B"H
As a Jerusalemite, I am spoilt. Wherever I go, I expect the same atmosphere and way to celebrate just like in the Holy City. Not that I am planning my expectations but it rather comes up unintentionally.
On Tuesday, in the late afternoon, I went to Bnei Brak in order to have a look at the local Purim celebrations and what I saw was not like Jerusalem at all. I could have skipped Bnei Brak and no one would have ever noticed it.
To say it briefly: Most guys were totally drunk. Mostly litvishe guys were yelling around in Rabbi Akiva as well as in Chazon Ish Street. A entirely drunk litvishe guy was laying behind a fence in Chazon Ish; full of fresh sick. And "sick" was THE word. I found it all over the place.
Sorry for my description in case you just ate or are still eating.
In a street (I don't know the name) right across Rashi, all the beggars were standing and the street was symbolically called "the street of the poor". I think the Synagogue I passed was called "Yitzkovitch" and some drunk Chassidim were standing outside. I just walked right through (other women as well) and someone yelled at me that women are not allowed in here. The guy was drunk and I kept on walking. Further away I found all the beggars from Jerusalem. Obviously they were having a "business trip" to Bnei Brak. For beggars, Purim is a good day to make money. One of the beggars recognized me by sight and was ashamed.
Yesterday, one day later, I saw some of them back in Jerusalem and "earning their income" due to Shushan Purim.
In Rashi Street, I passed the Machnovke Synagogue and the Chassidim were all over the place. Drunk and no women were allowed.
Generally speaking, not too many females were to be found in the streets of Bnei Brak on Purim. The Synagogues were mostly empty or crowded with men. Otherwise everyone celebrated at home; plenty of windows were open and guys were hanging out of them, drunk and yelling.
This is the whole description of Purim in Bnei Brak. When I passed the Slobodka Synagogue in HaAdmor of Gur Street, I saw a face of a young Yeshiva guy pressed onto the window. He was unconscious and filled up.
This was basically it and after two hours of walking around, I took the bus back to Tel Aviv. And who else did I see on the bus ? More young litvishe Yeshiva guys who didn't have enough but went to Tel Aviv to continue drinking. Yesterday, lots of Haredim traveled to Jerusalem and after two days of booze, the male haredi population has to behave again and keep all individual pressure inside. At least until Simchat Torah or the next Purim.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
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A friend of mine lives there. He's quite poor - you might call him a beggar. He doesn't look like one and since he's on the street he developed a strict sense for personal hygiene. He has a place near Shak ha Carmel where he is washing his clothes every second day for free. His story is sad. He is a yeshiva drop-out, went to Zahal, suffered PTSD from a botched mission in Jenin. Mother died, brother is haredi and doesn't like him, went to T'A to seek a better live, became homless and his debts to the bank are astronomical, et al. Well to make a long story short, he is down on his luck. And the only place that provides him shelter is Rav David Geller in Bnei Brak. His name is Moshe and there's a slight chance that you know him. Smart guy with glasses, always shaved, receding hairline. Pleasant guy to talk to, fluent in English. Famous for ripping off the Jesus-Jews. I'd like him to move to the north but he says he must breathe the smoggy Tel Aviv air, it makes him feel alive he says.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't know him.
I do agree with your friend. Tel Aviv is a better place when you are homeless. You have places to wash yourself. Even if it is the showers at the beach, and, of course, the weather is warmer. There is a homeless guy here in Tel Aviv who, on purpose, moved here from Eilat.
You can say that Eilat is warmer than Tel Aviv. Yes, it is but Tel Aviv has something special. You have to live here in order to experience it and it is hard to describe.
You won't find a more open and tolerant place in Israel than Tel Aviv. As a former Jerusalemite I can say that in Jerusalem everyone is like a cop. Always interfering what the other person does and watching you.
In Tel Aviv no one cares which, on the other hand, doesn't mean that someone can just lay in the street and die whithout anyone else helping him.
No, it means that are free to dye your hair blue, green or orange but you always remain a person whereas in Jerusalem you are referred to as a nutcase.