Considering the city of Elad and the sponsors of a holiday concert were not planning on backing down to threats of kannoim to stop a concert, the final result is a bit disheartening, though not unexpected.
It seems the initial statements in which they seemed to stand strong were only a bit of bravado.
The organizers eventually went with their dilemma to Rav Ovadia Yosef who told them to separate the concert, with the women in a completely different area viewing it on large screens, rather than being present even with a mechitza in the main hall.
The show must go on, and it did. At some point though, the screens had a technical glitch and stopped working. Eventually many women gave up in frustration and went home. Some others decided they weren't leaving, and instead went to the main hall.
After some "scuffling" with ushers, the women still refused to leave. A rav got up and said any woman who does not leave and go home will be cursed.
No concert is worth a curse by a big rabbi, so the rest of the women disbanded and went home. After they left, the show went on until the fat man sang. (source: Kikar)
A curse? Wow!
It's good the askonim still don't have control over RBS. We had an amazing concert, all performed by local talent, with an amazing band, a teenage boys choir, a boys choir, and a star singer who recently moved to RBS.
Rafi,
ReplyDeleteLet's not forget the Mora D'asra's actions against the concert in the park just a few years ago.
It won't be long before RBS follows suit.
are the women getting a refund?
ReplyDeletein RBS we also have enough working folks - including those in technology - that I'm sure more effort would have gone into fixing the glitch.
Disgusting. It continues to amaze me how chareidi women are being treated as second class citizens and nobody seems to give a ****
ReplyDeleteWords fail me. I have no way to explain this away to sensible people who then question all of Jewish life in response to these ridiculous incidents.
ReplyDeleteIf I were thinking about becoming observant, and this were the culture of Judaism I saw, I'd turn and run the other way.
'nuff said.
embarrasing, sad, and unfortunately wholly expected. untill people start getting together and standing up to their bluster, this will continue. next time, the concert goers should demand refunds prior to the concert when the "seperate room" was put in place. don't show up. it may take a few "protests" but the performers will start to get the message.
ReplyDeletethe problem is, noone has the gumption to take a stand individually. you get what you deserve. They do it because they can.
Not so easy Shaya to stand up against them - who knows what they'll do to you? Property damage, get your kids kicked out of school, put your name on a poster calling you a rasha, or worse. And don't forget, every move we make has to have shidduchim in mind, but I digress...
ReplyDeleteThis comes back once again to our Gedolim of today - are they real or are they puppets? Why can't a real Gadol stand up against these guys? Because these guys will mow them down also. You've read on this blog what has happened when R' Shteinman does something or meets with someone or group "they" don't approve of. Suddenly he's no longer a Gadol and is fit for trashing too. This is real mafia stuff going on.
In order to be fair, 50% of concerts should be like this, and 50% should be the same, but the women being treated to the live show, with the men in a separate room with a screen. I'd like to see how quickly Rav Yehuda Hachasid's shita of "kol ish" is brought up to kill the idea while still providing cover for chauvinism.
ReplyDelete