I am sure many of you will read this and initially go berserk, but this letter might cause others to wait a minute and think twice. I hope what I’m saying will resonate with you.
Since the horrific Hamas attack on Simchas Torah, many have taken upon themselves things to do to help Israel. Some have strengthened their yiddishkeit, others have found a way to assist Israel through donations, and many – such as myself – have done both. But here in Brooklyn, some people found their own way to “help” which has been anything but helpful.
For the past number of weeks, signs of the hostages and art depicting the Israeli flag have been put up in heavily Jewish neighborhoods. From what I’m told, it’s the work of two women (mainly one) who have made amplifying the plight of the hostages and Israel’s right to survival their sole mission.
I don’t have a problem with the concept of being pro-Israel or of trying to increase the general public’s awareness and empathy for the hostages and their poor families. But the way it is being done has not only been unhelpful, it is actually bringing danger closer to Jewish people.
As noted before, the signs have been put up in heavily Jewish areas. So, what happens? Pro-Palestinian individuals come and take them down, or paint over them with Palestinian flags and messages. The pro-Israel signs are put back up, and the pro-Palestinian people return. It has become an endless back-and-forth cycle that doesn’t do anything for anyone, and is only increasing tension and setting the stage for an awful brawl – or worse – to occur, smack in middle of Jewish neighborhoods. And it’s already happened. There have been fist fights, attacks, assaults, and more.
I get that you want to have these signs up, but does it have to be outside Landau’s Shul? Is there a single mispalel that isn’t aware of what’s going on? Are you actually accomplishing anything with that sign?
But the worst is that a Yeshiva on Avenue N and Coney Island Avenue has allegedly given this woman permission (which is a topic for another letter, and they should be held accountable for it) to plaster their property under construction with the posters. Who exactly are you trying to persuade – 8-year-old Rivky as she enters and exits school, hoping that a pro-Palestinian person doesn’t go berserk from the signs when she’s there? Well, that’s what has now happened. On Sunday morning, an entire wall of hostage photos was ripped down, and a huge wall of graffiti with “Free Palestine” was painted.
So guess what happened on Sunday night? This incredible Tzadeikis, on her mission to save the world, showed up at the location and spray painted over the Palestinian graffiti with pro-Israel graffiti. What do you think will happen next? Exactly! Pro-Palestinian graffiti will now be placed on TOP of that, and this cycle will never end.
If you own a property under construction in Flatbush and you see this woman defacing your property on a quiet residential street, embrace her! Give her permission to hang as many posters as you want. When you then have “FREE PALESTINE” written all over your property, don’t worry. Just call her and her cans of spray-paint back, and she will gladly deface your property even more. OR – if you see her hanging signs on your property and you actually care about stopping potential violence in our neighborhood and preventing hateful graffiti on your property, STOP HER. And if she doesn’t listen, call the Police and have her arrested. I have personally verified with MULTIPLE home owners that they never gave anyone permission to do this (for example on Avenue N and East 24 Street).
A message to this incredible woman who has been busy 24 hours a day in the War Cabinet and in meetings with the Mossad Director Qatar rescuing our hostages: If you think that this is your hishtadlus, please go to Israel, sign up for the IDF, and help them rescue the hostages. In the meantime, stop bringing a wrecking ball to our streets.
And if you think I am wrong about even one word, maybe it’s high time to speak to a level headed person (Askanim/community activists) who has been working on our community relations with our neighbors for the past 50 years.
An outraged local resident of Flatbush (Who actually has an Israeli flag proudly hanging on my home!)
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41 Responses
About time someone said something. This is way overkill and it needs to stop.
the writer will be called a self hating jew by the comments in 3, 2, 1
Why did the letter writer say I will need to think about this? I made up my mind a few weeks ago. This is a crazy thing to do and just enraging our enemies.
This woman has no clue what the word GALUS even means.
You’re absolutely right…NOT!!!!!!
Other cheek syndrome…just like WW2.
#NEVERAGAINISNOW!!!!
It’s illegal to hang signs on public street poles. And it’s illegal to hang anything on a green construction wall.
it’s against halacha to deface someones property without permission . thsi woman is a blatant thief.
and she is is breaking the law by plastering public street signs with the posters.
dina dimalchusa dine.
I was wondering what this yeshiva was thinking. When the haters find out who owns that property and there is a large demonstration outside their school. who will they blame? Themselves? or this woman?
Both.
Dear “outraged local resident of Flatbush”, Shame on you. These signs should serve as a reminder to turn to Hashem in prayer rather than a cause for embarrassment.
kudos to the letter.
Maybe it’s not very helpful in terms of getting hostages back, but at least someone is doing something, and it’s true Ahavas Yisroel that they take their time and resources for people who they probably don’t even know unlike many YWN commentators who don’t do enough for their brothers & sisters in Eretz Yisroel.
Those who complain about illegal posters on lampposts, don’t you see that every week in BoroPark or Fltabush, some yeshivas dinners, rabbeim gatherings etc. Don’t you call them thief and remind them dina dimalchusa dine?
@alexfromny – “Maybe it’s not very helpful in terms of getting hostages back, but at least someone is doing something”
Yes they are doing “something”. Bringing more hate and violence to our neighborhood. Facts.
Let her arrange massive groups to say Tehillim or take Challah as a zechus.
“And if she doesn’t listen, call the Police and have her arrested.”
Oh good, we need to do mesira for the horrible crime of supporting hostages.
11210 Forty Five
It was also against the law to schecht lambs in egypt, and was especially dangerous for slaves.
Dina d’malchusa dina only applies when there is no overriding Jewish value or mitzvah. Like if there was a law against circumcision, we would still circumsize.
Also, dina d’malchusa dina applies not to laws that are written, but laws that are being followed. If everyone is breaking some law, Jews are not required to keep it. Since everyone is using the street poles for their advertisements, the best thing we can do with these polls is promote the hostages, in the faces of the pro palestine scum who deface it.
The writer of this letter is absolutely correct. We must remember that we are in golus and until Moshiach comes, we need to keep a low profile.
It is a very good thing that HASHEM is in charge!
I totally agree with the letter writer. He / she seems to be downright scared. There is no reason to be in their face!
Along the same lines we should put in our tsitsis, take off our Kipa and Yeshivish and frum looking garb.
We shouldnt stand out.
We are in Galus. They rule not us.
I wad all for the posters the first few weeks. They are accomplishing nothing at this point other than more hatred.
And to the absolute idiot who compared stopping this to hiding our tzitzis, you win the prize for the dumbest comment ever.
This is a real golus mindset. Someone is putting up a poster on private property, and all the poster shows is a Jewish face with bold letters saying that they were taken hostage by a group of people.
Someone is angered by this acknowledgement that Jews are being held captive and so they attack physically.
Who is the aggressor? The woman calling attention to the fact that there are jews in captivity.
One would think that the one place in the world that it would be safe is in one of the most densely Jewish populated communities in the USA. But no. And the woman calling for awareness is vilified.
If you believe that her actions are a call for violence then it may mean, God forbid, that the time is up for jews in the USA.
Only Mossad and IDF can rescue hostages, as if public sentiment and international pressure mean nothing.
This guy is so worried about being called a self hating Jew, because he is one.
I love how he “waves an Israeli flag”. I’d rather he take down the Israeli flag and put up a PLO one because he is a liability to any movement that he supports.
Didn’t read about the kiddos
Most of these hostages are already dead or not very far from end of life there isn’t that many of them there now, but they want the Israeli prisons empty of arabs for the complete giving back the kidnapped and Israel is obligated to do this and said that it will do anything to free them, why not do this give back all the prisoners for them. They publicize that they don’t want to negotiate with Qatar because they arrested as many prisoners as they freed litterly the next day and for no reason. This is a joke we give them back these people that would of been killed with bloody hands for Israel emptying the prisons of the not convicted women and children and the very next day the prisons full again from the same thing ridiculous and not only that but they took the information from the kidnapped and the satilites watching the freedom of the captives to go on the bombing and murder rampage all with the words they are “terrorist”. This was done with the country Qatar not from them they only want the Israeli prisons empty of arabs that are getting abused there. It is true that Israel is doing genocide of Palestinian people cause they let them out of the cage on October 7 there was no police like people escaping from prison. Terrible things and dehumanizing things are being done to the Palestine people and for no reason cause the Israeli army are not responsible people and think and do only for themselves and them they go religion and judisom as cover for the bad things done this is a fact. They must give back the arabs in prisons and not arrest them for no crime so we get back all the kidnapped and the gates of the prison is closed.
There is no dream that after this no more weapons of terror and no more imprisonment of the millions of people unless we give them Israeli citizenship for them and those that are refugees just like California synoguge
When the pandemic started in suburbia lawn signs started popping up. Thank you healthcare workers. Then BLM signs went up. So their neighbors put up Blue Lives Matter signs in reply. Then it was pride month so people put up rainbow signs, which were stolen during the night by those who did not like them. Then it was election season and the normal election signs went up and down. Then it was StopAsianHate signs and AllLivesMatter, We support Ukraine, blue porch lights to support police, Trump 2024 (up since 2020) it was exhausting. All it did here was encourage discord among neighbors who would otherwise get along. Back in the day it was considered rude to discuss politics. There was a reason for that. These signs change no ones mind, they only trigger a gut reaction of yay they’re on my team or boo they’re on the other side. Then came the we stand with Israel signs. Well somehow people were surprised when the Free Palestine signs then went up nextdoor.
We have our mezuzah visible on our door. That is our public mitzvah and sign of support of the Jewish people. The rest is political and provokes ire from those who disagree and then causes a viscious cycle of responses. I live on a quiet street and there’s an unspoken rule we do not put up these signs. And it’s so peaceful here.
Aside from seeking mechilah from this woman who is engaging in what she and others believe is an urgent need after 10 weeks to keep the hostages in the public attention 24×7, even at the risk of triggering the anti-Israel and anti-semitic backlash we know is there, the OP should also daven that none of his/her family are ever taken hostage.
To the writer, i suggest you read the Blaustein-Ben Gurion Agreement, signed 75 years ago in which the secular Jewish leader of the American Jewish establishment laid down the ground rules for Israel in terms of how its actions effects American Jews. This document, written by a secular Jewish askan exudes selfishness, conceit, and callous indifference to Israel and the Jews living in it, but your tone and message are eerily reminiscent of what he had to say.
https://in.bgu.ac.il/en/bgi/Documents/Blaustein-Exhange-of-Views.pdf
In case you dont have patience to read it, here is a summary:
1) The state of Israel, while providing a refuge for Jews from the middle east, has created a burden for US Jewry.
2) Israel has the responsibility not to adversely affect the Jews of other states by what it says and does.
3) American Jews vigoriously repudiate any suggestion or implication that they are in exile.
4) To american jews, america is home.
5) The American Jewish community sees its fortunes tied to the fate of liberal democracy in the United States… if democracy should fail in America, there would be no future for democracy anywhere in the world, and that the very existence of an independent State of Israel would be problematic.
6) We fully realize that persecution and discrimination against Jews in any country will sooner or later have its impact on the situation of the Jews in other countries, but these problems must be dealt with by each Jewish community itself in accordance with its own wishes, traditions, needs and aspirations.
7) Harm has been done to the morale and to some extent to the sense of security of the American Jewish community through unwise and unwarranted statements and appeals which ignore the feelings and aspirations of American Jewry.
8) ith its own wishes, traditions, needs and aspirations. Jewish communities, particularly American Jewry in view of its influence and its strength, can offer advice, cooperation and help, but should not attempt to speak in the name of other communities or in any way interfere in their internal affairs. I am happy to note from your statement, Mr. Prime Minister, that the State of Israel takes a similar position. Any other position on the part of the State of Israel would only weaken the American and other Jewish communities of the free, democratic countries and be contrary to the basic interests of Israel itself.
The woman wants attention for herself the hostage situation is a great opportunity to do just that. Shameful
Kokashy, I want to thank you for the prize.
“And to the absolute idiot who compared stopping this to hiding our tzitzis, you win the prize for the dumbest comment ever.”
But why do I deserve the prize? We shouldnt stand out as Jews.
Interjection,
“If you believe that her actions are a call for violence then it may mean, God forbid, that the time is up for jews in the USA.”
Why God Forbid?
Am stunned at the responses. So let me decode what their saying “I love my life in Flatbush sure I care about Jews in Israel but not if it makes me uncomfortable. I have 400 kosher restaurants ,kosher for pesach hotels ,kosher cruises why should I make trouble.
Sound like the Jews of Europe 1930’s.
WAKE UP BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE.
Point or no point, the writer is angry and sarcastic and disgusting about this lady or 2 ladies and shame on you.
Could have made a few good points without that. So in my opinion the whole article is bad middos
The fact that this woman is causing “bringing more hate and violence to our neighborhood” is all the more reason that we need to thank her and encourage her for work.
This is America, friends. Not Germany 1940. Did we ever know that so much anti Israel and anti jewish hatred exists among us right here in the “land of freedom” ? I thank this woman for exposing this vicious cruel subhuman hatred which has no place in any country and with the help of HKBH may our government eradicate and eliminate it. Kudos to Elise Stefanik who already took such a strong stance and support in our defense and may many others continue
What a bazare article. If you think for one moment that any defacing is because of these signs, you are big time mistaken. These ladies who are putting up the signs mean well, and are not the enemy. This is nothing but coweredness..
The anti-Israel groups which claim it is a good thing to kill Jews anywhere we can be found feels they on the “right side of history”. Resisting them is good policy, and the posters are a very public way to do so, and one that is peaceful (while the style of denazification that worked in the 1940s would be effective, firing squads and gallows are illegal under American law and would lead to conflict with the police). It is important to say we are here, and we aren’t going to run away, and we aren’t going to lie down an die just to amuse the very powerful (they believe) anti-semites.
Why do these crazy? Frum Jews insist on putting a shiny large mezuzah case on the doors!? Don’t they know that they are Just inciting hatred and violence and inviting enemies to attack.
How can you dare to stop someone from putting up pictures of hostages nebach.
It’s one thing if the signs were completely political just Israeli flags and eliminate Gaza signs.
But it’s not.
It’s simple photos of hostages. Why is it even thinkable for that hostage posters should be torn down? How can you accept this as a normal? How can you give in on something so basic and apolitical?.
The signs plastered are not to teach anyone something they don’t already know. Rather to create as much political social pressure as possible. Unfortunately, those in political positions have power to help. Perhaps limited power, but in desperate times all routes should be tried.
There are signs ALL OVER Israel too. In densely Jewish neighborhood’s too. Why? For the same reason.
Suppose it was currently 1943, the Jewish neighborhoods in America have signs saying ‘Genocide of Jews happening Auschwitz’, and this would trigger the non-Jewish neighbors, how would we feel? Would be stop making a public ruckus? Would we quietly continue with our daily lives because in galus we don’t want to be heard or seen?
You are absolutely right! There is no Yiddishkeit involved in this. Ditto for public Menora lighting. Cut it out!
The letter writer is not alone in her feelings. All the Frummeh who did not go to the rally in Washington feel the same way. She is an honorable person; So are they all, all honorable men. As with the world as a whole, the Ribono shel Olam is giving us the time to make our choices, and this is what she, and many others, have chosen. I think we’ll find out soon who made the right choice.
1. Your Israeli flag has the same effect on the pro-Palestine crew
2. Posters of the hostages absolutely do belong at Landau’s of all places so people can be reminded to daven for them.
3. This woman is clearly very well meaning. You should be more respectful in your criticisms of her actions. Sinas chinom is more damaging to us than any posters.
Are you certain this woman is the one who sprayed over the graffiti?
do you stop telling the truth because it makes someone shout their lies even louder? the ghetto mentality didn’t save anyone in 1944.
You are 10000% correct. Thank u 4 saying what many of us are thinking. The golus Yid lays low. The goyim are not interested in our kidnapped . It only gives them space to show their anti semitism by ripping and defacing the pictures. Our sorrow is our own to share and daven over putting up signs helps NO ONE and causes trouble.
Wow – you really live in your bubble.
Why do posters bother you so much, especially Jewish people being held hostage?
And should I also call the police when Pro Palestinian askanim spray graffiti on my property?
And you are the Ohev Yisrael?!
And to the hard working woman working overtime, Thank You! The posters actually make the hostage families feel better.
@zaltzvasser
“2. Posters of the hostages absolutely do belong at Landau’s of all places so people can be reminded to daven for them.”
I think hanging them in the shul would do a better job, no? People these days have short att spans
To all those who say that 2023 is not 1930:
Who says? maybe it is (CV) ? people in 1930 said “1930 isnt 1850!!”