Charedim, segregation and the battle for Beit Shemesh

I've been reeling the past few days over the information coming from Israel.  Of course, tensions are always high in the Middle East, but the tensions in Ramat Beit Shemesh are not from the outside.  They are coming from within.  A fight between Dat Leumi (Religious Zionists - think standard Orthodox in the US or Canada) and some fringe Charedim that has been long simmering is at a boiling point.

The problem centers around Orot Banot, an all girls school that is for the Dati Leumi in the neighborhood.  Reports have been coming in that the girls on their way to school are being spit on , called "shiksas", and called whores. Their mothers are harassed as well.

These are not girls or women dressed immodestly!  They are dressed modestly by normative Orthodox practice, but not dressed as the Charedim dress.

Here is an Englished subtited (thank you A Mother in Israel) video about what's going down

Here is another interview with a resident of RBS:

As the woman in the second interview points out, it's not ALL charedim.  It's a small fringe.  But they are loud and strong.

It's also not just the school harassment.  This particular group have also posted signs demanding that segregation on the sidewalks be the rule. They regularly harass DL members of the community.  The funny thing is, as charedi they are almost completely reliant on the good folks they are harassing.  How so?  Most charedi are on government assistance.  The men study all day and the women are at home.  They have large families and now way to pay for these families.  So they rely on the tax dollars of the same people they give hell to. Cut them off, would be my suggestion.

Where are the police,  you may ask.  When the police did show up this past weekend to remove the signs.  And it sparked a nice clash. They had rocks and eggs thrown at them.   Journalists have been attacked too.

It's hard for me to explain to people who are not Jewish that 1) this is not all ultra-Orthodox and 2) they are attacking other Orthodox, not secular residents (although secular residents suffer under the charedi too). I am disgusted the government is not taking a stand against these fringe groups.  I am even more disgusted that the rabbonim are not taking a harder line on them.  What's happening in RBS is bad for all of Israel and bad for Jews everywhere.

Hunger strike

I'm pretty certain Sophia is on a hunger strike.  What's she protesting I am not sure of but she's devoted to her cause. Maybe I should take comfort in the fact that she is so devoted but I really am worried about her not eating. And for all I know she's protesting me and my oppressive regime.

So far today I have tried toast, applesauce, egg, noodles, mangoes, pomegranates, and yogurt.  Each time she shrieked at me and acted like I was approaching her with a bottle of poison.  I'm not a bad cook, kid. She has been nibbling on things like Cheerios and goldfish crackers but not even as much as she normally would. This is day 3 of this behavior.  She's drinking milk and water just fine.

My mother has told me not to worry, she's being a toddler.  Well...you know, I'm old and cannot handle this stress. So I guess I'll just make a buffet for dinner and pray she picks something off it.

Preemie toddlerhood

Last week at the Neonatal Follow Up Clinic, we received a dire warning.  Sophia is on her way to needing therapy because we give in too much.

It's true.  When she gets up at 1am and won't go back to bed,  I do just let her out into the living room to play and watch In the Night Garden dvds. It's because I hate crying and and I feel like a jerk.  She gets these super big tears and I am convinced she'll remember that I was a jerk who let her cry and need therapy some day.

I understand kids need and want boundaries.  I'm just bad at it.  So Nick and I re-committed to holding the line with her, no matter how wound up she gets.

Otherwise, she's doing well.  She's a limit testing, walking, climbing, tantrum throwing toddler.  I'll take it.  :)