Source: Haaretz
After four years in operation, the Shushan Pub, the only one for Jerusalem's gay and lesbian community, has closed down.
"Shushan is the only place in Israel where the Haredi [ultra-Orthodox], Arabs, religious and secular could sit together and have a good time," says pub owner Saar Netanel, who also serves on the Jerusalem city council for the left-wing party Meretz. "When they left Shushan, each returned to his own ghetto."
One of the workers continues: "Haredim would come here mainly on Mondays and Fridays. There were not many of them, but it was clear that they were looking for a place for themselves and had not found it in the communities in which they live. Quite often you could find a Haredi here, all dressed in black, sitting at the bar, looking for companionship."
The bar was not always allowed to operate unhindered. Two years ago, arsonists torched the pub, and every year, with the approach of the gay pride parade, extra police patrols guarded Shushan's clientele.
On the other hand, Netanel admitted this week that despite the animosity directed at members of the gay and lesbian community regarding the parade, Shushan was generally tolerated by Jerusalem residents. But some patrons say Shushan had not managed to increase acceptance - let alone friendliness.
The decision to close the pub was made a few days ago. The Jerusalem local newspapers hinted that professional differences had developed between Netanel and his partner in managing the pub, Shimi Netaneli. Netanel, for his part, claims that the decision was made out of exhaustion.
Last modified: 11 Nov 07 04:04
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