Instead of wasting valuable space attacking Torah observant Jews, why not speak about the wonderful charity work they do, not to mention their social consciousness, good deeds, communal welfare and human kindness they display to everyone who comes into contact with them. There's a wealth of well-established, nationwide ultra orthodox organizations that are always at everyone's disposal, regardless of their religious background. But don't expect the bitter self hating sourpuss who wrote this crap to acknowledge any of what I mentioned above - after all, why confuse his readers with the FACTS!!!

These people chose to be poor by being uneducated in any way that would allow them to hold a regular job, and by deliberately have more children than they can affiord to feed, never mind provide with extras. If they chose poverty, who am I to say they shouldn't be poor?

Why is a sector that does not contribute anything to the country (except of course studying Torah), entitled to so much of it's funds?? This is not "Jew Bashing" or anything of the sort, so stop your ridiculous comments. It is about realizing that Torah study cannot take presedence over providing for a family with a real job. Or for that matter, realizing that yeshiva boys already have it good enough and that if there is a bit of "dmei chanukah" to hand out in Israel(which I'm sure there isn't) it should go to those defending her..... I think when Hashem said "be fruitful and multiply" he meant "only if you can provide for them"....Just a bit of reading between the lines... Peace

First I will say I am not a believer in lifetime Kollel. I work full time and learn at nights and certainly believe that most observant Jews should do the same. Lets not kid ourselves universities are the secular parallel to Kollels. Professors or gay studies or ancient literature are not contributing to the providing families with a real job. They are being supported by the government to learn their field of study just as a Kollel student is. Very little taught at University is useful at a job. A Jewish state however does have a bit more use for Jews who know Torah than they have Jews who are experts in ancient Greek literature. Happy Channuka

Sorry anti-semitic Cheredi bashing doesn't work in English! It always amazed me how secular Jews in Israel have this irrational hatred for the Ultra-Orthodox. When you compare how much University students get in help compared to how much yeshiva students do you will find that the University student gets ten times (%1,000 more gov't help than the yeshiva students. And many Heridim Do work!! And guess what many don't have such long noses either! Tzvi Binn

rubble of stolen Jewish homes in Gaza. Better 41 million on your own people than 100 million on terrorist scum.

This news paper posts it's policy for talkback and i quote"Responses including incitement,slander and inapropriate language deemed to violate our terms of use won't be published.It is hard to understand how this article isn't in violation of every condition stated. Isn't it slanderous to defame the Torah and those who study it as a waste of time.The true "goyim" have respect and appreciation for it's enormous value to civilazation.Isn't it inciteful and inapropriate language to call this "strangulation gelt" ,insinuating it was an act of robbery and theivery from the disadvantaged and poor citizens.The language of "bilking the public purse for 50 years'is not only libel but incitement.It is truly a shame that this ever was printed

If they went and got a job to support their famlies and served in the IDF like the rest of us they might get some respect. Until they do they are just leeching of the rest of us. What good does their stupid Torah do for us ???? Thousands living below the poverty line and we are supposed to thank them ??? Pleeeeeeeeeeeese .

Hey secular sabra there “:stupid torah” is the whole reason for the existence of your state of Israel. Any case like I said before its because of people with anti Semitic attitudes like you espouse I refuse to visit Israel I would rather stay with the Christians of America and the uk who respect the torah then be with the people of Israel who hate it. The naturai karta were right, the state of Israel is a danger to torah.

this article is written by a blatant self hating jew. let me as an american jew answer this authors questions: 1. why should the state give money to yeshiva students? THis is not an economic issue. This is a religious issue. The state of Israel is a Jewish State, like it or not. Except the tax and shut up. 2. why channukah? Thats the holiday we give gelt, idiot. It makes perfect sense from a religoious standpoint. again, this is not an economic issue, this is about supporting a religious way of life. 3. You are a young naive idiot, its clear from your writing. If you dont like that you have to give money to support a Jewish Cause, leave Israel. Come to America, you'll fit in with the far left in this country. idiot

Imagine a muslim calling his Koran a 'stupid koran' or a christian referring to their book as a 'stupid new testament'. Yet we always have these STUPID ignorant Israelis maligning their own holy book. Someone should inform mr. SABRA that the Bible is our real estate deed to this land. Even the secular former PM of Israel Ben Gurion realized that when he held up a tanach to prove our connection to this country. I feel so much comfort knowing his anti religious shinui party will drop to just 5 seats - there is a God after all : )

Dumb ignoramuses like secular sabra and the writer of this racist article take great pleasure in demonizing traditional jews. It gives them a reason to wake up in the morning. Wouldn't it be great to stick it to them by actually moving here (as I did) and trying to make a difference from within the system? Nothing irritates these haters more than seeing new immigrants who are idealistic and orthodox, it terrifies them beyond belief...the time for change has come. And fortunately more and more jews in Israel are moving closer to their roots.

MY SON WAS IN THE ARMY I KNOW MOST OF THE RELIGIOUS DONT SERVE BUT THE ONES THAT DO DONT HAVE IT EASY . MY SON WAS IN NACHEL HAREDE AND MOST OF THE BOYS WERE DISSOWNED BY THEIR PARENTS , CLOTHES TOREN SEVAH THE WHOLE SHEBANG JUST BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO SERVE G-D HELP THEM. MY SON WOULD COME HOME WITH PILES OF WASHING AND TWO OR MORE FRIENDS AT WEEKEND OFF, I LOST MOST OF THE LITTLE RESPECT I HAD FOR RELIGIOUS JEWS I KNOW ITS NOT ALL OF THEM BUT IF ANY BODY WANTS TO HELP INVITE THEM FOR THE HAGGIM OR BREAKS AT THE SHABBIS MAY BE YOU WOULD FEEL THE SADNESS I FELT AND IF I COULD SMACK THEIR PARENTS AROUND I PROBABLY WOULD BUT IVE BEEN TOLD IM TO EMOTIONAL AND BY THE WAY IM SURE THE FACTS IN THIS ARTICAL ARE TRUE IF NOT SUE SO WHAT DOSE THAT SAY ABOUT THE READERS THAT CALL THE WRITER A JEW BASHER HAVE YOU LOOKED INTO THE FACTS .PROVE HIM WRONG ................IF YOU CAN

While I agree that the system is wrong, you have to realize that most hareidim are very poor. Some figure suggest 85% live under the poverty line. Some extra cash is always welcome. It is a fallacy to believe the yeshive bochrim live like kings. On the other hand, it is time for a change of the system with educational bonuses and a gradual limit of state funding, say in a 10 year plan, to reduce 60% of the funding. This will tell the chareidim that they need to change their mindset and look to combine Torah study with work, while at the same time giving them ample time to change what for them is the only way of life they know.

I feel the same way about all fundamentalists, I don't discriminate. America is bowing down to Christian fundamentalists, but one thing one can say about those fundamentalists is they have a Protestant work ethic. Also, America's tough laws on welfare and ADC prevent this kind of highway robbery. And as for BG, he should have followed Ataturk's example, and not been swayed by semtimentality.

One shouldn't forget that they freely chose poverty for themselves and their children. There's no way getting away from that.

The Ulra Orthodox hurt YOUR image? I would laugh if I weren't feeling so embarrassed for you. YOU should be ashamed! You're speaking like the secular Jews in WWII who thought they would be safe since they were more German than Jew. We know how the story ended, don't we? Dr Rudolph Kastner was embarraased by religious Jews too...

You talk about all the wasted $$ going to the religious. I don't hear any argument about giving money to Palestinians who have more than one wife and dozens of children who are on the dole who want to destroy Israel! At least the religious are soft for their fellow Jew and are praying for your t'shuva and not plotting your death! But you "multicultural" types would overlook that little fact. You embrace all of humanity except your own Jewish brothers and sisters...

haredim don't fight for anything and always have their hand out for something.

You only have to replace the word "Haredim" with "Jews" to see how anti semitic such a statement is. So lets see now, in other words: ('Jews' don't fight for anything and always have their hand out for something). This shows that many of the stereotypes used by the nazis against Jews have been translated into hebrew and employed to delegitimize the Haredi (religious) public by the Israeli left. Haredim are dehumanized every day, portrayed as an undifferentiated mass of black. In Josef Goebbels' propaganda films images of Hasidim dissolved into images of running rats, and today, in Israel, Haredim are once again portrayed as subhuman beasts, breeding like insects. Or as blood sucking parasites who live off the state's coffers.