A reported 1,000 people protested at the site of the Intel Har Chotzvim Hi-Tech Park on shabbos, in addition to hundreds who took part in the protest against Karta parking lot.
It would appear weekly shabbos protests in Yerushalayim against the operating of Karta parking lot and operation at the Har Chotzvim Intel facility have become part of the day’s ritual for followers of the Eida Chareidis.
An agreement was going to be signed before shabbos according to reports, one that would ensure only non-Jews work in the Intel Jerusalem facility on shabbos, but company officials explained they simply were unable to set up such a reality in time for this shabbos.
Upon their arrival at Intel, protestors began shouting “Shabbos” and “Mechalalim Mos Yumos”.
In a bizarre event, on a nearby street, Hashem’s name was written out, Yud K.V.K. on the street, in red paint, with vowels. The protestors set up cartons around the area so no one would walk on the writing, not to mention what will take place when officials try to erase it or cover it up.
According to a Channel 2 report, some protestors attacked reporters with rocks. As the protestors headed to the gate of the Intel complex, a large police and private security details prepared, and a water cannon was used to prevent them from reaching the area.
Reports from the participants show a different scene, one of unjustified and unprovoked police brutality, against many including Gavaad Weiss Shlita, with officials in the Eida condemning the police’s lack of any respect for his position and stature in the community.
By all accounts, the Intel protest was not a quiet one.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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25 Responses
There’s no reason not to step on it and to go around it. There’s nothing holy with it.
I wrote here a week ago but yeshiva world had no guts to print it, what should be done is simply go there during the week and educate them in a loving manner instead of going there and shouting like animals!!!
I wonder how long until Intel has enough of this and pulls out of Israel entirely. Then they will be happy. Which giant of the Israeli economy will they target next? To think that there are “Gedolim” that encourage these protests and “sign off” on them, is such a huge Chillul Hashem. If they want to write mass letters, beg them to meet with management discussing the value of Shmiras Shabbos, fine. But to act like animals on the street…not only is it counterproductive to the immediate cause but to the cause of Torah worldwide.
#3 – Well said. You catch more flies with honey.
#1 The Eida obviously holds that when Shabbos desecration takes place, a G-d fearing Jew is obligated to protest. Now how one protests is a different story. Certainly violence and destruction of property are forbidden. This notion of ‘pushing their lifestyle down other peoples throats’ echoes of liberal, Westernized thought where each man has a ‘right’ to his own lifestyle. We need to feel pain for Jews who are alienated from G-d and His torah. Shabbos is a gift/obligation to all Jews and not a ‘lifestyle’ choice per se. Reiterating: we need to protest if that is what our sages decide but do so in a manner that depicts the loftiness of Torah’s ways and not ch’v the opposite.
#4 said: “I wonder how long until Intel has enough of this and pulls out of Israel entirely.”
That would be welcome. Better that (including the loss of jobs), then Chillul Shabbos Kodesh in Yerushlayim Ir HaKodesh.
Indeed, that may be the goal of the Gedolim organizing the Shabbos Rally each week. Give Intel enough of a headache to say goodbye. The bigger the brutal cops escalate each protest, the more likely this welcome outcome will come to fruition. (With the additional benefit, that many secular residents of Yerushlayim will be fed up and move out!)
they have a right to get upset.
but they are Holy but they are allso human.
if you prick them they will bleed.
they are making a mistake by protesting on shabbos.
because it,s a day of rest.
May HASHEM give you peace my Brothers and victory.
any Jew who denounces His brother publicly
denounces himself. self hatred.
Considering that Joseph (#7) is hostile to the State, I do not think that his advice is productive.
I also do not believe that Joseph knows what would motivate secular and mamlachti dati people. What most of us wish to see is a stronger police presence, with stricter punishments for rioters.
Sooner or later, it will indeed come to that, as the Hareidim show no willingness to compromise (whether or not Jews work on Shabbat) and every willingness to riot. Every single demonstration by the Eida degenerates into violence, and every single time the Eida says “it was our fringe elements”. When you lie down with dogs, you should not be surprise that you get up with fleas.
Still, these protests are a good idea, as it shows the rest of clal Yisrael what life would be like if the Hareidim ran the country.
starwolf (#9), Chareidim do not seek to run the country. In fact, they never did. The fact also is the secular’s are moving out of the city. (This is aside from the fact that the Chareidi birth rate is increasing its representation.)
The problem my dear friends is, that throughout this very long galus we lost the feeling of kedusah, Shabbos Eretz Yisroel, etc. If we would understand the chilul hashem going on we would run so fast and not let anyone desecrate our holy city and our holy shabbos!!!! may we see the geula very soon ונקדשתי בתוך בני ישראל!
btw i’m living in eretz yisroel 5 years bh and i never saw anyone frum person throw any rocks. an old story; not to believe everything the news say
Let us take one of Joseph’s ridiculous comments to its logical conclusion: “(With the additional benefit, that many secular residents of Yerushlayim will be fed up and move out!) ”
What happens when secular and MO residents of Yerushalayim move out? Well, we have seen some of that: the tax base decreases, as many Hareidim have received city tax exemptions. If we had a completely Hareidi city, there would be no tax base. So Yerushalayim would have to shnorr form the rest of the country for services such as garbage collection, sewer services, etc. Of course, sinc Joseph is Hareidi, shnorring should not bother him much. It may bother the people who have to pay up, though.
If all seculars leave, where would Hareidim go for medical attention? Anybody ever been to an emergency room in Yerushalayim on motza’ei Shabbat? Who are the majority of the pateints waiting? Where will you go? To Tel Aviv? Petach Tikva? Assaf Harofeh? One of the Arab hospitals?
Perhaps you could go to one of the many Hareidi doctors. They do exist–let’s see them staff the emergency rooms. Or maybe the Rabbis of the Eida could provide medical services.
Don’t get me wrong. I do agree with Joseph that the ideal situation is separation between the Hareidi and the MO/secular populations. We have seen that in towns such as Bet Shemesh, a mixture is a recipe for trouble. Better to have towns built specifically for Hareidim. the example of Modi’in (secular/MO/everything else) and Modi’in Illit/Kiryat Sefer is a good one. The towns are divided by a major highway and valley, and there is little likelihood of them encroaching on one another. Everyone can live as they wish.
Unfortunately, this is not a practical solution for Yerushalayim. Perhaps a “separation fence” would be in order.
The Y K V K should be left uncovered and exposed to the elements. Only G-d can erase his name and he will do it with rain. We do not know if this chilul shabbos in public will lead to a successful terrorist attack. It is because of our sins we were expelled from our land. This effort to end violating Shabbos impacts all of the Nation of Israel. It would be so easy to let this go but who knows what decrees take place in heavon because of these violations.
The Ga’avad of the Eidah SHLITOH, without question, knows better than anyone who would comment on this forum what da’as torah would be in this inyan at this time.
Just for the record, there have been tzadikim and gedolim in all generations, even not associated with the Eidah for one reason or another, who have personally participated in me’chaos against chilul Shabbos when they deemed that to be necessary, even when very sick and advised not to.
Yeshiva World- you’ve got your fax screwed up- I was there, watching the entire scene from the rooftop of my apartment building. There was no violence from the Chareidim. They came peacefully screaming Shabbos to prove their point to Intel. The company Intel is ready to sign on an agreement. However, the government would rather they stay open. The police came with horses, soldiers, a water canon etc. but the Chareidim didn’t fight back. Regarding the stone throwing reported here on YWN,”According to a Channel 2 report, some protestors attacked reporters with rocks.” I don’t know where you are getting the facts from- I saw it all- Nobody threw rocks during the protest.
Joseph (#11) posted:
“Chareidim do not seek to run the country. In fact, they never did.”
Well, it is true that the Hareidim do not want to run the country in that they do not fully participate in the political process. However, they do wish to dictate to the rest of the country the rules by which we must live.
And before any one replies “of course, the Torah mandates shmirat shabbat”, I do not believe that we today have any right to force shmirat shabbat on Jews who do not wish to do so.
YerushalayimYid (#17) & PbP (#15):
Even though some folks close their ears to the Emes, Yasher Koach for speaking it.
Better Shmiras Shabbos in poverty, then Chillul Shabbos in affluence.
starwolf, Chareidim wish to be allowed to run their own Torah lives. Not be dictated what they can or cannot by Mechallelei Shabbos zionists.
And despite what you “believe” regarding mandating Shmiras Shabbos Kodesh, the Torah says otherwise.
Joseph (#21) And when did anyone try to dictate to any Hareidi what he or she could do or not do? Unless, of course, it involved throwing stones, spitting, shoving, setting trash cans on fire, assaulting emergency services workers, beating up women, etc. etc. Is that what you mean by “running their own Torah lives”?
Nobody in Israel stops Hareidim or anyone else from learning, going to bet knesset, or doing any other mitzvot.
“And despite what you “believe” regarding mandating Shmiras Shabbos Kodesh, the Torah says otherwise.” Joseph, the Torah says ‘Michalleleha Mos Yumos’. Would you like the Eidah to carry this out as well? The point is that if you would never see any real Gadol ever encourage or even justify this public Chillul Hashem that tries to masquerade as a Kiddush Hashem. These protests are so wrong on so many levels. And Joseph, until Moshiach comes, barring a Neis Nigleh, the Mechallelei Shabbos zionists will be running the country. It would behoove us to try to get along with them where it is possible. This does not mean approving of their way of life at all. But it does require that we dont make a bigger Chillul Hashem in the process.
All you people are nuts! Just remember that chilul shabbos is the absolut worst thing! And thats why we gotta all listen to our leaders and go out there, even if it may look bad, and even if all you shallow minded people dont understand!
Apparently a number of internet pundits on their reclining chairs feel they are wiser than Gedolei Yisroel Shlita, who not only call for the Kovod Shabbos Rallies in Yerushlayim Ir HaKodesh but actually attend them themselves — including Gavaad HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss Shlita.
Not only do these pundits feel themselves wiser, they feel free to criticize Gedolei Yisroel Shlita.
Why oh why live in Eretz Yisrael if you don’t want to keep Torah and mitzvos. I would run to any other country where I could make more money and not worry about the army or having to be surround by hamas,palestinians or hizbullah, or a bomb from iran.We all need as much help from the abisher as we can get. Even the majority of the secular want the SHABBOS guarded since they don’t want to end up being a slave to the economy. At these time we need more avhas Yisrael
Anonymous #29:
Ask Gavaad HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss Shlita. I am saying do not attack the cleary stated and defined position of Gedolei Yisroel Shlita, which they advoated and advanced with their own personal attendance at the Shabbos Kodesh Rally. I am not advocating ANY position of my own; merely defending the attacks, right here, against Gedolei Yisroel Shlita.
reply to post #26 (Joseph)
It sounds like Joseph has run out of arguments, so he returns to the idea that one must accept the hashkafa of his idea of a Gadol (his Gadol; not necessarily everyone’s)–and accept it unquestioningly, without knowing the reasons for his ruling.
The requirement is “aseh l’cha Rav”. I would imagine that most of the people who frequent these forums do so. The logic of that requirement is clear, and I would imagine that most of us have chosen a Rav that has an hashkafa similar to their own.
There is no requirement to accept YOUR particular Rav as my posek. I have never chosen Rav Weiss as my Rav, nor paskined according to him, nor am I required to do so, and I would imagine that the same holds for most shomer mitzvot Jews. Otherwise, the Eida would be much larger than it currently is.
The arrogance of Joseph’s post is beyond belief. Joseph, is this the view that you think that all of Clal Yisrael must live by? That we must all paskin according to YOUR choice of Rav–without question? Because, in that case, you couldn’t even get the majority of shomer mitzvot Jews to agree with you–much less the a significant minority of the residents of the country of whose rules you are attempting to determine.
starwolf – That was only good for a laugh. Yes, follow your Rav. But “aseh l’cha Rav” does NOT give one license to mock other Rabbonim or Gedolei Yisroel, nor their rulings. No one above told starwolf he must follow any of the aforementioned Gedolim.