On the eve of Passover, when the whole country was already burning around the discourse – which even he himself interacts with in two different dialects: reform or legal revolution – two Israeli families from completely different backgrounds sat together around the holiday table. One, from a kibbutz of Hashomer Hatzair in northern Israel, second and third generation Holocaust survivors. The second and third generation of immigrants from Arab countries who came to Israel for transit camps, and sorry for the stigmatism. Almost the entire spectrum of the political map was present around this holiday table, but I personally, I always claim that I will eat from one.
We had one agreement before we sat down to celebrate together, a kind of status quo signed before we gathered for the event – we knew what was and wasn't put on the table, what was being talked about and what wasn't. By the way, even with matzah we were careful in favor of celiacs. It can be said that no one came back with a stomachache, but only with a sense of satisfaction and joy in the heart.
And yesterday (Tuesday), there was again a discussion about opening restaurants on Tisha B'Av. Again, because this is a discourse that comes up every year, maybe since 2018. "This year more than ever", "Tisha B'Av revolt", "restaurateurs join the protest" or "provocation". The headlines colored the screens and left no room or choice. Thus, more and more media outlets added more combustible materials, had to choose a line, choose a side, resort to tactics.
Nor did they leave the public a moment to sink into these difficult days that befall us. Days that many commemorate the destruction of the Temple and the destruction of the state of the Jewish people against the background of unfounded hatred. Days that many do not rest are clouded by the terrible feeling that their house was taken from us, that they pulled the ground from under our feet. Because we have nowhere else to be, but now this place can't contain our being either.
With the whole country already burning, photo: AFP
Many restaurants, especially in Tel Aviv, have already opened their doors on Tisha B'Av. These include all the restaurants of the R2M Group, headed by Ruti and Mati Brodo, the restaurants of Chef Haim Cohen, the Taizu Group restaurants of Chef Yuval Ben Neria, and much more. There were even restaurateurs whose names were attached to the articles published last night and told me that they are opening this year on this date because it fell on Wednesday this week and the month was very difficult financially because of the situation. "As far as I'm concerned, at least, it's not about defiance," a well-known restaurateur who chose to open his business tonight told me.
The law prohibiting the opening of pleasure houses on Tisha B'Av is a law that has been here since 1997 and is a law that deals with the public character of the night of Tisha B'Av in the State of Israel. A law that defined in writing part of the status quo that began here since the establishment of the State of Israel, like a Torah that descended into writing from the oral one. Because then, when the state was established, there was a deep understanding and respect for sacred cows among us, religious and secular. We knew how to walk between the drops in order to live together. That's what the state was based on. But things have been violated over the years by both sides.
And there are things that are better not to talk about, there are things that are better not to touch - because Jewish law and democracy, what to do? contradict each other. On the other hand, they also kiss sometimes and can correspond with each other in many ways. Even Israeli law draws from halakha.
Many will say, to come and touch on the legal issue in the way it has been done since the election of the current government has already unleashed the reins. Perhaps this is true and should be considered. In my personal opinion - open, not open, break the law or not, get kidnapped or not get fined - it doesn't really matter. Everything needs to be talked about, but we also need to know how and when - not to inflate in vain or create reality with the power of the tongue and keyboard. And I write these things from a place of introspection and aimed at media outlets – to talk about such a controversial topic that has always been here just to talk about something, is not to do journalism. It's just fanning the flames even more just before such a symbolic and painful date, at a time when there is an internal threat to everyone's home.
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