Female TV presenter Hila Korach was attacked on Wednesday morning 18 Elul in Meah Shearim while involved in an educational photo shoot project. She describes what occurred in an interview with Ynet. “They threw eggs and bags of water at me shouting I should die. I truly felt threatened”.
Hila explains she arrived in modest clothing as to avoid causing a stir, accompanied by a film crew. However, after an hour, as they stood next to the camera, the attacks against the film crew began. She explains an “extremist” who was there with a baby carriage blocked their way and then it began slowly, but escalating.
One of the crew members who spoke with Ynet explains that he was filing when shouts of “criminals” were directed at them along with people spitting in their direction. The young people in the area then blocked them, not letting then move around. “When we filmed near a yeshiva they began to curse us but we decided not to back off. At one point we realized we cannot continue to video and we just wanted to get out of there”.
Another team member explains they did everything they could not to insult or upset anyone in the area. He explains that Hila was dressed as frum as the other women in the area in an effort to respect the community – adding it was the residents who bothered them, not the reverse.
Photo via Ynet.com
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
16 Responses
You can’t hide a wolf in a sheeps clothing. This reporter or whatever she is knew what the reaction would be and was the instigator here.
I obviously was not there, and therefore cannot judge. But simply going on what is stated in the article, I have two reactions. One is that I cannot condone the actions of the neighborhood, as they were unwarranted and caused a Chilul Hashem. The other, however, is, that while I am sure that the crew truly did everything that they could do avoid offending sensibilities, they can hardly be expected to share the sensitivities of the residents of said neighborhood, rendering the opinion of the reporter quoted at the end of the article meaningless.
Ms. Korach and her camera crew were provocative simply by filming there. That doesn’t mean they did not have the right to be there or that they should not have been allowed to go about their business. Halacha is full of accommodations to enable people to earn their parnassa, which she was prevented from doing. Still it could not have happened to someone with a more appropriate name. Korach was the father of all quarrelers, the name is synonymous with disharmony and conflict. The gemora teaches us that “Anyone who engages in divisiveness transgresses a divine prohibition …. ‘And he shall not be like Korach and his people.'”
I don’t see her wearing a tichel! Of course I’m not condoning violence or cursing for that offense. I know she’s probably not married.
Have these animals gone totally crazy? Earlier this week we read about them attacking a chayal seeking to daven with a minyan at a chareidi shul. Now this mindless attack. Where are the police? Why do they stand by and allow these thugs to simply engage in this behavior.
What a beautiful kiddish hasehem
Once again I’m embarrassed by fellow frum jewe
why would a jewish site write such a articale?
In Meah Shearim, modest dress is not the only thing they’re strict with… They are extremely against TV, too. They are very into burning TVs and computers. Therefore, if you bring a whole film crew, they are obviously going to get riled up. I don’t agree with their violent ways of handling it, but I’m just saying, it should be expected.
The thugs and hoodlums who dress sooo frum are a disgrace to all. The way of the Torah is peace, not violence.
Our work, in our times, is to bring back neshamos to our Father in Heaven, and not through killing, but through being nice and showing them that the way of a Torah life is better than that of a secular life.
The hoodlums in Meah Sharem are brainless thugs who have no problems in thinking, since they can not and will not think past their ideal: to dress frum!
#2 mobico – Well said! The only thing I’d add is that even though the actions of those of the community (whether a few or many) was not in accordance to the Torah, non-the-less it seems to me that there MAY be more to the story than stated that if known would put the TV crew in bad light (In other words, they may have purposely provoked a situation and deliberately left out details to place the community in bad light. It would not be the first time that the Liberal Israeli media would have done such a thing unfortunately.)
#9 LeahN – there is a fictional TV show based on Frum life in Meah Shaarim. That TV crew has been filming there for years. I don’t think (although I could be wrong) that your statement is 100% accurate. I would agree with the premise that THIS film crew MAY have provoked a situation as I stated above.
This is what is so unfortunate with News Media today. There is such a demand to be the first to report (in order to gain viewers) that News Articles are often lacking details that sheds light on the TRUE situation. Often, by the time details are available people lack interest, so the “clarification” often does not get reported. As a result people are left with distorted memories of the incident.
I am surprised that they permit electricity and indoor plumbing in Meah Searim.
Expel residents transfer to Jordan!
No דרך ארץ, and of course very limited spiritual view.
A Kiddush Hashem? What have you been smoking, Eretz2? Your brain is addled.
Gadolhadorah and Luckshen kugel..
Is Mea sharim a Hollywood movie set? Maybe a cute gift shop to see horse and buggies?
No sensitivity to the area.
For the reporter and the crew, Mea Sharim has the sanctity of a Niagara Falls gift shop.