Of Walls

“Unworthy … nasty … counterproductive … demeaning … too sarcastic and exaggerated”; “effective … necessary … perfect … brilliant … kudos.” Such were the mixed reactions to my recent satiric piece on the feminist assault on the Kosel with negatives coming even from people who are opposed to the feminist agenda. On both sides of the spectrum feelings were very strong and passionate. Satire will do that.

Putting aside for now the use of ridicule sarcasm and hyperbole — without which there can be no satire (see dictionary definition above) — one curious phenomenon transcending the Kosel issue emerges: the positive reactions by and large came from American Jews of Jerusalem; the negative reactions by and large came from those living in the US. ( This is not a scientific sampling but a pattern that clearly emerged.)

Why geographical location should make a difference I have no idea. Is it that living in Israelmakes one more battle-hardened more thick-skinned more accustomed to wars of words and not easily offended by strong partisanship? Witness the no-holds-barred verbal jousts in the Knesset or the talk shows which are really “shout shows ” where insults and ad hominems are part of the daily menu. Israelis are perhaps not as tender-hearted as their American Jewish counterparts. They can dish it out and they can take it as well. Let-it-all-hang-out is de rigueur and public shouting matches and temper tantrums are not uncommon. By contrast American society is much more controlled and self-restrained. Ergo a hard-hitting satire disturbs Americans much more than it does Israelis.

But perhaps more to the point is that Jerusalemites being much closer to the actual scene are more keenly aware of what lies beneath the posturing and provocations. They do not see things through the filter of anti-Orthodox media — both Jewish and general — who have transformed the feminist Kosel issue into a civil rights struggle painting scenes of pious women in tallis and tefillin who want to worship G-d in their own way but are prevented by chareidi hoodlums who throw chairs and curses at them.