Tel-Chai Nation

I almost missed this disgusting news from Ashdod, which makes clear that, while ultra-Orthodox extremists may have laid low after October 7, 2023, they're still lingering around trying to cause distractions from graver issues like Islamofascism:

Haredi rabbis in Ashdod put up fliers across the city, calling to introduce new rules for women in the port town with an emphasis on modesty, N12 reported on Tuesday.

The fliers stated, "In these hard times when we need the grace of the heavens to protect us from our enemies from within and without, we wish to raise concerns regarding women's behavior and the laws of modesty."

In their statement, the rabbis wrote and signed three new rules. The first rule stresses that a woman above the age of nine is prohibited from using scooters, and electric scooters in particular, citing that such conduct is immodest.

In the next rule, the rabbis urge establishment owners to comment on a woman's clothing and to condition employment with haredi-appropriate modest clothing.

Finally, the rabbis complained about women talking loudly in public areas and wished to remind them that in public places with other people, they should maintain modesty and speak more quietly.

Response from haredi feminist activist

Haredi women's rights activist Tzippy Lavi, Head of Government Relations for Nivcharot condemned the letter on X, formerly Twitter.

"After you said that only extremists shout at cashiers in the grocery store, after you already pushed women to the back of the bus, after you already banned women from driving cars (of course, all of this without any halachic justification), here comes a rabbinical letter taking it a step further: From today, it's forbidden for women to ride scooters or go-karts, they are not allowed to talk on the bus, not even in the back, and shop managers? They have to fire the "immodest" female employees," Lavi stated.

"Processes. Escalation. This is how it happens," she added.

Nivcharot is the first and only haredi feminist organization in Israel. It aims to promote the status and rights of ultra-Orthodox women and their inclusion in political processes and positions of power, according to its website.

In the past, similar notices have been published in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak, that women cannot ride at the front of a bus.

This is naturally offensive, and any right-wing movements who ignore this run the gauntlet of giving the left ammunition to use against them. Mainly because these creeps don't stop at their own women, they go on to antagonize outsiders as well. This is something that requires legal action to be taken against the Haredi rabbis who made those obscene statements.

The next, more recent item, involves Haredi attacks on a Conservative synagogue in Ramot:

Ya’ar Ramot members believe that they have an obligation to serve society and are active in a wide range of communal services. These include providing food to their neighborhood’s needy, as well as being active in increasing the numbers of potential donors for the national bone-marrow register, and participating in leadership roles in saving the Ramot Forest.

A number of congregants, who grew up in the community, including IDF Lieutenant-Colonel Avigal Greenberg, have served extensively in the army since October 7.

Notwithstanding its purity of intention, this congregation has had to work hard to stay in business.

An arson attack 26 years ago caused significant damage to the building. The perpetrators, who had previous criminal records, were apprehended and served jail sentences. On Purim this year, a group of drunk youth entered the premises and broke several windows.

Unsuccessful petitions

Recently, there have been several unsuccessful petitions to the Jerusalem Municipality not to renew Ya’ar Ramot’s lease on the property, and to cede it to ultra-Orthodox groups.

Following these failed attempts, a group of neighbors has upped the ante in a move to force the congregation out and take over the premises.

A month ago, anonymous pamphlets were distributed in the vicinity, addressed to “the haredi residents of our neighborhood” and calling for a prayer gathering outside the synagogue to “increase the chances of acquiring the house of worship and redeeming the holy place.”

The document erroneously stated that the call was by order of “rabbis of all streams in the neighborhood and in consultation with the great [rabbis] of Israel.” It also described the Conservative community in shockingly abusive language. It would seem that its authors, while well versed in Jewish texts, have forgotten, or chosen to willfully ignore, the fundamental commandments of loving your neighbor as yourself and not desecrating the name of the Lord, among others.

As a result, a small group of men have been gathering for daily afternoon and evening prayers on the sidewalk adjacent to the synagogue, bringing tables and chairs for their services. Finding that these provocations were largely met with indifference, they recently forcibly entered the premises by breaking the lock on the gate. When community leaders replaced it with a sturdier one, the agitators poured glue on the new lock in an attempt to effectively lock the congregants out of their own synagogue.

Many among the ultra-Orthodox neighbors are horrified at this behavior and refer to the activists as “bullies and zealots, with nothing better to do.”

Even if the neighbors are horrified, any failure on their part to prevent these atrocities is offensive, and doesn't reflect well on their sense of responsibility. Until they're willing to help forcibly remove the monsters from the premises, the "neighbors" remain unconvincing.

The actions of these agitators have been documented on video and in photos and the perpetrators are clearly identifiable. The police has been involved since the first incursion and has taken steps to prevent the would-be trespassers from entering

Ya’ar Ramot congregation leaders have petitioned for a restraining order for the instigators.

This is not the first time that haredi groups have taken the law into their own hands and established institutions illegally, without the requisite permits. A prime example is “the tent,” which was erected a year ago on a beautiful piece of public land. This so-called “temporary structure” has now expanded in size, and toilets and air-conditioning units have been added; meanwhile, those appointed and paid to maintain law and order take no action.

On Thursday evening, a special service was held at the Ya’ar Ramot synagogue, attended by 70 members and guests. In addition to the regular services, extra prayers were said for the welfare of the State of Israel, for the defense forces, the hostages, and the injured, and for peace and unity among our people.

As 20 men screeched and yelled their own prayers on the perimeter (likely more out of self-righteous anger than religious fervor), the power of the Ya’ar Ramot congregants’ dignified decorum was especially compelling.

On Friday, August 30, the judge published her ruling. Finding that the activists’ actions constituted “threatening harassment,” she ordered the ringleaders to desist from entering or approaching the property.

The congregation’s leaders have stated that they will stand firm and look forward to continuing to congregate and to serve the community, without further impediment.

If the judge did not impose any prison sentences on any of the offenders, that's another grave mistake, ditto if no fines were issued. The hoodlums who did all this have to be evicted from the entire country. Maybe an Islamic regime is where they belong, especially if their view of how women should dress isn't all that different from what Moslem regimes espouse. Good the Conservative congregation stood firm. But it's the criminals themselves who really need counseling after all they've done.

Labels: haredi corruption, Israel, Jerusalem, Judaism, misogyny, Moonbattery