I’m almost done with my regularly scheduled article, a continuation of my previous post, ‘Three bagels, please,’ but sometimes one has to shift gears and go with the flow. And this may be one of those times.

I can imagine the following scene in the schoolyard of a Jewish School somewhere in the world.  Shimi says to Yanki, ‘I dare you to put a tack on Rabbi Schwartz’s chair.’ To which, Yanki responds, ‘Oh yeah? I double-dare you.’ To that, there is no response. A wimpish type might go on, ‘I triple-dare you,’ but by then all the fizz has gone out of the seltzer bottle, and nobody I know would sink to that level. If you’ve been double-dared, you’re it, and get on with it, whatever ‘it’ is.

Here’s the beginning of an article by Anshel Peffer, one of the newspaper’s Anglo columnists:

“Exactly three years ago, on the cover of Haaretz, there were glorious images of the Neilah prayers which end Yom Kippur that had taken place in Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Square.

It was during the second wave of Covid-19 in Israel, and thousands of Tel Avivians – religious, traditional and secular; those whose regular shuls were closed due to the Health Ministry’s distancing instructions and those who had not stood in a synagogue for many a Yom Kippur – joined together in the open air.

It was one of those moments of Israeli unity which have become so rare in recent years. A moment during which the values of Israel, its democracy and its Judaism were not in conflict. In a small part of the square some of the more religious people prayed with men and women separated, but it didn’t bother anyone. There was no reason it should bother anyone on Yom Kippur 5781.”

I can only imagine the impact this event must have had to have impressed the staff of the decidedly left-wing secular newspaper. But, as the article continues, that was then and now is now. Water under the bridge, except that the bridge got washed away in the months that have just passed, leaving different people stranded on either side of the water with no way to reach each other – never a good thing.

What just occurred was a disaster that didn’t even wait to happen. There had been a request for a permit to daven Neilah again this year in the same Dizengoff Square. However, this year’s plan included the provision that there be a barrier to ensure separate standing for men and women. As you would expect, the courts said no and the City said no. It’s a public space, and we can’t allow that. If you want to daven with a mechitza, there are five hundred shuls in town, most of which have ample space to accommodate you. Which should have been the end of it. But no. These worthies announced that they would be going ahead with their plans no matter what.

The question a sensible person might ask is, What were these people thinking, or better, What should these people have been thinking? What did they think would happen if they went ahead despite being told not to, at a time when tensions are, shall we say, high after months of back and forth about the government’s ‘reforms?’ Did they understand that they were double-daring the opposition, who, for better or worse, are acutely aware of the slippery slope. (If we allow this to happen now, next year….) And, most damningly, did these zealots even care what would happen?

And so, the worst of all possible scenarios took place, a riot during the concluding prayers on the holiest day of our year, all in plain view for all the world to see. There will be, and there are now, lots of people with the usual bemoaning: These nasty leftists preventing Jews from davening Neilah; what a disgrace. That’s not what happened. Au contraire, mes amis. People were simply pissed off that some unauthorized invaders were trying to enforce gender separation in a public square in the heart of Tel Aviv. None of the protesters were invading ‘Orthodox’ synagogues, tearing down the mechitzas, and demanding that men and women sit together. As far as we can tell, Neilah came and went as it always does (hopefully ending on time) in Jewish houses of worship of every description all over the world this year without any rancor or acrimony, the way it’s supposed to be. Just not in Tel Aviv.

You know what’s wrong with the world? Not enough people listen to me, that’s what. If anyone had asked my advice, I would have told the protesters to cool it. You don’t have to take matters into your own hands. You’re only making matters worse by starting a riot. You have a mayor. He’s paid the Big Bucks; let him deal with it. Just walk away. Let those in your ranks who find Neilah meaningful go elsewhere and hear the prayers in a proper frame of mind.

And I certainly would have a few (dozen) well-chosen words for the guys with the mechitzas. Nobody appointed you as God’s emissaries to do battle with the heathens. You’re here to pray, not to make other people angrier than they already are. What do you think you’ve accomplished?

And to one and all: Didn’t we just get through ashamnu-ing over and over and over again? Which (in Koren’s English translation) goes in part: We have given bad advice, we have deceived, we have scorned, we have rebelled, we have provoked, we have turned away, we have committed iniquity, we have transgressed, we have persecuted, we have been obstinate, we have acted wickedly, we have corrupted, we have acted abominably, we have strayed, we have led others astray… Was anybody paying attention? If the shoe fits, wear it.

Our regularly scheduled articles will resume shortly…