Day 8: Shabbat in Jerusalem

I should start with the standard disclaimer that the views expressed herein reflect only those of the author and may not be congruent with those of the United States of America, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Newton or my loving spouse.  Also, I take full responsibility for any distortions of opinions expressed to me during my stay here (remember, my motto is “The Truth or Something Better”.) However, I find my response to Jerusalem to be very mixed. The city is beautiful, the layers of history astounding, and the mix of people unique, but the constant presence and power of the ultra-orthodox I find oppressive.  And apparently I am not the only one who regards their control of life in the city with despair. From my conversations with a variety of secular Jews here, it is clear that the demands the ultra-orthodox is a major point of tension.  Indeed the children of one family all left Jerusalem for Tel Aviv, at least in part because they resented the control of the ultra-orthodox over their lives. Others have framed it in economic terms with the general view that the very religious contribute little in terms of economic output for the state of Israel, but consume a very large proportion of state resources. 

Our Shabbat morning is spent exploring the Mayer Museum of Islamic Art  (which, in addition to telling the story of Islam and exhibiting its various artifacts also has one of the best watch and clock collections in the world. A large part of the collection was stolen 25 years ago, but was recovered in 2008 and is now again on display. For the full story, see  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/05/naaman-diller-israeli-clock-thief

In the afternoon we return to the Old City to wander the streets of Christian area with its narrow lanes  and tiny market stalls. What was empty of life at 11:30 last night is now filled with a mass of humanity and the sounds of a multitude of languages echo down the passageways. We finally find a haven of calm amidst the turmoil in the Austrian hospice café, which has excellent apple strudel.