(a writer who wishes to remain anonymous wrote…)
Having just come back from The Lakes (a vacation spot popular among observant Jews in England), I noticed certain behaviours amongst our religious cohorts that, at best, was thoughtless, and at worst, causes a Chillul HaShem (a desecration of G-d’s name). I'm not the person really to write these things and I dare say those who read your blog do not need to be told, but I feel it needs to be said and, you never know, someone who needs it might see it..
Some dos and don'ts on holiday:
- Do: always greet or smile nicely to passer-bys, especially in the mountains.
- Do: always make way for others - if walking in a group, walk in single file [especially if on a mountain-path, village-road, or side-walk].
- Do not: talk loudly on a mobile. Remember, you are a guest.
- Do not: unnecessarily draw attention to yourself. Everyone can see you are Yiddish: make a good impression!
- If there is a private road, with parking only for those living in the street, DO NOT park there - even for half-an-hour! It's not worth it!
Keep in mind that people at holiday spots don’t normally interact with yidden (religious Jews), therefore you are literally the image representing Torah and Hashem. Leave a good impression behind.
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The issue is that you are talking to people about a travel culture that they only see three times a year, if at all. While non-religious people and other people that have a 'leisure lifestyle', you can argue about etiquette, but it is much harder to educate people who for them, it really might not be 'common sense'.
ReplyDeleteThis past week, I was travelling in the Golan, and while I come from a more open background and have traveled a lot, I really understand that others do not and that I need to work overtime on learning zchut (like the people who were camping out near a stream but washing their dishes and kids in the water).
FWIW, teaching musar in a blog post has zero effectiveness, and you really have to do it in the community itself.