Wrong Answer!

Satmar Chasidim (Arutz Sheva)

Once again we have the specter of Satmar supporting the wrong thing. In this case its their approach to white collar crimes. Instead of trying to instill basic honesty and integrity into their people, Arutz Sheva reports they are raising funds to lobby for reforming the US penal system with respect to white collar crimes. $2 million has been raised to promote leniency for convicted white collar criminals.

This is wrong on so many levels. In fact in might even rise to the level of a Chilul Hashem if you think about it. With this move they have basically admitted that white collar crime is a common occurrence. Or at least enough people are guilty of it to require them to see legislation for them. Is this really the image they want to project to the world? ...that the good fight is about leniency for their criminals? Seriously? This is the most important issue to them? Not the crime itself? I see no effort to eliminate the crime. They seem to just ignore it as though it were OK.

This is not so say that white collar criminals are always treated fairly. Sometimes the punishment does not fit the crime. As was the case with Sholom Rubashkin. His sentence was overly harsh for a first time white collar offender. This was near universally acknowledged by a variety of prominent people whose views about the justice system are respected. So indeed it should be reformed so that a first time white collar criminal does not get a prison sentence that is much harsher than that of many murderers.

But this should not be Satmar’s fight. This is a fight that should be universally supported by all fair minded people. Sentencing guidelines should be fair and adjusted accordingly.

That Satmar is doing it on their own (with support from other Charedi communities according to Arutz Sheva) is by far the wrong approach to their problem. If it exists at levels high enough raise millions of dollars to lobby for - then the real problem is to find out why it does and do something about it. Wouldn’t it be nice if they had instead raised that amount of money for the kind of education that would emphasize the Halacha of  Dina D’Machusa Dina (the Halachic requirement to follow the law of the land)?

I guess not. The question is why don’t they see it that way? I have discussed my views in this before. It is my personal opinion based on a variety of factors that have caused this kind of mindset among them. This is not to excuse it. It is only to briefly explain it.

First there is the fact that in pre Holocaust Europe going back many centuries, antisemitism was rampant. Especially Eastern Europe where most Chasidim were located. Conditions were harsh. My understanding is that it was almost impossible to support one’s family without in some way cheating or skirting the law.

This mentality came with post Holocaust refugees when they arrived in America . 

But America was not like Europe even in pre Holocaust times let alone now. Most American Jews – including most Orthodox Jews quickly found that to be the case and have thrived financially without any significant impediments.

But not Chasidim like those of Satmar who have literally isolated themselves from the outside world. They are clueless about the differences between the Europe of their parents and grandparents on the one hand - and the America of today on the other. For them nothing has changed. They remain with the belief that America is no different than Europe. And that it is therefore legitimate to cheat the government here now - as it was back then there.  As long as you can get away with it. And not get caught.

They have no education at all about what America is all about. They have no education at all outside of their religious education. Which apparently does not teach the importance of Dina D’Malchusa.

To the best of my knowledge they have no intention of changing that and and are fighting every attempt at it. They choose to continue to live their lives in near complete ignorance and isolation from the rest of society for fear of being contaminated by it. How can they possible not believe that cheating the government is OK with that kind of background?!

Whose fault is it? Clearly not the Chasidim themselves. They don’t know any better and simply buy what they are being sold by their leadership. They are being sold a bill of goods about the outside world that reinforces old stereotypes about the ‘evil Goyim out to get them’. They are taught to believe that they hate us and we must hate them back.  Which in their minds justifies white collar criminals who are simply following in the footsteps of  parents and grandparents. Who were forced by circumstances to do the same in pre Holocaust Europe.Circumstances that do not exist here.

They have little way of knowing that this is the case. I’m not sure how they explain the existence of so many Orthodox Jews outside of their community that do not live like that, follow the law, and do rather well without sacrificing their religious ideals.

This is why I continue to support all efforts to educate their children with a secular studies program that includes good citizenship and the idea that not all Goyim are antisemites. That Americans are good and decent people most of whom are philosemites that stand with us in times of trouble.  

If that ever happens it will obviate the need to lobby for lenient sentences for their white collar criminals. Because hopefully there will no longer be any - recognizing that white collar crime is completely off limits to anyone calling themselves an observant Jew.