Kirays Joel, NY – It was late one night over the summer when the Greenberg family was frightened by a menacing phone call. Then came threats, and then vandalized cars. As the days turned into weeks and the police canvassed the neighborhood, knocking on doors and interviewing potential witnesses, they were met with silence
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This was not the troubled streets of the city, nor were the witnesses fearful of gang retribution. Rather, this was Orange County, and the victims — a husband and wife who are members of the Hasidic sect known as Satmars — said they were being harassed by those in their own insular world here.
The incidents offered a rare glimpse into the strict social dynamics that govern life in this village of 20,000 people, an hour from Manhattan and not far from West Point. It is a place where television and the Internet are forbidden and women do not drive, restrictions intended to provide a haven from the temptations of the outside world.
the “vaad hatznius,” the rabbinically appointed modesty committee that enforces the village’s rules of behavior and appearance, intervenes.
“If we find they have a TV or a married woman won’t wear a wig, we will invite them to speak with us and try to convince them it’s unacceptable, or next year we will not accept their children into the school system,” said David Ekstein, the vice president of the village’s leading congregation, Yetev Lev, and one of eight men who make up the committee, hand-picked by Rabbi Aaron Teitelbaum, the town’s spiritual leader. Read Extended Article [NYTimes]
KJ hooligans aught to grow up and stop bullying everybody they don’t agree with.
medel,
which is “that” blog and who are you talking about?!
vaad hatznus is a terroist group, u have to think, act,the way they want. if not they will make ur life so misarable that u will have no choice but leave and ur children will not be accepted in any satmar institution no matter city, town or continent that is how powerful they are. Their prey is the weak, powerless and the inicent because the ones that are doing the very wrong and not torahdig things are very powerful. To the KJ guy that reads the not so kosher magazine (by their standard,) what is the torahdig ways, harrassement, chilul hashem, force, blackmail,threatening,and the torah way as they see fit. they way they interperet the torah way. Please try not to fool us they are the hells angels and nobody wants to have anything to do with them u cannot reason with them and they will stop at nothing.All of monroe knows that
What a disgrace.
Shame on the goons who bullied the Greenbergs.
Shame on the self hating Jews, who are always quick to condemn their fellow brothers. (They’re usually identified by the glaring misspells and hate filled messages)
And to the bigot from that blog who comments here from time to time; Your comments stick out like a sore thumb. Anybody with a brain can figure out that it’s you with the multiple-alias syndrome you so foolishly hide behind.
To anon 2:29 wake up and smell the coffee. I remember 20 years ago I used to pick up a newspaper on the way home Friday at a newspaper stand at the corner of Marchy and Broadway in Williamsburg. As I would walk from my car to the stand, I would regularly see Satmar chassidim with di ale shmoneh begudim stop in front of the store and look in all direction to see who was looking and quickly dash into the store to buy a paper which they quickly stuffed under their jacket. And no, they were not buying the yid.
“The Torah always prevails”– You meant BULLYING always works.
listen, if you went to India where they worship the cow, would you munch on a steak in front of them? Some Jews show respect to all sorts of people except to their own! These people in Monroe live there because they are willing to obey the rules and sensitivities of the community. I am not saying it is right of them to slash their tires (the work of some lunatic), but how does she expect to live over there and do her own thing fully knowing that she is annoying her neighbors sensitivities? And she calls the police on her own? Why didn’t they go to their Rebbe over there and say what was going on? and what use was it to go to the police, they didn’t do a thing anyway. the whole thing is sickening.
To Anon 7:29 Shoymi Sumayim!! You live in the Hieliger Shtute and you’re not embarrased to admit that you read the Tumeneh Tzienistisher magazine Mishpacha! perhaps they should come after you next!!!
Welcome to the new generation of YOLI Taliban!!!
Yoel Greenberg must be taught what is permitted and what is no. Going to arkois (civil court) and making an uprecedented chillul hashem = mittur. Beating each other and engaging in other terrorist activities = mitzvah. A woman ch”v wearing a red blouse = y’harog v’al yaavor. Considering some of the activities the Aronis and the Zalonis have engaged in neither is in any position to be enforcing anyone elses shiras hamitzvos. Let them clean their own house first.
In my opinion, the Jewish world is getting really weird. We forget we are in galus. You think the Torah always prevails, Pat? What is the Torah, YOU? You, Pat are a vulnerable Jew living in galus. You think Hashem likes you embarressing and humiliating people? You, and those like you, are very mixed up. Tochacha has a place, but your sanctimonious, self righteous arrogant and even violent behaviors are the signs of a psychopath, not a Torah person.
I hope this will be published…it’s an alternate opinion to the extreme right wing, but a valid one.
Once again, I am curious…Pat, what does the Vaad say about Internet? Do they monitor your house/office with their hidden cameras & spyware to make sure YOU are only looking at vosizneias & not at the many dirty little sites that no doubt exist?
You offensive little santimonious hypocrite!
Yoel Greenberg…give up, take your family & move to a normal frum neighborhood where you can live in peace, not fear. It doesn’t sound like you are bad or wrong…just different! What’s wrong with that? You won’t have trees & grass, but hopefully you’ll have respect & friendship.
I wish you much Hatzlacha.
I live in KJ and having read this Week’s ans Last Week’s Mishpacha Magazine of what’s going on in Beiter, Isreal and other orthodox towns there where there is a Vaad that screens newcomers with a Vaad comprising of 8 Annonymous people I feel that what’s happening here is a far cry from there, number one: Everyone is allowed to live here (there is no screening process) as long as you adhere to the customs of the Torah nobody will tell you anything, Number 2: the Vaad here is an open Vaad (they Identify themself’s as read in the article)they will only contact someone who is going against the Torah and is openly flaunting non-Tzneius,
148, The Vaad always keeps a close watch. Fear not.
well pat keep a close watch on ur self and wife next time u err because u car might be vandalized as u say The Torah always prevails
willi insider said…
I heard some inside rumor that the local government/police are placing hidden cameras throughout monroe after this Greenberg incident. can anyone verify this?
December 15, 2007 11:09 PM
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I also heard such a rumor and i really hope it`s true.
This is the only way to chap these 2 legged b`haymis.The poice have no other choice because no one will talk to police during the investgation. If the [police can do it in NYC and many other places and in the UK every street corner has one, then why can they not do it in the HALIGE MUNROE?
willi insider, I can verify that your “inside rumor” is in fact inside out, and no such thing is occurring.
I heard some inside rumor that the local government/police are placing hidden cameras throughout monroe after this Greenberg incident. can anyone verify this?
Pat: You mean to say that terrorism always wins, no way was this done in a torah way, basically strong armed, its like a hold up.
From the extended NYT article:
The efforts to silence the Greenbergs appear to have worked. Reached at her home, Mrs. Greenberg, with worry in her voice, declined to comment.
After two months of fruitless inquiries, the police closed the investigation last month.
Baruch Hashem. Perhaps she will now reform her errant ways, with the realization that bringing in “outside authorities” will not help her misguided case.
The Torah always prevails.