[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
Amidst all the controversy pertaining to mehadrin bus lines at the moment in Israel, sparked in part by a woman who instigated the issue when she intentionally boarded a mehadrin bus in Ashod, YWN Isreal is pleased to present the following Kiddush Hashem that was sent to us today with a video attached:
“I was riding from Ramot to Yerushalayim proper at the front of mehadrin bus number 40 when the bus stopped by the new Ramot Mall. Due to the time of day, the bus was pretty full, so when a non-charedi woman boarded the bus she stood near the driver. I flinched, half expecting someone to tell her to go to the back of the bus. Yet, Baruch Hashem, two gentlemen, as she called them (and yes, one can have a beard and long payos and still be a gentleman), gave up their seats on the front row of the bus. Many on the bus, driver included, were shocked at the kiddush Hashem, which prompted me to video her and ask her to tell the story in her own words.
Let’s see Haaretz, Ynet, or some other anti-charedi news outlet report this story”
Click HERE to watch this video from a mobile device.
(YWN Desk – Israel)
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18 Responses
I don’t get the excitment here. For me its the opposite. It shows how low we have sunk.
“Many on the bus, driver included, were shocked at the kiddush Hashem”
Shocked!!!!????
It should be the norm, not the exception!!!!!!!!
Hashem Yerachiem
But these gentlemen ARE clearly honorable & respectful people. Very nice!
Wow, a man gave up a seat to a woman.
The fact that the Yeshiva World thinks that this is newsworthy is incredibly sad, and speaks volumes about the state of the charedi world, when THIS is the yotzei min hklal!!!
Please forgive my ignorance, I mean no disrespect. Can someone explain what about this is a Kiddush Hashem?
Can’t be true, the beard and the long payos was attached and the 2 people had to be non religious because they are the only ones to do mitzvos and make a kidush hashem.
I don’t get it. Of course, these two men did the right thing. But since when is simple everyday derech eretz elevated to the level of kiddush hashem?
why is this a kiddush Hashem? maybe it’s a chillul hashem that they succumbed to these requests
and please don’t misunderstand, these buses aren’t “segregated” like the news calls it – that was true back in the 50’s & 60’s that the Blacks were FORCED to sit in the back
but here, each frum woman knows that כל כבודה בת מלך פנימה, and is honored to be away from the lustful men
or perhaps there was a different reason
i (i’m a man) was once on a mehadrin bus, and this elderly couple were about to get on, now the woman was handicapped nebech, and couldn’t climb up the steps w/o her husband’s assistance. but as soon as the men saw her getting up at front, they immediately jumped to tell her to go through the back – i (probably the only english speaker on the bus, who could communicate with this american couple) told the men that she’s handicapped, and can’t board the bus in any other way
immediately they went back to their seats, and said nothing else of the incident, and let her continue ascending the front steps
so you see, they’re only concerned if pritzus is the issue, but come’on now, do you think they scream at the women who are storekeepers, or cashiers? of course not, they’re only concerned about pritzus entering their domain
It is a sad day when the very fact of Chareidi men acting honorably and politely gets reported as news!
Yes, these men are clearly honorable and respectful.
But where does that leave us?
This shouldn’t be a spectacular kiddish hashem!
this should be the norm!
B”H, it shows that these men were brought up properly and responsibly.
I’ve always wondered about this whole issue, could it not be easily solved by simply switching locations, have the women sit in front and have the men sit in back?
Think about the utter simplicity of this solution. Women enter the front and sit in the front, who could possible complain about being treated badly? Men enter the back and sit in the back!
to #1
it is the norm
I ride these buses every day – it happens all the time
I’ve done it too.
And sometimes it’s an older chareidi woman who gets the seat because it’s difficult for her to get to the back of a moving bus.
Just to put things in perspective though – 95% of the Jerusalem mehadrin buses have two thirds of their seats in the ‘back’ of the bus and the standing room is more spread out there as well. For every woman that sits in the front instead of going to the back – at least one man is probably standing and trying not to fall.
Everyone’s asking the same question: what makes this so special as to be a Kiddush Hashem. I have a different question: if hilchos tznius require that men and women sit separately, then wasn’t this a Chillul Hashem?
I’m just trying to bring this line of thinking to its logical conclusion.
if your choshen mishpot is not kosher then your yoreh Dayah is falsh. Thats were the chilul Hashem and Kidush Hasemn are seen. Enough said
I think its as equally a Kidush Hashem that only a dozen people commented on this stupid story & the rest of the world is learning or working or spending time with family.
I have riden on the 40 bus almost daily. I have seen this happen many times especially for elderly ladies. Once a humugously fat lady got on and could hardly walk. She looked a three charadim Yersalmim (round hats) who were sitting in a double sit (two facing two) and exclaimed “I need a seat”. they jumped up like a bomb hit them. Then she turned to one Yersalmi sitting in a single seat and said, “give me that seat!” he got up and moved away and she waddled over to sit down.
What is being presented in the Israeli news is provocation on the part of a few obnoxious ladies who are out to prove a point and a few crazy religious men who are also nuts. Real people treat others with respect in all situations, whether they are men or women, young or old, religious or secular.
The newspapers that print this provocation stuff like Ynet and Ha’aretz should be censured, but who will do it? Supreme court justic Dorit Bainish? Unfortunately many people really believe that charadim are like the minority of the minority due to the instigation of these two worthless rags.
As a daily bus traveler here in Yerushalayim, I must say this reporter is clueless about the bus ‘culture’ of the chareidi public. This, amongst other acts of kindness is the most normal, everyday occurrence. It’s also the most normal thing for a chareidi man to assist a women getting on with a stroller and get up and give his seat. I’ve had chassidish, yerushalmi men offer to hold my baby for me if they were sitting in a double seat with other men. I thought it was a pretty known fact that Isreali bus manner amongst chareidim is unique and not found anywhere else to this extent. The stories that make the headlines are usually acts of provocation which explains why the reaction is different.
Kol hAKAVOD
In most cases, American tourists or olim can not be counted into the regular Israeli citizens, they act, say and behave differently than the norm due to the years of living in America. (goes for the secular or religious individuals) Thanks for the video.