Not everyone is happy on Rosh Hashana

B"H

The Jews are preparing for the upcoming holiday Rosh Hashana. The supermarkets in Jerusalem are packed, Israelis buy groceries, as if there will be nothing to eat next week. Let alone all the business with buying presents. Everyone is just busy; if not with food preparations then definitely with cleaning the house.

There will be intense prayers, listening to the Shofar, having a delicious Yom Tov meal and so on. What we should not forget are those Jews who either cannot afford a great Yom Tov meal and depend on welfare. At the moment, various religious and further private organizations are giving out food packages for the needy. Wine, meat, rice and a few candies for the kids. Thousands of Israelis depend on those packages. 

Plenty of haredi families are also struggeling and can hardly afford the expensive upcoming holidays such as Rosh Hashana and Sukkot. Some time ago, I interviewed a Chesed organization located in Mea Shearim and, in case someone is in the lucky position and doesn't know what to do with all of his money, "LINAT HA'CHESED" could be a great Zedakah opportunity. 

Besides the needy, there are also lots of Jews spending the Chagim in hospital. For the past eight or nine weeks, I have been visiting the 19 - year - old American girl Jordan at Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. I haven't written about it in detail yet but will do so after Rosh Hashana. About two months ago, Jordan and I got hit by two Egged buses in front of the Jerusalem Central Bus Station. One of the bus drivers had left his bus without using the brakes properly and his bus started to move backwards injuring Jordan and me. I was out of hospital after one night but suffered from bruised ribs and skin abrasions. Jordan was severely injured and is only returning to the US these days. After three operations at Hadassah, she will be undergoing rehabilitation in the States. Both of us were extremely lucky having survived the accident. Not only that but we were also saved from suffering internal injuries. For me, this was THE year having survived a bus rolling upon me. It seems as if G - d Himself was turning the wheel, as the bus pushed me onto another bus but, at the same time, made a turn to the other side. 

Unfortunately, most of us only appreciate health when we are getting sick. When we suddenly cannot even tie our shoes anymore or, like me, are not able to use the toilet. Only then we realize how precious it is to be healthy. 

The accident made me think and let me tell you: "All the money in the world won't help you when a bus is moving towards and hitting you !" We are all so terribly busy working, planning our lives, our careers but we forget the most important thing: TO LIVE !

To all those people who are forced to spend Rosh Hashana in hospital:
May you have a speedy recovery, Refu'ah Shlemah and a great holiday ! 


Link:

The LINAT HA'CHESED HOMEPAGE

Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem

The Emergency Section

Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital has a constant exhibition of the famous Marc Chagall windows. The exhibition is only open at certain hours and does cost entrance fee. 

The above drawings are from Marc Chagall part not part of the direct exhibition.

Sunset: View from Hadassah over the Jerusalem Forest

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Homeless in Tel Aviv

Seen in Tel Aviv in front of a  Bank Le'umi branch.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Rosh Hashana and Poverty

B"H

Rosh Hashana is starting next week and the holiday will cost us lots of money. Not everyone is being invited and most Jews are going to prepare their own food for the Chag (holiday, yom tov). 

Once a week I am doing my shopping. Most groceries at the Shuk (market) but also many things from "Shufersal", a known Israeli supermarket chain. Not very cheap but cheaper than the AM:PM (7 11) around the corner. However, last Thursday, I started askeing myself how families are able to afford the upcoming Chag. 

A while ago I made advertising and wrote about a Chesed institution in Mea Shearim called "Linat HaChesed". But not only half of Mea Shearim families depend on Chesed, you will find many more signs and posters in Bnei Brak. 

Bnei Brak is the poorest city in Israel and countless haredi families depend on religious organizations providing food for Shabbat. Supermarkets and vendors on the local markets just wait for a holiday to come up and thus raise the prices. The line - ups in front of Chesed organization branches are getting longer and longer. Not only religious Jews but thousands of seculars want to celebrate the holiday but cannot afford it. Who can pay for all that wine, the Simanim for the Seder and the honey. Even the simplest honey is expensive. 

Furthermore, in Israel, Rosh Hashana has become the day of presents. People don't want to show up anymore without bringing a present. I don't care about any presents but think that the holiday is about much much more than buying an expensive gift for no reason. 

Purim for the Needy

B"H

Everyone is talking about Purim and Happiness but not too many people mention that there are countless Jews who cannot afford Purim. Those who cannot afford buying expensive presents or eating good food at the "Purim Se'uda".

Various Israeli help organizations try providing Purim gifts for needy families. Especially in the religious communities. Furthermore, the Tel Aviv bus organization DAN is sending out at bus with Purim attractions. In the following video, we see the bus in haredi Bnei Brak.

The Chabad Soup Kitchen in Canaan / Zfat

B"H

Chassidut Chabad has two soup kitchen for the poor in the northern Israeli town of Zfat (Safed). A big one is located in the old city and a smaller one in the new neighbourhood called Canaan.

Almost two weeks ago, I volunteered at the Canaan soup kitchen and have to say that I was quite impressed. Great food from the cook Motti. Several people volunteer and Shachar Shoshani is running the soup kitchen. Food is available for lunch and the soup kitchen, looking more like a restaurant, openes its door at 1pm. Usually approximately 15 - 20 people from the area come to eat. Russians, Israelis, all kinds of Jews and you hardly see that those people would eat at a soup kitchen at all.

Here people are being treated nicely and with respect.

Chicken, rice and noodles.

Another volunteer at the soup kitchen.

Photos: Miriam Woelke

The latest Israeli Poverty Report

B"H

Today's Headline in Israel:

The Israeli national insurance "Bituach Le'umi" has published its latest "Poverty Report". 123,500 Israelis have joined the poor. Israelis who used to belong to the middle - class with jobs and even property. However, due to unexpected unemployment, they have lost everything.

Our press is mainly referring to Arab and haredi families with many children. "One doesn't give birth to eight children when the fridge is empty". But, as a matter of fact, more and more ordinary Israeli families have joined the poor. Families with two incomes because husband and wife work. Nevertheless, two incomes may not help, as rents and costs of living are on the rise. Who can afford paying rent for an apartment in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv today ? But not only in the big cities, apartments have become a luxury. Netanya, Hadera, Haifa, Holon, Bat Yam and Rishon Le'Zion. Everywhere the rent is just jumping and many Israelis have lost their apartments and depend on the welfare. 


The north is still relatively cheap but there, people notice that more and more Jerusalemites suddenly move into a developement town like Zfat (Safed). The result is that the Zfatim (inhabitants of Zfat) see their rents in danger. The more people move in, the more rent is going to rise. Let alone the local problem with the Arabs moving in.

Here is the updated poverty report from Israel's Bituach Le'umi:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3981263,00.html

Tel Aviv celebrates

Celebrations at Kikar Rabin last night.

B"H

The first Hebrew city opened its 100th birthday celebrations !

Tel Aviv is something special and it is almost impossible to describe its mentality to people who have never lived there.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3697152,00.html

But due to the worldwide crisis: Could the money not have been spent for social purposes instead ? Why always such a great and fireworks being wasted up into the air ?

Countless Israelis are loosing their jobs and don't know how to provide food for Pessach. Volunteer organizations are handing out food packages but the number of the donors is going down.
In case anyone would like to contribute something see here !

"Different Ways" - Children of famous Chassidim abandoning Religion

B"H

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch once wrote a commentary of why Esav and Yaakov turned out in such different ways. As we all know, Esav was a Rasha (evil person) and Yaakov was a Zaddik (righteous). Here, Rabbi Hirsch makes an extremely courageous and unique statement:
If Yitzchak and Rivka (Rebecca) had, at an early stage, realized that each child needs special attention, education and upbringing, then maybe they would have raised Esav in a different way. Whereas Yaakov was the study type, Esav loved to run around in the fields; a rather wild character. And according to Rabbi Hirsch, Esav should have not been forced into the study hall but should have done something more practical instead in order to satisfy his needs. Physical work, sports, etc.
Without criticizing Yitzchak raising his sons, children turn to be out different and not always the same, and a parent should realize the weaknesses and strength of a child and react in a proper way.
The question is if a different education could have prevented Esav from turning out to become a Rasha ? An interesting question, however, although it is unlikely that we get the right answer.

In Jewish history, our forefathers, famous rabbis and sages always had children who didn't turn out too righteous. At least not as pious as their parents used to be. I found some interesting remarks in David Assaf's book "Ne'echaz Basbach" where he, among other topics, describes the crisis in Chassidut. Particularly concerning the sons of different famous chassidic Rabbis.

Chassidut has many positive and admirable sides but, unfortunately, not everything was so great and perfect as it may should have been. Right after the Baal Shem Tov passed away, the first fights among his followers came up and different conflicts started. And, as I already said, having a great famous Rabbis as a parent doesn't mean a guarantee for perfect children.

Already the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, 1745 - 1812, had problems with his youngest son Moshe who converted to Christianity.

The son of Israel of Ruzhin, 1797 - 1851, went astray as well. His son Dov Baer of Leove, 1817 - 1876, got already married at the age of 14. His wife was Sheindel, the daughter of Rabbi Mordechai Twersky of Chernobyl, but it was not a happy marriage. After moving to different places and the death of his father, he was taken to Sadigura and some people spread the rumor that he was held as a prisoner by his brother. After Dov Baer came to live in Czernowitz, he declared in 1869, that he "wished to eliminate the foolish customs that have no basis in Judaism and to remove the thorns from the vineyard of the House of Israel". He decided to join the Maskilim (Enlightenment). Until his death he lived in Sadigura, deserted by his wife and ignored by his brothers and his former students.

The next case is Yechezkel, the son Rabbi Aryeh Leib of Kozmir. Also Yechezkel left religion and even changed his name into "Stanilaus Hoga".

The brother - in - law of Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heshel of Apta, and son of Rabbi Chaim Tirer of Czernowitz, Kalman Kalonymus, became an apikoret (heretic). He started playing cards, ate treife (non - kosher) food, and was eventually forced to divorce his wife Yocheved, the sister of the Apta (Opatov) Rebbe.

Me'ir, the son of the Hungarian Zaddik, Rabbi Yitzchak Eisik of Kalov, seemingly started to become secular after the death of his father.

There are many more other examples and we see that no family in this world is perfect. It may not always be the right / wrong way of upbringing and education; many Jews are looking for something more open - minded and simply have enough of their strict upbringing and all the rules. I am sure that there are different reasons and it is important for us to realize that not everyone is walking into ONE direction or is expressing oneselve in only ONE way. Not every human is the same and it is wrong putting or forcing people into certain societies or positions where they don't belong.

A few months ago, an elderly lady from Karlin - Stolin told me that in Stolin they try to raise the children according to their needs and various characters. However, to strengthen the ways and in order not to let young Chassidim go astray, the families marry them off at the young age of 18. "Then they have a family and don't think about running away anymore", so the woman said.
For some people this may turn out right but for others it might end as a disaster.

So, what is it about Tel Aviv ?

B"H

Every country has its city where people can just escape to. In Israel the place is called "Tel Aviv".
You want to leave home after becoming an adult and build up a life or you just need to escape because you are fed up with something - go to Tel Aviv, as everyone does. Especially young people move to Tel Aviv. The city has the reputation of "a city that never sleeps", and moreover, it has the most jobs to offer. Jobs, higher salaries and a high quality of life. These positive things stand against the extremely high prices. Everything is so expensive and once you start enjoying life, there goes your income.

Tel Aviv is the city of the secular although there are religious Jews. However, if you want something really religious, really haredi, you go to Bnei Brak located right next to Tel Aviv. And, as I spoke about "escaping", many religious Jews, in particular Haredim, like to escape as well. Escaping from society where everyone is watching you. A Haredi in Jerusalem, Kiryat Sefer or Beitar is constantly being watched. Of course, he can go home, shut his door and then nobody sees him. But it is not the "just not want to be seen"; it is looking for freedom.

Many Haredim, especially the male, tell me that they would love to escape to Tel Aviv for a day or two. Just go and enjoy life. Be free in a city where no one is watching you; where you can be yourself. At least for a few hours.
Such an escape has nothing to do with escaping from religion or G - d. In most cases it doesn't mean to exploit freedom and eat trefe (non - kosher food) etc. What it means is having your own personal freedom without having to justify certain actions. Furthermore, it is always good to leave for a while and see something else.

Of course, there are those Haredim from Jerusalem or Bnei Brak who, once a week, go to Tel Aviv in order to go to bars. Some of them even dress up as secular Jews. Religious life can be so intense that you start feeling to miss something. Sometimes just only nature or other people.

I know all those feelings myself, as in Tel Aviv I can be whoever I want. Actually I could do the same in Jerusalem but there, people have the mentality to stare at you. If you don't think the "Jerusalem way", you are a kind of out. Not only concerning religion.

There are times when the religious very much go on my nerves. Particularly those who claim to be religious and, in reality, they are not. They don't even know that they are the opposite of religious. Everyone seems to be so holy and just the opposite is the case. It just makes me either throw up or run away. Religious institutions where you have to behave in a specific way and if you don't, you are out. No, not out because of misbehaving but out because of not sharing the same opinions in every aspect of life.

This Friday, I am going back to Tel Aviv for a longer period of time. I felt that this is the place where I want to live; not only because of more freedom. I simply feel the desire of changing something in my life. Finding new friends and having a different environment. If I miss Jerusalem, I can still go back for a day or Shabbat. However, I told this to a few Haredim I know (not the fakes) and they immediately envied me. "I would love to go somewhere else and just be myself for a while", they said.

I think that just being alone for a day is an important factor in religious life. You can enjoy yourself so much in order to return to society in a more relaxed way. Or at least, you got new strength to pretend a lifestyle you don't even want. But you grew up this way and there is nothing else you can do about.

Or maybe there is …

Hiding behind Religion

B"H

There is no perfect society whatsoever in this world. If you get to know a different way of life, first you might be excited and overwhelmed; after a closer look, however, you also might get disappointed or just wake up. Welcome to reality !!!
Nothing is as perfect as it seems to be. I admit that there are ways of life which are better or, at least, more positive. Nevertheless, every society has its failures, mistakes and lacks such as child abuse, drugs, rape, theft, betrayal, etc. Haredi society is not excluded from these kind of problems.

A few years ago, I spoke to a haredi neighbour and she claimed that there is nothing bad in haredi society because everyone is haredi and so terribly religious and G – dfearing. Every negative aspect is just an invention by the secular press. A few weeks ago, an acquaintance of mine from Mea Shearim denied any society problems within her chassidic group. "Yes, of course, there are all kinds of problems but not in my group. Everyone studies Torah and is too busy for criminal activities".

These days, Israeli papers report about the self – appointed Rabbi Elior Chen who escaped to Brazil. The Israeli police were searching for him all over the world. Elior Chen is accused of child abuse in very severe cases. Now the police in Brazil arrested him and he is in jail. The papers claimed that the Neturei Karta hid him because Chen claimed that the "Zionist" police were after him but he was innocent. If the Neturei Karta was really hiding Elior Chen is now in doubt, as Chen presents different versions of his story. Fact is that he abused countless Israeli children or told their mothers to torture the kids, as they are obsessed by evil spirits.

Those Haredim I know say that the families and the so – called Rabbi Chen are people who became religious later on in their lives (Baalei Teshuva). And, ahmmm, they are sephardi Jews who want to be Breslov or think that they are Breslov but they are not. So, what do you expect from such people ?

More and more Jewish religious websites report about such cases. There are chassidic or litvishe Rabbis abusing children and how does haredi society react ? Well, the websites don't come to such a great positive conclusion. In case the child is getting molested by a Rabbi, so, who believes the child making such a claim ?
And, as we know haredi society, everything "strange" is considered a blemish. In many cases , the police are not informed just in order to avoid a public scandal. But what about the abused child ? If the public knows, other children might look down on the child and constantly pick on him. And who later wants a Shidduch with someone raped ? Therefore, many Haredim don't involve the authorities.

But times are changing a bit and finally there are some haredi parents calling the police. However, their number is still pretty low and the vast majority prefers to keep quiet. Especially closed chassidic societies, as the "Zionist" police are seen as an enemy and thus an intruder. The group members rather go to the Rebbe and ask for advice. As usual, children, raped women or drug addicts suffer most because they are simply left alone. There are social workers within haredi society but not enough. And who wants a social worker from the municipality coming to his neighbourhood let alone to his house ? What are the neighbours going to say ?

In order to understand the haredi reaction, you have to understand haredi society. Orthodox Jews react in very different ways; especially in order to protect their reputation. There is nothing worse than loosing one's reputation and becoming an outlaw. Therefore haredi society always tries to calm down everyone and thus avoid scandals published by the secular press.

Whoever is looking for haredi or even national religious insider news should either be part or have good friends within society. An outsider would never get certain information and sometimes even I have to ask haredi friends to call up others and get the required information. Haredi or religious society as a whole wants to protect its own society. Unfortunately, an individual is sometimes seen as less important when there is a greater priority: the continuation and the well – being of the group.

The main question is if I am entitled to do anything as soon as I am a member of haredi (or extreme haredi) society ? Am I allowed to break the law and then run to anti – Zionist rabbis keep me in hiding ? Can I justify anything when I wear religious clothes and pray three times a day ? As soon as another scandal is being published I feel ashamed and at the same time I am upset because some lunatics destroy the reputation of a whole society. And this Rabbi Chen has destroyed a lot. For me he is neither religious, haredi nor a rabbi but only a criminal without any intellect and brains.

Rent Explosions

B"H

Looking for an apartment these days can be exhausting and a real pain. There are not enough available apartments in Jerusalem; especially when you depend on a limited budget.

New apartment houses are being built all the time but only for people with money. Luxury for American or French Jewish tourists. Their dream seems to be to own an apartment in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. They buy anything for any price and usually come here only once or twice a year. Throughout the year their apartment is empty, as they don't rent out anything. This kind of behaviour drives Israelis mad, as they cannot compete with the jumping real estate prices. Foreigners have more money and pay in cash whereas young Israeli couples don't have a chance anymore. These rich tourists don't even see what damage they cause.

Rents go up all the time but, nevertheless, Jerusalem is still cheaper than Tel Aviv. Those who have been looking for an affordable apartment in Tel Aviv used to move to southern Tel Aviv. The area is not the best area with its high crime rate and especially the poor around. The complete opposite to northern Tel Aviv with its bungalows and the rich around.

The rent for a three room apartment in southern Tel Aviv is 3000 Shekels (approx. 900 Dollars). It is very sad if people consider that as cheap. The price is a cheat.
Now the same is happening to haredi shops. Haredi customers don't go shopping at Israeli shopping malls but prefer doing so in their own modest neighbourhoods. In Jerusalem, Haredim like to shop in Malchei Israel Street in Ge'ulah and in Bnei Brak, Rabbi Akiva Street is very popular.

Most people think that living in a haredi neighbourhood must be so cheap, as the inhabitants don't have too much money. But those people are mistaken. The houses in Mea Shearim might look like a dump but rents are incredible high and I have no clue how the Chassidim can afford living there.

The rent for a haredi store is much higher these days than renting a business in ordinary Israeli malls in the Gush Dan (Tel Aviv) area. In Bnei Brak, the rent for one square meter in a store is 80 – 100 Dollar. In the secular Tel Aviv Dizengoff Center, the rent for one square meter in a shop is only 70 Dollar. The same in the secular Tel Aviv shopping mall Ibn Gavirol where shop owners only pay up to 50 Dollar rent per square meter.

The latest bad news is that very soon, even southern Tel Aviv is undergoing severe changes. The plan is to build 20 % of the new office towers there and the negative result is going to be that new apartments in the area will be unaffordable for those with a tight budget. So, where are the people in Tel Aviv supposed to live in case they don't have lots of money ?

City of Towers - Tel Aviv



View at the beach