According to accusations leveled against police, they failed to respond when called to assist on Shabbos morning to prevent criminal elements from harassing and assaulting mispallalim at the tziyun of the Rashbi in Meron.
It is reported that this past Shabbos, Parshas Pinchas [in Eretz Yisrael], thugs arrived during shachris and began using violence to compel the mispallalim, including rabbonim, to leave during kriyas Hatorah. One of the mispallalim sent a letter to the relevant authorities, including Members of Knesset and cabinet ministers describing the events of this past Shabbos.
He explains the thugs, who were wearing yarmulkes, entered the shteiblach, the balcony for Kohanim, instructing them to leave immediately. They used foul language and then resorted to degrading the Torah and those who study it. Then it turned physical and they began striking mispallalim present without mercy.
He writes “left with no alternative we left, as they threatened they would begin stabbing us with knives. We ran with two Sifrei Torah and they chased after us and began pushing us and the Sifrei Torah while shouting insults, directing some at a respected rebbe who was davening with us”.
They left and continued reading the parsha at another venue, adding “Their chutzpah did not end here as they returned during the afternoon hours and began taunting us once again disrupting the recitation of Tehillim”.
He continues explaining when they ran to the security guards, the latter explained they feared to intervene but they summoned police, who never arrived. This continued on motzei Shabbos again.
The letter also cites the closure of the large mikve on premises, compelling them to walk far, to the other end of the community, over a half hour’s walk.
MK Yisrael Eichler, who heads the Knesset Ombudsman Committee has launched a probe into the events described in the letter.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
Surely it was better to walk away on Shabbos than have the police called and have them be mechallel Shabbos?
Reply to #1
When uncertain as to the dangers posed by these thugs, it is certainly OK to summon police than risk physical assaults or worse.
Even when there is an option to just walk away and let the police deal with them after Shabbos? I imagine the police know who these hooligans are. Those who were bothered could return to Meiron another day to identify them when the police have them in custody. That would be a tircha but is surely better than the chillul Shabbos involved in calling the police on Shabbos.