I sometimes complain that frum men in Israel don't have much opportunity for casual entertainment.

The women make plays and performances fairly regularly, and if a woman wants to go out and have a good time, she can go to one of those performances, any of a few times a month. Of course a couple can go out, generally to a restaurant and maybe a walk, as there is not really much else to do, if you don't go to movies.

So the women have their choices of an entertaining night out, and the couple has its choices, sort of. The man just doesn't seem to be able to go out and have a good time - either it is thought of as bittul torah, or there just isnt anything really to do as shows usually will include kol isha or tzniyus problems or many would feel uncomfortable in certain environments. I guess there is always bowling, but that is too expensive here to play regularly.

It looks as though a new form of entertainment for men has sprouted up to fill the void. While in Kfar Shmaryahu they held a cholent competition as a way of getting people to come to shul, Efrat has now held one just for people to have a good time. And I have heard of others in other places as well recently.



I don't know if going out to eat cholent, or to compete cooking cholent, is the best form of entertainment, but at least it's something!