The President Hotel is abandoned now
This series was first published 33 years ago, in 1993.
During the past generation we are accustomed to secular domination of Jerusalem, with several religious enclaves. However, it was not always thus. Jerusalem considered itself a holy city, and it was a deliberate effort on the part of anti-religious elements to break the kedusha. It was a war that began around the first World War, and continues to this very day. However, many crucial battles were fought during the first years of the State. One of these was the opening of the first mixed swimming pool in Jerusalem in 1958.
Every new insult to the sanctity of Jerusalem was fought. Each caused its pain and left its scars. Important to understanding the struggles that continue to this very day are the accounts of these earlier struggles. As Jews returned to their ancient homeland, they brought the golus back with them in the form of the life of hefkeirus as lived by the goyim. The Holy Land itself, left empty for almost two thousand years, and then beginning to be filled with the kedusha of the yishuv begun in the nineteenth century by the talmidim of the Besht and the Gra, was brought into exile by the insistence of those elements that wanted an anti-religious lifestyle. We are confident of long-term victory, but there is a long road back.
Many Waters Can't Quench The Flames
Part I
For Part II of this series click here.
Exactly 68 years ago this week, forty thousand Chareidim protested against the construction of a swimming pool in Yerushalayim. Chaim Shiff, a young hotelier, came up with a get-rich-quick scheme; a pool for mixed swimming would surely be a gold mine. He decided to rake in the money, to the heartbreak of Torah Jewry. The religious world stormed. Demonstrations were staged.
The police, with the municipality's encouragement, wielded their clubs. They used water hoses against the protesters, but no amount of water could quench the fire. Yerushalayim's religious residents went to prison al kiddush Hashem. This painful episode in the history of the Holy City is on file in Agudas Yisroel's archives in Yerushalayim. With the help of those who were involved in the affair, Yehuda Zaks reconstructs the controversy.
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By nature, water extinguishes fire. In this instance, it merely served to fan the flames. The date was Wednesday, rosh chodesh Shevat, 5718(1958). At four o'clock in the afternoon, the well-dressed guests assembled in the amusement park's lot, on Rechov Emek Refaim in the German Colony section of Jerusalem. They exchanged looks of triumph and satisfaction over what was, in effect, a tragedy for the Holy City: This was the ceremony in which the cornerstone would be laid for a new swimming pool. "The stone which the builders [of Jerusalem and guardians of her walls] despised had [now] become a cornerstone."
This also signaled the beginning of a prolonged battle over the city's character; a battle which would divide it from then onward. It was said that the pool complex would occupy an area of 2500 meters. The pool itself would be 50 meters long and 20 meters wide. The remaining land was designated for playing grounds and a summer theater.
A large enough arrow, in the heart of Yerushalayim.
*
According to hotelier Chaim Shiff, Gershon Agron, the mayor, requested that he build a mixed swimming pool for the public. His two partners in this venture, Turkish olim, would provide capital. Bank Discount would furnish loans.
"The youth can't live in a city where the atmosphere is so stifling, or they will leave," declared Agron. "The battle (over the pool's opening) will determine the character of Yerushalayim."
The municipality made every effort to help the project's initiators. It also didn't hesitate to bend the law to this end.
The police, ostensible enforcers of the law, helped the municipality circumvent it. In an early incident, they revealed their true mettle in a brutal show of force:
A short distance from the cornerstone-laying ceremony, dozens of Jews protested the breach in the sanctity of the Holy City. They stood with placards, and afterwards began marching in an orderly procession. Only their downcast expressions revealed their inner sorrow.
When they reached the train station, the police sprung into action. With uncharacteristic determination, they shoved twenty-nine demonstrators into police cars, and drove them to the police station handcuffed like common criminals. The "criminals'" names were registered, and they were then released.
Apparently, the right to protest was only guaranteed under British rule. Rights granted during the mandate were denied by the Israeli authorities, complained the demonstrators. At any rate, they were denied to religious Jews.
Agudas Yisroel worked feverishly during that time. It began taking out newspaper advertisements to alert the public. In discussions with the mayor, Rav Moshe Porush pointed out the possible consequences of building the pool. Via legal channels, he requested the intervention of the Prime Minister and President. He received an indifferent reply. Meanwhile, the chareidi streets stormed. In religious centers, both in Eretz Yisroel and abroad, the mood was turbulent.
Meah Shearim
An Early Demonstration
A large crowd from the old yishuv came to a protest gathering at the Satmar Yeshiva Yitav Lev. Agudas Yisroel didn't participate in this demonstration. Said Rav Porush: "I asked gedolei Yisroel if I should arrange a demonstration under the auspices of Agudas Yisroel, but they weren't supportive of the idea."
The participants were primarily those affiliated with the Eida HaChareidis and Neturei Karta. The Rabbonim A. Zlotnik, S. Eisen, and Y. Sheinberger organized this demonstration against the pool's construction.
The latent pain over the breach in the holy wall, and the public conscience, began to break forth. The heart, the seat of emotion, overflowed, sweeping the angry crowd into the street. At 4 p.m. they began a march.
In front of the Histadrut building on Strauss Street, just up the hill from the Geula neighborhood, the demonstrators were confronted by a line of policemen, led by Jerusalem's regional commander. The district commissioner, who was also present, remained on the sidelines. The presence of these high-ranking officers indicated the determination of the police force's upper echelons to suppress the demonstration.
Following a short exchange, the police began swinging their clubs. From every direction, cries of terror could be heard. One of the demonstrators, an elderly man who lived in the neighborhood, was seriously wounded. His long, white beard turned red with the blood that flowed from his head.
The demonstrators, surprised by this show of violence, fled into (the neighborhood of) Mea Shearim. People gathered on street corners. Fourteen demonstrators were apprehended. Three officers were lightly wounded. Police scouted out the area. One broke into Yeshivas K'hal Yereim, where many demonstrators had congregated to say Tehillim.
At this stage, the fire engines remained unused. The police were aware that even a flood of water wouldn't quench the fire. It was already apparent that this controversy would reach the Diaspora, principally because of the police force's blatant show of partiality. It made no attempt to prevent the problem that resulted in mass demonstrations. It acted without feeling or reason. Its aim was clear: Chase the chareidim back to the ghettos! They wouldn't force their golus mentality and lifestyle on the city!
HaRav Sholom Schwadron zt"l
Judging The Demonstrators
A short time later, the demonstrators stood trial. All but one denied the civil court's authority to try them. "We have no faith in a government of apostates!"
The judge's expression grew severe. In order to somewhat soften the "blow," he interpreted their statement as a denial of the charges. He instructed that they be released on self-bail and a bail of 100 Israeli pounds posted by a third party.
The captives remained implacable. Five of them shrugged their shoulders and refused to sign any forms or acknowledge their validity. They also refused to sign the release forms. The judge granted their "request," changing the terms of release to a bail of 40 lira in addition to the bail of 100 lira from a third party. R' Dovid Holtzman, a resident of Batei Ungarin, delivered the sum to Officer A. Granon. The "suspects" were charged with disturbing the peace.
The Pain Of the Gedolim
About a week later, a protest gathering was organized in the Harling Hotel. From then on, the influence of gedolei Yisroel was clearly discernible. The head of the Moetzes Gedolei Torah, Rav Zalman Sorotskin, made the opening speech. R' Akiva Sofer, av beis din of Pressburg, the Admor of Stropkov, the Yerushalmi maggid R' Shalom Schwadron, along with other illustrious personages, participated in the demonstration.
The speakers alternated between words of protest and pain. They proposed various measures that could be taken, and a committee was formed to implement the suggestions. A decision was made to bring the struggle out into the public forum. The participation of religious Jewry in the Diaspora was assured.
Trial In Archaos
Meanwhile, the demonstrators were put on trial. The courtroom was jam-packed. The accused sat at the side, as though totally indifferent to the tumult around them. R' Y. Eisen sat in a corner and continued eating his meal. At that time, Officer Blimer was on the witness stand. "...that one, who is sitting and eating..." pointed the officer, thereby calling the judge's attention to the suspect.
The judge shot a piercing glance at R' Eisen. "Take the food away from him," he said, in a tone that attempted to preserve the superficial calm. He then ordered that the Rav be handcuffed.
Testimony was heard. The witnesses went up to the stand, one after another. As is customary in civil court, each witness placed his hand on the Bible and was asked to take an oath. Only then did the suspects shake off their lethargy. They publicly fulfilled the mitzvah of rebuking a fellow Jew. "It's forbidden to swear on the Bible!" they chorused, to the surprise of all present.
The defendants' behavior destroyed the aura of decorum and respectability in the courtroom. An eyewitness told me that many people were shifting uncomfortably in their seats. "It has been established that the accused screamed 'Nazis' and threw rocks," ruled the judge.
At the same time, one of the demonstrators was severely beaten until blood flowed. He received a deep head wound during the beating. The judge openly criticized this incidence of police brutality.
The accused were acquitted on the charges of disturbing the peace. They were found guilty of participating in an unlawful gathering. A fine of 15 lira was imposed on each of them. The defendant who had been wounded had to pay a token fine of one lira. Three of the suspects, who had been convicted previously on similar charges, were given conditional jail sentences. No one, however, could imprison the protest itself.
They were convicted of participating in an unlawful gathering. But at that very moment, permits were already being issued for the pool's construction. The police had turned a blind eye to the unlawful building that had resulted in the unlawful demonstration. Then again, the builders weren't religious.
The Protest Is Stepped-Up
Meanwhile, the (religious) committee took action. The building of the pool was discussed in Shabbos droshos in shuls. A petition was sent to the government and municipality. A public gathering was arranged, in which great rabbonim participated. A decision was made to evaluate whether or not to rescind the kashrus certificate from Chaim Shiff's hotels.
In addition, they decided to inform the religious Diaspora of Shiff's role in the building of the pool. Religious tourists would then boycott his hotels. Perhaps Shiff's declining bank account would bring about a change of heart.
At that time, two of Jerusalem's illustrious citizens walked down the streets of Mea Shearim: The gaon R' Aharon Haltovsky, Rosh Yeshiva of Chayei Olam, and the gaon R' Yisroel Grossman, Rosh Yeshiva of Karlin. They decided to stop at the home of the Brisker Rav, to discuss whether or not to revoke the hechsher from Shiff's hotels.
The gaon listened intently, nodding his head. When they finished speaking, he voiced his suspicions. "This is a serious question indeed. There is no lack of guests. In the absence of a mashgiach, he is liable to serve them neveilos and treifos."
Meanwhile, the hechsher was removed from the hotels. The Chief Rabbinate entered the fray. Why had no other religious body, including the Jerusalem Rabbinate, become involved in this affair? To answer that question, we must digress a bit.
Three years earlier, Shiff, who owned the President Hotel, built a mixed swimming pool on the hotel's premises. This pool was intended principally for the hotel's guests. Affluent Jerusalem residents who were able to afford the high entrance fee also used the pool. Rav Herzog asked Shiff to schedule separate hours for men and women, to the exclusion of all mixed swimming. Shiff adamantly refused.
Incidentally, this wasn't the only swimming pool in Yerushalayim. The YMCA, a Christian organization, opened a swimming pool even before Shiff. The Christians, however, insisted on separate hours for men and women. But the Jews have to be "a light unto the nations." The swimming pool in the President Hotel opened, marking the beginning of the struggle for the sanctity of Yerushalayim. This struggle intensified with the opening of the public pool.
"It was more a matter of politics than of religion," Chaim Shiff told me. He then proceeded to reveal his true colors. "I come from a religious home, a home of Belzer chassidim. I admit that I don't eat treif. I've never eaten pork. I opened the first kosher hotel in Yerushalayim, even before Porush. They shouldn't oppose me by waving the banner of holiness and kashrus. Yerushalayim has more sanctity for me than for Porush. I say this despite the fact that we are close friends." Demonstrating this friendship, he adds: "Things were the same then as they are now. All politicians are the same."
Was it due to this sanctity that Shiff decided to build a center of depravity in the midst of the Holy City?
No, his decision was based on religious considerations: "I explained to Rav Herzog that I don't want chillul Shabbos. To the contrary! It's possible to prevent people from travelling to the beach on Shabbos. Whoever wants, can buy a pool pass on Friday... I also felt that the Jews of Yerushalayim should know how to swim. It is as vital as serving in the army, so that if they have to cross a channel..."
End of Part 1
