Pride Parade Jerusalem 2007

Despite repeated warning from every policeman I approached to ask for directions, I made it to the

Pride Parade!  At one point the policeman actually told me not to go and tried to block me. I was shocked – I asked him if I’m allowed to go, and he said don’t go. I told him that I have the right to go and I will go, and he let me through. Other friends had similar confrontations with the police that tried to discourage people from going to the Parade.

I cannot figure out what that is all about. The police had a really good excuse to cancel the parade all together because the fire department was on strike for over six days, but they did not. Over half of the active police force were at the parade (8000 police for 2000 marchers, plus military) God, you do that math – for every marcher there were four police officers. Five Thousand marchers were expected. What happened?  Did the potential marchers get scared? Is the community to small to get 5000 to show up and argue with the police that are actually on their side?

Also, there were few observes, very little touching, absolutely no music, and the after party was canceled.  It is hard to be festive with this amount of young men and women with guns all around. Even when the military state is on your side, it is still a military state. (not to underestimate the important of it being on your side.)  

Despite the situation, still the parade was an event to behold. My favorite the “Fuck Gender: Say No to Family Values” poster.  The quite progression down David Hamelach was full of hope. Perhaps the first few marchers are always doing so under the watchful eye of the police. After all, racial integration in the states occurred with the help of the National Guard.

However, I wonder if there might be some other way of dealing with the difficult situation.  Perhaps the police could be more helpful, instead of scaring people away from the parade by literary telling them not to go because there will be violence. At the same time, violence was a real threat, an Ultra-Orthodox Man with a bomb was stopped and 24 others were arrested throughout the day. However, is the role of the police to breed fear in an already guarded population?

I wonder if a few details could take the edge of the military state? However, who can you expect the police to be courteous if even the waiters at local restaurants are not? Israel is not a “costumer service” society.  Most adults come of age in the army, and thus bring that culture back with them into civilian life. Perhaps that is why both the police officer and the waitress are standoffish?  Or is it the other way around? 

Grumble as I might about the rude police, the bottom line of the Parade is clear, The majority (however, ungracefully) put stood against the increasingly powerful, and absolutely terrifying version of Judaism. There is nothing authentic, sweet or quant about this sort of religion.  Perhaps this can be the profound lesson of the parade, for those who encounter the outreach activities of this particular group. Their life may seem inspired, beautiful, spiritual, and filled with meaning, and often this is all true – however the price you has to pay is blind hatred of your queer friend, queer child, your queer neighbor and perhaps your queer self.  Meaning should not cost your soul.

It took me an entire adolescence of being a “bal teshuva” before I came to this conclusion. This

summer, I came to Israel to say good-bye to Orthodox Judaism, the Parade certainly helped in that processes.

For main stream covarage of the Parade check out Jpost and Haartz (the facts in my article mainly comes from Jpost article, but the Haartz peace is every uplifting.) 

  http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1182409606778&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/873728.html