Eicha

A number of weeks ago, Ynet published an article titled From a small Petah Tikva square to a nationwide protest.
I would have written the article somewhat differently perhaps titling it From a small Petah Tikva square to a neighborhood nuisance.

The protests have been growing in attendance week by week in a neighborhood that is half secular and half religious. (Don't quote me on the statistics. I am unsure of the percentage.) While religious people are quietly basking in the peace and quiet of another Sabbath, police are arriving two hours before Sabbath ends to ensure public safety during public protests which organizers deemed should take place before the Holy Sabbath ends. The protestors arrive wearing T-shirts containing verses from the Tanach from Isaiah 1:21-23. Because if the Tanach can justify the cause, then it is important to highlight Torah versus. The verses in the Torah relating to Keeping the Sabbath holy are not displayed on the T-shirts. Why the protest has to take place before Sabbath ends is a question for which I haven't received an answer. Perhaps it is because I never asked the question of those so eager to congregate every Saturday night in the town of Kfar Ganim.

Across the street, a number of protestors who live in the neighborhood who are bothered by the noise hold up signs asking to be left in peace. Some people saunter up to them not to hear their point of view but to pontificate and explain that they must suffer the noise for the good of the country. Screaming banshees protesting on bullhorns is necessary and tough luck on the residents who live next to the protest area.

On the third corner of the square a few pro-Netanyahu demonstrators congregate and hold an Israeli flag high in the air while they turn up the volume on recorded Israeli music. The fourth side stands empty, for now, but perhaps one can hope that it would be occupied by someone who would make havdalah for the crowd, after the Sabbath ends.

Tisha B'Av is fast approaching when we read from the book of Lamentations which commences with the word "Eicha." The protestors wear T-shirts which cite a verse in Isaiah that begins with the word "Eicha."

The Second Temple was destroyed because of baseless hatred. How about for this Monday evening through Tuesday night we act as if we are wearing T-shirts citing the first verse in Psalms 133, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"