contribute to society then they can say something that people will listen to

blame the religious for not censoring the architect as well!

The charedi cult has hijacked and twisted Judaism. Those of us who believe in the real Judaism must stand up to them and not give in to all their sicko ideas.

"There is a new ultra-Orthodox trend these days that is prominently featured in the Orthodox media: Wearing a sackcloth and praying to God..." Come on Uri, get off it. I'm in and around chareidi neighborhoods all the time and trust me.... there is no sackcloth out there unless you dig up a few far-out crazies ( who are usually not home-grown).. You need to write with a little common sense too. And a bit more soft-spoken speech wouldn't be bad either! You may not like the chareidim, but they aren't the enemy!

Maybe immodesty is more a matter of what’s on a beholder’s brain than how someone is or isn’t dressed. I know some women, who seem -the operative word being seem - more immodest with hardly a few square inches of bare skin showing than I’d be perceived marching down the street buck-naked. While guys would yell at them to, "take it all off," most of them would beg me to, "pleaaaaaaaaaaaase put something – anything - on," neither having to do with the shape and condition of one's figure. Aside from that, if God had meant for humans to wear piles of clothes for reasons of modesty, wouldn’t we be born wearing, at least, fig leaves or some such? What I know for sure is this: Nobody will get me to put on more than what keeps away the cops and what I can tolerate in 98 degree heat and 100% humidity, and most of the time that is not a pretty sight. If that happens to crank somebody up, well, that is their problem and I suggest blinders or a cold shower.

The last time I looked, heaven and earth is still here. Not until it passes away with will the Mosaic Law as you call it be done away with. If you believe otherwise you are a fool. And by the way a couple of questions for Uri. What is wrong with being modest and do you think G-D turns his head and looks the other way at sin? Why do you expect His servants to?

We all know the problem is not whether the State of Israel and the City of Jerusalem should be governed according to Halakhah, but how to stop the ever increasing radicalization of Halakhah. And the solution is well known too : no limud without decent melakhah, excepted for Yssachares (real Torah geniuses) who may be supported by the tribe of Zvulun (baalei batim). The all-Torah lifestyle is creating a whole nation within the nation of people disconnected from reality, whose only occupation and endeavour is to find out new humroth and wage war to those other Torah-abiding Jews who do not quite agree with them.

Common decency and consideration for the feelings for others would dictate that we not offend other people's sensibilities, regardless of your militant secularist attitudes.

These religous parasites have no place in a modern society. They are violent people who only know hatred and intollerence, they deny others their freeedom and democracy the same democracy that allows them to live their life style , which includes not working , not paying taxes and not serving in the army. This bridge only goes to sereve as a reminder never come back to this vile city , as far as im concerned give it to the Palestinians.

as if the entire Orthodox pubic is nothing but a huge chunk of fragile feelings,

ohlmert ruined it completely as mayor and the present mayor is trying hard to appease both sides.

i think it is a long dress with a robe tight around the waist and a long covering on the head but the neck is bare and part of the hair apear from the upper infront around the face

Gee, I guess the yeshiva is really lax in its "wearing sacks" policy. My Rabbi's wife wears dresses and not sacks -- what's that all about? And why is she wearing a nice sheitel and not "wool hats"? For that matter, why have I never seen such a thing, even when I spent the summer in the most "ultra"-Orthodox part of Jerusalem (Measharim)? This article is journalistic junk. Uri didn't cite a single person who was complaining. And there are people who complain from every community -- why is Uri elevating the complainers? Later in the article he refers to "quite a few Orthodox" -- what's "quite a few"? A hundred? Ten? Ten thousand? We have no idea, and neither does he. If a few loud secular Jews complain about nativity scenes, does that give someone in the media the right to condemn all Jews as whiny and easily-annoyed? People like Uri Orbach seem to be just as easily-annoyed anytime someone Orthodox voices an opinion they don't like. Perhaps he should stop whining!

With the Iraq war in its fifth year, the war in Afghanistan in its sixth, and conflict between Israel and the rest of the region continuing unabated for more than half a century, intelligence sources are warning that a new wave of violence in the Middle East may soon blah blah blah, etc. etc., you know the rest.

1. if the artistic director didn't know about this then why how was it that all of the sackcloth costumes and wool hats matched? Is it possible that the dance company created its own controversy in order to get more media attention? 2. wool hats on single girls? How did that happen? Since when do single girls need to cover their hair? 3. if the dance company was so very offended by having to "cover up" then why did they dance at the ceremony? Wouldn't it have been more of a statement if they hadn't danced at all? Or if they had come out and simply stood still on the stage? 4. Is it possible that this was just a storm in a teapot?

Orbach and other militant secularists are more peevish than the far right, whom i dont often agree with. Although they may take some things too far once in a while, Jerusalem is as much their turf as scantily-clad dancers, maybe even moreso. Some may think it is a god-given right to dance in mini-skirts, but modesty is just a way of saying you have respect for those who may live a traditional lifestyle, whether Jewish or otherwise.

Israel is obligated, using our traditional skill with words, to retake the battlefield of ideology and of the mind - and win. The Jewish People have always been made up of different kinds of Jews. We have to make every effort to explain to all Jews that the Land of Israel is their home. Some of them may want to become religiously observant, and some may not - but if this Land cannot be the home of all Jews, then our State will not be able to last. A united Jewish people will not fear anti-Semitism as explained at : http://xrl.us/bju8t

OFFENDED. RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION IN REVERSE. THESE ARE THE SAME LOONIES WHO THROW WOMEN OFF BUSES.

Yes it is.

Since when do young unmarried girls ahve to cover their heads? Even if they were religious they are not married and therefore not required to cover their heads. Not much difficulty in understanding why so many of us are leaving Jerusalem, I'm sorry to say.

For those of us who actually live in Israel, unlike you who lives in the Goy state of USA, The ultra orthadox are dictating to the rest of us how to live our lives not only denying other people their freedom of choice and democracy but also endagering peoples lives, i presume you mean by the charideem being closer to God includes their activities of throwing acid in a young girls face for wearing a pair of jeans, causing a riot on an ELAL flight, and attacking women of buses, So is this how we come closer to God ? It seems your view from Morality head quaters in Goy land has somewhat blinded you to the true evil these people have become

for those of us who actually live in Israel , will know that these dancers are teenages who despite your ill informed posting do not dance around in Mini Skirts, this is a baseless slander, which is an out right lie. They are respectable young teenagers who represent modern Israel. The charideem who seem to think Jerusalem is their private domain are very much mistaken if they think they are going to inflict their teliban life style on the general public. Respect for others as you so put it is a two way street. Prehaps when the charideem start to behave like reasonanble human beings, get a job, stop living off our tax money and serve in the IDF they will earn our respect.

Tel aviv is more goyish than New york if you are any proof. For sheer jew -hatred, few goyim are as biased. nor do they regurgitate as many lies.

The Taliban were the product of theKGB,s attempts to squash religion. Your bolshevik attempts to do likewise lead to a reaction. ask yourselves why? when were you ever sensitive to others? when did you ever show respect for others? Do not like coercion? when did you stop coercing the religious to drop it all...

You are quoting out of context and misunderstanding the word "fulfilled." If He intended that the law no more apply, why did He continue by saying, whoever does and teaches the law will be great in the Kingdom, but, whoever does not keep it or teaches other men to not keep it will be least in the Kingdom? Sh'aul has been misunderstood also. He never taught that the law is done away with, only that the keeping of it for the purpose of salvation is incorrect. Keeping the law for salvation is denying Yeshua, however keeping it to please the Father is what it was intended for from the beginning. You have been too long in listening to the doctrines of churchmen.