Quebec, Canada – In preparation for this coming Saturday’s celebration of Purim, Montreal’s Hasidic community is bracing itself for a repeat of last year’s controversy that arose in the borough of Outremont.
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CBC Nnews (http://bit.ly/VFiFlS) is reporting that the controversy stems from a 2003 bylaw banning the use of double-axle vehicles on borough’s residential streets.
The Hasidic community has historically used minibuses to shuttle the Orthodox children around the neighborhoods during their celebration of Purim.
Last year, police were called when an argument broke out between Purim revelers and borough councilor Celine Forget over the use of the minibuses.
“She called public security, she called the police, she stood in the middle of the street and tried to make it into a scene, and people got angry,” said Mindy Pollak, a co-founder of the group the Friend s of Hutchinson and a member of Montreal’s Hasidic Jewish community.
In hopes of avoiding a repeat, the Hasidic community appealed to the borough council, seeking a one-day exemption to the bylaw. Their request was denied after vocal opposition from a group of residents.
The motion at the meeting even failed to get a seconder.
“It was shocking to see how much opposition there was to it,” said Pollak.
Pollak said community members are currently trying to arrange alternative transportation options for the children.
For starters, this year Purim is on Sunday. Not Saturday.
Secondly, would it kill VIN to explain what’s a “Double-axle vehicle”? Doesn’t EVERY car or van (or wagon) have 2 axles?!
Thirdly, am I understanding correctly that no Minibuses are allowed in Outremont residential streets all year round?
The only thing I understood clearly is that there’s a very poor relationship between the the Orthodox (or Hasidic) community and their neighbors.
The neighbors seem to be behaving like spiteful selfish bratty bureaucrats.
Whoever wrote
Seems to be an anti-semitic law, but there is no requirement to use any vans, busses or limos on Purim.
The Jews in Montreal should get 15 Passenger Van with groups of 5 or 10 Vans going Together with a banner on each Van. We are proud to Be Jews and we respect the city bylaws.
I’ve spent some time in Montreal. I can honestly say I’ve never experienced such harsh Anti-Antisemitism in my Life. You can feel it in the air.
This is coming from someone who’s been to 12 different countries.
So the Chasidim will have to be considerate of their neighbors. There’s no halacha you have to use mega-buses, but there is a halacha to follow local laws AND a halacha to act in a dignified manner, even on Purim – so why does the article mention “Purim revelers”?
i visit montreal very frequently and i’m familiar with the outremont area the chasidim in this area think they in boro park , wiliamsburg . they double park and smooze , the back up on 1way street ,etc… i dont blame the goiim who live in outremont , they are not antisemites att all i do alot of buisness with the french canadian people its just they like the peace and quite and thats the problem there
Constant problems in Outremont. The chasidim live syrrounded by the most un-tzniusdigers streets yet they refused to allow the yeshiva community “uptown” to connect their eruv all the way down to chassidish neighborhood because there will be pritzus of “moderener” women walking on shabbos!
Driving in areas like Boro Park and Monsey can be a nightmare. People have to follow the traffic laws. These laws exist to protect us.
I think its good. there is no reason why hundreds of children should be bussed around the area like a bunch of mishigeeim. Perim celebrations are way over the top. They should go to sheel, hear the megillah, the parents should send some shalach manos and the kids should have the seedah with the family. Why are double decker or whatever buses needed for peerim, anyway?.
Could it be that there are some neighbors acting out of sinas yisroel and they find fertile ground for their ideas thanks to the inconsiderate actions of SOME chassidesheh residents?
The frogs have always been big anti-semites. All the english people in Montreal have left town. The only english people left are the jews. Everybody else is a frog.
I believe the boys go out Purim night which is motzi Shabbos, which is when the conflict will occur.
Those streets are narrow and if a vehicle stops for a minute to let the boys go house to house it may be impossible for another car to pass.
If they go in a regular 7 or 15 passenger van there will be no problem with another car passing.
A mini bus when stopped will block, they want to use these buses so they can take more boys per vehicle rather than have several mini vans and drivers.
This is what the axle business is about: blocking the road when stopped.
In the Outremont community there are anti-semities who literally follow and tag every move of the ultra Chassidim, this is their full time job.
Every tiny infraction is documented in a blog and reported to police for ticketing.
It is extremely sick.
If the Yidden use buses this Purim the nut cases will probably lie down in front of them to make trouble I am sure.
I agree that there is tons of anti semitism in outremont, however, regardless of their intention, this by law makes sense. On purim it’s impossible to navigate the roads with these big mini buses trying to get through, and stopping at certain houses. Also these buses drive around groups of chasidish bochurim, who are drunk (many for the first time) and rowdy….. you get the picture….. it’s not pretty…..
Thanks to Mr. berry Eisner from “chaverim/shomrim Montreal’s community liaison” for working out with the local police that we should be allowed to use minibuses this year as long the school sign will be covered, and we won’t use the red flashing stop sign, keep up your good work. chaverim is always there to help us with all our needs,