From the spirit to the theater

She came to Jerusalem as a student, fell in love with the city and decided to turn it into her home. She became deeply involved in a wide range of projects – all to some degree political – but was always careful not to cross the line of becoming a politician. She is secular, yet often speaks about the beauty and the values of Jerusalem’s Jewish traditions, raising more than one eyebrow in concern that she is becoming religious. She has supported Nir Barkat since the beginning of his mayoral career. She has launched many projects for students and young adults in the city – the best-known being the establishment, with her friends, of New Spirit, which stands behind many of the programs focused on the life of the young generation and students in the city, culminating in Beit Alliance, a hub for artists and performers of all denominations and sectors in the city.

Elisheva Mazia has done more here in a decade than most other young Jerusalemites even dream of achieving. Only about a year ago, her path seemed clear – to undertake more projects and initiatives. With municipal elections looming in the horizon, there was speculation that she might finally step into politics. Then, surprisingly, she moved to the national civil service level, taking a high position at the Treasury.