year. Following the decision of the court, representatives of the edah charedit  have sent letters to some sixty businesses and outlets pleading with them not to sell leavened products during Pessach in the City of Gold.

I like this response. By turning to these fellow Jerusalemites and asking them to reconsider their decision, these Haredi representatives are playing according to the rules of a modern liberal democracy. It remains to be seen if some within the community escalate their opposition to the dreaded chametz, and move from words to sticks and stones. But so long as the opposition is reasoned, respectful and peaceful, it should be supported.

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To be a Jerusalemite

My municipal tax bill arrived this week, and on its envelope an unforgettable slogan: it pays to be a Jerusalemite.

My first response was to laugh out loud: the contents of the envelope made it abundantly clear that one has to pay a significant amount of cash in order to be a Jerusalemite - or at least one of that increasingly besieged species: Jerusalemites who pay any taxes at all.

The City of Jerusalem can be a demanding hostess. Only one thing could be more concerning than taking a brief look at its economic prospects - namely, taking a long look at those prospects. Destruction and construction are to be found strewn across the city in equal measure. The ultra-rich are displacing the working poor and also just regular folks from certain neighborhoods. To put the icing on the cake, this week I find myself banished from my own office due to the presence in this city of George W. Bush and the 8000 police personnel on duty here.

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