Jewish Scene
Mea Shearim moves to Beit Shemesh
Chaim Levinson
Published: 05.07.07, 16:34
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1. THE ONLY LANGUAGE POLICE UNDERSTAND
BILL HANDEL ,   BROOKLYN, USA   (07.05.07)
THERE ARE NO "GAY/HOMOSEXUAL/LESBIAN PARADES" IN BEIT SHEMESH. COULD IT BE THAT THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP SUCH DESECRATIONS? THE "NICE" PEOPLE OF JERUSALEM FAILED.
2. The ultra Orthodox discrace haShem!
Shiloh   (07.05.07)
Everyday, between the corrupt leaders to the disgusting behaviour of the ultra-Orthodox is taking us further down the path to total destruction. Did we not hit this level once before in history. We need to be saved from ourselves sooner then later. G-d help us.
3. thugs
Michael ,   Haifa   (07.05.07)
What a bunch of thugs...they use threats and violence, but if the police are called in to restore order, they are branded as "Nazis" by the haredim, who then claim to be victims of a pogrom
4. Terrorists
Sagi ,   Israel   (07.05.07)
who sport beards and wear clown suits should be treated exactly like their Hamas and Fatah counterparts. The Police and Shabak should handle them, bring them to trial and justice should be done, a long jail sentence. I say again, there is no difference between external terrorists and internal internal ones. They both have declared policies of destruction of the Jewish State or "Zionist Entity". How sad.
5. charedim you should be ashamed
Cheryl ,   Baltimore Maryland   (07.05.07)
you should be ashamed of yourselves because hashem is ashamed of you right now and i am modern orthodox from monsey you are all nuts.
6. WRONG PLACE, ALL THAT GOES ON IS IN RAMAT BEIT SHEMESH ALEF
Uzi ,   Beit Shemesh   (07.05.07)
ALL THIS BALAGAN HAPPENS IN RAMAT BEIT SHEMESH ALEF AND NOT IN BEIT SHEMESH
7. Is that my hair falling out??
hanina   (07.05.07)
my shattered nerves could not hold up under such stress. There's enough daily stress of nonsense to put up with anything more ridiculous than here.
8. If this is true then these types of Haredim forgot the Torah
BUSH ,   USA   (07.05.07)
9. You got your facts wrong.
jewish mother ,   jerusalem   (07.05.07)
One wonders how a writer gets so many facts wrong and can still consider themselves capable of presenting a story. True, the riots in Ramat Bet Shemesh Bet have been distruptive and dangerous, but you get so many things wrong that you begin to ask how much of the story is actually right? There is NO segregated sidewalk in RBS Bet. the stores are crowded and popular and full of produce. In fact, one of them offers internet ordering and is very popular with Anglo Haredim. The Stats are totally wrong as well. Only about 300 families from the Hassidish sects mentioned in the article actually live there. The rest are Litvish and most Haredim in the City are working educated Anglos. Sorry to pop your bubble, but since when did this paper care about reasonable reporting when it comes to the Haredim. I am NOT justifying their actions, just trying to soften your "one rotten apple" approach to the religious world. Try using the same language for Haredi riots as you use so delicately to report Arab disturbances.
10. Bill the Idiot
Caryn ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (07.05.07)
Or, Bill, perhaps it's because Beit Shemesh has a significantly smaller population than Jerusalem (91% smaller, according to Wikipedia: 68,400 v. 732,100) whose age and religious demographics differ from those of Jerusalemites. Furthermore, the city is small enough that there aren't demonstrations there to begin with (unless it's the Charedim with their overbearing, patriarchal mishegas), while its paucity of cultural and academic institutions ensure that few non-Charedi college-age Israelis (e.g., the types of people who participate in gay pride parades) reside in the area.
11. haredim in beit shemesh
catherine garson ,   Paris France   (07.05.07)
I am orthodox and I have "normal" orthodox friends living in Beit Shemesh. They, also, can't stand what is happening there because their kids and wifes too are threatened by the same meshugaim you wrote about. They spat on a woman I know (to this day she does not not why) and forced the husband of another (a hassid) to put a sign forbiding "immodest women" to enter his business. In the begining he resisted but, in the end, had to accept to be able to have a parnassah. I, also,know that some american orthodoxes demonstrated against the extremists when they threatened a pizza parlor. But, as usual, those fanatics win because they are more "motivated" than ordinary peole that simply want to get on with their lives. Too bad and a 'hilul hashem
12. Out of curiosity, whatever happened to an eye for an eye?
sk ,   USA   (07.05.07)
Go in large and well muscled groups, maybe pack some heat, beat some of the clown suited ones up, ridicule them in public, break into the businesses owned by these criminals, and so on. Make sure to do this at least occasionally on the Sabbath. If there is no reciprocity of violence, they'll just keep escalating.
13. haredim
(07.05.07)
It sounds like Gaza. They should be treated like the terrorists they are.
14. The demographics speak for themselves..
Al   (07.05.07)
Secular Zionism has died and gone to hell. The only Jews who will survive in Israel will be the religious. All the other nice cool people will either die or emigrate. For those who think I'm kidding read history.
15. #1 BILL YOU MUST ASK MY PERMISSION TO USE CAPS,
THAT IS MY SIGNATURE ,   ..............DACON9   (07.05.07)
16. Oh Caryn: Homosexuals are more intelligent?
bill handel ,   brooklyn, usa   (07.05.07)
To Caryn (No. 10): Now I get it. If only there would be more College-Educated, INTELLIGENT people in Beit Shemesh, they, too, would have a progressive GayPride Parade. It is only due to their ignorance and stupidity that they don't appreciate the wonderful world of sexual perversion, as you do!
17.  To jewish mother
Another Imma ,   Israel   (07.05.07)
If you read ivrit try to go the hebrew article on this subject matter. It was printed a couple of days ago. You'll recognize it by the little picture of newspaper headings, common to both articles. Read #106 from a chareidi lady who lives there. It doesn't seem 'planted' to me. Hopefully it won't to you either. I'm sure it's just a vile handful of these thugs, as usual, causing the chillul H', as they do/did in the Europe disgrace. I feel sorry for the hundreds of decent chareidi families there. The hot weather always gets these hoodlums going, every single year. Just wait for their antics in the 'Nine Days'. I'm grateful that where we live, a mixed religious district, borders on a quality chareidi community, also with a Shefa Shuk, but without the low life element and hooliganism that #106 mentions.
18. This article stinks of leftist propoganda.
LEE ,   NY, USA   (07.05.07)
19. To Uzi, #6
Reuven ,   RBS Alef, Israel   (07.05.07)
All this balagan is NOT happening in RBSA! It's only in RBSB by a minority of nuts! We in RBSA are just as ticked off as you are.
20. Jewish Hamas
David ,   Yerushalayim   (07.05.07)
Are they getting financial support from Iran? Maybe they brought money back with them from the anti-Holocaust conference.
21. Wrong Sagi
BUSH ,   USA   (07.05.07)
They are obviously a minority. Noone will believe that all haredim do such acts. In america it's unheard of by Haredim. I also will not believe it's coming from the sephardic community there. I don't know what origin you come from but all the crap going on in Israel now was going on in pre-war Europe. Both sides are wrong in this silly fight. Shinui is just as bad as the NK. Both are not the Torah way. But never should one treat a brother like one treats a bad neighbor. 2 wrongs don't make a right. Everyone is in this fight together because we get dragged in either by the media who like to generalize large groups or by them themselves. America and Jews worldwide see the immaturity on both sides. There is 2 to every fight. We should just be careful not to take any sides because both are wrong. So what you are saying is provoking another fight and causing a bigger gap.
22. Jewish Mother (#9) - ABSOLUTELY!!
ETTIE ,   Israel   (07.05.07)
I am with you completely - I am well acquainted with life in Ramat Bet Shemesh. All the rioting goes on in RBS BET (NOT ALEPH). Yes - the ultra extremists cause a great chilul Hashem - but most chareidim I know do not approve of their behaviour AT ALL. Even for RBS B the facts have been reported in a very biased tone. A Shame.
23. Our very own jihadists!!
Chaya ,   Bat Yam, Israel   (07.05.07)
There should be arrests of these people!! They shouldn't be allowed to turn Beit Shemesh into a fundamentalist ghetto! What shamke they bring to the Jewish people!
24. # 21 No Sir
Sagi ,   Israel   (07.05.07)
I am not wrong."Unheard of in the USA". Of course, they would be hauled before a judge and put in the slammer, that's why. I am causing strife ? Sir, I am Israeli, I am Jewish and I refuse to divulge to you my "origin" on principle. The principle being, a Jew, is a Jew, is a Jew. Words like Sephardi and Ashkenazi and eda and migzar should be banned from use by Journalists, media people and all persons in an official capacity. There is one eda, Edat Yisrael. And these terrorist Haredim are the ones who disturb the peace, not the secular. They are causing the strife, they resort to violence, not the others. The downfall of Israel in 70 AD came about because of division. It will happen again.
25. Take a look at your own deeds and stop bashing the hareidim!
Avraham ,   NYC   (07.05.07)
26. Hooligans
david wapner ,   Bet Shemesh , Israel   (07.05.07)
Why don't you live in Israel? It's easy to make believe you're involved all the way from Brooklyn.
27. Nuts
Jewish Grandma ,   Jerusalem   (07.05.07)
Why get so excited over a few nuts, there are nuts everywhere, believe me I am from Barcelona, so these ones are charedim, you assume that they have to be 100% sane, it would be very nice, but they are also human, even though some people don't think so, some of them make mistakes, ma l'aasot!
28. Leftists ignite terror ?
RBS A Resident ,   RBS Israel   (07.05.07)
I do not advocate the way the Frum riot. However, look at the hate and venom that you readers pour out at fellow jews. Many of you would be happy if the Chareidim were wiped out. Admit it. Its that same hate that provokes a reaction like this. There are just as many leftist extremists that want to destroy judaisim. Hareidim want to be left alone to preserve their lifestyle, while leftists can not stand their very existence.
29. # 28 "Haredim wiped out"
Sagi ,   Israel   (07.06.07)
No Sir, not Haredim, but Haredism. It is a foreign import to Judaism. It has no connection to our People, ancient or modern. "Haredim want to be left alone to preserve their lifestyle". That's the best laugh I have had in a long time. Some of these people are clinically in need of help, and I do not say this lightly, nor do I say it in a pejorative manner. I am totally convinced of this.
30. to #28
Jewish Grandma ,   Jerusalem   (07.06.07)
Dear, dear, don't be so silly! the translation of charedi is pius or devoted, nothing wrong with that, so the people you see acting nutty are not charedim, there are other thousand of them that are in fact devoted to Torah and Mitzvot don't bunch them all together, not nice
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