Page 44 - HaMizrachi #6 TuBishvat 5779

WHAT’S PUBLIC

TRANSPORTATION
Yaniv

ANSWERS! LIKE IN ISRAEL?

Editor’s note: Our resident, totally unofficial Israeli guide brings you insights into a lighter side of the Israeli
experience you won’t likely find in the usual news sources. Yaniv will also respond to readers’ questions and
observations (non-halachic of course). He can be reached at yaniv@mizrachi.org. Enjoy!

QUESTION: to expect. He would drive an empty bus But be careful about pluralizing the word
What’s public transportation like in for about 20 seconds, line up with the “sherut.” I once saw a guy directed to half
Israel? curb railings, open his door and allow a dozen bathrooms – as he kept asking
14 passengers to get on the bus, out of where the sherutim were located – before
YANIV ANSWERS: the heat into the cool, and sit in one of he finally found the minibus.
ell, busses are the number the 50 available seats. Even if each of us
one mode of travel. Last year, would stretch out over three seats, there Israel’s rail service is also fast improving;
W bus passenger trips totaled would still be empty spots. Jerusalem’s light rail is already widely
750 million, with 20 companies – led used, while Tel Aviv’s is well under
by Egged – operating more than 6,000 I, a naïve young American, anticipated an construction. And, at long last, the
buses. Handy debit cards are the newest orderly queue. Wrong. Before the bus’s new Jerusalem-Tel Aviv train route, 10
mode of payment, as cash is rapidly front wheel made a complete rotation, years in the making, has finally been
being phased out. Buses are outfitted the waiting people swarmed into the inaugurated and is expected to turn an
with Wi-Fi and individual smartphone small area between the railings and interminably-slow, meandering voyage
chargers, and are particularly convenient overflowed beyond the curb. Caught in into a rapid, under-30 minute ride from
for students and the elderly – for whom a crushing stream of coalescing, sweaty door to door. And there are even plans
the front seats are reserved with a sign humanity rushing to the spot pinpointed for a bullet train from Tel Aviv to Eilat –
quoting the Biblical verse, “Before the through ITP (instinctive trajectory dubbed the “Med-Red line” - which will
aged you shall rise,” asking younger plotting) as where the front door was cut travel time between Israel’s center
expected to open, I found my face
people to give up their seats! and its resort town to less than two
pressed against metal, pinned between
In my pre-Aliyah days, I recall how I used the moving bus and the single-minded hours.
to visit an aunt who had made Aliyah collective. The pressure behind me was But let’s not forget walking! It’s free,
after WWII. Each week she would take exceptionally forceful. I turned to see my healthy, hassle-free and still the very best
me to visit a different relative by bus. On short, 55+ year old aunt pushing me hard way to see this beautiful country. And
one particularly steamy day, we found and screaming, “Keep moving! Push! just walking in Israel – unlike anywhere
ourselves waiting with about 12 other We need to find a seat!” Ahh… family else in the world – is a mitzvah after only
passengers under an old shelter at the memories. Good times. six steps!
first stop of a bus line. The next bus was Yet my favorite travel choice is the sherut,
due to begin its route in a few minutes Israel’s original version of the “shared-
and was just 40 feet away, still running ride” concept that is fast replacing taxi
to keep the air conditioning toiling service all over the world. Call me
away against the hot sun as we, its future crazy, but I just love sitting 2-3 inches
passengers, waited most impatiently. away from perfect strangers who are
Eventually, the driver finished his smoke discussing their most intimate secrets on Feel free to send me any other
and got on the bus. We were watching their cell phone, from their latest medical perplexing questions you have:
him the whole time so we all knew what diagnoses to their kids’ marital problems. yaniv@mizrachi.org

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