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7 Iyar 5764 - April 28, 2004 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Israeli and International Companies Weigh Investing in Modi'in Illit
by A. Cohen

As the closing date for a tender announced by the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Investments Center draws near, Modi'in Illit Council Head Rabbi Yaakov Guterman is formulating a plan in cooperation with the Joint Distribution Committee to distribute a questionnaire among residents to find job candidates for a center that would provide telephone support services for various companies.

Several months ago the government reached a decision, following extensive efforts by Rabbi Guterman, to include Modi'in Illit in a unique project that grants extraordinary benefits to companies that set up call centers in certain cities. These centers would provide information and customer service to individuals calling municipal and government hotlines, hospitals, health funds (kupot cholim), private clinics and reception desks at various places.

According to the government's decision, "A telephone support, archival services or records maintenance company that sets up a large employment center in the towns Daliat A-Carmel, Ariel or Modi'in Illit will be able to take part in a tender to receive extensive aid for the maintenance and employment of [its] workers since these towns suffer from particularly high unemployment."

According to the criteria set by the Investments Center, for participation in the tender companies must employ at least 80 workers and 80 percent of them must be town residents. The company must operate in the town for 3-5 years, full-time workers must be paid at least 10 percent-15 percent more than minimum wage (currently NIS 3350 per month) and the employment center must be set up inside Modi'in Illit.

In a bidders' meeting held at the Ministry of Industry and Trade in Jerusalem and attended by ministry representatives, Rabbi Guterman and representatives from the companies interested in taking part in the tender, ministry representatives said the Investments Center would provide up to NIS 1,000 ($220) per month toward every worker's salary throughout the five-year period, amounting to NIS 60,000 per worker and millions of shekels for the company. They explained that the ministry would like to see several companies win the tender in order to help solve Modi'in Illit's unemployment problem.

Representatives of Israel's leading service companies, including a well-known software firm that plans to open a branch in the town in the near future, asked the Council Head about the town's commercial centers and about possible locations and the feasibility of setting up similar high-tech centers in the town.

Rabbi Guterman provided detailed information about the town and the large amount of commercial space under construction in Kiryat Sefer and Achuzat Brachfeld, pledging that the council would provide as much assistance as possible. In response to inquiries during the meeting on the potential workforce Rabbi Guterman told company representatives that he was finalizing a plan with the Joint to distribute questionnaires to residents aimed at estimating how many job candidates could be found.

At the end of the meeting Rabbi Guterman invited all of the company representatives interested in the tender to visit Modi'in Illit in order to assess the viability of operating in the town. Representatives from the Industry and Trade Ministry said the keen interest in the town among the country's major entrepreneurs assures them that following the tender, employment levels will improve dramatically.

Government representatives thanked Rabbi Guterman, saying that without his extensive efforts, Modi'in Illit would not have been included in this tender.

The software company slated to hire women workers from the town has held several meetings with the Council Head to discuss the possibility of obtaining government assistance provided to companies. Rabbi Guterman promised he would personally watch over the projects and provide all possible assistance, including employee training.

 

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