(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

For many, the wagon seen in the photo is a familiar site, seen at funerals R”L, as well as happy events, and in its latest assignment, at the Old City to provide cold drink for the tens of thousands who walked to and from the Kosel on Shavuos.

Chaikel Militzky is a Yerushalmi, a member of a well-known family. For him, doing chessed is paramount and bringing water and mezonos to people coming to be mispallel at the Kosel on Shavuos is what Yomtov is about as this is how he was raised.

Chaikel spent the first hours of Shavuos night learning in Beit Knesset Yismach Moshe (Mazkeres/Nachlaot) where his late father Yitzchak Eliezer ZT”L davened until his recent petira a bit over a year ago after a life of yisurim and continuing as an example for all around.

At about 3:00AM Chaikel walked to the Old City and set up for the Shavuos morning operation. As is the case in past years, he and his family, along with volunteers, merited bringing drink and mezonos to many coming and going to the Kosel. Only after Yomtov did he explain to YWN-ISRAEL just what was involved.

It began on erev Yomtov when he was told on the phone by a city councilman “Don’t worry – you have the permit”. The set the wagon in place and asked to hook into a hydrant as they often do. This was denied. He explained it was cleared with city hall but inspectors did not care to hear what he had to say so a great deal of money had to be spent to buy bottled water and fill the tanks to cool down the water. When he wanted to plug into the electricity on erev Yomtov city inspectors were on hand to make sure he could not. Once again, undeterred, he and family members schlepped ice to add to the tanks in the hope the water would remain cold. They made another trip with more ice on Shavuos day so mispallalim would have cold water. For them, water was not enough but it had to be cold as people would enjoy it more.

The best is yet to come. When they arrived at 10:00PM on motzei Shabbos to remove their cars and the trailer they found each was given a 500 shekel fine for parking illegally, as seen in the photo. He was also told he may face charges for “illegally selling water without a permit”. He asked the inspector what he was taking about and how he could he sell water to mispallalim who do not carry money. The city inspector did not seem to care less and ignored the face Chaikel is chareidi and obviously would not engage in business on Yomtov.

For Chaikel, and those who know him and the family can understand, he simply ponders how Yidden can be so cruel to one another. He is angered on the amount of money and time wasted due to the lack of cooperation and determination to torpedo his chessed efforts and how city hall, even the chareidi councilmen, make promises on the phone but when it comes down to it, there are not there to assist.

He related another story, which took place during the levaya of Rabbinate Cohen, the wife of the head of the Shas Moetzas Gedolei Yisrael, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen Shlita.

It was very hot day and he received multiple calls to head to Shamgar and connect the truck so people would have water. He was given a fine later on and he recently appeared in a police station and was told he would have a trial and now face charges of stealing city water for private gain.

Once again Chaikel seeks to understand what motivates such hate in City Hall that efforts continue to prevent simple acts of chessed.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)