TARSHIHA, ISRAEL // The Jewish community of Kfar Vradim, set in the still-verdant hills of northern Israel close to the Lebanese border, has taken the idea of neighbourly feuds to a new - and noisier - level.
Last week, it set up a large sound system, pointed it at the neighbouring homes in the Arab town of Tarshiha, the nearest of which are less than 1km away, and blasted them with Beethoven and Mozart.
Officials said they were forced to take the drastic step in retaliation for what they call the "deafening" blare of Arab music from late-night street parties the villagers have to endure each summer through the wedding season.
"You can't believe how loud it is," said Sue Goodman, 67, whose home faces Tarshiha's noisiest neighbourhood across a small valley. "Even with the windows shut, you can't hear the TV. And when it goes on late there's no way to fall asleep."
"It must damage the hearing of the people actually at the party," added her husband, Geoffrey, 79. "At midnight they usually let off fireworks and start shooting guns too. It can sound like a war zone."
"It can be loud," conceded Amjad Dakwar, 25, an engineer from Tarshiha who lives close to the Bedouin neighbourhood where the loudest weddings are held. "The families there tend to have parties in the street rather than in wedding halls and it's difficult to get away from the noise."
But Mr Dakwar, like many people in Tarshiha, has little sympathy for his neighbours in Kfar Vradim. "Wedding parties are part of our culture. The people of Kfar Vradim chose to live right next to Tarshiha and build on our land. If they don't like it, they should move back to Tel Aviv."
Relations between Israeli Jews and the country's large minority of 1.3 million Arab citizens have been marked by tension since Israel's founding in 1948. Jews typically claim the minority is disloyal, while Arabs say they face endemic discrimination.
Rarely, however, has music become such a contentious issue.
According to Kfar Vradim's council, they turned up the volume on recordings of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Mozart's Requiem and Puccini's opera Tosca only after talks failed with Tarshiha's residents.
One unnamed official told Israel's popular website Ynet: "We just felt we had no other choice. All of our attempts to explain that the loud music is undermining our quality of life have failed."
A council spokesman, Golan Yossifon, denied claims that Kfar Vradim is trying to recast its dispute with Tarshiha as a "clash of civilisations". "Generally we have excellent relations," he said.
The unnamed official, however, issued a barely veiled threat, saying Kfar Vradim might blast Tarshiha for a second time if it did not quieten down. "Everything will depend on developments. However, if we are forced to play the music again we shall put the speakers closer to the neighbours' houses."
There has been no official response from Tarshiha.
Kfar Vradim is also preparing to buy a meter to measure the decibels of the wedding party music. It says that such a move would "render matters clear and not up for discussion or interpretation".
Despite Mr Yossifon's claim of good relations, both the Goodmans and Mr Dakwar admitted there were other, long-term tensions between the two communities.
"The Arab families complain that we are sitting on their land but they sold it to Kfar Vradim," said Mrs Goodman, a potter. She said there had been demonstrations in Tarshiha when they and other families moved in to their new neighbourhood 10 years ago.
"Most of us shop in Tarshiha and they know they can't have it both ways. If there are nationalist demonstrations, we can always take our business elsewhere."
Tarshiha's inhabitants, however, say most of the land was not sold but confiscated by state bodies that wanted it for settling Jews.
Rowda Bishara, whose famous Christian family is from Tarshiha - her brother is the exiled political leader Azmi Bishara - and herself heads the Arab Cultural Centre in Nazareth, said her father's extensive land holdings had been confiscated many years ago.
Much of the town's seized land was later transferred to Jewish communities like Kfar Vradim for their expansion, she added.
Both neighbouring communities are unusual. Unlike Israel's other rural Jewish villages, which were established by the state or Jewish organisations, Kfar Vradim was founded by one of Israel's wealthiest businessmen, Stef Wertheimer, in the mid-1980s.
It was created as a well-to-do private housing estate for workers in his nearby Tefen industrial zone. As his business empire grew, so did the estate, creeping ever nearer Tarshiha. Today it is a thriving community of nearly 6,000 Jews.
Tarshiha, meanwhile, is the only Arab community in Israel merged with - and, many residents complain, dominated by - a Jewish town, the much larger Maalot.
"Although we have a joint municipality, Maalot is actually further away from Tarshiha than Kfar Vradim and unaffected by the wedding parties," said Mr Dakwar.
Tarshiha, which dates back to the Canaanite period, has a mixed population of 5,000 Muslims and Christians compared to Maalot's 16,000 Jews.
But like most Arab communities inside Israel, Tarshiha has little control over its room for growth, which has been tightly restricted by successive governments.
"You have to ask why Vradim is so close to Tarshiha. The goal, as with other Palestinian communities, is to surround us and limit our space for development," said Ms Bishara.
Mr Dakwar said Kfar Vradim was preparing to expand on to a new area of Tarshiha's lands, to its east, bringing yet more Jews close to Tarshiha - and its weddings.
Although most Jewish and Arab citizens live in entirely separate communities, a long-standing policy by the authorities' to "Judaise", or make more Jewish, areas heavily populated with Arab citizens, like the Galilee, has often brought the two groups into uncomfortable proximity.
Complaints by Jews about noise from Arab neighbours typically concern disturbances caused by the early morning call to prayer from mosque loudspeakers.
In 2002 the mixed city of Jaffa, next to Tel Aviv, announced that it was buying a system to limit the volume of local mosques' speakers after complaints that the muezzins were too noisy.
Not all Jews living near Tarshiha agree with Kfar Vradim's method of retaliation. Rina Liebovitch, who lives in a community called Meona, said: "The residents of Vradim are acting like kindergarten children."
She accused them of being "snobs", and added: "There's more to this than just a complaint about noise. I don't know exactly what's behind it but it's not pleasant."
jcook@thenational.ae
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
Tips for SMEs to cope
- Adapt your business model. Make changes that are future-proof to the new normal
- Make sure you have an online presence
- Open communication with suppliers, especially if they are international. Look for local suppliers to avoid delivery delays
- Open communication with customers to see how they are coping and be flexible about extending terms, etc
Courtesy: Craig Moore, founder and CEO of Beehive, which provides term finance and working capital finance to SMEs. Only SMEs that have been trading for two years are eligible for funding from Beehive.
1971: The Year The Music Changed Everything
Director: Asif Kapadia
4/5
More on animal trafficking
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE%20Warriors%2045%20Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E%0DMain%20Event%0D%3A%20Lightweight%20Title%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EAmru%20Magomedov%20def%20Jakhongir%20Jumaev%20-%20Round%201%20(submission)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-Main%20Event%0D%3A%20Bantamweight%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERany%20Saadeh%20def%20Genil%20Franciso%20-%20Round%202%20(submission)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECatchweight%20150%20lbs%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EWalter%20Cogliandro%20def%20Ali%20Al%20Qaisi%20-%20Round%201%20(TKO)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBantamweight%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERenat%20Khavalov%20def%20Hikaru%20Yoshino%20-%20Round%202%20(TKO)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFlyweight%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EVictor%20Nunes%20def%20Nawras%20Abzakh%20-%20Round%201%20(TKO)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFlyweight%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EYamato%20Fujita%20def%20Sanzhar%20Adilov%20-%20Round%201%20(submission)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELightweight%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EAbdullo%20Khodzhaev%20def%20Petru%20Buzdugen%20-%20Round%201%20(TKO)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECatchweight%20139%20lbs%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ERazhabali%20Shaydullaev%20def%20Magomed%20Al-Abdullah%20-%20Round%202%20(submission)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFlyweight%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3ECong%20Wang%20def%20Amena%20Hadaya%20-%20Points%20(unanimous%20decision)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMiddleweight%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EKhabib%20Nabiev%20def%20Adis%20Taalaybek%20Uulu%20-%20Round%202%20(submission)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELight%20Heavyweight%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EBartosz%20Szewczyk%20def%20Artem%20Zemlyakov%20-%20Round%202%20(TKO)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
More on Quran memorisation:
HOW DO SIM CARD SCAMS WORK?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards, often by claiming their phone has been lost or stolen
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
More from Neighbourhood Watch
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The years Ramadan fell in May
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
More on animal trafficking
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
The five pillars of Islam
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Super Rugby play-offs
Quarter-finals
- Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
- Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
- Lions 23, Sharks 21
- Chiefs 17, Stormers 11
Semi-finals
Saturday, July 29
- Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
- Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
