Bnei Brak Breaks Records with Unprecedented Summer Cultural Season
Bnei Brak experienced an unprecedentedly successful summer season, marking a historic milestone in the city's cultural and recreational activities under Mayor Rabbi Chanoch Zeibert's leadership. The municipality invested millions to heavily subsidize events, resulting in approximately 200,000 tickets sold across 375 shows and attractions. The city also prioritized resident service, operating a dedicated call center from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. to handle thousands of inquiries, including lost and found, bus reinforcements, and ticket purchasing assistance.
A new technological ticket brokerage system allowed residents to post requests for sold-out events and receive instant notifications when matches were found, ensuring wider access to activities. The Culture Department's "Content Line" attracted about 13,500 participants, with over 1.1 million cumulative listening minutes to stories and interviews, culminating in prizes awarded to 375 winners.
The range of attractions expanded significantly to cater to all family members with strict adherence to religious standards and sector-specific accommodations. New additions included a Lego park, extreme attractions, experiential boat rides, and historical tours in Jerusalem, Hebron, and the Gaza envelope. Indoor air-conditioned venues such as the "Heichalot" exhibition, the Chazon Ish Museum, the Biblical Zoo, and children’s farm attractions were also featured. A large fleet of hundreds of buses provided transportation, with increased service based on public demand.
Performances surged by about 30% compared to the previous year, offering tailored shows for men, yeshiva students, women, girls, and children. Special attention was given to honoring senior residents, highlighted by the sold-out traditional "Lachayot Mit A Ruhigkeit" event featuring renowned artists like Israel Adler and Mordechai Tzin. A spiritual highlight was the "Reza D'Niguna" event, revealing Hasidic musical secrets and debuting a new prayer song for the recovery of Israel's great rabbis.
Mayor Zeibert expressed deep satisfaction with public participation and emphasized ongoing responsiveness to community needs. He thanked Deputy Mayor Rabbi Eliyahu Shushan, Culture Department Director Rabbi Yaakov Rozen, and dedicated neighborhood coordinators for their efforts. The municipality encourages residents to rate their satisfaction via the "Mokiso" feedback system to influence future programming and enter prize drawings. Despite the expanded offerings, demand exceeded supply, prompting plans for further growth next year. Deputy Mayor Shushan and Culture Director Rozen highlighted the months-long investment and the community’s enthusiastic response as proof of success. City CEO Rabbi Israel Eisenstein affirmed the municipality’s commitment to providing quality leisure opportunities and increasing resource allocation for such initiatives.
