Signs of the times

We were in Yerushalayim for shabbos. I took advantage and walked to the kotel to daven vasikin. The walk to the kotel at a brisk pace and going through Shaar Shchem (Damascus Gate) took half an hour exactly.

The walk back, also going through Shaar Shchem, took 40 minutes. On the way back I walked slower so I could take the time to read the various "pashkivilim" hung around Jerusalem. I always enjoy reading the pashkevilim, and it always seems there is something exciting going on in religious Jerusalem. This week is no exception.

I am going to give you a sampler of the various signs hanging around the religious neighborhoods of Jerusalem. I do not remember them all verbatim, so some I will just paraphrase.

(note: many of them had to do with the 5 people arrested in the protests a couple of weeks ago in Bet Shemesh. Members of the Satmar/ Neturei Karta sect in Jerusalem have been protesting for their release. So when you see any that say "the abducted 5" that is what it is referring to)

"In the coming days we will be submitting a formal petition to the United Nations Offices in Jerusalem demanding international forces for protection from the Zionist brutality against Charedi Judaism"

"To the suffering children of the abducted 5, we share your pain and will not rest until the abducted 5 are free"

"Reb Chaim Brisker said, "Some say that Zionism was a way to establish a state and uprooting religion was just a medium. They were mistaken - Zionism's goal was uprooting religion. Creating the state was just a medium.""

"Prepare for protests demanding the release of the abducted 5 from the cellars of the Zionist Inquisition".

"It is prohibited to burn garbage bins and destroy traffic lights and security fences during any protests"

There were some signs about various programs for the upcoming shemitta year requesting people sign up through them

There was a sign, very long and vague, about some problem with education in yeshiva ketanas. I did not understand what the problem was, but the sign decried the situation.

There were signs about various trips available for the upcoming vacation. I was particularly disappointed about a sign that informed about a visit to the graves of the children of Aharon Hakohen, Elazar and Isamar, in Givat Pinchas (Arabic name of village was Adua, or something like that). This was scheduled for Rosh Chodesh Av, the yahrtzeit of Aharon. I was disappointed because I saw the sign too late and missed it by a few days.

There were flyers strewn around some of the streets about some Rabbi/Rosh Yeshiva (Rabbi Yezdi) who was an adulterer and thief. It described some story how he stole $70,000 from a student. It described how he sent his thugs to beat people up who testified against him in a recent din torah in Beis Din. It also described how during the din torah, the Badatz, for the first time ever, had to call in the services of the Zionist police anti-riot (Yassamnikim) unit to quell the disturbances caused by his thugs.


Lots of excitement in Jerusalem....