Return to Homepage.
Michael Kadish
To the Shlichim of B'nei Akiva for North America and Great Britain:
If Oded has kept his word, you have received a fax to the effect that B'nei Akiva absolves all responsibility for us in Hachshara, due to the fact that we have hitchhiked as a means of travel in Israel. He told us that it was his intention to tell you, and have the two of you inform our parents.
Without pointing out the childishness in that action, I would appreciate the chance to point out the compromised position that B'nei Akiva has put us in. They have, without warning us previously, put us into the West Bank. The most common form of transportation here is through tramping. Since we make use of this form of transportation, Oded will have nothing to do with us, because "Your lives are the most important things."
There is good reason that tramping is most often used. The closest "city," Petach Tikva, costs a cool hundred shekels to travel by taxi, each way. The prices to one of the four main cities is naturally much higher. There are no stores, no markolet, no food to buy, nor books, nor any other of the simplest luxuries available in Peduel, and need to be obtained in other cities. Every free Shabbas, that Oded told us would have been best for us to have stayed here for, "for our safety," would have left us stranded without a minyon, but more importantly, without food, or supervision. We are by no means capable of spending such money every time we need toiletries or any other item that we would need. If B'nei Akiva would have agreed to reimburse us for taxis from the beginning, they should have said so.
The only other way to leave Peduel is the 577 bus that leaves here at 7:00 AM, to the Old Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv, and returns at 4:00 PM, for 16.30 NIS. That would be the only viable alternative to tramping and taxis, but for Oded to tell us to take this, "for our safety," is to be cruelly oblivious. The Old Central Bus Station is in the worst of neighborhoods.
I was mugged there two days ago.
I have reason to believe that this notion of "not letting us tramp for our own safety," is an attempt to force us into a Catch 22. Baruch Hashem, in the eleventh hour, Saddam backed down, and war did not break out. Though the tension was as strong as it was, B'nei Akiva, who is holding our passports, would not shell out one hundred shekels for a gas mask deposit for us. There reasoning is that we have gas masks stored away, in our names, in boxes, in a warehouse.
It's not so reassuring to know that if, God forbid, war breaks out, at least our boxes will survive.
Assuming that we were to have heard that the state of emergency had been declare after 7 AM, which seems the only feasible way the events could transpire, we would not be able to leave Peduel, and wind up in the red light district of Tel Aviv till seven the next morning.
When we pointed out the situation to Oded, and asked what he proposed, he said, "I don't care. Learn to fly."
This is only the latest of the cruel jokes he has delivered to us. His trump card in arguments is that we CHOSE to stay at Peduel, he gave us the alternative of leaving to another Yeshiva. He said that it was a difficult yeshiva, and those who could not hack it, were to be forced back to the kibbutz.
I can not think of a euphemism to describe this action, except to say that I doubt even an Amelekite would have the audacity to do this. He offered us an all or nothing chance. If those of is who wanted to go to Yeshiva went, everybody would go, but those who couldn't keep up would have there Jewish studies, that they paid for, reneged from them. To do this to a group of nine, three of whom had never studied Gemorah before, and one of which has Cerebral Palsy and severe learning disabilities, shows nothing but pure audacity on the behalf of Oded, and had killed any respect we might have had for him.
I implore you, that if Oded has kept his word, and told you to tell our parents, that you not only tell them his message, but show them this as well. If this was nothing but another empty threat by the B'nei Akiva here, then I ask you not only to send this to our parents, but challenge Oded as to why these are not legitimate claims, and then ask above why we do not have a person in charge who is legitimately looking out for our needs.
I eagerly await a response.