He can dish it out, but can he take it?
You may recall that last week, I posted an op-ed by Yaron London that would have been deemed anti-Semitic had it been published in any country other than Israel.JPost reports that a Haredi publication has responded in kind. Before I show you the story, I want to put this in perspective. I have lived in Haredi neighborhoods for nearly 21 years and until I read this story, I had never heard of the publication in question. This is real mainstream (not!). (And by the way, 'Haredi news website' is an oxymoron in Israel - many rabbis forbid using the internet at all or using it outside of work).
Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) news website Tzofar published an op-ed on Friday titled “Take out Yaron London” in response to an article by London in the Yediot Aharonot daily asking what efforts could be made to reduce the amount of haredim in Israeli society.I'm sure he won't - they'd file one right back at him.
“Exactly like Hitler should have been eliminated before he killed the Jews, so too should be done to anyone who legitimizes public opinion to kill haredi Jews,” columnist Shmuel Kooper wrote in response for Tzofar.
The headline was subsequently modified to read, “contract the existence of Yaron London,” mirroring the headline of London’s piece “Contract ultra- Orthodoxy.”
London told Walla News website that he would not file a police complaint against the website or Kooper.
And to think that London is known as 'Peace Camp Man.' For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, after they make 'peace' with the 'Palestinians,' the next item on the 'peace camp's agenda is to get rid of all the observant Jews. Discussed at great length here and here.
Labels: Haredim, Israeli Left, Jewish anti-Semitism
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:39 AM
1 Comments:
For the record, Yaron London did not advocate killing Haredim or even forcing birth control. He rather said that Haredi society encourages ignorance and it cannot be allowed to grow and thrive. In short - he wanted Haredim to stop being Haredim. But I did not read anywhere in there that he sought their death or forced birth control.
Objectively it is true that Haredi society encourages ignorance. I have spoken to Haredim of many stripes and asked about the education system they receive. Of course evolution is not taught. But ultimately, secular studies are considered an afterthought, and arts, science, music, math...are usually abysmally taught - if at all. This is objectively what I have found when speaking to both Litvak/Yeshivish people, Skverer Hasidim (I spent time amongst the Skverer in New Square), Chabad, and Gerrer (I have a friend whose family is Gerrer).
Across all the different sects of Haredim that I haven spoken with and maybe a dozen schools in many different cities (both in the U.S. and Israel), I have found that Haredi education is simply sub-par in how it teaches secular studies. Secular studies - not solely Torah - are what build a first world state. Torah alone does not cure cancer, invent microprocessors, fly planes, and build cities.
And thus, how is this sustainable for Israel to be a first world state, given the reality that Haredim have such large families?
I realize that post-zionism is all the rage amongst some secular schools - and I am appalled by this. It sickens me to my stomache. But many Haredim are non-Zionist or anti-Zionist, so how is that an attractive alternative, anyway?
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