HA’MASHGICHIM - המשגיחים

  

B"H

There are many great Israeli movies and a new one just came out: "HA’MASHGICHIM –  SUPERVISORS or according to the original English title: "G - d's neighbours". An Israeli movie showing one part of society you usually never come across abroad or even as an English speaking Oleh. 

Avi (Avraham), Kobi (Yaakov) and Yaniv are best friends and on their way of doing some Teshuva. They like Rabbi Nachman miBreslov but their Rabbi actually seems to be a Chabadnik. Never mind, the movie concentrates in a brilliant manner on the friendship of the three and their neighbourhood in the town of Bat Yam (south of Tel Aviv). 

One's own SHECHUNAH (Neighbourhood) is extremely important to Israelis, as Israeli hoods represent various mentalities, lifestyles and especially the inhabitants themselves. Furthermore, Bat Yam is a town with lots of Ba'alei Teshuva movements (Breslov and Chabad) as well as many religious Sephardi Jews. 

Avi and his friends are not reigning over their neighbourhood but like to put everything into order. A bunch of drunk Russians playing loud music on Shabbat are getting beaten up. The neighbours watching are glad that the Russians are gone. The young woman Miri likes to walk around in immodest clothes and is facing the criticism of the three friends. Avi is falling in love with her and Miri is actually not that kind of secular girl we first thought. More traditional, as many Sephardi Jews are. Avi and Miri are in love whereas his friends start a violent confrontation with a few Arabs.  The people involved are either getting injured or arrested. 

A great movie showing ordinary Israelis who just live their daily lives. It is impossible to translate the movie into any other language but maybe provide it with subtitles.

"Ha’Mashgichim" has become extremely popular these days and when I went to watch the movie a few days ago, everything was so real that I felt myself walking through the neighbourhood in Bat Yam.

The Trailer

The making of the movie

Parasites

B"H

Germans tend to be jealous. If a German has money and dares to show his wealth, people look at him as if he has a disease. In Germany you better hide your money and, in case you are planning to spend it, go abroad so that your neighbours won't die of jealousy.

If various Israelis see or think that you may earn a higher amount of money, they run after you. As a matter of fact, I have never seen that many people running after a person who has a well - paid job. Especially in places like Jerusalem. Having an apartment or a place to live already causes others coming up to you and asking if they can stay overnight. If you agree, you won't get rid of those people. Not unless your fridge is emptied out. 

A good advice for being in Jerusalem: Think twice where you pull out your Smartphone and watch out who is around ! 

The eternal Oleh Chadash (New Immigrant)

B”H 

About two weeks ago, I had a meeting with one of my German blog readers here in Tel Aviv. We went for a cup of coffee and the visitor started telling me about the old Yekkes (German immigrants in the 30ies and 40ies). Even the cafe where we were sitting used to be German in the old days. When I told him that I don't know any Germans in Israel, he couldn't believe it. He offered giving me addresses but I wan't interested at all.

I am quite sick of being identified as a "New Immigrant - Olah Chadasha)" after 15 years of living in Israel and told the following story to the visitor:

After my official Aliyah in June 2000 (I had lived in the country before for about four years), I joined an Ulpan (Hebrew language course). It wasn't really an Ulpan but rather a course where new immigrants learn how to look for a job in Israel. In other words, how an Israeli CV should look. 

One of my classmates was constantly starring into his dictionary because he didn't want to make any mistakes. Our teacher freaked and asked him whether he thinks that Israelis get up in the morning and start reading in their dictionary ? It is not easy learning a new language but it comes after a while. Don't worry !

You are a new immigrant for the first three weeks but then your are Israeli. Do you know why ? Because after a couple of weeks you will be struggeling as almost every citizen in this country. As soon as the struggle for survival begins - Welcome to Israel - You are Israeli and joined the club. While the newcomers are just getting off the plane, you already know what the country is like. What it means to get used to a new crazy mentality, listen to the clerks yelling, running from here to there finding a job and getting bureaucrcy done. 

I cannot understand people always defining themselves as new immigrants. For how long can you be "New" ? I am a person who wasn't born in Israel, doesn't speak Hebrew like a native and has different kinds of attitudes. Israelis see in me an Israeli who was born abroad but everything else is not such an issue. Neither at work nor with friends. When we talk, we talk about life, private matters, work and the daily life. We talk about the NOW. 

In order to go on in life and get something started you need to get away from this stigma "New Immigrant" and just live your life.

"Loneliness" or The "Being Invited" Holiday Pressure

B”H 

Especially before Pessach and Rosh Hashana, the holiday pressure reaches its peak. When saying this, I am only referring to ISRAEL, simply as I don’t know about other places in the world. 

In the secular world, neighbours, friends and even the press give people a feeling of doing something for the Pessach Seder as well as for the first night of Rosh Hashana. Then, according your ebvironment, you need a family in order to be invited. If not, so, at least, go away. Either travel abroad or stay at an Israeli hotel. Thus, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the suicide rate is much higher on those two days because lonely people feel their painful situation. 

I was talking to someone the day before yesterday but cannot remember how we got to the subject. Anyway, he suddenly said: “Do you see all those people here ? Over there, the family with the three kids. They are all people no one wanted for the holiday. This is why they are here in Tel Aviv”. 

Right away I knew that the person saying this was 100% correct. It is very sad but realistic. 

Let’s say you are a new immigrant without a family in Israel; where are you going to spend the Pessach Seder or the first night on Rosh Hashana ? No one is inviting you and you end up thinking about spending the high holidays alone at home while everyone else is sitting together with his family ? But, let me tell you, it doesn’t only concern new immigrants but many many Israelis too. No matter if singles or families. 

I have always had the attitude of “arranging something on my own” but others are desperate for sitting with a family. I, on the other hand, like being alone sometimes and I am not desperate for sitting with other people. In particular, Yeshiva students are looking for places with friends or families. I have been through all this and what I found out where two things: First of all, many families don’t really want guests when a Yeshiva is calling up and asking whether they can send some students over. In fact, a former friend of mine told me, that she went to a family with another two or three Yeshiva girls and the family showed its dislike. They had just agreed taking the girls as a kind of Mitzvah but nothing more. 

The second thing I learnt is that from a certain age, you are expected either to have your own family or make arrangements on your own. In your own home. I a kind of did it this Rosh Hashana and it was the best celebration I have ever had. No pressure with finding a place but just a small celebration with a very few people. All arranged due to our own efforts. Neither depending on anyone nor sitting with strangers I don’t really know. 

My personal opinion is that constantly sitting with other people shows your dependency on others. Instead of taking your own initiative, you are running after others and, many times, you don’t even realize that you are going on their nerves. 

Live your own life and arrange your own holiday celebrations ! No matter how much or less money you have but don’t depend on others and try pleasing them because you are so desperate. If you are desperate, then you are lonely, without self - esteem and this is very sad.

The BIALIK - ROGOZIN SCHOOL in Tel Aviv

B"H

The BIALIK - ROGOZIN SCHOOL in HaAliyah Street in Tel Aviv - South has about 750 students from which most of the children are not Israelis. A high percentage of foreign worker kids study at Bialik as well as many Russians. 

Ordinary parents from Tel Aviv wouldn't send their children to this school because it is located in a poor area and so are most of the students. Secondly, most students are struggling with their Hebrew, are illegal in the country and of Philippines, African or South American origin. Or in other words, the vast majority of the children is not Jewish. 

It is necessary that such a school exists but school and parents should teach the children that they are strangers in Israel and that there will be a time to return to their home countries. Israel is a small country calling itself Jewish. I am not a Kahane follower and thus say that Arabs can remain in Israel and don't need to get deported to Jordan or elsewhere. However, I do fully agree with Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad saying that when the Palestinians want to stay in Israel, they have to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. They must keep Israeli law and refrain from terror. On the other hand, they are free practicing their religion and live their lives but they have to accept Israeli law. 

However, I don't see any reason why a foreign worker should be allowed to stay in Israel for longer than three - five years. They can but on a limited visa basis and always the return to their home countries on their minds. Telling their children that Israel is a temporary place. Today we all may feel sorry for them and their children but, in the long run, we will terribly regret, letting them stay and spreading. Israel is a Jewish country and has to remain a Jewish country. 

I think that I can make such a claim, as I grew up in Germany where today, Germans suffer from the mistakes of letting too many Muslims (especially Turks) into their country. The last Muslim generation growing up in Germany has been partly becoming a threat to the country, as they found their way into radical Islam. 

Israel should never loose its Jewish identity and grant Gentile foreigners citizenship or visa renewals for years. Especially not because the foreign workers as well as their children live in their small ghetto and don't want to be part of Israeli society. The children may say so but, in the end, they will get frustrated, as Israeli society doesn't want them either. 

The Bialik - Rogozin School from the outside.

 Photos September 2011: Miriam Woelke

Rothschild Boulevard is Dead

B”H

Already a week ago I noticed what was going on when I looked at all the empty tents. The protestors for social justice were leaving and it doesn't matter how much money left - wing organizations are willing to invest. In general, Israeli demonstrators start loosing their interest fast. There are various reasons: The head demonstrators start playing the big boss and discover the media only for themselves. People start fighting among each other and others are just sick of being together with loonies all the time. 

This morning I went to the Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv and the masses are gone. Plenty of empty tents filled with drunk homeless and drug addicts. This is what is remaining. Not to forget all the tons of garbage.  The demonstrators claim that their protest will continue but, at the moment, the weather in Tel Aviv is too hot and Israel's security situation is not the best.

No one there except Hippies and Junkies. 

Photos 22 August 2011: Miriam Woelke

AISH HATORAH is washing your Brain ?

Seen in Jerusalem

Photo: Miriam Woelke

B”H

A secular Israeli colleague of mine keeps on teasing me with my religious knowledge. Now she met this young American who is studying at the beginner’s programme of the AISH HATORAH Yeshiva in Jerusalem. Actually he doesn’t seem to know himself whether he wants to stay at AISH or leave. Sometimes he escapes to Tel Aviv and then he changes his mind and runs back to Jerusalem.

My colleague asked me several times whether AISH is brainwashing its students. I know that there are different opinions going around about the AISH policy and if the programme is still the same Rabbi Noah Weinberg z"l once introduced.

My colleague, although female, went to Jerusalem and spoke to some of the students. However, she wasn’t convinced and still thought that AISH may brainwash her friend. I told her that it is everyone’s choice whether he wants to study at AISH or not. Every student has a free choice and if he doesn’t like it or doesn’t want to get involved, he is free to leave.

On the other hand, once a guy enters the real AISH programme in Jerusalem, he may be forced to wear a white shirt, black pants and a black litvishe hat after a while. Still in the beginner’s Essential Programme, you can do whatever you want and no one makes a comment on your Bob Marley Rasta look or your jeans. Things change when you stay longer and become a real student. Then the pressure starts and the Rabbi’s may push you into a certain direction. However, not only AISH is following this kind of policy but also other Yeshivot. 

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Links:

Criticism on AISH HATORAH

Danielle Kubes: "You've been Aish'd"

AISH answering Danielle Kubes

Holocaust Topics

B"H

Within the past years, I have written quite a lot about the "Holocaust". Religious issues as well as how Israelis see the Holocaust. Anyway it seems to be a neverending subject and, unfortunately, many Israelis today consider next week's "Yom Hazikaron - Memorial Day of Israel's Fallen Soldiers and Terror Victims" as more significant than today's Holocaust Memorial Day. One of the reasons for that may be that almost each of us has a connection to either know a terror victim, to have known a fallen soldier or to know mourning families of fallen soldiers. Or in other words, as terror is still going on, we all are actively involved. 

On Holocaust topis see the label:   http://shearim.blogspot.com/search/label/Holocaust