Page 14 - Kol Bogrei Habonim - September 15
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SOME ANOMALIES OF
LIFE IN ISRAEL
GERRY KELMAN, GEDERA
I YOM KIPPUR
have lived in Israel for over 50 years now
Yom Kippur is recognised as the holiest day in the
and there have been very many changes since
the early 1960s when we were still such a
young country. Of course, there have been as Jewish/Israel calendar, both for those who fast and
pray and also for those secular enough not to get
many dramatic changes in the UK that I left involved in the religious connotations. It is the
behind and, in fact, in the whole world. But some quietest day of the year, with emergency transport
of the situations in Israel are weird, to say the least, only, a day for which the secular would raid the
and worthy of mention. nearest blockbuster store to bring home videos for
family entertainment. I haven't been able to trace
COLLECTING any specific path of development but slowly -
"Alte Zachen" is the Yiddish phrase for "any old very slowly - Erev Yom Kippur in particular has
jumble". Generally, two or three guys in a small become the time when the streets are flooded with
open truck drive slowly round residential areas, bicycles, exploiting the absence of motorized
broadcasting through their elementary megaphone, transport. Magen David Adom is called out to deal
offering their services to anyone who wants to with hundreds of bike accidents and going for a
divest themselves of old furniture, electrical walk at that time has become a risky venture. To
appliances, clothes, bed-ware, etc., etc., usually my amazement, this year in Gedera, when taking
free of charge. What is unusual is that the my "risky walk", I noted religious people, after
collectors are inevitably Arabs, usually prayers, accompanying their kids and shouting at
Palestinians although occasionally Israeli Arabs. them to be careful on their bikes.
The use of Yiddish with a strong Arab accent is
calculated to bring a smile to one's face. SUCCOTH
During Succoth, כ קרפ ארקיו"ג commands the
CITIZENSHIP children of Israel to build for themselves, from
Israeli Arabs - who constitute about 20% of the natural materials to be found close to home, a
total population of Israel - are some of the most temporary dwelling in which they can eat, relax
vociferous opponents of the concept of territorial and sleep during the seven days of the festival.
exchange that is being floated as part of a Peace The emphasis is on the simplicity and the use of
Agreement between the two States (Palestine and what can be found in nature. However, over recent
Israel). That is, Israel would retain some of the years, a flourishing industry has been established
major settlement blocks in exchange for in Israel of pre-fabricated, "do it yourself", instant
transferring the most highly Arab-populated areas Succoth. For as little as NIS 600 and for as much
of Israel to Palestine. Recent polls have shown as NIS 5,000 (and even more), one can purchase
that, although many of Israel's Arabs consider these commercial Succoth. It seems to me that
themselves as Palestinian, they most vehemently there is an exponential increase in their use year-
object to the idea of their citizenship being on-year. On Motsei Yom Kippur, after breaking
transferred from Israel to Palestine. the Fast, one would see families gathering
branches and hear the sound of hammering as
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