Beit Shemesh, Israel – Four Jewish women have filed suit against the city of Beit Shemesh saying that the city has failed to prevent an extremist sect from putting pressure on them to dress according to its strict rules.
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Arutz Sheva (http://bit.ly/V4XacT) is reporting that the suit centers around several signs put in place by sect members declaring that ‘immodest’ are prohibited from walking in the area.
One plaintiff claims that when she took down one of the signs, a man affiliated with the sect began throwing stones at her.
“There’s a threatening atmosphere here due o the repeated violence against women who the attackers think are not dressed appropriately,” said the plaintiff.
The women are seeking 25,000 shekels for emotional distress from the city for failing to take the signs down.
The suit has been filed through the Israeli Religious Action Center, the Reform Movement’s advocacy group in Israel.
A city spokesperson, Matanya Rosenzoig, said, “There were multiple efforts to remove the aforementioned signs in coordination with the police, but new signs were put up immediately, and municipal supervisors do not have the power to deal with a situation like that.
yes the city does have the means, arrest anyone whom hangs signs or throw rocks..make it a crime with prison for hurting another person whether it be physically or emotional.
There is a growing body of information that the Taliban descended from Jews dispersed into galus over 2000 years ago. Seems like Talibanism has been imported to Beit Shemesh nebach! It is one thing if a community had a policy and everyone knows it, like Mea Shearim or New Square. This is different and it certainly had the opposite effect of being mekarev anyone.
I hope that these women win.
The anti-Torah kanna’im must be taught to behave with basic mentschlichkeit (דרך ארץ קדמה לתורה) and to follow the halachah. Harrassing women violates many issurim of the Torah, including ואהבת לרעך כמוך, אונאת דברים, לא תלבין פני חבירו ברבים.
Furthermore, even where no harrasment is involved, it is wrong to give rebuke if it will make the situation worse. The Mesillas Yesharim says in the perek of משקל החסידות:
התורה צותה (ויקרא י”ט): “הוכח תוכיח את עמיתך”, וכמה פעמים יכנס אדם להוכיח חטאים במקום או בזמן שאין דבריו נשמעים וגורם להם להתפרץ יותר ברשעם ולחלל ה’ להוסיף על חטאתם פשע, הנה בכיוצא בזה אינו מן החסידות אלא לשתוק. וכך אמרו ז”ל (יבמות ס”ה): כשם שמצוה לומר דבר הנשמע, כך מצוה שלא לומר את שאינו נשמע.
simple solution: put up hidden cameras, arrest anyone caught and sentence them to army duty.
the sign is not threatening it says in Hebrew “please” do not ..
so what wrong with that? your taliban idocity not withstanding.
I’m sorry. I must disagree with all these comments. Apparently they can’t read Hebrew.
It says in a kind way.
Woman are kindly asked to refrain from dressing immodestly on this street. That sign W’s posted.in front of a Yeshiva.
when you live near a.Yeshiva, be sensitive to their religious laws and don’t provoke.
As for the stones, that’s a lie meant to provoke anti religious anti haredi hatred. And all u people fall for it. A poster is a freedom of expression and Israel is a free country.
those creating this lawsuit should be embarrassed and ashemed of themselves for alligning with reform.
Now we have a problem. I do not want posters of scantily clad men and women showing movies to be seen in my city. It offends me and it will impact on my children. But, I don’t mind if they are appropriately dressed.
Yankel, my neighbor, does not want women at all to be on posters. Moshe does not want movie posters of any kind. Adam has no problem with anything.
Whose standard do we hold by? I physically get sick at the thought of pornography posters and will do my utmost to stop it. My physical health and spiritual health are at risk. Should I be banned from walking the streets? What about Yankel and Moshe?
Hashomer Achi Anochi?????
I would like to banish people from the neighborhood, while others want to banish me. I have a right to live as I see fit, but others have the same right.
That is the problem. Giving me my rights takes away rights from someone else.
I live in Bet Shemesh. This is a very small area in what is known as RAMAT Beit Shemesh which is dominated by ultra Orthodox and Chassidim. This is where some of the burka women live and I have seen them there but I have not had problems dressing in long skirts and shirts with appropriate sleeves although they are not black.
One plaintiff claims that when she took down one of the signs, why not arresting this lady? She touched someones private property
If the reform movement is involved you know who the agitators are. The reform movement live like goyim and hate and i repeat hate anybody who lives like an orthodox Jew because it hurts their neshamah which is crying out to be saved from the physical body
Now if women go to Israel on a trip, they have to carry stones to throw back at these morons. I guess they do not need the business, so I will tell my friend not to bother going!!
The trouble is that Israel calls itself the Jewish state but does not respect the Torah. If it respected the Torah, then people would not be ashamed of dressing modestly and not be ashamed of their religion. There should be no reasons why these signs have to be put up in the first place-people should know how a Jewish woman is supposed to dress and dress accordingly; after all, Israel is the Jewish state.
guess this is what motivates people to avoid selling flats to Chareidim…they take over the neighborhood, bit by bit, and then impose their primitive culture and perverse understanding of halacha.
Fast question; who will a reform Jew be closer to a charedi person or a non Jew. Would he rather be with a charedi Jew whether in a shul or Beis Medraish or a Tavern. If you can answer this the right why the problem falls away
I thought the ladies carried guns in Israel.