A new trend that is interesting to follow is "minimalism." People compete with each other to see who has the fewest belongings, count every sock and pen, live in rented apartments, and move from place to place according to costs, carrying a backpack cluttered with all their possessions.
Bloggers from all over the world are listing their belongings and having discussions about what else of their 57 items can be thrown away. Doreen Hartman on the blog "The Solid" also lists her inventory of 121 belongings and preaches to others to live like her.
Part of the method is also financial frugality. Doreen Hartman, for example, is for people who spend most of their days in high-tech dens or in windowless offices. She teaches how to retire from work at age 30 and live solidly based on the money accumulated by that age.
Want more news, videos and stories? Join the Haredim 10 WhatsApp channel >>
after Who explained how she lived In 2013, from exactly 3873 NIS per month (there is no doubt that she works full-time for herself. Counting the objects and shekels every day is no less work than 9 hours in high-tech), she felt obliged to explain how you can enjoy cold showers and save on heating.
2. A cold shower saves a lot
With all due respect to the health benefits – a cold shower is not an experiential pastime. In the first few days, you could even say the experience was traumatic. It's hard to say that I enjoy these showers – although they are not unbearable like before.
But just as I eat to live and do not live to eat (– Socrates), I bathe to live and do not live to bathe.
The effective meaning is significant savings – in time, money, and nerves.
Instead of indulging in 20 minutes of boiling water and wasting an average of 200 liters of water, I spend less than 5 minutes in a purposeful, cold shower, dramatically reducing my water bill and easing the burden on the Israeli water economy.
Instead of turning on a solar water heater (3 kilowatts per hour, about 500 NIS per year), paying someone hundreds of shekels to replace a heating element once in a while, or buying a new water heater (1,500 NIS) when the old one breaks down – I save that money.
Instead of fighting with my partner for running out of hot water, I fight with him about other things.
All is well and good, and the method extends to other areas. Most of those who live with this ideal also choose a life without children, they call it 'un-parenting'. There are piles of explanations and amounts of proof why it is good for the world and why parenthood is illogical. They manage to sustain themselves with minimal resources, and the ultimate goal is to save another ten shekels and throw away or donate a few more items.
As Haredim, we are used to hearing morning and evening how much we do not contribute to the economy. We do not stimulate consumption. We do not pay taxes because salaries are low. We live at the expense of the public, financing the health and education system for our many children. We receive property tax discounts from the money of the unfortunate middle class who has no choice and really cannot have more children because they have to finance the Haredi public.
Oops, minimalists live like this too. They don't pay taxes because they don't earn much. They don't drive the economy and consumption. They receive property tax discounts and ride public transportation and pay low national insurance. But for them, it's idealism and it's appreciated. It's clear to any sensible person that they have the right to choose such a lifestyle. You can't force a person to work hard just so that taxes can be collected from them. Some are jealous, some confront the data, some even claim that it's unfair to receive a property tax discount when you could earn more and you choose to settle for less. In their opinion, the property tax discount is intended for those who have not been fortunate and don't have what they want, not for those who explicitly choose to earn a little and can earn more. The latter, in the appellants' opinion, need to work harder so that they have the money to pay full property tax without a discount. They have no right to choose a life of voluntary poverty. One way or another, at the very least everyone is amazed and trying to learn a little from this way of life, to gain another and different perspective on a possible life that does not follow the accepted patterns.
As Haredim, we live with ideals. We also choose not to be part of the crazy race of working and servile lives and prefer to live at a low level and not work most of our days. We even identify with Socrates' statement, "We eat to live - we do not live to eat." We also prefer families that have children at the expense of economic well-being. A vacation abroad once a year is not something that is considered by most families, and that is perfectly fine. A vacation in Israel is also very expensive for large families, and yet joy, life, and purpose are more important than money and a "good" standard of living in bourgeois eyes.
A couple's life project to start a large, happy family with parents who are present in the children's lives (and don't stay at work until the night when the children are already asleep) is no less worthy than a goal of minimalism. The right of each individual to choose their life and economic path without considering the whole country and consumption and driving the economy. Our right to live in light of values of reduction and contentment with little economic means to allow us a lot of spiritual world.
We don't have to apologize for our economic and social irresponsibility, nor explain how our neighbor works hard and pays income tax. We choose a life with different values, and that is our full right.
