At a time when the rift between the religious and secular public in Israel is only deepening, there are those who take care to present a different picture, much more optimistic than the heated and extremist discourse that is sweeping the social networks, and culminated last night in a video posted by young ultra-Orthodox man Israel Hirsch when he was attacked by a secular passenger on the bus in which he was traveling.
Ofira Asayag talks about her new ultra-Orthodox boyfriend// Ofira Asayag's Instagram page
TV presenter Ofira Asayag posted a short clip on her 1.2 million Instagram account on Tuesday in which she wanted to tell about an ultra-Orthodox man she met, apparently spontaneously, with whom she immediately formed exciting friendships. What happened when she asked to shake his hand? All the details.
"I want to introduce you to a new friend of mine, we met today," Asayag said at the beginning of the short video she posted alongside the ultra-Orthodox man. "Meet you, Avraham Feldman. We are friends," she clarified. "Friends," he agreed. "Is it permissible to shake hands too?" asked Ofira apprehensively. "Come," he told her. When this was granted, it was very hard not to notice the surprise that gripped Asayag at that moment as she shook his hand back. "You see? It is possible otherwise," she asserted emphatically. "Yes, you can," Feldman added. "How cute you are," he complimented. "We will change the situation," he declared. "Amen," Ofira prayed with a big smile at the end of the video.
Avraham. Ophira's ultra-Orthodox friend. "It was so nice to me, so I asked if it was okay for us to talk?" photo: from Ofira Asayag's Instagram page
In another story posted by the TV presenter, she gave some dry details about Feldman, against the background of a photo of him. "Born in Mea Shearim, he lives in Ramat Hasharon. Apparently, it's possible otherwise!" she stressed again. "How lovely you are, Abraham," she complimented him.
Offered me a coffee, I said "no thanks"
Asayag told Israel Hayom about the details of the meeting that moved her. "We met this afternoon in Ramat Hasharon in a treatment area where it turns out everyone comes ... Secular and ultra-Orthodox, and the friendly man offered me a coffee, I said "no thanks" and then offered me cold water and was so nice to me, so I asked if it was okay for us to talk? Because I was in sports clothes and he was dressed as much as Haredi. And he answered me with a smile sure!!"
"Then," Asayag describes, "we sat next to each other. We talked for about an hour about the state of Israeli society, and we both agreed that it was sad here. Then he reached out to me and suggested we be friends, I said, "Are you sure? Can I shake hands with a woman? And he said, 'Give it a try.'"
"So I shook his hand, we took pictures, and we promised to keep in touch," the broadcaster concluded. "He told me that he was born in Mea Shearim and that it was fun for him to live in Ramat Hasharon and be open and friendly and still work and study Torah
, I told him he was a lovely man and he complimented me too, and I came home smiling with a new friend: Avraham."
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