Americans in the Moslem Quarter
Not only is Jerusalem packed this succos, visitors from America appear more comfortable hanging out in the downtown area. On Saturday night, the Ben Yehuda/Zion Square area was packed with visitors. During succos last year the hotels were more full than the streets.
On Friday night thousands came to the Kotel. Walking home through the
shuk in the Moslem Quarter, an Arab man kept yelling out "good shabbos" and "zei gezunt." He probably was hoping to elicit a friendly response, though almost all passers-by ignored him and continued to head out of the Moslem Quarter toward Jaffa Gate and the western part of Jerusalem.
One Orthodox guy - I think American but possibly European - responded to the Arab by telling him to "drop dead."
I'm not sure the Arab guy heard him, but this is a good example of the stupidity of some American Orthodox Jews who think such behavior is impressive or macho. What good could come from expressing unnecessary hostility to an Arab right in middle of the Muslim Quarter? I'm sure that Israelis (except for the fanatical ones) would not have acted in a similar manner.
I witnessed something similar on Shavuos in 1995, when thousands of people walked to the Kotel through the
shuk at around 4:30 A.M. A couple of young Americans made a point of singing loudly to wake up the Arabs in the area.
Speaking of the Kotel, last Tuesday night I went to daven maariv and say some tehilim. At the Kotel, thousands were present at the induction of new 18 year old Givati Bridge soldiers. It was a bittersweet ceremony. A number of people, including Rabbi Yisrael Weiss, Chief Military Chaplain of the IDF, spoke, and Hatikvah was sung. Families and friends hugged the new soldiers at the conclusion. It's humbling to realize that these youngsters are now devoting the next three years (two years in the case of the girls) of their lives to Israel's security and sad to think that, G-d forbid, not all of them will come home.
In addition to the soldiers and their families and friends, many who were davening at the Kotel watched the ceremony, including charedi youths. It was clear that they have great respect for the new soldiers. The trend toward integration of charedim into Israeli society is definitely underway, even if the process will be a slow one.
posted on 10/05/2004
