Box 34629 Jerusalem, Israel 91346. Date Taken: 03.2016: It seems counter-intuitive to me that a portion of the population that is both ideologically and religiously opposed to the modern state of Israel would be afforded political status and rights in the country, but this is in fact the face. This was a … The very religious area of Mea Shearim and suddenly a very strong rain came, a rare site in Jerusalem. This was especially pertinent after the lecture we received from Benny Porat on religion and public life, which touched upon similar themes. In North America, the word shiksa, referring to a non-Jewish woman, can sometimes be employed in a lighthearted manner. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life before I came to She’arim. Specifically, women in Mea Shearim must abide by a modest dress code in accordance with the Talmud, which conceives of women’s bodies as sinful temptations that distract from the higher pursuit of Torah. Life revolves around strict adherence to Jewish law, prayer, and the study of Jewish religious texts. In the assigned reading, “The Faces of Religiosity”, Ben-Rafael illustrates how the ultra-orthodox take part in politics, often serving in the Knesset to further their own sectarian interests and promote Talmudic within civil law. But we would like to invite readers who can afford to do so, and for whom The Times of Israel has become important, to help support our journalism by joining The Times of Israel Community.Our editorial team is, of course, fallible - we make mistakes. Today, Mea Shearim remains an insular neighbourhood in the heart of Jerusalem. This, he argues, reflects the growing move towards Israeli culture within Jewish ultra-orthodoxy. Meah Shearim (a name which means "one hundred gates") is the core of present-day Geulah, and a historic monument in itself. Minimal advertising will continue to display on The Times of Israel newsletters.Unlike many other news sites, we have not put up a paywall. In this way, the haredi are both a fundamental part of Israeli life, whose influence is still reflected in the laws concerning Shabbat, and also removed (and in some ways, exempt) from civic duties.The first article we read was Tovi Fenster’s “Bodies and Places in Jerusalem”. Life revolves around strict adherence to Jewish law, prayer, and the study of Jewish texts. Finally, as I mentioned earlier, police do not typically bother the Mea Shearim community in the case of illegal actions – Fenster cites the 2003 Chief of the City Enforcement Department at the Jerusalem Municipality, who characterised the haredi community as “outside the law and outside enforcing the law” (69).In spite of their opposition to both Israeli law and statehood, however, the haredi are also recognised as a key demographic within Israeli society.