“Jerusalem is Full of Frechot”

In my last post, I wrote about the techniques used by a charedi Jerusalem school to discourage sephardic girls from applying. But subtle discrimination against sephardim (Jews with family origins in Moslem countries) occurs in all sectors. A friend of mine is looking for a junior high school for … [Read more...]

What Are the Gift-Giving Customs in Israel?

  Several years ago Parents Magazine contacted me about a story it was doing on parenting around the world. The inquiry led to What Defines Israeli Parenting, a raucous discussion, and a second highly charged post about Israeli "rudeness." Recently, a gift website asked me to help out for … [Read more...]

News and Links on Beit Shemesh

Since the documentary aired last week (now updated with clearer subtitles), the girls of Orot in Beit Shemesh have been able to get to school with no problem. The publicity achieved its immediate goal. Whether it will work in the long term remains to be seen. Some of the haredi response has … [Read more...]

Anglo Immigrants: Arbiters of Social Rightness?

New reader Ruth Alfasi wrote to me to object to the discussion of whether Israelis are rude. She writes: Connecting Israelis with rudeness is, if not rude itself, and if not lacking derech eretz (good manners) , certainly culturally insensitive. We are here now, and as Jews we ought to give … [Read more...]

Is There Anti-Haredi Discrimination in Elad?

I spotted this sign in the lobby of an apartment building in the religious city of Elad, on Highway 444 between Rosh Haayin and Shoham. About 15 years ago, when the town was first founded, the government allocated building projects for two sectors: Haredim and national religious, also known as … [Read more...]

Being Polite Earns You More Money in Israel

The Israeli business magazine Globes reports on a connection between high salaries and politeness: Polite Israelis earn more A JIMS survey found no correlation between education and politeness. Yossi Nissan A survey conducted among Israelis ahead of Yom Kippur has found that politeness pays. … [Read more...]

The Endless Battle over Ending Daylight Time

Did you have fun setting and clearing the table half a dozen times? Washing enough dishes to last until next year (and don't tell me you used paper!)? I certainly hope you enjoyed the three-day marathon of cooking, praying and eating that was Rosh Hashanah followed by Shabbat, because we get to do … [Read more...]

Handy Segulah Chart Rates Effectiveness

This is from the Facebook page of Gornisht KeCharedi Gamur, who got his start leaving entertaining "talkbacks" on articles in the Hebrew press relating to Charedim. Very few people know his identity, but it's clear he understands the charedi world very well. I wrote to him, and he says he doesn't … [Read more...]

In Defense of “Fascist” Email List Moderators

Image by .mw via Flickr Jameel complained about the rejection of a public service message by moderators of the Modiin community email list. The message was from parents looking for other religious parents of autistic children interested in a residential program. The sender received the following … [Read more...]

Pashkevilim: Wall Posters in Jerusalem Part III, Spoofs and Cellphones

This is Part III of a series on pashkevilim, the anti-establishment wall posters hung in large haredi neighborhoods. The series is based on a talk by Tzuriel Rashi of Michlelet Lifshitz and Bar Ilan University. See Part I and Part II. Pashkevil forbidding the use of Zionist banknotes. Credit: Ben … [Read more...]