Tefilah times for Winter 5771 at the Bet Knesset Hamerkazi Ashkenazi RBS Aleph

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The newspapers have a lot to say about RBS. Many times, the things that are said are not so good. Yes, we have problems, like every place on earth. Some problems are demographic, and some stem from political activities. However, every place has issues that it wishes could be swept under the rug. RBS is a great place, and I’m glad to be living here for 11 years, going on many more.

I remember coming to Israel as a teenager from my native Chicago. Israelis used to ask me what it was like living with all the mafia violence (you know, Chicago “Al Capone – bang bang”). Sometimes stigmas can overstay their welcome for many decades.

Bet Shemesh includes many unique neighborhoods and sections. RBS Aleph doesn’t deserve the bad rap it’s gotten in the press. RBS Aleph is often confused with RBS Bet, since the names are so similar. Generally, the “issues” you’ve probably heard of in the press are related to a section known as RBS Bet, which is somewhat analogous to Meah Shearim. However, we are worlds apart, and separated by a physical barrier of a couple hundred feet elevation.

Come and check us out – you will love it here. Oh an by the way, whether you’re a native Hebrew, English, French, Russian, Amharic, or Spanish speaker, you’ll fit in just fine! (I assume other languages are spoken too, so come even if you speak Italian…)

Bet Shemesh Train Minyan

Orthodox Jews will do just about anything to pray on time and with a quorum of at least ten other Jews (minyan).

Here’s a great photo gallery and review (in Hebrew) of the now ‘famous’ train minyan that runs weekday mornings from Bet Shemesh to Tel Aviv. They even have their own Torah and Ark (Aron Kodesh). How many of the faces do you recognize? Great photos.

The purpose of this minyan is to enable Ramat Bet Shemesh and Bet Shemesh residents who work in Tel Aviv to have Shacharit with a minyan and get to work on time in Tel Aviv. The train ride is about 45 minutes, so they have to get started immediately on days that the Torah is read!

The story of David and Goliath is told in detail in Samuel I.  King Saul and his camp were on the mountain top, and Goliath and the Philistines were in the valley below taunting anyone who would dare come and fight him.  Young David took his slingshot went down the valley and knocked Big Bad Goliath down with one shot.  According to Jewish tradition, the monumental event occured in the Valley of Haaeleh and Tel Azeka.

Tel Azeka

There’s a nice KKL (Jewish National Fund) park at the bottom of the Tel, and an easy footpath up the hill to the breathtaking views of the valley below.  The steps up to the top of the hill are incscribed with quotes from the Scriptures renacting the great story of David vs. Goliath.

Getting there from Bet Shemesh

Take Road 38 south from Bet Shemesh towards Beit Guvrin.  About 2KM after the gas station by Zecharia, make a right turn at the junction leading to Re’em.  (If you’ve reach Haelah Junction, you’ve gone too far).  Shortly after the turn, about 1KM, there will be a left turn into Park Britannia.

Enter the park and drive along a winding narrow paved road.  You will see 2 or 3 parks on the left side of the ride, keep going until you reach a junction.  There will be a sign to turn left towards Tel Azeka.  Make the left turn and drive up about 1KM uphill and pull up to a parking area for the park.  Admission is free.  Follow the footpath up to the top of the hill for a wonderful view.  You can also bring your BBQ from home and have a cookout at the bottom of the hill.  A nice way to enjoy history for free and with relatively easy access.  The hill can easily be climbed by all ages.  The last time our family went, there was a family in front of us with a grandmother in her 80s.  She made it to the top ahead of us!

Panorama Photo of Tel Azeka and Haelah.

The stitching of 5 photos here is a bit sloppy, but you get to see this stunning panoramic of Tel Azeka, which is on the perimeter of the shefela, and near Haelah Junction.  On the far left is the village Zecharia.

Tel Azeka Panorama - Click for Full Size

This is Ramat Bet Shemesh in 2009.  The owner of this shop is a young man, late 20′s at most.  He answers all questions and even offers extra information honestly, even when it leads you not to buy his merchandise.

So as I’m paying for the bread machine, (which he tried to talk me out of buying until we’d baked a loaf or two with a neighbor’s machine to make sure we were really going to use it), I asked him if the economy has affected his sales.  He asked me what I was refering to.  I told him about the economy and stock market in the USA and the world downturn, etc…  He had no idea what I was talking about.  No TV, no radio, no newspapers.  He doesn’t listen to or read the news.

However, he’s very knowledgeable about all his products.  He knows the appliances industry.  You want to buy a stove or a refrigerator? He’ll tell you what importer is unloading stock they couldn’t sell in France, and what products have the best repair record.  He doesn’t go by the adage that you must sit and learn Torah and do nothing else.   Part of his service to the community is to sell quality products at a fair price, and then back them with solid service should something go wrong.

He learns Torah by day and night, and sells appliances by afternoon so that he can continue learning Torah.

For a second, I thought he was kidding about not knowing the news. But then it became apparent that not only was he serious, but truly the happier one.  Quite refreshing.

Rockiah are Yehudah David (vocals, guitars), Zvi Newman (bass), and David Epstein (drums). Eli Krantman joined them on backing vocals.

Yehudah, Zvi, and David all live in Ramat Bet Shemesh and are olim from the USA.

I spoke with Zvi about the origins of Rockiah and what they hope to accomplish. Zvi told me they are all married with kids and come from different backgrounds, but their music speaks one language.

“Rockiah is about fusing the raw power of rock music with the spiritual inspiration of the Jewish mekorot (written sources). Yehudah is influenced by Van Halen and other power-pop artists, so his guitar playing is among the wildest on the scene. Dave’s drumming is influenced by punk, so we have a harder-driving sound in our shows – and his aggressive fills make you take notice. I’m influenced by John Entwistle of The Who, so the bass surprises the crowd with “stolen” solos that bubble up from underneath. And Yehudah’s singing overflows with pure heart and soul.”

“Rockiah’s music is written entirely by Yehudah, while the lyrics are straight out of the Psalms and various prayers. It’s meant to be lively and catchy for the audience, and it’s challenging for the musicians – the chords change every few seconds, so we have to be on our toes. Also, we love to improvise solos off the top of our heads – but all of this is meant to augment the uplifting, danceable essence of the songs. You can drive, work, jog, or clean the house to Rockiah, and come out of it very inspired.”

“At the end of the day, we try to give a fresh and energetic musical foundation to the experience of the holy as espoused by the lyrics. The Jewish content takes rock to a higher plane.”

Rockiah - Bonei Yerushalayim

Rockiah is now promoting its new CD and plan to join the performance circuit.   Their debut album, Bonei Yerushalayim, was released just a couple weeks ago and is available online at shemeshmusic.com and at GalPaz stores. You can hear sample tracks at shemeshmusic.com before purchase. You can also learn more about Rockiah on their Facebook and Myspace homepages.

We wish them much success!

Moshav Band Performing at Bet Shemesh Festival in 2003

It began about a decade ago as a one night event with five or so groups playing in front of a couple thousand locals. It has blossomed more recently into a big two night festival with many thousands (perhaps 15,000, maybe more?) jamming into the outdoor amphitheater with most of the top names in Jewish Rock, such as Moshav Band, Soulfarm, Adi Ran, Reva L’sheva, Lenny Solomon, and many, many more. As a result, the national media have taken notice.

Here’s two video links (in Hebrew) from YNet on the 2008 Festival.
http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3456086,00.html
http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3610815,00.html

Here is the Festival’s homepage for links to all the performers and more information.
ShemeshFest Website

I have seen these women (well, not really them, but their burkas) walking in the shopping center in Ramat Bet Shemesh Bet near the post office. It never really sunk in what these ladies are trying to accomplish. I actually thought in my subconscious how ironic it was that nuns from the nearby monastery have to come to the ultra-orthodox neighborhoods to do their shopping (or to mail packages).

What’s hard to swallow is that this cult leader was systematically physically and mentally abusing her children, and allowing other unmentionable taboo acts to take place under her own roof. All the while, she’s dressed in a dozen robes for ‘extra’ modesty. Gimme a break!

A friend mentioned to me a couple weeks ago that a women from this cult had joined their synagogue for the Megilat Esther reading on Purim. No one had recognized her (sic). She said that the ladies all moved to the other side of the room from where she was sitting. If I had seen a woman come to my synagogue dressed like that, and i didn’t recognize her voice (!?), I would demand that she immediately remove her extra clothing so as to be sure it was not, G_d forbid, a suicide bomber.

Anyways, here’s a burka lady in her natural environment in Ramat Bet Shemesh. Let’s play Where’s Waldo… Israel style: “Where’s the Burka Lady” in this picture?

Technical details: Nikon F100, Fuji Velvia Chrome, 28mm, F16, Tripod

In this photo, the new Torah was read from the weekly portion, and then was lifted (Hagbah) for all to see.