Chaim’s Vision for Raanana

To bring Raanana to the forefront by adopting cutting-edge, innovative models to be implemented throughout the city to restore the pride of each resident, creating a new positive experience of the city, the community and our surroundings for all.

Personal Background

•  60 years old, born and raised in Raanana
•  Father of 3 (Ben,32, Atar,31 Liad,26), Happily married to Doris
•  Served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the IDF
•  Education: B.A. in Business
  

Managerial and Professional Experience

•  Head of Journalists at Yediot Achronot, Israel’s Largest Circulated Daily
  Newspaper
•  Managed 500 journalists, responsible for getting out the daily news under tight
  deadlines and journalistic standards
•  Chairman of Yediot Achronot’s Journalists Committee in Tel Aviv
•  Deputy Chairman of the Union of Journalists in Tel Aviv
•  Member of the National Union of Journalists
•  One of the founders of “Radio Azorit” (Regional Radio)
•  Director of “Radio HaMedina” (Radio of the State)
•  Consultant to “Rashut HaShinia” (Second Channel) of Israel’s television and radio

Public Positions

•  Member of Raanana City Council
•  Chairman of Raanana’s Audit Committee
•  Chairman of Raanana’s Sports Committee
•  Chairman of Memorial Committee of Victims of Terror
•  Member of the Tender Board (RFPs)
  

Involvement in Public Activities 

• Years of active involvement in the program “Raful’s Youth”, a program dedicated to the rehabilitation of disadvantaged youth in the army and in society
• Years of involvement in various schools’ Parents Committees and on the City-Wide Parents Committee
• Active in Green Organizations working towards a sustainable environment and in “Let Animals Live”, an animal rights organization
• Years of involvement on a one-to-one level working with weak segments of Raanana residents

Chaim’s promise to Raanana’s citizens:

Education: The subject of Raanana’s education has always been very close to my heart and I will work tirelessly to improve Raanana’s educational system. How?

• I view our investment in education as a long-range perspective, as an investment to our future generations. We will develop strong connections to the communities of higher education, businesses and hi-tech.
• I believe in taking into account the personal experience of every student with educational models of innovation, creativity and initiative, integrating the fields of music, arts and sports so that everyone has an opportunity to find their strengths and talents.
• I plan on building innovative learning environments that instill curiosity and promote fieldproven, successful learning methods and technologies that give students the skills and knowledge needed to succeed as adults.
• I plan on implementing educational programs based on community and sustainability leadership.
• I will work tirelessly to prevent students from dropping out of the formal educational system by instilling a sense of success in every student.
• I believe in strengthening partnerships between parents and the educational system.
• I will integrate experimental educational models using laboratories and other innovative research methodologies.

Five things that I will do to improve the city’s physical appearance:

• I will divide Raanana into areas and create a head of each section to strengthen the connection between each area and the city to better serve the residents
• I will implement new ways that already have been proven in Europe and other countries to keep neighborhoods clean.
• I will improve the physical appearance of Ahuza including creating a better “user” experience for consumers and the retail businesses.
• I will use Ahuza Street as a platform to promote an experience of art and sculpture.
• I will return the color “green” to the city by natural flora.

Five things that I will do to improve cultural and recreational activities: 

• I will implement my comprehensive plan to bring the flavors of the “Tel Aviv” cultural life to Raanana.
• I will build a proper cultural center for Dance and Performance Arts for music, dance, theater, literature, concerts, and physical arts.
• I will make the amphitheater available all year with equal pricing for all seats for Raanana residents.
• I will create more events in the park for families: Festivals, concerts, sports, dancing, food festivals and workshops, and more.
• I will promote street culture of artists, musicians, sculpture, paintings – all to create an urban daily experience of the arts.

Five things I’m going to improve for Raanana’s younger generation (youth and young couples):

• Employment: I will create the Center for Youth Employment that focuses on finding employment/internships for the youth in the city’s hi-tech companies.
• Support and assistance: I will establish a program called “Officer of the City” to accompany the youth before his/her army recruitment and after discharge to re-enter civilian life with the needed qualifications for a successful future.
• Housing: I will implement the program “City of the Young” in the western region of Raanana, since the cancellation of the plans for an airport, to build of 3-4 room apartments for sale and rent.
• Recreation: I will increase the diversity of entertainment for the youth, couples and families and focus on events for Friday afternoons.
• For the 30 plus young couples: I will increase the number of assistants in nursery and kindergartens by using volunteers who will receive professional enrichment and instructional courses.

Three things I will do for animals:

• I will establish a farm for the treatment and care of abandoned animals in cooperation with the NGO “Let Animals Live”.
• I will create feeding stations for animals, e.g. cats and birds.
• I will bring back the Saturday Adoption events for dogs in Raanana.

Four things I will do to revitalize Raanana:

• I will create a forum for mayors to discuss common issues like housing, transportation, sport etc.
• I plan on further development of the industrial area to encourage leading companies to move here.
• I will bring back the “Council for Raanana’s Economic Development” to be the catalyst to increase the city’s financial resources.
• I will establish a municipality unit that will focus on improving the efficiency of residents’ services.

What I will do to improve Sports in Raanana: 

• My plan is to build an “International Sports Complex” in the “Metropolitan” area of Raanana between Batzra and Rishpon, offering a wide variety of activities including an athletic stadium, a soccer and basketball fields, indoor sports auditoriums, swimming pools and guest housing. It will be a “Olympic Sports Village” that will attract athletes and trainers from the world over. My dream is to put Raanana on the international map of Olympic sports of all kinds, will serve to attract donors from the relevant organizations in Israel and from around the world.

The public transportation lane on Ahuza:

• Fortunately, the public transportation lane that was planned originally for Ahuza Street is not becoming a reality! Currently, the relevant authorities do not have enough information to create a sustainable solution. I am checking out various options how to move the lane to areas that would not negatively affect the residents and businesses, one possibility could be Road 531.

What I will do to improve security in Raanana:

• I will install video surveillance cameras in public areas at the five entrances and exits of the city. These cameras will effectively monitor every entrance and exit.
• I will establish a municipal security patrol on a voluntary basis to perform rounds during the evening and night hours throughout the entire city.
• I will encourage the committee of the heads of the neighborhood divisions to establish “Neighborhood Watches” on a volunteer basis that will add forces to patrol the neighborhoods.
• With the Kfar Saba Police, I will increase the day-to-day collaboration for joint patrols and border checks that will decrease the level of thefts and break-ins in Raanana.
• I am committed to return the level of security previously enjoyed by Raanana residents by offering complete transparency to reports that will show the decrease in crime.

“Raanana Water” Company:

• I will return the “Mei Raanana” (Raanana Water) Company to be under the direction and supervision of the Municipality.
• We will make “Raanana Water” more efficient in the way it works and better customer service.

Parking:

• In the area of Ahuza Street, there are more than 10 parking lots for public use. I will ensure that there will be the relevant technology will be available for Raanana residents to be able to use these lots.
• I will encourage the owners of private parking lots to change their charging plans to shorter intervals of an hour – to intervals of minutes) to encourage parking, according to the method “WIN WIN”.
• I will offer private parking lot owners an incentive to offer 2 free hours of parking to Raanana residents.

Religious and Secular Sectors

• I will work to return the trust and the good relations among all sectors within the religious and non-religious residents.
• I will establish a steering committee consisting of a team of advisors from all sectors who will seek to find the common bonds that can be used to strengthen the relationships for greater tolerance among all.
• I will create a program “Kabbalat Shabbat” that will bring activities to Ahuza Street on Fridays that will instill mutual connections and cooperation to be a part of our work towards tolerance and unity.
• I will divide the activities on Shabbat on a geographic basis that will preserve the status quo of maintaining a Shabbat atmosphere within mutual respect for everyone.

Bicycles and Public Transportation:

• I will focus on bike paths that will lead to schools, recreational centers and the like.
• I will encourage bringing the light rail to reduce traffic congestion, with the necessary accessibility and appropriate bike paths.
• I will investigate the possibility of integrating technology of a “smart city” for our traffic light system to reduce traffic congestion during peak hours.

New Immigrants and Other Sectors:

• I will establish a municipal committee with representatives of new immigrants to deal with their issues of concern from the moment they arrive in Raanana.
• As part of their voluntary work in high school, we will match native high school students with new immigrant children upon their arrival to succeed in their integration.