Philanthropist hails project to build new swimming pools in East Jerusalem

The Jerusalem Foundation is literally breaking new ground, with two brand-new sports centres set to open for the first time in east Jerusalem.

And the Foundation’s president, Shai Doron, was in London last week to speak to potential British donors for the second centre in Zhur Baka, following the launch of the first in Beit Hanina, where building has just begun.

Both centres are estimated to cost around £16 million.

The focus of the sports centres is swimming, a subject close to Doron’s heart as he is a competitive swimmer, continuing to take part in veterans’ races and swimming every day, even while in London.

As he told Jewish News, there are two communities which do not use the public facilities in west Jerusalem — the Palestinians and the strictly Orthodox.

“It’s a basic skill that every child in Israel should be able to swim,” Doron said, noting that the numbers of young Palestinians who sadly drowned in the sea were much higher than deaths in the general population.

For both communities, Doron said, there were issues of modesty and separate facilities, both of which have been taken into account when planning the east Jerusalem centres.

He noted: “The biggest news is the partnership between the Jerusalem Foundation and the Palestinians in east Jerusalem, who were willing to take the responsibility to run and operate the sports centres.

“If we are talking about a society with equal opportunities, we must build these kind of centres”.

The Foundation says the Beit Hanina centre, whose funding has been secured, will provide employment opportunities for hundreds of people — managers, coaches, instructors, technicians and more —and will serve as a fertile ground for the growth of local civil leadership.

Doron said that this centre, supported by the American Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, “fulfils the Jerusalem Foundation’s vision for community empowerment and nurturing future leadership. We seek to reduce gaps in society and provide equal opportunities for all, in our efforts to create shared society in Jerusalem”.