JPost is reporting that The Municipality of Jerusalem has come up with a plan to get people excited about election day.

They are promoting the day with free ice cream. Anyone who spends 20nis at any store in Jerusalem on election day, this coming Monday, will be able to bring the receipt to any one of several participating ice cream shops and get free ice cream. participating ice cream shops include Katzefet, Glida Metuka, Metudela, Cookie Cream, Selfy's and Mousseline.

They are running this promo to boost business on election day, after last election day saw businesses suffer loss of business. Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Lion said he will continue to work to strengthen Jerusalem businesses.

I would recommend also connecting the free ice cream to proof of voting. Maybe voting stations in Jerusalem could stamp the voting card or something to show you voted and only after spending 20nis in a store plus proof of having voted should you get the free ice cream. This would encourage people to vote and to spend money in the city!

It looks like the Corona Virus will have one definite fatality, and that is the Israeli tourism industry.

The fear of the spread of Corona is still increasing, as Europe is being affected now, and people  entering Israel are being found to have been exposed to Corona and even infected with it.

The Ministries of Health and Interior are already shutting Israel's borders to tourists from some countries (Italy was just added to the presently short list, and I think we can expect it to increase pretty quickly). They have also put out calls to Israelis to rethink any trips they have planned abroad int he near future and reconsider due to the threat of Corona exposure.

For a country that relies so heavily on tourism, if this doesn't get under control soon, it can be a fatal blow to the Israeli economy. Hopefully the coming end of winter will also bring about a decreasing number of cases, and people will be able to get back to their regularly scheduled lives...

Interestingly, the Times of Israel points out that the 22nd Knesset passed only one piece of legislation in its entire existence. That piece of legislation was the dissolution of the Knesset and going to a new round of elections.

Part of that legislation though was also to increase State funding for the campaigns of the political parties.

According to TOI:

On December 11, 2020, in its final act after the midnight deadline to break the coalition deadlock expired, the 22nd Knesset passed a law setting a new election for March 2. At the same time, by passing the law, Knesset members also voted to give themselves tens of millions of more shekels than in previous campaigns to spend on bombarding the public with new pitches for votes.

The law calling that third election within a year — the only piece of legislation passed by the short-lived parliament — increased state funding for political parties’ campaigns by some NIS 61 million ($18 million), with each party receiving a raise of around 34 percent.

Legislators argued that the repeat national polls had caused smaller parties to accrue considerable debts, and they needed extra funds in order to both pay those debts and fund their new campaigns.

But the boost in funds went to all parties across the board, regardless of debts, with the largest parties — Blue and White and Likud — each gaining over 15 million extra shekels (around $4 million) to take their totals to over 60 million (approximately $17 million) in state funds, according to a recent study by the Israel Democracy Institute’s Dr. Assaf Shapira.

If the increased funding will be found to have given the parties enough money to step up their campaigns and attract enough voters to bring about a definitive resolution and an end to the political stalemate, it will be money well spent.

The other day the Ministry of Transportation announced changes to some of the bus routes in Bet Shemesh, including changes to the very popular bus #419. This bus serviced mostly the residents of RBS C (Gimmel), but it also serviced the residents of RBS A by exiting the city via the outskirts of RBS A with a few stops on the peripheral road. Along with many residents who live near that part of the route, many residents form all over RBS A would go to bus stops along this route because it was a much more efficient mode of transportation into Jerusalem, as it did make its way winding throughout the city before leaving. A resident of RBS A would save a minimum of 30 minutes by using the 419 over other lines, and often much longer especially during rush hour traffic.

The announcement raised an outcry on social media. Residents of RBS A were upset because a great bus route was being taken away from them. Using the other bus lines will increase transportation time by 30-45 minutes in each direction. Another problem is that the residents of the Ramat Shilo neighborhood within RBS A would now have another bus route taken away from them, with almost none left passing by their part of the neighborhood.

A better solution was requested, rather than a solution that helps one area by taking away from another. The real problem is that with no real government for the past year, there are no new budgets for adding lines, and no new tenders being published. Until elections will bring about a definitive government, all they can really do is put some band-aids on the bad situation.

Deputy Mayor of Bet Shemesh Rena Hollander took notice and took it upon herself to try to find a solution, temporary as it may be. She expressed the urgency of the matter to Minister of Transportation Betzalel Smotritch (it helps that they are both members of the same party and have an interest in helping each other to help the public), and today they announced a temporary resolution.

According to a notice put out by Minister Smotritch, posted by Rena Hollander on Facebook, he was made to understand the gravity of the situation by Rena Hollander and Yisrael Mendelson and Nisim Bariach, he has decided that for now half the buses on the 419 route will remain in operation according to the original route, and half will operate along the new route. As well, at some point int he next week, half oof the buses on the 417 line will continue along its original route and half will collect passengers in RBS A and then leave to Jerusalem without winding its way throughout the city.

Minister Smotritch expressed his hope that the legal situation will soon come to an end and they will be able to publish the tender for renewing the public transportation of Bet Shemesh. This will increase the lines by nearly 50%, and will be a resolution for the needs of all the neighborhoods and communities and the continued development of the city.

kol hakavod for this temporary solution!

Ben & Jerry's does not come out with new ice cream flavors too frequently, especially in Israel. With Israel's electoral situation in flux, Ben & Jerry's Israel announced back in December, when elections were called for the third time within a year, that they would put out a new flavor of ice cream, in the spirit of "paam shlishit glida" - third time, ice cream. They asked people, via their social media accounts, to make suggestions appropriate for the flavor. 

That day is here.

Ben & Jerry's Israel has now announced the new flavor, that is available immediately and will remain available at least through election day next week.

At least one positive thing is coming from these elections!

The new flavor of ice cream is called One Sweet Vote. The ice cream is made from a combination and mixture of vanilla and chocolate ice creams swirled together. The vanilla ice cream will contain pieces of chocolate in the shape of the peace symbol along with chocolate covered almonds. The chocolate ice cream will contain pieces of white chocolate, along with pieces of blondie brownies.

As they say, an ice cream full of surprises, blended with many flavors together, celebrating the diversity of Israel, the differences and beauty that we have in Israel.

The new flavor is available already in the factory shops, in Yavneh (5 Hameisav St, Yavneh 08-942-0586) and Beer Tuviah (Hakatzir St in the Industrial Zone, 073-270-8720).

It seems they will not bucket these and sell them retail in shops around the country alongside the regular ice cream. Whenever they put out a special flavor for a limited time, they have generally made it available only in the factory shops, at least int he beginning. Maybe if this becomes a big hit it will remain in production and end up in the shops.

They conclude saying that beside for the right and obligation of voting on election day, you now have another reason to enjoy the day off, and come to one of the shops and enjoy the new flavor, along with other surprises and bonuses.

I have yet to find out if the new flavor, One Sweet Vote, is in the regular line of ice cream or the mehadrin cholov yisrael line of ice cream flavors. I posted the question to them but have yet to receive a response.

What is "Right"? We love Eretz Yisrael, we love the Nation of Israel, and we love the Torah of Israel. Why do you call that Right?It is Jewish, this is the way it needs to be. Left is against the Torah.

  -- Minister Aryeh Deri

Deri successfully upset a lot of people, defining Judaism this way, as if he gets to make that determination. That is besides for the various people who hit back pointing out that Deri supported the Rabin government and also supported the Oslo Accords. I guess in his eyes he only converted to Judaism after Oslo...

cute ad

cute

cool clip. fun

Alabama Crimson Tide star wide receiver Jerry Jeudy was seen at the NFL Combine wearing a Star of David necklace.

When asked about it he explained that his friends call him Jew (Jeu) for short, as his name is Jeudy, and he got a Jewish star  necklace because of it, but he is not Jewish.

Quite the explanation from Jerry Jeudy regarding the necklace he wears... pic.twitter.com/kX5JcD743S

— Pick Six Podcast (@picksixpod) February 25, 2020

Some people think this is cultural appropriation and a form of anti-semitism. To the point that he felt he need to apologize:

Don’t mean no disrespect to the Jewish people! I’m sorry to the people who take my chain offensive!!

— JJ⁴ (@jerryjeudy) February 25, 2020

I'm happy Jeudy is cool with "being called Jew for short" even to the point of wearing a star of David. That's no anti semite! I am happy he's figuratively on our team!

כמו בכל שנה מאז שהבן שלהם נהרג בפיגוע בבית הכנסת בהר נוף, גם הבוקר, ראש חודש אדר, נסעו ההורים באוטובוס מקרית ארבע, אל המקום שבו הבן שלהם היה עומד בכל שנה כשהוא מחופש ומחלק ממתקים לילדים לכבוד חודש אדר,והמשיכו למרות גילם המבוגר והקור הירושלמי את המסורת המרגשת של בנם הי׳ד.  מצמרר. pic.twitter.com/GK2ZpLhZ7o

— ירח טוקר (@hadover1) February 26, 2020

A known historian who I knew well said the National Religious public has a giant heart, and giant faith, but they don't always understand much in politics..

  -- PM Benjamin Netanyahu, at the BaSheva Jerusalem Conference

I will withhold my comments about the relationship between Netanyahu and the Dati Leumi political party, as I have written about it a number of times before and this is just another example of what I have written about before. This comment drew some angry responses from DL politicians, but they really didn't fire back much except for a few angry and/or snide comments. In the meantime, besides for the regular insults, they also let the Likud, UTJ and Shas keep trying to poach "their" voters with no significant response to fight to keep them.

any new immigrants here?

According to JPost, the Mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Lion, is inviting all new immigrants from within the past year to run in the Jerusalem Marathon for free. Another reason to make aliyah!

To take advantage of this you don't have to run the full marathon of 42.2km. You can join in a fun and lovely experience on the streets of the great city of Jerusalem with thousands of other people and run shorter distances such as 5km, 10km, or 21.1km, and even shorter distances, if that is more realistic for you, all for free. It costs you nothing to go out and have a great time at a great event!

According to JPost:

Moshe Lion, mayor of Jerusalem, announced on Monday that new immigrants to Israel will be able to run for free in the Jerusalem Winter Marathon. The move was made to encourage more immigrants to participate in the largest sporting event in Israel.
"Participants are running together in the Jerusalem Marathon, all of Israel, including the new immigrants. Those that immigrated within the last year are invited to run without paying fees. To the new immigrants- I am proud and excited to host you in the Jerusalem Marathon." said Lion.

Immigrants that immigrated to the country between January 1, 2019, and March 20, 2020 will be able to register and run for free.

Registration for the 2020 winter marathon will end on March 14, with six different kinds of options for the participants to chose from. Options include a full marathon (42.2 km), a half-marathon (21.1 km) a 10 km race, 5 km race, a family marathon (1.7 km), and a community marathon (800 m). The race itself is scheduled to take place on March 20.

I don't know how you get that discount. Maybe during registration on the Jerusalem Marathon website there is a place you can include your aliya information and then the price gets cut to 0. Or maybe ti is automatic. To register in Israel you need to put your teudat zehut number in. Perhaps it automatically identifies your immigration date and gives you the free promo.