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• , , , • ." , 74 - THE JEWISH POST, Thursday, September 8,1977 •

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: . . _ i THE JEWISH POST, Thursdav, Septenlber8; 1977 -:- 75 variety. To the outsider they' all look There is the division between alike - or almost alike. But 'Bnei The Transport Ministry ha'sdecided to close the Bnei Brak street which for a few Hassidim . and non.Hassidim. Brak is full of factions and mini d the Barricades at .Bnei Brak Ainong the Ha"Ssidim themselves splinter groups, the differences. Sabbaths has been the scene of religious-secul,ar tension. SARAH HONIG) THE NAME Bnei Brak these days. . with permisslon.of the Post. there are many groups, often at ~etween them often obscure, lost conjures up images of chains, Whole families, attired in meir . or it isn't. Bnei Brak isn't just a ',' holiday best, stroll lew... rely In movie in Bnei Brak, because there odds with each other. There are In the distant past and in many looks past the confrontation in this portrait of the town. Photos by Lester Millman. street barriers, inflamed BNEI BRAK begins to ready Itself religious neighbourhood like you poor congregations with a small • cases ~f geographical origin. To passions, 'demonstrations, mid·street as If the internal com· have in other cities. This is the one isn't one solitary cinema in this for the Sabbath somewhere in . bust ion engine had not yet been city of 90,000. "MiI"./ (prayer room I for a syn. tlle Uninformed the distinctions clashes, and policemen who mid· week, when festive meals are town in where observant agogue: and others Which are may be barel'y diBC~r~ible, ?ut to wonder why this conflict has to be. Invented. This is a day apart, on arc in the majority and can planned and provisions purchas. HAIM COHEN of Is large and powerful with 1m. many of Bnel Brak s InhabItants When the subject of Rehov. which. no -pocketbooks may be run things their way. It won't ruin . .' they matter enormously. ed. On Fridays, hectic carried, no money handled and no Hashomer ceases ,to make, good our neighbours' non·Sabbath if' sure that the real aim of David presslve yesh,va complexes that . Thus, a certificate of kashrut preparations come to a climax worldly occupations pursued. ' attract stUdents from around the from one rabbi may not satisf th news copy. and wh·en TV and tli'e streets bustle with activl. they usc the Geha Road instead of Edelstein is "to force me to spend world . y e photographers lose Interest in the my Saturdays in unbelieva~le . adherents of another, and there ty as young, bewigged mothe~s, "SPEEDING CARS and roaring Rchov Hashomer, but if would town, it is likely that Its boredom. It's all ~ atter of prm· ~P<'J- &5 many as a dozen different invariably wheeling baby buggtes, motorcycles would disturb and ruin our Sabbath if they didn't:" Foremost among the latter are neighbours will once again start-to To David Edelstein's non· ciple. If you give in on a s~all tyPes of kashrut in the local food rush about for last· minute shop­ spoil. We don'fwant to coerce the the Wiznitzer and Ponevez em. refer to it in jest as Boiberik _ ping. religious neighbours in Bnel Brak, thing like not driving on a sectIon pires. Which, pundits say, not only _stores. There are grim notices non·religiou~; we just ask that of Rehov Hashomer, you'd bco ask· pasted up all over town by groups that fabled stereotype of the East Later, the male population the}' not force their non·Sabbath and in nearby Pardess Katz, turn Bnei Brak Into something of a European Shtell. hurries to the mikve for the ritual Glvat Shmuel, and ed'to make another compromise university town, but also exert brandIng others as Sinners. on us," explains beArded former tomorrow and then another." When the tumult and the cleansing. At nightfall, to the New Yorker, David Edelstein. On Rainat Gan, his Sabbath appears considerable politleal influence shouting die, the Bnei Brak Sab­ sound of- sirens and the light of the epitome of dullness and Cohen fears that in the end, behind the scenes. THE POLITICAL spectrum in the Sabbath, his sin all black hat is "they" - the religious - would bath will once more become a day candles, the Sabbath is ushered in colourlesslless. He obviously Bnei Brak is n~arly as varied as replaced by ·a fur·rimmed depriv~ him of his freedom of of almost idyllic serenity, the likes and reigns SUDrp"", until after doesn't drive to the beach on sunset on Saturday. .. hlreimlil and his black jacket by movement. beaches, .Saturday of which most of us in "the outside a silk caftan. Saturday and neither does he soccer n1atches, parties and the world" have never known and The transition is both spiritual pitch his tent in a erowded picnic and palpable. The outside, every. " is like white colour," he good life, which not many can comprehend asserts, "There are no dark ground. Yehoshua Wolf, bareheaded and or learn to enjoy. day world is banished from Bnei EVt'n if he wanted to after Shab· JOYOUS NEW YEAR- GREETINGS n=k ontb.e Sabbath, shades of white. It's either white balding, is better k'nown in thesc bat is ovt'r, he couldn't see a parts as "Reb Shiye." The recent excitement leaves him entirely SOUTHERN' MUSIC LTD~ ,1', unperturbed .. He doesn't live in Bnei Brak. but has bt'en working' \ Dependable M~e SyStems. there for the past 30 years. Rellovo Hasllomer, centre. __ of tbe colltllct. " New Year Greetings "No one knows this place like I do, and I say that there is no -T. R.. JOHNSON, Manager the makeup of the population. At eastern"fringes of Bne! Brak 0'1- in animosity here. Every few years ..one extreme are fanatic anti· the Pardess Katz section, a up a library did not go well with, oJ1nv~ something like this flares up, but Zionist groups ,.'lied to typical urban slum, populated sizeable segment of the populace that isn't typical of relations i Pl!one. 244~8283 Jerusalem's Nelurei Karla; mainly by Oriental Jews. Tliere is a fear that children may MANUFACTURING LTD. 1001-10TH AVENUE S,W. among the many Orthodox groups, Few would think of Orthodox be tempt.. d to read secular books . ;. between the religious and non. the most moderate are the young religious here, Basically, this is a 1025 - 11th Ave..S.W. or waste preCious study time fill. i,. ~t PHONE 245-2231 Calgary, Alta. men in shirt·sleeves who sport the JOE LEINBURD, President nice place with nice people. It's a Bnoi Brak as one of the country's ing their minds with trivia. CANADA'S FINEST BRAND PHONE 245-2232 small crocheted skullcaps little. quaint maybe, and old.; associated with' the NRP, poverty areas, but at least in FAR FROM BEING infleXible CALGARY, ALBERTA T2R OB7 fashioned, but it wouldn't be mat(,riar terms many of its Bpei Brali's residents arc quit~ IN It/~Ulea-t Boiberik if it was,,'t." The mayor, Ylsrael Gotleib, Is an NRP man. His party has been residents arc needy. Their capable of thinking ul' im. families are as large as theaginative ideas for comIng to BNEI BRAK, the ancient site of A Happy New Year to at the muniCipal helm almost con. tinually since 1969. It controls five Almighty ordains, but their homes. terms with some of the inevitable the that Rabbi Akiva built, ,our many friends are small and their incomes too changes. On weekdays, Bnel sr..... after the destruction of the Second, ' of the 15 COuncil seats and heads a wall·to-wall coalition. In this the low to make ends meet. BUt'pover· . is. as much part of the automobile Temple, was establiShed anew in ty here is not degrading and not a'ge as the rest Of the country. ultra·Orthodox Aguda bloc aiso A Happy New Year to 1924 by yeshiva students from accompanied by cultural depriva· This, of course, means that it also 'Poland. It started as a tiny village has five representatives, the our many friends Rallin Electric Co. Ltd. tion. has driving SChools, But It is not May we extend our best wishes for a Happy New Year on the · Alignment three and the Llkud JUVenile delinquency is almos, ' everywhere in Isi-ael that such .,, ' Road, with dairy farms and small ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS two (one of whom is religious). unheard of. The small side·curled schools find it pays io advertise workshops, . " Last year, however, when the boys, who exuberantly play tag In that they employ Women l IIDnt InI IIl111sRlld willi tlnrn council decided to close o'ff a'sec. ;:'. 'II_ In 1934, Ya'acov Halperin, the Phone 434.6979 the streets, and the giggling little teachers, with whom young girls Eades Electric father of Israel's wrestling cham. 6039 • 103 Street tion of Rehov Hasho.mer to Sab. girls who wear long sleeves and may feel totally safe and at ease, Edmonton, Alta. bath traffic, there was no coalition pion, founded the Zichron Meir Phone 252.7551 long stockings even on the hotlest That's what David Edelstein section, which was to have been 5C39 - 1st Street S.E. unity. The three Alignment Coun. of summer days. seem to be likes about Bnei Brak. (Calgary) Limited even more rigidly Orthodox than Calgary, Alta. cillors objected and one of the . blissfully unaware of the; . '~It doesn't live in the past. It ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS *.lE,NND~ ~ members abstained. generation·gap war in which their' doesn't swing, ,.but it's not some HEATS, COOLS, TJJEATS AND MOV~S AIR ' It is difficult to assess how counterparts elsewhere have natu:e ~eserve either, All ,';' To keep your home and business , , " ._.. ~1 ' . many of Bnei Brak's residents are become expert taeticians, ' ..m.od~flcatlOns and changes ar,e ELECTRICALLY ALIVE ... call Aii["a New Year Greetings Yet these children do not live in WIthIn the context of Jewish tradl' " , . ~43·8566 ~.E ._ ...... Orthodox, and how many are not. Voting" patterns may be mis. the comfortable sec'urityof an un· lion. I eou.ld have. gone to live in 438 Manitou Road S.E. Calgary, Alta. 5707 4th STREET S.E. CALGARY, ALBERTA leading, bpth because some changing existence. Today, Bnei a:lOther c~ty and I?aybe fo,:,nd religious voters may SUpport the Brak feels thai the outside world mcer hOUSIng, But lIke other Im­ Alignment or the Likud, and is encroaching upon it. It cannot migrants, I was attracted to this because there are so many young be avoided and must somehow be town because r wanted a lotally - reckoned with. Jewish environment." Children in the town. But it can be " I II' There are a~ways attempts at Oil vid. Edelstein regards the re. said, in safety, that the Orthodox resistance, A new community cen· cent dlsturbanees at Rehov • ~. comprise a large majority. .. -- .. tre is now under construction, and Hashomer as "ugly," b~t says The non·religlous voters are concentrated chiefly on the is to include the city's first.ever t~ey ha.ve .not shaken hl~ .con . ~~1J~OOO@OO® public library. The deCision to set fldence In hIS new·!ound spIrItual ·il,:, , ., " A Happy New Year to NEW YEAR GREETINGS BY , hav'en, He is bothered, however, by something mueh deeper, our. many friends William Switzer and ASSOCiates New Year~ r'A I~" ~ I'A' "Everyone seems to be missing Greetings "'. • the main point. There is a tradi. DEALERS IN FINE ARTS AND RARE COllECTOR'S PIECES ~, ~~ D I . (Calgary) Ltd. tion which sa.vs that if for only one Plumbing & Heeting Ltd. 24&3388 single Saturday all Jews 802 - 16 Ave. S,W., Calgary 12R011 S.ervlce & Maintenance - CommerCial & Residential everYWhere would join in careful 263-6633 observance of the Sa'Obath, the DENTAL LABORATORIES Messiah' would come. Is this real. ( " SCANMASTER Iy such a terrible sacrifice? The CANA.IANA house ltd, Division of SCANDIA PLUMBING & HEATING LTD. catastrophe is that the Jewish May we extend Our best wishes for a Happy New Year Plumbing Ii- HfNlting Supply Centre pe'ople can't unite for just one day p.aeg;~W~·' Telephone 264-3035 to try to bring redemption." "00 it Yourself" , 245:-3360 Reb Shiya does not take such a 1225 - 11th Avenue S.W. sanguine view, though he' says Macdonalds thllt "one thing is certain. When Calgary, Alberta 1# the Messiah comes, he'll PLU an 509 SECOND STREET S.W.' CALGARY, ALTA. T2P INS, 266-3714 405 HERALD BUILDING 206 - 7 AVE. s.w. Consolidated Limited end to the wars of the Jews once CALGARY, ALBERTA T2P 0W7 and for aiL Then not only the WHOLESALE GROCERS

May we extend our best wishes for a Happy New Year HAPPY and JOYOUS NEW YEAR GREETINGS FRUIT & P~ODUCE MERCHANTS NEW YEAR Father and SOD out for a stroU. \ CALGARY POCKAR BROS. MASONRY LTD. Service to ALBERTA COMMERCIAL" DOMESTIC LAUNDRY EQ~ the rest of Bnei Brak. It was there· ~'I \ STONE • BRICK BLOCK CONTRACTORS Wasbe1'll, Dryers, DIshwashers BDd DIsposal UIIlt. that the first Sabbath barriers were erected, In the shape of large The ~ble appliaDCle for people with "a lot of livIDg to ciolN metal gates that were padlocked Premium Trade-In AllOWBDc:8 every Friday evening. ,JoyOUS • * REGINA * SASKATOON HEAD OFFICE BRANCH OFFICE Today, many neIghbourhoods 4!531 • fiA STREET N.E. 1345 MciNTYRE STREET later, the thriving-town of Bnei CALGARY 67" ALBERTA REGINA, SASK. '''New Year , ' PHONE 276.5591 Brak is, architecturally at least, PHONE 522.9124 indistinguishable from other Calgary ,Maytag satellites of Tel Aviv, save for the LOUIS POCKAR fact that in many apartment * CALGARY * EDMONTON Regina Branch: Head Office: RO~ APPUANCB CENTRE . hlocks balconies are not con. CANADIAN LINEN SUPPLY 1345 Mcintyre St. 4531 - 6A St. N.E. SALES and "RED CARPEl''' SERVICE structed one directly above the IT PAYS TO KEEP CLEAN Regina, Sask., S4R 2M9 Calgary, Alta., T2E 482, other. This Is done to facilitate the Phone 522-9214 . construction of a kosher succah, Phone 276-5591 open to the sky. 4415 Manilla Road South-East,· Calgary, Alberta Red Deer Branch: 334 • 41'h Avenue S.E. • #2 Macleod Plaza - 180- 94 Ave. S.E. Bnei Brak now has some, 60 Telepholle 248-8080 5607- 47A Avenu.e Phone 26?-36OO Phone 253-2545 .Red Deer, Alta. streets closed off on Saturdays Phone 343-0220 CAiLGABY ALBERTA and a populatiQn that has grown, not only in numbers. but also iil a~FE WAY LIMITE a> •

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