Letter from a frum lady

Being a proper chareidi means kosher phone only, no text, no camera, no WA, no internet.  And best not to be on the internet at all (although nearly everyone is to some extent).

You can get WA on your computer, but it will confuse people b/c they will think you are on call constantly and will see your messages immediately and that you have the ability to snap a photo and send 1-2-3.

And if you want to buy a refrigerator, you have to get one from a frum store that has installed Shabbos mode, as the technology today (not just in Israel) has gotten so complicated that there is not just one light bulb to unscrew to use the fridge on Shabbos but rather someone has to install a complicated computer on the back of your fridge to allow it to switch off all the lights/settings that would cause someone to violate Shabbos upon opening the fridge.

So you go to a store in a very frum neighborhood like RBS B, buy a fridge.  The sephardi guy working there has a smartphone but he understands the customers mostly do not.  Yet somehow, he never answers a phone - the only way to reach him is by WA - so if you don't have WA, you have to go there when the store is open.  And like a typical sephardi, opening hours vary between 5 pm and 6:30 and there's always people waiting.

So you buy your fridge, after waiting something like an hour (at least he's nice).  The fridge comes later that day, all is well.  Then some problems occur and now you have to deal with the non-religious fridge company (Shabbos mode apparently was put in by an outside service company).  They NEVER answer their phone and if they do, it's to take a message that is not returned.  Then you find them online and make an appointment but since your hebrew is not so good, you found their sister company and the tech won't do the repair.  Then you finally find the company's WA number and reach them, to be dragged around for about a week before convincing them you bought one of their fridges and there is a problem and it's under warranty.  Then the tech finally comes and says the problem is the Shabbos mode and detaches it.  Then you call the Shabbos mode people who give you a hard time and insist you use your smartphone to take a photo of the Shabbos mode and WA it to them.  You explain you have WA only on your computer but they do not understand until you have explained it 7 times.  Finally your Hebrew speaking teenager manages to get the to agree to come and they say they can come only within 10 business days which means your fridge will be unable for at least 1 Shabbos.

Lesson - do not move to Israel if you are Chareidi.  You have to have a smartphone to manage.  Maybe if you are from a gigantic heimish family who know who to ask for help and who can have you for Shabbos when your fridge is not working, fine.  But for us BT Americans with no family around, no go.

Even the Shabbos mode people do not understand what this is a kosher phone!!!

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