Hundreds of members of the Meah Shearim community and supporters protested at Kikar Shabbos on Wednesday, decrying the recent violence that has plagued the community.
The protest was against the violence seen in Meah Shearim and Geula over recent weeks, which culminated in the violent beating of a Meah Shearim resident by a group of chassidim a night earlier. The victim of that beating remains in Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital.
Participants in the event had harsh words for Gerrer Chassidim, accusing them of trying to take over their community.
Mrs. Miriam Hirschman, the wife of the victim of the beating in Geula, told Kikar Shabbat on Wednesday night that she received a telephone threat saying “we are going to kill you”.
Rav Uri Sofer of Bnei Brak called to halt the violence, warning of what may emerge from this behavior, chas v’sholom “to kill one another…leading to an intifada”.
Rabbi Tzvi Bialistotzky from Bnei Brak did not make an effort to hide his delight, unwilling to condemn the beating attack. He explained that when a man whose store and home are attacked decides to defend himself, it is not called terror. He is responding appropriately so it is not terror. Actually, he called the attack “a relatively moderate response”, adding they cannot continue to strike out and not expect a retaliatory move.
Joining in was Zaka founder and director Yehuda Meshi-Zahav, who commented “that is the only language the sikrikim understand. These are people for whom violence is a way of life. Finally, someone is speaking to them in their own language”. He added that many who have a score to settle with Gur are trying to take advantage of the situation but in actuality, Gur was correct in this case.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
More “chareidi” violence (LOL)…
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/General+News/106872/FBI-Investigating-Amish-Beard-Cutting-Attacks.html
I think this is totally babyish. Im sure the same people involved in fights now were the ones who grabbed food in the lunch room when we were kids, and fought on the play ground. This is how it shows when they get older. It will only get worse.
The only way to avoid these childish fights is to fill ur life with torah and not get influenced by the goyim.
Your headline is wrong! wrong! wrong! and deceiving.
Read what the signs the people are carrying say.
This demonstration is in favor of one side of a real estate dispute that had already committed its own violent acts.
This demonstration was apparently organized by those supporting the violent sikrikim who this time got a little back of that which they give to others.
So we’re fighting violence with violence. That’s clearly what hashem wants from us. Maybe Al Sharpton should move to Meah Shearim.
The only way to stop a bully is to get someone bigger to teach them a lesson. If you instigate trouble it is going to find you and give you some of your own medicine.
The winner of the battle will have millions of shekels of real estate in his hands when the fight is over.
I understood that the reason Chareidim are not going into the army is because they are busy learning Torah day and night. Apparently they are only too willing to fight! Therefore I propose that all chareidim join the army and hopefully there they will discover that we are all Jews fighting against the Yishmaelim. The IDF has been called Israel’s great equalizer. We are forbidden to hurt each other or be happy if a fellow Jew is hurting. All of Israel endangered their welfare to bring home soldier! We have to realize the worth of one Jew and not hurt or shame each other!
Can someone please explain why this isn’t being resolved in a Beis Din? Has one side tried to get the other to submit to impartial din Torah? In any case, an impressive list of tzaddikim supported the rally, which was totally peaceful and included calls to avoid violence.
This demonstration is an example of social corruption, suckers, and crooks. Where were all of these protesters when these rasha’im are preying on other folks? A knee jerk reaction to justify criminal behavior unfortunately exists. Some of the people are taken in by the platitude and the perfomance. Others are just going along with the crowd. Some have been pressured to participate. Others have been brainwashed or forced to launder their beliefs often by people who abuse their authority. This refers to the innocent and the naive. There is a corrupt element, too, sometimes subtle, sometimes recognized. Specifically there are people who reserve the right to be unscrupulous and unprincipled when they wish to. As a result they do not want a crackdown on criminals using the same tactics they themselves may want to use. In their book the real enemy is some one who is a little bit honest and a little bit ethical.