Jerusalem's Secular Jews Organize, Fight Back

After years of setbacks, Jerusalem's secular population has begun to push back against what many believe are heavy-handed tactics by the city's haredi residents to impose their religious mores on the general population. A growing number of restaurants now open on Saturday, an array of cultural events have sprouted up, and for the first time in years, a longtime exodus of secular residents for nearby suburbs appears to have halted.

The AP reports:

Hundreds of people packed a Jerusalem community center recently for what many in Jerusalem consider a subversive act: They attended a lecture on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath.

The seemingly harmless event, in which the popular Arab-Israeli journalist Sayed Kashua talked about pluralism and tolerance, broke a long-standing ban on holding activities in public buildings on the Jewish day of rest.

That turned Kiryat Yovel, a tranquil neighborhood in west Jerusalem, into the latest battleground in Jerusalem's protracted culture war between Jewish conservatism and pluralism.

After years of setbacks, Jerusalem's secular population has begun to push back against what many believe are heavy-handed tactics by the city's ultra-Orthodox residents to impose their religious mores on the general population. A growing number of restaurants now open on Saturday, an array of cultural events have sprouted up, and for the first time in years, a longtime exodus of secular residents for nearby suburbs appears to have halted.

"We're not against the ultra-Orthodox, we're for tolerance and integration and against intimidation. But from no public services offered on Saturdays to promoting gender segregation, the community is undermining the very basis of our democratic state," said Dina Azriel, a leader in the grassroots "Free Kiryat Yovel" initiative, which sponsored the recent lecture.…

The influence of the ultra-Orthodox is especially pronounced in Jerusalem, where their numbers are proportionally much larger than the national average. Jerusalem, Israel's largest city, is split almost evenly into thirds between secular and modern Orthodox residents, Muslim Palestinians, and the ultra-Orthodox Jews.…

The ultra-religious have used their large numbers and political muscle to shape modern Jerusalem. The city grinds to a virtual standstill on the Jewish Sabbath, with businesses closed, public transportation halted and few options for entertainment.

Attempts to change this status quo have prompted violent backlashes from the ultra-Orthodox, who haven't hesitated to block roads, clash with police or send tens of thousands of activists into the streets when ordered by their rabbis.….

The "Free Kiryat Yovel" movement was formed after ultra-Orthodox activists were allowed to build a kindergarten that maintained a wall to separate religious and non-religious preschoolers. It took four years of petitioning the local community center to win a permit for the Sabbath lecture.

"We're in a really critical time right now, and I'm not optimistic," said Sarit Hashkes, who runs another secular rights group, called "Be Free Israel."

"What we're seeing now is cooperation of state and police officials with the ultra-Orthodox. Women are being pushed aside, and everything is pushed more to the right."

The group is behind a number of initiatives, like offering discount cards to patrons to use at restaurants that are open on the Sabbath to increase "secular buying power."

Hashkes said momentum among the secular population is percolating, but not without an equally fierce backlash. While separate sidewalks are officially banned, she said some streets were still off limits to women during the recent Jewish Sukkot holiday.…

Over the years, the growing religious influence, coupled with a high cost of living, has pushed tens of thousands of secular Jerusalemites to leave the city.…

Comments

[Jeff]

One would like to see a glimmer of hope in this, but I fear it's too little, far too late. Haredim, like all fundamentalists, are fanatics who won't hesitate to resort to violence, and secular Israelis aren't prepared to retaliate in kind.

A lot of things would have to happen simultaneously - the police would have to made to become involved, they'd have to vote out Haredi ass-kissers like Netanyahu and vote in politicians willing to stand up the Haredim (if any still exist), and above all - they'd have to get them off the social service rolls. It seems doubtful that any of this will happen.

I simply can't see any future for Israel.

[Jacob]

Doesn't look like there was a fight here. Looks like the haredim are getting more tolerant or this slipped in under their radar.

[netflix]

Jacob: Looks like the haredim are getting more tolerant

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[seymour]

Jeff

sooner or latter a secular person will blow and i am afraid there will be dead herideim in the street.

sad but maybe then and only then will they leave others alone

[Adam Neira]

What the exact religious/observance composition of the Old City and New City should be is an interesting question. Jerusalem with all it's different groups and visitors really is one of the most cosmopolitan and diverse of all urban centres in the World. It is also very beautiful BTW. The prophecies state that over time more and more people will turn to the good and the one G-d and thus the petty delineations between the sects will break down. A perfect homogeneous community of people who all dress and act the same would be boring, yet a city split up into different enclaves of souls who don't talk or interact with other would also be a problem. It's all about balance. Perhaps Maimonides "Golden Mean" principle should adorn the city planner’s office in one of those "Enthusiasm etc." motivational posters so common to various workplaces in the west.

[Rochel]

Over the years, the growing religious influence, coupled with a high cost of living, has pushed tens of thousands of secular Jerusalemites to leave the city.

This doesn't make sense, the high cost of living has pushed seculars out, yet the haredim, who don't work and have huge families, can afford apts that seculars leave?

[Jack]

Doesn't look like there was a fight here. Looks like the haredim are getting more tolerant or this slipped in under their radar.

Posted by: Jacob | October 25, 2012 at 06:19 AM

Then again, maybe this wasn't such a big deal. Face it, every shabbos millions of seculars are mechallel shabbos, eat treif, drive cars, go shopping etc without the haredim going ballistic. They pick their fights and I guess this was not one of them. I do admit that as of late it has been quiet. Good news for all the trash bins:)

[Jeff]

This doesn't make sense, the high cost of living has pushed seculars out, yet the haredim, who don't work and have huge families, can afford apts that seculars leave?

Subsidized housing and government teat (if you'll forgive the vulgarity).

[Rochel]

This doesn't make sense, the high cost of living has pushed seculars out, yet the haredim, who don't work and have huge families, can afford apts that seculars leave?

Subsidized housing and government teat (if you'll forgive the vulgarity).Posted by: Jeff | October 25, 2012 at 10:01 AM

Jeff, I know that a lot of haredim have subsidized housing and gov subsidies. But I always assumed that subsidized housing for haredim were in their neighborhoods. When secular people vacate an apt due to high rent, their apt would be rented to others who can pay the rent, or, perhaps, the landlord is forced to lower the rent somewhat. But that still is a long way from their properties being subsidized for haredim. So I didn't see the immediate cause and effect.

[Jeff]

But that still is a long way from their properties being subsidized for haredim. So I didn't see the immediate cause and effect.

Good point. I don't have an answer. Perhaps Shmarya does.

[David]

Because of the repulsive behavior of the Charedim, they are turning Jews away from Yiddishkeit.

[michael evans]

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