I didn’t get a chance to post this on the fourth
but it made me smile all day.
I don’t agree with a lot of the isolationist ideals of the Chasidem, and I know a lot of jews who feel the same way, but like the Amish/Mennonites (Christianity’s Chasidem, sort of) I admire their ability to stay within their personal guidelines and try to devote their lives more closely to the creator. And when you see stuff like this, and see how much joy they are capable of, it makes your heart feel good, if you have one.
Hooray! Made me want to jump up and join them. One of my favorite pictures online was a room full of men in Jerusalem reading the Book of Esther, and every man (and boy) there was dressed for a PARTY! Clown wigs, Scout uniforms, toy guns, noisemakers, etc. Wish I could find that. A thing of beauty.
Thanks for posting this, Og.
These are the days to remember Purim.
The only Jews who proselytize. To other Jews, of course.
I find them quite annoying, but not as annoying as the soi-disant Messianics.
nathan- I have an israeli acquaintance (Also, coincidentally, Nathan) who is very disdainful of the Chasidem in Israel because he sees them as accepting the outcome of other people’s willingness to fight for the survival of the nation, without beig willing to make the sacrifice themselves. I only know this from him (well, and a few others) so I don’t know how true or accurate it is, but I understand the frustration, if that is indeed the case.
it makes your heart feel good, if you have one.
I didn’t think I did…just a flinty little shard, but this made me laugh out loud and clap my hands! Too much fun!!!
Isn’t it? I giggled and giggled.
Yeah, the basic truth is that the ultra-orthodox in Israel have for years been exempt from the draft (and also were paid government stipends to attend yeshiva). This changed recently and there is a lot of pushback from the ultra-orthodox community, but I say tough shit, get out there and defend your damn country and stop sucking the life out of everyone else. Unfortunately it appears that Bibi, in order to get himself re-elected, pledged last month not to jail any of the idiots for dodging the draft.
The biggest problem with Israel is that it is (regardless of what people say) a theocratic republic. God help the Israelis if the nutbag loons of their religious right ever manage to put together a majority in the Knesset. I’d be more worried about that than the religious right taking over in the US…