Williamburgh and Brooklyn are not home. The villages of Poland and Russia are home. They should go back to the Pale. Spiritually that is where they live, so why not physically as well.

on the sidewalk anytime. BTW I definitely don't hate haredim. I am appalled at the antics of some in that community - and as a gay person I resent not being able to peaceably assemble in my own capital city - outside of any religious neighborhood or holy site. Its coersion I hate.

Community". I noticed you look for provocotive news to cause flare ups. Its no secret your Immoral articles are nothing but a way for you to run from your guilt . But you keep adding and adding your immorality. SHAME ON YOU!!!!!

do these men have no self control they are arosed so easy they must remove themselves from the women ?

How can anybody be that screwed up? These guys remind me of Islamists;)

Andy ain't gonna walk on your side o'the sidewalk, he'd prefer the other side I think. And I was right, as I said in #24 all the jew haters and jew bashers are coming out of the woodwork on this one. Just listen to 'em all...

maybe a good idea for you , not for me . It would be a unnecessairy provocation , and i'm against this behaviour . What will you win ? This separation is in a very orthodox neighborhood , only such people live there . No normal person wants even to come there . If those women accept this , this is their problem . In their view women ABIDE to their husbands WILL , and this says enough .

You are right . It's mostly their and their womens problem . Have you seen this what a charidi women said : The basis of Judaism is that the women abide by their husbands will . Do you agree ? It's of course again their problem , but it hurts me , such a submission . Fine you can walk with a man on the same sidewalk . Have a fine week

That's what I would do - ssing at the top of my voice (they forbidden to hear a woman singing). Or - better yet - a big group of women - arm in arm - to walk down the 'men's sidewalk' together! LOL That'll push them out of the way! But this isn't really a laughing matter. These people are going to start a culture war. Beit Shemesh is not their personal gated community!! And they will drive more people away from Judaism with their ridiculous behaviour!

Guess what folks? Sidewalks are built from taxpayer revenues and to put up religious signs or force people to walk on one sidewalk instead of another is illegal. Perhaps religious men could walk with their heads down. That way we do not have to see them and they certainly do not have to see us. Where is the "Human Rights Commission" anyway?

K I S S I N G.

Hi there ! Love this conversation I read that thing in which the hareidi woman stated that doing her husband's WILL was a major form of religious service- my opinion? SAD Non religious people tend to mishmash between important definitions 1- jewish law (torah and rabbinical) 2- tradition 3-"trends" each, with descending level of abidence Mind you , i'm no expert. so far as i know, being submissive to a husband falls under 3 *at best* or 2 may be for sephardim. There is a jewish law that actually says the opposite - After G-d instructed Abraham Avinu "to do as everything his wife told him to" ; and since then, that instruction of Adam "lording" over Eve became abolished :-). Kind of more complex, but put simply. Therefore this submissivness does not apply to me , no matter what. Bossing around a man or woman is not my style either. Sad it's such a strong trend in some circles

"Do not become righteous overmuch, nor show yourself excessively wise, why should you cause desolation to yourself. Do not be wicked overmuch, nor become foolish. Why should you die when it is not your time? It is better you take hold of the one ,but from the other also do not withdraw your hand , for he that fears God will go forth with them all.'

There's no reason to insult penguins! These are dinosaurs, of course no reason to insult them either. This is one reason I have no desire to make aliyah.

outragious,seperate sidewalks for men &women, it reminds me of a dark period in American history when they had seperate dining,bathrooms and the african americans couldn't walk on the side walksin the south. I thought that Israel was supposed to e a light unto the world,it clearly is not if it allows this sort of behaivor. This is degrading to women,if the ultra orthodox are so afraid of women let them live in their synagogue and not venture out fom it at all! Who are they to subugate women and treat them like second class citizens.

A woman wouldn't have to worry so much about her husband cheating with another woman in this kind of society, cause the men go to great lengths to be careful of what they see and what they think so in a way it's kind of cool.

We must not forget that there are decent chareidi areas and families, to whom all this is abhorrent too. There's a chareidi kehilla to the north of Natanya, and they are amazing people. The first Rabbi of Zans built the Laniado Hospital, and the kehilla there is warm, welcoming, hospitable and friendly. In other words a 'Kiddush Hashem'. Many do miluim, and many serve the local kehilla of Netanya in hitnadvut. This nouveau, headline-seeking nonsense wouldn't be seen there. We, who don't want to be categorized, should not do this to others, just because they are more stringent that we are, with many mitzvot. Interestingly, most people are irritated by someone keeping a level a little stricter than their own. They're immediately 'fanatic'., whereas, 'I' am 'normal'.

When the protested the gay parade, they said go have it elsewhere, just not in the holy city. But if you give them a little freedom, they spread and now they're trying to take over Beit Shemesh (and have been for a few years.) Since they are the fastest multiplying sect of the Jewish population in Israel, it probably won't be long before they start swarming Tel Aviv - unless the secular public does something to remind them that, hey, we're not going to put up with this.

what is next ? Do they OWN Beit Shemesh ? This country wikll not know any peace until religion and the public affairs are separated. Segregation is a sign of upcoming obscurantism...Pretty soon, non religious people will not be allowed to walk on ANY sidewalks....Does not this ring a bell and recall some unpleasant memories of other times and places where Jews were being segregated by " the masters" ? Finally, why dont we get along with Islamists ? our "religious folks , on a mission from God are finally pursuing the same goals ! Let's stone some women and hang some homosexuals , just like in Iran ! Disgusting, sad, revolting. And the worse part is that year after year , the support of these dicators of the mind is needed by ALL governments ! We are not a democracy...we are a theocracy !

Ynet don't MAKE the news, they report it, as any newspaper should. And even if they didn't report it, it doesn't mean it didn't happen. Is it because you would prefer no-one to know? is it because you simply don't want to deal with these animals? Are you one of them? Monsters live in the dark.

And gloves, should the view of a female hand invite rampant lust. These people are insane.

All this hate in the article and in the talkbacks should be directed against those who truely make our lives a living h-ll here in Israel. After all, the charedi don't kidnap and rape Jewish girls from the streets of Carmiel, stab Jews in the parks of Jerusalem, steal livestock from kibbutzim and moshavim, rock busses in Jerusalem, fire rockets into Israel...

dream come true! ha ha ha! What lunatics! The very thing they fear they create.

It was actually a tongue-in-cheek comment when I referred to Williamsburgh as the "ancestral homeland." Of course, you're quite right that these people were originally from countries like Poland and Russia. But, the truth is, if I were an Israeli, as long as they all got the hell out of Israel, I probably wouldn't much care where they went.

One of the worst enemys of the Jewish people is the rabbinate. It is all a power play for power and money. The rabbinate is one of the most corrupt institutions in the world - let alone Israel. The rabbis should only be allowed to sit and study, not have control over people's lives. Israel suffered the same thing during the time of the Second Temple when the priesthood was totally corrupt. The same situation with a slightly different dressing.

Fine to hear that you are not such a submissive woman . I appreciate . There are other such charidi places here , i do not think they would accept me there . A non religious would never want to live in such a neighborhood [ if accepted !] nor even a Kipa wearing one .

How long ago was it that the world saw the taliban using there whips on their women. What's next!

This is not a problem at all. Not being allowed to be on the sidewalk, they simply drive the car.