Great visuals on Google Image for the mass demonstration by ultra-orthodox Jews in lower Manhattan today against plans to draft yeshiva boys into the army. Chemi Shalev’s piece in Haaretz was translated at the Forward. This too is American Judaism, religion in the public sphere, religion-media-spectacle, and Israel agonistes. “After a little more than an hour of prayer, tears and heartfelt grief, the crowd disperses quietly, the policemen heave a big sigh of relief and the tourists from China, Norway and Japan keep on clicking, because without photographic proof, they realize, no one back home will believe them.“
vERY MIXED FEELING SINCE SOME OF MY HAREDI GRAND CHILDREN WERE IN THE CROWD [ I HAVE TEN] . iN ADDITION i AM EMOTIONALLY CONFUSED ON THE ARMY ISSUE. oF COURSE i BELIEVE THAT THE HAREDIM SHOULD DO THEIR PART IN DEFENDING iSRAEL BUT THEN i WORRY ABOUT mOISHE MY EIGHTEEN YEAR OLD HAREDI GRANDSON AND HIS YOUNGER BROTHERS ELIYAHU HAYIM AND SHEMUEL DOVID…..
nONE OF MY FAMILY EVER SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES IN THE uS SO THIS IS A NEW PROSPECT.
thanks, Mel, for the human touch, as always.