June 1, 2009 (Section 2) (continued from Section 1)
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Editor – Joel Katz
Religion and State in Israel is not affiliated with any organization or movement.
Justice urges seculars to 'take over' haredi bus lines
By Kobi Nahshoni www.ynetnews.com May 28, 2009
In a conversation with Ynet, Dorner stressed that the proposed move was not meant as an act of defiance against the religious administration, but rather as means to exert pressure on the transportation minister and the Egged bus company to operate complimentary lines for the non-religious public.
"These arrangements should not be forced on the general population," she explained.
Dorner told students that young Jerusalemites should actively protest the segregated lines by using these buses more and disregarding the modesty codes practiced on them.
"If you, the young people. Don't fight for equality, there will be no equality, because the haredi sector is very dominant and is fighting for its rights."
Haredi ire delays plan to open Jerusalem parking lot on Shabbat
By Yair Ettinger www.haaretz.com May 31, 2009
According to the statement, the mayor decided to postpone the move until next weekend, following a specific request by the police, which feared its forces would be spread too thin in the event of protests during an already busy holiday.
See also:
Kikar Safra Parking Lot to Open on Shavuos – Shabbos
By Peggy Cidor www.jpost.com May 27, 2009
Segregation of Sephardi girls in haredi seminaries is not a new issue. The humiliation experienced by girls who had to stay at home for months without studying because of their parents' ethnic origins has been written about at length.
The haredi establishment has always argued that these are private institutions and thus have the right to set their own rules.
But now the municipality is being faced with an attempt to enforce these rules in a community center, a facility that falls under the auspices of the municipality.
Rabbi: Buy only from religious storeowners
By Kobi Nahshoni www.ynetnews.com May 27, 2009
Ultra-Orthodox Jews should prefer shopping in businesses owned by religious Jews, rather than by secular or non-Jewish owners, Rabbi Yaakov Yosef ruled.
The rabbi is son of Shas' spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
Haredi city in Negev – blessing or curse?
By Ilana Curiel www.ynetnews.com May 27, 2009
A recent decision by the Ministry of Interior's Southern District Planning and Construction Committee, to go ahead with the construction of an ultra-Orthodox city in the Negev, has sparked a controversy among the area's residents.
Meant to cater to haredi residents exclusively, Kasif is slated to stretch across 990 acres and house close to 50,000 people, with initial assessment by the Interior Ministry saying the number of residents may very well double.
The Israel Nature and National Parks Service (NNPS) argues that haredi residents should be encouraged to inhabit all of the south's cities, making for better integration in society.
Bet Shemesh: Efforts for Shomer Shabbos Section in Beis HaChaim
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com May 26, 2009
Greenberg explains his actions are prompted by a growing number of requests from residents of the Diaspora who are buying plots in increasing numbers in Bet Shemesh, and they are seeking an exclusively Shomer Shabbos section. The same hold true for a growing number of local residents he explains.
Ramat Eshkol Shabbos Generator a Source of Strife for Secularists
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com May 27, 2009
The generator set up in Jerusalem’s Ramat Eshkol neighborhood supplies electricity on Shabbos and yomim tovim for the Bnei Yeshivos shul along with about 35 families.
While years ago Ramat Eshkol was an area of elite Ashkenazi secularists and a strong dati leumi community, today it is rapidly becoming home to many former American kollel families.
As the dati leumi shul loses members, the chareidi community, both American and Israeli, continue to grow.
Armon HaNatziv Joins Anti-Chareidi Movement in the Capital
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com May 28, 2009
Another neighborhood of the capital joining the anti-chareidi movement is Armon HaNatziv, a primarily secular neighborhood in the southern area.
Yehuda Ben-Yosef, who heads the local council is angry, explaining the city is planning to open a chareidi kindergarten in 10 Alexander Robowitz Street and his office has not event been informed.
What really elicits his ire is the fact that the local board just completed NIS 50,000 in renovations in the building, planning to make it a community youth center. Now they learn the city has other plans, after the money was spent.
Kiryat Yovel Secularists Building their Case against Chareidim
By Yechiel Spira www.theyeshivaworld.com May 28, 2009
Anti-chareidi activists in the Kiryat Yovel area of Yerushalayim are gathering information to build a legal case that they hope will throw a wrench in the lives of the chareidim in the area.
They insist that the shul located on Ulsvenger Street, a former makolet (grocery store) is illegal, as is the area’s chareidi kindergarten. They have begun a neighborhood watch to begin recording other illegal chareidi operations in the area towards amassing a file against the frum community.
There are about 6,900 families in the Kiryat Yovel area, and the chareidi community is now estimated to be about 300 families. The secular majority appears determined to prevent Kiryat Yovel from becoming ‘another chareidi neighborhood in Yerushalayim
Thousands of housing units planned in Beit Shemesh
By Dotan Levy, Calcalist www.ynetnews.com May 26, 2009
In recent years the city, located near Jerusalem, has become a favored destination for the haredi population, and its supply of apartments is running out.
Some 1,000 housing units are currently being built in the Ramat Beit Shemesh Gimmel neighborhood and have all been sold, most of them to the haredi sector.
The city's expansion plan allows the construction of some 20,000 housing units.
'People connected to Jewish heritage'
Kobi Nahshoni www.ynetnews.com June 1, 2009
A survey published last week ahead of Shavuot revealed that 95% of the Jewish public in Israel keep either a Bible, a Pentateuch or a Siddur at home and 63% studied Jewish texts in the last six months, many of them on a daily basis.
The participants were asked which Jewish texts they held at home. Ninety percent replied that they have a Bible, 65% have a Siddur, 47% have a Pentateuch, while 5% don't own any of the aforementioned books.
Another question sought to establish the frequency in which people read the Holy Scriptures. Some 22% of the respondents said they read Jewish texts on a daily basis and 41% said they have done so within the last six months.
By Aryeh Dean Cohen www.jpost.com May 28, 2009
Welcome to Petah Tikva's Cafe Midrash, a self-described "spiritual bar-cafe," where the tables are surrounded by walls full of religious texts, a holy ark and a memorial plaque, and tonight's star performer is a rabbi who does card tricks, cracks jokes and leads his secular audience to spiritual places most have never been before.
The revolution is already here
By Chayuta Deutsch www.ynetnews.com May 31, 2009
Chayuta Deutsch is the editor of the Akdamot Journal, published by Beit Morasha of Jerusalem, and the author of Nechama: The Biography of Nechama Leibovitz, published by Yedioth Ahronot Press.
The program is designed for women who hold educational and public leadership positions, are highly motivated to engage in religious study, and are prepared to invest energy in the study of Halacha, in addition to their other endeavors.
By Peggy Cidor www.jpost.com My 28, 2009
…One thing is surely shared by all: The pluralistic batei midrash are not intended to encourage any process of repentance or return to religion.
"This is absolutely not our aim," says Calderon. "Sometimes people come and they are somewhat suspicious on this issue, but they quickly realize that this is not our goal and nothing is done to encourage it."
Video: All-night study sessions mark Shavuot
Interview with Alma Director Ruth Calderon
International Council of Jewish Women's seminar in Jerusalem
By Roz Lyons www.ynetnews.com June 1, 2009
Women from 19 countries came to the International Council of Jewish Women’s quadrennial educational seminar, which took place in Jerusalem this month, to learn about pioneering new ideas and programs that they can take back to their communities.
ICJW also launched its new Bea Zucker Online Bible Study Program, written by Dr. Bonna Devora Haberman, which offers Jewish educational materials with a feminist slant via the ICJW website to women everywhere.
From nation-state to node-state
By Ariel Beery www.haaretz.com Opinion May 28, 2009
Ariel Beery is the founder and co-director of the PresenTense Group, which equips social ventures and communities for the information age.
As such, any new vision for the state's relationship with Diaspora Jews that is based on the old paradigm will be obsolete at birth.
Instead, we need a new vision for the state itself, a vision that grapples with our Altneuwelt as opposed to our Altneuland.
Aliyah from U.K. jumps by 50 percent
By Cnaan Liphshiz www.haaretz.com May 28, 2009
Immigration from the U.K. leaped over 50 percent in early 2009 over the parallel periods last year, the Jewish Agency announced yesterday.
According to immigration assistance organization Nefesh B'Nefesh, more than half of the newcomers used its services rather than those of the Jewish Agency.
According to the Jewish Agency, 201 immigrants from the U.K. came to Israel from January to April, constituting a 53-percent increase compared to the 113 arrivals in the corresponding period last year.
From the U.S. and Canada, 565 new olim arrived in the first quarter of 2009, compared to 383 in 2008 and 313 in 2007. South African olim numbered 107 so far this year - a 22-percent hike compared to the 68 who came in early 2008.
What do you do when you're an ultra-Orthodox divorcee?
By Yair Ettinger www.haaretz.com May 31, 2009
For Aliza and more than 300 other Haredi women who belong to Em Habanim, the nonprofit organization is more than a recreational center. Some of the families here spend Shabbatot and holidays together under its auspices, and the women operate a social group that continues long past the center's hours and includes Internet forums for divorced Haredi women.
…"Sometimes we are treated as though we were the organization of eczema sufferers in the Haredi world "Malach says.
"We're told that as soon as we recognize that a problem exists, we also encourage it. Maybe that's true, but the problem still exists."
Haredi matchmaking rates skyrocketing
By Ari Galahar www.ynetnews.com May 31, 2009
Matchmaking rates in the ultra-Orthodox sector have risen significantly in the last months, along with the overall increase in prices. The hike is predominately felt among Ashkenazi families who seek to marry off their daughters to a distinguished family
Modern Orthodox families, who don't usually use the services of a matchmaker, are nevertheless willing to pay extremely high rates for shidduchim.
One of the most popular matchmakers of the sector's richest families, Miri Levi, charges $10,000 from her clients. Luckily for her, there are still enough people willing to pay these sums.
125,500 Learning in Yeshivas and Kollelim
By Yechiel Sever http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com May 31, 2009
Eretz Yisroel's 2,000 yeshivas and kollelim boast a total of 125,500 students learning 20,790,000 hours during the course of the regular sedorim, according to a survey released at the start of Shloshes Yemei Hagboloh.
The survey, conducted by Yated Ne'eman in cooperation with the Union of Yeshiva Managers, reveals that 30,000 students occupy the benches of 275 yeshivos ketanos while 35,500 students — including 8,000 foreign students — study at the various yeshivos gedolos in Eretz Hakodesh.
Sixty thousand avreichim, including 5,000 from abroad, attend all-day kollelim. 4,200 learn at half-day kollelim and 200 learn at kollelim geared to produce dayonim and rabbonim.
Chareidi Enrollment in Jerusalem School System Up 11% in 5 Years
By Yechiel Sever http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com May 31, 2009
The number of students at chareidi schools in Jerusalem has risen 11 percent over the past five years, according to findings by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Research.
According to the study 225,000 students are enrolled in Jerusalem this year. Of the 150,100 students at Jewish schools 59,900 (40 percent) study at government and government-religious schools and 90,200 (60 percent) study at chareidi institutions.
During the past five years (5764-5769) the number of students enrolled in Jerusalem's government and government-religious schools has decreased by 6 percent, while enrollment at chareidi schools has increased by 11 percent.
Bezeq Launches Kosher Phone Cards
By R. Gil http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com May 31, 2009
Over one year after launching Kav Venaki, Bezeq is advancing toward the second phase of the revolution in kosher phone use it has been leading in cooperation with Vaadat HaRabbonim LeInyonei Tikshoret.
During a recent press conference organized by advertising company Afikim, Bezeq unveiled its latest innovation in kosher communications: BezeqCards and other phone cards that cannot be used to access undesirable phone content, along with the Gold Public Telephone for use with the special phone cards and to be installed in yeshiva hallways.
Bezeq presented figures indicating that 90 percent of chareidi households use its services, saying the majority of the chareidi public is aware of the company's projects for the sake of chareidi community, including fostering Jewish values, promoting shemiras haloshon and special offers and discounts.
Hatzoloh Fights Magen David Adom Efforts to Keep Volunteers Away from Emergency Scenes
By Yechiel Sever http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com May 31, 2009
Chareidi emergency services organizations Ichud Hatzoloh and Hatzoloh Gush Dan are launching a resolute battle against Magen David Adom figures seeking to undermine their independence and their volunteers' dedicated efforts to provide first aid in accordance with halochoh based on directives by rabbonim.
By Jonathan Mirvis www.haaretz.com Opinion May 28, 2009
We can point to three contrasting "narratives" by which the event was described.
"Pope visits Israel and refuses to apologize for Holocaust"; the second reads, "Pope visits Holy Land and prays at the holy places."
One can find the first narrative in the Israeli media while the second is typical of the Catholic media, as well as of some of the general world media that covered the visit.
There is a third narrative reflected in Israel's traditional religious media, according to which the papal visit was a non-event
Christians down to 2% of capital's population
By Etgar Lefkovits www.jpost.com May 31, 2009
Some 15,000 Christians live in Jerusalem, compared to 31,000 who lived in the city before the establishment of the state in 1948, the figures issued by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies (JIIS) show.
In all, 150,000 Christians live in Israel.
The bitterly divided Christian community in Jerusalem includes 4,500 Catholics, 3,500 Greek Orthodox, 1,500 Armenians and 850 Protestants, the figures show.
In addition, about 2,600 Christian foreigners - mainly monks and clergymen - live in the city.
June 1, 2009 (Section 2) (continued from Section 1)
If you are reading in email or RSS feed, please click here to read ONLINE
Editor – Joel Katz
Religion and State in Israel is not affiliated with any organization or movement.
