For months we (the chess players, domino players, family and friends) were all looking forward to this bus trip to Nazareth! In fact, we had 37 people who signed up and about 15 others who wanted to go at the last minute. But, after being turned around, frightened off, verbally abused, physically assaulted, and discouraged by a huge angry mob of 200 plus Datim, only 23 of us managed to board the bus.
Our plans were to leave Arad at 8 in the morning; we didn’t leave until after 10 due to the uncontrollable circumstances we, 2 police women and 1 policeman were faced with.
In my book, we were held hostage, to say the least! Our freedom of movement was prevented. This was the 2nd time others and I were corralled into our chess club and detained there for hours, until the mob decided to go home. Both times, the unruly mob totally disregarded the police, shouting at them, tearing barricades down, and refusing to disperse when given direct orders…only leaving hours later, when they were good and ready.
I also felt like a hostage later when the Datim surrounded our car, falling and banging on it and laying down in the street around it. The two policewomen who came to our rescue could not get the angry mob to stop nor back off. The situation was out of hand. The police wanted us to try and make it back to the storefront where we could be somewhat safe, they wanted me to leave the car right where is was, and I guess run for my life. I told the cop, “No way!” “I’m not leaving this car here with them!” “You have a gun and you can’t make these people move?”
This is a small desert town and by now all the police seem to know us and we them. One of the policewomen said in a soft voice “Edwin, give me your key, I will park the car in a safe place, but please go into the chess club!”
“Edwin”, only my mother calls me Edwin, everybody else calls me Eddie! I gave her the key, and made my way to the storefront; later apologizing, which she fully understood.
When she was later asked, “Why didn’t you make some arrest, write people up, get names?” she said, “There were too many!”
Air was let out of car tires, Polly was whipped with a prayer shawl and spat upon, the steel front door of the storefront was kicked shut hitting Lura on the left side of her body, the back door of the storefront was kicked and banged on while we were huddled inside, a mob surrounded the bus: blocking its doors, and sprawling out in front of it, etc., etc.
All this was going on right in the presence of the police! The police were simply overwhelmed! They had a riot on their hands!
They called for backup. Help was on the way, 40 minutes away…from Beersheva!
Finally backup (3 cops from Beersheva) arrived!
The Haredim were absolutely in control. They only left when they were good and ready!
When we were finally on the bus, I turned to the 22 diehards and said “Shabbat Shalom!” With all the commotion it was easy to forget that this was Shabbat.
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Edwin Beckford
Sept 17, 2005