Page 45 - issue
P. 45
Journey to Bat Ayin 37
the yishuv carried out by terrorists who infiltrated from the Arab
village on the neighboring hilltop, the government insisted on
putting up a security fence, only on the side of the yishuv near
the Arab villages.
uuu
Rebbetzin Batya described what life was like 28 years ago.
The first pioneering families shared caravans for the first few
weeks until enough of the trailers arrived to accommodate each
family. The men dug the sewer system themselves. To make a
phone call (before the age of cell phones!), they would leave their
homes and use a shared telephone attached to a pole in the mid-
dle of the camp. Neighboring yishuvim adopted the new settlers
and made sure there were enough men for a minyan on the
yishuv every day until it grew. Other yishuvim were just starting
out as well, so a makolet (grocery) on wheels came around once
a week, and people lined up to purchase their groceries.
Since its beginning, the yishuv has grown into about 220
families. The community, today, has a diverse flair, including
many “hippies” sporting colorful flowing clothing and sandals.
It is common for the men to have full peyot and beards, ac-
cording to chasidish custom, and the vast majority of married
women cover their hair with a mitpachat, a turban-like scarf.
Most families belong to at least one, and usually more, of four
religious paths, which are known as ChaBaKuK. This stands
for Chabad, Breslov, Rav Kook, and Carlebach. A strong sense
of spirituality and passion pervades the shul, and chasidut and
kabbalic teachings are widespread. The main shul, known as the
Mercaz, is Nusach Sefard and led by Rav Kohen. A few smaller
shuls accommodate Chabad, Sefardi, and Breslov minyanim,
and a yeshiva for mostly Israeli baalei teshuva is headed by Rav
Natan Greenberg.
The yishuv has one well-stocked makolet, a doctor’s clinic,
and a thrift shop. A falafel stand, which sits on the main road a
few times a week, is rather new. While the settlement certainly
lacks the hustle and bustle and tremendous abundance of city
life, that just makes it easier to connect to one’s spiritual core.
However, residents of the yishuv are not materially deprived,
either. In recent years, many new stores have sprouted in the
Gush, so people don’t need to rely on Yerushalayim for shop-
ping, a 25-minute car ride away. Only a short distance away, in
Kfar Etzion, a large array of shops includes shoe and clothing
stores, a phone store, a bank, an electronic and hardware store,
a pet store, and an “everything” store. A bit further down the
road, by the Tzomet HaGush junction, the grocery chain, Rami
Levi, has a huge supermarket, and a mall has lots of stores and
several eateries, including a pizza shop and a nice dairy cafe.
Many people in Bat Ayin own cars, and those who do not take
buses or tremp (hitchhike). There is even a tremping Whatsapp
group, where people request and offer rides, which is especial-
ly helpful because the buses to and from Bay Ayin are not al-
ways reliable. Just a few days ago, though, the bus schedule was
changed and additional bus lines were added. The hope is that
u 410 358 8509 u
the yishuv carried out by terrorists who infiltrated from the Arab
village on the neighboring hilltop, the government insisted on
putting up a security fence, only on the side of the yishuv near
the Arab villages.
uuu
Rebbetzin Batya described what life was like 28 years ago.
The first pioneering families shared caravans for the first few
weeks until enough of the trailers arrived to accommodate each
family. The men dug the sewer system themselves. To make a
phone call (before the age of cell phones!), they would leave their
homes and use a shared telephone attached to a pole in the mid-
dle of the camp. Neighboring yishuvim adopted the new settlers
and made sure there were enough men for a minyan on the
yishuv every day until it grew. Other yishuvim were just starting
out as well, so a makolet (grocery) on wheels came around once
a week, and people lined up to purchase their groceries.
Since its beginning, the yishuv has grown into about 220
families. The community, today, has a diverse flair, including
many “hippies” sporting colorful flowing clothing and sandals.
It is common for the men to have full peyot and beards, ac-
cording to chasidish custom, and the vast majority of married
women cover their hair with a mitpachat, a turban-like scarf.
Most families belong to at least one, and usually more, of four
religious paths, which are known as ChaBaKuK. This stands
for Chabad, Breslov, Rav Kook, and Carlebach. A strong sense
of spirituality and passion pervades the shul, and chasidut and
kabbalic teachings are widespread. The main shul, known as the
Mercaz, is Nusach Sefard and led by Rav Kohen. A few smaller
shuls accommodate Chabad, Sefardi, and Breslov minyanim,
and a yeshiva for mostly Israeli baalei teshuva is headed by Rav
Natan Greenberg.
The yishuv has one well-stocked makolet, a doctor’s clinic,
and a thrift shop. A falafel stand, which sits on the main road a
few times a week, is rather new. While the settlement certainly
lacks the hustle and bustle and tremendous abundance of city
life, that just makes it easier to connect to one’s spiritual core.
However, residents of the yishuv are not materially deprived,
either. In recent years, many new stores have sprouted in the
Gush, so people don’t need to rely on Yerushalayim for shop-
ping, a 25-minute car ride away. Only a short distance away, in
Kfar Etzion, a large array of shops includes shoe and clothing
stores, a phone store, a bank, an electronic and hardware store,
a pet store, and an “everything” store. A bit further down the
road, by the Tzomet HaGush junction, the grocery chain, Rami
Levi, has a huge supermarket, and a mall has lots of stores and
several eateries, including a pizza shop and a nice dairy cafe.
Many people in Bat Ayin own cars, and those who do not take
buses or tremp (hitchhike). There is even a tremping Whatsapp
group, where people request and offer rides, which is especial-
ly helpful because the buses to and from Bay Ayin are not al-
ways reliable. Just a few days ago, though, the bus schedule was
changed and additional bus lines were added. The hope is that
u 410 358 8509 u
