Opinion
Why the rabbis are hated
Assaf Wohl
Published: 04.06.11, 13:39
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123 Talkbacks for this article
1. Let them eat cake! To the barricades!
Seymour Butz   (06.04.11)
2. rabbis
mike ,   uk   (06.04.11)
I agree totally with this article, in addition the haredi rabbis only have regard for their own, secular jews or 'goys -' a frankly derrogatory term- have no part in their lives. The Rabbis do not believe they are subject to laws, morals etc but only Torah law. A bunch of ill -educated beggars trying to impose their way of life on others
3. Rabbis listen:i don't say dont be religious.i say, today, we need science more than religion.
Saed ,   Iranian zionist.   (06.04.11)
Religion is really important,but instead of highly focusing on religion you need to use your part time to study in other fields if you really likes israel.israel should be a superpower in everything and we need you.don't force us to force you to educate.please care.help israel economy to boom more.israel needs at least 20million robots and you can educate in these fields.we should turn to the land(state) of scientist jews not only state of jews.
4. They represent everything that is backward
(06.04.11)
As a secular Jewish Israeli I find issues like - forbidding women to sing in public, separating the sexes in public events and space, coercing a certain dress code on women etc. as really sureal. My grandmothers from eastern Europe were just as Jewish as anyone and the fact that they they wore sleeveless dresses in the hot Israeli summer, sang happily with the men and sat on the bus where ever they thought fit - didn't hinder their jewishess in anyway. The thought that I, an Israeli secular woman from the 21st century will adopt customes taken from the middle ages that not only my mother, but my grandmothers would have rejected in contempt - is totally sureal and infuriating.
5. You over-simplify a complex issue.
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (06.04.11)
It's not so easy to just say separation of religion from state. In case it escaped your notice, we are both religion & nationality combined. The American experience is not necessarily valid for Israel. Having said that, I would agree that Haredi control of religion & religious institutions has not been a positive development. The Haredi phenomenon should not be considered as ''authentic'' Judaism. It is not. It is basically a sect. But, in our dysfunctional political system, change is difficult if not impossible to achieve. Rather than kvetch about Haredim, why don't you offer some constructive ideas on exactly how the current sad state of affairs can be changed? I would add that Haredim are not the only problem, we have a similar problem on the secular side of things. It is called the Supreme Court & the judicial system.
6. I agree with #5!! The media and the judicial system are even
David   (06.04.11)
more corrupt!
7. #5 VERY WELL SAID TERRY
LAWRENCE ,   SAFED   (06.04.11)
So much so that I broke my shabbos just to reply .Haredim have some very disagreeable traits and are indeed a sect. And as you stated so correctly ,both sides are as bad as each other which is the problem here.The Haredim are fanatical to a ridiculous degree and the secular leftist supreme court are equally as fanatic .Judaism and Torah should mean the middle path but ,sadly ,extremism rules the day by force.
8. hatred without a cause
Barney   (06.04.11)
While observant Jews are taught to be kind & tolerant to their fellow Jews who do not yet have an understanding of the Torah and the Torahgiver's demands on our lives, the seculars rage and foam at the mouth in blind hatred. And if you find yourself in between these two groups: traditional and somewhat observant then you'll feel really lost in Israel....
9. What is Israel?
Jarda ,   Czech Republic   (06.04.11)
Is it a religious or secular project? What's the base of your claim of ownership of the land?
10. Rabbis
RM ,   Eilat, Israel   (06.04.11)
Should NOT be paid out of public coffers. If a / the community wants one, then the community can fund one. Oh, I forgot. Most of the community's money also comes from public funds. Catch-22.
11. the people that hate rabbis are idiots!!!!
Ester   (06.04.11)
we should respect them all!!!
12. #5 multiple sects not just one
Dan ,   RG   (06.04.11)
The Haridim are a multiple of sub sects within Jewdism, not just a sect. Each sub-sect tries to be more 'observent' and then carries their understanding of Jewdism to further extrems. Were the Rabbis less observent 30 years ago when the Kotel had only a low divider between men and women?
13. #10 it is easy
Eric ,   Tel Aviv & NY   (06.04.11)
As you say both Publicly funded Rabbis and the communities they serve get money from the public coffers. But cutting one of them is not a catch 22. If the religious communities that get money from the state want to fund Rabbis out of what they get that is fine with the rest of us and cuts out one of the public expenses.
14. The money ALWAYS comes from the
Edithann ,   USA   (06.04.11)
American Taxpayer, no matter what you believe..... And it's incombent of you to never forget that one that one basic 'FACT'! There isn't a slice of bread or a settlement that hasn't been paid for with American Tax payer money under myriad of guises to con Israeli's and the world...but especially the American Tax Payer! tata
15. Rabbis are people too.
Nick Sporek ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (06.04.11)
16. ORTHODOXY........
ALAN ,   USA   (06.04.11)
ORTHODOX JUDAISM, TRADITIONAL JUDAISM OR WHATEVER WE CALL THIS STYLE OF JUDAISM, THEY WOULD CALL IT TRUE JUDAISM, IS NOT DEMOCRATIC!
17.  "Progressive" rabbis are the danger
Isel BRZEZINSKI ,   USA   (06.04.11)
A few months ago 400 "progressive" rabbis sighed a petition calling on Fox to fire Glenn Beck, a TV personality and the strongest advocate of Israel and the Jewish cause. They were paid by George Soros an atheist of Jewish origin who collaborated with the Nazi. These rabbis have very little to do with Judaism per se. Many got their title on the Internet and frequently reflect radical left rant. Organization such as Tikun Olam are rabid anti Zionists, anti Israel and supporters of J Street. They are the problem that Judaism has presently. Yes, Rabbis in the Orthodox and Conservative have to clean house, but the problem is young American rabbis. See Are Young Rabbis Turning on Israel? Daniel Gordis — June 2011 Commentary journal
18. Reform rabbis replace Judaism
I. Barr ,   Detroit   (06.04.11)
Reform rabbis transform Judaism into a radical Left enterprise. Under the banner of "Jewish humanity" they bunddle Arab and Jews together. Palestinians are the same victims as Israeli as if there were no homicide bombers, as if there is no Hamas Covenant. Seehttp://www.commentarymagazine.com/article/are-young-rabbis-turning-on-israel/
19. WHY DO THEY STILL DRESS LIKE THE SHTETL???
Andrew ,   Miami,FL   (06.04.11)
DONT LET THE GUYS IN THE BLACK HATS WIN - THEY SUCK !!
20. Haredim men need to work.
Rachel ,   US   (06.04.11)
21. It's not the Rabbis that should be hated its the free-mind's
tom ,   tel aviv   (06.04.11)
Enemy No1: RELIGION that deserves this emotion.Rabbis, just like the other purveyors of balatant nonsense& moronism: priests immams &"reverends" of every shade and colour deserve a resolute kick in the ass, so they'll crawl back into their dark and depressing caves of smelly superstition and continue to tremble out of fear of Light! PAT CONDELL's channel everybody (that loves Life& Earth and Heavens!!)
22. rabbis 'hated'--follow the money
moron ,   galut   (06.04.11)
in galut rabbis are paid by their followers-not by the state--therefore they serve needs more effectively
23. Jarda , Czech Republic
Ibrahim el Awal ,   Dearborn, Michigan   (06.04.11)
Read the Hebrew Bible if you know how to read.
24. you want to know Why the rabbis are hated?
Salma ,   Palestine   (06.04.11)
so easy...............Just Look at Them : (
25. #14, Edithan
Paul ,   Israel   (06.04.11)
Although Americans do donate a lot of private money to Israel, the American taxpayer's money comes to Israel via the American budget and usually funds a large part of the defence budget. All that is actually academic as the Rabbi's salaries are paid out of the Israeli budget - and THERE is the proverbial rub: the disproportionate power the ultra religious parties wield in Israel because of the voting system, distorts the budgetary - priorities much like a bribe paid to stay in power. Even if you Americans donate us money, do NOT presume to be so arrogant as to tell us how to put it to best use. If that same money were to be paid to redress the crisis in the health system for doctors, or for the fire brigade, Israel's society as a whole would be more equitable and stable. Just like Jewish communities in the rest of the world finance the salaries of their rabbis, so it should be here. Only a very few, who should be civil servants should be drawing a salary from the budget. What happens here is that the cat is guarding the cream - the religious communities decide for themselves on the number of rabbis for this city or that neighborhood and so on - and then demand not only that the State pays their salaries, but they want every one to be paid the same salary as the MD of a government office. THAT is why they are thought to be corrupt and hated.
26. #9 Almighty G-D Gave Ownership of Israel to Jews as an
Linda Rivera ,   New York, USA   (06.04.11)
everlasting possession thousands of years ago. Read the Bible! G-D's Word is eternal and NEVER changes! Who will dare to be so arrogant and despise our Awesome, Glorious G-D by attempting to give away, take or steal, any of the Land given by G-D to Jews?
27. Sci fi time warp
C McCoy ,   Canada   (06.04.11)
When I was a lot younger I used to read some sci fi for fun; then eventually it overpowered me, the science became too much for my hi school only, no sci courses at uni self. One of the things I really used to get into was idea of time warp, alternate time lines theme. Now, these people clearly are time warped. They are carrying on like it is the 1700's; have made no real changes since then. Now it's a bit ironic when you think there was a time when Hasidism represented in Poland a rebellion against the corrupt establishment; a brand new idealistic movement. Perhaps it's time for someone to star them in a sci fi novel. Or launch a counter revolutionary movement; an uptodate Haredi, is that an oxymoron? Sad to say, probably so.
28. Why rabbis are hated?
Bemused   (06.04.11)
Rabbis are hated by many because they cause constant strife amongst the Klal Yisrael by destroying the unity of mind of the Jewish people through their endless fanatic/sexist/racist sectarian pronouncements. In essence, rabbis are tearing apart the bonds that link the Jewish folk. These rabbis conveniently forget the well-known talmudic aphorism "Echad hamarbeh, veechad hamammit, hakol shaveh" that is...more religiousness or less religiousness, the end result is the same because it is only the meritorious deeds that count. The foremost meritorious deed being "Veahavta lereach'a kamoch'a"... Love thy Neighbor as Thyself! Internal peace within Israel and throughout the Diaspora will only come when the rabbis stop trying to control people's lives.
29. #23
Jarda ,   Czech Republic   (06.04.11)
OK. And does your god agree with murders and expulsion of people from their homes?
30. Whu Rabbis are hated
Harold ,   USA   (06.04.11)
They are hated because their main goal is money and not religion. Go to 47th street and Avenue of the Americas in New York City you'll see the area is made of Rabbis buying and selling Gold, Silver, Pearls, Diamonds and all precious items. They cheat and steal the needy every single day and then they confess their sins once a year called Yom Kapur.
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