Mea Sharim

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I didn't take any pictures in Mea Sharim last shabbat, because it was shabbat- and also because the people of Mea Sharim ask visitors not to take pictures ... and I guess I can relate to that, fishbowl thing. I sometimes think its like that when people want to visit hospitals or mental health facilities etc ..... annnnnnnyways. I did find some pictures of Mea Sharim which I think reflected how I found it when I was there. I have to say, despite the fact that I was in a group of three gay men, the Mea Sharim folks were friendly, with three wishing us a good shabbos- and offering to help find an address ... so. There it is.

The first picture shows youngsters with payot (the ringlets of hair at the sides)- when we were in Mea Sharim, Yossi told me that in the first days of the state of Israel, the government sponsored the cutting of the payot ! as part of a new Jewish identity ... an interesting conversation ...





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