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Jerusalem keeps delicate balance
City pays heed to history, aesthetics while planning for the future
SAM CAMPANA
Special to Jewish News
Scottsdale Mayor Sam Campana recently was invited to serve as the leader of a delegation of seven U.S. mayors traveling to Israel for the 18th annual Jerusalem Conference of Mayors. The May 10-16 event was hosted by Ehud Olmert, mayor of Jerusalem. The American Jewish Congress served as a major sponsor of the conference, underwriting the cost of the U.S. mayors' participation. In Jerusalem, the U.S. delegation was joined by more than 50 mayors from cities in South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
The theme of the 1998 Conference was "Education in the City: Building the Heritage of Future Generations." During the week-long event, the mayors met with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Ezer Weizman.
With the U.S. Conference of Mayors' trip to Jerusalem still fresh in my memory, I am anxious to share this life-changing experience. It was an honor and a privilege to be chosen to represent the United States and the City of Scottsdale. This conference provided the delegates a unique opportunity to serve as ambassadors to expand their country's awareness and understanding of Israel while educating us on how Jerusalem successfully balances the preservation of its heritage with modern municipal management.
Along with my fellow delegates, I was able to absorb a lot of Jerusalem culture in a very condensed period of time. The conference was especially effective in translating international Israeli issues in a way that made them personal and relevant to me and the community I serve. Being able to meet and spend time with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Ezer Weizman was exciting and symbolic of Jerusalem's openness and strong desire to share information on all levels.
I found the challenges faced by Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert especially enlightening. While the conference underscored the commonalties of cities across the globe - facing issues such as growth, preservation, water management, public transportation, economic development and the provision of social services - I was humbled by the level of scrutiny, sensitivity and security that Mayor Olmert encounters each day - not to mention the constant threat of controversy, violence and loss of life. Mayor Olmert has to deal with an entirely different policy-making arena - one that places him in the international news on a weekly if not daily basis.
During the conference, which included six intensive break-out sessions over a three-day period, the conference attendees became fully immersed in the physical, economic, socio-demographic, cultural and municipal aspects of Jerusalem. In addition, the U.S. delegates had the opportunity to visit with the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem. During this visit, we participated in a discussion about the ongoing, contentious status of setting aside land for peace.
Since my initial visit to Israel in 1990, as a participant in the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix Interfaith Mission 14, this issue has gone from a rally of "no land for peace" to the possibility of 11 percent or 13 percent (although Israeli officials recently have refused to cede more than 9 percent). And while other U.S. mayors were puzzled by the controversy of giving up what sounded like a minimal amount of land, I was able to bring this issue home with a comparison to an analogous situation on Scottsdale's eastern border. While the magnitude and ramifications of Israel's dilemma are global in nature, a microcosm of this debate has taken place in Scottsdale during the past 10 years.
Like Israel's boundaries with other countries, Scottsdale shares a 15-mile border with a sovereign nation, the Salt River Pima Maricopa Indian Community. One of the most contentious issues faced by our two communities was whether or not to give up 6 feet of a shared 11-foot road to widen a major transportation corridor, which happens to be Pima Road. The fact that we struggled over a seemingly small amount of land for more than 10 years, makes Israel's ongoing debate over land for peace not only understandable but very relevant.
The other U.S. mayors quickly came to understand how a similar situation in their communities would have significant and far-reaching impacts. The conference resonated with each of the delegates on two different levels - it significantly heightened their awareness of issues shared in common, and it showcased many areas in which Jerusalem has been extremely successful despite years of conflict, war and turmoil. In an area with 3,000 years of history, Jerusalem has exceptionally high standards for preservation - preservation of archaeological sites, antiquities and sacred sites that are shared by three different religions and visited by millions of tourists. This strong sense of stewardship also translates to the city's ability to effectively maintain stringent design review standards as well as a commitment to public art that rivals any other city in the world.
Even though Jerusalem has constantly been under siege, there is beauty, art, and sculpture everywhere you turn. As a long-time arts advocate, it was very evident to me that Jerusalem's pervasive appreciation for beauty springs from the community's intrinsic desire to provide aesthetics that can be appreciated by all. In addition to a high commitment to public art, Jerusalem is defined by a high level of citizen involvement - a natural outgrowth of the high level of well-informed residents who understand the value of deliberation and dialogue. Its people are strategic, hard-working and committed to democracy - a democracy that includes all people and which strives for protection, preservation and peace.
Having previously visited Jerusalem, I was very aware of changes that had occurred in the past eight years. One of the first thing I noticed was the lack of utility wires. The technological leap to cellular phones has allowed Jerusalem an aesthetic escape from telephone lines and prevented much of the undergrounding of wiring that could destroy archeological sites. Now in the surge of unprecedented planning and development, Jerusalem has not only kept pace with technology but has effectively incorporated it into its business sector to further solidify its economic base.
The return trip to Jerusalem was both inspirational and insightful because it highlighted the city's success in identifying and working toward its vision for the future. Jerusalem is a city comprised of neighborhoods, of communities, and of many different religious groups. It is a city of striking contrasts as well as a city of an unusually diverse population.
Jerusalem is unlike any other city, and yet it is one that provides an unparalleled example of commitment to diversity and a constant consideration of the numerous, varied sectors within its community. It has probably been best said by syndicated columnist Tom Teepen: "Has any other country, in so short a time, so successfully melded a populace, however factious at times, from as many hues and tongues and cultures?"
I consider my trips to Jerusalem life-changing experiences. After meeting and getting to know the conference delegates, we have jointly agreed to regroup in Scottsdale in 1999 to continue our discussion of diversity, deliberative dialogue and heritage preservation, which was so richly infused into our awareness through our "Jerusalem" experience. It is a conference none of us will ever forget. It is no wonder to us that Jerusalem is a focal point of world interest - it is a marvel, a miracle and an incredibly rich mosaic of mankind.
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