Those unfamiliar with the ultra-Orthodox Jewish way of life may not know what the two words “Bin Hazmanim” mean. In the world of yeshivas, the year is divided into “zmanim,” meaning periods of study, between which the holiday periods fall. The longest and most significant holidays begin after Tisha B’Av and last until the beginning of the month of Elul. The yeshiva students then return to their houses of study, and the “Elul period” begins – the time leading up to the High Holy Days. For a few weeks, yeshiva students, married Torah scholars, and families go on vacation, and Israel changes its face a little.
The Sea of Galilee fills up, nature reserves and parks become overcrowded, families go on outings, and groups of young people head out into the open, equipped with food, drinks, and of course a grill. It seems as though during this time, almost every patch of lawn, every small grove, or every road junction with space enough to set up a table and a...
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