As the Emanuel Beis Yaakov case takes a prominent place in Thursday’s news in Israel, with the sides and parents appearing before the Supreme Court, Jerusalem Councilman Yitzchak Pindrus grabbed his own news headline, reportedly releasing a statement “In chareidi education, we don’t accept Sephardim, monkeys, Russians and Ethiopians”.
One could not find a less opportune time to reportedly release such a remark, let alone from a chareidi Jerusalem deputy mayor, as the chareidi system of education comes under fire in the media for promoting discriminatory practices.
Pindrus’ faux pas was carried in the daily Haaretz, attacking his “racist humor” which was most offensive to Meretz Councilwoman Laura Varton.
Varton presented the mayor with a document addressing chareidi discriminatory practices in city schools. The mayor asked they she first present it to Pindrus for comment, seeking his input on the matter before he addresses it.
Pindrus, Varton and their respective aides were present, but the meeting was reportedly not held in a good atmosphere, and Pindrus was particularly that Deputy Mayor Pepe Alalu of Meretz was not present as promised. He indicated that since Alalu was not present, the meeting would not continue.
Varton showed him the document and the atmosphere continued to deteriorate and at one point, Pindrus is quoted as saying, “Yes, it is true. We don’t accept Sephardim, monkeys, Russians and Ethiopians”.
Varton admits she is aware that he was kidding, but thought the comment, which he repeated, was in extremely poor taste.
Haaretz reports that Councilwoman Varton was upset and reported what had occurred to staff member of Alalu, who later confirmed the facts as reported. Pindrus later denied making the remark.
When questioned regarding the incident on Wednesday by Haaretz, Pindrus is quoted as stating, “The readers of Haaretz are not my constituency so I have no interest in even apologizing.”
Pindrus told Haaretz in a different conversation. “She is a liar and an anti-Semite and I stand behind every word I am saying here. When a person wants to solve a problem and does not wish to listen to what I have to say, that is anti-Semitism. The fact is that we accept all the female students.”
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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19 Responses
is fool a four letter word?
and that my friends is one of the reasons Moshiach is not yet here…..
According to the hiloni press, he was mocking the hiloni politicians and media, and it was very clear to those present that what he was saying was that the hiloni always make ridiculous charges against frum people, and that is why he doesn’t take them seriously. The hiloni were so dumb they didn’t realize they were being made fun of.
This suggests he is not a fool, nor a racist, nor a bigot, and the person who said he is preventing Moshiach should look in the mirror.
akuperma – why should I look in the mirror. Even if said as a joke – “In chareidi education, we don’t accept Sephardim, monkeys, Russians and Ethiopians”
is disgusting and unacceptable.
We are raised with “sarcasm”. Ask a Yeshiva kid a question and you will receive a sarcastic answer. People don’t know how to be straight-forward anymore! The new generation is especially ‘infected’ with this problem. They don’t want to vote because ‘all politicians are crooks’. They get into trouble because ‘all businessmen cheat and steal”. Rabboisay, Be straight-forward with your kids. Yes shall mean yes and no shall mean no. Stop the sarcasm!
As a Torah observant Jew, I find his remark disgusting. This is not humor and should not have been said even in jest.
It is because of people like him that I no longer use the term Charedi when I refer to Torah observant people.
#3 how can you justify this guy I really think he is preventing the geulah I wish he could come to flatbush and say that statement near the sfardi community…..
akuperma is right on.
Pindrus was smartly teasing the leftists. You can tell this by the end of Pindrus’ quote that this article leaves out: ‘we won’t accept monkeys etc. ‘…unless we are bribed.”
He very clearly made the point that if they judge all charedim guilty without trial, then what’s the point of talking to them?? They accuse us of all the things he mentioned.
I just wish to reinforce that #3 is correct in his comment. Only I don’t believe she was not aware he was kidding as she herself stated. But she is using the Media to promote the anti Chareidi agenda. Yes pure hatefulness on her part. These people have absolutely no decency when they are promoting an agenda
I don’t know how #3 could know that what he is saying is true.
EVEN IF it IS true, this guy is STILL a fool for giving the chiloni press fuel to their fire of disparaging the frum.
Under ANY circumstances what an incredibly stupid, hurtful, and insensitive thing to say.
well, apukerma (3), we have looked into the mirror and the enemy is…..us!!!
how you can, even for one NANOSECOND , justify these most vile words is beyond anyone’s pale. remember the gemoro- “bekisso, bekosso ubekkasso’. it isin these unguarded moments, when anger is prevalent, that we recognize the true charcter of people. SHAME on this person ,Mr. Pindrus! and anyone who comes to his defense.
I know Pindrus from his days as mayor of Beitar when I lived there. I actually thought he was a good mayor, HOWEVER, we all know that the chiloni press looks for every opportunity to misrepresent Torah Jewry, as binei Torah it is our mandate to avoid this at all costs. It’s his fault to even say something that can be misquoted. It’s high time we stop blaming the non frum no matter how wrong and inciteful they are, and begin acting like true binei torah, baalei midos tovos, and yirei shamayim. We must be beyond reproach, and we all know rachmanus how many true chillulei sheim shamayim have come from our camp recently. If you can’t handle the heat, get out of the kitchen, the eyes are on you 24\7 Pindrus. Rav Yisroel Salanter is quoted to have said” The 1st mitzvah in the Torah is don’t be a fool!”
When Sephardic and Ethiopian yeshiva students were murdered by a terrorist in their bais midrash, every gadol and every frum Jew cried over the blood of the young Torah scholars. Except maybe this guy, Pindrus. Oy! He should resign.
In London we would call Mister Yitzchak Pindrus a LOBBUS.
(That is not to say that far stronger language and epithets could not be used to describe this excuse of a city councillor.)
The Author carefully said the the Councilman “reportedly releasing a statement” Pindrus himself is reported as denying making the remark. All the previous commentators prefer to believe the loshon hara of a Meretz councilwoman and not the denial of a Chareidi Councilman?
There is no question he was teasing those he was speaking to. He was saying something so crazy (see the end of his sentence about bribes) that the very fact that he is being quoted as having such an opinion makes the secular press (and the PC frum press) look silly.
I wasn’t there and neither were any of those bashing Pindrus on this blog. Pindrus says she is lying. I prefer to belive a shomer Torah and mitzvos that a chiloni woman. Don’t all of you?
Whether the statement was said or not said (#17) or for the rest who believe it was said – let’s make something perfectly clear, the statement is accurate – in chareidi education, they don’t accept Sephardim, monkeys, Russians and Ethiopians. That is the whole issue at the Emanuel Beis Yaakov.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is MORE TOXIC than any statement.
(I have heard other stories about the same disdainful behavior (segregation) – it’s just horrible.)
The more news releases I see about charadim in and there have been a few lately – the more I do not believe that the label “charadei” is synonymous with integrity.
Bnei Brak has a 20% ratio if kids going off the derech (Mishpacha magazine with interview with the mayor of BB) – I bet they wear black and white and “look” religious.