Completely brainwashed people, too sad.

why don't you go back to Poland and build new guettos there? Be happy!

you, it all depends on the USER.

I would laugh if it weren't so scary.

"Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky says it is forbidden to own smartphone, and those who already have one must burn theirs." I am glad that I am not part of a culture where I can't use critical judgment and common sense to decide how to live my life, without following the orders of rabbis who are accountable to no one, and who are still living in the 18th century. The Haredi culture and way of life should be sufficiently confident that followers can withstand the influences of the outside world without needing orders from their rabbis to burn their smartphones.

There must be those who still favor sanity in Israel, not?

that it cannot withstand the influence of the outside world? Most all of the non-haredi children grow up just fine with a strong value system taught by their parents and teachers. Why do the haredi lack confidence in the values taught by haredi parents and teachers, requiring isolation from the outside world?

if they are so troubled by the phones dont buy one...if you already own one and need to get rid of it to satisfy your religious beliefs then donate them to the less fortunate. i agree with all the statements above but i believe bunnie said it best a regular kitchen knife could be used for murder but it could also be used to dice vegetables. any object anywhere could be used for good reasons or for less favorable ones just depends on the user :)

I think the Haredi rabbis have gone too far. We must understand that "Haredi" means fearful ones. They seem to be fearful of transgressing certain Torah injunctions as they interpret them. There main fear seems to be having licentious thoughts. They do rely on the integrity of their followers to avoid this pitfall. So in order to prevent having such thoughts they make women cover up, avoid seeing images of women and as the internet contains among many other things women in all kinds of poses they wish to destroy owing any thing whee a women image can be found. The general public must understand that are cult and nor ultra-orthodox Jews.

If those "sages" want to hold their followers in the dark ages period , why should we be upset ? We know it already , religious "leaders" always wanted to retard the evolution of mankind , or , as Marx said : religions are the opium of the masses .

were not such a rapidly growing portion of the population, I would agree. However, it's a serious issue - given the haredi culture where the children are not educated in secular subjects, where women are significantly marginalized, where many men do not work or serve in the military and receive welfare payments from the government. In a generation or so, given the significant portion on the population that will be haredi, Israel will no longer to defend itself, nor be able to afford the rapidly growing welfare payments to this segment of the population.

The Haredim get way too much money in welfare payments and it slows the entire country. Look at the fading educational system, for instance. Or the money that is needed for hospitals and housing, or for infrastructure improvements like water desalination. In the future, hordes of young Haredim will be doing hazara ba'sheela, I have absolutely no doubt about that. The only thing that is needed is to reduce their welfare checks NOW.

I enjoy having access to all this knowledge in computer systems, but I also see that all thoughts, ideas, religions, reasoning, etc. is all in this "tree of knowledge". It does effect the minde of men/women. And the power of control is great! You can use your credit card and the system has your number, your history, everything. Now, they can cater to your every want and desire on the net. It's already happening. Facebook has facial recognition! Stores camera's. Make a purchase, via credit number and the link is gathered your your whimes. The world will give it to you. Just let go of the belief in a soverin creator and your in! Wake up! Machines are not bad, it's the people who's mindes influence them! Burning iphones won't make them go away! Truth will cause people to think and watch! Wake up and watch! Don't be a sleeping consumer! Adam and Eve had no warnings of knowledge temptation. We do!!!! Watch and be wise!i

Those of us who know Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky and his dear late Rebbetzen and his beloved late father the Steipler Gaon, understand that he is a genuine guide for those of recent generations. The entire traditional Jewish world turns to him as we did to his father-in-law Rav Elyashiv ztl. If posters only knew enough to understand whom they are ridiculing!

This rabbi is not the rabbi off ALL the charedim , only his most fanatic followers are concerned . Do you think that there are NO charedi PC users ? One of the talk backers here is a charedi woman . There are charedi people who begin to see that NOT educating themselve in secular matters is wrong . You're right of course that to many charedim are a burden on Israeli society , lets hope that they will also become 21st century people , not retarded ones .

it was just a joke, don't you see? Jewish humour..

Nobody is going to be attacked if they don't burn their smartphone and nobody but the individuals who get rid of their smartphone are affected so if they CHOOSE to listen to the calls from their Rebbe to burn the phones then thats up to them and isn't anybody elses business.

but I recall the same arguments about TV growing up.

We don't know who you are anyway. And it's okay to date yourself, that is, if there is no one else around to date.

The devious aspects of manipulating people, spying on them, tracking them, controlling their thoughts, and making stupid drones out of free thinking human beings is a danger to any religion. The smartphone can do all this and religion doesn't like the competition.