16 minute read
TJH Speaks with Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem
“It’s the
Capital City of the Jewish People”
TJH Speaks with Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem
BY SUSAN SCHWAMM
Fleur, it’s a pleasure speaking with you. Although you’ve been living in Israel for many years, you grew up in Gibraltar.
That’s right. I come from a traditional Sephardi family. My father, actually, was the chief minister, which is like the prime minister, of Gibraltar, for many years. He was the first chief minister of Gibraltar, and so I grew up in a political family. My father was a very humble man and tried to keep everything very simple for us. But I did learn from him, and my mother, of course, about public service.
I studied in England – I’m a lawyer by profession – and I made aliyah 20 years ago with my husband. Our children were born here. I was always a bit of a Zionist, and I’m so thrilled that I’ve spent most of my career serving the Jewish people. I worked in nonprofit for many years.
I was a Jerusalem city councilwoman for two-and-a-half years, and now, for two-and-ahalf years, I’ve been one of the deputy mayors of Jerusalem. I’m in charge of foreign relations, economic development, and tourism.
Those are interesting portfolios to hold, especially during a pandemic.
Absolutely.
It’s not only that tourism was affected during the pandemic. I would think foreign relations is so important now as well, along with economic development.
Agreed – especially in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is an international city. It’s a city that many people around the world love. Of course, it’s also the capital city of the Jewish people, not just the state of Israel, and I’m very, very cognizant of that. During the Corona, for example, there were many moments when we actually did a very good job at combatting the virus, and so it was a privilege to be able to share those best practices and experiences with lots of different cities around the world to see how we could help them. And so yes, it’s been an interesting year.
The last month [during the Gaza conflict] has been a very negative part of the year with conflict and with the terrible, terrible attacks in the press. We are watching from here all the anti-Semitic attacks in the United States and in Europe very helplessly. It’s very frustrating.
You’re involved in foreign relations for Jerusalem. Did the Gaza conflict and the situation in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbor-
At the signing of the UAE-Israel Business Council
hood make your job that much harder? Do you feel that there’s a perception around the world that Israel is the aggressor?
Absolutely. It was a very deliberate Hamas campaign. They made the linkage to Jerusalem very early on. They did this for political reasons, of course, because if you link it to Jerusalem, you justify conflict.
And of course, we were getting terrible press around the world, and I spent a lot of my time on foreign channels defending our position and explaining to people and to the press who were willing to listen what’s really going on and not what has been reported.
Have Hamas and their associates gotten better at the social media aspect of the
fight?
Yes. They’re great at it, and then you have a world willing to believe anything that is against Israel. It’s a combination of them having great social media and the world giving them the narrative, agreeing with their narrative. Additionally, I think, Israel does not have good PR. We don’t have good social media, and that’s our fault. This is something that I feel very strongly about, and we really need to fix. can’t create a cohesive media strategy to fight the demonization and villainization of Israel. That’s one of the reasons why I decided to go into politics.
What’s are some of the biggest accomplishments that you felt you made in your position as deputy mayor of Jerusalem? I think that the most important thing that I’ve managed to do, apart from some of the projects that I’ve done, is to tell the story of what’s really going on in Jerusalem. And what’s really going on in Jerusalem is the strengthening of the marginal population groups, like Arabs and ultra Orthodox Jews, who, many, live under the poverty line, through job opportunities, through development of educational programs, job placement, and infrastructural development.
We are the most diverse city in the country, and we are creating a shared society. It’s just that nobody sees it. Nobody knows about it. They see this as a city of conflict when, in fact, m’Zion tetzei Torah, from here, we will build true peace.
I do a lot of things with women and the women’s sphere of economic development, women in high-tech –charedi women, Jewish women, Arab women – we bring them together and help them develop in business.
We work together to bring investments to the city and to create great jobs in the city and to create cultural partnerships. It’s really never-ending, the energy in the city. I’m very proud of the story that we are telling the world about Jerusalem, the connection that we built with all sorts of cities around the world, and the main message is that Jerusalem is not just a special city, it’s also a regular city that is supposed to serve its residents.
Isn’t that ironic – that Israel is not good at social media but we’re known for our prowess in technology.
Yes. We are technological wizards, and yet we A lot of people come from the U.S. to visit, and it’s an enjoyable tourism spot. But it’s also hard for us to realize that this is a place that a lot of people call home. How many people live in Jerusalem?
It’s the largest city in the country by double. Almost a million people live in Jerusalem. We’re 11% of the Israeli population, living in Jerusalem.
And so that’s very significant, and there’s a lot of work to do. But there’s a lot of great innovation here – cultural innovation, educational innovation. People are restless to save the world and fix society. We have the largest amount of NGOs per capita in the world; there is a huge amount of volunteers. It’s a city that is constantly changing, developed and built, and that’s something exciting.
What are some of your favorite spots in Jerusalem?
Well, there are a number of spots that I really love. Actually, today, I was just in the Aish HaTorah building in the Old City. The rooftop, I think, is the best view in the whole city. I love The First Station, which is a really fun, cultural hub with great restaurants. There’s always cultural activities going on, and it’s not far from my house. So we love going there.
And there’s all the various tourist sites – City of David, the Tower of David museum, all the places that you have to kind of pinch yourself to understand that this is a 3,000-year-old city that
is modernized and developed while still keeping the integrity of the history and the heritage of our city.
People are going to, God-willing, start to come to Israel over the next few months. Please, G-d. We’re really waiting for that.
Is there anything that they should know
before they come? Will things be differ-
ent?
Well, the Tower of David museum by Jaffa Gate is finishing an incredible restoration, a building and development of a new area. There are also so many wonderful restaurants in the city.
We’ve also been focusing on green tourism and how to create experiences for tourists in parks and areas of nature. I think that most of all, people in Jerusalem have really missed tourism, and so everybody, all the vendors and all the tourism businesses, are just so looking forward to having everybody back.
The new coalition in the Knesset is proposing to open up the Kotel to many different factions, and it’s been a hot issue for the past few years. What are your thoughts on that?
I think there’s room for everyone at the the plaza and the Kotel and that whole historical area. I truly believe that every Jew should see themselves in this city. Every Jew should feel like they belong in this city. And so, I believe that there are ways of finding a compromise where every Jew finds their place here, and it doesn’t have to offend anybody else. I think if it’s done respectfully, we can find a place for everybody.
Let’s move on to the Jewish Agency. Isaac Herzog, who was head of the Jewish Agency, is becoming the president of Israel. You are in the running for his position. It’s a perfect position for you because you are from the Diaspora and you moved to Israel. Talk to us a little bit about the Jewish Agency and why you feel like you
would be the right fit
to lead that organization.
At the moment, it’s all so very new, and my name has been thrown in the ring, of course, though it still has not been an official process, so we never know.
Even so, I have the experience of the Diaspora Jew. I was born and grew up in the Diaspora, and I also have the experience of an immigrant. I moved here 20 years ago, and now I’m here as an Israeli. It would be a complete privilege to serve not just my city, as I do now, but to serve the entire Jewish people, which is the work of the Jewish Agency. My whole career, I’ve been serving my people, my country, my city. And so for me, this would be widening the circle of being able to do the public service for Am Yisrael.
What does the Jewish Agency do?
The Jewish Agency is the main organization which was the predecessor of the Israeli government. The government of the Jewish people was the Jewish Agency before we had a state with an official government. And so the history of the Jewish Agency is the history of the creation of the State of Israel, and it is an enormous privilege to be able to work in an organization that basically created the infrastructure for the creation of the State of Israel.
Today, the Jewish Agency is involved in connecting Jews to Israel and connecting Israel to the Diaspora Jewry with programs of Jewish education, identity, and, to some extent, fighting anti-Semitism. It does programs of absorption. It continues to play a pivotal role in the relationship and the connection between Israel and the Diaspora. And so, to me, it’s in my DNA because this is what I’ve lived and this is what I believe in and this is what I am.
For now, it’s a long road to the position, but it would be an incredible privilege to be able to serve in that position.
There are many Americans living in Je-
rusalem who never officially made ali-
yah. Is there a way to get those Americans to actually go through that process? And why do you think they haven’t done so?
Well, if anything is going to make them do that, it’s the Corona pandemic and the ultimate hassle, the complete hassle, of not being able to get in and out of the country when you’re not a citizen. So I think, if anything, the push to make people do that has been the last year-and-a-half. And in fact, I actually do very much believe that what’s happened in the last year is going to drive the number of olim up. My friends at Nefesh B’Nefesh tell me that the demands that they’ve seen has tripled, quadrupled. And so, I think it’s already happening.
I think a lot of people are wary of making official aliyah for different reasons. Some communities don’t want to get caught up in making that kind of commitment. But ultimately, when you live here and you enjoy living here, that should be everybody’s commitment – to become a fullfledged citizen, to have voting rights, to be able to choose your government, and to be able to really fully partake in the country.
At the Gulf-Israel Women’s Forum
When somebody makes aliyah, they get
a certain amount of services or benefits for the first few years. Is there any way to extend some sort of those benefits to
help people, to sort of sweeten the deal for people?
Well, I actually think we need to do something else. People get benefits when they first move here, and they should. It’s a difficult thing to move countries. But I think that mainly what people need is a good absorption policy. And for me, making aliyah successfully is about three things: it’s about where you live and your community; it’s about where you work; and it’s about where your children go to school.
We should really create a very professional absorption solution for finding people the best jobs possible, almost like an HR firm placing olim. The startup nation lacks 15,000 engineers every single year. We import engineers. So what if we went out and recruited Jewish engineers from across the world to come and move here and be part of the startup nation? What if we had
real professional consulting services for people, for families, to understand which school best fits their hashkafa and their needs? And what if we also had the same advice about which community would absorb them in the warmest and the best way, again, in terms of their hashkafa – that would be so helpful. Those are the things that I think we should be doing rather than more monetary benefits. There are enough monetary benefits. People don’t want handouts. People want a good job and to be in a lovely community. And that’s what we would be concentrating on.
It’s like that saying, “Give the man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish,
feed him for a lifetime.”
That’s what the Rambam says.
What should American Jews be doing to
help fight the anti-Semitism that we’ve
been seeing?
Well, it’s a really good question. I’m actually organizing a solidarity mission soon with Gesher, an organization that connects different Jews in Israel and around the world, because I think that Israel has to show solidarity for the Jewish communities and the Diaspora. Normally, it’s the other way around, but now, they have to go and really show that solidarity.
I think that communities have to lobby their governments and their local Congress people in order to get the protection that they need. First of all, they need security in their synagogues. And secondly, I think it’s about education and awareness of the wider community, and it’s about being able to make people understand and educate them about what anti-Semitism really is. For many years, anti-Semitism has been cloaked in anti-Zionism, and many of the Jewish communities did not recognize it. “Oh, it’s about Israel. It’s not about us.” And I think what’s become very clear in the last round of conflict and the consequent problems that occurred with Jewish communities around the world is that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. It’s just a politically correct, woke way to cover it up. Now, the game is up. It’s about what it is. And so, I think Jews have to understand that ultimately being on Israel’s side strengthens them and doesn’t weaken them. And that it’s all the same. Thank G-d, we have a country today where we don’t have to run scared from anybody or anything.
You are a mother of four. Correct?
Yes. My oldest is 19 and my youngest is 11, almost 12.
It’s hard to juggle being a mother and being somebody who’s involved in politics or business. What advice would you give to women to be able to handle it? And how did you actually manage to juggle it all?
This is a great question, and I speak to a lot of women about this, and I mentor young women. I always say to them a few things. First of all, in order to be involved and contribute to your community, you can do that in any way you can. It can be the PTA. It can be a neighborhood board. It can be your synagogue. There are many ways to contribute. People who want to contribute find a way to contribute even with little kids.
Now, I always say to women, “I have four kids. 10, 15 years ago, I couldn’t have done what I’m doing today.” And so, women can have it all. But maybe, we don’t need to have it all at the same time. Maybe there is a moment for this, and there is a moment for that. And one thing doesn’t take away from the other.
I really feel that as my kids have gotten older, I’ve been able to get more involved. And so you have to do what you can do at the moment if you can do it, and then, as you become freer from dealing with little kids, for example, then you can do more, if that’s what you wish to do and you have the energy.
Don’t put pressure on yourself to have everything at the same time and being miserable at every aspect of your life. Everything has its moment. And so that’s, I think, what I’ve learned during my career and my rearing of my children.
Fleur, we appreciate your time and your commitment to the Jewish people, especially as deputy mayor of Jerusalem. We wish you all the best in your pursuit to lead the Jewish Agency.
