Tel-Chai Nation

This week, during the Lag Ba'Omer holiday, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox screwballs violated the guidelines for the Coronavirus crisis by holding bonfires, which were prohibited this year, and even broke into Mount Meron, leading to valid worries of another outbreak:

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox worshipers broke into a sacred compound at Mount Meron in northern Israel Tuesday evening, defying police orders limiting entry to the site due to coronavirus fears and prompting clashes with security forces. Some 300 were arrested.

Meanwhile, thousands of Haredi men reportedly gathered in Jerusalem at the same spot where hundreds of people were dispersed Monday night.

The mass gatherings raised fears of a second wave of infections in the country, after declining rates of new infections in recent days.

The government put strict limitations on the number of people who could visit the Mount Meron site this year for the Lag B’Omer holiday, which began Monday night and ended Tuesday evening. The festivities on Monday night were highly subdued, with attendance limited to 150 people.

But footage published by Hebrew-language media showed many men breaking down the door on Tuesday afternoon and forcing their way into the gravesite of second century CE sage Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, shortly after police took down many of its checkpoints as the holiday neared its end.

Well, this is saying something. They're even willing to commit vandalism to serve their twisted beliefs, in effect denigrating the very figure they supposedly respect. It's just like them, and when they do things like that, they take away much needed attention from the dangers of Islam, which they don't seem particularly concerned about either.

The footage included often violent clashes between the worshipers and police officers, some of whom had left the area and rushed back to the site. Several people suffered mild injuries, according to reports.

Police said more than a hundred people were arrested for assaulting officers, saying that those detained had “attacked officers, threw rocks toward them and forcibly resisted dispersing.” Hebrew media reports later Tuesday said over 300 were detained.

Another example of disrespecting the memory of the sage whose tomb they violated.

Additionally, some 200 men took part in a flight organized by the Israir airline over Bar Yochai’s grave, aiming to get as close as possible to the tomb.

Footage from inside the plane broadcast by Channel 12 showed participants blatantly disregarding social distancing rules, gathering near windows and dancing together.

A police source was quoted by Channel 13 as saying most ultra-Orthodox worshipers had come to Mount Meron without face masks or keeping distance from one another, and warned of a second wave of infections.

“Nobody should fall off their chairs if there is a coronavirus outbreak in a week as a result. We warned ahead of time,” the police source said.

This is also why it's offensive for insular communities to maintain an uninformed view of the world, and to be raised on such horrific adherence to "customs". Here's more on the violations of the ban on holding gatherings for the holiday:

About 1,000 residents of the ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim crowded the city’s streets late Monday, ignoring the ban. Bonfires and gatherings were also reported in Beit Shemesh and the incidents drew an angry rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ordered a police crackdown on the illegal celebrations on Monday night.

Footage showed adults and children dancing and congregating in close quarters, despite social distancing restrictions.

Police eventually dispersed the crowds, but some 2,000 people again gathered together unimpeded Tuesday in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim neighborhood, according to Channel 12.

Police stayed away as participants celebrated “halake,” a traditional ceremonial first haircut for boys who have reached the age of three. The crowd dispersed on its own as the event ended, Channel 12 said.

Haaretz quoted Health Ministry sources saying they were closely following the infection rate in Haredi neighborhoods and cities in case restrictions need to be reimposed there.

One source said that for areas at a heightened risk of a fresh outbreak, the ministry would provide help to the local authorities, conduct outreach with community leaders and if needed declare them “restricted zones.”

If they want to hold special ceremonies for haircuts, that's one thing, but doing it this way at a time when there's still a risk of new infection outbreaks is another. And the violent incidents are definitely telling. They deserve to have their neighborhoods closed off for a time, if that's what it takes to teach them a lesson.

Update: here's another report of a clash at a synagogue flouting the rules in Mea Shearim.

Labels: haredi corruption, Israel, Jerusalem, Knesset, Moonbattery