Nothing but Pork

B"H

Since the foundation of the State of Israel (1948) and even many years earlier, the population was mostly secular. Let alone the ruling governments. However, there had always been a certain limit of how far secularism could rule. When it came up to Yom Kippur, for instance, even secular Jews kept it because it is a tradition and the highest Jewish holiday. Besides Yom Kippur, many Jewish traditions were kept. Maybe not too much from the German Jews who especially came to Israel in the 30ies but from their counterparts from Russia, Hungary or Poland.

At that time, Germany was already so much reform that many Jews just didn't care anymore and considered themselves as "real" assimilated Germans who didn't need to have anything to do with old traditions. Times had changed and also a Jews had to be modern. In Eastern Europe, on the other hand, still more traditions were kept and countless orthodox people (such as Chassidim and Litvaks) lived there.

When the Jemenite Jews came to Israel the late 40ies and early 50ies, it became obvious that especially those Jews had kept the Torah for all the years being in the Diaspora. The same with the Persian, Iraki, Moroccan or Kurdish Jews. We can definitely say that until today, sephardic Jews are more traditonal than ashkenazi Jewry. Among other things, the dream of a real sephardic mother is seeing her son marrying a nice Jewish sephardic girl. Furthermore, the kitchen had to be kosher. Not super kosher but certain basic rules were kept.

In our modern world with videos, DVDs or Internet, many things have changed and many Jews started watching videos on Yom Kippur (there is no TV whatsoever in Israel on this holiday). Otherwise Yom Kippur would be too boring. People fast but watch movies in order to make time go by faster.

The "new" secularism reached its peak when the new immigrants (Olim Chadashim) from Russia came to Israel. Especially many of those immigrants took their Aliyah money from the government and invested it in opening non - kosher stores. Of course, there had always been non - kosher food in Israel and the most famous example is a particular Kibbutz raising pigs and selling pork. In the past, however, people kept a little more quiet about the Trefe subject but now, Israelis don't hide it anymore and talk about it publicly and without shame.

From the very beginning, Russian immigrants announced that they would like to have a "Russian Israel". Everything has to be just like in their old country, even the food. A totally insane idea because I am coming from Bavaria and don't start opening a "Bratwurst (sausage)" trade in Israel. It has to be taken into consideration that the vast majority of the Russian immigrants is not halachically Jewish at all and thus not interested in a Jewish state or Jewish religion. They don't make a secret out of being not Jewish and openly pray to idols and walk around with crosses around their necks.

Until today, many Russians insist on their food from "Mother Russia". First they opened pork stores in Beit Shemesh. There, however, haredi population has been constantly growing and within the next ten years or so, Beit Shemesh will be almost entirely haredi. And if this is taking place, the Haredim will kick the Russians out of town if they continue with their old ways.

But there were also protests in the northern town of Kiryat Shemona when the Russians opened pork stores. Unfortunately, within the past few years, haredi demonstrations against Trefe stores became less and less. When another non - kosher grocery store opened in Jerusalem's Agrippas Street a few years ago, the Haredim still protested in front of the entrance but soon later on, nothing happened anymore. Where are Satmar and all the other groups from the Edah HaCharedit ? Where are the Litvish ?

Nevertheless, a new trend came up together with the Trefe store in Agrippas. Now, also Jewish Israelis started opening non - kosher stores just like the Russians. And more and more secular Israelis began buying there. While on holiday trips abroad, Israelis had seen and tasted non - kosher and wanted to introduce the same at home. The grocery chain "Tiv Ta'am" is one of the famous non - kosher success story. And when "Tiv Ta'am" was facing an internal crises about a year ago, especially the Russians started crying again about maybe loosing one of their Trefe sources.

You can find more non - kosher stores in Tel Aviv than in Jerusalem. In certain neighbourhoods, such as the Central Bus Station in south Tel Aviv, pork is highly demanded. I am just pointing out one store near the Central Bus Station called "The Kingdom of Pork Factory" whose customers are mostly Russians, Africans, Filipinos or Thais. The staff in this particular shop consists of Russians. The area around the Central Bus Station has transformed into "pork land" already some time ago, and the shop signs are in Russian, English or Thai.

Not everyone has to live in Mea Shearim or Bnei Brak and keep his house super kosher. On the other hand, Israel is the Holy Land and we, therefore, should show respect to G - d and His Torah. It is sad that no further haredi demonstrations are taking place and everybody just seems to accept the situation. Maybe such demonstrations don't even fit into certain current political concepts.

In Judaism, we have the concept of overcoming our own "Yetzer HaRah - evil side within us" and thus do a Tikun (rectification of the soul). And we are only able to do this when there is Free Will in this world. So, where would be our free will if we all lived in Bnei Brak, Boro Park or Mea Shearim ? By the way, I am not claiming here that those places are totally perfect and so super religious.

Despite all the Trefe stuff in our country, I still try to concentrate on the positive side. When we die, what are we going to tell G - d ? "Oh, I kept kosher because I lived in Mea Shearim and there wasn't any other choice anyway".

How great was our effort to fight our Yetzer and who would be better ? A Jew living in Tel Aviv and resisting all the Trefe temptations or a Jew from kosher Bnei Brak ? Who would get a higher reward ? Only when there is trefe food, we are able to choose and show our inner greatness.

To make it quite clear:
I am not promoting the trade of non - kosher food in Israel but only try seeing something positive in the whole present situation. Otherwise I am completely against non - kosher food in this country and find it disgusting and disrespectful that there exists such a thing.