May 20, 2008
The Badatz is Coming, and Why We Should Be Worried
A Guest Post by Anonymous Reader
Warning: The Badatz is Coming, and Why We Should Be Worried
As residents of R/BS, we are all fed up with the rising tide of violence and intimidation that has charaterized this town for the past 10 years.
Just this morning, new signs were put up, threatening another round of violence. This time, the excuse is that the iriya is enforcing the local by-laws, that require people to pay for hanging up signs on buildings: including tznius signs. Rather than pay the fee, they have decided to cause mayhem.
Not everyone is aware of the source of the extremism -- the arrival of people loyal to Edah Hacharedis. These young individuals, composed of Yerushalmi families of various affiliations, are even more radical than their parents.
What is important to emphasize is that this is not a small group of disaffected youth; the violence goes all the way up to the top, to the rabbis that incite and/or support the violence -- Rabbis Shia Rosenberger, Naftali Rottenberg, and Nosson Kopshitz.
This past summer, we witnessed an outbreak of violence, unprecedented in the history of Bet Shemesh. Not only were there the usually garbage burnings and graffiti, the Yerushalmim, supported by their Rabbis, burnt a forest, poured oil on a major thoroughfare, threw rocks at a bus, scattering glass shards on women and babies, and disrupted the lives of the residents of Bet Shemesh for nearly a month.
All the while, these criminals received support from their rabbis. When the three worst criminals were arrested (one of them, the son-in-law of the Burka lady), the rabbis of the Edah Hacharedis called a protest, attacking the "Zionist entity" for "abusing innocent charedim."
Make no mistake -- the rabbinic support is documented. As recent as two weeks ago, Rabbi Nosson Kopshitz personally went to the house of one of the criminals awaiting trial, in order to encourage him and show support.
Another example is the prohibition that the Badatz placed on having video screens in Meiron on Lag Baomer. The letter from the Badatz was accompanied by a warning from the Badatz's goons that they will break any video screens that are put up in violation of the Badatz's order.
Another example is the prohibition that the Badatz placed on having video screens in Meiron on Lag Baomer. The letter from the Badatz was accompanied by a warning from the Badatz's goons that they will break any video screens that are put up in violation of the Badatz's order.
The hooligans are opening up a Beis Din. Until now, at least, the rabbinic support was only based upon the local rabbis that the Edah Hacharedis has planted in nearly every neighborhood. With a Beis Din, the Edah Hacharedis will attempt to present itself as the binding authority for the Charedi and Dati communities of Bet Shemesh. This has been their modus operandi until now in Yerushalayim -- the Badatz thinks of itself as being in charge and exercises that authority.
The danger of the Badatz doesn't stop at support of violence -- it permeates every aspect of life. We have witnessed how Rabbi Nosson Kopshitz intervened, through a proxy, of course, to completely change the school Ko Tomar. With a Beis Din to back them up, the extremists will commit be able to interfere much more easily.
Again, the problem is not that the Badatz of the Edah Hacharedis is extremist; the problem is that it imposes that extremism on others.
The recent expose of the Burka cult shook up the Bet Shemesh community. If we don't want our city to look like Tehran or Ramallah, the first step will be awareness of the causes of extremism and the people -- and institutions -- that are feeding it. Without a doubt, enemy number one is the Badatz Edah Hacharedis.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Related Posts
When will people "out there" that it is not the Badat''z that is the bigger problem.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I don't agree with what they impose on others at least you know from they come. they make "no bones" about their vision for the greater RBS area.
What concerns me are the wolves in sheep's clothing. We have several "kitzoni" Rabbonim here in RBSA. If you follow the Peshkavillim you will notice their names along with the "well known" names.
Recent events in our neighborhood attest to this silent (and no so silent) attempt to turn RBSA to one direction.
Events like:
1) The new mikve issue
2) the Ko Tomar story
3) attacks against Rav Solevechik and Lema'an Achai
4) the Mehuchedet manager's issue
5) Tzniut signs at the merkaz
6) Lag B'Omer in the park a few years back
Perhaps if we would isolate the kitzonim among us we would have more strength to repell the Badat'z's plans to take over as well.
Just my 10 agurot.
1. Rabbi Goldstein answers to Rabbi Kopshitz.
ReplyDelete2. Ko Tomar was the work of Rabbi Kopshitz. Period.
3. The "askan" responsible for the problems in the shopping center, Eli Tomback, is connected to the Edah Hacharedis (although he looks yeshivish, he is an "Edahnik").
4. The extremism of the Edah Hacharedis feeds the extremism in RBSA. The Edah Hacharedis has created a poisonous atmosphere in the city.
You should see the size of the Tznius sign they've hung from the last building on Yarden facing Sheinfeld. I hope they have to pay per square centimeter!
ReplyDeleteI think we need to start a paintball rifle squad to "brighten up" these hideous signs.
Another point. Here in Sheinfeld we actually have a dialogue channel set up with these nudnicks. Believe it or not they actually called our contact to complain about our flags on Yom Haatzmaut. Naturally he told them to shove it.
Does anyone have ideas how to handle the "SHABBES! SHABBES!" screamers? This Friday night I was woken up a number of times by selfish people who think nothing of my oneg shabbos!
ReplyDeleteanon - if you stop the cars from driving, nobody will need to scream "shabbes" any longer and you will be able to sleep better... :-)
ReplyDeletei think violence shouldnt scare us ,because as they are using violence why wont we use too to defend ourself and i thimk we should organise group of defense against them we are not allowed to leave them act like that any more
ReplyDeleteI thought you israeli's are violent and malevolent; you're just sissies letting a bunch of nudniks run rough shod over you. OH, I FORGOT, YOU ENJOY THEIR VIOLENT BEHAVIOR. Listen, stand up for what you believe, and where are your Rabbis from RBS? Why aren't they protesting instead of running off to hebron and Kever Yosef or the Temple Mount? A shot here and there will quickly bring an end to the threats and violence---and not paintballs.
ReplyDeleteA shot here and there will quickly bring an end to the threats and violence
ReplyDeleteyeah, it sure taught them leftists a lesson about negotiating with the palestinians...
umm...
Opa-
ReplyDeleteWhich Rabbonim from RBS?
The ones against the Ma'ar?
The ones who sign about the Resido center?
The ones who remain quiet when upstanding Rabbonim are verbally attacked?
The ones afraid of their own shadow?