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Monday, September 15, 2008

Chillul HaShem - Islam Online Exposes Our Shame

G_d forbid I should say anything bad about Jerusalem, the Jewish People, or the Land of Israel in any way. Which is why I hesitated before publishing the following article from IslamOnline.net's web site regarding the recent rise in violence against Jewish women by gangs of young haredi (ultra-Orthodox) vigalantees dubbed "The Morality Squad." However, the tipping point for me is the fact that our Rabbis, our esteemed living Torah Sages have NOT come out with a ringing condemnation of violence against women. Now the press of our enemies, which is one of their most powerful weapons, reports this chillul HaShem - desecration of G_d's Name - for all the pan-Islamic World to see.
RABBIS OF ERETZ YISRAEL - It is incumbent upon you to protect Jewish women - ALL Jewish women, the entire spectrum from haredi to hiloni and everything in-between - from violence by the hands of G_d forbid their fellow Jews, and forbid any Torah-observant man from laying hands upon a woman to harm, or to enforce a standard of "modesty," whether that be in behavior, dress or lifestyle. I'm calling on YOU, our leaders, sages and Talmideem Chochamim, to issue a public decree and a private dictate within your own communities forbidding such actions.

This is the article from IslamOnline.net -

Jewish Morality Squads
IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
OCCUUPIED JERUSALEM — Wearing black coats and wide-brimmed hats, Israel's ultra-orthodox vigilantes roam the streets, harass women dressed in "immoral" clothing and attack music shops.
"I don't know why I was treated this way. What has my life got to do with those guys,"
M., who just two weeks ago became the latest victim of the Jewish morality squads, told Agence France Presse (AFP) on Monday, September 15.
The 28-year-old woman, who refused to tell her name for fear of reprisal, was brutally gagged and beaten at the hands of two members of a Jewish modesty patrol.
"They beat me up, tied me up and threatened to kill me," M. said, holding back her tears.
They threatened to kill her if she did not move out of the ultra-Orthodox Maalot Dafna neighborhood of Jerusalem.
Shaking as she recalled the beating, M. says she will move out because she fears for her life.
"Who will prevent them from killing me?"
M. is not the only victim of the Jewish self-styled modesty squads.
In June, a 14-year-old resident of Mea Sharim neighborhood was taken to hospital with burns after an attacker hurled acid at her.
Israeli media said that at the time of the attack the girl had been wearing loose-fitting trousers and a short-sleeved shirt, enough to provoke the ire of modesty patrols.
Ultra-Orthodox Jews, also known as Haredim, follow strict interpretations of Jewish religious laws. Their life revolves around a strict dress code that has men sporting black coats, hats and long beards and women covering their heads, arms and legs.
Haredim Jews, who make up 8 to 10 percent of Israel's population, have been active in Israel for the past decade.
Terrorizing
The Jewish morality squads have become increasingly visible in Jerusalem recently.
"For some weeks we've been seeing excesses," asserted Meny Schwartz, who heads the religious Kol Haredi radio station.
In the neighborhoods dominated by the Haredim, streets are sealed off for the Jewish day of rest and satellite dishes are considered a sign of heresy.
The ultra-Orthodox Jews have also led violent protests against swimming pools, cinemas and other establishments they consider immoral.
Failing to segregate the sexes is also unacceptable according to the Haredi rules.
They operate scores of gender-segregated bus routes whose buses move the ultra-Orthodox between Jerusalem neighborhoods.
In 2006, a 50-year-old American tourist on holiday was attacked because she refused to go to the back of a bus along with other women.
Police have recently detained a man accused of torching a store for selling what some residents considered "immoral" clothing.
David, a salesman at a store that sells MP4 players, says they have been targeted by the morality squads who have picketed outside the shop for weeks.
"They burned down our stocks," he said, declining to give his family name for fear of being singled out for attack.
"[They] are spreading terror in the neighborhood. Nothing will stop them."

1 comment:

Peregrine John said...

I am not certain that IslamOnline is doing this with the intent to condemn the actions. It seems more likely that they are attempting some sort of moral equivalence with the truly heinous practices of Sharia - which are not a desecration from their point of view, but rather the way they think things should be. They want to be able to say, "Look, they do it too!"