By Yoni Peres
HOLON, Israel — Sunday, June 13, was a very remarkable day. The inauguration of a new government in Israel. The hope for a refreshing change. However, no less important for me and my family was the inauguration of the “Peres Campus” in Holon–an additional High Tech High School in the charter school system based in San Diego, California since 1996.
The school in Holon was established in 2012, as a unique, modern, and innovative model for project-based and community-oriented learning. The school ‘s goal is to develop a multi-dimensional approach for students, with social sensitivity, aspiration for excellence and personal responsibility, via project-based learning dialogue.
Over 600 students, in 25 classes, 7th through 12th grade, participate in the program.
The students, teachers, and parents were asked to vote for naming of the school. My father, Shimon Peres, Israel’s 8th Prime Minister and 9th President, was elected, topping Albert Einstein.
Motti Sasson, the Mayor of Holon, said at the ceremony: “Peres was a true friend of Holon and a honorary citizen. He visited the city numerous times. I am proud and glad that the naming process was democratic, with the community involvement.”
Prof. Zvia Walden, Peres’ daughter and my sister, spoke for our family: ” I thank Mayor Sasson, for being a real friend of our late father. A friend in need is a friend indeed. (In 1977, following the defeat of the Labor party by Likud, Motti Sasson was one of the few, who stood by Labor’s leader, Peres, and offered his unconditional support to rehabilitate the party.)
The city of Holon is a mirror image of the State of Israel. It features various communities and quarters of different origins, cooperating in order to establish a city which is a dream come true … “demonstrating what a nation can do, when its factions and tribes decide to build something great together”.
Chemi Peres, Peres’ middle son and my brother, represented the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, mentioning that the school embodies many values which Peres believed in: innovation, optimism, equality, gap-narrowing, dreaming big, and looking at the future.
The ceremony also included words by the students, the principal, Shosh Picker, and a musical performance of the school’s band, with some of the students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), which brought excitement and tears to the audience.
They sang “You and I will change the world” by Arik Einstein and “Equals” by Ilay Bottner and Ran Danker.
The ceremony was ended by the song “Hallelujah” of Leonard Cohen, and “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem.
The family and the mayor participated in the unveiling ceremony of Peres’ picture at the front lobby.
The city of Holon is part of the “Dan Metropolitan,” region including Tel Aviv and “her daughters”.
In my childhood, I recall it as a boring neighborhood of Tel Aviv, with blue collar immigrant population, poverty, and crime. Holon residents used to be ashamed and hide the fact that they lived there. The most famous site of the city was the huge cemetery. However, some good mayors, with the help of the government, turned things around.
In 1993, with a campaign supported by Shimon Peres, then the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Motti Sasson was elected Mayor, running under the flag of the Labor party.
In his 28 years of service, the city has gone through a major face-lifting.
Sasson acted to establish the image of Holon as the “Children City.” The Children’s Museum was built, “Children Story Parks,” Meditech Museum, Cinema-tech, Center for digital art, comics museum, doll museum, and many others along with parks and gardens.
The city is famous for culture, theater, and music halls. Many times it won beauty awards. In 2010, “Monocol” magazine, graded Sasson as second of the 10 leading mayors of the world.
In 1997, Sasson built an amazing park in Holon and named it “Peres Park” – 75 acres of beautiful lawns, gardens, water lakes and falls, restaurants and many attractions.
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Yonatan ‘Yoni” Peres, DVM, is a retired veterinarian and board member of the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation. He has been a fairly regular visitor to San Diego, where High Tech High School is based.