Revolutionary ideas are not new to Justice Minister Yariv Levin. Back in 2017, when he was halfway through his term as tourism minister, he introduced the Hotel Law, which called for the building of more hotels on Israel’s coastline, building more three-star hotels and motels in those urban areas in which there are mainly luxury hotels, cutting bureaucratic red tape so that applications for building approval of hotels could be processed speedily, reducing the cost of a vacation in Israel to a more affordable range, and promoting tourism during war, terrorism, and other crises.

The reasoning behind the promotional campaign was that there should not be inconsistency. If the product is a good one, then promotional campaigns should continue regardless of the general situation. “If you have a good product only part of the time, you won’t succeed,” he said.

His attitude to consistency continues in his attempts to introduce judicial reform.

■ BUT THERE are people on both the Right and the Left of the political aisle who have a more liberal approach and who are banding together to plan a conference aimed at changing the nature of governance in Israel.

Led by attorney, former justice minister, and former finance minister Moshe Nissim, who is now 90 but was the youngest-ever MK when first elected to the Knesset in 1959, and attorney Uriel Lynn, who chaired the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the 12th Knesset, the steering committee for the proposed changes includes legal experts, academics, past and present politicians, and people from across the demographic spectrum.

Among people who have already indicated their participation are well-known figures such as MK Yakov Asher; former MK Naomi Blumenthal; journalist David Ben Bassat; historian, novelist, and former MK Michael Bar-Zohar; former general, former MK, and former national security adviser Uzi Dayan; MK Eli Dalal; former justice minister Prof. Daniel Friedmann; former general Yiftah Ron-Tal; and former MK and minister, Professor of Law Shimon Shetreet.

Among the amendments to the law that they are proposing are: No government can be formed without the approval of at least 67-70 members of Knesset. The prime minister will be the leader of the party that wins the highest number of mandates. No prime minister can serve for more than two consecutive terms. There will be no splitting of a party to form a new faction after the elections. There will be no more than 18-20 ministerial portfolios. Basic Laws or previously approved legislation can be amended only by a majority of 70 or more members of Knesset.

■ SOME 1,400 former officers of the IDF, including current reservists, have signed a petition calling for an end to the war, stating that the war in Gaza has evolved into a political and immoral conflict which must be stopped immediately.

Among the signatories are former IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz; former IDF chief of staff and former defense minister Moshe Ya’alon; former general Udi Adam; former general Danny Rothschild; former general and minister Matan Vilna’i; former general Ami Ayalon; former MK and minister Ephraim Sneh; and former IDF spokesman and head of the IDF preparatory school Ron Kitrey.

■ WHILE IT would seem that most of the rallies and protest demonstrations have been organized by the Left, this is not necessarily so, as the overwhelming majority of such events are held in order to raise and maintain awareness of the plight of the hostages, whose families’ politics range between right, left, and nonexistent.

■ BUT A demonstration to be held outside the Supreme Court on Thursday, June 5, is definitely a right-wing rally aimed at stopping the activities of past and present Supreme Court presidents, respectively, Aharon Barak and Isaac Amit, as well as Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara.

The slogan of the demonstration is “They can’t disrupt the nation forever!” What happened to national unity and that other slogan “Together we will win”?

■ EARLIER IN the day, there will be the annual Jerusalem March for Pride and Tolerance, from Liberty Bell Garden to Independence Park. The march will be in memory of Shira Banki, who joined the march to support her friends and died from stab wounds inflicted on her by religious radical Yishai Schlissel.

■ PHILIPPINES AMBASSADOR Aileen Memdiolas has a rare musical treat in store for guests attending the reception she is hosting in honor of her country’s 127th Independence Day. The Philippine Madrigal Singers, who are on pilgrimage for peace in the Holy Land, will sing songs of healing and solace.

■ SITUATION VACANT to manage a well-established luxury hotel. At least it was, a week and a half ago. Presumably the position will not be available for long, but it heralds a new era for the King David Jerusalem Hotel, which prided itself on veteran staff who knew the habits, likes, and dislikes of returning guests.

Outgoing general manager Tamir Kobrin, who took up the post of general manager in mid-2020, has served notice that he intends to leave on June 30 and return to Italy, where he has his private residence.

When Kobrin, a native son of Jerusalem, who has served in managerial positions in hotels in 12 countries on three continents, returned to Jerusalem after a long absence, it was the closing of a circle. It was at the King David Hotel, the flagship of the Dan chain, that his career in the hotel industry began.

Not every waiter or barman dreams of one day being the boss, but many do, and some succeed in rising in the ranks. Kobrin is one of those who realized his dream.

He succeeded the legendary Haim Shkedi, who in February 2020 announced his retirement after 43 years with the Dan chain, 25 of which were spent as the King David general manager.

It was assumed by many that Sheldon Ritz, who had been the deputy manager at the King David, taking care of royalty, heads of state, prime ministers, foreign ministers, defense ministers, and diplomats, would fill the void left by Shkedi. But management thought otherwise; despite his splendid record and important contacts in high places, he was overlooked.

When the Dayan Group, which three years earlier purchased the VERT Hotel chain (formerly known as the Crowne Plaza, and before that the Jerusalem Hilton) from the Africa Israel group headed by Lev Leviev, offered Ritz the opportunity to become general manager of the remodeled VERT hotel, it was an offer he could not refuse.

But then, when he was nicely settled in his new role and organizing events that earned him warm praise, he was offered another exciting challenge – to manage a new hotel, the first in a residential-cum-cultural area. The hotel in question was Theatron, opposite the Jerusalem Theater, the first-ever hotel of the Hasid Brothers, well known for constructing luxury residential complexes.

Ritz, who made aliyah from South Africa, was not exactly unfamiliar with working in a new hotel. His first hotel job in Jerusalem was at the David Citadel Hotel when it was still in its running-in period.

But the Theatron was something else because it was still open to ideas from someone with experience.

Several of his former diplomatic clients at the King David followed him to the VERT and then to the Theatron, where he is no longer the general manager but the owners’ representative. Still, with his past experience and his wealth of contacts to influential people and decision-makers, his advice is often sought and taken.

It would not surprise if the Dan chain tries to woo him back. But Ritz is much happier doing what he’s doing. There’s less pressure; he doesn’t have to sleep in the office in order to cater to the whims of a top-level delegation from abroad, but he can still keep his eye on everything related to the hotel and to its adjacent residential complex.

So as far as is known, there may still be a situation vacant at the King David.

■ IN AN extraordinary display of Jewish unity and loving-kindness, seminary students from EFG@Aish and Aish Aspire came together last week to produce and help finance a wedding celebration for Becky and Charlie Rosin at the Dan Family Aish World Center, transforming what could have been a modest ceremony into an unforgettable celebration of love, faith, and community.

The couple’s journey to their marriage began on separate college campuses, where both discovered their Jewish heritage through MEOR, a national Jewish campus organization.

Becky, a Rutgers University student from New Jersey, found her spiritual calling through MEOR’s programs, eventually leading her to Jerusalem, where she enrolled in the Aspire program in Aish’s seminary. Over the past year and a half, she has embraced a Torah-observant lifestyle and become a beloved member of the Aspire community.

Charlie’s parallel path took him from his MEOR involvement to Machon Shlomo in Jerusalem, where he dedicated himself to intensive Torah study and personal growth.

Both having lost their mothers at a young age, the couple found in each other not just love but a shared understanding of loss and a mutual commitment to building a life rooted in faith and community.

Their engagement party on the rooftop of the Aish World Center, overlooking the Western Wall and environs, was bittersweet. While delighted to have found each other, the couple faced the daunting reality of planning and financing a wedding far from home, with limited resources and family support. They had resigned themselves to returning to New Jersey to begin the challenging process of long-distance wedding planning.

That’s when the extraordinary happened. The seminary students of EFG@Aish and Aspire, as part of their annual hessed projects, decided to take on the monumental task of not just assisting with, but completely producing and even partially financing, the wedding. Every single detail, from the menu selection and floral arrangements to constructing the bridal canopy, was lovingly crafted by these dedicated young women.

“This wedding exemplifies the true meaning of hessed,” explained Rabbi Steven Burg, CEO of Aish. “Our EFG@Aish students and staff didn’t just help with a few details; they took complete ownership of making this couple’s dream come true. These future Jewish leaders transformed their classroom learning into real-world action, showing what it means to take responsibility for others and give back to the Jewish people with love.”

The project required months of planning, with students dividing into committees to handle various aspects of the celebration – from the pre-wedding bridal shower that involved personalized gifts, cookbooks, and events to taking care of all of the details leading up to, and on the day of, the wedding itself, ensuring every dish reflected both tradition and the couple’s preferences.

Noa Sasi, who was part of the team that arranged the flowers for the canopy and the covering of the face of the bride in accordance with ancient Jewish tradition, said: “It was a real honor to be part of something so special. A wedding is an incredibly happy and unique occasion, and to help put one together was an experience that really inspired us.”

Another student involved in the preparations, Rena Frogel, added: “Our time and energy that we dedicated toward this wedding felt so empowering as we saw how positively we were impacting this young couple’s special night.”

A substantial portion of the wedding funds came from the students’ dedicated hessed budget, built through their own fundraising initiatives throughout the year. This meant that every shekel spent represented the students’ personal investment in performing acts of loving-kindness.

“We make these hessed events part of our educational curriculum because they teach lessons that go far beyond the study hall,” Burg added. “When our students graduate, they don’t just leave with knowledge; they leave with the experience and commitment to build communities and support others throughout their lives.”

The Thursday evening wedding ceremony on the rooftop of the Dan Family Aish World Center, with its breathtaking views of the Old City, represented more than just a wedding. It stood as a testament to the power of community, the importance of supporting young couples beginning their Jewish journey, and the transformative impact of programs like MEOR, Aish Aspire, and Machon Shlomo.

For Becky and Charlie Rosin, whose dream of marrying in the city that shaped their spiritual paths seemed impossible just months ago, the wedding was nothing short of miraculous. For the students who made it happen, it was a lesson in Jewish values that they’ll carry with them forever.

■ AMERICAN EVANGELIST Greg Laurie, the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, which, together with the Samaritan’s Purse, donated an armored ambulance to Magen David Adom for use in the North and Center, is a staunch supporter of Israel.

He doesn’t know much Hebrew, he admitted at the dedication ceremony of the ambulance in Jerusalem last Sunday, but what he does know is meaningful – shevet ahim gam yahad (brothers sitting together) and shalom (peace).

He was among the speakers who gathered at the Tower of David Museum for the event, at which there was quite a sprinkling of crucifixes and kippot, combined with a tremendous aura of mutual goodwill.

■ SOME PSYCHOLOGISTS have expressed the opinion that hostages released from Hamas captivity had managed to survive despite their deprivations and ailments from which they suffered before their abduction, because they never gave up hope of returning to their families. Hope is a vital fact of enduring seemingly hopeless situations.

Prof. Ben Corn – an internationally acclaimed oncologist, originally from the US, who, together with his wife, Dvora, founded Life’s Door, a nonprofit organization that helps people with terminal illnesses to fill what time is left of their lives with quality, harmony, tranquility, and joy – is a pioneer of clinical hope research.

He is now taking this a step further, by leading the newly established Institute for the Study of Hope, Dignity and Well-being at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Last month, Corn announced the founding of the institute at an event at the President’s Residence.

In response, President Isaac Herzog told invitees for the occasion: “Hope runs in our veins – as a people and as a nation – from the dawn of our history. It is no coincidence that our national anthem is called ‘Hatikvah’ – The Hope. The moment people recognize that there is a goal and a will, hope follows.

“The establishment of this institute is a testament to the Israeli spirit that does not surrender. In times of adversity, it is hope that leads us forward.”

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was kidnapped and murdered by Hamas while in captivity, also addressed the ceremony, saying: “Hope is not a passive word. Hope is a verb. Hope is a decision you make – sometimes minute by minute – to choose life and believe that light can overcome darkness.”

Since the abduction of her son, the impressively inspirational Goldberg-Polin has demonstrated her talent for oratory, and has been invited to speak at events in Israel and abroad. She has spoken at the President’s Residence on several occasions, mostly in relation to the urgency of bringing home the hostages.

“It’s a unique journey to lose a child, especially when it’s done in a very public way and in a very drawn out, traumatic way. But we really believed in staying on the side of hopefulness and not falling into the abyss of despair,” she said. “We really did feel it was palpable, this hopefulness. And I also think it was a choice to decide to be hopeful, and we’ve kept that, even now when it’s so many days later. Hope is mandatory!”

The new institute will operate within the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine.

Over the past decade Corn has explored the measurable mechanisms of hope and their impact on health outcomes, collaborating with leading scholars such as Prof. Dave Feldman (Santa Clara University), Prof. Dan Ariely, (Duke University) and Israel Prize laureate Prof. Malka Margalit.

Prof. Eli Pikarsky, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Hebrew University, commented: “As scientists, we are trained to be skeptics. But when it comes to hope, we have learned – through data and human experience – that this is not just a feeling; it is a measurable force that can drive healing. Institutionalizing the study of hope within our faculty is both innovative and necessary.”

Life’s Door, when founded by the Corns, was one of the first organizations in Israel to recognize hope as a critical factor in coping with trauma, serious illness, and loss. Its work laid key conceptual foundations for the new institute.

During the ceremony, which was attended by leaders in the fields of science, academia, private enterprise, philanthropy, social service, healthcare, communal welfare, and community leadership, the names of the first fellows and grantees of the institute were announced: Dr. Matthew Farrel (UCLA) as its first Hope Fellow, and Dr. Adir Shaulov – director of the Tom Center for Supportive Care at Hadassah Medical Center and the Hebrew University – as the recipient of its inaugural Hope Research Grant.

The Institute for the Study of Hope, Dignity and Well-being will collaborate with leading academic centers worldwide, including UCLA, to advance research, education, and public engagement on the science of hope.

Living Financially Smarter in Israel

■ IT’S DIFFICULT for immigrants to any country to adapt to new customs and regulations, more so when they come to Israel with little or no knowledge of Hebrew. The new rules and regulations that confront them are often vastly different from those in the countries from which immigrants come, which makes the learning process that much harder and frustrating.

Aware of this, Rifka Lebowitz launched Living Financially Smarter in Israel, and will preside over the organization’s 3rd annual conference on June 15 at the Nefesh B’Nefesh campus in the Jerusalem Cinema City complex.

Following two previously sold-out conferences, this year’s event will bring together a powerhouse lineup of financial leaders with one mission: helping English-speaking Sabras and immigrants to take control of their financial future.

The organization now has 40,000 active community members, many of whom joined on the recommendation of a friend who benefited from advice given.

Lebowitz is a certified financial planner with more than 20 years of experience and close connections with experts in different fields of finance.

The one-day event is packed with expert advice tailored to navigating Israel’s financial landscape. Sessions will cover budgeting, National Insurance, taxes, pensions, investments, ADHD-specific strategies, and more. Among the session highlights are: “The AI Era – What It Means for Your Job – and Your Wallet”; “Wills, WhatsApp & Digital Assets – What Happens to It All When You’re Gone?”; “The Real Price of Growing Older in Israel – And How to Be Ready for It”; “Invest Like You Live Here – BTB: The Israeli Platform Even Americans Can Use.”

Among the diverse speakers are top names in finance, including Mayer Reich (founder and CEO, Prosperity AI), Alon Katz (director and deputy CEO, BTB Israel), Norman Chait (managing principal and founder, Nardis Advisors), and Rimone Hersch (managing director, JGive Platinum).

Sessions begin at 9:45 a.m. and conclude at 4 p.m. The day’s events include a light, strictly kosher lunch.

■ NOW IN her fifth year as ambassador to the UK, Tzipi Hotovely is having a tough time in fielding criticism against Israel, especially from people who are aggressive and do not soften the blow by speaking in soft, polite tones.

One recent aggressive episode was an interview she agreed to give to Piers Morgan, who yelled at her about the casualties of war in Gaza. Hotovely managed to keep her cool, but the encounter prepared her for other interviews.

She has made it clear that after what happened on and after October 7, there is no point in discussing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, because Israel is no longer willing to jeopardize its security.

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