Jerusalem, September 19, 2006
2006-0225-2767

The Jerusalem Municipality Prepares for the Ramadan

The municipality has purchased shells for the ancient canon the mayor will
fire on Monday, September 25h at 17:38 at the Tzalah A-Din Cemetery

The month of Ramadan will start this year on September 23rd and end on
October 22nd (Including 3 days of Id El Feeter). During the Ramadan Muslims
fast every day from sunrise to sunset. The Jerusalem municipality has
purchased shells for the ancient canon fired every day at the beginning,
middle and end of the fast. The municipality a total of purchased a total of
87 shells of two kinds: 37 colored shells for holidays and 50 regular
canons. The total price of the shells is 6,787 NIS.

The municipality prepares for the Ramadan on various levels:

The lighting department decorates and lights the Old City gates with festive
lights and regularly maintains the lighting in order to allow worshipers
easy and safe access to prayers.

The sanitation department will enhance its operations around the old city
and the Temple Mount. Special care will be given during Id El Feeter.

The welfare department will give out a holiday gift to needy families.

All Muslims employees of the municipality will finish work every day at
14:00 (Instead of 16:00) and will be free from work during Id El Feeter.

The signal for the start of the daily fast is a canon shot, situated at the
Muslim cemetery at Tzalah A-Din st. Additionally, a second shot is heard
every night, two hours prior to the beginning of the fast in order to alert
people for the fast and a third shot is fired in the afternoon to mark the
fast ending.

During the Ramadan the Muslims pray five times a day, on top of a special
Ramadan prayer that lasts for 90 minutes. The Muslims prefer to hold their
prayers in large mosques (Such as El Aqsa and Dome of the Rock), so heavier
traffic than normal is expected in the Old City area.

AT the end of Ramadan Muslims celebrate Id El Feeter for three days. On the
first one they visit the cemeteries in the early morning, so on this day
heavy traffic is also expected.

In preparation for Id El Feeter the municipal veterinarian service has
arranged a ritual lamb slaughter at the tarot industrial zone. The lambs are
imported by authorized dealers from sanitary sources and the public can
purchase the meat on the spot and stores in eastern Jerusalem.

Gideon Schmelring
Jerusalem Municipality Spokesman