Opinion
Don’t reinvent Jerusalem
Hagai Galant
Published: 17.05.12, 17:59
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21 Talkbacks for this article
1. Don't change the character of Jerusalem. Leave it holy.
(05.17.12)
Bad enough what Tel Aviv looks like, Hashem Yishmor, Jerusalem, the holiest city in the world must remain holy. Filth parades and other immoral doing should be prohibited in all of Israel, certainly in Jerusalem. Those who trouble with this should live elsewhere.
2. Excellent point, 'nuff said! I'm happy in TA, but when I go
tom ,   tel aviv   (05.17.12)
to Jerusalem I'd like something else than Tel Aviv "sug bet" ! This article is describing a general malady of the Jewish mind-set: instead of proudly exhibiting to the(Western) world the cradle of it's origins (sorry Greece) we whine like a kicked dog and try to ingratiate ourselves to those we percieve as "superior"! They should be kissing my naked butt...! Sorry for the bluntness, but that's how I feel!
3. Obvious to all
Paul ,   Jerusalem   (05.17.12)
except the deviant, or the live-and-let-live crowd, otherwise referred to as the far-left.
4. whats up, dude? Do the haredim feel disturbed?
Ze'ev ,   Nbg, germany   (05.17.12)
Or why youre whining about some live in the holy city? Never thought that modern live can be a threat^^
5. $ion
me   (05.17.12)
$ion i$ not tel aviv , i mean tel aviv i$ a $in city-directly- and $ion everyone $eem$ holier than you but it make$ them evil when one trie$ to make other right and do not realize that one i$ wrong
6. tel aviv
jason ,   england   (05.17.12)
I was sitting next to someone on the underground and he had seen an advert for israel with pictures of tel aviv beach. He wanted to know if it's nicer than the south of france. I told him you don't go to Israel for beaches-they have nice beaches all over the world, but you don't have the western wall anywhere else in the world!!
7. Response to "Ze'ev"
gelb   (05.17.12)
1. Shed your borderline anti-semitic self-hatred! 2. Your living in Nürnberg tells ordinary Jews more about you than about Jerusalem and hareidis. 3. It's a holy city and the Orthos are part of it. 4. If you don't like it, don't come ever here, fine?!
8. #7
Ze'ev   (05.17.12)
Well, some still life in the diaspora^^ Forgotten? And Ill never support misogyny or religious coercion. And I like people which work to earn a living... But no worry, when the haredim take over, we have plenty space here for all the sane ones! *swear
9. I agree completely with this paper
Yossef   (05.18.12)
May be with the Knight nights we could add a Nazi conzlager night in memories of the old good time ??
10. I would like to make a humble suggestion
Alexander ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (05.17.12)
Why not create a "King's Park" or "Royal Park" in central Jerusalem? In my mind, the King's Park/the Royal Park is simply a huge park, a recreation area where people can feel close to nature, be close to nature, enjoy nature, and scattered all over the park, will be references to ancient Israel and our ancient kingdom - thus the name - "The Royal Park". Stones, pillars, rocks, boulders and signs telling the stories of our ancient kings would be a nice tourist attraction and would create a sense of historical continuity and connection to the ancient Jewish city of Jerusalem. We had at least one dozen kings to begin with so it wouldn't be too hard to place the names on suchlike places. In "the Royal Park" there would also be restaurants, artistic shops and so on. I mean, just look at Jerusalem's potential. I'm sure that people wouldn't mind to have a big park in Jerusalem making the city greener and healthier.
11. Tel Aviv is called the open (sin ?) city.....
Nora Tel Aviv   (05.18.12)
where man can freely make love to man and woman can freely make love to woman. What they do to each other, they don`t call it sin, they call it gay pride. No one knows their reason to be proud. Worse, the Tel Aviv municipalty keeps enforcing them to attract more and more gay tourists. After all, money is money.
12. REINVENT MORALITY .
joseph ,   norway   (05.18.12)
The fear off G-OD will save ISRAEL.
13. Jerusalem
john ,   toronto, Canada   (05.18.12)
Their is only one city which even i would love to own that is Jerusalem. This should not be a source of discontent between any people. If Jerusalem is put into my hands i am sure peace will return to Jerusalem and it will be once more a Holy city .I am sure a person can live in one house, no man will be fighting for this city.
14. Why not ,...
split ,   US   (05.18.12)
The history of Jerusalem was invented to start with ,... Please google "Research Reveals Ancient Struggle over Holy Land Supremacy" and educate yourself. Except of your fairy tales there's not one brick or coin to prove that David's "kingdom" and Solomon's "empire" and Temple ever existed while there's plenty of proof of other rulers at the time left to us to admire their achievements. By the way the builder of the second Temple, King Herod was born to Arab mother ;) ,...
15. Reinvention
Bertram ,   London, UK   (05.19.12)
If you read Simon Sebag's monumental book on Jerusalem you will realise that the city has been continually reinvented thorughout its history. There are many narratives concering the character of Jerusalem, depending on balance of power between different warring nations and cultures. Leaving aside the Kotel, remember the architectural character of the Old City owes itself to 16th century Ottoman rule. No doubt Jerusalem will continue to undergo change in the future.
16. Advterising and p.r.
Sherlock Holmes ,   London England   (05.20.12)
One p.r. problem here in the UK is that an advert showing the Temple Mount was deemed misleading because East Jerusalem is disputed territory and not recognised as part of Israel !!! There is no spot on earth more Jewish than the Temple Mount, but an anti-Israel group got a ruling from the Advertising Standards Council banning the advert. I assume the same would apply to Bethlehem [Royal David's City] and Hebron's Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. It's like saying Westminster Abbey and Windsor castle are not really British.
17. Marathons AND history
Neal ,   Minneapolis, USA   (05.20.12)
I see nothing negative about a Jerusalem maration. Its hills certainly would be a big challenge compared with running in flat Tel Aviv. And a marathon or other "modern" event can draw visitors who otherwise wouldn't come to Jerusalem and, as a result, perhaps experience some of its unique historic and religious venues. The city doesn't have to reinvent itself as a Mediterranean metropolis to attract visitors (It doesn't have the ocean anyway). So far, to my observation, Jerusalem's administrations -- particularly in the years of the near-legendary Teddy Kollek -- have managed to make it more livable and modern without destroying its historic appeal. If a rail line for convenience (and reducing pollution) is some kind of travesty, maybe the city should revert to permitting transit only by donkey? Jerusalem needs to be a livable city for modern people at the same time it is an archeological, historical and religious treasure and magnet. Mistakes have been made in recent years, but they shouldn't be allowed to stop further development under appropriate guidelines that preserve the city's character.
18. no 14 King Herod was of Indumean origin
(05.20.12)
Indumeans were tribes from the Neguev converted to Judaism. In those days there were no Arabs in this part of the world. Arabs were living in Arabia. As for prooffs of the temple and of David and Salomon there are plenty and each day the archeologist are confirming the Jewish prsence in the city since old times(before the romans). Google is not the most reliable source to invetigate things. It will give you some superfluos information and with the Palestinian PR most of that information is Byassed. For what I see the only ignorant is you
19. Jerudalem reduced to a "Disneyland"
Mayor'sInsensitivity ,   Jerusalem Israe   (05.20.12)
The Old City has been reduced to nothing more by the mayor Baraka than a theatre production stage backdrop. Performances are staged against the walls in a most imodest fashion possible alienating local resdients Jews Christians Moslems and tourists who see the Old City as more than the Mayor obviously regards it .
20. pinhead @ 18 - For what I see the only ignorant is you
split ,   US   (05.20.12)
If I was you I would be more careful before accusing someone of ignorance - Google, "King Herod Revealed", great article ,... Quotes from National Geographic and Israeli archaeologist Ehud Netzer ,... "Herod was born in 73 B.C. and grew up in Judaea, a kingdom in the heart of ancient Palestine" ,... "his mother was an ethnic Arab, and his father was an Edomite, and though Herod was raised as a Jew"
21. 18 - As for prooffs of the temple and of David and Salomon
split ,   US   (05.20.12)
Well, where are those proofs? Some confirming the presence of ancient Hebrews, the one you can see today in Iran dwelling there since Babylon, but they don't resemble in any way the nomadic converts from Africa or E. Europe camping in Israel,...
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