The same thread runs through some of our minority subcultures here. A prime example would be some Indian Reserves where the RCMP decline to show themselves and mob rule prevails, usually with elevated homicide rates. And before you jump all over me, I would assure you these are a small minority of all IR's. The vast majority are more or less law abiding.

A good concise response to the insanity which has been going on in the name of religion. Israel faces many difficulties internal and external, but without a doubt one of the most severe is the intolerance of different groups towards other groups and their practices. In the case of the religious their needs to be acceptance that religious practice, adherence and interpretation is a personal choice. Meaning - skimpy clothes, buses on Shabbat, cheese-burgers etc must be enshrine in law. Haredim have all the rights to try to convince us secular types, but no rights what-so-ever to force us. As we *shock horror* have the rights to try to convince them our lifestyle is right.

The "Get lost" might be superfluous.

Great propaganda piece Gerbils I mean Tali Farkash. The disproportionate coverage of these stories make it appear that ever charedi is a member of the vaad tznius, agree with there actions and that these things happen regularly. Isnt it obvious that since the secular are losing power and influence due to demographic changes they are doing their best to smear the religious. This is their last stronghold, the liberal media.. Sad they criticize a people who wont be responding back, kind of makes them easy targets.

There's no way Sharon would have been able to evict 10,000 Jews 3 years ago. Too bad they care more about "chastity" than Am Yisrael.

read this tal, and then tell me what you think. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3587838,00.html

huh? Your TB didnt say anything relevant to, or address any point raised in the article. Please try again without the hyperbole.

absolutely amazed at the talk backs so far that criticize this piece, as their is really nothing to dislike about it. Farkash ulimtately makes the point that realistically every society, even the haridim, have their criminals. And that it is better to use persuasion than force. How can anyone object to those notions? Whats wrong with you?

No, Torah Jew, it is not propaganda when the truth is told re the "chastity squad". You must learn to read and understand the English language prior to sending nonsensical posts. The writer did not accuse all charediim of the actions of those fools. The problem with you sir is you want to whitewash the illegal actions with your own version of propaganda. Love you usage of the word liberal; merely another attempt on your part to hide the truth of illegal actions by certain cherediim and actually try to transform illegality into something else. Those that protect the illegal actions are no better than those who commit them.

Much of what you posted is accurate; however I disagree with your method of saying the herediim have the right to try to try to convince those "secular types" while the "shock horror" types have the right to convince the herediim that their life style is correct. Actually, whatever lifestyle the herediim deem to be their liking is fine FOR THEM, while the secular lifestyle is fine for them. Never the twain shall meet nor do they have to. The sooner they understand each other and recognize that they have no rights to force what each considers to be an alien lifestyle upon the other, the better off each will be. Israel has a problem, it calls herself a democracy while trying to dance at two weddings. A democracy is not a theocracy and it is just the theocracy which the herediim is trying to ram down Israel's throat.

Your zealotry, sinat chinam, and distortion are an absolute Chillul Hashem. You have perverted the Torah and will not be able to explain it away. You are the ones who must do tshuva. The secular are ignorant of Torah, and can be forgiven, but you, who boast of your Torah, will face the greater punishment, for your guilt is by far the greater. We will not let you destroy the Third Temple as well!

because every day they used to spit on me. Thats right. Those blind people think that a message from Christ is the same as a massage from Satan. As an intellectual I had many intelligent discussions with Palestinian converts to Christianity and looks like they got it. Unfortunatrely Jews know only how to spit in your face but convertion? No way. I am sure no one likes to be spit on, especially

If a secular commits a crime , does this excuse crimes comitted by a religious ? Religious have the State , AND the Torah laws to obey .

dear tali, your intentions are fine, but i fear you writing needs work - a clear, organized essay would have been much more effective without some of your cutesie, tongue-in-cheek quips, and oblique allusions. (a man arrested and charged is not a rumour, and neither is medical evidence filed against him.) your article might have drawn attention to two interesting aspects of this story, namely the "support" shown for these criminals, presumably because the hareidi press has misrepresented the facts, and the remarkable lack of condemnation by hareidi rabbis (with one notable exception to prove the rule). both of these observations speak to problems at the heart of israeli and religious society, and you might want to cover them in a future piece.

because you falsely claim to be a Jew , you can claim "ad eternum" , no Jew , even not a secular Jew as i am , will accept you , yacub

Honesty is not your bag. You may claim to be a Jew who has accepted JC as your god and now wants to convert others to your POV. You deserved what you received. If you were intellectual, you would have immediately understood that you were trespassing in another's territory. Believe whatever you want, but do not try to shove your beliefs down somebody else's throat.

My Catholic spiritual mentor is Pope Julis ll who was a Catholic Jew and secretly homosexual. Even Brather Nathaniel who is my dear friend has approved my conversion. As you know Brother Nathanael is a great Catholic Jew. I am proud to be his disiple.

Dear tali, I respectfully disagree with "dear tali #18". It is a manner of style. Your prose was as beautiful as your ideas.

THAT YOUR AN AGENT OF A AGENDA DRIVEN, PREFUNCTIONARY FILL IN THE BLANK ARCHETECTURE NEWS AGENCY, WHERE ALL DUPES ARE WELCOME AND FUNCTION FOLLOWS AGENDA ? This puts you in a very dubvious position for establishing a career in journalism ! That having been said, while there may be validity to your contention, espousing it in such a venue as this, opens you up to the barage of cynics! If it requires remediation that productive intervention will serve, you are undermining your efforts HERE! I suspect it has some merit but; for ynet, its like selling fire to satan !

"zealotry in general has been harshly condemned by our sages" The name PINCUS comes to mind and I do believe G-D was slightly inclined to disagree with your "sages" as he was given the highest honour bestowed on any man ! We can sure use a good measure of "zealotry" for the sake of heaven ! Of course any man that strikes a woman is not a man and if these individuals are indeed sluts than putting them in cherum is s.o.p. and zealotry is not a euphorism for THUGGERY !

Yaakov Sullivan on Ynet is a satire of Yaakov Sullivan on Haaretz. It took me a while to finally get it, but compare these TBs with the TBs on Haaretz and I'm sure you'll agree our "Yaakov" is absolutely hilarious! Not only is he poking fun at Haaretz' Yaakov Sullivan, he's also satirizing the low standards of left-leaning Jewish groups in the US. Kol haKavod, Yaakov!!

so embarrassing to gay people everywhere. You and your fake Palestinian husband Hassan and your Pope Liberace.

These characters have always given jews a bad name. They behave like anti-social parasites and are hated over the world. Young people turn away from judaism because of things like this and so am I.

and write about what she knows nothing (or a tiny bit) about. As Alexander Pope said a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. It just shows that if you're nice-looking and have good connections, you can be a complete airhead and still be a journalist in Israel.