Israeli cities have officially entered the 21st century. A Knesset committee on Sunday banned the use of wagons drawn by horses and donkeys in Israeli cities. The new regulation puts an end to several old Israeli traditions, most notably the visit of the “altezachen” (“old things,” in Yiddish) wagon, whose driver buys and sells old clothing, appliances, and household items.
Two months ago, the Knesset Economics Committee passed new rules that regulated the traffic of horse and donkey-drawn carriages, which MKs said were inconsistent with the current lifestyle in most Israeli cities. However, heads of several communities in northern Israel said that a blanket ban on use of the carriages would damage tourism. Committee chairman MK Avishai Braverman promised that the Committee would revisit the issue.
The new regulations drawn up Sunday allow for the use of wagons for tourism purposes, but not for any other purposes. That puts several “professionals” who still use the wagons – most notably vegetable sellers, knife sharpeners, and the “altezachen” folks – out of business, unless they switch to motor vehicles.
The decision was welcomed by the Let the Animals Live organization, which advocates for animal rights. However, Yossi Wolfson, head of the organization, said that more was needed. “If the altezachen people can utilize motor vehicles, so can tourists. Horses and donkeys are not need to draw carriages in this day and age.”
In recent years, "alte zachen" wagons, a remnant from eastern European Jewish communities, are mostly driven by Arabs, who still call out the Yiddish phrase as they pass through the street, to alert locals of their presence.