47 Responses

1. Do we get to know what they have against the light rail? Do they not want the convenience it will provide them? Do they prefer horse and buggy? Are they just bored with nothing to do? Are they frustrated that they have not had an opportunity for a nice fun hafganah for a while and are looking for an outlet? All of the above or none of the above?

2. @CTRebbe:
   Your comments are extraordinarily disrespectful. Does it not enter your mind that perhaps a group of thousands of people have thought of an issue that eluded you? I suggest you tone down the conceit and try to rephrase your question politely. The following is an example of the phraseology you might choose: Does anyone have any information regarding why the protesters would be against the light-rail? It sounds so strange to me that anyone would be against what I would presume would be such an added convenience.

3. CTRebbe, good call. It’s been too quiet recently.

4. As long as not being built on Shabbos nor Yom-Tov nor Chol-haMoed, keep building this wonderful light rail.

5. They have two objections to the light rail. The first is that it is being built on Shabbos and the second is that it will bring non-tznius people into or through their neighborhoods. The police should stop dealing with these hooligans with kid gloves. High power water cannon with foul-smelling liquid should be used for hours on end together with crop spraying planes with dye. Close the roads, lock them in and make them smell. The police don’t need to try and clear the streets. Those roads are closed on Shabbos without any problems; let them be closed for a few hours on Monday night. The police should then use many more policewomen to grab the bochurim who try to run away.

6. So I live on a street that has construction going on. The place is a total wreck and its literally impossible to cross the street.
   Neither I nor any neighbor I spoke to see any convenience in the rail. Did they ask us if we want it? No. So why are they doing it? Welcome to the state of israel where everything happens due to ulterior motives.
   Last I heard, they see how no one wants it, and they are changing plans, and are making it underground instead.

7. and just to explain why they are protesting
   This neighborhood is bh very sheltered from pritzus. By connecting the light rail running through rechov yaffo, they are welcoming that crowd to our streets.

8. @CTRebbe Wow! you are such an understanding person! So open-minded!
   Do you really think that so many people would show up “just to have fun!?”
   You should’ve stopped at your first sentence.

9. This brings back great memories of the Shabbos hafganos on C’vish Ramot in 1979. Water cannons, arrests, oh!, the times we had! Back in those golden years everyone first assembled in front of Binyonai Zupnik for a pre-battle shmooz from one of the gaonai Badatz. One line I still remember clearly (it may have been Rav Yisroel Fischer): “Der vos kert iber an ashpo ist alayn an ashpo!” So no one turned over any garbage cans. At least then people listened to da’as Torah.

10. Time to expel this Corona super-spreaders from Isreal and admit we law abiding Chutznkim into Israel.

11. I am not trying to knock anyone. I sincerely want to understand.
    Can someone please explain to me what is this Hafgana about. If it’s about the light rail, what is the true problem with the Rail? Also did the Rabbanim give the green light to burn the Egged bus, 6 trash cans and 2 large dumpsters?

12. No doubt those hooligans, mechalelei shem shamayim barabim, hold that they are exalted talmidei chachamim who society must exempt from military service and from paying taxes. The disparity between what they think they are and what they really are is just staggering.

13. The Ribonei Shell Olam is looking down with such pride! (Sarcasm)

14. @CTRebbe,
    They’re afraid that if Yerushalayim hasn’t yet lost it’s Kedusha CHAS V’CHALILA (remember מצעד הגאווה?) it might become the 2nd Paris, due to the light rail passing the Chareidi neighbourhood which will bring כל צרוע וכל זב understood?

15. This is absolutely embarrassing. Is this how religious people, following Torah should act? It is so sad to see how low these people got, and yet the call themselves religious. Doesn’t Torah require derech eretz? Doesn’t Torah require Kiddush Hashem? They lack the basic principles and just hide themselves behind their black and white clothing and have an illusion that they are the ones who present the Torah! Everyone else in their eyes is lower than them and hence deserves to be called nasty words. So sad to see those little kids throwing stones, calling police nasty names, is this Chinuch that Torah had in mind? Isn’t this one of the significant reasons why a “chiloni” a non-religious Jew would never want to even get close to Torah?

16. A community which embraces Hershy Tishler with his violent rhetoric, a community where burning a person for praying in one place versus the other is a thing that can happen, a community which is opposed to education, a community which does not listen to Doctors, a community that takes all government funding that exists but votes republican, a community where the leaders fight with their brothers all the time, a community that opposes BLM protests but engages in the same behavior when a governor upsets them.

    Can it get any worse? Yes, as the videos show.

17. DeBlasio sanctioned this protest. He said it’s fine to show anger feelings.
    Next thing you know DeBlasio will hire painters to fly to Israel to paint CLM in front of the Knesset.

18. Crazy, I mean they wonder where anti charedi comes from.
    The only reason I can think As to why they participate in these hafganas is not because of the original reasons, but because most of them are deprived of technology, and the only action or enjoyment they receive is from these protests.

19. “CT Rebbe”: Actually, “they’ don’t even know why “they” are rioting. When these mindless yidden see a few of their chevrah protesting, they join in the action since there is nothing else to fill their empty lives. A demonstration is simply an escape from their unemployment and Covid-lockdown existence. It was this way before the virus and will be the same afterwards. Overall, it probably has something to do with not want to see other Israelis traveling through their neighborhood, fears that someday, the light rail might operate on shabbos or some other “fear” of the real world.

20. Why do Israeli police show up at these demonstrations in shirts and bare hands to get taunted by hoodlums???Perhaps instead of some F35’s and Iron Dome missiles the US should donate some normal riot gear to the Israeli police.

21. ITS GOING TO RUIN ALL THE BUS transportation that everyone had on Yirmiyaho St. taking many Chraeidim to many different cities in EY. This is going on for a few years already. those bus stops are an important part of israely life in EY

22. I am not 100% sure why, but the BDATZ has expressed strong opposition on bringing the light rail to Kikar Shabbos. Apparently, they are worried more immodest chilonim and tourist will fill up the chareidy neighborhoods.

23. When a small group of protesters block a main road the police has the right to remove them to clear for traffic.
    But when 1000’s come and protest, that should be their democratic right as much as being noisy and disturbing every night in front of the Prime Ministers home.
    If they would have protested for any left-wing cause, surely the police would have left them alone!

24. I think the best Hafgana is to go to the Bais HaMedrash and open up a Gemara. When Hashem sees that, Hashem responds,
    “Now you speak my language, now I will gladly help you with pleasure”.

25. I think it is a good idea to ask your Rav if it is ok to participate in a demonstration.
    Don’t forget to mention to your Rav, that sometimes at a Hafgana if things get out of hand the female police officers start pushing around everyone even if you are just standing around. It’s important that your Rav has a very clear picture of exactly all the details that happen at demonstrations. He might not know that nowadays the police on purpose send a large amount of female officers.

26. Thank you for the massive videos.
    Now we can see that when the the Israeli police beat the daylights out out these kids it’s for the security of the rest. STREET KIDS as they are know can apply to kids who’s parents don’t teach them derech eretz on how to Not To make CHILUL HASHEM. So the police make the same similarity between Arab kids throwing stones on the highways and Jewish kids with black hats make fire bond in garbage bins and black traffic jams because they don’t like railway that’s going to be used by them they will act like animals.
    If you don’t like the system changed it.
    Vote or
    Have 10 or 15 kids and out do the ratio of 1.5 /2 which is 1.5 kids per secular community and 2 dogs.
    This is the same strategy the Arabs are using accept its Haram to have dogs.
    I personally think that if you act like animals you will only hurt your social fabric.
    But that’s like talking Chinese to Africans. Oops that’s not a good comparison because Chinese and Africans will try to understand each other.

27. Their claim is it will bring “Pritzus” through their neighborhoods.
    Personally I don’t see why the light rail would bring more Pritzus then the busses they are replacing, but what do I know. I believe there is great convivence and time saved, time = Torah with the light rail. I wander if many Rabbonim back these protests.
    I do however have a big question on the government, the police have been blocking the traffic for the Anti Bibi protests every Motza Shabbos for 6 months straight to allow 300-3000 people to march through the streets of Rechavia with drums, foghorns and loud speakers. Waking up the neighborhood children on a weekly basis through corona. What is the rationale of the Police force to breakup this protest (which I personally disagree with) and the police force to facilitate the anti Bibi protests?
    I’m usually not one to go all out against the Israeli government – Zionist regime, but this is blatant and obvious.

28. Glad to see life is back to normal in Israel

29. Attention: Si-ma Bat-shevah
    Your comment might trigger World War 3. Did you forget the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza?
    Your terminology is super nasty, extremely hurting and highly offensive. I can not imagine in my wildest dreams that you are presently happily married.

30. Bitul Torah from those who should allegedly know better.

31. They can’t work because they have to study Torah but they can raise heck and destroy property and cause constant chaos over nothing as they bring their children and teach them to be idiots with them. This is unacceptable behavior which shows nothing but their mental illnesses and stupidity. This must stop. Their behavior is profaning the Name of our HaShem and they will suffer the consequences of these actions. My gosh, all over a dang light rail. This is nothing but insanity. What are these people? Inbreds?

32. I would like to apologize to Si-ma Bat-shevah
    Maybe my comment was too hurting.
    Sorry

33. The plan is to destroy Charedi life. Americans don’t understand what it means to have an anti-religious government; although in NY State they are starting to understand.

    Brochos to you brave men who stand up to these filthy Israeli police, may they all rot in hell.

34. It is so disheartening to witness the complete disrespect for anything and everything Jewish displayed by many of the above comments. Yet the brazenness of @Sima Batsheva (fifth post from the top), who calmly states two nicely phrased and extraordinarily valid reasons regarding why the protesters may be against the light rail — namely, that the rail is being built on Shabbos (may G-d have mercy on us) and that its existence will increase the number of immodestly clad women present in their neighborhoods (again, may G-d have mercy on us), before smoothly segueing into a diatribe about water cannons, truly does beat all. Had @Sima Batsheva made the point somewhere that although the reasons mentioned are horrifying, the protests still constitute a desecration of G-d’s holy name (which can be argued), we would have at least retained the ability to judge her favorably and assume she has at least an iota of caring in her for Judaism.

35. Gadolhadorah in your opinion all ehrliche yidden are mindless we know that for a while already, dont need to repeat yourself daily

36. I remember some 40 years ago when they used to protest the building of the Ramot road. Didn’t do them any good. most of the protests do no or little good. there is progress for the majority and interests of the minority. Guess who will win out?

37. I love what @michael23 said above:
    December 7, 2020 6:03 pm at 6:03 pm:
    “ITS GOING TO RUIN ALL THE BUS transportation that everyone had on Yirmiyaho St. taking many Chraeidim to many different cities in EY. This is going on for a few years already. those bus stops are an important part of israely life in EY”
    @michael 23 really has the right idea! Besides for the possible spiritual issues pertaining to the light rail [regarding which I have not reviewed every comment above to see whether our dear @michael23 and I agree or not (but that is neither here nor there)], the chareidi public is also protesting general lifestyle issues… What do all you anti-semites above think about that? I know you say the chareidim are not allowed to protest l’chvod Melech Malchei HaMelachim Hakadosh Baruch Hu, but will you at least shut up if they’re just protesting about their freaken bus stops being stolen?!?!?! Gut Gezukt!

38. @Yeshiva World News
    I was part of this immense Kiddush Hashem, and I fully understand why they are protesting, it is because they don’t want the pritzus in their neighborhood, just to clarify 2 small details though, there was NO Egged bus on fire OR any foul-smelling water, get your facts right!

39. I, too, live near all the construction. Yes, it’s a huge pain. We’ll have to deal with it for a few years. But NO it’s not going on on Shabbos so let’s not make up stories. And NO the trains will not bring any more pritzus to the area. The trains will replace busses that are already carrying these same passengers. All the busses connect to Yafo already. AND they will find a solution to the intracity bussing to chareidi cities. You have a problem with the plans? Maybe try to TALK with the powers that be to come up with a satisfactory solution! For this we have representatives in the iriya and in the government!!
    And for the poster who wanted to know why they don’t stop the hafganot at Balfour every nite- well maybe because they’re not sending burning garbage dumpsters down a street or setting fires to busses or work equipment????
    And to the poster who claims that everyone he knows is against the light rail- like I said, I also live in the area and I know ONE temimusdike person who is against it for pritzus-reasons (propagandist claim of the garbage-burning ilk), but the rest are looking forward to the benefits and conveniences- reduction in pollution (tzomet Bar Ilan is one of the most polluted intersections in the COUNTRY. The most is Kikar Shabbos), the quiet, the frequency of the trains (every 5 minutes) and the speed of travel.
    And by the way, I don’t know of one rav whose followers are NOT the type depicted in the disgusting videos above who actually supported going to this hafgana. Check out the names on the pashkivilim that were announcing it.
    And to Mr. PleaseStayCalm- How low can a (frum?) yid steep? I certainly hope your wishes don’t guarantee a VIP spot just for you down there, too.

40. My sentiments are very much against this, but when people bring up accusations of “chilul hashem” my hackles rise. With Chanukah coming up, I ask all of you who accuse these protesters of chilul hashem, what you would have said about Matisyohu?

    I will BET that MANY of you would accuse him too of chilul hashem, just like that nut case who stabbed that girl at the “pride parade”, and then got out and stabbed someone else the next time. And he is a nut case, and I do condemn him, but please explain how what he did was a chilul hashem, and yet what Matisyohu did was a kidush hashem. I think too many people have completely lost sight of what those terms really mean, and have turned them into their opposites.

41. Milhouse,

    To answer your rather astonishing question: Matityahu was a great hero who was mekadesh shem shamayim. He led a heroic war against a foreign superpower which had occupied our land, defiled the Bait Hamikdash, forbade us to follow the Torah, forced us to worship idols and murdered those of us that refused to do so.

    Now, what have the cowardly hooligans (that you are comparing to Matiyahu!) done? Vandalized some property and blocked some traffic. They did not destroy idols or block an enemy military column. No, they just vandalized some mundane property that benefits the (Jewish) community and blocked some mundane (Jewish) traffic. At precisely zero risk to their lives, I might add. And what did your cowardly nut case do? He murdered a defenseless Jewish girl. Matityahu is rolling in his grave at your comparisons.

42. well said milhouse.
    practically every single rov and rebbe who have a beis hamedrash in the area of bar ilan have come out against it.
    and another thing:
    american yidden (myself included) don’t understand how in 2020 there are still hundreds of families in yerusholayim, b”b, and beit shemesh who still live in there own bubble, have practically nothing with techonology, but thats the fact, and although there are many people who ARE open, there are many who are still pure and want to be seperate from all the irreligious nisyoinois that the isreali state has to offer.
    the trains will have alot less stops and will bring everyone directly from rechov yaffo into the heart of bar ilan. the rabbonim feel that, although in this day and age, there are alot of yidden who dont have any problem to go to rechov yaffo itself, bringing rechov yaffo into our homes is just ruining our future as torah true jews.
    and as to the one who said that we should all open our gemoros, well, why did 100’s of rabbonim stand in front of the whitehouse to protest the holocaust? protest are a sort of teffila, and an act l’maase, to show hashem that we are standing up for what is right, even if we will smell, get arrested, beaten up etc.
    and YES, the people there who are standing in front of cars ARE baalei mesirus nefesh.

    and if you think that this is a bad chinuch- well, in the times of the chasam sofer- who’s whole life was fighting against the maskilim- who sought to destroy yiddishkeit (and the israeli goverment can arguably be compared to them- not the israeli people, THE GOVERMENT)- i don’t believe that children spoke about them and acted towards them with respect.

    and look in baal haturim in the first perek of bamidbar, posuk 50: אין שוטר נעשה מלמטה אלא אם כן נעשה רשע מלמעלה- a policeman in this world has a shoresh of a rosho in his previous gilgul

43. I know that this looks horrible !! I know that this indeed looks like Chilul H’ !! BUT It’s not !! It’s a form of communication that the gov has gotten us used to. If these matters were able to be solved in a peaceful manner, than that’s the way it will be done. But since no one listens to them, they have to speak LOUDER!!
    One needs to understand that living here in Israel is so so different from anywhere else. The government doesn’t listen any other way. This is very unfortunate, but it’s the only way things get done here. THE ONLY WAY!!! This was hard for me to get used to, but this is the only way our community does not become sitting ducks for many atrocious gzeirot imposed upon us. Please be more sensitive to what we are going thru here.

44. @Yagel Libi: I’m not getting involved in your diatribe against Milhouse. I just have one honest question — and I mean to imply absolutely nothing with it; I’m just curious what you will answer — it’s some food for thought: What exactly do you think Matisyahu ben Yochanan Kohen Gadol Chashmonai would have done had he been present at the parade? ‘Cuz I’m pretty damn sure he would’ve killed a few people there…

45. And don’t start with accusations of homophobia now… you know nothing about me; let’s keep that in mind.

46. Yagel Libi, do you have any idea what Matisyahu did that made him such a hero to you? He did EXACTLY what the nut case at the pride parade did. He murdered a defenseless Jewish man, merely for daring to exercise the freedom of religion that we Americans love to talk about. Please explain how they are different. I agree that they are different, and very obviously different, but explaining how is not so simple. And explaining why one is a kidush hashem and the other a chilul hashem is even more difficult, if not impossible, without simply reducing those terms to “Acts I like” and “Acts I don’t like”.

47. Milhouse,

    Milhouse, take the blinders off. Not only were the circumstances incomparable (halachically, not under goyishe law) but had Matityahu ended there he would not have been a hero. Yes, the very first person he killed was Jewish but he immediately proceeded to kill all the Greeks on the site, who had been attempting to force the local Jews to worship an idol under the threat off death, and he then set forth to instigate a general revolt and to lead a heroic war against the Greeks. THAT is what made him a hero. And no, it is not simply about acts that I like and acts that I don’t like. Not only is the moral difference between Matityahu and the hooligans and the nut case stark, so is the halachic difference. Matityahu’s war was not only halachically permissible, it was halachically highly commendable. Whereas the acts of the hooligans and of the nut case were not only halachically impermissible, they were halachically reprehensible.