In a Tuesday evening press event, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat made two things clear, that he intends to open a parking lot of shabbos to accommodate visitors to the capital and that he is doing everything he knows how to avoid conflict, seeking to walk on eggs as he probes for a solution that will be acceptable to the Eida Chareidis.
“We have done everything to open the lots without causing chilul shabbos” he explained, detailing the arrangements and operational logistics being handled by non-Jews, and that there will be no payment made for using the parking lot.
He stressed the need for coexistence, permitting everyone to live without strife.
The mayor explained he has turned to the court with an urgent request to permit opening the Carta parking lot, which is in receivership, adding the final decision rests in the hands of the court, indicating if the Carta lot is not a viable option, then the municipal lot at Safra Square would be used.
Eida Chareidis officials are have already warned that if the lot is opened “there will be a holy war”, vowing major protests in the streets and stating that the entire country will be ablaze, not just Yerushalayim. Statements from the Eida and opponents to opening the lot have rejected any plan that will lead to increased chilul shabbos, stating such a plan is unacceptable and will not be entertained under any condition.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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20 Responses
I’m in!!
“Holy war?” That sounds frighteningly familiar. More ammunition for those who would say that the current wave of charedism is akin to the Taliban…
A big yasher koach to the Eida for standing up for Kavod Shabbos Kodesh at all costs. We need more folks with spine like that.
The Edia will only create more hatred among Jews. Instead of fighting with poopy diapers and stones, why don’t they follow the mehalech of the Chofetz Chaim and work on creating love and respect for Torah and one’s fellow Jew. I became chozer l’tshuva despite such behavoir, from a loving Rabbi who used to watch me drive to a bar with friends after Friday night dinner with his family. He was patient and nonjudgmental, and now today I am keeping Shabbos fully, among the other Mitzvos.
Sounds like this group of people are still stumbling in the same mistakes their earlier generations made a 100 years ago, of which the Choftez Chaim had criticized then.
“Eida Chareidis officials are have already warned that if the lot is opened “there will be a holy war”, vowing major protests in the streets and stating that the entire country will be ablaze, not just Yerushalayim.”
Last week there was an article in this space about anti-frum actions being planned by frier activists. The kind of in-your-face-you’re-gonna-be-Shomer Shabbos-or-whether-you-like-it-or-not behavior that that Eida Chareidis demonstrates here is a big part of the frier’s anger.
It does not make one “frummer” to behave like this – it violates shalom, and pushes away the very people we need to embrace and show the beauty of Torah. It violates every edict I have ever learned in the course of many years exposure to successful kiruv organizations. And it’s not going to prevent frier Yidden (as well as non-Jewish drivers, of course) from driving.
Though the Torah is Emes, the aggressive, offensive behavior of Eida Chareidis in defense of Torah is frightening close to that of, l’havdil, the the Taliban and Islamist militants. Nebuch
#4 – This is not about having a spine. Your attitude was the approach of the boryonim (zealous fools) whose behavior led to the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdash (see Gittin 57). That’s why Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai got out of there.
let us get those infidels!
The word “jihad” is translated, in the press as “holy war”. I certainly hope that the term used was ” milchemess mitvah” and not “holy war”.
G-d forbid we should be seen as Arab “wannabees”.
The term holy war was an editorialized headline by Mr. Spira or this site. It is not anything the Eida said, did or does.
The Eida has spine to stand up for the Torah, and if that is something you don’t like you’ll have to lump. They are not backing down. Period.
ok chaverim
I’ve seen the Edah use the term “milchemes kodesh” earlier – three years ago, in the protests against the big metzad then.
Haven’t seen it now yet. We’ll see tomorrow when HaEdah comes out.
I am going to the big Kabbolas Shabbos on Bar Ilan tomorrow.
The chofetz chaim zt’l also said that the zionim are m’zerah amalek!!!!! and its asur to try and create love with them……FYI if you were ever at a hafganah in E’Y the police here beat without rachmunus the chariedi people but when there is a riot in the arab towns the cops just stand there and do nothing..THEY DONT TOUCH ARABS..BUT CHARIEDIM FOR SHABBOS THEY BEAT MERCILESSLY!!!
These ‘mobs’ will be all over the news and what will it gain? A CHILLUL HASHEM!!
And what a sickening picture
#14, please provide a source where the chofetz chaim said that “the zionim are m’zerah amalek”. i never heard this before and doubt that the chofetz chaim spoke this harshly against any yiddin.
regarding this whole situation there is tremendous guilt on both sides and considering this weeks parsha there is no such thing as a one sided machlokes since the the machlokes between mashe and korach. and rememmber that when korach started his rebellion moshe and aharon fell on their faces in tefillah, they didn’t throw rocks and diapers. we should ask ourselves honestly, on shabbas kodesh would Hashem rather these frum yidden be in a beis medrash or on the street protesting? i’m not sure what the answer is but i would think that Hashem would rather these boys be in the beis medrash.
go 4 achdus look in the back of kuntreis ha’aros by r’ elchonon in the back he quotes the chofetz chaim
who says in yiddish “bah mir iz barur az zei (tzionim)zinen fon zera amalek”
ad mosai la’EDA haRo’oh hazos.
I think they ar the real Amalek
no one hss done more to be merachek Jews from HASHEM ND HIS Torah and klal isroel than they.
terrible to speak this way. what you call a “tzionim” is still a yid just like you and me, which means that Hashem loves us both and chose us as his children. everyone should remember this as they judge others.
#18 – You are twisting the Chofetz Chaim’s vort about Amalek to justify throwing poopy diapers and making a jihad for Shabbos. The Chofetz Chaim never would have approved of what is happening today. If you think so, then you obviously don’t understand who he was. I would recommend reading the 600 page Artscroll biography about him.
By the way, there are musar schmoozes that talk about there being a little bit of Amalek in all of us. So what are you going to do now? Commit suicide so you can be emcheh zecher Amalek min ha olam?
According to more recent reports, Rav Elyashiv, shlita, is also supporting the protests. Do those who write against the Eida feel the same way about him?
R’ Elchanon, zatzukel, writes that when he calls the Zionists Amalekim whom the Land will inevitably vomit out, he is referring only to the leaders and opinion molders, not to the masses of their misled followers. An important distinction to make.
The Eida does not approve of throwing or burning diapers, or of doing anything else against halacha. Sadly, every group has extremists. It requires gedolei Torah to decide how to deal with such people and whether to let them (and the agents provocateurs sent by the police) interfere with legitimate protests. Fortunately, the Eida has gedolei Torah.
The last time there was a mass Kabalas Shabbos on Bar Ilan was bout 15 years ago and it was extremely inspiring.