I want to commend Mayer Fertig, editor and publisher of the Jewish Star for the courage to publish a strongly worded editorial about the two visiting Rebbes from Meah Shearim. He basically said much the same thing I said. The only difference is that I have gone further and called for a boycott or protest. It is however obvious from his words that he would be quite happy with that.
I am also happy to see at least two other major blogs are promoting this editorial too. My hope is that all those who love the Jewish people and who have blogs - large and small - or any other means of communticating these sentiments will do the same. Time to spread the word far and wide to as many religious Jews as possible – and send these Rebbes a clear message!
Excerpt:
The Rebbe’s followers — at least a good number of them — are thugs and criminals who created an unprecedented desecration of G-d’s name with their violent street protests in Jerusalem.
In a few short weeks they managed to undo and turn around — v’nahafoch hu — a general perception of observant Jews as peaceful and genteel. In some cases they even altered our own self-perception; more than a few frum Jews this summer reported feeling discomfort at being seen as kin to the Orthodox hooligans in the news.
Yet, this weekend, in a display of shocking naïveté, the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok Rebbe is to be feted and honored — and funded — at Cong. Shaaray Tefila in Lawrence, even as the Rebbe’s brother, the even more extreme Toldos Aharon Rebbe, is making his own appearances in the New York area.
