FWIW: One witness testimony from Ramat Aviv, Yom Kippur 2023

For those who do not understand Hebrew, let me translate this short video and the text written at the bottom of the post. It is only one story, but it tells a story that must make us wonder about what is going on in the country today. Ayala Hasson of Kan 11 Television introduces Dorit Itzhak Golpur about her experience with outdoor prayers on Yom Kippur. Itzhak Golpur begins: "It wasn't just at Kikar Dizengoff. There were similar occurrences in Ramat Aviv Gimel, in Nave Avivim and in Ramat Aviv Hayeruka. Now I'll tell you about where I was in Ramat Aviv Hayeruka. All the prayers were inside the synagogue. What happens at the time for Ne'ila [the final prayer of Yom Kippur], a larger number of members of the public come and therefore the rabbi decided that, in order for all residents, all of whom arrive to hear the shofar, will hear the shofar and he sent us outside to the public space. I must point out that there was no mechitza, no separation, people arrived sponaneously and divided themselves into those in the men's area and the woman's area. One woman came at the outset and sat among the men wearing a sleeveless top and shorts and this did not disturb anyone. Most of the worshipers were secular residents of the neighbourhood and so it didn't both anyone that she came as she was and sat with them. Then she started to busy herself with her mobile phone. By chance, she was sitting right next to my husband and he did not react. And she took the camera and put the camera up in his face and my husband still did not react. Then an older resident in the neighbourhood, secular, by the way, and he asked her to move the camera away from them because it is Yom Kippur and there are prayers. She writes on her phone that she doesn't care. 'I even got a prayer book, but please come and help me because I'm here alone, facing everyone.' And then, in fact, only four or five came, but four or five are enough break up the prayers of hundreds of people who came to hear Ne'ila. A moment of such unity in our neighbourhood of religious, secular, and traditional. They came and they did not allow us to continue the prayer in spite of the fact that there was no mechitza. The Chazan stood exactly in the middle, between the women and the men." Ayala Hasson interrupts and says: "Pictures from Nave Avivim, where there is a Beit Chabad, I think. The provocation was outside." Itzhak Golpur continues: "What happens in Beit Chabad, the prayers took place inside the Beit Chabad synagogue, not in public space. There we can see that demonstrators came and started with their whistles and shouts, yelling "Demo-cratiya" and "Busha" [shame] and in Ramat Aviv Gimel, people simply cried out, asking 'why? I'm like you. I demonstrate at Kaplan every Saturday evening  Why are you doing this today? Why are you destroying our worship on this day?' I must point out that I have lived in Ramat Aviv for years, from the time I was six months old. I live in Ramat Aviv. There have always been these prayers. There were always people there praying. Davka this year?" Hasson then thanks Itzhak Golper and the interview is over.