A Topeka-based hate group, the Westboro Baptist Church, is once again targeting Brooklyn Jews with a barrage of hate-filled demonstrations next week. The anti-Semitic, anti-gay organization plans to picket two Yeshivas – including Yeshiva Chaim Berlin & Yeshiva Torah Temimah – and one Shul in Brooklyn this coming Monday, October 11. They plan to assemble on sidewalks and sing anti-Jewish songs and display signs with slogans such as “God Hates Jews” and “America is Doomed.”
The “picket calendar” on the Church website has the following information posted:
Chabad of Kensington in Brooklyn, NY October 11, 2010 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Yeshiva Torah Temimah in Brooklyn, NY October 11, 2010 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn , NY October 11, 2010 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM
After being contacted by YWN to comment, the communities two Orthodox Jewish elected officials have taken decidedly different approaches. New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind promised he would be there to counter-protest, and released the following statement to us:
“The Westboro Baptist Church is nothing more than a veiled neo-Nazi group spewing venom and bile indiscriminately. It is this kind of vitriol and loathing which led to the death of six million men, women, and children at the hands of Nazi Germany. In an open letter on their website to the “elect Jews,” this detestable group states that God hates Israel and that the Jews deserved the Holocaust. As a representative of the largest contingent of Holocaust survivors, and as a child of survivors, I cannot and will not stand idly by while these sick individuals disparage and vilify Jews, rehashing age-old anti-Semitic canards such as Jews killed Jesus. My family and I will be there this coming Monday to denounce this despicable and vile group.”
New York City Councilman David Greenfield took a different approach, “I agree with my colleague Assemblyman Hikind that these are sick anti-Semitic, racist and vile individuals who are attempting to spread hateful lies and intimidate Jews around the world. However, I believe that the best course of action in regard to these handful of known crazies is to ignore them. These mishugoyim thrive on the attention. I will denounce them, I will criticize them, I will not play into their propaganda by protesting against them and giving these bigots even more attention.”
This is not the first time the group rallied against Brooklyn Jews. In September of 2009, rallies were scheduled for Boro Park, and Jewish locations in Great Neck. At the very last moment the group cancelled the Boro park demonstration which had the entire community up in arms.
The Westboro Baptist Church, led by Rev. Fred Phelps and composed largely of his family members, has been in the news with its protests at funerals of AIDS victims and American soldiers killed in action, holding signs with messages such as “God hates America” and other obscenities. While the church has mainly protested what it perceives as homosexual targets and colleges around the country, since April 2009 it has also picketed Jewish sites, according to the Anti-Defamation League.
The church is an “extreme group that spews hate wherever it goes,” said Ron Meier, director of the New York region of ADL. “Their strategy is to attract attention and draw a response and by doing so get publicity for their church, and that’s why the ADL has advised all groups not to engage them. Because without a response they don’t gain attention and any further spreading of their view,” he said.
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44 Responses
There schedule makes no sense:
Chabad of Kensington in Brooklyn, NY October 11, 2010 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Yeshiva Torah Temimah in Brooklyn, NY October 11, 2010 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
How can they be on both places at the same time. Is it chabad or torah temima? Uder Uder!
It was only a matter of time till the vicious religious intolerance recently shown to the muslims would move on…
maybe they are splitting ito 2 groups
They came to Great Neck last year and the entire kehila was advised to ignore these reshaim. They thrive on publicity and look for opportunities to bring lawsuits to vindicate their constitutional rights. There were no incidents and they moved on.
Is there still a JDL chapter in Brooklyn?
You don’t ignore the enemy. You C R U S H the enemy.
to # 1
the 2 places listed are located on the same block.
to #1 both shuls/ yeshivas are on the same block.
GREENFIELD HAS MORE CHOCHMA IN THIS MATTER.
Let’s invite them to Williamsburg to protest; they’ll never protest against Yidden again.
Ahh good old Dov Hikind of the Brooklyn JDL to the rescue again. Dov what was your motto again? Every Jew a 42? Yes #8 Greenfield is right but hey, the old JDL spirit has taken Dov again.
#10- What’s a 42?
I think you mean “Every Jew a 22”.
I supposed phelps would be busy with defending himself in the supreme court, trying to knock down a five million damages award. Con law isn’t my forte, but I think he’ll lose.
Ignoring the crazies is the best approach.
They aren’t to be taken seriously, at all. Which is why the counter protest should be with large Satanic pentagrams and upsidedown crosses. Make them think we truly are evil. It’ll rile them up like nothing before!
How on earth do they get a permit to protest? And if they don’t have one, they should be arrested for incitement to riot/preaching hate.
I say we come dressed as pregnant nuns to this anti protest!
#5: “Is there still a JDL chapter in Brooklyn? You don’t ignore the enemy. You C R U S H the enemy.”
Sounds like a good way to end up in jail.
#13: That’s actually not a half bad idea…
Has anyone thought of asking Rav Aharon Shachter, the Rosh Yeshiva of Chaim Berlin, what the correct approach to this should be?
have these protests ever gotten physical?
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How do these loonies find the time to travel for all of there protests? Don’t they have jobs? And to travel all the way from Kansas to Brooklyn? Isn’t Kansas where Dorothy and the wicked witch come from.
I always find it fascinating that decisions regarding klal situations are decided upon by our politicians and not by the Gedolay Yisroel. Should’nt this question as to what our response if any should be, be presented to Moreinu Reb Chaim Kenievsky shlita or Gedolim of that stature. Since when has the hanhogoh of klal yisroel been given over to any one less than such tzadikim who know the kabalah from Yaakov Avinu as to how to respond in a situation of Asov neged klal yisroel. And if I may ask since when has such a question been presented to the tzibur at large for their opinion? R”L, what a yeridah. Does the Olem actualy believe that anyone less than the Gedolay Hador know how to run this nation in our long Golus? Perhaps our Doctors should present the medical information about their patients online for the “olem’s” opinion? Could you imagine? Would you go to such a doctor for treatment?
Pregnant nuns of Satan! Do it do it!!!
Yeshiva Chaim Berlin. The Mesivta/Bais Medrash on Coney or Yeshiva Ketana on Ave I.
Just ignore the crazies. By counter-protesting, you are validating that they have somehting to say.
“There schedule makes no sense”
Forget the schedule, their doctrine doesn’t make sense either. All it is, is religiuos babble to front for their thinly veiled anti semitism (and all the other groups they hate). They are a hate group that calls themselves a church.
Thank you JDL for bringing the hot burning issues of the 70-80’s to the front burner and bringing publicity to accomplish goals. I remember the few times that Rav Shmuel Birnbaum zt”l and the yeshiva rallied for Iranian Jews….
i don’t get it is this not against our rights to practice free religion? so who’s giving the in ahead? will their be police on site? and what do they mean by “America is doomed?” it’s not their country and if they ain’t like it let them in back to germay.
@Cherrybim I agree with you Rabbi Shachter needs to decide the best way how to deal with this situation.
whats jdl? (i am not from tri state area)
Ignore them. They want attention, and they want to sue counter-protestors for damages.
From Wikipedia:
“A number of Phelps’ critics have suggested that the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church are a ploy to receive attention above all else. Counter-protesting against the group, they suggest, gives them attention and incentive that they do not deserve; and a more effective response against Phelps would be to ignore his congregation completely. WBC, through the closely related Phelps Chartered law firm, has collected fees under the Civil Rights Attorney’s Fees Award Act of 1976 when their protests have been unlawfully disrupted.”
#1 tina18 says:
October 5, 2010 at 4:41 pm
There schedule makes no sense:
Chabad of Kensington in Brooklyn, NY October 11, 2010 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
Yeshiva Torah Temimah in Brooklyn, NY October 11, 2010 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM
How can they be on both places at the same time. Is it chabad or torah temima? Uder Uder!
And the answer is: “Lo Kashaye”
Chabad of Kensington and Yeshiva Torah Temimah are on the same block, Ocean Pkway between 18th Avenue and Ditmas.
It would be nice if 10,000 Jews and normal people would show up with the following signs:
G-D HATES THOSE WHO HATE JEWS.
It is a mistake to hold hatred of Jews against Goyim. It is fundamental to their nature. Furthermore, it is a basic precept of the Baptist religion that all Jews are damned to Hell and can only be saved through conversion to their religion. So the reality is that these people are not some sort of fringe aberration but are simply being honest. Those of you still unfortunate enough to be living outside of Israel should take a very good look at them and realize that they are the true face of the Goyim.
Aryeh Zelasko
Beit Shemesh
“Ignore them. They want attention, and they want to sue counter-protestors for damages.”
I’m not Daas Torah here, however, I don’t think ignoring them is the right answer. Engaging in shouting matches and arguing with them is not the answer either, that just fuels them on. A counter demonstration with signs that state how G-d loves Jews and all “chasidei umos haolam” (ill leave it to others to figure out how that goes onto a picket sign) that will also get press coverage (that these guys crave) goes a long way, they don’t like it when another message is conveyed at one of their “events”. This was a tactic that worked well at counter missionary rallies in the 80s.
The fact is, that much of what these guys do is protected by the 1st ammendment. The supreme court TODAY is hearing arguments in a case where these guys were sued in court (they protested outside a military funeral and the father of killed soldier sued for and won 5 million dollars for mental anguish they caused him. On appeal it was overturned. The case is now in the supreme court who will likely decide how protected ones speech is, when it directly infringes on someone else, back to the topic) for their antics.
They want to spread their agenda and ideas. Don’t give them an extra platform to spread it. Personally, I want my boys in CB to go outside when these clowns are there (and I hope the hanhala agrees – I plan to take off from work to be there with a counter picket sign) so that they can see that evil, hateful people can look as everyday and “normal” as fine upstanding citizens and to always be mindful of that. They will likely have the entire “congregation” at the “event” including kids as young as 10 years old. Let them see how even a “cute little freckled kid” can be as filled with hate as a pomegranite is filled with seeds.
As Baptists, they are fulfilling their religious belief that they won’t experience their “rapture” until Jews accept their man. Its why the Baptist church has an annual budget in the tens of millions of dollars geared towards missionizing to Jews. In fact, the baptist church is the largest contributor in all likelihood to the group “jews for j” (to join a jews for j place of worship one must also join a local baptist church). However, this is not about religion, it is about hate. These guys are anti anything that they can picket against, under the guise of religion.
Bestbubby (re #14) – They are permitted their “protest” because of 1st Amendment Freedom – freedom to express yourself, short of real incitement, no matter what it is you have to say.
Thomas Jefferson’s advocacy of freedom of expression was based in part on the concept of a “market place of ideas” and on a faith in the intelligence of the general public – Let the evil crazies speak their piece and the public will be intelligent enough by in large to marginalize and reject them.
This has proven by the test of time in this country, and is enshrined in Supreme Court case law. And so, anyone, from mainstream to fringe . . . including Communists, Athiests, Kach, the KKK, Nazis in Skokie and these reshoyim . . . have a right to sound off on a soap box in the public square.
They crave news coverage and contoversy…arguably, that’s the entire kuntz for them coming to Brookly – ignore them totally; we come out smelling like a rose and they come off as what they are – pathetic antisemetic extremists who can’t even make us ripple.
Bestbubby, they may be crackpots but as a talk show host just said this morning, there are a lot of lawyers in the family so they cover their bases.
Just surprised because this isn’t their normal protest focus.
They are considered fringe she b’fringe, even among more conservative Tea Party types. This would not make me run to check on the passports. But I would run to check the daas Torah of the mosdos involved as to how it should be handled.
Guys, here is what you do. Make signs that look like this group of anti-Semitic loonies signs. But your signs will say things like “G-d hates dial-up”, “G-d hates high fructose corn syrup”, “G-d hates telemarketers”. You get the idea. Walk around with those signs and make sure the press takes pictures.
Is there a Yeshiva Toran Teminah (as opposed to Temimah) or is that a typo?
I understand and respect any and everyones desire to go there and counter protest. I would like nothing better than to see their hate filled heads bashed in….But.. I don’t think that any form of counter protest or violence will be very helpful.
These are vile disgusting people who if they are ignored will have no voice. They feed off of the counter protesters…let them play to an empty audience.
It is interesting that these two locations were chosen…these animals probably did research and realized that in BP or WB they would be hurt and instead picked Flatbush.
Last thing…isn’t a permit required for a gathering above a certain amount of people..maybe they can be denied their so called right to protest if such a permit is needed. Someone with knowledge of NYC law should look into that…
How about signs that say…
IF G-D HATES JEWS,
HE MUST HATE YOUR “SAVIOUR”!
and
IT MUST KILL YOU THAT
YOUR “SAVIOUR” WAS A JEW!
and (of course)
“THOSE THAT BLESS ISRAEL WILL BE BLESSED,
AND THOSE THAT CURSE ISRAEL WILL BE CURSED!”
I was just looking at their site (which by the way is so immaturely hate filled that it would be laughable if it weren’t so sad…)
Slight correction on the times in the “Picket Schedule” page:
Chabad of Kensington in Brooklyn, NY October 11, 2010 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Yeshiva Torah Temimah in Brooklyn, NY October 11, 2010 1:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn , NY October 11, 2010 2:15 PM – 2:45 PM
Yemach Shemum V’Zichram!
Please note the correct times as listed on the Westboro Baptist Church’s website:
Chabad and Torah Temimah: 1:30-2:00 PM
Chaim Berlin: 2:15-2:45 PM
#39 I love your signs! 🙂
The only other sign that I could think of is
“G-D HATES WBC,” which is not quite as original as yours.
I always wondered about asking the Yoshka worshipers why they worship a “savior” who’s a Jew, if they think that G-d hates the Jews.
Officer at local police precinct said that the demonstration in front of Yeshiva Rabbi Chaim Berlin is scheduled to be in front of 1593 Coney Island Avenue.
This is just a suggestion;
but maybe Yeshiva World News should re-post the link to this article, in today’s news,
so that people will be warned about these demonstrations.