The Bais Yaakov School in Neveh Yaakov and another chareidi
school in Jerusalem, Mesilah Naaleh, were selected to receive
this year's Mayor's Award for road safety.
The two schools were chosen by the Municipal Road Safety
Center from among dozens of educational institutions in the
city based on the extensive educational programs the schools
run, including learning centers and various activities. Mayor
Rabbi Uri Lupoliansky said the unique programs on road safety
the municipality has been operating in recent years at
chareidi schools have made it possible to raise awareness of
this important issue among students, and the programs play an
important role in saving lives.
Every year a competition is held; a panel of judges visits
all of the participating schools and selects the standouts
that will advance to the final round. Last week the Mayor
awarded the prize to select schools at a ceremony held in the
City Council hall, with various representatives from the
municipality, traffic police, Education Ministry and National
Road Safety Authority on hand.
To raise awareness on the issue of road safety among the
chareidi public the municipality recently launched an
informational campaign conducted through posters, signs on
guard rails and on buses operating in chareidi neighborhoods.
The notices highlight remarks by gedolei haposkim, who
say road safety is a Torah mitzvah.
Throughout the year the Chareidi Road Safety Department runs
educational programs adapted to the chareidi public and
carried out under rabbinical supervision in various
neighborhoods around the city, and provides training programs
for teachers. The department also operates a training center
that simulates road conditions. There students learn proper
bicycle safety, safe street crossing, familiarity with road
conditions and traffic signs, etc.
Says City Councilman and Traffic Commissioner Rabbi Yaakov
Shnur, "The Road Safety Department's effort to raise
awareness on this important issue has had its effect and puts
the chareidi education system in first place, as someone for
whom venishmartem lenafshoseichem is both a Torah
exigency and a moral mandate."
