J'lem approves bungee jumping from top of Bridge of Strings

Happy Purim! Haredim warn that scantily-clad women flinging themselves off structure is distracting; Barkat takes inaugural plunge.

By LEMONY SNICKMAN
HAREDIM LOOK on as Barakt bunjee jumps DO NOT REUSE 370 (photo credit: Hooters)
HAREDIM LOOK on as Barakt bunjee jumps DO NOT REUSE 370
(photo credit: 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.