There has been a lot of discussion in the Israeli English blogoshpere about the upcoming Jerusalem Pride March. Nominally Challenged, Adam, Robbie, Idan, Stefanella, and even the folks at Jewlicious have gotten in on the conversation. The long and short of it is that after delaying the march last year because of the pullout and this year because of the war, the march is planned for November 10. There has been very strong resistance to the march by the religious community in Jerusalem. Some members of this community have been inciting violence and threatening do whatever it takes to stop the march.
The picture at the top is my friend Sharon and yours truly before the first pride march I attended in Jerusalem. The image to the right is what happened during the march. An ultra-orthodox man, convinced that he was doing god’s will, tried to kill as many people at he could. He ended up stabbing three people. Thankfully no one died but people were seriously wounded.
The nasty reaction to the march has been core-shaking for me and my partner. If this is the reaction people have when gay people walk as a large group in Jerusalem with their straight supporters, what hope do we have of ever being able to walk down King George Street holding hands without being stabbed, stoned, spat on, having urine poured on us, feces thrown at us, etc.?
There is a lot that I want to say, but I feel hopeless and like I am preaching to the choir. But I did find some clips on YouTube that kind of fit my feelings. Where’s Marlo Thomas when you need her?!
5 responses so far ↓
Tif // Nov 4, 2006 at 6:55 pm
You really can’t hold hands in the street here? I never would have thought this would be a problem in Tel Aviv. Jerusalem is one thing (I think sooner or later we’ll have to just hand it over to all the fanatics of the world, build a huge wall around it so they can all kill each other in peace without getting the rest of us involved, and move the capital of the reasonable part of this country somewhere else). But I thought Tel Aviv was a little more, how shall I say it, enlightened?
John // Nov 4, 2006 at 7:09 pm
Tif, that’s cute - the Jerusalem King George not the Tel Aviv King George.
Even with all of it’s pro-gay hype, TA isn’t perfect. Maybe more hand holding is in order there too!
Aviv // Nov 5, 2006 at 12:42 am
If jews were fighting for their right to pray on temple mount like the homosexuals fight for theirs, I could have done that yesterday.
John // Nov 5, 2006 at 9:02 am
Hi Aviv! Welcome!
I say, that if there are groups of people that want to peacefully demonstrate for almost any reason within the law of the land, they should be allowed to do that - and FREE from FEAR of ATTACK.
Tif // Nov 5, 2006 at 11:45 am
Aviv, when did secular Jews threaten mob violence against people protesting for the right to pray on the Temple Mount? I don’t understand the analogy at all.
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