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Sep 20, 2023
not in my backyard
The latest flash point is around the recently annual Yom Kippur services at Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv organized by an organization called Rosh Yehudi.
In today's environment, the large leftist groups in Tel Aviv are saying "not in my backyard". You want services, go do them by you, here we won't allow it, not while separating men and women in the public sphere.
Last night Rav Yigal Levenstein, head of the military prep yeshiva located in Eli and considered by many to be fairly extreme (rightly or wrongly, but he has spoken out publicly on sensitive topics in ways that anger many not in his camp), went to Tel Aviv to express his support for Rosh Yehudi and its leadership in light of the protests. Rabbi Levenstein was attacked by some protestors, who were held at bay by his students who surrounded him and by police as he was whisked off to a waiting car.
MK Merav Michaeli (Labor) justified, or defended, the attack on Rabbi Levenstein. She said that it is justified to protest against Rav Levenstein. He is someone who fights against women in the public sphere and against women serving in the IDF. When he works against the IDF, against women and against liberalism in a democratic country from his yeshiva that gets a lot of money from the State and there nobody protests against him.... a mechitza at services in Dizengoff is like a "tzelem bheichal" - like bringing an idol right into the Holy of Holies. The Kotel has been turned into an extreme Haredi shul, and that is a badge of shame as to what is happening in Israel.
First, anybody can protest against anything and anyone and they definitely had and have the right to protest against Rav Levenstein (assuming coordination with police and obtaining the necessary permits).
That does not give the right to get violent and attack the target of the protests.
Protest yes, violence no. Speak out against him, protest his visit, protest outside his house every time he says something provocative, whatever. Attack him, no.
Second, if they don't want the organization's services in Dizengoff, they should pressure their municipal representatives to refuse permission. They can tell him go have your services in a shul, not in the street. They do what they do, Tel Aviv does not have to give permission. Rosh Yehudi will not (at least I do not believe they will) going to conduct services any other way, even if they technically could run services that are mixed with self segregation on the sides (as has been suggested)
These may be the extremists (I am less familiar with the players on that side of the map) and not the average person, but from what I am seeing, they are generally saying what was will be no longer. We demand equal respect and consideration. This is our home court, you cannot come in here and do what you want, try to make us religious, discriminate against our women, tell us to keep Shabbos, etc. It is not really a hate fest and antisemitism (though there might be some of that as well) as much as it being, we are no longer going to allow you to do whatever you want in the name of religion. This is just another point in a long list of things over the past months that they have started to say no more.
but with all that, violence should not be acceptable. That is already crossing the line.
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Nothing much new here
ReplyDeleteThe same fight erupted when they wanted to have seperate tefillot for Yom Atzmaut in April.
The deputy mayor went ballstic, even after they reminded him, he made no such fuss the previous year when Tel Aviv held Ramadan festivites with men and women seperate.
Unfortunately this seems to be yet another example of utter hatred the Tel Aviv municipality have for anything to do with orthodox judaism.
Hate is not the prime motivating factory of successful politicians. There's also dog-whistling & kowtowing to haters.
DeleteMuslim ceremonies that take place in Tel Aviv and Jaffa, on city streets are allowed to have gender seperation, is there freedom of religion for only select religions in the state of ISRAEL?
ReplyDeletethis is a new change as this event was also approved and held in the past. maybe now they will do the same for Muslim events. we'll see
DeleteOkay, can we then ban Women of the Wall from the Kotel for the same reason? Can we restrict the route of the Pride Parade in Jerusalem so it avoids all religious neighbourhoods? And what about human rights? Is the City of Tel Aviv allowed to subjectively approve events based on their ideology and not objective criteria?
ReplyDeletepublic sphere, gender segregation, they may very well have the right to take this stand. My guess is that it will probably end up in court at some point.
DeleteLike you said above, let's wait for the next Muslim event.
ReplyDelete