Holy Exposures » Ramat bet shemesh

Top Ten Reasons Why Ramat Bet Shemesh Aleph Is A Great Place to Live

admin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:47:11 +0000

1. People are friendly – Our neighbors are the best. People say Hi on the street. Most people know each other by face, if not by name.
2. Relaxed “Chill” Neighborhood – It’s generally very quiet here. Except for weekdays when kids are picked up and dropped off from school, the streets are mostly empty from cars.
3. Great bus service – For those who don’t have cars, it’s extremely easy to get anywhere. Buses to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Inner-city, are constantly running.
4. Enough Shopping, but not too much – We have several makolot (small grocery stores) in walking distance, and shopping centers within a few minutes drive. The haredi shopping center near by offers some really great prices and shopping bargains.
5. Minyanim everywhere – You’re never worried about making your next minyan. We have many shuls (Batei Knesset) for all religious types and customs. People often run into a shul closest to them for mincha, and are treated respectfully by the members.

6. Affordable housing prices – There’s a place for almost everyone’s budget. From private homes to 2 bedroom apartments, nearly all styles and sizes are available.
7. Many good schools – There are at least one dozen schools within a 5 minute drive, that encompass nearly all religious groups – From Dati Leumi, Torani, Haredi, Hasidic, etc… There are over two dozen ganim for toddlers to pre-kindergarten, primary schools, secondary schools, high schools & yeshivot.
8. Cultural activities – RBS’s matna”s (community center) is a leading cultural center for the area with concerts, movies, fairs, symposiums, classes, a clothing gemach, and more.
9. Beautiful scenery – Situated in the foot hills of the Judean Mountains, the views are breath taking. We sometimes take for granted how beautiful the surrounding area is, with many attractions, nature trails, and national parks withing a short drive.
10. Strategic – 45 min by train to Tel Aviv. 30 min by car to Jerusalem. 1 hour drive to just about everywhere from Netanya down to Beer Sheva (thanks to Kvish 6).

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…)

Ramat Bet Shemesh Bet Knesset Hamerkazi Tefilah Times

admin — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 18:11:57 +0000

Bet Knesset Hamerkazi Ha’Ashkenazi – Tefilah Times Summer 5770

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A Pious Man – (Yes, They still exist)

admin — Thu, 21 May 2009 08:24:44 +0000

I went to the local electronics store yesterday to pick up a new bread machine. The owner keeps the store open in the late afternoon and early evening hours. He learns Torah during the day and then opens the store to sell appliances to locals.

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.