Friday, March 17, 2017

Elad founder wins 2017 Israel Prize

THE TIMES OF ISRAEL: East Jerusalem ‘modern builder’ awarded Israel Prize.
Education Minsiter Naftali Bennett announces David Be’eri, the founder and chairman of the City of David Foundation, as one of the winners of the 2017 Israel Prize, considered the country’s highest accolade.

Also known as Elad, the City of David Foundation is an Israeli NGO that oversees the Ir David archaeological park in Silwan and is dedicated to facilitating Jewish settlement in Arab East Jerusalem. In recent years it has helped several new Jewish neighborhoods or complexes which have sprung up in heavily populated areas of East Jerusalem, often accompanied by protests or legal challenges. Ir David itself houses about 50 families in a small community.

[...]
Well, congratulations to Mr Be’eri. Elad is a controversial organization, but it has made itself a major player in Israel's archaeological scene. And the Israel Prize is a big honor.

For past PaleoJudaica posts on Elad, start here and follow the links. Information on some past recipients of the Israel Prize is collected here.