B"H
This is repugnant.
Of course the state has a right to regulate the education of these Haredim! It is a STATE SCHOOL!!!
As far as their "This is a religious difference," argument, I disagree! The "stringencies" that these Haredim live by are not Halachic stringencies! The chumrot that they insist upon is an interpretation, not a Law!
Now, 100,000 strong, they cause the largest Chillul Hashm that can be imagined in the name of . . . discrimination against little Sephardic girls?
Disgusting!
Of course they will say that the Sephardim don't have the same "level of Torah knowledge" that they have. This is a common and all-too-common and damaging lie that is put out there again and again.
The truth is that Sephardim have a different tradition. We are just as religious, just as competent in Torah knowledge, just as exacting in our standards. We are just different.
Those differences shouldn't lead to discrimination and segregation, and they certainly shouldn't lead to such a false show of piety on the part of these Haredim.
I am Sephardic, and my children have constantly been attacked by their Ashkenazi schoolmates who accuse my children of being not being "religious" because our traditions are different from their traditions.
No, my children don't wear their tzitzit hanging out--our tzitzit have the name of G-d tied into them, to leave them hanging out to drag in the dirt would be an abomination.
No, my children don't wear black hats. Our sages say that to wear black, especially on Shabbat, is assur.
No, I don't were a sheitel. Ovadia Yosef has clearly stated that a sheitel is assur.
But do I march in the streets with my fellow Sephardim demanding that the Ashkenazim educate their children apart from mine because they might somehow "pollute" my children?
This is repugnant.
Of course the state has a right to regulate the education of these Haredim! It is a STATE SCHOOL!!!
As far as their "This is a religious difference," argument, I disagree! The "stringencies" that these Haredim live by are not Halachic stringencies! The chumrot that they insist upon is an interpretation, not a Law!
Now, 100,000 strong, they cause the largest Chillul Hashm that can be imagined in the name of . . . discrimination against little Sephardic girls?
Disgusting!
Of course they will say that the Sephardim don't have the same "level of Torah knowledge" that they have. This is a common and all-too-common and damaging lie that is put out there again and again.
The truth is that Sephardim have a different tradition. We are just as religious, just as competent in Torah knowledge, just as exacting in our standards. We are just different.
Those differences shouldn't lead to discrimination and segregation, and they certainly shouldn't lead to such a false show of piety on the part of these Haredim.
I am Sephardic, and my children have constantly been attacked by their Ashkenazi schoolmates who accuse my children of being not being "religious" because our traditions are different from their traditions.
No, my children don't wear their tzitzit hanging out--our tzitzit have the name of G-d tied into them, to leave them hanging out to drag in the dirt would be an abomination.
No, my children don't wear black hats. Our sages say that to wear black, especially on Shabbat, is assur.
No, I don't were a sheitel. Ovadia Yosef has clearly stated that a sheitel is assur.
But do I march in the streets with my fellow Sephardim demanding that the Ashkenazim educate their children apart from mine because they might somehow "pollute" my children?
Do I propogate a lie saying that the Ashkenazim that they are "less religious" than I am?
Do I tell my children they can only be friends with Sephardim and not with Ashkenazim, or if we are are family who has intermarried with the Ashkenazim that they cannot associate with family members who are not Sephardic?
Do I insist that Ashkenazim only pray from my prayerbook with my accent despite the tradition of their family?
No, of course not!
But these are the allegations and demands of the Haredim upon the Sephardic girls in a PUBLIC SCHOOL in Emmanuel.
I understand that they have a different minhag, I understand where the differences lie and why those differences exist, and how they believe one set of interpretations of the Law, and I believe another interpretation of the Law.
The Haredim claim to have great Torah knowledge--surely they know what our Sages have said, why they said it, and why Sephardim and Ashkenazim are both right.
But they don't choose to use that knowledge for understanding or clarity. They choose to use that knowledge as a basis for hatred and bias and division of themselves from Sephardim.
No matter what your interpretation of Torah and Talmud is, they are wrong.
There is no excuse for the type of Motzi Shem Ra they are perpetuating against little Sephardic girls and their families (and, by extension, all Sephardim!).
As Hashm judges them by their own measure, may Hashm show them more mercy than they have shown others.
M
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100,000 Accompany Hassidim to Jail
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138130
by Hillel Fendel
The "mother of all protests" has passed without violence. Over 100,000 members of the hareidi-religious streamed through Jerusalem streets, accompanying the 43 fathers of daughters to prison. The men of all ages wore Sabbath clothes and a red banner reading "Prisoner for the Sanctification of G-d's Name," and they were accompanied by singing and dancing
The parents chose to sit in jail rather than adhere to a Supreme Court ruling that they say impinges on their basic right to educate their children in the religious school of their choice.
It was later revealed, however, that about half the mothers, and four of the fathers, did not show up to begin their two-week prison sentences. Some of the parents arrived at the prisons with babies. The top police and prison service brass are meeting to discuss how to deal with these developments.
Though the Supreme Court based its ruling forcing school integration in the Shomron town of Emanuel on the principle of opposition to racist segregation, many say that the separation is not rooted in ethnic differences at all. Rather, they say, the Slonim Hassidim wish to continue the religious traditions of their fathers and rabbis, and educate their children in a school that adheres to particularly stringent religious standards.
They say that among their number are 27% Sephardim - proof that they do not discriminate against them.
A similar rally in Bnei Brak, with tens of thousands of people, also went over peacefully; the police made sure to remain a respectable distance away, so as not to cause friction or provocations.
However, the extreme declaration made there shows how seriously the religious public is taking the situation: "Even if we have to sit for a week or two weeks, or a year or two years, and even if gas chambers are readied for us - we will say Yes to the Torah and No to the Supreme Court!"
Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, of the hareidi United Torah Judaism party, took part in the protest in Bnei Brak, and from there traveled to the Russian Compound in Jerusalem to greet the parents on their way into jail. He said, "These people did nothing wrong, they did not rape and they did not steal, and there is no reason they should have to sit in prison... The Supreme Court took an educational issue and turned it into one of racism... I have regard for the Supreme Court, and I adhered to its rulings on health issues, but if it would require me to do something against Halakhah [Jewish Law], I would resign and not follow it."
The protests were held in intense heat; many people were treated for dehydration, and four were sent to hospitals.
A critical question is who will care for the children in the families while both parents are in prison. The option of only one parent sitting in prison at a time has apparently been dropped, except in families with special-needs children. The Welfare Ministry has appointed its Deputy Director, Menachem Wagshall, to head the special task force of social workers who will attempt to take control of the situation. Two senior supervisors from the Ministry have been in Emanuel since yesterday, helping the local welfare department. Forty social workers around the country are on stand-by in case they are needed, while others have been assigned to make sure that each and every family has a solution.
(IsraelNationalNews.com)
I understand that they have a different minhag, I understand where the differences lie and why those differences exist, and how they believe one set of interpretations of the Law, and I believe another interpretation of the Law.
The Haredim claim to have great Torah knowledge--surely they know what our Sages have said, why they said it, and why Sephardim and Ashkenazim are both right.
But they don't choose to use that knowledge for understanding or clarity. They choose to use that knowledge as a basis for hatred and bias and division of themselves from Sephardim.
No matter what your interpretation of Torah and Talmud is, they are wrong.
There is no excuse for the type of Motzi Shem Ra they are perpetuating against little Sephardic girls and their families (and, by extension, all Sephardim!).
As Hashm judges them by their own measure, may Hashm show them more mercy than they have shown others.
M
-----
100,000 Accompany Hassidim to Jail
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/138130
by Hillel Fendel
The "mother of all protests" has passed without violence. Over 100,000 members of the hareidi-religious streamed through Jerusalem streets, accompanying the 43 fathers of daughters to prison. The men of all ages wore Sabbath clothes and a red banner reading "Prisoner for the Sanctification of G-d's Name," and they were accompanied by singing and dancing
The parents chose to sit in jail rather than adhere to a Supreme Court ruling that they say impinges on their basic right to educate their children in the religious school of their choice.
It was later revealed, however, that about half the mothers, and four of the fathers, did not show up to begin their two-week prison sentences. Some of the parents arrived at the prisons with babies. The top police and prison service brass are meeting to discuss how to deal with these developments.
Though the Supreme Court based its ruling forcing school integration in the Shomron town of Emanuel on the principle of opposition to racist segregation, many say that the separation is not rooted in ethnic differences at all. Rather, they say, the Slonim Hassidim wish to continue the religious traditions of their fathers and rabbis, and educate their children in a school that adheres to particularly stringent religious standards.
They say that among their number are 27% Sephardim - proof that they do not discriminate against them.
A similar rally in Bnei Brak, with tens of thousands of people, also went over peacefully; the police made sure to remain a respectable distance away, so as not to cause friction or provocations.
However, the extreme declaration made there shows how seriously the religious public is taking the situation: "Even if we have to sit for a week or two weeks, or a year or two years, and even if gas chambers are readied for us - we will say Yes to the Torah and No to the Supreme Court!"
Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, of the hareidi United Torah Judaism party, took part in the protest in Bnei Brak, and from there traveled to the Russian Compound in Jerusalem to greet the parents on their way into jail. He said, "These people did nothing wrong, they did not rape and they did not steal, and there is no reason they should have to sit in prison... The Supreme Court took an educational issue and turned it into one of racism... I have regard for the Supreme Court, and I adhered to its rulings on health issues, but if it would require me to do something against Halakhah [Jewish Law], I would resign and not follow it."
The protests were held in intense heat; many people were treated for dehydration, and four were sent to hospitals.
A critical question is who will care for the children in the families while both parents are in prison. The option of only one parent sitting in prison at a time has apparently been dropped, except in families with special-needs children. The Welfare Ministry has appointed its Deputy Director, Menachem Wagshall, to head the special task force of social workers who will attempt to take control of the situation. Two senior supervisors from the Ministry have been in Emanuel since yesterday, helping the local welfare department. Forty social workers around the country are on stand-by in case they are needed, while others have been assigned to make sure that each and every family has a solution.
(IsraelNationalNews.com)
Midinat Halacha, Halchah ha Medinah...
ReplyDeleteA religious state, well there goes the state
The issue of ethnic segregation in Heredi schools is a real and very disturbing problem. It is a great shame that leaders of the community did not for-see the explosive value of this story to the civil courts and the bias media. Now this story is out and will continue to haunt Israel and the Jewish people in the international media.
ReplyDeleteI call on the leaders of the Heredi community to take responsibility for the actions and policies of their educators and community activists. If they do not bother to deal with situations before they get out of hand, they really can only blame themselves that now the issues are being dealt with by the civil courts and media.
What can one expect from Ashkenazim, pseudojews, and not of the chosen of God.
ReplyDelete