In the wake of the dismissal by Israel’s High Court of three petitions to cancel the “Gay Pride” parade scheduled for Thursday afternoon in the streets of Jerusalem, and as it now appears that the parade will in fact go forward, Agudath Israel of America issued the following statement:
In a free society, any group can promote any cause, no matter how ill-conceived or offensive.
But the holiness of Eretz Yisrael is defiled when behavior the Torah considers deeply sinful is celebrated on its soil.
All the greater is the insult when the Holy Land’s holiest city, Jerusalem, is chosen for the dishonor.
An event like the planned Shamr Parade is a deliberate provocation, an unprecedented affront to the Jewish religious tradition and all who cherish it.
Threats of violence against provocateurs are ugly and indefensible.
But no one sensitive to the import of holiness, no one who faces the Holy City each day in prayer, can suffer the thought of the planned event in silence.
May our pain and our tears at this reminder of our Exile and the debasement of our Torah be a merit for the safety and security – and ultimate redemption – of the Jewish People.
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18 Responses
Avraham Avinu smashed his fathers getchkes.
Pinchas Ben Elazar Ben Aharon Hakohen Haisivh Es Chamasi by killing the perpetrator.
There are times for action and times to be passive. Such an affront on the Kedusha of Yerushalayim requires Kanayus. Lman Yerushalayim Lo Eshkot.
“Threats of violence against provocateurs are ugly and indefensible”
“But no one sensitive to the import of holiness, no one who faces the Holy City each day in prayer, can suffer the thought of the planned event in silence.”
The wise are counciled to be careful in the formulation of their statements. I know it is not meant, but some can read this as permission not to be silent and do “who knows what.”
In addition to condemnation of this provocative affront, I would have liked to see a call for extra learning, prayer and charity and explicit condemnation of the acts of violence that have already occured.
Kach hi Darka shel Torah:
(IsraelNN.com) Leading hareidi-religious rabbis say that anti-Gay Pride Parade protests should be put on a low burner. “Prayers are more effective than rallies,” they say.
Rabbi Shmuel HaLevy Vozner, Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, and other leading rabbinical sages in Bnei Brak have issued a statement against participation in the “protests and similar events” against the upcoming gay-pride parade in Jerusalem.
“We again warn regarding the gathering of youngsters in the streets of Bnei Brak for protests and similar events,” the rabbis wrote, “and we hereby present our position, the position of Torah, that the Sages are not pleased with these gatherings, and whoever studies Torah should guard himself and stay away from them.”
i respect rav Sturnbuch’s right to call for vocal but civil protest; its wisdom, given his inability to control the hooligans, must be questioned.
Aguda, you cannot have it both ways. If you consider Israel a legitimate state then you must respect the choice of any democratic government and allow this kind of garbage to take place. If you on the other hand have the views of satmar and Neturei Karta then you have a right to voice opposition.
Mistermann,
far be it from me to defend the agudah, but i doubt the italian government would allow a march of this sort within a mile of the vatican. democracies could easily disallow this type of parade. it is not that diffcult to surmise why the government chose not to do so.
huh mistermann
I can voice opposition to USA as I consider it a legitimate state, so too opposition to Israel which is considered a legitimate (not religious) soverign state, any protest or opposition can be aired.
St. Mary and NK should not be given a voice to protest since the State of Israel does not exist for them, so to whom are they protesting?
re: MisterMann – Agudah certainly has a valid Taana LiShitasam of the Zionists.
Israel is a legitimate political state, as it is recognized by the UN as such.
Israel is still a Zionist state, not a Jewish one as it purports to be, however, so Agudah (and everyone) has full right to protest the choice of this “democratic” govenment to allow this parade that is clearly against the Jewishness of a “Jewish” State, which the Zionists claim their state to be.
It’s somewhat analogous to allowing Anti-War activists to, hypothetically speaking, hold a party celebrating the death of troops at Arlington National Cemetary. Some things are just not permitted in a somewhat self-respecting half-way decent society. Israel, being Zionist, however…all bets are off, as usual.
Who is the Aguda’s statement addressed to? What’s their plan of action? Is there some “chidus” here?
DrYidd
you are right that a democratic government would be able to stop such an event.However the problem is that the Israeli government is more communist or socialist than democratic what kind of democratic government beats people for no reason?
SHAME on you AGUDAH
Isn’t Agudah here to protect Torah & his values,
Why are the organizing protests & events only when it comes to IRAN, or Jonatan Polard Etc. But when the issue is Torah, kedusha, like the Bris Mila Problem, Shame parade Etc. they are issuing a stupid statemant, and thats enough for them. What a shame.
Proud Jew,
Since you consider yourself smarter than the Roshei Yeshiva on the Moetzes, why don’t you sit in on the meetings so we can get your valuable feedback? How dare you insult the Roshei Yeshiva with your condescending remarks.
I have had Neturai Karta people say the same thing to me as MisterMann wrote above.
For some reason, they see only the two extremes: either completely accepting the state of Israel and all it does, or rejecting the state of Israel and all it does. And, resultantly, the stance that only one who rejects it all has the right to protest or complain.
I don’t quite know why they say this, or whether or not it is official policy among them. However, extremists tend to take all-or-nothing views, which has a certain internal logic to it, I suppose.
But that opinion is not tenable. The fact is that, as has been stated here by others, one can accept the existence and/or the legitimacy of a government, and still protest its actions or decisions.
MisterMann claimed that under the banner of democracy the state of Israel has the right to support such a parade.
But you forget, MisterMann, the definition of the word “democracy!” Under that very same banner of democracy, any citizen may protest and attempt to change any and all decisions and actions of a democratic government, and is in fact socially expected to do so. That is the very meaning of the concept!
You might find, for example, Cindy Sheehan and her views offensive, and some might find the views of Bill O’Reilly or Shawn Hannity offensive, but this being a free society, they have the right — within certain broad limitations — to voice their opinions and to try and legally reverse government decisions by whatever means the Constitution permits.
I submit to you that the reverse of your statement is true: If you believe in and support the democratic state of Israel you have a right to protest its actions and decisions, as long as you uphold the law in doing so.
However, if you deny its right to exist, you have no right to protest its decisions under the very laws you reject! In doing so, you pervert the essential stance of your own position, which is that their laws and their policing of those laws are unaaceptable.
Since you reject the democracy of the state of Israel, you must there reject the law that allows you to protest.
Ideologically, you should submit yourselves only to Koranic law, which is what you desire for the state of Israel. Under that law, you would not be allowed to voice your opinion, except as per very limited arrangements made by special appointment, in private. You would certainly not be allowed to protest a Muslim government in any way, shape or form.
Food for thought, eh?
dave375,
you should take your head out of the ground and look around first, before you speak.
Dryidd claims to voice the opinion of the Gedolim. It appears to me he picks the gedolim who happen to agree with his own views.. I don’t dispute anything said here…other than your pretty condenscending respect for Rav Shternbuch to have his opinion on the matter…. But don’t clothe yourself as one he defers to dass torah..He is still waiting to hear the condemnation of the violence done till now. From whom?…..
One of the Israeli news sources reported today that American Jewish funding (UJA/Federation and others) funds over 200,000 dollars to the annual $600,000 budget of the Jerusalem Homo office.
This allegation should be investigated by the yeshivaworld and if factual- should be disseminated to the Torah world.
“Avraham Avinu smashed his fathers getchkes.
Pinchas Ben Elazar Ben Aharon Hakohen Haisivh Es Chamasi by killing the perpetrator.
There are times for action and times to be passive. Such an affront on the Kedusha of Yerushalayim requires Kanayus. Lman Yerushalayim Lo Eshkot.”
you better be on the madriga of avraham and pinchas of totall lshaim shamaim before you take action
DrYidd wrote
>far be it from me to defend the agudah, but i doubt the italian government would allow a march of this sort within a mile of the vatican
WRONG Where did u get you medical degree?
There was a world gay pride week parade in Rome in September 2000 in which 250000 people took part in over the strenuous objections Vatican
An Eitsah Tova
These days, before making a fool of oneself on a blog, one should google to find out if his the statement he is about to make is ois gehalten.
There are 300000 web references to the parade in
2000.
A liitle History
The “world” gay movement decided to hold parades
in the three monotheistic religions capaital one every 5 years starting in 2000. First came Rome
the jerusalem in 2005, when the eida hcahredit first heard about it even though there was a local gay pride parade in Ir Hakodesh every year since 2001 that no one notcied. Mecca is next in 2010.
To clarify my comment for Lakewood Zaidy – No I am not on the madreiga of Avrohom and Pinchas – yet I was incensed by the Agudah line “Threats of violence against provocateurs are ugly and indefensible” – If someone has true kanayus why is it ugly and indefensible?????