Ulpan: First Thoughts

Yes, you read the title correctly: I'm in Ulpan.

Traditionally, Ulpan is conducted over a long period of time, except for crazy fanatical students like me, who have no time in their lives to begin with, so they embark on the sadistic torture called Ulpan Kayitz (Summer Ulpan), which is 2 months of intensive Hebrew learning atmosphere, with some fun electives and activities thrown into the mix.

When I first walked into the Ulpan (3 days late: Israel bureaucracy at its best), I immediately was thrust into a conversation amidst the mostly irreligious- (or chiloni, as they call themselves- no derogatory meaning implied) members of the class, regarding a certain text passage that they had read. It seems that one of the members of the class interpreted the passage to mean that Jerusalem- ie Yerushalayim- is a holy city, and therefore, should be occupied by the religious (ie, charedi or dati- depending on which group you are referring to.)

And, in midst of the screaming of the 'zealot charedi movement that wants to take over a city that should be free for all'- I slunk into a chair in the back, my cheeks burning brighter than the colorful headscarf I had on my head that declared to all that I was a 'da'atiyah'.

I thought that I would have to leave Ulpan then and there. My professor, very knowledgable about the religious public and Tanach in general (he grew up in a religious household and cast it away), singled out me as the likely person to explain why women can't sing in front of men who don't care about hearing women sing.

I picked the least inflammatory elective- History of the Hebrew Language, as opposed to Biblical Criticism, and am enjoying it immensely- especially as to most of the class, I seem to be a scholar of Biblical Hebrew (ie: I can translate and read Tanach.)

I must say, Ulpan is a truly interesting experience. All comments and ideas are welcome.

Oreo Cookies, Not People

Blueberry. A term I heard only after I got married, referring to those of the Bais Yaakov schools, who wear light blue shirts and dark blue skirts.

Oreo. A term I knew about, but usually in fun, when referring to typical Yeshivish people who wear a white shirt and black pants every day.

Penguin. See oreo, but sometimes referring to chassidish, who wear 'tails' and long coats.

What do these three terms have in common?

Well, they are euphemisms used to describe people who are usually referred to as 'Yeshivish'.
They see long term Torah learning as a goal, they educate their daughters and sons in Bais Yaakovs and Yeshivos respectively, and they try to serve the Ribono Shel Olam in the way they know how.

I know that in every group, there are those who are not doing the right thing. There are those who are the typical stereotype. But if a Yeshivish 'oreo' guy makes fun of a guy wearing a 'colored' shirt- how is that any different then those not wearing the black and white uniform making fun of the oreos and the blueberries?

How is it not Loshon Hara to insult an entire group of Klal Yisroel, based on the way they dress, no less. Aren't we all supposed to look past exteriors and see the Yid inside?

Where would we be if the wonderful rabbeim at Aish HaTorah, or Or Sameach, looked at the way that the people who come searching for truth are dressed? Should we make fun of them too- by inventing names for their mode of dress?

Chanukah was a time where the Maccabim called out- M'LaHashem- who is for Hashem. Not, who dresses in color, and who dresses in monochrome. Not who has 7 children and who has 2. Not who wears a tichel and who wears a shpitzel. Just, who's trying to serve G-d in the best way they know how.

So, stop with the name calling. It's not nice, and it's probably Lashon Hara. Thanks.

This has been my public service announcement for the week.

Ignoring the Hat

It's there- staring you in the face. Its very color is a definition, a label. In Israel, neighborhoods are classified by the "Shchorim" who live there. It may be a suitable covering for the rain we've been having the last few days, and it does protect from the sun. It has a tendency to fly off at the most inconvenient moment, just when an Egged bus turns the corner. And, it's the hat that sits, hanging on a hook in the dining room, when I have company over. Yes, it's black.

Yet, some people can't look past the hat. They see the hat, occupying a person's head, and they think nothing past it. The stereotype lives on, the insular, narrow minded person who has the strictest viewpoints on just about everything, and has never seen any other book than a Sefer. What's underneath the hat doesn't count, just the covering over the head.

It's assumed that the person wearing the hat has never heard of Gaza, or Mumbai, as he was too busy in Yeshiva. It's assumed he has never pursued a college degree, or if he has, it was done through CLEPs, or one of the college programs done while in Yeshiva (please don't take offense if you've done one of those.) Never you mind that the black hatter has spent hours every day deciphering 3 languages and using logic, along with mathematical calculations, some basic physics, and some science alongside. A bit of history, philosophy, and other items of interest are thrown in also, every once in a while.
I'm not saying they know physics better than a physicist, or that they focus on secular subjects on a regular basis, but they do have a brain, and some knowledge to add to a conversation.

Recently, Mr. NMF got into a conversation with someone on one of the controversial topics- evolution. And the funny thing was, that Mr. NMF has spent long hours discussing this with me, since I'm a science student. So, he has what to say, all grounded in Torah and in secular ideas. And, he mentioned something that the person had never heard of- punctuated equilibrium.

So, immediately, that person took the defensive.

"I've never heard of that before, it must be a religious idea. Don't confuse science and fact with religion."

Although Mr. NMF showed the person that it was a secular concept and theory, and elucidated at length that it had nothing at all to do with religion, the arguer remained unconvinced, clearly certain that the information was being twisted towards a religious agenda and could, therefore, not be accurate. I just stood there laughing, knowing that simply because Mr. NMF was saying it, and not a professor in a lab coat, the person he was arguing with would always attribute a religious slant to it, no matter what.

Talk about looking only at the hat.

Shabbos and Neighborhoods

I spent a lovely Shabbos with my guests from Chutz La'aretz- slightly jet lagged, but a very nice Shabbos none the less. While sitting at the table, with my neighbors and my guests, the talk turned to neighborhoods.

My neighbors were extolling the wonderful things about my neighborhood.
The place where I live is entirely frum,(religious) and as such, the streets are closed on Shabbos. The children head outside and jumprope in the place where cars usually drive, all the men are heading to and from shul and home, and the women enjoy a quiet Shabbos without the noise of buses. Immediately after Shabbos, everything starts running again, breaking the still silence of peaceful Shabbos rest.

The schools here are excellent, there are shuls, and gans, and there are professionals located all over.

I listened to them- and commented how it was nice that even in this neighborhood, we have many different types of people- Lubavitch, Sephardi, Ashkenazi, Litvish, Yeshivish- all the fun labels- yet everyone gets along and associates with each other. They all agreed that that was a big maa'lah- benefit- to living here.

Yet I wonder. There are neighborhoods that are all frum, that associate with many different types of people, yet they are labeled as more modern, or more yeshivish, or more something. Is that a good thing? Is it a good thing to be mixed in a melting pot, or does it reflect badly on the people that live there?

I always thought it was a good thing- but maybe people judge a neighborhood based on their immediate neighbors, and not by the whole?

Is it a good thing to have so much diversity? Or does it reflect negatively on the neighborhood, that it has so much going on, and so many different types? Would it be better to have just one type?

And how do these neighborhoods get these labels anyway?

So many questions- and I don't know if there are any outright answers.
But I'd love to hear thoughts.

Realities of Real Estate

Israel seems to be one of the few places in the world that an apartment in one of the charedi (religious-ultra-orthodox) neighborhoods can cost at least double what a house in an out-of-town neighborhood in the US costs.

Shocking, no?

I mean- Israeli apartments are not big- measured in meters, an average apartment of 2 bedrooms (the apartments are usually categorized by rooms- so a 2 bedroom apartment has 3 rooms- 2 bedrooms plus a dining room/living room- salon) is around 60 square meters. Let's face it- 60 square meters is a doll house. And, families of 5 kids will live in those apartments, because they can't afford to get anything bigger, and because the location is excellent.
The bigger the apartment is, the more mirpesets (porches- sometimes used for succahs), and the location are all factors in the price, but the prices are exorbitant, and keep growing.

Israeli families are accustomed to splitting the price of an apartment for a newly married couple, but oftentimes, they can't afford an apartment in Yerushalayim, and have to buy in one of the beautiful neighborhoods outside- oftentimes at least 1/2 the price.

It's strange- but often the price jumps just because charedi Jews are interested in the area.

For example, Givat Tzarfatit- French Hill, is a neighborhood in Yerushalayim mostly populated by H. University students and teachers. However, it's a close location to the most central part of Yerushalayim. So, charedi people started moving in. When they first started, about a year- 1/2 a year a ago, the prices were normal, average. Now, these prices are almost as expensive as a totally charedi neighborhood. And, as far as can be accounted for, there are actually only 10 charedi families living in French Hill, with more who bought but don't live there.

Neve Yaakov- a fairly new charedi neighborhood- has had its prices jump by 40,000 dollars in the last 1/2 a year, because more charedi are interested in it.

And, the prices keep growing. More apartments are being built, but usually they are luxury apartments, meant for American/Chutz L'Aaretz buyers who want an apartment in Israel. So, the average Israeli can't really afford them.

But, then you look at this concept, and realize something.

Everyone looking for an apartment wants an apartment in Yerushalayim. They want an apartment as close to the place where the Beis HaMikdash stood as possible. And, they don't care that it's 60 meters, or that it's falling apart, or that the prices are astronomical. They want to live in Israel. They want to look out their window, and see the hills of Yerushalayim.

There's a story told about R' Aryeh Levine, Tzaddik of Yerushalayim. (He was the father-in-law of R' Elyashiv, shlita.) He was always doing chesed with others- stories about him are famous. He lived in a one bedroom apartment in Yerushalayim. When others heard how ramshackle and poorly he was living, they offered to buy him a bigger, much nicer apartment somewhere else.

He refused.

When asked why, he took them over to his kitchen window, and drew the shades. Through the glass was a stunning view of the Kotel (Western Wall) in all its glory. He responded that he wouldn't trade this view for anything.

So, it makes sense- why people live in the smallest apartments that you can imagine, and still manage to host guests. They want to be in a Makom HaShchina (place of the Divine Presence). They want to live a life of Torah in a charedi neighborhood.

So, whether it has 2 bedrooms or 6, it's home.