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Jul 8, 2012
Gesher Succeeds In Bet Shemesh, Explains Plesner's Failure
What a perfectly appropriate announcement for the time period of the "Three Weeks".. This was actually announced a few days ago, but I saved it until now...
The Gesher organization, specializing in being a bridge between communities and finding ways to make peace among sectors, just celebrated it's 40th birthday. The director of Gesher, Ilan Ge'alDor, who is also a resident of Bet Shemesh, commented on the failure of the Plesner Committee, using Bet Shemesh as an example of what should have been done.
Ge'alDor said that he established a roundtable in Bet Shemesh. This is a forum consisting of people from all sectors of the city - from the most secular to members of Toldos Aharon. He says that on the last Yom HaAtzmaut, the forum's various haredim called on their communities to not disturb the celebrations of those celebrating the day, and sure enough the day passed without any incidents.
Ge'alDor says that the story of Bet Shemesh is a good example. Any time there is an attempt to make change in the haredi community, it never works when trying to force the change upon them. The change can only be brought about through discussion. Whenever an issue of argument arises, the members of the forum get together and discuss the issue. And it works.
ge'al Dor says this is what failed with the Plesner Committee. They tried to analyze and dictate. they did not invite any haredim in to explain their position. Plesner never tried to understand the other side. It is impossible to take an issue that has been around for many years and solve it in one shot. It is a long process that works in stages and takes time. Today it is not unusual to see even in the streets of Geula haredi men in army uniform, but it has to be approached as a joint decision and through discussion.
(source: INN)
Way to go Gesher. Making peace among communities, resolving the issues, is the way to go! If they have found the recipe for social success, more power to them!
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The Gesher organization, specializing in being a bridge between communities and finding ways to make peace among sectors, just celebrated it's 40th birthday. The director of Gesher, Ilan Ge'alDor, who is also a resident of Bet Shemesh, commented on the failure of the Plesner Committee, using Bet Shemesh as an example of what should have been done.
Ge'alDor said that he established a roundtable in Bet Shemesh. This is a forum consisting of people from all sectors of the city - from the most secular to members of Toldos Aharon. He says that on the last Yom HaAtzmaut, the forum's various haredim called on their communities to not disturb the celebrations of those celebrating the day, and sure enough the day passed without any incidents.
Ge'alDor says that the story of Bet Shemesh is a good example. Any time there is an attempt to make change in the haredi community, it never works when trying to force the change upon them. The change can only be brought about through discussion. Whenever an issue of argument arises, the members of the forum get together and discuss the issue. And it works.
ge'al Dor says this is what failed with the Plesner Committee. They tried to analyze and dictate. they did not invite any haredim in to explain their position. Plesner never tried to understand the other side. It is impossible to take an issue that has been around for many years and solve it in one shot. It is a long process that works in stages and takes time. Today it is not unusual to see even in the streets of Geula haredi men in army uniform, but it has to be approached as a joint decision and through discussion.
(source: INN)
Way to go Gesher. Making peace among communities, resolving the issues, is the way to go! If they have found the recipe for social success, more power to them!
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Labels:
bet shemesh,
haredim
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The Haredi community was invited to have a representative on the committee and refused.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what Gesher is referring to.
They have been around for 40 years and point to beit Shemesh as a Success????
ReplyDeleteThere are places in Israel which are success... Beit Shemesh doesn't seem to be one of them.
I agree with Jenny. Netanyahu tried very hard to get Haredi representatives to sit on the committee and they all refused.
ReplyDeletethey not only boycotted plesner, they made a point to yell from the tree tops that they wouldn't have anything to do with it.
ReplyDeleteOne of the ways to change behavior is via grinding government bureaucracy. Basically, the rules for various subsidies (all of them if possible, arnona discounts, etc) should be changed and require submission of a "certificate of service". Those who served will get much more subsidy than those who did not. Then have a lengthy verification period, of course, as government programs are wont to do. It would be similar to the way subsidized mortgages work today - you submit a mountain of paperwork and them sometime later you receive the subsidized mortgage after everything is verified.
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of thing that will encourage people to choose to serve because serving will benefit them, and not serving will hurt them.