Baltimore shows support for Ashkelon

There has been an overwhelming show of support from Baltimore

The above ad appeared in all the local Ashkelon newspapers.

Thank you to everyone for your emails and telephone calls.

Nicole

Benny Vaknin Visits Missile Landing site

Photos of Ashkelon's Mayor Benny Vaknin visiting the building site near the municipality, where

a grad rocket from Gaza killed an Arab Israeli construction worker.

Nicole

President Shimon Peres in Ashkelon

President Shimon Peres arrived in Ashkelon this morning (Wednesday 31st Dec) to show support for the residents of the area. He visited children in the municipal shelter and while he was here, three rocket-alert sirens went off. He stayed in the shelter, and comforted the children, telling them to continue singing and playing and that we have a strong army who will protect them.

The President also visited the wounded in Ashkelon's Barzilai Hospital and received a briefing from the Mayor of Ashkelon Benny Vaknin. Nicole

wednesday update

2 rockets fell in Beersheva for the first time ever.

This morning at 9 o' clock I dropped my son Ron - 14 years old at the sport center . He and his freinds from the basketball young league were invited to spend 3 days in a hotel in Tiberias . He was thrilled to meet his friends , after they were all locked in their homes or out of town with families away from Ashkelon. The Ashkelon young sockerball team was invited to Jerusalem .

Anther siren, a fall. I ran one floor down with everyone , and got back .... we heard the boom , not far from the hospital..again, close to the partnership office.

An hour after the busses with the kids left for Tiberias and Jerusalem, we had 2 sirens with a missile fall and a fall without a siren. Just the boom with no siren warning Scary

Monday afternoon update

More sirens, more rockets . Just a few minutes ago we heard yet another one. 2 rockets fell, one in the sea and one in the national park . I can't stand the sound of the rocket-alert sirens.

I'm going to be interviewed by BBC London at 14:00 and then I'm going to join the kids in Ramat Gan for tonight .

2 sirens ago the Kassam rocket stuck in a tree next to our neighborhood pizza place. It didn't explode ... No pizza today :)

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To all our friends and colleagues: Thanks for all the kind and generous offers to host us out of town.

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I was just interviewed by the London BBC radio station . They put a blogger from Gaza online, and then me. I hope I served our purposes right. After them hearing his side, it was important that they hear how we feel and live here in Ashkelon.

People must understand that we have no other choice. No country would tolerate a continous threat to its citizens.

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Sigal

Monday morning update

12:00 midday

The morning started off quietly, and in accordance with the Home Front Directive to stay close to shelter, we were busy cancelling today's planned interviews with the young ambassador (shinshin) candidates for next year. But then, since 9:30 am we have been running up and down the corridor to shelter with the other workers in the building under the stairwell.

It goes like this: Wail of siren, run, catch your breath while listening carefully, BOOM/Thud (of landing missile), back to your desk (all takes place in less than a minute).

One of this morning's grads fell in the center of Ashkelon, a few hundred meters from us on a building site. One Arab labourer was killed and 14 others injured, some seriously. The hospital is just a few hundred meters away from us, and the building site. We saw the smoke from the blast, from the verandah outside our 4th-floor office. Ambulance sirens and rocket-alert sirens intermingling.

[Over 150 rockets have been fired from Gaza in the last two days. The IAI is now also attacking Gaza, with one difference. The Hamas in Gaza are firing on us, trying to hit indiscriminate civilian targets. The IAI is trying to stop the attacks on Israel and targeting terrorists headquarters, hideouts and rocket missile launching targets as well as the underground tunnels used to illegally transport weapons. Sadly, civilians in Gaza will no doubt also be injured but Israel is NOT targeting civilians.]

There is no doubt that life in the city of Ashkelon has now been interrupted, and we are now feeling what Sderot has experienced, being under constant rocket attack for the last 8 years. We do not feel safe, and we pray for the safety of those who are taking action to protect us.

As I started to write this I heard yet another rocket-alert siren, now reports are coming in of a rocket hitting a public building, again just about 200 meters away from us. I'm thinking of leaving work and going home but I don't know which is safer - driving on the road or sheltering in a building with no safe place to hide.

Sunday morning update

After a tense but quiet morning, at 9:30 am there were three rocket-alert sirens, one after the other. Since it's Hannukah vacation and the kids are home alone while I am at work, I put them on the train to visit their grandmother in Tel Aviv for the next few days. By order of the home-front command, there will be no school until further notice.

The municipality has opened a Hotline for Ashkelon residents, with psychologists and social workers answering calls 24 hours a day. The feeling is that "the worst is yet to come".

Later today - we had more sirens. People are keeping close to home and the malls are pretty empty, some of the stores are closed.

For the time being, all visits and delegations to Ashkelon have been cancelled. This week we were expecting the Trattner Lichter family, Linda Haas, the Oheb Shalom congregation, and a group from Baltimore Hebrew University (Melton), as well as the UJC, but unfortunately they will have to wait for quieter times, to visit us.

Stay tuned for further updates. Sigal

Rocket Bombardment

Today the Hamas fired over 60 rockets at Israel. Since the end of the ceasefire there has been continuous missile, mortar and rocket bombardment from Gaza at civilian targets in Israel. Sirens have sent residents of southern Israel to seek shelter in "secure rooms". For the first time, today rocket-alert sirens were also activated in Kiryat Gat, Ashdod and Kiryat Malachi

In Ashkelon today there were more than 10 rocket-alert sirens during the day and rockets fell all over the city, miraculously only in empty spaces. Netivot, Eshkol and the Sderot area were also heavily bombarded.

Israel has finally had enough and today there was a massive airstrike on Gaza military targets by the Israel airforce. The Hamas was caught by surprise and many military targets were eliminated.

A state of high alert has been declared. It's still the Hanuka holidays but schools will be closed until further notice. It seems clear that the escalation will continue.

From Ynet: The army called on communities located close to the Gaza Strip fence, and also on Sderot residents, to remain indoors. Public gatherings have been disallowed. Other communities located up to 10 kilometers away from the Strip were ordered to remain 15 seconds away from secured rooms. There too, no public gatherings are allowed.

In communities located 10-20 kilometers away from the Strip, including Ashkelon, residents were ordered to remain no more than 30 seconds away from secured rooms. Communities located in the 20-30 kilometer range, including the towns of Ashdod, Ofakim, Kiryat Malachi, and Kiryat Gat must remain 45 seconds away from shelters.

Tomorrow we were expecting a delegation from the UJC, and another city delegation of young attorneys, to visit Ashkelon, but they have cancelled. We who live in the region are trying to carry on with our normal lives and routines, but anyone who doesn't have to be in the area is keeping away for the moment.

Meanwhile we are trying to carry on as usual, going to work, doing what we always do, but always with an eye on the likeliest place to shelter in case of a siren.

Nicole

Rockets on Ashkelon

Rocket landing site in Ashkelon (Photo:Amir Cohen)

So far this windy cold Wednesday morning, more than 60 rockets have been fired on southern Israel, hitting Sderot, Netivot, Ashkelon and the surrounding areas.

The ceasefire with Gaza has ended. During the ceasefire hundreds of rockets were fired on Israel from Gaza, armed terrorists were stopped at the border, and underground hidden tunnels for transporting arms were destroyed, but still the ceasefire was something of a respite from the previous tireless attack.

Yesterday the Ashkelon municipality held a wide-ranging rocket attack drill in the city. Today rockets hit Ashkelon for the second time this week. It's the Hanukah vacation from school and kids at home were woken today by sirens. The boom of the rockets landing was heard all over the city.

We try not to publish the exact landing sites for obvious reasons, but one rocket landed in a central location in a residential neighborhood, another landed near the main Ashkelon beach, and others landed in the industrial area.

Shula Maimon, Head of Ashkelon's Social Services Dept was interviewed on the radio this morning. She said "Many residents are suffering from shock and had to be treated at the hospital for anxiety. Social workers and psychologists are making the rounds of neighborhoods to try and help Ashkelon residents deal with the rocket attacks. There was one house damaged".

Follow the story on http://www.ynet.news/ or http://haaretz.com/ Nicole

The Gueta boys after a rocket landed in their yard while they hid in the "secure room" this morning

Benny Vaknin, Ashkelon recently elected Mayor, analyzes yesterday's rocket attack drill, with top army and municipality personnel.

Chag Sameach!

Happy Hannukah Everyone!

Yesterday was the 1st night of Hanukah, and a joint candle-lighting ceremony was planned, with the women of Baltimore and the women of Ashkelon, lighting candles together by videoconference.

Everyone was very disappointed when icy road conditions and bad winter weather prevented the Baltimore women from taking part. In Ashkelon the weather is still warm and sunny so we could only try to imagine what a "real" winter feels like.

In Ashkelon there was a good turnout and the women took the opportunity to reconnect and celebrate Hannukah. Then everyone rushed to get home in time to light the candles with their families. Nicole

In Ashkelon, the women gathered for the candle-lighting ceremony

Chag Urim Sameach!

DILLER Teens 2009

We are pleased to have finally completed the process of forming our group of 20 kids for this year's Diller CSI Program. This is the 4th year that we are running the program in Ashkelon and Baltimore.

We interviewed many teens and held two 3-hour workshops before finally undertaking the task of choosing 20 teens to represent all the population groups and high schools in Ashkelon. Diller's representative in Israel, Liat Cohen Raviv, supervised the selection process together with Avner Maimon from the Education Dept in the Municipality.

Noa Nagar HaLevy is our Diller coordinator, for the second year running. She will be assisted by our soldier Rebecca Navon. Noa is constant contact with Leah Sherizen Berry in Baltimore, planning and coordinating the matching programs.

We are looking forward to another exciting and educational Diller program!

Nicole

Noa Nagar Halevy - Diller 2009 Ashkelon Coordinator

Sigal with Liat Cohen Raviv, who represents Diller in Israel

Rebecca Navon Noa running one of the workshops

A leadership exercise during the workshops

On 17th Dec 2008, the Youth Council held a festive event at the Teen Center, to celebrate the close of a successful year of youth activity in Ashkelon, while looking forward to 2009, to another even better year !

Mayor Benny Vaknin was there to greet the youth. Mayor Benny Vaknin told the youth that he too had been a member of the Youth Council. Avner Maimon (Head of Culture Dept), Yakov Attias (Head of Youth Dept) and of course Sigal Ariely, were also there to celebrate the occasion.

The Youth Council is composed of about 60 teens, with representatives from every school in the city. They are active in many different spheres and initiate many volunteer activities and events for the benefit of Ashkelon youth, and all the residents of Ashkelon.

The Chairman of the Youth Council - Asaf Suissa, welcomed the new Mayor on behalf of the youth. He gave a presentation showing the activities of the Council over the year, and outlining the plan of action for the 2009. Nicole

Asaf Suissa, Chairman of the Youth Council

EBDI visits PACT in Ashkelon

Mayor Benny Vaknin greets Michael Hoffman of The Associated while Meir Bouhnik of The Ashkelon Foundation looks on.

Yesterday a VIP EBDI delegation of 16 professionals from Baltimore visited Ashkelon to see PACT projects in action and learn about the specific problems facing new immigrants from Ethiopia in Israel.

EBDI is the East Baltimore Development Inc - a nonprofit partnership of private and public entities that is undertaking the single largest redevelopment project in Baltimore, transforming 88 acres with $1.8 billion in new investments. EBDI works in partnership with and receives support from, among others, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Johns Hopkins Institutions, the Goldseker Foundation, the Greater Baltimore Committee, and the Federal, State and City governments.

The delegation is in Israel to examine the PACT (Parents and Children Together) model, learn about the work of the JDC and see for themselves the impact of Baltimore's support for the PACT program, with a view to implementing aspects of the PACT program in East Baltimore. Read about PACT here

In Ashkelon, the EBDI delegation visited Bet Tzipora - an after-school facility supported by Marion and Eli Wiesel to nurture children of Ethiopian origin and help them be the best that they can be. The delegation split up to visit homes of Ethiopians living in Ashkelon, visited kindergartens, and held meetings with Ashkelon social service professionals.

Last stop was a PACT Hannuka activity for mothers and children at the community center. Mr Benny Vaknin, the newly elected Mayor of Ashkelon met Janie McCullough, Deputy Mayor of Baltimore and warmly welcomed the delegation. to the city. Nicole

Ashkelon Mayor Benny Vaknin with Baltimore's Deputy Mayor Janie McCullough

Benny Vaknin, Janie McCullough & Michael Hoffman

A display of LEAP embroidery and baskets made by Ethiopian women EBDI participant Adam Rosenberg met Zuwalu of LEAP , who embroidered this picture of Adam & Eve in Gan Eden

Read Adam Rosenberg's EBDI trip to Israel report here

Mayor Benny Vaknin, Suzi Eigenstein (Women's Forum) and Meir Bouhnik (The Ashkelon Foundation)

PACT activity for Mothers and children

See more photos of the EIDB visit in this photo album ALBUM

Ashkelon's New Mayor

Mr Benny Vaknin

Mr Benny Vaknin is an Economist and a Lawyer. He graduated B.A., Economics & Business Admin. from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem; and LL.B. from Tel Aviv University; He is also a Technion Certified Land & Property Assessor.

Mr Benny Vaknin served as Chairman of the Israel Metropolitan Mass Transit System Ltd (The Urban Light Rail System) and as Chairman of Pelephone (Mobile phone) Communications Company Ltd.

Among his past positions, Mr Benny Vaknin served as Mayor of the City of Ashkelon; Director of Bezeq Telephone company; Chairman of ATI - Ashkelon Technological Incubator, and Chairman of The Ashkelon Foundation.

Among the awards received by Mr Benny Vaknin: The Yitzhak Rabin National Prize for Quality in the Public Sector and The Kaplan Prize for Excellence in Management.

Nicole

The photo of Benny Vaknin above, was taken at Bet Tzipora - the full photo is below.

Sheilah & Si Kalderon Visit

Coffee at Ashkelon Marina with Sigal and Nicole

Sheilah and Si Kalderon were in Ashkelon to check out some Baltimore Jewish Community funded projects and see the Michael Lapidus Park (Park Baltimore) and the Lyn Stacie Getz Playground.

As VP of the Women's Division at the Associated Sheilah and her husband Si, were particularly interested to hear about LEAP and see the new immigrants at Beit Canada Absorption Center.

Sheilah chooses LEAP work to take home with her With Oriana Hadad at Beit Canada

Above, Oriana explains that Ethiopian new immigrants can stay at the absorption center for up to two years. They live in self contained apartments while they learn Hebrew and adjust to the Israeli way of life.

No visit to Ashkelon is complete without a stroll round the Michael Lapidus Park (Park Baltimore )and the Lyn Stacie Getz Playground. The Park is rather dry now because of the drought related water restrictions. Nicole

The Baltimore Crab in the Lyn Stacie Getz Playground

More photos can be seen in the photo album.