Mea She'arim Visit - Religious Neighborhood (10/26)

Every Tuesday, we each have the option to sign up for a group field trip called a "siyur." Today's trip was to Mea She'arim, an ultra-orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem, right outside of the Old City. The first part of the siyur was to a museum nearby, called Museum on the Seam. There is artwork with a political background, linking art and politics throughout many different time periods and different countries. I think I saw over 30 different items across many media (painting, video, sculpture, print, etc.) and although we didn't have too much time to spend in the museum, and therefore at each item, there were a few items that spoke to me.

One was a video that began with a girl in a white dress in a white room with a jumprope. She spilled black paint on the floor and began to jumprope one jump at a time. The black paint began to splatter on her dress, the floor, the ceiling, and the walls. About 4 minutes into the video, the room was mostly covered in black paint, no longer white. The explanation in the guidebook we received, talked about the artist's take on life, saying that every person has a life, has a face, has a name. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, every person has a right to live on this planet. If we continue to destroy, our world will go from white to black. If we continue to have intolerance toward one another, our world will go from white to black. On the contrary, if we treat life as sacred, and can learn to co-exist with one another, we will keep the room white before the black paint even arrives.

Another item was a video/audio piece about lost languages. The only video part was words on the screen in translation of what the words meant, what language it was, and how endangered the language was, including completely extinct. I was unable to watch the entire reel, so I sat through as much as possible before having to continue. It made me think about communication and heritage and ancestry and how when a language is lost, an entire culture may be lost as well.

The museum had many moving parts to it, but we had to leave. We gathered on the top of the building for a quick view of the area before heading into the neighborhood of Mea She'arim. Mea She'arim is the most religiously observant neighborhood in all of Jerusalem, populated by the ultra-orthodox, called the Haredim. I can only speak about my perceptions of the neighborhood and the type of people that live there, from my own upbringing and my opinions. The ultra-orthodox want to live on their own, support their own community in business and in schooling, so essentially they choose to live in this ghetto. I don't say ghetto as the derogatory term it has become in the US. I'm referring to a ghetto simply as a closed on area for one kind of people, in this case, the Haredim. Like any other ethnic or religious or social group, I believe they have the right to have their own neighborhood where they can live and roam freely, to practice their beliefs and customs in whatever way they wish. However, in my most humble opinion, there are some problems with the Haredim.

They impose their views on everyone else, at least on other Jews. This happens in America, but it happens even more here. Somehow, this group which composes only 10% of the population, has so much power in the Israeli government when it comes to policy. This country, religiously, is ruled by the orthodox. You can't get married by a non-orthodox rabbi in Israel and have it considered a real Jewish wedding. A conservative or reform rabbi cannot perform marriages that are recognized legally in this country. Um excuse me, what? Yeah, so, a lot of Israelis go to Greece to get married so when they come back in the country it's recognized as legal. Those who marry abroad are recognized legally here, and marriages performed by orthodox rabbis have legally recognized marriages. Otherwise, zip, zilch, nada.

They also do not believe in the State of Israel (where its borders are) because Moshiah (the Messiah) hasn't come yet, and the LAND of Israel is different than the STATE of Israel. There should not be an established state until the land is all under Jewish rule. I think I've got some of that straight. Anyways, the Haredim are far from Zionists but they live in this country anyway. Maybe because it's the only place that'll take 'em and treat them as nicely as they are treated.

The Haredim also are known to contribute very little to Israeli society. They are encouraged by the government to study in yeshivas and have babies. They actually receive stipends for this. Everyone else finishes high school, serves in the army, goes to universities, goes off to work, earns a living and pays taxes, and the government enables the Haredim to do what they do. Study and procreate. Hooray, more of the same.

The Haredim also do not serve in the army like most Israelis. Now, there are some "religious" people (it's too hard to actually define that term but this is what people here say, not me) who don't serve in the army, but they perform National Service, which is an alternate and very acceptable among secular and most of Israeli society. Usually it is the same period of time for men and women that would serve in the army - 2-3 years. However, the Haredim do not even do this. They are too busy studying in yeshivas and having babies. So 90% of citizens in this country serve and protect 100% of its citizens (let's not forget to mention all Jews all over the world) while the Haredim sit back and relax and are OK with putting other lives on the line to protect their own. I'm not saying I want to serve in any army; I absolutely do not. If I had to, I would, and if I lived in a country where some sort of army service was required, I would do it, or I would leave that country and go elsewhere. The Haredim don't serve and still live here. Needless to say, I am not their biggest fan.

Last but not least about Mea She'arim is the signs that were up in the neighborhood. They have to be mentioned. A link to the picture in my Facebook album is here: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=32964614&l=4d19d3e3af&id=46304609

The signs says: "Groups passing through our neighborhoods severely offend the residents. Please stop this."

"To women & girls who pass through our neighborhood. We beg you with all our hearts. Please do not pass through our neighborhood in immodest clothes. Modest clothes include: closed blouse, with long sleeves, long skirt, no tight fitting clothes. Please do not distress us by disturbing the sanctity of our neighborhood and our way of life as Jews committed to G-d and his Torah."

I find these signs offensive. I think they are rude and exclusive. It's a neighborhood, as in, like, public property. Why can't I be welcomed and invited to come walk through your neighborhood? You can come walk through mine. I've got nothing to hide. Come check it out. If you want. I won't make you. And I know that dressing modestly is a custom in Haredim families and even other Jews, including myself most times - the concept of tsnius/modesty is one that I do appreciate. But I don't like being told what is or is not acceptable to walk along a street in a neighborhood of a major world city. I don't tell you that you have to dress a certain way when you come walk my streets. You don't like what you see? Don't look.

So at the end of the day, I think I have concluded the following:

I will probably not be going back to Mea She'arim anytime soon, or ever.

I am not a fan of the Haredim.

They are not a fan of me.