Meah Shearim residents were somewhat surprised to see IDF soldiers arrive in their community, for a training scenario no less. Trainees of an elite unit arrived on Sunday night, to take part in a training exercise in the streets of the community. The dozens of Duvdevan soldiers were in Meah Shearim, Bucharim and N’vei Tzvi during their training event, moving from courtyard to courtyard using maps, compass’ and other navigating equipment.
A Chadrei Chareidim correspondent spoke with one of the officers present who explained it was a routine training exercise to teach the new soldiers navigational skills, taking advantage of the community’s maze of alleyways and small streets.
After realizing it was not a raid or something to do with the gezeira to draft chareidim most residents welcomed the soldiers with open arms, offering food and beverage. Some however, not the majority, were less hospitable and they distanced their children and decried the presence of the soldiers.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
7 Responses
Quite funny. Not only does it look like an Arab area, but the attitude of quite a few residents is pretty similar as well, so it’s a quite realistic exercise!
Touche Chassidishe Gatesheader..very funny and a bit sad.
@The Chassidishe Gatesheader
WOW some people never fail to amaze me! you took a simple newsworthy article that was pretty positive (YWN even stressed “not the majority”) and managed to see it a a dark light!! WOW!! that’s impressive!!
To the truth:
So how is the glass, half empty or half full? You are saying: Baruch HaShem there is water in the glass! That’s the attitude of a true tzadik. May The Chassidishe Gatesheader and the rest of us learn from you!
I know the area quite well and I know how many people feel about the army there. Personally I am in the difficult position of sympathizing with both sides.
Still, this is an area which police officers are afraid to enter. Holding a military exercise there is quite a feat.
Yiddish speaking Mistarvim?
i am surprised they did it in Meah Shearim and not in Ramot Polin. Ramot Polin is much harder to navigate. A foreign visitor told me that he is afraid to enter Ramot Polin because he fears he’d get lost and his bones might be found only two weeks later.