Israel’s Media Watch, a media watchdog organization, is calling to probe just why Israel’s state funded Channel 1 News failed to cover the levaya of HaGaon HaRav Chaim Pinchos Sheinberg zt”l, an event that involved some 80,000 people. The organization points out the magnitude of the event demands media coverage since it was undoubtedly a matter of public interest.
The letter questioning the station’s decision not to cover the levaya pointed out the significance of the individual and the large funeral, but the station did not see fit to mention it on the evening news while it did carry a story on Israel’s junior boxing champion, a matter of little public interest or significance.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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12 Responses
Hmm…i hope they dont spend too much time researching this phenomenon
Out of those 80,000 how many would have seen this coverage?
Maybe they were at Har HaMenuchos busy covering the tragic quadruple Levayos of thye 4 Toulouse Korbonos [victims]; Maybe their thinking was:- That since that funeral was being attended by both Israel Chief Rabbis, so their protocol dictated that they had to cover those 4 horrifying funerals.
There had been some requests not to have these 2 sets of funerals at exactly the same hour, but those calls went unheeded.
Why would the m’dina care about a gadol? He was only an orthodox Jew & the m’dina is afraid of frum people.
Another excellent question!
It is unlikely that any of the 80,000 people who attended the Levayeh would have watched it on TV, and by extension did not miss it.
So we’re talking about others, most of whom I would guess could care less if another ehrliche yid passes on.
However, if there would be a program about his LIFE, rather than the Rosh Yeshiva’s levayeh, now that might be something to work on. A program could interview some of the thousands of talmidim (and by extension, talmidois)who were influenced by him and his Rebbitzen; their Sholom Bayis etc. for example.
Our community has a lot to offer the Israeli general public. We could do alot more than just complain about lack of Levayeh coverage.
I find the titles you give out to be interesting
Godol hador, …there are at least 5 that you give that title to. Is there not only one Godol Hador… how does one qualify…is there a test , or does being old with a long beard , and coat , and the first name rabbi buts you in line???????
Just wondering
Being that in past Leviyot of Gedolim the news stations twisted the story by complaining about how it effected traffic, we’re better off that they don’t’ mention it at all. We don’t want their blessings or their curses.
everything said here is true, but what is most true is, there might have been 80,000 there but out me that how many would have watched it. They have to serve according to demand. If only 100 people where to watch it, it doesn’t make a differance how many people attended. Also a move to point out, ywn stated at the time a estimate of 50- 60,000, so lets not over number
What difference does it make whether any of those attending the funeral would watch the TV news? The point is that this was a genuine news event; any funeral of that size involving a secular celebrity would have been covered; but because it was only a charedi talmid chochom Channel 1 decided it wasn’t important. That is Israel Media Watch’s complaint, and it’s a good one. I doubt that anyone at IMW was at the levaya, but when they learned that such an event had happened they wondered why they hadn’t seen it on the news.
Halevay they would cover the life and teachings of gedolim while they are alive!
chevre, give up already !
just realize the the medina is comprised of freie people who could care less about the Torah
so stop wasting your time with these watch groups, and stop complaining that we’re not getting enough coverage
it ain’t gonna happen – period
so just fuggetaboutit, and go back to your gemoras !
(just agav, i came back a while ago from Rav Eizik Ausband zt”l’s levaya, and his son said that the word “Bein Hazmanim” was like a dirty word for him) – so let’s go back to learn, instead of wasting our time with these media watch shtussim !