The Haredi Protest

3/6/2014

I have been sitting on this blog for a few days. I originally wrote a blog trying to grasp the politics centering around this protest. I give up. In no way will I really understand all the nuances and I have no interest in making a fool out of myself. Instead I will talk about the protest itself, I was there and I can share my experience.

The protest began in the early afternoon. We live in a religious area so we saw many people walking towards the protest. When I exited the house I was shocked to see the sky turning an eerie yellow. I did my best to capture the sky but I am not sure the haze and color comes across in the photos. The protest was very peaceful. We originally stood on the main road leading to the center of the protest, keeping our distance from the crowd. I used the zoom on my lens to take many of the photos (disclaimer for a certain Papa who gets very nervous in these situations). After a period of time we decided to go up to Jaffa Road to have a better view of the speakers. I never did get a better view but I did leave Logan with the kids on the edge of the crowd and walked down Jaffa Road until I could no longer walk without pushing people aside.

It was interesting to see most of the women congregated along Jaffa Road. If I were to compare, I would have to say where the women were protesting was far more emotional and touching. A large speaker system was setup on Jaffa Road, you could hear the voice of the speakers breaking through the air. The men on the the side of the microphone were praying crying out repeatedly, mourning and begging God to hear their prayers. The women cried holding on to their prayer books praying with all their heart. On the other street the men were praying but the soul was with the women. These women were truly mourning. I started to cry without having any skin in the game. I came as an observer and I left as a Jew mourning with my fellow Jew. I left saddened that my fellow Jew was distraught.

It was a glory to see so many Jews in one place praying for the same thing. I wish they did it every week. I wish every week 600,000 Jews came together and prayed for world peace, for Moshiach, for only good in this world. Because, I have to tell you, I am not sure whether God was happy or sad, but God was paying attention. The energy was intense. At one point the sun was hidden by the haze of yellow swallowing the sky. If only we could all come together and pray for a better world instead of constantly judging and fighting each other.

Here are some pictures:

I'm dressed and on a mission.

2 Comments

Michael Sosis

3/6/2014 05:33:05 am

The rally, part protest, part prayer vigil, was organized by the religious and political leadership of the insular haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community in Israel, which strongly opposes mandatory conscription on the grounds that it would tear yeshiva students from their full-time religious studies

3/6/2014 05:35:35 am

he haredi draft exemption has become an ever-hotter flashpoint between ultra-Orthodox and non-ultra-Orthodox Jews. All non-haredi Jewish men and women are required to serve three and two years, respectively. Some non-Jews, mostly Druze and Bedouin, all serve, while others perform civilian service.

Isael's High Court struck down the law exempting haredi yeshiva students from being drafted back in 2012, but the government has repeatedly postponed conscription due to demands from the country's ultra-Orthodox political parties, who represent many of the country's 800,000 haredim – roughly 10% of Israeli's population.

Many Israelis think it is unfair that haredi men, many of whom have eight or more children, usually opt for religious studies over paid employment. The public is also critical of the community's refusal to teach basic secular subjects like math and English in school, a fact that makes even those haredim who do want to join the workforce — and there are reportedly many — unqualified for most jobs.

The Haredi Protest

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