Jerusalem Syndrome? Or Purim Humor?

March 4, 2007 - 1:33 PM by

Jerusalem is often said to be an intense and spiritual city of amazing contrasts. But sometimes, similarities can be found between very different groups.

Grabbing a quick lunch on Ben-Yehuda Street in Jerusalem today, I saw a strange sight. Already joyous in honor of Purim, which is celebrated today and, in Jerusalem, tomorrow, many people were dressed in costume and music blared.

As usual, the Chabad Lubovich had their tefillin stand out, encouraging Jewish males to put on tefillin (phylacteries, whatever that is). However, they were interrupted by an odd sound.

A strange woman, who is known to frequent the area, dressed in a white cloak saying “I am Yahweh” started yelling at them that they were evil rabblerousers and that she was the Messiah. Apparently, she is a victim of Jerusalem syndrome – the strange illness where people come to Jerusalem and think that they are figures from the Bible and New Testament – King David, King Saul, Moses, or Jesus are often common.

Ranting that she was the Messiah, she attracted a curious crowd of onlookers. Laughing, I responded to the young Lubavich assistant that she “she was crazy, she thinks she is the Messiah.”

He agreed. “She thinks she is the Messiah but we all know that the Lubavicher Rebbe is the Messiah.”

All I could think was “So far apart, but yet, so similar. Only in Jerusalem. And on Purim.”

Tags: • Category: A New Reality, General, Holidays, Israeliness 

Comments

One Comment on Jerusalem Syndrome? Or Purim Humor?

  1. havivah on Mon, Mar 5th 2007 4:29 PM

    2. Yesterday was our first Purim here We made aliya on Yom haatzmaut 06
    We were invited to dinner in Rehovot On the way, in the train and on the stations we saw many people in costumes and the kids especially made our day
    However, after we came back to Bet Shemesh , we had to take a bus and the driver was wearing a wig complete with bobby pins to hold it in place
    That was funny enough, but what was funnier were the expessions of the people boarding and the people outside the bus who saw the driver
    There is no place like Israel !!!

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