Remember, after 2000 years of exile – even an extreme traffic jam becomes a privilege

In a personal column, Oded Harush, a resident of Dimona and media personality, seeks to reframe the extreme traffic jams during the Chol Hamoed of Tishrei as a positive experience. Harush describes the massive traffic congestion on the way to Jerusalem, especially around the Selichot events and the Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall, presenting them as 'traffic jams of joy' and a historic privilege for the people of Israel returning to their land after 2000 years of exile. The column concludes with a call to listen to good music, enjoy the scenery, and give thanks for the privilege.

Oded Harush, a resident of Dimona and media personality, writes a personal column about the extreme traffic jams during the Chol Hamoed of Tishrei. He describes the heavy congestion on the way to Jerusalem, especially around the Selichot events and the Priestly Blessing at the Western Wall, and presents them in a positive light. Harush recounts a story about a taxi driver who took Rabbi Dov Bigon the Kohen to prayer at the Wall and complained about the traffic; the rabbi asked him how much his grandfather, who immigrated from Yemen, would have paid to be stuck in a traffic jam in Jerusalem. The central message: these traffic jams are a historic privilege for the people of Israel returning to their land after 2000 years of exile. The column concludes with a call to listen to good music, enjoy the scenery, and give thanks for the privilege. The column reflects a national-religious stance that frames a daily transportation phenomenon as a positive spiritual experience.