B"H
Tel Aviv ?
Yuk !
This is the stereotype opinion of most religious Israelis. In particular Jerusalemites !
How can anyone live in the pit and downfall of Tel Aviv ? Sodom and Gomorrha ! Treife (impure).
After almost one week of work in Jerusalem, I am back in Sodom and Gomorrha's modern version called "Tel Aviv".
But let me tell you - It is not that bad here. Just the opposite: After all the Jerusalem pressure, I am glad to be here. No one is staring at me. No one is expecting anything.
It is good to be free sometimes !
(Don't mix up off - the - derech with being free !!!)
Thursday, May 7, 2009
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I totally agree with you. I think there's even more too - there's a curious and creative spirit that I think is terribly dulled because of the pressure of expectations and of being scrutinised in your every step.
ReplyDeleteWell done for pointing this out!
Simon Synett
B"H
ReplyDeleteThis time, I totally agree with you. According to my experience, you cannot live out a creative spirit within haredi world. Maybe there are very few people who are able to, but the vast majority doesn't. They don't even have a clue that is something like that exists because you are living you life: school, shidduch, marriage, children.
True that! I'm living in J-lem, experimenting with what it means to be my own (religious) Jew with friends and family in all sectors. No backlash yet! Davka I get lots of comments from the non-Chareidim about how I should use more birth control!
ReplyDeleteI hope to prove the creative spirit can thrive in Jerusalem.
Yes, I agree with you both. I lived in Lakewood for a year, and felt my senses to be incredibly dulled. I'm an artistic and creative person by nature, but felt like I had to hold myself in in that community. In terms of dress I went in wearing button down shirts and black pants. But the shirts weren't all white. I like being stylish here and there. You should have seen the stares I got day after day in the batei midreashim. They really thought I was from another planet. Finally, I had to give in and but a bunch of white shirts. I simply wasn't accepted without them! And this is only the beginning. After a year I looked at the population like robots. No individuality. Everyone afraid of what the neighbors will say. I'm glad I made my way out of that community.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDelete@ Margalit
As long as you stick to yourself and your friends, no one is really interfering. The problem starts with living in certain religious areas (lets say HAR NOF). Then you are automatically expected to keep special rules. Not only clothes but also mentality / public behaviour. If you live in Nachlaot, however, you can basically do whatever you want and be as artistic as you like.:-)
It very much depends on the circle you are in.
@ Anonymous
I once lived in the Jerusalem neighbourhood of Ramot. Ramot A, right across the haredi hardcore part. Closed streets on Shabbat etc. You couldn't even buy a regular Israeli newspaper there.
When you are in such a society, you are expected to do certain things. Dress in a special way, speak in the way (Baruch HaShem), live in a certain way. THere is no place for anything creative, as your life is somehow organized and destined.
When you don't wear white shirts, you are different and sometimes even a threat to other community members. Maybe off - the - derech and only your look may influence someone else to the bad. So, people stay a kind of away from you.
I have seen many many young American guys. Entering Yeshiva and after a while they change. Their clothes and their way of thinking. They start quoting from the Talmud (sometimes it sounds funny because you know they just begun or want to sound important). Then everyone is telling the other waht to do.
G - d created all of us with a certain amount of intelligence and abilities and I am quite sure that He didn't do so in vain. We are supposed to use our abilities for the good and this is what many religious Jews forget. Unfortunately, I have to say.
Miriam, can I deduce from your "this time" that you disagree with me on something else?! I'd love to hear about it!
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteNO, I honestly didn't mean it that way ! Maybe it is my English.:-)
I rather meant it as "It is my turn" or something like that. Regarding your comment and not anything else.