A Tour To Be Paid for in Psalms
Sometimes when green ideals and zealous Orthodoxy meet, the results are a little bizarre.
The Haredi media is reporting that Eliezer Zahavi, a green-inclined resident from the coastal Israeli city of Bat Yam, has been salvaging reusable items from people’s trash for months — wooden boards, scraps of plastic, bits of metal. He has constructed a wagon, on which he’s about to start offering rides to the public.
But this is no normal seaside pleasure ride, paid for with money: He demands spiritual reward. The fare is paid in Psalms — he will transport people in the donkey-drawn wagon without expectation of monetary reward, rather they must read from the Biblical book of Psalms for the duration of the journey.
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
