A few days ago, the seasonal survey was published that paralyzed the Haredi speakers for who-knows-how-many times. 70% of the secularists hate Haredi, it was written in black on a newspaper. Unbelievable.
The ultra-Orthodox speakers rushed to the nearest shelter, wrapped themselves in their masks, locked the bulletproof doors, and pulled out their iPads (and we will never know whether they went down to the shelters because of fear of the survey or fear of being seen pulling out an iPad) - to quickly type the laconic, somewhat cowardly response that they had learned to recite by heart:
"The secular media is to blame," "This is the result of incitement," and other rotten pearls, relics of a persecuted generation.
Guys, what happened to us? How is it that every time a media outlet or a shallow and ignorant Knesset member recites the baseless nonsense that "Haredim don't work" or the winning mantra "Haredim don't study for God" (Hear the sky and listen to the earth), we follow like fools after the Pied Piper from Hamlin, defending ourselves and trying to make the argument about the importance of studying Torah?
We have skilled typists; we have tens of thousands of bachelor's degree graduates; we have more lawyers than secular people (and also kindergarten teachers and graphic designers, but that's a topic for a separate column) - someone should come up with the following survey and present it to us all:
70% of the Haredim don't know how to talk (or are afraid to talk); 20% know how to talk, but don't know what to talk about; 9% think they know, but don't; 1% can and wants to, they just need to be equipped with the right information.
Open the CBS data:
• The Haredi workforce is almost equal to the secular sector (60% vs. 40% respectively). We have the same number of students as the secular sector. The number of pacifists, basketball players, and theater and opera workers who do not enlist is very close to the number of Haredi deferral recipients.
• We are 35% residents of Jerusalem and receive 18% less from the general budget.
• A graduate receives one-sixth of what a student receives.
• An ultra-Orthodox student also receives one-sixth of what a secular student receives.
• We pay twice as much as secular people for chicken.
• And three times in order to enter the same pool, when it is already open at separate hours.
A few months ago, in Tel Aviv, there were some secular weirdos who handed out wipes, with the paralyzing slogan: "When the ultra-Orthodox go to work, the secular will sweat less." I said to some friends at the time: Go, take the wipes from the damn seculars and wipe the paralysis and fear from the ears and keyboards of the ultra-Orthodox speakers.
Instead of teaching a few thousand more Haredim a bachelor's degree in business administration (what good does that do anyway?), teach three Avrechim with average speaking ability plus - what can I say, and start attacking back.
I call for the High Court to begin flooding. Not with answers to the vexatious petitions of anti-Semites, who will never understand how important Torah study is. But with dozens of justified and well-founded claims about sectoral discrimination, about oppression of the powerful, about decades of continuous silence.
successfully.
And a final point:
A rumor has reached my ears (a well-founded rumor, it must be said) that I already have more than three readers for the column. I want to make it clear to you, my dear friends and beloved ones (in the plural) - I enjoy writing. Absolutely. I admit it. But your opinion is also important to me.
And since I'm a selfish weirdo, not connected to Facebook, and not connected to dozens of WhatsApp groups (I heard that all the groups have the same attitude as in the survey: 70% only read the messages, 20% copy and paste until they lose consciousness, 9% upload recycled images, and 1% write and upload news) - I don't really know what your reactions are to my columns.
Down here, right below the end of my speech, there is a slightly strange option called "response." In the meantime, come on in (it's not a pun). Write your thoughts, ideas for columns, topics for discussion, clarifications, and comments. I promise to respond (although I don't promise how, but that's an idea for a separate column).
Yours, Micah Sholem.
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