That's far too delicate a way of putting it! I would say more like PRISON for those media outlets who are spreading poison about such a massive sector of the population just to fill their pockets!!

The Haredim should realize that the attacks against them were not personal. They were all part of Lapid's election campaign.

Start we weeding out all the sex offenders, rioters biggots unemployed thugs army dodgers Welfare parasites Women attackers Child abusers, the list is endless

there is a quote "a nation is not only what it does but what it tolerates." My personal experience with many Haredim has been on the whole good. There was one in particular who was vicious and nasty. His actions are ignored, not talked about, or excused. By definition this is tolerance. The Haredi community needs to clean closet. So does the secular community. So do the Moroccans, so do the Ethiopians, so do the Ashkenazim. And only the community can do it. No one will take Moroccans who patronize Ashkenazim seriously, neither do Haredim take secularists seriously. And I wanted to join Free Israel and so on. But I read their platform. These morons (and Or party too) are just caricatures with rhetoric as thin as paper and repetitively stupid. You cannot separate religion from the state. That is like separating ideology from politics. And yes the Haredim have "too many" kids. Ok so? Why does the tax payer need to pay for that? And where is the pressure on Labor, Kadima, and Likud to join together in order to stop waste on populist laws like "law of families blessed with way too many kids" personal choices should not be the burden on the society. And if anything should be separated its charity and state. Yes, stop confusing charity with party ideology.

Are we looking to rationalize the violence, perpetrated by the religious sector? Are these articles designed to gain acceptance for violence? Are we to then not just accept, but actually agree that little Naama deserved to be assaulted? Rather than looking for ways to divert attention from an assault on a little girl, and from purposely humiliating woman, the religious sector should be make an all-out-effort to repair the damage that has been done, and clearly show how and why this will NEVER happen again!

I have no problem with hareidim having separate buses. If they want to start their own bus system and pay for it, then go ahead. I have a right as an Israeli citizen to walk on a public sidewalk and take the buses without having someone shout or spit at me to go to the back of the bus. Bullying and violence have become endemic by segments of the hareidi community and I am paying for the privilege of it. It didn't start with Beit Orot.

... but for those hypocrits who pretend they are not even able to see a woman without feeling guilty about something, so that they have to send them to the back of the bus. The law decided that no one could force a woman to go to the back of a public bus. The Haredis have to respect the law and admit that they don't make them in Israel. If they want to do that, they'll have to get elected to the Knesset first.

Grant, for the sake of argument, that attacks on all Haredim because of the actions of a few are regrettable. The question these editors might ask is why such attacks resonate so strongly in the secular and non-Haredi religious populations. The answers vary, but settle around the perceived sense of moral superiority expressed by the Haredim, which is easily and effectively attacked on the basis of Haredi exclusion of women. Here, the non-Haredi population senses, accurately, I think, that the Haredi position is much less moral than the non-Haredi position, and this is being generalized into a general position that the Haredim are not particularly moral. Because Haredi morality and religiosity are the basis on which the general population grants the Haredim draft exemptions, support for yeshivot, and family allowances, all these benefits are now resented even more and demands are growing (rapidly) that they be withdrawn. I should suggest to the Haredi population that it yield, gracefully, on the question of women's segregation, even if the Haredi women desire it, so that this segregation stops in all public areas.

The crazy ones are people like me who tolerate a huge population of haredim who live off the taxes that I pay, aren't willing to go in the army and then try to control how I live my life.

If the haredim need the segregation then at least let the women sit in the front. Less confrontation this way since women will not pass an empty seat in the front to go to sit with the men in the rear. If a man wants to sit in the front with the women, most wont complain since it is mostly the men that have issues.

I'll take you at your word that you're a woman, that you live in Israel and that you're not chareidi. Having said that, you are most likely from the insidious group of Datiim that want nothing more than to be loved and wanted by chareidim. Newsflash - ain't gonna happen. Ever. While these editiors may condemn their moronic coreligionists in Ramat Beit Shemesh, their leadership has failed to do that. The reason? Because the Ramat Beit Shemesh morons are in fact at the frontlines of what the larger chareidi community hopes to accomplish.

demogogues such as yair lapid are using blind hatred of the religious to gain power.

Adults have a right to live their own lifestyle and to raise their children within that lifestyle. They should not be allowed to deny to their children the intellectual skills and tools necessary to make their own choice of lifestyle when they acheive adulthood. A core curriculum must be therefore followed in all schools. If all an 18 year old knows is how to study talmud his options are severely limited and he is tied for life to his parents lifestyle.

The haredim can believe in stones if they want as long as they dont throw them to me, I think that to impose their way on others is wrong I can respect them, but I dont share their actions if they go and riot in the mamila parking lot issue, cars are everywhere in the old city why mamila? and to throw stones..., or shout shabbes on every cafe or company like intel just for being different to them. Or more recently shout at a women for not sitting where they want, being a public bus.

But are just a little off-centre. The episode with 'Little Naama' as you call her occurred in September. The matter was put right by apologies from the Orthodox community and by calling in a secular expert to help rebuild the bridges. The story came to light in December. Can you explain that? Can you explain the fact that Little Naama's Dad is nowhere to be seen? Can you explain the fact that at the forefront of this offensive are radical left-wing women's groups, with whom Little Naama's mum appears to be working hand-in-glove? Methinks you have bought into an orchestrated media campaign, rather than bothering to find out the truth.

try reading what the haredim- particularly the women - have to say about this issue before posting an opinion

interest to have lots of children ,in order to have a Jewish majority in Israel.

Secular and Haredi should both show tolerance to each other.Haredi should not impose their values on others neither should secular insist on destroying 3500 years of tradition for the sake of "Lassez Faire ".

"perceived sense of moral superiority expressed by the Haredim," For the most part Hardim dont speak to non-hardim, so who perceives what the Hardim are supposed to express to people they dont talk to? The perception is on the part of the NON-Hardim. The Hardim are Jewish, and others who do not keep the faith but still call themselves Jews, intrinsically know there is a gap and rather than do something about that gap, and become comfortable with their own level of faith, they blame the Haradim, for showing them how shallow these non-Jews are - Just a thought, for arguments sake. You know - nothing personal.

Because the haredim were having their own busses, the public bus company realized they were going to lose clients so'' they'' came up with the idea of adding to the regular line, another bus were hare I men, and yes women, can feel comfortable that even when riding a bus their religious sensitivities won't be compromised. The missinformation coming from the media reached you and your conclusion is warped accordingly.

Women, immigrants, blacks, ladinos, and even the freedom of the country. If such a thing really exists. Worse their nad judgement devestates lives and manipulates oppression for their own gain. How "learned" men cannot see that the separation of women is about oppressing the male follower, I can't say. An oppressed follower is far more likely to loose Torah than a free one. Let them cry for their aggression. Let my people go included the women.

How does your chronological juggling diminish an assault on a little girl? What effect, does parental absence have on the ethics of spitting on women? When does political affiliation negate child abuse? But, at least one of your points is valid! I am off center; a proud, left leaning Jew.

There will be a civil war and the religious will lose. When they capitulate, it will be the first day of Israeli true independence. The past years were just a buildup.

What is new, when Deri was arrested in the 90's and found guilty and was guilty, his followers still said he was innocent. The Bible says, beware those who call good evil and evil good. These people are more into trying to look pious then following the 10 commandments. There seems to be no love of the Lord in their lives and they believe they are right no matter what they are doing even when it is clearly against the Word of God. They need to leave the Talmud on the shelf and start reading and studying the Word. Such passages in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Leviticus about loving thy neighbour.

Seculars on average have too few children, too many divorces and in the U.S., 55% intermarriage. Although the effective treatment is what this separation is about, it can get overdosed, however, it does not invalidate the treatment. The men will sit in the back when the seats face backwards. It's the idea of men looking at women that is the issue, not vice versa. Harold does not understand this, nor the valid reasons for inhibiting behavior triggers that can destroy families. Secularism is about ME, while Judaism is about WE.

It's gratifying to read that mainstream Haredim condemn the persecution of an eight-year-old girl as extremist. But I would take greater joy in having Haredi leaders ferret out the malefactors and turn their names over to the authorities. I hope that in no place or time is someone pinning a medal on these loonies and calling them heroes.

A 'controlled' press is the what the ULTRA's want so that they control their media and control what is left of their congregation's stultified minds. It's a pity they don't understand or RESPECT other's freedom of thought, freedom of speech and the absolute EQUALITY, under the STATE OF ISRAEL law, OF ALL persons...men women jews arabs... shame on them and their control...