Conversation in the Jewish Quarter

B"H


I met them at the home of Rabbi Mordechai Machlis first. Only a few years ago, the Jewish family from Kentucky had made Aliyah to Israel. Without "Nefesh Be' Nefesh" because the famous Aliyah organization receives money from Christian groups such as the Evangelists.
I never really got the names of the family members; father, mother, two sons and two daughters. Now they live in the Negev and it is hard for them to make a living. Although they are more traditional than religious, every Pessach and Sukkot they come to Jerusalem in order to spend the Chag in the Holy City. Last year all of them stayed at the Jewish free hostel "Heritage House". Although the family does not fit into the Heritage Houses's agenda, they somehow got in. When the two sons could not afford 50 Shekels to stay at the Heritage House over Shabbat, they were told to leave.
Please note that those 50 Shekels (approx. 10 Dollars) are to be paid on a voluntarily basis and the women's hostel wouldn't throw anyone out because she doesn't have the money. However, the men's hostel does.
Nevertheless, also the women's Heritage House has its faults. The two daughters and the mother were told to leave despite the fact that one daughter took some Yeshiva studies into consideration.


Last week during Sukkot, I met the parents at the square in the Jewish Quarter. The mother told me that this year, not even the Petra Hostel checked them in but only the daughters. Obviously the mother looks to Jewish religious and despite the Jewish owner (Ateret Cohanim) of the Petra Hostel, the Arab manager does whatever he wants, as the court decided that the hostel does belong to the Jews but, at the same time, doesn't. The two sons were staying at a Yeshiva until the whole family is going back home to the Negev after the holiday. The parents sleep somewhere in the Jewish Quarter. Maybe outside. The mother didn't want to tell me.


I made a joke and said that the Heritage House is too selective.
The mother, despite all the problems here in Jerusalem, has an ideology I can only admire. She said that the Madricha (guide) Chaya from the women's Heritage House wants to be so litvish religious but look at her behaviour. She, the mother, wants to learn more about Yiddishkeit but not from the Heritage House and not from Chaya (the woman in charge of the women's hostel).


Yiddishkeit ?


Yes, definitely but not from such people who only pretend being frum and, at the same moment, look down on others.