Shabbat Shalom

The Nana - Breslovers in Tel Aviv (beach area)

Photo: Tapuz

B"H

It is Friday and Shabbat will be coming in within the next few hours.

As mentioned before, during Pessach I went to a few museums in order to get some culture. To my surprise, the Tel Aviv Art Museum showed a movie (an art installation) about Haredim in Jerusalem ensuring that the streets leading into their areas are being shut off for the traffic right before Shabbat comes in. The (art) movie only shows Haredim at different neighbourhoods in Jerusalem pushing around the famous metal barriers and thus close the street for any passing cars.

The movie is about 15 minutes long. No word is spoken, only the Haredim are seen when they push the barriers up and down.

I think that it is a mistake to just show the movie without any further explanation. Especially secular Jews walk in, see all those barriers being pushed and thus may think that everywhere in Jerusalem it looks like that. Not all areas are closed for the traffic and not all Haredim are involved in this action.

Without any further details, the movie is too artificial and stereotype for a secular Israeli who has no idea on what is going on. It just strengthen the stereotype opinions against Haredim. However, for me this kind of installation was interesting because I am familiar with the background.

I am still in Tel Aviv and enjoying myself before I am returning to Jerusalem this afternoon. There are times when I am very much involved in haredi society and then there are other times where I need to go away and feel a distance. So far, I could not make up my mind in which society to live permanently. I do love the change though and, at first, it caused me great emotional difficulties having my feet in two completely different societies. It is the moment when you feel that you don't really have a "home" but are a wanderer. On the other hand, maybe it is part of G - d's plan for me to be like that. In the meantime I am quite comfortable with the situation and maybe wait for a miracle to happen.

As a matter of fact, certain haredi behaviour drives me nuts and makes me escape. Back in secular society, the secular drive me crazy. Who always goes on my nerves are the national religious but with them I am hardly in contact.

Tonight I will be back in haredi society and will see how it goes. How far the edge for the escape is.

"Shabbat Shalom - Gut Schabbes" to everyone. On whatever side you are.