Jerusalem officials have approved the summer Shuk Machane Yehuda cultural event known as בלאבסטה (Balabasta) despite vehement objections by frum city councilmen who explained it brings pritzus to the area and in addition, the vendors who sell fruits and vegetables object for the cultural event drives away shoppers. The vendors fought a tenacious battle to prevent the second annual event, which is held on every Monday night during the month of August, bringing thousands to people to the shuk for the live music and entertainment, which is a far cry from the entertainment deemed appropriate by a frum tzibur.
The Eida Chareidis has joined in and the Gavaad and Ravaad have released messages calling on the Eida tzibur to observe a limited boycott of the shuk.
In the message released on Monday night, the eve of 5 Menachem Av 5772 the Eida calls on the tzibur not to come near the shuk, where the second annual festival of pritzus will be hosted, funded by City Hall.
The kol kriya calls on “whoever can” to please avoid the shuk between the dates 13 Menachem Av to 13 Elul from 17:00. The kol korei is signed by Gavaad HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss Shlita and Ravaad HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlita.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Real smart, At least it’s not as bad as their protests
Maybe Rav Weiss and Rav Sternbuch could attend this event and see for themselves that it is a healthy and positive cultural event for a summer evening and does not result in any pritzus.
destro613 Im not sure if your comment was sarcastic or not…
While the Eidah have achieved notoriety for protests in the past rightfully or wrongfully, this is one which should not be shrugged off flippantly nor disrespectfully.
I am equally unsure if you have any idea what the balalbasta festival is but I can tell you first hand that I do.
– Shuk Machaneh Yehuda is, to many people living in Yerushalayim, the place where they weekly make purchases of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish and more. Among some of the oldest customers are the veteran Yerushalmi residents and a notable presence of highly religious and Eidah Chareidis- types.
(Some of these prefer not to shop there at all in the summer due to the way many women dress but that is a separate issue and I haven’t seen the eidah calling for protests over that…).
My grandmother who lived in Givat Shaul would make the trip by bus weekly for over 50 years for her home purchases.
Yes the market has wonderful attitude and atmosphere but for people who actually shop there it is not a tourist location nor entertainment venue.
The Balabasta festival fills the shuk with loud(secular) music, street performers and dancers and balcony dancers in various forms of dress (or lack of it) and causes flocks and flocks of people to come from across the country, most of whom are not there to make significant purchases but rather to eat falaffel and enjoy the fun. _ The atmosphere is certainly not one in line with hashkafas of tznius and Torah.
In our Holy Yerushalayim in its center it is not unreasonable to expect a level of sensitivity to the residents and regular customers when considering such events, which has not been shown – it has also run regularly in August with live music – 3 weeks or not.
The store vendors themselves are frustrated and overwhelmed by the masses, the difficulty to run a store in that environment and the chaos it creates. Anyone wishing to make a normal purchase would most likely be forced to avoid the shuk at that time as well.
Often we accept things which happen in Yerushalayim for tolerance sake and the only ones willing to take a stand are the Eidah as is also the case with the unforgivable “toeivah” parade.
While the sikrikim and or elements within the Eidah or who knows who, unfortunately seem to cross the line at times – we should still be looking carefully at the values they are trying to uphold and how we too should try stand up for the kavod of our Holy City.
This is one form of prtotest I myself applaud.
the Gavaad and Ravaad are against it, but the Lowvaad and the Novaad are for it. What should we do? Gatta go to the Shnukvaad to ask.