(VIDEOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
MK (Kulanu) Rachel Azariya is a contender in the Jerusalem mayoral race. She launched her campaign on 300 buses in the city with the message “Together, we believe it is possible.” However, a few hours before the end of Tisha B’Av, a group of extremist chareidim decided to tear off her elections posters from buses.
The campaign, which appeals directly to a wide variety of Jerusalemites from all sectors interested in living together and preserving the fabric of relations in the city, bears the picture of the MK and relates that this bus has two opposing figures that are an inseparable part of the Jerusalem landscape and there is no reason that they cannot live together, side-by-side, in harmony. Among the characters used in the campaign are; a Golani Brigade soldier and a resident of Israeli Arab neighborhood of Beit Tzefafa, a Chabadnik and a student of liberal Betzalel Art Academy, and Betar Jerusalem (soccer) fans and Katamon. She is appealing to those who share her vision of the city’s residents living in mutual respect for one another.
Azaria said that she received videos showing the acts of vandalism from dozens of supporters, men and women who were shocked and disgusted by the actions of the extremists.
In the attached videos there are a group of men dressed as Chareidim who swarm an Egged bus as it stopped at a traffic light. The vandalizing gang quickly tears the ad off the bus, while another man whips out a can of black spray paint and scrawls something on the bus window. This “Holy Mitzvah” was repeated on multiple buses as the pack of extremists went on this mission.
Azaria said that “the violent attempt to harm the election campaign does not reflect Jerusalem, the Jerusalemites, or the chareidi public – on the contrary, it is an extreme and marginal group in Jerusalem.
“In Jerusalem we know that we can live together in mutual respect, even if it is not always easy. For us, on the night of Tisha B’Av, I say to the extremists that the ads are easy to re-paste, but the consequences of the baseless hatred are much more difficult to deal with, but we will do so. The vast majority of Jerusalemites are distancing themselves from you; the secular, religious and chareidi alike.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/Photo Credit: חדשות רוטר)
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20 Responses
Tisha b’av Shmisha b’av
No refrain to looking for criticism of the frummer! Lashon hora on a tzibbur! Report without objectivity
The end is near for these EXTREMIST, patience level of Torah Yidden is expiring as Meah Shearim is alloted the title of “ War Zone”….by chutzniks & tourists.
itamu chataim min ha’eretz ureshauim ad aiynon, borchi nafshi et haShem hallelukah
i think we should send the bochurim to their cohorts in gaza for lessons on how to be a bigger tzorah; if their rabbeim want, they can accompany them
Look at the sina’a YWN engendered! To what end? Certainly complicit in adding to the sina’as chinam problems that brought about the churban!
I guess these folks hold that vandalizing buses is OK after chatzot 🙂 🙁
Yaapchik, don’t shoot the messenger. Direct your frustration and anger where it properly belongs.
Why in the world do you like make Chassidim look like crazy people? Don’t you know that you are you publishing LOSHON HORA? As you keep this post open you are being Oiver Isurim deoraisah through doing this and there is no Kaporah for this because you just Transgressed principals of Bein Odom leChaveriro unless you apologize to each one of those that speak loshon horah about and makeup for all the Rechilus that you are Causing and the bad image they got From this post. You Might not know but these people might be the 6th generation of Yerushalmi Yidden that were there way before Zionism, so they have the right of keeping their streets and neighborhoods clean of any Ladies Pictures. What’s so wrong with that?
Chara eidim like yapchick get mad and defensive when the the reality of the breakdown of hijacked extremist anarchy in the name of Torah is shown in public for all to see.
The fitting punishment that will dicourage this insurgency is to force the criminals to watch videos of a ladies gym class, or worse.
That would put an end to it.
Yerushalmi Yidden that were there way before Zionism, so they have the right of keeping their streets and neighborhoods clean of any Ladies Pictures. What’s so wrong with that?
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If they are so right according to u for keeping the neighborhood clean then why are you complaining about loshon hora? Just the opposite, its loshon tov.!
Stop complaining if its a good thing they are doing
Why is the title of the third video ”another egged bus vandalized by Haredi extremists” and not “Another frum neighbourhood vandalized by egged- with huge posters of women in the main street”………. What exactly is ‘Yeshivah’ about Yeshivah world news?
Sounds like you’re more upset about the tearing down of an abominable poster in a frum neighbourhood than the abomination itself…..
at least some of the were wearing a gartel for this holy work
You’re upset that the truth was published – where does the Torah hides the truth for good or for bad?
Furthermore please respond where in Tanach, Shas or Shulchan Aruch – there’s a heter to be mazik and steal – because one doesn’t agree with a political ideology or like someone else’s property.
Awaiting your Torah reply.
If someone put up a huge poster of a woman in your shull would you tear it down? Or you’d leave it up there so no one can call you a vandal….
What would the gedolim of Europe have done if someone put up a huge poster of a woman in the main thoroughfare of their shtettle? Would they have bemoaned that someone tore it down?
RighteousJudgement asks, ” Why in the world do you like make Chassidim look like crazy people?”
Well, if you call these meshugaim vandalizing public property “chassiidim”, than one should ask which “chassidus” are they affiliated with? What gives them the right to “steal” from the tzibur (since Eged will have to pay to clean up their garbage) or decide whose political message can be communicated in the public street?
they are not tearing down her campaign slogans, just those immodest pictures of her filthing the holy city. whoever deosnt agree with these torah yidden (here they call them extremists – i never knew it was a nice title to give somone) isnt religious. it shouldnt even be a topic of debate among people who follow “yeshivah” world. anyone who disagrees belongs to be logged in at reformjews-R-us
Reb Dons, bad analogy. The poster was on a public bus paid for by a private advertiser. It was not simply placed in the Haredi neighborhood. Our prior gedolim would never sanction such behavior. It’s a shame we don’t have gedolim now (like in past generations) who are willing to put a stop to this despicable behavior and speak out against it.
doesn’t it tell you a lot about what our ‘gedolim nowadays’ think about it when they don’t speak out against it!
Just because it was paid for by a private advertiser- so what? As Righteousjudgement pointed out- Meah Shearim was a frum shtettle 50 years before the medinah…..
p.s. We DO have gedolim nowadays and will until moshiach comes…., see Chinuch mitzvah 495
doesn’t it tell you a lot about what our ‘gedolim nowadays’ think about it when they don’t speak out against it!
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Yup, it tells me that they pale in comparison to the gedolim of generations ago…that they are scared of what others will say about them or think about them. Unfortunately, we live in a culture of fear which has enveloped the Orthodox community, which allows the right wing thugs and hoodlums to get away with these kind of actions. How sad!
nope….Our gedolei Yisroel aint scared of no-one. And when they want to… they speak.