National Council of Young Israel President Eli Dworetsky and Associate Executive Director Rabbi Bini Maryles issued the following statement in reference to the recent events in Beit Shemesh, Israel:
We have all seen, read and heard about the violent attacks and reprehensible behavior by a small number of Jews in the Beit Shemesh area of Israel. Any violence, let alone Jew against Jew, is unacceptable and worthy of strong condemnation. The National Council of Young Israel, which includes 130 synagogues across the United States, as well as our Israel region of over 50 synagogues, condemns in the strongest terms such behavior and those who promote these kinds of actions. There is no room within the Jewish people for hooliganism and Chilul Hashem of any kind.
Condemnation, however, only goes so far. We have so many questions about the anger and rage that continues to divide us to the point where it can be hard to recognize us as one people. Is this really happening in our community? Does our desire for connection to divinity so overwhelm us so as to trump our need and responsibility for dignity toward one another? Yet, there are seemingly no resolutions or answers.
The parshiot of Vayigash and Vayechi proclaim the beauty and need for reconciliation. Yaakov Avinu proclaims ‘Baruch Shem…’ to his now united statement of Shema by his sons. In addition, as our calendar turns toward Asara B’Tevet we remember only too well that it was Sinaat Chinam, baseless hatred, which brought the calamity and destruction to Yerushalayim and the Batei Mikdash.
In times of tzara in our community, our sages have always implored us to look inward to find our best selves and have directed us to seek peace where and how we can find it. During this tzara we ask our communities and their leadership to dedicate time and effort, through programs, events, prayer and learning, towards introspection and reconciliation of family, community and klal yisrael. As a community dedicated to Torah values and Chesed, we also ask for greater tolerance, understanding and unity for all people.
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12 Responses
and ofcourse they left out the violence against innocent chareidim that is going on…..
it’s a shame how they ignore the violence against the chareidem
A) where in the article did they mention anything about charedim or chilonim? They could just as well have been talking about the violence carried out by the chilonim. Unlike many in the charedi world, Young Israel, and President Dwiretsky in particular, is concerned with the welfare of each and every Jew and simply wants for there to be peace, regardless of who is or is not at fault.
B) if anything it is yeshiva world’s fault for giving you that impression by posting that picture with this article. I am sure it wasn’t included along with young israels original message
they mentioned it
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not yet frum are also jews. The charedim need to realize this.
they mentioned it
not yet frum are also jews. The charedim need to realize this.
Any violence, let alone Jew against Jew, is unacceptable and worthy of strong condemnation.
THEY MENTIONED IT.
not yet frum are also jews. The charedim need to realize this.
how can anyone find fault with this statement?
By mentioning only the area of Beit Shemesh andignoring all other areas where charedim are suffering from chilonim and especially ignoring the media campaign against charedim, that shows that they are ignoring the violence against the charedim.
I heard from my rosh yeshiva that there was a Rabbi that got up as they were being led to the gas chambers and said that now there is Achdus something that they did not have before. Its sad that a few years ago in Isreal when the buses…
Hashem will make us have Achdus one way or another.
Connection to Divinity or doing the will of G-D DOES trump everything including relationships between fellowmen. The point is that it may not be G-Ds will, not that a connection to divinity doesn’t come first.
Hello #10, did you realize that “doing the will of GD” includes ‘Vahavta es Rayacha Kamocha” and connecting to divinity is accomplished through the conduit of mitzvos bein adam lchavaru.
#1 & #2 have you been following the sequence of events beginning in September with the opening and subsequent harassment and violence of talmidos of Orot Banos Yeshiva… There is a seder to what is happening!!
What violence against chareidim are you all speaking of?? By the police beating up “those dressed like chareidim” that isn’t violence against chareidim. Its violence against hooligans that dress like chareidim. What makes them chareidim. They should spend their time learning instead of making up some tznius issue about a political real estate issue regarding a building. Or dare I say it spend their time “working”.