Shh...shh...shh... Get into the conference room quickly, don't walk around with a camera outside, that's how one of the assistants at the Jerusalem Municipality caught me, who also claimed in my ear that I was late for a surprise birthday party for Zvika Cohen.
Inside, at the end of the room, Bezalel Kahn and Chaim Epstein were sitting for a conversation about our relationship. "I'm not saying you're wrong, but..." Epstein growled, and Bezalel Kahn, seeing the camera in front of him, turned around and said, "So, now you're documenting so that there's a third world war? I've heard wars, I've heard wars.".
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For a long time, everyone had already finished eating what was on the tables. Zvika Cohen arrived and entered the room, not before being filmed in a short video mumbling, "What did you do to me?" What did you do to me.. Who prepared this... And so the hugs began when he said, "Were you also involved in the production of this?"
Come here, come. Tzvika Cohen called to Yitzhak Pindarus, and we complied with the photographer's request for a joint photo, keep the photo, it's a photo of unity and action. We didn't keep it, we published it.
Deputy Mayor Meir Turgeman arrived, and after the hugs and kisses, he also gave a speech. The speech was cut short because people didn't stop talking because there was nothing left to eat. But of all the sentences he said, the next sentence was the most important: Zvika is first and foremost Zvika.
It's a huge hug, accompanied by a cry of "I love you, take a picture," from Zvika, and from Council Member Nachmaniel Saban, "I'm in a hurry, there are meetings that have been delayed. I came to wish you congratulations, and to go. You're not staying," we asked, and he answered again. "It was important to me to wish Zvika well, but it's more important for me to continue dealing with the things I need to finish taking care of and helping people.".
As he exits, while council member Nachmaniel Saban is right in front of the elevator, he sees the Torah bannerman, Rabbi Yitzhak Pindros. They both stand slightly apart, and Pindros says to me, "Don't look at him like that. He's one of Shas's best energy bombs in the city.".
Itzik Cohen, Zvika's brother who lives in Har Hotzvim at the Shas movement offices, also came to wish and celebrate with his older brother on his birthday.
In a quiet and modest manner, Rabbi Shalom Harosh, the head of the Yeshiva of Hot Shel Chesed of the Breslov Hasidim, suddenly entered. Zvika Cohen left everything and approached him and asked with sadness and astonishment why the Rabbi had bothered to come all the way here. And Rabbi Sepshtot answered him, "This is the first year that we have seen calm at the beginning of the year and there are no Sephardic girls or girls from our community who have stayed home to sit at the beginning of the school year, and for that he bothered to come and thank him personally." .
The rabbi then took out his latest book and presented it to the happy recipient, showing him the dedication engraved on the book's cover, and continued to bless him with every blessing and longevity.
Outside, meanwhile, Haim Epstein went out to finish an important conversation, to take a picture. He said, "This is an important man. The one you are taking a picture of is one of the most important people here." I took a picture. If you know who the man is, please let me know.
A birthday cake was brought before Zvika, who was too emotional to pay attention to the small details, and he began a journey of congratulations to all the organizers, primarily his dedicated assistant Yoni Mashriqi and the women who work in his office and with him in the city, thanking them for their trouble and investment in this event.
Rabbi Lieberman from the seminary also came to thank and congratulate him for the investment made this year and the removal of the stigma on the entire issue of girls and seminaries. During the blessings he gave, the director of the Haredi Education Department, Itamar Bar Ezer, found himself answering urgent questions about the Haredi municipal kindergartens.
Council member Turgeman was given permission to speak. He promised to keep it short so that everyone would have time to pray Mincha, and he gave compliments to everyone, especially to Zvika Cohen and the young council members who helped bring the new spirit of the place to life.
To the side stood two ultra-Orthodox advisors to Mayor Nir Barkat, whispering. The closer I got, the lower their voices became, until they seemed to be mumbling meaningless syllables. I won't disturb them during their Mincha prayer, I thought to myself, took a picture, and left them to their mumbling. .
Rabbi Lieberman finished his remarks, the speeches were over, and he went out for a short conversation with a member of the Israel Defense Forces, Kellerman. "You're not recording," one of the assistants asked me as he passed by in the hallway... and made sure I was indeed just taking pictures.
Shabbat Square photographer Shlomi Cohen became sought-after and council members began asking to be photographed with him. The section's recommendation was, "Leave the camera in the heart of Shabbat Square, run all the way down Mea Shearim Street, turn right to the city hall, and get into politics in the Jerusalem municipality.".
Mazal Tov, after the long conversation with Kobi Isaac, Avrimy Kreuzer turned to wish congratulations and hugs to Zvika Cohen.
May he live to be one hundred and twenty, and may we also celebrate your birthday next year "as a partner" but without one daughter who stays at home, may the blessing be upon him. Thus, we enter another year of blessed activity in the Jerusalem Municipality.
