pages16 ✹✹FREE! modiinlifeISSUE 3 ■ MARCH 2017 Had a utility bill recently? Understand the figures and how much you owe? Of course you don’t! In a new series, Avraham Remeny gets to grips with bills and explains them from top to bottom. See page 7 easyJet calls Appy halt to Tel Aviv –Gatwick UK summer flights TURN TO PAGE 11 ExClUSIvE!eater City Food for Anglos will soon thought on be able to order Kashrut Talking point takeaways from with city councillor menus in English Jonny Cline: on phones/tablets PAGE 3 See Page 9 Steaming in! Titora Hill Railway fans lives! pull into Mall Colour SEE PAGE 8 special back page Want to write to us? Here’s our email address: [email protected] Spotlight on two events celebrating Tu B’Shvat in Modiin Someday there will be branches everywhere ■PLANTING a tree on Modiin’s Titora Hill to celebrate Tu B’Shvat are Ahuva and Yehuda Marmelstein, and alongside, markers show the spots where other trees have been planted. Regeneration of Titora Hill: Colour special back page Hadassah marks the occasion with a Seder A TU B’SHVAT writes Marion Stone. Seder was organised by the Israel Levonah Chapter of Hadassah in Modiin, It was led by Ronda Israel, who has written her own Haggadah for the festival which includes historic facts, appropriate songs and poems as well as personal dedications. Everyone present took turns at reading from the Haggadah, and blessings were said over the four glasses of wine that turned from white to red, and over the fruit and nuts which were laid out on plates, One of those who attended said: “I think that everyone left with a modiinlife 2 greater appreciation of nature, and how we should hold ourselves responsible for its upkeep.” Ordering a takeaway in English will soon be on Modiin menu! modiinlife EXCLUSIVE by Anthony Green HOW MANY times have you looked at those tempting takeaway menus but have been unable to order because your Hebrew is either poor or non-existent? Well, there’s no need to go hungry any longer . AIn newfact, you’llapp coming only need to toModiin open yourwill meanmouth you’ll when be it able comes to order to eating takeouts what on youryou’ve phone ordered! or tablet in English and have them delivered to your door. OrderApp has already launched successfully in Bet Shemesh. Now it’s soon to arrive in our city. Etana Hecht, of the OrderApp marketing team, explained: “The idea came about after one too many arguments over who was going to make that frustrating phone call to place a dinner takeout order. “In addition, there are often issues that arise when you place a takeout order – and rarely does the restaurant take proper responsibility for it.” As Etana pointed out: “The restaurants are often great at making ■Etana Hecht and colleague Alex Yudin at OrderApp food, but can’t seem to get down the process of correct order intake and swift delivery.” OrderApp aims to change all that by smoothing out the our Beta platforms as we Significant discounts are being offered entire process, making it as make necessary tweaks. to Beta members throughout the launch simple and positive for the user “Of course, customer period. Added Etana: “We often offer as possible. service and satisfaction flash sales at specific restaurants if the “Every part of the site has the are our top priority.” user orders that same day.” option to switch between Hebrew and Etana said that at the moment they In Bet Shemesh, OrderApp handles English,” said Etana. are only dealing with takeout/delivery delivery. “We’re ready to customise She said that OrderApp had been in a restaurants but an option for in- what we offer, based on the needs of Beta version – a pre-release of software restaurant ordering is on the horizon. various restaurants we add to the given to users to try under real Regarding prices, she said: “Not only platform each day.” conditions – in Bet Shemesh for about are our listed prices the same as OrderApp is powered by PUSH two months and the response has been whatever each restaurant charges, Startups, a startup incubator in Bet “overwhelminglyTo join the positive.” OrderApp Modiinmembers Beta of teamour Beta click team get on a muchto: http://tinyurl.com/jtb9snwShemesh. OrderApp itself is the She went on: “We’ve been offering lower final price than they would in the brainchid of the two CEOs and founders great discounts to those who are using restaurant itself.”modiinlife 3 of PUSH Startups. The kite runners of Modiin THE CITY’S mums, dads, children and grandparents turned out in their hundreds for the city’s 11th Kite Festival in February. Thanks to bright, sunny skies everyone enjoyed a great morning flying kites of many shapes and colours in Chativat Yiftach Park. But of course there was the odd ‘disaster’ with a few kites getting trapped in the branches of trees. Photos by Anthony Green They’re up a tree . but ‘Mickey Mouse’ is freed at last! You can enjoy a short movie of the Modiin kite flying at: http://tinyurl.com/zesnmnn modiinlife 4 Taking stock ‘Store water at home for emergencies’ By Marion Stone MODIIN 12 litres per person should residents have been advised to always keep water in their homes in be enough to cases of emergency. Details were included in a two-sided last up to three days leaflet which went out with the latest water bills from Mei Modiin. Replace tap The leaflet states that there are many reasons that can cause a water stoppage water each for just a few hours – even a number of days – such as an earthquake, water cuts month to a damaged pipe or sudden pollution of the water supply. with a fresh supply ButMei Modiinit stresses says it thatis as preparedit is very as ■Leaflet with the advice came importantcan be to thatsupply all of water the city’s in residentstimes of with the latest water bills keepemergency, a stock ofor waterlong inperiods their homes without so thatwater. they will never be left without. The water authority says that tap water ■ should be replaced every month with keep■ the following kit for hygienic use fresh water. According to the leaflet, the during■ emergencies: old water can be used for drinking or for The Civil Guard recommends that A pack of damp wipes. people keep at least 12 litres of water per household purposes. ■Anti-bacterial gel. person – enough for three days if used If residents are modiinlifestoring bought bottled ■Disposable tableware and paper towels, sparingly and controlled. water, this should be replaced according incaseMei Modi'in there canis no be water contacted for washing anytime up. on The leaflet says that tap water can be to the manufacturer’s instructions and 1 A 800bag for300 collecting 420. Further rubbish. information kept – ‘you don’t have to keep bottled sell-by dates. onA sanitationtheir website bag for www.meimodiin.co.iluse in the toilet – can water.’ Regarding cost, has been told bewhich obtained is in Hebrew. on specialist website. The water should be kept in that one cube of tap water equals 1,000 clean bottles or containers that litres, which costs between NIS 7.62 and didn’tThese previously 1.5 house litre toxic orbottlesNIS 12.32 depending show on consumption. how much water one poisonousperson substances. should storeRegarding sanitation,for a it is recommendedsupply to lasting 3 days Each of these bottles 1 can hold 1 ⁄2 litres. Mei Modiin says that 12 litres should be enough to last one person for three days’ emergency supply. That amounts to eight bottles of the size illustrated. Now multiply that eight for the number of people in your household. If you store tap water, this should be replaced every month. modiinlife 5 Policing matters: Marion Stone reports with a trio of stories . Residents’ fears over rise in robberies THE INCREASE in break-ins and robberies at Modiin effort in operation. homes have been the subject of meetings that have taken Mayor Bibas said that the urban Police Patrol place in recent weeks between residents and the city’s was expected to become active by the end of February, Mayor, Haim Bibas. which would significantly expand policing capacity The Mayor heard a report from Modiin Police in the city. Commander Elad Klein and has also met with concerned Meanwhile, citizens are reminded to lock their doors residents and updated them on the latest precautions and windows and to keep their home protection devices being taken to lower the rate of incidents in the city. – alarms – in good working order, and to be aware of Extra police officers and an additional police car are their surroundings. now working in Modiin, providing more regular patrols. They are asked to report any suspicious persons and More road barriers are in place, and there are more vehicles to the police by calling 100, or the municipal detectives as well as a strengthened municipal security hotline on 106. May the Force IS MoDIIN’Sbe with us? new Urban Police Force selected and trained. about to become a reality? During the coming weeks, more According to local press reports there training will take place on subjects has been a long-standing promise of an ranging from the authority of the urban police force for Modiin- municipal inspector and traffic Maccabim-Reut. direction to shooting practice. For various reasons it has been It was hoped that when training is delayed three times, but was due to completed, the entire policing project become operational at the end of will become operational.