A poster on Areivim took umbrage at what was perceived to be a slight to Charedi society in Israel by someone who referred to rock throwers in Meah Shearim. Here is some of what was posted:
"Despite all the talk of rock-throwing, I've spent many shabbosim in charedi neighborhoods in E"Y and have never yet seen anyone throw rocks. I've heard many a dvar Torah at charedi Shabbos tables, too, and so far I have not yet heard a father or rebbe say, "Listen carefully kinderlach, I want you to know what Yiddishkeit and Torah are all about -- it's about throwing rocks on Shabbos at the people you hate."
The poster has never seen any incidents like that and then implies that these kinds of acts are rare and basically done by hooligans. ...And that "it is a ridiculous and even ugly caricature and stereotype which doesn’t fit the reality of the average charedi home, neighborhood and school in Jerusalem."
But the reality is that the rock throwing type behavior (if not actual rock throwing) is not all that rare. We have recently seen such behavior displayed in several incidents in the recent past, both in Jerusalem and in the US. In fact Jonathan Rosenblum’s most recent post on Cross-Currents acknowledges that reality:
"Despite the greater provocation in the Boro Park case, leading rabbinic figures, including the Novominsker Rebbe, Rosh Agudas Yisrael of America, were outspoken in their criticism of the riots. The Rebbe labelled the actions of those who set fires and attacked police cars a chilul Hashem that required condemnation in no uncertain terms."
No one (certainly not me) ever said that Charedi Mechanchim tell their students that Yiddishkeit and Torah are all about "throwing rocks on Shabbos at the people you hate." But that does not explain what brings some of these kids to go out on their own, take a few rocks, and throw them at passing cars yelling: "Shabbes, Shabbes!"? Nor does it explain the tendency by some to riot.
There seems to be an attitude that permeates the homes of a significant number of Charedi homes that consider all Chilonim to have a Chazaka as being evil, disgusting human beings, especially if they are in government or on the police force.
Oh, and please don't say that I am bashing Charedim again. I said "a significant number", not all or even most of them. Most Charedim are law abiding families that concentrate on Limud HaTorah, Chasadim, and have Midos Tovos which they transmit to their children. But there are enough people in those communities with extremely negative attitudes that make it a problem. In the families where this attitude exists, it spurs some of their children to be trouble makers thinking that they are performing a Mitzvah through acts of rock throwing and rioting. And it makes the whole community look bad. In fact it makes ALL observant Jews look bad especially to those who lump all observant Jews, no matter what their Hashkafa, together.
And they are right in doing so. We ARE all together. We are one people, an Am Kadosh and we are responsible for each others actions. Kol Yisroel Areivim Zeh LaZeh. And in the context of the Torah's admonition: Hocheich Tochiach Es Amischa, it behooves us all to speak out and loud and clear, as did Rabbi Perlow (the Novominsker Rebbe) to condemn behavior such as this anytime we see it and not minimize or excuse it.
