Thursday, November 17, 2011
Who are the Jewish Taliban Women ?
B"H
An Israeli TV report about the Taliban women in Ge'ulah and Mea Shearim / Jerusalem.
Another cult and cults seem to attract people's curiosity. However what I saw in the report is not only the regular Breslov Taliban women but also women from Chassidut Toldot Aharon.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Shabbat CHAYE SARAH
B"H
This Shabbat is Parashat CHAYE SARAH and thousands will be going to Hebron in order to visit the grave of our foremother Sarah.
One reader was asking about the bus connections. I have no details but you can check the EGGED website. These kind of mass events are not for me and I always avoid going to Hebron during Pessach or Sukkot when everything is just packed.
Here are a few information on Hebron:
Aliyah to Zfat (Safed)
B”H
Exactly a year ago, I stayed in Zfat (Safed) and Tiberias for a couple of months and was even considering settling in the area. It seems to be the perfect place when you are looking for a quiet lifestyle. The more spiritual ones rather move to Zfat and not necessarily to Tiberias. The distance between both places is about an hour bus ride. Nevertheless, the small town of Tiberias at the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) looks like New York when you start comparing in to Zfat. Although Tiberias has not too much action to offer, it seems to be a real city compared to Zfat.
Zfat keeps on attracting more and more American Jews who are planning their Aliyah to Israel. The town has a large English speaking community and most members are very welcoming. You may feel at home immediately if you are the Zfat type. Breslov, Chabad (especially Chabad Meshichist) or Carlebach style. People invite you for Shabbat and the town has its own English library. Let alone the famous Zfat cemetery where lots of Kabbalists are buried.
I think that most Americans making Aliyah to Zfat mainly concentrate on the spiritual side. Kabbalah, chassidic teachings and the great landscape. But when you make Aliyah, you have to be realistic and reality is that there are hardly any jobs in Zfat. Lots of locals are on the dole or social benefit. If you come to Zfat, use up all your Nefesh be’Nefesh money, you need to think about your future existence in town. How are you going to earn a living in a place where there is no industry, no nothing ?
Zfat used to be cheap. Reasonable rents and supermarket prices but look at it now. The American housing demand has ruined estate prices let alone the increasing rent. Some Americans may come with a bit of money and are able to satisfy the greed of the Zfati landlords but what about the local Israeli population ? For them it turns out to be a disaster competing with a bunch of wealthy Americans claiming the houses for themselves.
Because there are no jobs in Zfat, English speakers who have already made Aliyah discovered a new market: Giving spiritual classes although many of them have no clue about deep kabbalistic studies. However, they need to pay rent and thus teach all kinds of made up theories in order to get the money rolling in.
Furthermore, some Anglos have also started renting out one or two rooms to guests. When you go to such a guest house, watch your money, as those places can be real rip – offs.
Another branch new immigrants have discovered is creating art and selling it to tourists. Mostly overprized.
Copyright / Photos: Miriam Woelke
The latest clue is that some Americans are planning to open an international real estate agency. This is a great way to make money, as more and more Anglo Olim want to move to Zfat and nowhere else. Jerusalem and Tel Aviv have been facing the problem for quite a while. Wealthy Jews from abroad buying property and hardly using it. Jerusalem has developed its own ghost towns such as the apartment building complexes in front of Jaffa Gate where rich Americans bought apartments for more than 2 million Dollar and only come for Pessach and Rosh Hashana. Those people keep on destroying rent and real estate prices and the result is that no ordinary Israeli can compete with such price demands. Jerusalem’s municipality now wants to start charging higher taxes from foreign investor not using their property.
Nevertheless, it is not Jerusalem anymore but Zfat and as soon as this new real estate agency is opening, YOU are going to be ripped – off. What people don’t consider is that they change the character of Zfat and the real Zfatim who are born Israelis don’t want that. They have been there for generations and fought all the wars and now wealthy Americans are taking over with all their money. Not even speaking Hebrew but running after every Shekel.
How does it feel making Aliyah into the middle of nowhere and earning a living by cheating others coming from your country of origin ?
Link:
Crazy Neturei Karta Demonstration
B"H
The Neturei Karta guy running around with the Swastika sign and screaming around looks mentally ill to me. However, I am not surprised because I simply realize how the NK is brainwashing its own youth. Young Haredim who have no clue about life and especially not about Israel and what is going on here.
Stormy & Rainy
B"H
Today's weather in Israel will be cold, rainy and extremely windy. Looks like a depressive day due to the weather but I actually like it after the endless sunny and steaming hot summer.:-)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
The Gateway to Happiness
At the beach in Tel Aviv.
Photo: Miriam Woelke
B"H
What I learnt is that having lots of money doesn't make one happy. Money is not the gateway to happiness but it does give you security. If you are looking for true happiness in life, concentrate on your health and on having great friends and a family.
Rainy Weather in Jerusalem
Jerusalem, Jaffa Road: Rainy weather.
Photos: Miriam Woelke
B”H
Yesterday I really started missing Germany in a certain aspect. Having to deal with bureaucracy in Israel mostly turns out being a disaster. Suddenly you find clerks who work completely unprofessional, yell around at other people while working at your file. When I spoke to a German institution yesterday, everything went smoothly and professional. No one screaming around, smoking or hanging around useless. :-)
Yesterday was also a big rainy day. In Tel Aviv as well as in Jerusalem. I took the above photos yesterday and when I came home to Tel Aviv, it started raining so heavily that I ended up dripping.
Due to all the private bureaucracy I underwent, my blogs are not up - to - date. Someone told me that today is Rabbi Me'ir Kahane's Yahrzeit but I had no time to check. However, I saw this poster in Jerusalem yesterday:
Yesterday was also a big rainy day. In Tel Aviv as well as in Jerusalem. I took the above photos yesterday and when I came home to Tel Aviv, it started raining so heavily that I ended up dripping.
Due to all the private bureaucracy I underwent, my blogs are not up - to - date. Someone told me that today is Rabbi Me'ir Kahane's Yahrzeit but I had no time to check. However, I saw this poster in Jerusalem yesterday:
Photos: Miriam Woelke
Monday, November 14, 2011
"Jewish News 1" praising Missionary Bikers
B"H
Shame on the new "Jewish" TV channel JEWISH NEWS 1 !!!
The channel, founded by wealthy Russian Jews, wants to be as important to the Jewish world as Al Jazeera is to the Arab world. "Jewish News 1" started with nice reports and plenty of my German readers like it. However, one of the latest news reports is about a Evangelical Christian biker tour in Israel. In case "Jewish News 1" doesn't know: Evangelical Christians intend to prostelyze Jews to idol - worship.
The report is a disgrace for "Jewish News 1" and anyone else connected to supporting the evil missionary tour.
If I find out that the TV channel accepts Christian donations, this will be the end of taking over its videos !
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Katot - Cults
B"H
Believe it or not, there are plenty of cults (sects) existing in Israel. "KATOT" is the Hebrew word for CULTS and HERE is the Israeli website for "Nifgae'i Katot - People who used to be cult members". Unfortunately, the site is only in Hebrew but shows, in addition to other cults, also many religious cults. Christians as well as Jews. Among others, Daniel Ambash from the Breslover Na Nach Nachman movement also appears.
The "Edah HaCharedit" strongly opposes the so - called "Taliban Women". A group of extreme women, mainly of Sephardi origin and Breslover Ba'alot Teshuva.
I am curious why people join cults. Especially religious Jews who should follow G - d and the Torah instead of religious leaders whose only goal is to gain power over others and thus use people for their own purposes. How can you call yourself religious when you gather a group of people with a weak personality around you ? It basically shows that the cult leader has a serious problem with himself and lifts up his self - esteem while stepping on others who are even weaker than him.
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