If the Haredi community would butt in less on issues that have no relevance to them, the secular Israel might not feel, as much, that the Haredim are out to get them.
Kikar reports that Coca Cola Israel had a contest, directed not toward the Haredi community, in which the prizes were participation in a vacation village with activities, during the summer vacation.
The Haredi radio station Kol BRamah found out about it and tried to intervene and pressure Coca Cola to cancel it. They said that these young teenagers could chose their roommates at the resort, and this is a big problem as there is no tzniyus as there is no separation and boys and girls can room together, if they so please. As well, they say that they found out about Haredi kids that went to the vacation at Coca Cola and were also in mixed rooms. As well, the kids had access to alcohol.
About the alcohol, it is illegal to give alcohol to kids, so they should be filing a complaint with the police if it is true. i don't believe it, because why would Coca Cola serve alcohol to kids and put themselves at such a legal risk? It makes no sense. I also don't believe that Haredi kids were there in mixed rooms - the same article says kids could choose - so if kids chose their roommates, and haredi kids participated, why would haredi kids choose female roommates - unless a brother and sister chose each other as roommates... again, it makes no sense.
And the biggest issue is the attempt to intervene at all. What is it your business what they do? Do they not go to co-ed schools, hang out in co-ed clubs, vacation together elsewhere, swim together, dance together and play video games together elsewhere? Worry about the problems in the Haredi community and stop worrying about the [lack of] religion of the secular community. This is not an attempt at kiruv, it is just mixing in to what other people do.
At least Rabbi Landau, the kashrus authorizing company of Coca Cola, was smart enough to respond, when Kol BRamah tried to get them to remove the hechsher or pressure Coke to change the policies, that this has nothing to do with them and they are not getting involved. This is a camp for the secular community and it is not our business.
and if Haredi teenagers are going, WHERE ARE THEIR PARENTS???? go after them.
ReplyDeleteRav Landau learned his lesson in 1993. Pepsi sponsered a concert by Michael Jackson (Remember him?) that was officially billed for Saturday night but really started in the middle of the afternoon so Rav Landau's askanim went to the Pepsi rabbis and told them to pull their hechsher since they were helping to sponsor chilul Shabbos. So they did, but then they went to Rav Landau and told him to pull his hechsher from Coke because he was helping sponsor MTV! So he did.
ReplyDeleteAnd a couple of weeks later when Coke sales in Bene Beraq hadn't changed one iota (nothing digests cholent like Coke) he gave up and returned to supervise them.
Ellen - it doesnt make sense that there were haredi teens there, so i dont believe it. And if it is true, you are right - someone should talk to their parents about what is appropriate and what is not (I dont know what happened at the camp, so I dont know that it was not appropriate for religious kids, but lets assume it was not appropriate and the complaint of what went on is correct, which is not necessarily a good assumption)
ReplyDeleteGarnel - I remember when he came, but dont remember that incident. Thanks for the interesting anecdote.
ReplyDeleteThey've been doing this Coca Cola village for years. They just woke up to it? How odd.
ReplyDeleteAbbi - I had no idea. Maybe they also didnt know, or more likely until now they didnt feel they could do anything about it, but maybe now with the increased population perhaps they feel they have more power today than previously..
ReplyDeleterav landau is in trouble...many companys are leaving him for the aidah or rav rubin (strauss )...
ReplyDelete