J'lem approves bungee jumping from top of Bridge of Strings
By LEMONY SNICKMAN
02/24/2013 03:17
Happy Purim! Haredim warn that scantily-clad women flinging themselves off structure is distracting; Barkat takes inaugural plunge.
HAREDIM LOOK on as Barkat bunjee jumps Photo: Hooters
An extreme sport company based in Jerusalem received final approval on Friday to
run a bungee-jumping platform at the top of the Bridge of Strings at the
entrance to the capital.
The company, Shamayim Mokdam, underwent a
three-year approval process to convince city officials of the importance of
jumping off of Jerusalem’s newest landmark.
“This will send a message to
the three billion people around the world, Christians, Muslims and Jews, all of
whom want to visit Jerusalem, that the capital is a city for young people with a
vibrant economy and many more opportunities than Tel Aviv,” said Mayor Nir
Barkat, before he attempted the inaugural jump.
“We aim to have 10
million tourists come every year by 2020 and I am sure many of them will wonder,
why can’t I jump off of this enormous, ugly structure at the entrance to the
city?” the mayor said. “Well, now they can.”
Bungee jumpers will have to
time their leaps to coincide with the light rail crossing the tracks in order to
achieve the perfect counter-balance, and not affect the stability of the
bridge.
“We’re pretty sure this is safe,” said a light rail CityPass
spokesman.
“And if there is a problem, it is obviously due to the
Transportation Ministry, the Jerusalem Municipality, or the construction
lemmings who delayed this project in the first place.”
Despite the
support of the mayor, haredi city councilors were quick to slam the
proposal.
“The Bridge of Strings is a modern representation of David’s
harp and using it for sport is a desecration of God’s name,” said MK Shmuel
Popenheimervitzstein (United Torah Judaism). “Additionally, there is the
possibility that haredi members living in Romema will be distracted from their
Torah studies by watching scantily-clad women fling themselves off the
structure.
This is an absolute abomination.”
The haredi stance
softened a bit after the city announced that 0.5 percent of the proceeds from
the bungee jump would go toward building haredi yeshivot in secular
neighborhoods.