Opinion
Cheating on Jerusalem
Amir Tchernichovsky
Published: 20.10.12, 14:55
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1. I totally agree with the author
Jim Tel-Aviv   (10.20.12)
Jerusalem is a fine city but it bears all features of museum, really - you can't switch the life off for the whole day, however scared it is to observant people. The city's wealth, beauty and attractiveness needs incessant work and activity, if you can't buy a bottle of water or take a child to the cinema on Sabbath - this is not a dwelling place anymore, it is something else. I saddens me to see that active, hard-working people leave Jerusalem for Tel-Aviv.
2. We love you too....But save your pity for somewhere else
Shadoil ,   Jerusalem   (10.20.12)
It depends on how you look at it. It's clear to us that that all your petty complaints if urine, infrastructure and the likes have nothing more to do with how YOU choose to see us.
3. True, Tel Aviv is better for seculars.
Nora Tel Aviv   (10.20.12)
Jerusalem is better for the religious, be it Jews, Christians or Moslems.
4.  It is not Jerusalem,it is you !
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (10.20.12)
Neither can carps live in pure rivers together with trouts .
5. Sad true
Sebastian ,   Jerusalem   (10.20.12)
I lived in Jerusalem for a long time, and I also loved it, including (and most especially) because of the spectrum of people and styles you can see on the street. This is of course as long as they get well together. However, we have to realize that the city is dying. No attractive jobs, incredibly high house prices, less and less fun for seculars. Some religious people are very fond of this reality, not caring about the fact that Jerusalem will be the slums of the country. Is this really what you want for the "holy city"? You want it to be the nastiest and poorest place to pray, and that's it? Don't you want to see it alive, full of colors and a beautiful place to live for ALL the people?
6. Freedom is Invaluable
Abdel Karim Salim ,   Jerusalem   (10.20.12)
I have always loved freedom . I was born and raised to be free . I am so used to a free life that I'm sure I could never manage anywhere without freedom . And normally there is much stress when living in a metropolitan city in a civilized epoch-especially when it is a mostly-religious and sacred city like Jerusalem . Definitely because of its divine status Jerusalem has been a considerably-conservative city - at least on surface ( with wild things happening all the time under the table ) ! Consequently ,in the latter part of my life , I dropped religion from my life ,and ever since then I've been viewing everything in a liberal way . And whenever I want to enjoy my life to the fullest I simply travel to Tel Aviv to stay there for a while . In Tel Aviv almost all aspects of life are quite liberal ; I like the beach and the sea waves , the girls , the handsome guys , the pubs and bars, the massage clubs , the theatres, and the romantic parks , and even the noisy, boisterous activities of daily life . To sum up , to me Tel Aviv is the very free and liberal mind not bound by any leash . To me , Tel Aviv is the real fun in life that is available any time and all the time ... !
7. @Ora It's actually you
david ,   Jerusalem   (10.20.12)
and all others like you who are destroying this city. I too am counting the days to leave the bloodiest piece of land in the world, and the dirtiest. Not only on garbage but because of religion.
8. it is not betrayal...
jason ,   israel   (10.20.12)
living in eretz israel is the point, and if jerusalem is not for you personally that's fine, no need for hair pulling. in my opinion as someone who lived in the city for 5 years and then moved to tel aviv, it needs a lot of work to attract and retain young people. that said, you can support jerusalem, and am yisrael in general, from anywhere in the world.
9. 7 david Jerusalem is the most ...
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (10.20.12)
beautiful town in the world. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Most of Jerusalem is absolutely clean. I am sure if you look in Tel Aviv for filthy quarters,you will easily find them.
10. @ora: since when religious coercion is beautiful?
Ze'ev ,   Nbg, germany   (10.21.12)
In jerusalem praying jewsih women get detained by jewish policemen! Is that beautyful? In jerusalem are modesty patrols bothering jews! Is that beautyful? And I could continue that a lot! So, careful, Ora.
11. Jerusalem is a dirty, filthy city
Rich ,   Toronto, Canada   (10.20.12)
and the people there don't give a damn about the place. I lived in Jerusalem for seven months and the high price and low quality of living was unacceptable. When you love something, you take care of it. Jews don't love each other nor Jerusalem that much.
12. 10 Of course Tel Aviv is perfect.
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (10.21.12)
13. In 1974 when I made my first visit to Israel I
Al   (10.21.12)
remember TA as a smelly smog filled town with a sickening urine smell especially near the Central Bus Station. I also remember the open displays of porn and the beggars sitting in filth, wailing for Zeddakah. I also remember the hookers plying their trade along Rehov Hayarkon.(Herzel would have been so proud). I bet it has improved of late what with Sushi, people of many colours and what not. Kind of reminds me of Cote Des Neiges here in Montreal, poor, multi cultural, crime filled, garbage flying in the streets with a bubbke tea restaurant on every corner.
14. You don't know really what's going on here in Jerusalem
Ariel ,   Jerusalem   (10.21.12)
Excuse me sir, but this city has only been improving in the last ten years. It got cleaner, night life is flourishing, culture, sports, ... It all improved. And in my opinion, we have such a luck to have Nir Barkat as our mayor. He's doing a wonderful job. Just stay in Tel Aviv, and don't bother anyway with your self-pitying. Thank you, Ariel, happy, secular/masorti Jerusalemite.
15. 12 , in Tel Aviv seculars will not impose
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (10.21.12)
their clothing style on you , will not shout at you because you're charidi , will let you live the way you want . In Our Capital it's the contrary , People can't live the way they want . The city is beautyful , sad that charedim live there .
16. No tourists would come if it not for secular Tel Aviv, Haifa
Michael ,   California, USA   (10.21.12)
17. Two views of Jerusalem
Sherlock Holmes ,   London England   (10.21.12)
Not so many years ago then Senator Obama and Senator Clinton said clearly that Jerusalem must be the united capital of Israel. Today the White House has retracted that statement. Those who see the rebuilding of Jerusalem as the fulfillment of Biblical Prophecy will not be put off, while seculars who see Israel as just another country will hesitate to buy homes in what could become a divided city.
18. 15 ..Jerusalem is the UNIQUE....
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (10.21.12)
Jewish holy city in the world, Her holiness makes her gloriously distinguishable from any other city. What sane person would want to change the grandiose Jerusalem in an ordinary modern city?
19. 16 For whom most hotels are Kosher..
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (10.21.12)
if not for the religious tourists?
20. forgive me
Daniel ,   brooklyn ny   (10.21.12)
maybe if you would respect shabat and have a little of torah values hashem will forgive you.
21. Michael 16 . Do you think that only religious
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (10.21.12)
visit My Capital ? Do you think that exept Tel Aviv and Haifa there are no other places to visit ? Never heard about Elat ? Nathanya ? Sdom ? Tsfat , with a magnificent old Synagogue ! I've visited this country more or less 20 times before making alyah . The first time in 1960 . The first possibility i had , it was in 1971 , i went to see the Liberated western wall , and i'm secular . But 100 % Jewish
22. Ora , 18 . Are stones holy ?
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (10.21.12)
Ok , they are a GREAT part of our History , but "holy" ? No need to change the City , only some of her intolerant inhabitants who try to impose their so called "lifestyle" on everyone , on , contrary to them , Sane persons
23. # 22
Birdi ,   Israel   (10.22.12)
No Charles, stones are not holy, but Ora is correct in saying, Jerusalem is our holy city. Jerusalem is known world-wide to be the holy city. Fact.
24. # 13
Birdi ,   Israel   (10.22.12)
Al, you really need to visit Israel/Tel-Aviv again as it has changed in many ways since 1974. Its much more organized & cleaner.Garbage is collected nightly & before Shabbat sets in. You wont find any hookers on Hayarkon Street anymore. They have a new venue. Would'nt you like to pay a visit to your 2 sons in the IDF?
25. # 18
Birdi ,   Israel   (10.22.12)
Very true Ora, Jerusalem is unique. Even the approach to Jerusalem from the highway makes my heart flutter with pride & excitement. There is only one Jerusalem & it belongs to us.
26. 23 , Birdi
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (10.22.12)
What is there "holy" then , if not the stones ? It's our Historical capital where our History is not written in books , but LIVE on many places . Every time i go to Yeroushalaim , at Sha'ar Hagai its always : here begins the Alyah to our Capital , our History . But to see it as "holy" , No , there's NOTHING holy . Saying that something is "holy" is idolatry .
27. Not the city I know
Ephraim ,   Jerusalem   (10.22.12)
After reading this article, I had to ask my wife if I was crazy. Where are these urine-filled areas? I don't know any. The bus station in Jerusalem is the Taj Mahal compared to the cesspool which is the Tel Aviv bus station and the surrounding area. We have 9 bus lines near our home. Traffic is FAR less than Tel-Aviv. The train to Tel-Aviv is five minutes away. The beautiful, scenic bus trip to Tel-Aviv from Jerusalem takes less time than it takes for someone in Petach Tikva to get to Tel-Aviv in the rush hour traffic. When friends from Tel-Aviv come to visit, they are amazed at the beauty of the city, the assortment of trees, the flowers, as well as the variety of people. While people in Tel-Aviv sweat and try to breathe in the humidity, we enjoy the cool nights and the ability to breathe normally. We have a grocery store underneath our apartment, and a 24 hour supermarket three blocks away. The writer makes it seem that we have to stock up here as if there was a famine or a war. I don't know what he's talking about. It seems his biggest complaint is not being able to go out to a bar or go shopping on Shabbat. I have no problem buying what I need on Friday, and sitting with family and friends having a drink at home or in a one of countless beautiful parks in the city. Speaking of parks, is he kidding me? I have never seen a city anywhere in the world with more parks than Jerusalem. How many parks are in central Tel-Aviv? About lack of jobs, who does he blame for that? Where are the business leaders and the government? If so many people are leaving for jobs, why not open businesses here, offer incentives to bring jobs to Jerusalem? This is a failure of the government and business. As an oleh from America, I also don't see the problem to commute to Tel-Aviv if needed. Millions commute to New York every day, which takes much longer and is a much bigger hassle than getting to Tel-Aviv from Jerusalem. As a person who claims to love Jerusalem, you go out of your way to paint a very bad picture of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I love this city, and I'll take the atmosphere and people here over Tel-Aviv any day. People are friendlier here, more relaxed, more willing to help others. If you want to live in a rat race, go to New York or Cairo, why stop at Tel-Aviv? Yes, most restaurants and bars are closed on Shabbat, so what? Every place is packed on Thursdays and Saturday nights. You can also find plenty of places that are open on Shabbat. Jerusalem and its restaurants and bars are more inclusive than Tel-Aviv. Anyone can eat in a Kosher restaurant, religious or secular. People who keep kosher cannot eat in most of the restaurants in Tel-Aviv. Why not serve ALL the people? Most people who complain about restaurants closed on Shabbat don't think about that. Religious people want to eat out sometimes as well, and in Tel-Aviv, that is very difficult. Here, nothing to think about, most places are kosher, and EVERYONE can eat there. To foreigners, don't listen to this man. Jerusalem is a great city. Parks, museums, an amazing zoo, theaters, malls, great people....and oh, I forgot, the Old City and thousands of years of history. To Israelis sick of the hustle and bustle of the "big" city, try it here, you may like it. Shabbats are great here, very quiet. You don't have to be religious to enjoy a day without buses, traffic jams, and the usual chaos of life. Sundays in America were great, not because of religion, but for the quiet. Sit home and watch some football. Six days of insanity are enough, it's nice to have a peaceful day. You don't have to go to a synagogue or keep Shabbat. Walk with your kids to the park. Have time to TALK to your spouse and children without the usual distractions. Enjoy a day sitting in your flower filled garden without thinking about work and the phone ringing from bill collectors. Come visit, we look forward to welcoming you.
28. 22 Charles,read 27 Great comment.
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (10.22.12)
Stones associated with the Divine are holy.
29. 26 Charles Venerating FAKE gods..
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (10.22.12)
is idolatry.
30. Ora , 28
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (10.22.12)
This 27 does NOT talk about some [ many ! ] of the INHABITANTS , intolerant hateful towards everyone not from their sect , those "believers" in a childish superstition . As there is NO divinity , there is NO divene , so NO "holy" stones either .
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