[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
Menachem Tucker of Kol Chai Radio telephoned Neturei Karta’s Moshe Aryeh Friedman, who on many opportunities met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Tucker explained that Friedman has enrolled his children in a girl’s school in Antwerp affiliated with the Belz Chassidus. This includes his sons.
All other schools in Vienna refused to accept Friedman’s children because of his fanatic Neturei Karta actions and affiliation, he took the case to court, compelling the Belz-affiliated Bnos Torah School to accept his sons. Since the school receives state funds, the court compelled it to accept the boys. A member of prominent community leaders arrived in Eretz Yisrael last week to confer with the Rebbe Shlita, who reportedly told them to instruct the girls to distance themselves from Friedman’s children.
The video shows Friedman and his wife accompanying their two sons with a police guard and of course, members of the press, who wished to film the event after the court case, which was a media event too.
Tucker begins by introducing himself, and then wishing the Friedman mazel tov on enrolling his children into the school, questioning if adverts in the Belz community in Antwerp are true, instructing the children to distance themselves from his children. Friedman stated that quite the contrary, and to the best of his understanding, they are going to be greeted with love and open arms.
Tucker:
As a father and one who wishes to set an example, doesn’t it bother you that the children are in a girl’s school?
Friedman:
The best school was in Austria, where it was the most chareidi and the boys and girls learned together. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this.
Tucker:
Forget about what others say. What about your sons, being the only males in a girl’s school. What is good for them? Are they going to jump rope there? Would you learn in such a school, a girl’s school?
There are two boys learning with the girls and there are also three girls.
Friedman:
There is nothing wrong. They will be fine.
YWN-ISRAEL:
Friedman goes on to explain that his children were not accepted in other schools, both in Israel and abroad. He explains he tried to place the children in different school but without success. Friedman states that his daughters are fine girls and there is no justification for not accepting them into schools.
Tucker:
Perhaps the children are not accepted because you met with Ahmed Ahmadinejad? I am an Israeli journalist and you do not like us and Israel, since you burn Israeli flags. I know Neturei Karta will say you are not one of them. Who is your rebbe today?
Friedman:
Are you kidding? I have many rabbonim, Gedolei Yisrael. I cannot say here without their permission but I am in close connection with Gedolei Yisrael.
Tucker:
So you are telling me there is a rav that permits you to educate your children together, boys with girls? I know the Belzer Rebbe Shlita says no and I know that since the courts have compelled the situation he permits it but he says it is prohibited.
Friedman:
This is not true. The rebbe is not against it.
Tucker:
How was it in Iran? Do you have his personal telephone? How do you meet with him? Why do you davka meet in Iran. It is the country that hates Israel more than all others.
Friedman:
I don’t have his number. It was fine there. I went there because there are many Jews. I am helping the Jews there for many years.
Tucker:
So it is not at all related to Ahmadinejad? It’s because there are Jews there and because Mordechai and Esther are buried there? Please, you are a straight person so I am asking for a direct response. How is it that one such as you makes such a chilul Hashem in the world?
Friedman:
Please be more specific.
Tucker:
I am talking about your protests at the United Nations and meeting with the haters of Israel in Iran. How can one like yourself be involved in such activities?
Friedman:
Now I understand your question. Please permit me to respond to your points. No one ever saw me take part in a protest burning Israeli flags or with Palestinians in the UN. There were a number of exceptions such as in Holland but the things you are talking about did not occur.
Tucker:
So you condemn such actions?
Friedman:
Yes I do. The things you are speaking about did not occur.
Tucker:
So what do you feel is correct regarding meeting with those who wish to kill us, the Jews? You hugged Ahmadinejad.
Friedman:
One must separate between going to the goyim and when one makes a kiddush Hashem, to help Jews. You are talking about being on the side of the goyim, a chilul Hashem.
Tucker:
Do you like Israel?
Friedman:
Yes. And at the same time when one makes a kiddush Hashem with the goyim you and others see it as a chilul Hashem and this is not so. The things you say are not true. It never happened.
Tucker:
So you are an individual, not from Belgium, not Neturei Karta, and you visited with him and hugged the hater of Israel and simply spoke about the weather. You never spoke about the Jews and Israel? What then do you speak about when you meet with him please?
Friedman:
I was very busy years ago when I helped Iranian Jews.
Tucker:
Repeat after me. “I love Israel, not Am Yisrael but Eretz Yisrael”.
Friedman:
Please do not put words into my mouth. Don’t tell me what to say. I will get into talks and negotiations on things that I see as correct.
Tucker:
Who are you and who gave you authority to enter into talks about anything?
YWN-ISRAEL:
At this point, about 18 minutes into the conversation Tucker says “you are mentally ill, you are sick and in need of assistance. Friedman hangs up the phone.
Video of the Friedman bringing his boys to the girl’s school and speaking with the press:
Click HERE to watch this video on a mobile device.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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24 Responses
There must be a legal way (changing the Board or name, “closing” it or whatever) to get this family out of the school. Parents should withdraw their children.
It is despicable that this שונא ישראל is permitted to grace this website. His antics are not newsworthy. The פרצות he has committed are an embarrassment to all of כלל ישראל, and broadcasting anything about him or his breaches of morality only serves to normalize behavior that is hated by all Yidden everywhere. I feel it is way beneath Yeshivaworld to discuss anything about this רשע מרושע. The school in Antwerp has a serious problem. Let’s hope they can solve it.
yes there is a way that all Jewish schools in Antwerp should withdraw there children from school as an demonstration protest to the courts if the court don’t revers there ruling and take out this Jew hater from amongs the Jewish schools.
Horav es rivenu
1 Chilul shabos is allot worse then this. It is not even to be compared. Nebech there are millions of Jews that are mechalel shabos every shabos. I think think chilul shabos should be addressed before before this.
If rejecting his children from schools will persuade this man to change his ideas (or at least actions), then I think that would be a very good idea. I’m not sure though that he will ever change his mind, especially if he borders on the crazy. His children might be sweet normal kids that are very embarrassed about their father’s actions. Maybe being in schools with normal children will help make sure that at least they don’t become meshuga. It’s not obvious to me that schools should refuse his children if they are normal. Maybe the children can be “mkarev” their father – והשיב לב אבות על בנים.
obviously the parents of the boys are not “educated” themselves – didnt they ever hear about “home-schooling”???? and what is wrong with the parents of the girls in the school – would they ever agree to “CO-ED” schooling for their children under “normal” circumstances – did anyone ask them what their opinions were????? are the girls going to be under the influence of becoming anti-semites like their male classmates – after all, look at the parental influence that they are subject to!!!!! will they now become Ahmadinejad lovers as well???? with todays “tznius” patrol why is the chareidi world quiet now???? soon the boys will want to wear skirts (tznius) of course like their classmates – no?
I used to think he’s just crazy. But after he pulled this off, I believe he ain’t so crazy, but plain ol’ BAD BAD.
He is just looking to tease and ridicule.it hurts me that he’s getting so much media attention.
Mr. Friedman is one of those poor souls who love publicity and while get it even if it means embracing the devil. He is a disordered person and surely has many relationship problems in his life. He thrives on being recognized to bolster is poor image of himself. The less the press talks about him the better.
The world is “sick and getting sicker”
Refuah Shlamah to him
computerbubby – don’t worry. Something tells me that this will backfire on him being that his sons will surely become stigmatized by this and will either become unruly (thus giving the school rights to kick them out) or they’ll turn against their meshugana father and grow up detesting him and his wicked ways. Perhaps this is Hashem’s way of saving his poor kids.
Why not go to Bais-Din for a heter to get the local courts to put him away on other charges for a long time. He is a mooser and Bais Din can act. By traveling to Iran and doing what he did, he probably got money from terrorists and worked with them. I am sure if they really dug it up, many very illegal acts can be found to put him away for a long time. His family would not have to pay the price for his shtick.
The only person sicker than him is his wife. As a wife and a teacher i know the koach of the Isha. This man has a special confidence and a support system behind him. A mother brings the atmosphere into the house and life. I know I’m gonna start hearing that maybe she’s emotionally abused or something. THIS WOMAN IS THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!! For the sake and the good for the kids and their future you think of them before your husbnd. They are children, innocent and are molded by you. If your husband isn’t on the right path your kids don’t need to suffer; you need to take drastic measures to give them a stable life. The woman is Sicker than sick.
This is loshon hara!!!
Not on Friedman but on the Belzer School!!!
All you guys are missing the boat.
These children are haylige nishamos, who could be saved from their knucklehead parents, by allowing them in the schools.
They should not be the blame for their parents’ mishigasim.
This will eventually lead to the children going off the derech.
he should send his kids to a boys school in Iran!!!!!!
do his boys wear the school uniforms?
@geulah: yes his wife IS abused and by now mentaly quite ill. She ran away several years ago and people were so happy that she had the courage but he managed to threaten her in ways we dont even know that she returned to him. Seeing her in the videos the expression in her eyes are not the same they were 5 or 6 years ago. She seems to be under some strong influence causing her not to be able to BE A STRONG WoMAN. And guess what? Than Gd and feel lucky that you hve mental strength the way you describe. Thousands of women DO NOT have that gift from Above! So being judgemental about them is way below anything dignified and heartfelt for another human souls pain.
Geulah: You stated: “THIS WOMAN IS THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!”
What a weird conclusion! Possibly she can help her children by leaving her mental case husband, but to say she is “the root of the problem” is very strange.
Easy solution. Teach the class he forced his kids into about Israel. Have them colour in a Israeli flag to bring home…
To geula: it’s very easy to say that from the outside. I know someone who is fighting for custody for years with a husband who gas serious mental illness. It’s not as simple as you think. Please don’t post such biased opinions without thinking first.
The reason he’s had an issue with his children’s schooling is because there is a worldwide chariym on him. His children and his wife see nothing wrong with this situation because Tattie said it’s o.k. As far as kicking out his children the school can accuse the boys of molesting the girls and that will do the trick.
#13 – the Gemorah supports what you are saying. Good point!