In a festive ceremony, a cornerstone was laid for a new "Mate Asher Security Command Post". Participating in the event were Michael Pappo, Executive Director of the Indianapolis Jewish Federation and Chuck Cohen, chairman of its Allocations Committee, Daemon Rose, area manager of the Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000, Bracha Tzuriel, the communities' representative in Israel, Yehuda Shavit, Mayor of the Mate Asher Regional Council, Arieh Zali, Mate Asher Security Coordinator and others.

The new command and control post is to be constructed adjacent to the regional council and funded from funds raised by the IEC Consortium (Canton, Dallas, Dayton, Ft. Worth, Louisville, Omaha, San Antonio and Youngstown), a part of the group of 13 Jewish Communities in the Central Region United States, partner communities for Akko and the Mate Asher Regional Council. It is expected that construction will be completed by January 2005.

The many participants enjoyed a musical performance by a local trio and remarks made by the council's rabbi, Rabbi Shlomo Ben Eliahu, who also gave his blessing to the construction.

The present security command post serves some 1,000 users including area schools, kindergartens, senior citizen's homes and an electronic fence warning system that surrounds local northern border communities. The system operates 24/7 and includes four patrol/technical support mobile units.

Yehuda Shavit, the council's mayor said, "In the past few days we have witnessed a number of security related events on the northern border and the distance between quiet and an outbreak of violence is very short. We therefore must always be prepared to provide a suitable response to the awakening security needs of the council".

The Jewish Agency's Partnership 2000 program promotes personal and professional contacts between the residents of the Central Area Consortium composed of 13 Jewish Communities throughout the Mid-West region of the United States and the Western Galilee, the city of Akko, the Mate Asher Regional Council for the enhancement and development of the area's cultural, educational, economic and communal resources.

For further information e-mail Sigalit Livni: SigalitL@jafi.org
Marketing Coordinator- Western Galilee Partnership with Israel
The Jewish Agency

  Sivan 5764 - June 2004