Danger Connects

B"H

An acquaintance of mine had invited as many people as he could to the opening of his own Yeshiva and Synagogue last Friday noon. Rabbi Yosef Yedidiayu Klausner had invested plenty of time, money, effort and nerves.

About a year ago, American born Rabbi Yosef Yedidiahu Klausner bought a four floor building in the national religious settlement (Yishuv) Efrat (near Jerusalem). The Rabbi is not the only one moving to the countryside, as life in a settlement is much cheaper. At least regarding rent, real estate and Arnona (city tax).

Together with my friend T., I walked to the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem. For her, the morning had been so much easier, as she had just got up. I, on the other hand, got up early and traveled all the way from Tel Aviv. We just went to the Bus Station and hoped for a bus leaving soon. Usually when you go to the countryside and you miss one bus, you have to wait for ages for the next one. But we were lucky and bus no. 167 to Efrat was due to leave in another five minutes or so. At 11.15 am, our bus took off.

T. had brought her digital camera with her but, unfortunately, we couldn't make any photos from the bus. All windows, except the one in front of the driver, were bullet – proofed and it was impossible to look out of the window. Bullet – proofed buses are nothing extraordinary in Israel. Especially not the Egged – buses going from Jerusalem into the settlements including Hebron, Kiryat Arba and all the rest of Gush Etzion. Countless times, buses were attacked and still are under attack. Palestinians shooting at buses or private cars, throwing stones or the worst of all – blowing up explosives right under the vehicles.

From the Central Bus Station no. 167 went to the shopping mall Malcha, then to the Gilo neighbourhood, and then direction Gush Etzion. The bus made a turn and went to Efrat. We passed a checkpoint but neither was our bus stopped nor were we checked at all. The landscape was an amazing. Green hills and fresh air. What a comparison to Jerusalem let alone Tel Aviv. Due to former terrorist attacks, the roads were surrounded by security fences and walls. Some walls even had a kind of roof top which should protect vehicles from stones being thrown by the Palestinians. The bus ride was great and there is a lot to see but still it was strange. Seeing all the security live is different from when you just watch it on TV.

There are several reasons why I wouldn't move into a Yishuv (settlement). First of all, you need a car because it costs to many nerves to only depend on the buses. If you miss one, you have to wait ages for the next bus, as I mentioned before. Then you drive or live behind wired fences, watch towers and security walls or fences. Everything seems aways be on high alert. Other people keep on telling me that once you get used to it, you don't see it anymore. And even if you live in Jerusalem,Tel Aviv or New York, there is no escape from terror anymore. So, it doesn't really matter anyway and it wouldn't be too bad.

After approx. 20 minutes, we arrived in Efrat. The Yishuv reminds me more of a small town but a village. To me it looks like the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Pisgat Ze'ev. New houses, new playgrounds and parks, everything is new. A little more far away you can see two or three arab villages or small towns.

Out bus took us directly to Rabbi Klausner's new home. A four floor building with a Beit Mirdash – Synagogue on the ground floor. As the Rabbi also celebrated a "Hachnasat Sefer Torah – Taking a new Torah scroll to the Ark", we still arrived at his Hakafot (the special dancing with the scroll). There were many national religious guests but hardly any Haredim at sight. To be quite honest, the Rabbi couldn't have chosen a worse date for his event. First of all it was Friday and people have to prepare for Shabbat. And secondly, the day before, Efrat had a huge celebration because of its 25th anniversary. So, most inhabitants went to great parties the day before and wanted to prepare everything for Shabbat on Friday. However, about 60 guests showed up and obviously enjoyed themselves.

A catering company provided chicken, water melon, cake, other kinds of meat and a few salads. And this is what people always get excited about: the food. The food came out and everyone was just running towards the buffet. The only problem was that there was hardly any shade and not enough chairs where people could sit down. The sun was burning and we had over 30 degrees Celsius. At least, the catering company should have set up some tents or roofs but there was almost no shade at all. Nevertheless, people ate and then went down to the Synagogue for Mincha (afternoon prayer).

While eating I started talking to a national religious woman from a smaller Yishuv in the north of Ramallah. She told me that her settlement was much smaller and not as huge as Efrat with its 25,000 inhabitants. I asked her if living out there wasn't too dangerous and, as everyone else before, she responded: "No". You just get used to it and it is the lifestyle she and her husband were always looking for. And if it is not too boring living there in a small village ? "No, she said, everybody knows everyone else and they all help each other out".
I reminded her that the problem is that as soon as you have a quarrel with someone in a village, you might have many, as everybody knows each other and might be befriended with each other. But this point didn't seem to bother her at all.

For me, small towns and villages are boring and I couldn't live there at all. Landscape, okay, for some time but what else ? Not, that I am looking for the great action but I just cannot be somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

After two hours or so, we left and went back to Jerusalem. I spoke to T. and S., another friend, and both said that they could live in such a settlement. It is quiet and peaceful, believe it or not. When we got onto the bus back, the windows were not bullet – proofed but the glass was only a little stronger. You didn't need a closer look in order to realize that the bus had got stoned in the past, as almost all the windows had some cracks. And actually Efrat is much saver than other settlements.

I don't know the exact plans of Rabbi Klausner but I wish him all the best with his new institution !!!!!



25 Years Efrat