Nir Won.
Since there are all sorts of personal affiliations involved, I'm pleased even beyond the general satisfaction that perhaps, finally, maybe, please? we'll have a mayor who'll start patching up this ancient battered town.
And maybe, if he's already at it, he'll fix the economy, create social justice for all, bring world peace to the Middle East and elsewhere, heal the planet... oh. Sorry about that...
FROM CAROL HERMAN
ReplyDeleteA long time ago I read an interesting opinion. It said most people think CEO's in companies that are making gigantic headway, are really geniuses. Turns out this is not true.
The real genius can take a downward slide, and stop it.
Jerusalem? Exactly how do you intend to fix the problem?
The biggest problem comes from the ghettos of Europe. Where men were kept at home, where it was safer. And, for them to occupy their time, the time was filled with "Torah study." To feed the children, it was the women who had to go out and work. (Cleaning homes. Cooking for others. Where both the homes and the income meant they left poverty, to work for the middle classes.)
Women became strong!
But the men became "soft." No heavy lifting for them! No jobs!
And, this is at the root of the problems, now. WIthin the ultra-orthodox framework you have men who eschew working at all! They're insulted you even think this is a necessity. WHile they are "breeders."
And? To pay for all of this it became necessary to grab at tax dollars. Voting in big blocs helped. And, then, there was "schnorring." This too is a European handicap. Done by sending out the youngest children to schnorr around tour buses.
The biggest problem to emerge? Probably the teenagers (mostly males), who don't fit into these families, well. And, who are cast out into the streets.)
And, the other group. He are hostile. And, become tools for the settlers to use. The IDF does little to stop this violence. Because? IT would mean hurting other Jews. Just as the police have become disabled. Nothing like letting thugs gain control of the police department! And, then turning it into a politcal arm. Of course, this is a problem outside of Jerusalem. But a problem none-the-same.
So far, there have been 3 major Holocausts to Judaism. The first one led to the destruction of the First Temple. And, the Book of Esther.
The second one led to the "tangle with Rome." And, the destruction of the Second Temple. But first, the extremists turned the Temple into a fortress. (If it wasn't for Josephus; who actually stood there, begging Jews NOT to do something so insane, but failing to make a dent) ... You come to what happened next.
40 years later. Two generations. There was very little that survived in Jerusalem. The Romans were thorough in the revenge they took in Jerusalem. (Yes. Recorded. By Josephus. In Greek. Because by then, and, at least since the destruction of the First Temple ... whereby by choice, or otherwise, Jews left and migrated to other lands.)
Rabbis became the "care-takers" after the destruction of the Second Temple. Before that? The only ones who could run the temple, were born into their posts. Cohens. And, Levi's. Had nothing to do with ability. You were born into this aristocracy; or you didn't get in.
Forty years after Christ died the first pagans, and others, accepted his 'truth.' And, a new movement was born. In it, the Jews were cast out as scape goats. And, this remained true, even until this day.
Except for the 3rd Holocaust. Which has led to the building of museums.
The biggest mistake when dealing with the Romans, was the mistaken belief that "with God on your side" you'd be at no disadvantage when fighting the greatest living arm of its time. MISTAKE. Do you hear me?
Jerusalem had, at one time, a mix between the orthodox, and Jews who weren't. So the orthodox were able to plunk folding chairs, which they chained to lamp posts during the week. And, then on Saturdays, some religious nutter pulled the chair into the middle of the street.
And, like not wanting to fight settlers, these religious nutters discovered cars wouldn't drive over them, leaving them dead. People stopped.
And, people pulled away.
Why cry now? Because without an economy, just schnorrers, you've got no funds to maintain your infrastructure.
Oh, there's an interesting article in today's Jersualem Post about Barkat's "victory." Turns out the old voting system is coming apart; and leaving a lot of dissatisfied groups inside the Haredi movement.
How so? Well, there once was a time the Ger rabbi could tell you want to do. And, how many generations later? There are othodox Jews without access to the "religious positions controlled by Ger." And, the reality that if you're going to have children, you really do need a male who can go out and FEED THEM! No excuses!
Will things remain the same?
NEVER!
Because they never remain static. Just like water, you can't jump into the same spot twice.
But you can learn from history. Poke at it. See what's missing among the orthodox, and you come up with a decent education that would prepare a man to go out into society and WORK. Earning a living is not a foreign language.
Believe that God comes along and "wins" your battles is a fool's paradise. Bound to disappoint.
While so much went on in Europe! Here's my list: SPINOZA, MARTIN BUBER,and Einstein. Can't go wrong if you can handle those books!
And, if you want to read the mishigas of what it's like when a man isn't born out of Queen Elizabeth's belly, so he'd be automatically an aristocrat; go ahead. Waste your time with Marx! Every thug wants to put "socialism" into play. More for them. Less for you.
While of all things, the Jerusalem vote gave Gaydamyek, or whatver the russian billionaire's name is, about 3.5% of the vote. Hey. He did as well as Ralph Nader. Doesn't give ya hope to win just by throwing money, though, does it?