Friday, October 3, 2008

The Ultraorthodox Jewish Settlement of Mea Shearim, Jerusalem (Snaps taken from Egged Bus 1)

I always longed to see Mea Shearim, one of the oldest Jewish neighbourhoods in Jerusalem. A lot have been heard about this very strict and orthodox Jewish settlement. Year 2008: but in Mea Shearim, the inhabitants live as if they are in 17 th century Europe following the same dress code as their ancestors did 300-400 years ago. Men wear heavy black suits and hat, regardless of the season and married women cover their hair. Home to ultra-orthodox Jews (some even call them ultra-ultra!!), their life style is strikingly different and sometimes called a living museum! They hate the word 'change' as it is related to evil. They prefer a life whose every aspect is governed by solemn and divine rules derived from Torah and Talmud. They dont speak Hebrew intentionally, as it is considered so sacred a language that it can be used only for prayers. Hence they follow Yiddish, the language their ancestors used in Europe. The residential areas tend to be small, congested and shabby. Men engage full time in study and worship, while their wives raise large families-typically seven or eight children since birth control is forbidden. Children are raised so as to minimize the outside world’s impact.

There is always a strict division between the secular Jews and the inhabitants of Mea Shearim. The secular-religious feud is becoming a serious problem in Jerusalem today. Most Mea Shearim inhabitants see existence of modern Israel as outrageous as they believe that it is the duty of Messiah to establish the country and not ordinary people. They refuse to pay taxes, serve in the armed forces or accept aid from the government and even accept holocaust was God's punishment for not waiting Messiah to establish Israel! An ultra ultra sect in Mea Shearim, called Neturei Karta goes to such an extreme that they even raise black flags on Israeli national holidays!!! One Israeli friend of mine told me that they are called locally the Zebras due to the stripped black coats they wear.

By now you can imagine how a tourist should behave in the settlement. You get to see posts such as “Be considerate of our Jewish sensibilities: Dress modestly. Preserve the holiness of the sabbath” ; “Jewish daughters, the holy Torah obligates you to dress modestly at all times, with long sleeves and closed necklines.” As a general rule, a modest attire is essential especially for women, men, too, must not wear shorts. Even photography is not tolerated. The most wise decision is to avoid visiting the settlement on the Sabbath (from sunset Friday until about two hours after sunset Saturday) as rules are very stringent then. May be it is an exageration, but I heard that during Shabbat, Mea Shearim remains dark as it is not allowed to light your home.

Mea Shearim means "hundred folds" and the word is taken from a verse in the Bible (Genesis 26:12). Established by 5 Jews from England, Germany, Austria, Russia and Turkey in 1874, Mea Shearim is not an ordinary place to visit. Strolling the streets of Mea Shearim will be a nice opportunity to know the ultra-Orthodox culture without actually being a member. The Egged 1 that takes you to Old City, travels through Mea Shearim and I suggest its a nice option to see the settlement without being over conscious and careful.

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