Unfortunately, the girls attending the Orot Girl’s School in Beit Shemesh are not having an easy time due to the determination of area hoodlums, who insist they represent the chareidi community. The opening of the school year was under a veil of threats, accompanied by a significant police presence, with Beit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul trying to play the middle road, but favoring the chareidi claims to the building.
In the latest round of violence, hundreds of chareidim protested on Tuesday night outside the school, insisting it has no place on the border of the chareidi community. This despite the fact that the school is frum, and the girls are modestly dressed, from Shomer Shabbos homes, simply not chareidi [enough].
Kikar Shabbat reports that rabbonim supporting the protest include Rabbi Natan HaCohen Kupshitz, the rav of the Nachlat U’Menucah neighborhood; Rabbi Yehoshua Rosenberg (member of Badatz Eida Chareidit and rav of Kiryat Rama); Rabbi Meir Vigdor and Rabbi Meir Heller. The protest began with the recitation of slichos. Parents affiliated with the school are planning a counter protest.
During the protest, members of the press were targeted by chareidi youths, who also shouted vulgarities as well as spitting at them. There was a measure of pushing and shoving and once again, the event got rowdy.
It appears the chareidi objection to the school is gaining momentum and while City Hall tries to remain silent, it is clear that this protest venue is just getting underway and the zealots will continue until their objective is achieved.
With Rosh Hashanah a week away, today (Sept. 21), a day when Israel’s sworn enemies take a giant step towards realizing their dream of wiping Israel off the map, there are those among the frum community who appear to have an inability to set priorities and address pressing issues in a non-violent fashion. From Meah Shearim to Beit Shemesh, tolerance and respect seem to be rapidly vanishing commodities.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem / Photo used as illustration)
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26 Responses
You should call the so called leaders of these communities who encourage this type of behavior, Chief of the Hoodlums.
This type of behavior is not representative of Torah and Ahavat Yisrael and as such have not earned the title of Rabbi.
According to one sage of Blessed memory there are only two types of Jews, those that ARE TORAH observant and those that are not YET Torah Observant, the rest is all Minchag.
How can we as a Klal come before H”B on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and ask for forgiveness and to bring us Moshiach. When we do not respect the Torah he has given us.
Learn the Torah according to Hillel, ” Do not do evil onto another that you would not want done to you “.
When Klal Yisrael can keep this one mitzvah Moshiach will come.
I drove past last night on my way to my son’s yeshiva. One rav was up on stage screaming “chiloniyot” which is pure sheker. The students in this school are FRUM, shomer Shabbos, and the eldest class is sixth grade. Plus they have a tzanua uniform shirt. If anyone thinks this is a religious issue they are wrong. It is political. They simply want this gorgeous school building for themselves so they will try their best to bully the school into giving it up….kinda reminds me of what the PA is doing right now to Israel. Which also reminds me that these are the same guys who protest against Israel on the side of the PA, and hug Ahmenidjad. Readers who do not live here have to know what type of people these “charedim” are. And also must know that MOST of the charedi/yeshivish world are embarrassed by them. Many charedi women gave the girls flowers on Friday with a beautiful note telling the girls how vital they are to klal yisroel.
I have NEVER read that it is muttar to scream and insult Jewish girls in ANY sefer, or to throw eggs on them. I also found out that this group is funded by Jews in the USA and Europe. I am asking you to please be CAREFUL when you are asked for money erev Rosh Hashana. Only give to a well checked out tzedaka. If donations to their cause stop, they will have to go to work, and then they will not have the time to stand in front of religious elementary girls school building all day, or afford the eggs they throw at them.
The above picture is NOT from BS-there is no building with that kind of column anywhere near where the protest was last night-and since I was there, I can also relay that this protest took place at NIGHT, and absolutely NO ONE got hurt! It would seem that someone at YWN owes their readers an apology or should outright say that this picture shows exactly which side this website is on. And if NO apology is forthcoming, there should be a mass wave of members commenting.
Moderators note: It says what the photo is.
Thank you YWN for making it clear what Orot Banot is.
“This despite the fact that the school is frum, and the girls are modestly dressed, from Shomer Shabbos homes, simply not chareidi [enough].”
Many Americans don’t realize that a Frum American is nothing like a Charedi Israeli and sadly there is no such thing as religious tolerance in Israel.
Torah Totty,
There is no Kiruv movement in Israel like they have in America to help people understand and tolerate.
To Chleh says, as is say in Pirke Avot if there is not leader, one is obligated to stand up and be that leader.
Then a Kiruv movement must be started immediately if not sooner for the sake of Klal Yisrael!
ARE YOU PEOPLE CRAZY?????
Do you know who Rav Nosson Kupshitz is?? How do you continue to allow Israel Desk the platform for this garbage? All of the Rabbonim in the United States and in Eretz Yisroel hold VERY highly of Rav Kupshitz. How do you have the Chutzpah to call him a Hoodlum?????????????
That’s like calling Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky a Hoodlum. Why don’t you ask Rav Shmuel or Rav Dovid Feinstein what they think about Rav Nosson Kupshitz???????
Using THAT photo as an illustration shows a charedi man with blood on his head with police in the background. How does that illustrate this article? In essence you are showing a beaten charedi person. This is a case of Charedi extremist factions picking on little girls!!! Why is there no picture of a little girl dressed in a long sleeved shirt and long skirt crying? Of an egg being thrown at a first grade student? Of two burly charedi men chasing after a third grade girl on her way home from school with a look of pure terror on her face?-which is what is happening!! ANY man who picks on little girls is really really sick!
to katzleib, Rav Kamenetsky and Rav Feinstein where not spotted shouting improper speech at anyone and further more they would not protest against another FRUM yeshiva or institution, They Respect ALL those that observe Torah with no reference to hashgafah!
I can only conclude that Rabbi Natan HaCohen Kupshitz is being fed false information. Too often our gedolim are fed information by someone with an agenda and then the gedol, trusting that the information is accurate, will act upon it. A godol from an earlier generation once commented when he did not join in a certain organization that the reason he did not join is because all of the power would be in the hands of a secretary.
These guys really are sick. They were kicked out of Yerushalayim because they were nuts and now unfortunately their own rebbes can’t control them or wash their hands.
If these Rabbonim were there and spoke and behaved they way they did then deserve to be called hoodlums irrespective of who they are. They bring the Torah into disrepute and give normal frum yidden a bad name.
They are incapable and unwilling of seeing anyone elses opinion buttheir own.
Their chinuch is filled with a vile hatred of anything and anyone that does not agree with them. And if you do not believe me go and live with these people like I did for several years, and listen to what they say about other Jews who do not have the ideology as they do.
Do you really think that anyone will come close to Hashem or repsect frum Yidden because of thier behaviour ? Unfortunately the rot starts at the top. How can a Rov whoever he is think differently when he has been taught to look at chilonim and mizrachim as goyim.
We are so riddled with hatred for each other how can we expect Masiach to come ?
I support whatever position Hagoanh HaRav Kupshitz shlit”a supports.
“I support whatever position Hagoan HaRav Kupshitz shlit”a supports.”
Do you know if he got an accurate report of the situation?
Do you know what he said about it?
Were his words accurately transmitted to the rioters?
In all three cases, I beleive that the answer is no.
The Moetzes Gedolai HaTorah should launch an investigation into the allegations against these “rabbis” and if it is determined that they have been actively inciting this kind of antisemitism (I use that word intentionally, as one who does acts against fellow Jews is still antisemitism) , violence, and intolerance for those who are shomer Torah and Mitzvos they should be blacklisted. There children should not be invited into Yeshivos. They should not be allowed to sit on councils, receive any funding government or private, and they should be exiled from the Jewish community in general.
If they have done nothing wrong then they should have their names cleared.
But please, let these girls go to school. Some of them may end up a shidduch for one of these hoodlums one day and that would not end well.
There is no possible excuse for this kind of behavior, none.There is noway that the rabonim who are listed could possibly know the whole story which is why im not mikabel that they support these bnei zevel. I would invite them down to see for themselves whats happning, im sure they would cry tears if they saw the charadim yelling at little frum girls shktza niveilah. Anyon who supports this should be put in cherem.
And how do you anonymous internet posters know the situation better than the Rabbonim (i.e. Hagoan HaRav Kupshitz shlit”a) who are there?
I’ll take the rabbonim first.
Of course these Rabbonim know the whole story. Please do not cover yp for them. These Rabbonim are part of the zealot system who are brought up with extreme ideas. Their hatred and intransigence blinds them into not even considering or respecting other peoples opinions or ideas.
If you try having a conversation with any of them and convince them there could a different perspective you will see that it is impossible to reason with them.
They are taught from early on everything but their way is trief.
They see these mizrachi girls as chilonim or even worse goyim, so they see it as a milchemes mitzvah to perserve the purity of their neighborhood
They are the extremist uncompromising Rabbonim of the Eidah Charadis and it’s affiliated groups and other fringe groups. They look at the moetzes as a bunch of Agudist Zionist loving puppets.
I do not envy the reward that will be meeted out to these people.
You AMERICANS just dont get it….
Everywhere in America, even in Lakewood (IR hatorah), there can be schools of different types on the same block or bordering on certain areas, etc. This is an AGENDA issue, of CONTROL of real estate…. Don’t let the facts of who was there, who spoke and what they represent to muddle the issue. There are three large frum torah communities (chardal, dati leumi) established in this area years before these zealots (ex meah shearim) arrived, it was evident where they were moving to and who they were sharing the neighborhood with. If it was not to their liking–WHY DID THEY MOVE THERE? This premises was allocated to the Orot Banos school (similiar to a Prospect Park, Beis Yakov of Queens, Tag, BY of Chicago school)– and it is a thorn in their pockets since they desire the same building.
Visit and see for yourself….
It’s a nice distraction to debate the rabbinic bona fides of the roster of rabbis listed in the article. I suppose debating which of them wears a nicer bekeshe might also be entertaining. But unless someone with real authority seriously ponders the trajectory of this conflict and puts the kibosh on it, and does so soon, the ultimate consequence is already foreseeable. Someone, possibly even a completely innocent child, is going to die.
#18 cantoresq: Why do you say that? The protesters are protesting. They aren’t beating anyone. Are you suggesting some of the parents of the school will resort to violence to stop the protests?
Peacemaker,
The protestors have acted in a hostile way (see on youtube), reportedly thrown things, and chased some little girls. Things could easily escalate.
#19 did you not know that rocks were thrown and that someone had to recieve medical attention ?
Peacemaker:
If you give us your address, we can come by, scream and yell at your children the most obscene words. Then we will throw eggs, tomatoes, and then rocks. Have Hatzalach and a therapist nearby for the care they will need.
I’m very sorry that many of you don’t understand what is going on here in BS. You must not be blinded by the use of various Rabbis’ names or their involvement – I would like to believe that they – again – are not being told the whole story (it won’t be the first time). Orot school is a religious girls school wthat’s only sin is that it belongs to a religious zionist organization. The school has the backing of many Rabanim and Roshei Yeshiva – all from the religious zionist camp and many of the parents are recent Nefesh BwNefesh olim. The political situation in Israel is such that charedi “macherim” and “hoodlums” have acted in VIOLENCE against 7 year old jewish girls – chasing them till they cry (!!) just to “win” another piece of real estate. There is nothing holy about the Charedi position – it is indeed very sad and very disappointing to see well known Rabanim on their position. Its very sad and a big chillul hashem. You are welcome to explore the facts
I am disappointed with YWN’s style of twisting its articles just that little bit to incite readers against members of am yisrael – Hashem’s children. I am in no way commending any actions done here but I wish YWN would take a more objective note in their articles without sticking in those ‘by-the-way’ images, captions and small words used here and there that paint a very black picture of fellow yidden.
You write that ‘Rosh Hashana is just a week away’ in an effort to portray the lack of priorities of the subjects of your article. I suggest you take those words to heart and do some serious introspection into the chilul Hashem that you may be ‘subconsciously’ causing.
Ksivah V’chasima Tovah!
#19, I am stating that the chayot raot who currently use intimidation, scare tactics and every increasing violence against the Orot l’Banot school, will ratchet up the level of their tactics to the point that someone may die as a result of their terrorism.
kudos to ywn for not publishing my comment. thank you for showing your true colors.