A Frum man who has been trying to stem a recent tide of Chareidi fighting/violence in the city, was attacked and viciously beaten Sunday night in Beit Shemesh by a gang of ‘so-called’ “Chareidim”.
The man was hospitalized from his injuries, and had his car windows smashed.
The man told Haaretz: “A bunch of goons, maybe 20 or 30 guys, attacked me – it was like a pogrom,” he told Haaretz. “They kicked me, beat me, and then just left me there.
Luckily, I am a strong guy and was able to get up and go to the hospital.”
In response, Chareidi residents of Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet, held a protest Monday night. This was the first time that the Chareidi residents came out strongly against fringe elements from their community.
“My attackers thought they won, but there is a procession in my support,” the man – who was born in New York – told Haaretz. In recent months, Beit Shemesh residents have banded against what they call growing religious intimidation and coercion by some Charedi residents of the city.
In October, five men assaulted a woman and an IDF soldier for sitting next to each other on a bus bound for Beit Shemesh (reported HERE on YWN)
The man who has since been released from the hospital, helped organize a recent protest against the violence. Sources say the attack on Sunday was a culmination of ongoing harassment.
The deputy mayor of Beit Shemesh, told Haaretz that the incident marks new heights for Charedi violence in the city.
“It’s sad that they are trying to terrorize the city,” he said. “Unfortunately, though, the Charedi violence isn’t news anymore. The fact that there is a demonstration, however, that the silent majority is standing up and fighting back, is a major achievement. People are realizing that the time for action is now.”
As Life In Israel put it: “He is a Chareidi fellow who lives in the neighborhood of the hooligans and has had enough. He has on many occasions fought back against them.
The terrorists could not take that someone is finally fighting them on their own turf. He must have been making a dent in their activities, because they made it personal.”
His name is Tuvia Stern. His email address is [email protected]. Do a Mitzvah. Send him words of Chizuk!
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22 Responses
The fact it is on Yeshiva World is like the rabbi preaching to the choir! We have got to do something! Why can’t the Yeshiva World and it’s “RABBIS” take some action. Everyone is a chicken! First it’s the Spaniards, next the Germans, now it’s the Chareidim! Someone has got to act, and NOW! Kol Yisrael Areivim Ze Lazeh!
Just because I am not like you, does not make me any less of a Jew. In fact, I am more of a Jew because I believe and fear Hashem! These thugs, hooligans, terrorists, criminals, whatever you want to call them, do not fear anything. They are a cancer and most be cut out from our body.
The time to act is now! Rabbis in Lakewood, Flatbush and Boro Park and come and do something. This effects all of us, not just the people in RBS!
Edited By Moderation Panel.
Perhaps the main piece of information was left out? HOW has the frum man been trying to stem the recent tide of chareide fighting/violence in the city?
The only thing wrong with this story is the first word of the YW headline – “Shocking”. An appropriate word might be sickening, disgusting, disgraceful, unconscionable,or despicable. Shocking, unfortunately, it is not.
This sort of chillul Hashem has gone on in Mea Shearim unchecked and ignored for decades, and nobody is shocked by it, so why should we be shocked that it’s been imported into another city?
A truly shocking headline would read as follows: ” All leading G’dolim and rabonim place an unconditional cherem on any Jew who violently confronts,assaults, or physically harms any other Jew, or their property”.
I’m not holding my breath for that one.
UNFORTUNATELY a similar incident occurred in New York in the 80’s.
A frum journalist was severly beaten by a band of Charedi thugs for writing some crticism about their leader. He received a phone call when he was in the hospital warnign him that they will soon ‘finish the job’.
Rumour had it that it was the LEADER of these hooligans who gave them the permission to ‘rough him up’
The rumour had some credibility due to the fact that this individual had a record with violence,
There you go
‘Tziee loch biikvey hatzon’ Follow your leaders,
What a disgrace!!!
You wrote:
“This was the first time that the Chareidi residents came out strongly against fringe elements from their community.”
I was there last night. Sadly you must remove the word “strongly” from this sentence to be factually correct. To be fair it was only advertised via fliers starting yesterday. However, had the fliers adverstised a protest against Toeiva parades, lack of tznius, or mehadrin buses you can be sure that many hundreds would have been there. Sadly, at the “height” there were only about 20 Chareidim there. Though the flier were not targeted at us, about 10 of us from the neighboring DL community showed up.
Like another commenter said, there’s nothing “shocking” about this. We’ve been living with this Chareidi terrorism for several years now. Besides the pathetic turnout, what is also quite sad is that it took the injuring of “one of their own” for them to take even this minute action. Several people, not of their community have already been injured with nary a peep from the Chareidi community.
nevealiza you are making one big mistake. They are not listening to anyone. That is exactly where they went wrong.
Wait a minute! Why are we so quick to pass judgment on frum jewish people?! The story isn’t even half written! Why is the author of the story leaving out the details like the whys & whats?
Btw, I’m not charedi. I am very modern orthodox. Please, let’s not judge or spread loshon hora, even if we did know more details.
The real question is why they are being called ‘chareidim’ and why the violence is being referred to as ‘chareidi’ violence. Who are the real chareidim lidvar hashem?
This is only the extension of the silent passive acceptance of growing radicalism by other frum Jews. When the attacks were against non-frum Jews they were tolerated (the woman and soldier on a charedi bus, attacking police with stones, rioting when a charedi was arrested for child abuse, etc)and the press reports were denied as biased and distorted. When a woman was reportedly harassed and vandalized in Kiryas Joel – it was the report by the NY Times that was attacked (in the comments in YW). Tolerance and ahavas Yisreol and frumkeit are not mutually exclusive. Silence by “good” Yidden is tantamount to complicity.
#12 “When the attacks were against non-frum Jews they were tolerated (the woman and soldier on a charedi bus”
Not True!
#10– I understand your unease, however beating someone up should be left to the Beis Din, not a bunch of guys on the corner. There is NOTHING right about what happened and we need to teach our children how wrong this is. Hopefully our “eyes” — the Rabbis, will come out strongly against the violence and disgraceful behavior of these crazy individuals!!!
Why does everyone here believe this story absolutely without any reservations?
What kind of Chareidim are floating around beating up people? Aren’t most young people in Yeshivas or Kollelim and not around to beat anyone up?
If they belong to some mosad, what do the leaders of that organization have to say?
The whole thing sounds bogus and is the usual typical anti Orthodox unsubstantiated slander.
Tzoorba,
‘Aren’t most young people in Yeshivas or Kollelim and not around to beat anyone up?’
Are you joking or what????
Yah many young people are ‘sitting’ in Yeshivas and are supposed to be learning but that doesnt mean they are!!!
Wake up, you know ho many parasitic low lifes are offically in Kollel and use there time for other things? Sure, its a minority BH but THERE SHOULDNT BE ANY TO BEGIN WITH!!!
Please dont be naive!!
please, this ain’t nothing new. it’s not really publicized, but the (mostly)satmar “mafia” has been doing stuff like this for years. except they never do it for frum reasons, it’s always about money or kavod
Aishes Chayil,
Either these guys are in the Kollel building or they’re in the streets. In the kollel, they are not beating people up.
I haven’t heard of random groups of Chareidim floating around beating up people.
If these people are dropouts or at risk youth, then it’s not a Chareidi problem but an at risk problem.
However, I haven’t heard of groups of these people doing anything but indulging in their own pleasures.
Who are these people? The whole thing is a bunch of baloney until someone can explain to me who these people are and what their agenda is.
#15 It is exactly that kind of denial that I wrote about. We know what goes on but let’s blame the press. If you believe that the talmidim are all learning just walk around Yerushalayim /Geulah and see all the bochurim walking around window shopping & shmoozing all afternoon with their white plastic bags in their hands (without seforim).
The Chafetz Chaim would not have thrown stones or eaten up people he disagreed with.
I can’t believe the posters who are saying “This isn’t the whole story.” We are yidden. We an am kodesh. We don’t beat people up. We don’t smash in car windows. End of story. There’s nothing to excuse a yid putting another yid in the hospital and its revolting to even suggest there are situations in which this would be okay.
By the way, I am surprised and pleased that this was reported by YW. The events in Kiryas Yoel two weeks ago never made the YW although they were in the NY Times. Beatings and criminality should not be protected under ‘lashon hara’. Finally, we are saying “ad kan”.
There should have been thousands of people there rallying for shalom and against bullying.
here is a quote from the deputy mayor “Shalom Lerner, deputy mayor of Beit Shemesh, told Haaretz that the incident marks new heights for Haredi violence in the city.
“It’s sad that they are trying to terrorize the city,” Lerner said. “Unfortunately, though, the Haredi violence isn’t news anymore. The fact that there is a demonstration, however, that the silent majority is standing up and fighting back, is a major achievement. People are realizing that the time for action is now.”
Who’s doing it? Are they from the community or outsiders? What shuls do these behaimos go to? In short, who are they? They should be thrown out of shul’s, yeshiva’s whatever necessary to show that outrageous behavior like this won’t be tolerated in our communities. ubiartah hara mikirbecha
Sorry….the story is true. The fellow is a friend of my friends. I heard many of the details before it hit the media. It is sad. There is NO need to defend or rationalize this.
Can you imagine any Gedolei Yisroel behaving this way?