I’m a little surprised nobody has brought this up since, unlike Conservative and Reform rabbis, this is a positive development for the Jewish people.
More and more women in Jerusalem’s Geula neighborhood have been complaining of being sprayed with a bleach mix.
The attacks mark an escalation of the religious fanatics’ battle against what they refer to as the ‘promiscuity’ on the haredi streets and the infiltration of ‘fashion’ that often times does not correspond with the strict dress codes in the community.
For instance, clothes that may seem modest to most people are considered by religious extremists to be ostentatious if they have shiny or colorful elements to them. Similar claims are made against women who wear overly-tight outfits.
A vendor at one of the local clothing stores said she felt something wet dripping on her shirt as she was walking down the street. At first she thought someone poured water over her, but later realized that she had been sprayed with bleach.
Needless to say, I’m embarrassed for Ynet and its reporter Neta Sela for using language like “religious fanatics” and “religious zealots” when they refer to good ol’ ultra Orthodox yeshiva men.
do we know that this story is true? has anyone seen this happen in geula? how many of us live in geula? has ynet news ever been wrong about a story like this in the past?
“From a charedi perspective”. This is me covering from a charedi perspective. I was trying to humanize and give some insight into someone’s mind, to give a possible scenario or “life story” for someone who would do such a thing.
Again, it is axiomatic that such actions are against Torah.
It has not even been mentioned the fact that these people would be liable for any damages that they caused to people who were not actively damaging them.
The Middle: I agree… both are going, hmmm, problems in the world, let’s punish women!
Hope you’ve had an excellent Shabbat! (guesstimating when you might read next)
Eh, what about loving fellow Jews? Or is this mitzvah on the back burner for the time being in this particular segment of the Haredi world?
Precisely, Shy Guy. I was actually going to compare the bleaching to the head Australian Muslim cleric’s claims that women are to blame for their own rapes.
thank you, ck. i don’t think things like this are ever acceptable… even though it can’t be classified as “violence”, there are far less obnoxious ways to express your p.o.v. than dumping bleach on people.
Whoever these guys are, they get around!
they dont have that many posters. would you like me to go over to geulah right now and show you? and why doesn’t every community turn over its criminals? How is it that crack dealers can operate freely in the projects? Money launderers and insider traders on Wall street? Oh! If only someone would have ratted out Michael Milken earlier, just think how many portfolios could have been saved! Oh the humanity!!
I don’t know who they are personally. I just know of the group. And I know they are not liked and atypical.
Then presumably they are turning over these known arsonists and violent men to the police, right? I mean, if even you know who they are, then surely the rabbis and others in the tight-knit community over there know who is committing these acts and would be using some form of action to get it all under control. Right?
Could you explain to me why their posters aren’t covered over or taken down if they don’t have support?
Its not a secret TM. Especially since I live close by. My neighbourhood in fact falls under Haredi jurisdiction and shops muct close on shabbat or face angry mobs yelling Shabbos! Shabbos! Just a 5 minute walk away though you can buy shrimp and bacon and hang out in bars that are open even on Yom Kippur.
But I digress. Vigilante action such as you describe is usually done by a self styled defense group called the “Shomrim.” They are whacknuts. I have yet to speak to an ultra orthodox rabbi of any note who supports their actions.
ck, how do you know who did the bleaching? How do you know who burned the shops?
I’m sorry David and Elon, I boycott Jewschool and its ancillary sites because the person who founded them does not merit or deserve any form of support whatsoever. If you believe the post in question is pertinent to the discussion, copy the relevant passages into the comments here. Thanks.
By the way, David, this is NOT an extraordinary event. Before your time I told the story of my wife being spat at for wearing short sleeves in a part of town that wasn’t controlled by the ultra Orthodox.
I’m delighted you brought this up, Middle. Though the incident itself is remarkable enough, far more extraordinary is a current post on Jewschool defending, or at least rationalizing, this behavior. I first noticed it a couple of hours ago, but was so thoroughly taken aback that I decided to wait till sometime tomorrow to submit my comments. Quite simply – and rather uncharacteristically, I’d say – the argument constitutes an example of self-serving propaganda that is as thoroughly delusional and paranoid as any I’ve ever encountered.
My own sense is that the political and cultural landscape that serves as the backdrop to this type of incident is shifting, and that the conflict between those who would justify or mitigate the seriousness of this behavior, on the one hand, and those who are disgusted and infuriated by it, on the other, may be coming to a head. Specifically, while the attacks themselves are little more than a manifestation of common thuggery, dismissing them constitutes no less than an insidious assault on the democratic character of the Israeli state, comparable to the behavior of those who offer a sneering defense of Amir and his succubus.
Good ol’ ultra Orthodox Yeshiva boys do not go around spraying women with bleach. These are extreme fringe elements within the Haredi world, and their actions, which may injure or embarass the woman in question, are in complete opposition to Halachah and Jewish values.
It may amaze some to note that even ultra Orthodox Jews are not a monolith.
I’m really tempted to drop moth larvae onto shtreimels this coming Shabbat.
Must resist!
Y-Love covered this issue from a charedi perspective over at Jewschool.