Comments on: Enabeling the Shtettle Mentality

By: mary thiels

mary thiels — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:36:28 +0000

There is and hass never been anythinf wrong with remembering where you have come from. But when you go some where else there i an obligation to fit ‘join in’ and become a part of the whole. It does take time. Learning the language is really important in this situation.

By: Yisrael

Yisrael — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 04:53:43 +0000

This doesn’t seem that different then all the ethnic neighborhoods you left behind in NYC. It takes a generation or three for people to assimilate to life in a new country and culture.

By: Moshe from Raanana

Moshe from Raanana — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:11:35 +0000

I hate to burst everyone’s bubble but there’s absolutely nothing new in such a school. I myself came at the age of 12 and in the mid 1980s was going to such a Yeshiva high school (Ohr Yerushalaimn on Moshav Beit Meir). At the same time I know of at least 2 other English only high schools that were operational at the time - Shimshon (on Shimshon street in Baka Jerusalem) and theAmerican school in Kfar Shmaryahu. Most of my classmates from Ohr Yerushalaim either live here still or have tried to live here at least part time when job issues made it hard for them to be here full time. But the idea of such a school is far from new.

As for your point about staying strictly within the Anglo community I’m not arguing your point but I’d note that you could have gone still deeper into it by pointing out that the community itself is divided into subsets based on the age at which the subject came. Those of us that came at a younger age with our parents think of ourselves as Anglo Israelis while those who came as adults (even young adults) themselves are naturalized Anglos. In some ways those present divisions of their own such that my experience is more similar in many ways to a Brit or Aussie who came at 12 than to a fellow yank who came at 25. The younger you came the more likely you are to have blended in with Israeli society as well even if you choose to spend much of your time in Anglo society.

By: Editor

Editor — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:42:15 +0000

I have to add something. Every society has its weaker and better points. The Americans have the plastic wrapper way of life, in some cases with a set of values that breeds post office shootings and high school killing sprees. On the other hand, you can block traffic in a shopping mall and no one will even blow their horn. They’ll say hi to you even though they don’t know you. It’s the good and the bad that makes the social fiber.

Israelis have become more aggressive and less polite in the last few years - agreed. It’s also that aggressive nature and “rude” behavior (AKA. Chutzpa) that got them this country in a region that would rather see them spit roasted. It’s not an excuse but it is part of the social fiber for better or worse.

Someone coming to live in Israel should at least make the effort and LIVE here. I think when they do they’ll also get to know the less vocal and more dignified nature of some Israelis.
At least I hope so..

By: Rashi

Rashi — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:48:42 +0000

Sorry that you’ve had such a bad experience. The idea is to make the changes, and educate our children, both Tzabers and Olim. Many Israelis have become a lot more sophisticated and the old time mentality has been disappearing.

However breeding those for Yeridah is NOT the answer.

By: danny brothers

danny brothers — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:20:00 +0000

The thing is though that Israeli culture and attitudes need to have a definite realignment along Western ways. Manners, respect, honor for other humans… these are all things that Western people cannot give up, and really should not give up! This is a huge block to integrating into Israeli culture - it’s because it would be wrong to integrate in this way. What is integration, though? Music, plays, Hebrew, army? Yeah, do those. Society, though? Israeli society has turned into “I’ll screw you over to get mine.” We don’t need that!

By: michele

michele — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:19:33 +0000

funny here in the US, it is us who are pissed at everyone speaking spanish as it seems like a third world country-there it is like a US outpost. Interesting what moving to another country can do for your perspective!