Yehuda Meirovitz

If you were one of the Americans calling their children or relatives in Eretz Yisroel last week to find out about the atmosphere under the looming threat of a wider Syrian war, you were probably surprised to learn that by and large, those milling through the streets of Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, and other chareidi enclaves were not preoccupied with talk of preparing bomb shelters and purchasing gas masks. Rather, if there is a feeling of dread on the chareidi street, it’s from a much more clear and present danger: that of having almost every financial lifeline cut, and being thrust into abject poverty that could lead to starvation.