In his zeal to tar the religious community with any negative light possible Mr. Koniuk betrays his own bigotry. Where does it say any of the chareidi community were convicted of this crime? The automatic assumption of guilt of an entire community is indeed a sign of a racist mind

Last time I checked it was secular Jews who abused the IDF to throw innocent children out of their home in Gaza and Hebron. It was Rabin who ordered the assasination of Menachem Begin on the Atlatena. It was Amos Oz who threatened to commit terrorism against Israel if she removes Arab terrorists from her borders.

'Crematorium owner sought insurance funds' http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1187779140897&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

has anyone proved that it was the orthodox that burnt the place? according to other articles i read, there are plenty of people, seculars as well, who were against having a crematorium in their neighborhood.

Other sources are now reporting that the owner started the fire for the insurance and blamed hareidim. Will Ynetnews update these articles with the truth? retract them? apologize tot he hareidi community????

Just like they incited hatred with Proffessor Weiss by drilling article after article with biased inciteful headlines, now they're pushing this cremation garbage down everyone's throat with headlines like "Haredi terrorism", and "In praise of cremation" At least they could try to pretend to be objective and not make their agenda so obvious.

Cremation is not for me. That said, the choice should be available. For some in Israel, including Hindu foreign workers, cremation is their religiously prefered method. The author has stated his case persuasively. Those opposed should tend their own house and stop imposing on others.

We again come to a small blip on the great screen of what it means to be a "jewish state." While the author has the right to be cremated, does he have the right to do it in Israel? He does if Israel is a secular state where Jewish people are allowed to live - and no more. But if that is what Israel is all about, how is it different than, say, New York? And if that is what Israel is all about, what gave us the right to come to Israel from Poland and Northern Africa (as the author writes) and take over the place from the Arabs who were here already? Perhaps the right comes from Judaism which also is what Israel should be about: Judaism. The same Judaism that frowns upon cremations.

This article is sad and scary. Sad, because a human being is deprived of the way he wishes to leave this earth and scary, because there are people who are deluded to believe that they are the arbiters of god's will. Religious tyranny has to be the ultimate insult to god who gave us the gift of a free will.

This once again invokes the age old question. Is Israel an exclusive club (a state for Jews alone), or an open membership club (a secular democracy)? This incident is just another manifestation of this dilemna. If we choose to be a secular democracy, then we need to respect the rights & wishes of folk who (of their own volition) choose to have their remains disposed of in this manner after their demise. Whoever did this has no respect for other humans and their way of life. Do I need add that we are an intolerant society?

You forgot to mention it was secularist De Hartog who beat up a religious MK and put him in the hospital over some insulting remark.

"In 50 years, the land area taken up by graves in Israel will be close to two billion square meters of death and bones." What insane asylum does this lunatic live in? People have died and been buried in the Holy Land for countless millennia and he is afraid there will be no land left after 50 years?

This article is sad and scary, sad, because this angry, bitter, deluded man is eating his own soul with hatred in this world and depriving himself of the next world, and scary, because YNet publishes this dreck and everyone falls into the lynch mob mode blaming an entire population when no suspects have been identified and no arrest have been made.

while I hear what the author is saying but, how is burning your body dying with dignity? dying yes, a method of disposing of a body,yes. But how is it dignified?

Mr. Kaniuk has serious issues with religious people. Maybe he should try to see someone else's viewpoint-he might learn something. And even if he doesn't want to be more tolerant, he should at least try to use more temperate language-two exiles because of sinat hinam is quite enough!

I agree with the author that cremation should be allowed for those so choosing. His use of the issue to attack the Haredi community is however gratuitous, On the other hand, perhaps those who see burial as the preferred option SHOULD be challenged to come up with solutions that meet halachic standards AND are sensitive to land use issues in a small country. Back to ossuaries? A variation on the New Orlean method of above ground burial where crypts can renew their usabilty from generation to generation? Don't attack --think with a Jewish head and soul!

Each person has a choice even at death. Those who want to be cremated have that choice. However most are not informed as to the spiritual consequences to theer soul if cremated. Even if one does not believe in a soul or G-D if given information that explains the reason the body should be burried and the consequenses for that soul if not buried i bet that most would not chance it. Why would they? That said Arson is not the answer. This article is no written well becauset the author does not provide any proof of who is resposible for the Arson and then places blame, makes false statement and rants about the Ultra Orthodox community. He should check his facts and find some proof before making such horrible acusation. He should also find out why Cremation is soo bad.

G-d bless Shas, who is working to stop you from harming yourself. You fools call it "interfering." Just like stopping a disabled person from hurting themselves.

Well, I don't know anything of this man. I intentionally and most of the time refrain from making reference to particulars of which I know even less. From what I read in another article though, it does appear that someone is trying, threatening, or hoping to pass a law that would make cremation illegal for no reason other than that they can or because of their own religious beliefs. I understand why you can't honor the dead Indian-style by letting the birds pick their bones or that you can't have a funeral pyre in the back yard for uncle Fred, but since the health, safety and environmental issues between burial and cremation are 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, and since I'd bet that god couldn't care less, why not grant a human being the last wish of how he wants to leave this earth, especially if it doesn't interfere with the rights of anyone else? Making cremation mandatory would be no less an infringement on someone's liberty as to say that you have to be put into a hole in the ground. After all, in the end, we'll be judged on how we lived and not how we returned to the dust from which we came. I just think, we're insulting god by abrogating the details of too many issues on which we should make choices and for which he gave us good sense and a free will to someone else.

in their hearts. The Bible is quite clear on the Lord's objection to passing "kings" through the fire (cremation). Doing that caused Moab to cease to be a nation. So, who are the kings who must not be cremated, while for others, it does not matter? Kings are rulers of nations by one definition. Jews who are Jews in their hearts are defined as kings, priests, and saints. People who do not believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob sufficiently to be Jews in their hearts do not have to follow what God prefers for His people. I have known many people who could not afford a burial in a casket in a cemetery in America, so they opted for cremation. They will have to discuss that decision with the Lord if they belong to Him. In Europe, I have read that cemetery plots are leased for ten years, then have to be paid for again or the remains are exumed and put is caverns underground like under Paris. Now and then there are articles about the piles of baby bones put together when exumed and Roman Catholic priests and nuns are blamed and accused of baby murder when they bones are exumed remains whose relatives did not wish to pay for another ten year lease on a plot of land in a cemetery. I hope all cemeteries in Europe are not like that, but the ones that dig up the bones do not cremate them to my knowledge. They respect the bones enough to put them underground in the vast caverns dug under European cities. Paris has several layers of caverns underneath the city. In Rome, the caverns are called catecombs. There are bones in the catecombs there from the times of the Roman Caesars.

Please continue fighting against the coup that the Ultra-Orthodox are trying to impose upon our beautiful nation. The time of Haredi madness and violence must come to an end. Their rioting over a dead baby two years ago, their violent protests prior to the Gay Parade, and their refusal to serve in the army or contribute to Israel's democratic character is pure chutzpa!

What is really funny is the duplicity of those defending haredis by saying "no haredi has individually been accused." Right now, all of you are saying: "Look at other sources - they are saying it's the owner who did it for insurance funds." The funny part of it is that even though he has not been convicted, you already convicted and executed him.

Aviva, I pray tell me where are all those cemeteries where these tens of millions of residents are buried? Exactly... Most of the old cemeteries would be destroyed over time, or they would not be cleaned up again.... Plus you forget that the way to go among ancient Jews was at some point for the bones to be deposited with the bones of your ancestors... Why not go back to that? Would save a lot of space and tombstone material.

It's dignified FOR HIM. He does not want his body eaten by the small worms that will feed on his decaying flesh after he is interned... In fact, the more I think about it, the more I think that I don't want it either...

Just read your post. Agree about the ossuaries.

1. If you DO NOT believe in G-d, the possibility that your soul will be destroyed is inconsequential. 2. If you are not sure, then maybe this knowledge will play a role. 3. Even if you believe in G-d, your belief may not square with official Orthodox belief. (I mean all of those rabbis outlawing cremation, they did so before they died and get to learn about the true nature of G-d, whatever it may be). I mean if G-d is omnipotent and just, would he not give a place in the World to Come to a person righteous in all respects but cremation?