We remember On Monday, January 28, exactly one year since national poet Haim Guri died, a young generation of local poets will dedicate a special evening to his memory. Guri, who is primarily identified with the Palmah generation and the War of Independence, was also a proud Jerusalemite. Despite being totally secular, he found a common language with the young group of “Mashiv haruah” poets, all religious and mostly residents of settlements in Gush Etzion. Guri identified with the Left side of the political map. Nevertheless, he was capable of holding a genuine dialogue with this generation of young writers and poets and became, over the past few years, quite close to them, bridging their the differences. Eliaz Cohen, the living spirit of the group who initiated the program under the title “What should be remembered,” will also be present. Leading contemporary poets, along with friends and members of Guri's family, will join to recall their memories, and to read the poetry of Guri on Monday, January 28, 8:30 p.m. at the Khan Theater. Tickets are NIS 30 and are available by calling (02) 630-3600. Join the party The Blue Line Emek Refaim segment of the Jerusalem Light Rail is still at the center of fierce debate and this week another actor stepped in as merchants of Gilo's commercial center issued their opposition to the new line. The Emek Refaim extension was debated over the course of two long days at a planning and construction district committee meeting in which 1,457 residents opposed its construction. Meanwhile, merchants in Gilo say the planned line will ruin their businesses. Their major complaint is that no one at the municipality has prepared them for the magnitude of the disruption, which they say will lead to businesses closing. They also say it will create a serious lack of parking – another negative impact on their incomes. For now, the merchants plan to demonstrate at Mayor Moshe Lion's house, blocking streets close to the project's proposed location and backing their protests on social networks. Still more to clean Last week – about a year after the former president of a local planning and construction committee was arrested by the Israel Police for corruption – a high-ranking employee in that same administration has been detained on similar suspicions that include “bribery, fraud, breach of trust, abuse of power and tax offenses.” Following the recommendation of the police, Meir Turgeman, a former deputy mayor of Jerusalem and one-time head of that important municipality committee, now faces the possibility of a criminal trial.
(photo credit: ADAM MATAN/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)