The Ultra-Orthodox Jews and the Parking Lot of Doom

Not a lot of pictures of this week’s Jerusalem parking lot protest.


But there was a nice innovation: secular counter-protesters. Unconstrained by sabbatarianism, they can bring their cars and... water pistols.

How I’ve missed you, ultra-Orthodox parking lot protesters

The summer of 2009 was marked by repeated protests by ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem against the opening of a municipal parking lot on the Sabbath. For this blog, that meant one thing: picture after hilarious picture. Well, they’re back, baby!

Another fine mess

Another Saturday, another Jerusalem parking lot protest. Here, a border cop carries away ultra-Orthodox Laurel while ultra-Orthodox Hardy strolls by.

But is it ok for a horse to poop on the street on the sabbath?

The weekly Jerusalem battle between the police and the ultra-Orthodox anti-parking-lot-open-on-sabbathers took place again today. I do so love the pictures these protests generate.



But there was a new element today: horsies!



Has a nice Cossacky look, doesn’t it? (Also, someone shot up a gay community center in Tel Aviv today, killing 3).

Thou Shalt Not Park, redux

I should have known better than to try out a new Firefox release the first week. Someone tell me when 3.5 actually works.

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Nice fireworks, which I was able to watch 20 feet from my front door. The cat should be out from under the chair by Labor Day.

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The wife of Sir John Sawer, the guy who’s supposed to take over as head of the British Secret Service (“C”) later this year, made a little security booboo by putting everything about her life on Facebook, including holiday pictures, one of them featuring a blindingly pale Sir John playing frisbee in his swim suit, the location of their London flat, where their children and parents can be found, etc etc. Not that she didn’t have some privacy for her page: only 200 million people had access to it.

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Another weekend of rioting in Jerusalem over a parking lot being opened on the sabbath. Ultra-Orthodox threw stones at traffic and at the police, calling them “Nazis” (the Nazis were well-known for their support of ample parking) (for example they designated the whole of Poland a parking lot) and “ant-semites.” I’m just enjoying the pictures.

Thou shalt not park

Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem have been protesting the opening of a municipal parking lot on Saturdays, which violates the command to rest on the sabbath. They just had a major riot, throwing rocks and bottles at police for hours. On the sabbath. After Friday prayers. Is there some part of “rest on the sabbath” I don’t understand?

They also attacked journalists, because taking pictures of the riot also violates sabbath law.