Sunday, October 12, 2008

Only Threats or Reality ?

B"H

According to this present YNET - article, Mea Shearim wants to get rid of all the visitors on "Simchat Beit HaShoeva" this upcoming Thursday. Furthermore, no people from outside the neighbourhood should be allowed in during Sukkot. The Pakshivilim (news posters) claim that MEA SHEARIM IS NOT A TOURIST SIGHT !

What about me and my visits and reports about what is going on ?
Good questions and I have no idea. Of course, I will try to get in but for Thursday, I was planning to be in Bnei Brak anyway.

On the one hand, I can understand the inhabitants of Mea Shearim, as almost every Erev Shabbat, Israeli tourists groups are flocking in. More than a year ago, when I started going to the Tishes, the situation was completely different. For for the past months, however, tourist groups, especially girls from the national religious movement, have been streaming in and, unfortunately, not always shown their best behaviour.

On the other hand, one shouldn't lock out people who are really interested in Chassidut.

2 comments:

  1. "The court further ruled that the women's gallery would be restricted to the wives and daughters of the city's various religious courts, who would require a special permit to attend."

    This is overt discrimination.

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  2. B"H

    I can understand that access would be only permitted to wives and daughters because at many Tishes, e.g. Toldot Aharon, it has been so crowded lately that group members haven't had enough place to sit. People get fed up when there are so many guests and I even expect, sooner or later, Tish restrictions anyway. At least at very popular groups such as Toldot Aharon or Avraham Yitzchak.

    But letting the wives and daughters have a special permission ?
    This sounds crazy to me !
    I know that there is always a modesty problem in Mea Shearim on Sukkot. Means, the haredi man's world makes it a problem, as they divide the main Mea Shearim Street as well as the market. They set up a plastic Mechitzah in the middle of the road and even have private security guards watching that everyone follows the rules.
    The crazy thing is that men and women are still able to see each other.

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