A shul and Sefer Torah were used to film an episode of Israel Channel 2 TV’s Eretz Nehederet program. In the video we see the actors wrapped in tallitot near the bimah as an open Ashkenazi Sefer Torah makes its way for a bar mitzvah.
Photos and segments of the controversial program were posted on Instagram and Facebook accounts of the actors.
The Chief Rabbinate of Israel released the following statement: “The Chief Rabbinate of Israel, the Chief Rabbis of Israel and the Minister of Religious Services strongly condemn the use of Sifrei Torah and a Shul for entertainment and the satire program.
“A shul is a house of prayer and Sifrei Torah are most sacred in Judaism. Jews throughout the ages gave their lives as not to harm their sanctity. Israeli citizens who come to a shul to learn or daven feel that beyond the halachic issues, awe-inspiring and its uniqueness, such use cheapens its importance and such use represents crossing a red line and triggers shock and disgust in the heart of every Jew. We expect everyone, including those who do not daven, to respect the religious sensitives of the tzibur”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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The amount of mainstream Chareidi singers who use shuls and taleisim in their music videos gives license to anyone else who wants to use shuls for entertainment purposes.