View over Jerusalem from the roof of the Ruzhin - Boyan Synagogue
B"H
Whereas other places had already stopped celebrating Purim, Jerusalem is adding a second day called "Shushan Purim". Usually Mea Shearim has huge celebrations including chassidic Tishes with all the Rebbes. All places are open what many outsiders don't know. And my friend and I were lucky, as not too many Israeli tourists ran to the Tishes as on Sukkot. The streets were not divided and everyone was able to manage; men and women.
The Tishes started at sunset and our first stop were the Toldot Aharon where it was packed as usual. However, we were able to climb up one of the metal benches and get a glimpse at Rebbe David Kahn and his Chassidim. Usually the Rebbe is very serious and organized but last Shushan Purim was the first time I saw him looking a little different. His Peyes (side curls) were almost upside down and he looked as if he hadn't slept the whole night.
We already wanted to leave as a younger Toldot Aharon woman came up to me and said that she had noticed me many times at the Tishes. According to her words, she noticed everything going on and I told her that she can ask whatever she wants. No, she didn't want to ask anything but kept on saying that obviously I am curious about the group. In a positive way.
As she used the expression "curious" over and over, I told her that I am also writing on the Internet about chassidic groups. Who my readers would be, she asked.
Haredim, secular, Gentiles, whatever, I responded.
This was the end of our conversation and she just left.
The situation was just strange to me because when you come up to someone you ask questions but my friend claimed that we don't really fit into any category. We regularly come to the Tishes but are neither seminary girls nor anything haredi or whatever. Actually we don't belong to any group and don't intend to join one of them.
Whoever has an idea why the woman came up to ask is welcomed to write a comment !
Anyway, our next stop were the Toldot Avraham Yitzchak not too far away. The other Kahn brother, Rebbe Shmuel Yaakov, still looked pretty quiet and ate. His choir / band was a slightly out of tune but maybe it got better later on.
The Toldot Avraham Yitzchak
Next stop: The Neturei Karta.
The Neturei Karta has a beautiful Synagogue but there wasn't a real Purim celebration. Instead a few drunk guys were running up and down on a table.
The Neturei Karta Synagogue in Mea Shearim
Next stop: The Mishkenot HaRoim
The best band; swinging and really loud but full of joy.
Rebbe Chaim Rabinovitch was sitting in the middle and people could come up and talk to him.
The Mishkenot HaRoim with Rebbe Chaim Rabinovitch
Next stop: Stropkov
All women there were glued onto the Mechitzah (separation between men and women), and there was no way of pushing ourselves through. So we left and went to the Shomrei Emunim.
The Shomrei Emuni had a pleasant surprise, as they had set up a bigger screen on the Ezrat Nashim. Thus, the women were able to watch the Rebbe and his Chassidim closely. The screen was a great idea !
Next stop: Karlin - Stolin
A less pleasant surprise did we experience at Karlin - Stolin, as they had covered the tent where the Chassidim were celebrating outside with curtains. In order to see something, we and some other women went down and stood next to the tent. After a while a Chassid and a Karliner woman came up to us and told us to stand further away.
Further away behind the curtain.
Karlin - Stolin
We left, as we are not "behind a curtain fans" and went to Kretchnif. The Kretchnifer Synagogue was almost empty but we saw the Rebbe dancing which was very nice to see. I love to see him dancing, as he has a very special way of doing so.
Our last stop was Ruzhin - Boyan, and they were the best that night. Hundreds of Chassidim and women upstairs were there and as a special surprise they had a few Chassidim standing on the huge table in the middle, right in front of the Boyaner Rebbe. The Chassidim held up a Chuppah and it looked like a wedding celebration. I asked one of the Boyaner women what was going on and she told me that every time they are thinking about different ways of entertainment.
The dancing, the Rebbe, the Chuppah ceremony, everything was very nice to see and when we left, I was finished and could hardly move my legs anymore.
Modesty sign in the Mea Shearim Market. Customers should only enter the store when they wear modest clothes !
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The pictures were all taken by my friend !
B"H
ReplyDeleteHi Miriam,
The idea of the chuppa on the tisch was not for entertainment. There is a serious problem in Boyan with Older Bochurim who are still not married. Purim Tisch is an "ais ratzon" a time of mercy when a Rebbe can bring down certain blessings from heaven by enacting his request in the form of Purim levity. The chuppah was to bring a blessing that all these older bochrim find their shidduchim this year. Of course the women who are not involved in these matters are not privy to the Rebbe's intentions so they thought it was entertainment, but it was really a heavy duty bakasha for heavenly intercession in this problem. One of the people on the table holding the chuppa was the Rebbe's mechutan whose son is a shadchan and hasn't had too much luck making shidduchim, so he took matters into his hands.B"H The Rebbe understood what they were doing and cooperated fully. Let's hope he was able to pull this miracle off.
Hi
ReplyDeleteThis is the second time -- I think the other was on Simchas Torah -- that you mentioned that the Mishkenos Haroim have had great music. This intrigues me, as it seems to be at odds with their reputation as a super-secretive, extremist, fanatical group. Any thoughts ?
Kol tuv.
Why specifiacally does Boyan have this problem?
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDelete@Ira
They just had a great band and I don't see any contradiction in it. I was told thay usually they don't accept outsiders but how they choose their members, I need to ask around. As far as I noticed, many Chassidim and Litvishe just go their and speak to Rabbi Rabinovitch. Sometimes, if there is not Toldot Aharon Tish, I saw some of the TA women at the Mishkenot HaRoim.
To me they seem to "attract" different kinds of visitors but in order to belong to the inner circle including knowing all details and news, you have to be really in the Mea Shearim society.
@Ananymous
I am sending an e - mail to the Boyaner and ask him !
B"H
ReplyDeleteI have no idea why and don't know if it is davka in Boyan that there is this problem. If I had an answer I would be able to solve the problem.
I have no idea if other chassidus'n have this problem and if they do what they are doing to solve it but I will say that on the same token the divorce rate is also way up.
> As far as I noticed, many Chassidim and Litvishe just go their and speak to Rabbi Rabinovitch
ReplyDeleteIn a previous post, you mentioned that Mishkenos Haroim don't allow Litvishe (let alone national religious, or chas v'shalom, secular into their shul. Do they relax their rules for chagim ? Or do they now allow everyone ?
A few more points:
1) I thought the Shomer Emunim rebbe was in Brei Brak.
2) Are there Tosher or Munkatcher shuls in Mea Shearim ?
Kol Tuv
B"H
ReplyDeleteIt is not really that they don't accept Litvishe at all but sometimes it depends on who is coming. I mean the kind of people and how they behave. And sometimes, the Litvishe mean trouble. This is what I hard from some Chassidim, as some Litvaks made negative remarks. But, I myself, saw this with a few national religious as well. Not that they made trouble but the national religious are more "open" and banged on the women's Mechitzah at Toldot Aharon or Toldot Avraham Yitzchak. I forgot at which group exactly that happened. Furthermore, the Tish behaviour of the national religious girls is not always the best when they come in yelling around to each other.
Concerning the Neturei Karta or the Mishkenot HaRoim: I don't think that the national religious are really aware of their Synagogues and even if, I don't think that they would walk in.
However, when you look at the Neturei Karta or the Edah HaCharedit, they themselves have many Litvak members. The really original ones and not the BT type.