Opinion
A truly ugly bridge
Jackie Levy
Published: 27.06.08, 14:31
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1. Architects and urban planners
Raptor ,   Israel   (06.27.08)
live out their fantasies at the expense of the general public and create monstrosities and useless white elephants.
2. bridge
(06.27.08)
this bridge may have been expensive to build but arent all bridges costly? this was supposed to look like Davids harp i understand, so what is so bad about that?
3. THIS CALATRAVA BRIDGE IS BEAUTIFUL, YOU UNCULTIVATED SABRA.
Gideon   (06.27.08)
4. "a truely ugly bridge"
Jordann ,   be'er sheva, israel   (06.27.08)
Dear Jackie Levy, I strongly dissagree with you. The bridge *is* beautiful, it's well constructed, it's enjoyable to look at and to think about. It would be beautiful in San Fransisco, Boston, Be'er Sheva or Jerusalem. As an entity of itself, it is beautiful, and sure - there are other projects Jerusalem could be investing her money into - but, it is apparent that the city needs an effective and efficient public transport system, and - in light of this progression towards what other cities have had for many decades now - I argue that this bridge points towards the future, it promises investment and hope, and, I would argue, that gratuitous beauty belongs everywhere, even amongst the poor. Sincerely, Jordann.
5. You are right, the religious bigots do not deserve such ...
The Doc ,   Haifa, Israel   (06.27.08)
... a gift. They can go on living in their dirty and smelly neighborhoods, rejecting the modern life, scorning and trying to make everybody else's life as miserable as theirs, not paying taxes, living off National Insurance and giving birth to equally zero-doing generations. Pity this has to happen in Jerusalem to which so many Jews turn their prayers. These Middle-Ages bigots have transformed our capital from a "Jerusalem of Gold" to a "Jerusalem of racism, bigotry and backwardness". Yes, that bridge would have fit ANYWHERE else in Israel, except for in Jerusalem!
6. waste of time and money
yosii ,   jerusalem israel   (06.27.08)
they only built the bridge to show everyone else that they are progressing with the railroad . when in fact they are late by 5 years, and it wont be ready for another 4-5 years from now. we could have put the money to better use,they also should have built an ancient looking bridge to blend it in to the jerusalem backround
7. Jackie doesn't understand yet
Ariel ,   Jerusalem   (06.27.08)
Jackie doesn't understand yet the power this bridge is having and will have in the positive metamorphosis Jerusalem is going through.
8. Urban renewal
J K ,   NYC, USA   (06.27.08)
I don't know if this bridge will be wasted on the public at large, but aren't projects like these part of urban renewal? Wouldn't this lead to more businesses around this new bridge and possibly to more job opportunities for people? http://www.tzomet.net
9. Title says Ugly, text says Beautiful. Make up your mind.
(06.27.08)
According to this story the bridge is beautiful, but Jerusalem is ugly. Now, there is a bright spot in Jerusalem. A symbol of hope, pride, and optimism. The bridge is a thing of beauty, now it's up to Jerusalem to catch up.
10. A Goy Bridge
Ariel Ben Yohanan ,   Kfar Tapuah, Efraim   (06.27.08)
The Chords Bridge of Jerusalem is a goy bridge to symbolise the rule of the erev rav over the Jews in Israel. Designed by a Spanish and made in Italy, assembled by Israeli firms that don’t distinguish between Arab and Jewish labor, it is an arrogant phallic symbol towering over holy, modest Jerusalem: an altogether goy concept. Even the dressed up girls dancing in the inauguration ceremony is precisely: a goy concept. I wouldn’t be surprised if G-d tore it down next winter with a lightening.
11. A truly ugly bridge- SUE THEM!
Moshe ,   Jerusalem   (06.27.08)
I wholeheartedly agree with Jackie Levy, and Lupiansky should be ashamed of himself. On one hand asking money for the poor, he has taken the money from their mouths and put it in a piece of pretencious architecture that does nothing to beautify the city or help it's residents out of their daily trafiic quagmire. Like the light railway why can't those who sanctioned these projects be sued for the amount they are over-budjet! maybe that will make anyone think twice before they sanction such grandiose schemes. And was there complete transparancy on the finacial side- I bet not.
12. #10
DM ,   Amsterdam   (06.27.08)
Put your feet back on the ground. Goy this Goy that Goy whatever... By talking the way you do you are not even a Goy but an Shameless animal. Shabat Shalom!
13. I have yet to see or find a decent picture of this bridge in
Stewart ,   USA   (06.27.08)
properspective from Ynet or anywhere on the web. I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to think of it. I can't believe someone hasn't taken an aireal shot of the bridge so it can be view in its entirety from a proper perspective without all the distortion of wide angle lenses. It's one thing when you use a wide angle lens to take a dramatic shot of something one already knows such as the St. Louis Gateway Arch. One has some visual reference point to previous aireal shots showing the arch as is in proper perspective. Why can't YNet or anyone for that mater get a decent shot of this thing so we know what it really looks like?
14. calatrava bridge
david ,   jerusalem   (06.27.08)
#4 i agree with your comments and feel Jackie, although his observations bear thinking about (dirty streets etc) has missed the point. It is something very different and beautiful, adding to the uniquness of Yerishalayim, unlike that monstrosity at the entrance to Jerusalem on the highway, which is now redundant and could be happily pulled down.
15. demagogy
yohanan   (06.27.08)
this is pure demagogy. ugly words from a frastrated journalist.
16. bridge
chava ,   yerushalayim   (06.27.08)
No one is comparing this to the entry statue thing years ago that some thought looked like McDonald's golden arches. There were arguments that Jerusalem needed to combine the old and the new, and deserved a memorable entry. But in the end, it was rejected (b"H). If the bent-over string thing weren't holding up the whole bridge, I'd say to keep the bridge part (a nice gentle angled line) and toss the strings. But I guess it'll all fall down if that's done.
17. Re: 12 Nameless hiding in Jew loving Amsterdam, Denmark
Ariel Ben Yohanan ,   Kfar Tapuah, Efraim   (06.27.08)
Instead of attacking me personally it would be helpful if you could produce a thought in general and an answer to what is Jewish about that bridge in particular. As it is, your intervention is meaningless.
18. the argument doesnt add up but the bridge doesnt belong
zionist forever   (06.27.08)
The bridge is there to serve a purpose which is going to benefit all Jerusalem residents and the country as a whole and thats the rail. The argument that because Jerusalem is a poor city so things like this shouldnt be built because Jerusalem has not right to spend money on anything other than the poor. Countries, towns, individuals they have budgets you alocate a certain amount for one sector and some money goes to another sector. The budget was drawn up to allow for the construction of a bridge. The entire country has poor people so untill they are all rich does this mean we shouldnt spend a single shekel on projects like national parks, museums, and other luxury projects we can manage without but its nice to have? That kind of thinking means your going to have a country where you can live but not a country which is desirable to live in. Its allways got to come down to budgeting and sharing the money between different sectors and even then there will allways be somebody who thinks their cause is more deserving so they should have got more than they did. As for the bridge itself in somewhere like Tel Aviv this bridge would be fine in the modern enviroment of Tel Aviv a modern looking bridge has a place but a city like Jerusalem which is famous for its history and is full of old buildings so the arcitecture is all wrong.
19. #10 Tasteless comment
Sharon ,   Tel Aviv   (06.27.08)
Written by a fanatic from a settlement known for fanaticism. What do you get out of bashing people in this manner? Your hatred is embarassing and unJewish. Another reason to plan yerida.
20. To #10, Goy-oy-oy
fransisco goya ,   goyland   (06.27.08)
Bravo, throw away your goy car, goy tv and goy pc. Boycot goy oil and goy language also! Show them!
21. Truly beautiful Jackie Levy. Thank you for picture
Jackie Levy fanclub   (06.27.08)
Please remove the ugly bridge pic now! Increase Jackie's picture in the article!
22. Jerusalem lacks some needs , yes !
bar ,   Israel   (06.27.08)
A good public transportation service , is one of them . And this bridge is part of a better public service . Late ? maybe some people opposed this construction by every possible way . Our Capital , as other great ones , deserves a efficient light railway , a fast and reliable service .
23. Ariel # 10 , are you sane ?
Bar ,   Israel   (06.27.08)
I don't think so . Or maybe that you live in the 16th century ?
24. Doc # 5 Bigots
James Conner ,   Wichita   (06.27.08)
Please, first look up the word "Bigot" in the dictionary. "Hello? Kettle this the Pot.'
25. To #20 Frasisco Goya
Daniel ,   Spain   (06.27.08)
lol. Very Good answer!. I am still laughing!
26. To Andras Bereny , #10
Jake   (06.27.08)
"Even the dressed up girls dancing in the inauguration ceremony is precisely: a goy concept." Not that I find this bridge even the least bit appealing, but those dancing girls were made to dress up and wear hats in order to appease hypocritical so-called "religious" like you. Had you known even the first thing about the Hebrew language and Tanach, you would have known that "goy" cannot be used as an adjective. "Goy" is a singular nown, and means simply "nation", and can refer to any nation, including Am Israel. In the plural, "Goyim" means nations and generally means the gentiles. What you seem to excel at, Andras, is hurling pointless insults at gentiles, making slanderous accusations against Israel, accusing any Jew who is less fanatically "religious" than yourself of being a "goy", and doing nothing concrete at all to advance the true interests of the Jewish people. You are not a man of Torah, but of Tora-Bora.
27. The answer is simple
Govt guy   (06.28.08)
just increase the fine on the parking tickets by a factor of 10 - people still have to park, and there's nothing they can do against us bureaucrats, so that's the easiest way.
28. Is it true that the bridge is already cracked?
Roni S.   (06.28.08)
I have heard it was misdesigned and has cracks in it
29. Uncultered Philistines
S Freedman ,   Jerusalem   (06.28.08)
We get a beautiful world class bridge built by a world reknown first class architect .And instead of cherishing it ,you diss it.King Herod doesn't build bridges anymore,but Santiago Calatrava does and he builds them to perfection. We are bloody lucky even to have had him.
30. Arabs and Muslims are the only greatest builders
Observer   (06.28.08)
of this city.... From Herod the Great who was Arab, to Abd alMalik bin Marwan, to Suleiman the Magnificent, to the Memluks, and so on.................
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