VOA标准英语2009-Ultra-Orthodox Jews Protest Intel Sabbath Op

By Robert Berger
Jerusalem
14 November 2009

 
An ultra-orthodox Jewish man is seen next to Intel's Jerusalem office building, 14 Nov 2009
Alleged¹ violations² of the Jewish Sabbath by a top international company prompted religious protests in Jerusalem on Saturday-the biblical day of rest.

About 1,500 angry ultra-Orthodox Jews demonstrated at the Jerusalem factory of computer giant Intel, to protest the electronic chip maker's operations on the Sabbath.

Chanting the Yiddish word for Sabbath, they charged that work is forbidden on the holy day of rest according to the Bible and called on the company to stay closed on Saturdays.

Intel has operated on the Sabbath in Jerusalem for years, so it is not clear why the protests broke out now. But there has been a wave of religious demonstrations³ since a parking lot opened on the Sabbath near an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood several months ago.

The unrest points to the deep divisions between the secular⁴ majority in Israel and the ultra-Orthodox minority.

Jerusalem Post correspondent Haviv Rettig Gur says the religious protesters do not recognize the State of Israel.

"They're a small group and their purpose is to show their own strength against the general society which they feel is a mockery of Jewish identity or a mockery of what a Jewish society should be. That's their view of Zionism," he said.

Gur says there is a culture war between ultra-Orthodox and secular Israelis, and a fringe group has taken it to the extreme.

"They don't quite trust the Israeli political system or the police or all the structures of authority and so a very tiny group has declared a war on the entire Israeli mainstream," he said.

The Intel protests pit holy tradition against high-technology and point to the dilemma⁵ of trying to apply ancient Jewish law in a modern Jewish state.

1 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

2 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

3 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

4 secular   

n.牧师，凡人；adj.世俗的，现世的，不朽的

参考例句：

• We live in an increasingly secular society.我们生活在一个日益非宗教的社会。
• Britain is a plural society in which the secular predominates.英国是个世俗主导的多元社会。

5 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。