(Image source: Channel 2)
BY JIM FLINK
Heroes? Or fanatics? In Israel, a culture war is being waged between Ultra-Orthodox Jews -- called the Haredim -- and more moderate elements of society.
euronews reports on the show-down that began when an 8-year-old school girl -- was allegedly spat upon by Orthodox men.
“The town of Beit Shamesh near Jerusalem is under the spotlight after an 8-year-old girl complained of being threatened by ultra-Orthodox men for her dress. The graffiti says Israeli women, the Torah demands that you dress modestly.”
Two popular Israeli television stations deployed reporters to cover the little girl’s walk to school, which raised anger across Israel.
“We’ll just walk a little bit. Naam. You wanna walk just a little bit?”
“No (crying.)”
“What’s the problem. There are rabbi’s and the(y) give us the power to know how to appear when we walk in the streets, and to know how a woman should behave when walking in the streets. And that’s the way it should be.”
While the Haredim make up about half of the small town of Beit Shemesh, ultra-Orthodox Jews in general are a distinct minority in Israel.
The Telegraph explains -- still -- they wield considerable influence.
“Though numbering only 10 per cent of Israel's mostly Jewish population of 7.7 million, ultra-Orthodox voting patterns give them considerable clout, helping to secure them welfare benefits and wider influence.”
But the vocal majority is demanding Israeli police and government officials crack down. This week -- that happened.
NTDTV has more.
“That led to an increased police presence there, and during scuffles, one protester was arrested and three other ultra Orthodox men were detained. The dispute underscores a widening fault line between the religiously devout and the majority of non-observant Jews. (FLASH) Activist groups plan public protests in against efforts to exclude women from the public realm.”
Haaretz says more Haredis are now appealing to the ultra-Orthodox media to sway public opinion, because politicians are reluctant to criticize the Haredim.
“They want the police and the government to get on the extremists' case, because the leadership vacuum created by politicians, rabbis and newspapers that serve the ultra-Orthodox world has left mainstream Haredim looking for help in places they normally wouldn't go.”
Ynet News lies in the difference between a hero and a fanatic. Saying too often, Israeli’s look for the enemy outside its borders, while accepting some forms of extremism within them.
“Our problem is that for the majority of Israelis the expression of the values of heroism is all too often confined to confronting our external enemies, while when it comes to the values and ideals of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, all signs of heroism dissipate and in its place there is timidity and passivity."
