B”H
Every year after the summer vacation, school starts on September 1, and Israelis make a big fuss about this date. Schools start their summer vacation around the end on June, and I am referring to secular schools and not the religious ones. The religious school systems works in a different way and the summer vacation period is much shorter. Additionally, there exists a further vacation difference between haredi and national religious schools.
On the days before September 1, the secular press and parents are freaking out. The papers compare prices of the student’s equipment such as pencils, bags, notebooks, pens and even computers. The press usually loves to take some rich kids from northern Tel Aviv and compare them to poor kids from other parts of the city, from Bat Yam or Ramle. Something like “Where did you spend you holidays and what kind of new fancy clothes are you going to wear on the first school day after the summer vacation ?” You can surely imagine the answers. The rich kids spent parts of their vacations abroad. In New York, London or Paris. The poor kids were at home. The rich kids have fancy clothes with brand names, the poor wear 10 Shekel (2,5 Dollar) shirts.
Unfortunately, we are all so terribly used to this in Israel. However, what I saw on TV a few days ago, was extremely frightening. Girls about 12 – 16 years old were changing their looks such as a new hairstyle, skin treatment by professionals and I don’t know what kind of further beauty stuff. Expensive and totally unnecessary. Even the TV journalists couldn’t believe their eyes how wealthy Israeli teenagers just strive for beauty. Beauty means everything in their lives and it seems to be the only thing how they can make a career or gain something in life. Now it is not only a new school bag or expensive clothes to show off with on September 1, but the wealthy need a new look.
To me, those kids made a sick impression. An empty life run by artificial ideologies. You don’t need a brain but the most expensive pair of jeans. This alone counts.
What a sad and sick life they have. I was shocked that this is happening in Israel. How will the future of our country be with such stupid Barbie dolls ?
There is no need for such things. Where are the parents of these girls?
ReplyDeleteI was quite content with hand me downs. I don't care for the latest fashions and make up.
B"H that the Haredi community is growing and thriving.
B"H
ReplyDeleteThe parents mostly follow the same attitude. They even take their daughters to the beauty shops for makeup and cream treatment.
But I have to add that my report only applies to a certain kind of upper class and not the ordianry Israeli school kid who cannot afford beauty treatments.
I have never followed any fashion and have been wearing my style since I was a teenager. For a few years interrupted by skirts.:-)))
What I usually wear is pants, T -shirts (sleeves until the elbow and never shorter, sneakers or Crocs).
And these are the ones who protest because they think they should have free education and an apartment and the right to go clubbing on Friday nights. This country ever in big trouble! Gd forbid if the time comes that they will have to work for a living.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteThese are definitely NOT the people protesting !!!
Accept for some wealthy demonstration participants who either work for the New Israel Fund or Shatil, none of the protestors is rich. The girls from northern Tel Aviv don't sleep in tents in order to ruin their finger nails. :-)
The wealthy heads of the protest are not from Tel Aviv but from Herzliya and surrounding.
These tent protests will eventually die down.
ReplyDeleteLiving cost are sky rocketing for us here in the Diaspora but you won't find me protesting and most certainly will not find me pitching a tent either!
Last time I checked these girls have Jewish neshamas too :) It's probably not kosher to call them stupid. How many of them are a future Baalas Teshuva? I don't know either.
ReplyDeleteB"H
ReplyDeleteHopefully all of them will be future Ba'alot Teshuva.:-)
well,i was this kind of punk,so let's try not to blame....
ReplyDelete