Something Good: "Media" Sure Changing in Israel

Dancing to Jewish music during a morning talk show

Here in Israel it wasn't all that long ago, when the only time you'd see an obviously religious Jew on Israeli television news was when  one was being interviewed. Those holding the microphone were uniformly bareheaded.

In the days when I was a young mother, we'd advise each other to encourage our children to "go into the media" as careers. It was a very sturdy "double-glazed glass ceiling" in terms of both religious observance and politics. Until not all that long ago, the Israeli media was strictly secular-Left. If anyone didn't "fit in," he or she'd be relegated to technical staff at best.

The Israeli media, first radio and later on television, shaped opinion and had a lot of influence. So when we talked of encouraging our children to break in and make careers in the media, it seemed rather revolutionary, more Don Quixote, than a practical profession like teaching, nursing, engineering and computers.

A few years ago, Bibi Netanyahu's Likud Government disbanded the old Leftist government Israel Broadcasting Authority and established a few "private," though government backed television/radio companies. Even though some of the old veteran media stars are still featured, there are many new ones. This new media revolution broke the hold the Histadrut, Israel's powerful labor union, had on the media.

Today, Channel 11 seems to be dominated by men who wear kippot, and many of those kippot are cloth, usually black, not the crocheted favored by the religiously moderate Bnai Akiva, NRP.

True change is always slow, and of course nothing will ever be perfect. But I think that we're going in the right direction. Religious women, married with hair covered in various styles, are also now seen on television even giving opinions. Gd willing I'll try to take photos and write about them, too.

Yes, I see wonderful changes and improvement here in Israel. This isn't the way things were half a century or even twenty years ago, Baruch Hashem, Thank Gd.

Why is The Secular Left so Obsessed with Converting Us?

I don't feel threatened by the secular Left, so why do they feel so threatened by us on the Right?

Lihavdil, it reminds me of the christian proselytizing of "unbelievers." In contrast, if someone wants to convert to Judaism he/she must literally beg and do one's best to convince the rabbis to take him/her on as a potential Jew.

IMHO the secular Left suffers from an insecurity, since their religion/ideology keeps changing with the seasons. And they never know who's going to ask too many questions and end up taking on traditional Judaism and/or Right views.

What is known today as BT- Ba'ale Teshuva, "masters of return," began in the 1960's a generation or two after it had looked like most Jews had jumped ship in their enthusiasm to assimilate into secular and non-Jewish society. 

I'll never forget the shock and dismay when I began taking on Torah Jewish aka Orthodox practices/mitzvot. My parents had been certain that they had saved us from the restrictions and difficulties that strictly observing Judaism would cause us.  They were also on the political Left; I remember their disappointment when Eisenhower defeated Stevenson in the 1956 USA Presidential Elections. They'd be horrified to discover that I'm on the Right also politically.

Ironically, the "wild" 1960's in its search for truth, simplicity and the intolerance of hypocrisy facilitated my increased connection to Judaism in every way. I couldn't abide being a part time or just Jew "in name" living outside of the Holyland.

I can tell my story, but I can't imagine trying to brainwash or convince anyone to live how I do. It is something one must reach on one's own. You must be ripe for it, like the difference between a ripe fruit and one that isn't edible.

Gd willing all Jews will find themselves ready to lead full Jewish lives in the Land of Israel.

A Guide to The Kotel and Temple Mount

A Guide to The Kotel and Temple Mount is cross-posted on Israel Blogger.

Bibi's latest, of a very long, long list, capitulation to dangerous and ridiculous Leftist pro-Arab terrorist demands was the removal of the recently set up metal detectors to the Temple Mount for Arabs. As Paula Stern aka A Soldier's Mother has complained on facebook, not only do Jews, Christians and whatevers have to undergo demeaning "inspections" to get to the Temple Mount, where we're forbidden prayers, but just to go to the Kotel we go through metal detectors and our possessions are xrayed.

For those unfamiliar with the Old City of Jerusalem, the Kotel and Temple Mount, I'll explain a bit of the "geography." The Temple Mount is in the old walled City of Jerusalem. It's an "outer section." The "outer wall" of the Temple Mount is a section of the Old City Walls. The Kotel is a "support wall" of the Temple Mount, not the ancient Jewish Holy Temple, and an inner wall in the Old City. If you look at pre-1967 Six Days War photos you won't see anything like today's large impressive plaza. It was more like a narrow street where Jews gathered to pray by that wall.

In recent decades, since the 1967 war, not only has the State of Israel removed buildings to allow for massive Jewish Prayer at the Kotel, but it installed security inspection machinery at all entrances to the plaza. Everyone goes through a personal metal detector and puts his/her bags through a special x-ray conveyor belt. That is just to get to the Kotel.

Now, if you want to ascend the Temple Mount, you go through an additional, much more extensive security inspection. Your bags will be opened, checked and frequently held by the special security staff. Tourists, Jews, Christians and anyone else who doesn't seem to be an Arab Muslim can only enter through that gate.

Muslim Arabs have other entrances to the Temple Mount which aren't from the Kotel area. That means that not only aren't they inspected before entering the Temple Mount, but they haven't gone passed through the metal detectors at the entrances to the Kotel.

Simple Arithmetic:

1 + 1 = 2 versus 0

Yes, the Arabs can bring anything they want up to the Temple Mount, whether something as safe or innocuous as food or prayer books, but also guns, knives and explosives. The Israeli soldiers/police stationed at the Arab entrances have nothing to do other than being "window dressing" to make it look like there's some security. Their only real job is to keep the non-Muslims from entering.

Back to Rules for Non-Muslims:

Non-Muslims may be able to bring food, though saying a prayer/blessing before eating may get you carted out. Prayers are forbidden, so we aren't allowed to have any prayer books with us on the Temple Mount. And of course, anything considered to be a weapon is forbidden. Remember that the bags are inspected besides personal metal detectors, rather reminiscent of airport security.

Here's another very big difference between Muslims and non-Muslims on the Temple Mount.  While Muslims can wander freely, all others are herded into groups which are supervised by "guides." These "guides" not only restrict where a visitor can go, but they constantly watch to prevent anyone from praying. Yes, I kid you not. For some totally fokokt reason, the Israeli Government has long agreed to the Wakf demand that there only be Islamic prayer on the Holiest Site for Jews.

None of this makes sense. Does it?

Why don't we have minimal Civil Rights or Religious Rights in the Holiest of Places?

It's now less than a week until the 9th of Av when for millennia the Jewish People have mourned the loss and destruction of our Holy Temples. The time has come to stop mourning and start building the Third Holy Temple. Stage one is to be fully sovereign in The Land of Israel, the City of Jerusalem and on the Temple Mount!