Toddson - I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I didn't follow your thought. Could you maybe go use dumb talk Wikipedia Simple-English style to explain this?

Also, yes, banks are irrational and only excellent in taking money away from people. I still keep a fantasy of living modern life without a bank account. That's the only way I'll know what happens to my money.

Shir, you are amazing. I hope out of your hollaback site, a way opens up to combat this with more than words (but less than violence in return) - one that won't be more restrictive to women's freedom in Israel.

Shir, I meant to say that I think this is a wonderful thing you're doing.

Thanks, all.

ION: idiots from the class they don't understand sent me another email. They're gonna make an official complaint to the head of the class department, and want to know from every student if they approve it or not.

Giving my opinion on the matter (a. that most of them are disrespectful idiots, b. that they're really idiots if they can't see that the problem is that they finish their first year in the degree without knowing what the meaning of sociological question is, and that's the true problem with the teaching, not the specific class they're complaining about), and the past 24 hours, I'm not even sure if I'm gonna send "I disapprove it. These aren't the droids you're looking for" email back. They want us to send that email back, btw, because they're too coward to sign their names, and will only say how many are they.

Maybe I'll switch to the credit union.

I love my credit union. I have overdraft protection with my savings account and the fee per overdraft? $.50. Monthly fee? $1 that goes to support a Ronald McDonald's style house. Other fees? Don't got any.

Shir, I was referring back to Typo Boy's post:

The authorities in Israel officially take a hands off approach to this. On occasion they arrest people they feel are taking actions (such as same sex wedding ceremonies) that feel will are too provocative to the ultra-orthodox. In U.S. law we have a concept call "hecklers veto". In general in the U.S. "hecklers veto" is considered a violation of free speech. That someone will be offended and angry is not enough reason to stop your free speech or other harmless behavior such as bike riding. In Israel hecklers veto is part of recognized law in certain cases. If someone dislikes your otherwise legal speech or behavior enough to become violent towards you, that speech or behavior may be officially forbidden by law enforcement in the name of protecting public order in certain circumstances.

My point was that if the women who were tripped attacked the men who tripped them, or the bystanders who saw this happen with no comment, would this behavior then be prohibited? Since otherwise legal actions can be banned, would this, could this - which shouldn't be legal - be banned and enforced. I mean, if women who were tripped by some guy offended by them walking down a main street wearing conventional Western-style clothing rather than taking it physically attacked those responsible or those who by their inaction condoned it.

Shir, that's a truly superb name for the site.

I don't know what the legislation is, Toddson, but all in all bystanders are a gray zone when it comes to morality. They can always say that they feared they'll get attack too.

Good question, though. I'll try and look for an answer.

When I thought of trying to find evidence/report to the police I saw all the problems: the problem is, that after you get attacked, you don't think like this. Here's what went through my mind: while falling, I actually thought "oh, seriously?". After it, I tried to make sure that my glasses are still on me and intact, that all that I carried with me is on me (and I had a backpack, another full bad and pockets filled with important university lists and documents/IDs, and my cell phone). It took me 3-4 minutes, after cleaning up a little bit, to understand just how much dirt my mouth, chin and nose got. I was alarmed when I wiped my lips and saw, 3 minutes after, how much dirt was removed from them. And of course, not breaking into cry and trying to stay calm was in my mind.

In all of this, trying to see what and who's around me just wasn't a priority. I'm surprised I caught so much info from what went on around me without looking. And I probably would question it as an assault if wasn't for that milli-second before crossing, when I was making sure I wouldn't trip on anything. That pretty much was the big hint which led to "OK, let's connect the dots: 2 men crossed before you. Someone moved a barrier just after you scratched yourself from the sidewalk so no one will go through this path. 2-3 yeshiva boys are standing way too close. WTF?".

Shir, I'm sorry it happened and glad it wasn't worse. Best wishes for your site.

Oh, dear. People trying to take an ancient song and make it into rock. Or something. Basically, they succeed in making themselves look really silly.

Hil, there is a whole world of Jewish music out there, from the deeply spiritual (and, I think, beautiful) - Psalm 121 sung by Yosef Karduner (A song of ascents: I lift up my eyes to the mountains, from whence comes my help; My help comes from G-d, Maker of heaven and earth...)

to the "big band" if you will, kind of thing you linked to, where the lyrics are also taken from the liturgy or the Bible and the arrangements are big and brassy

to Shlock Rock which parodies pop and rock songs with lyrics about Jewish holidays, culture, and history. For example: "Havdalah" (about the service which ends the Sabbath) for the Beatles' "Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da" and "Wash This Way" (about the ritual and blessing over washing the hands before a meal) for Aerosmith's "Walk This Way".

That's just "popular" religious music in the "frum" (Orthodox) community. There's also cantorial music, klezmer, Ladino, and nowadays, even religious hip-hop (Mattisyahu), etc. Not to mention Jewish music from non-Orthodox sources like Debbie Friedman and Safam -- it just goes on forever and I'm only familiar with a tiny slice. Then there's non-religious, regular old Israeli music of all sorts from old-school Naomi Shemer (ballads) to Hadag Nachash (left-wing hip-hop/punk). All the influences from all the places Jews have ever lived make a showing in there somewhere.

There's great stuff out there, whatever your taste in music, really.