Bnei Brak, Religious city in Tel Aviv District, Israel
Bnei Brak is a city in Tel Aviv District, Israel, spreading over a small, densely built area in the central coastal strip. The cityscape is marked by narrow streets, multi-story apartment buildings, and many small shops located on the ground floors of the structures.
The settlement was founded in 1924 as a farming village by a group of Polish immigrants who initially cultivated citrus fruits. After the establishment of the State of Israel, the place quickly transformed into a center for ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities and grew through strong immigration of religious families.
Shops close before sunset on Friday and reopen after the Sabbath ends, while the streets remain mostly free of cars during that time. In many neighborhoods, men wear black coats and hats, women dress modestly, and children in traditional clothing are often seen walking to school.
Visitors should wear modest clothing, as local customs expect religious restraint, and women should cover arms and legs. On Friday afternoon and Saturday, almost everything is closed and public transport largely stops, so a visit on other weekdays is advisable.
In some streets, loudspeakers hang from lampposts to broadcast religious announcements and prayer times. Many houses have no nameplates on their doorbells, only numbers, as residents maintain a certain reserve about public identification.
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