The following is a version of an incident that actually happened as reported in the media. And it is an outrage:
A native of the modern Orthodox upscale enclave of Lakeview on the near north side of Chicago, Chedva Gross, is not unfamiliar with the mores of her community. But she never expected to be persecuted for choosing to dress slightly differently.
Unlike most Lakeview women, who wear very fashionable clothing, Gross, 25, wears the traditional dress of the Chasidic women of Satmar consisting of very modest loose fitting and long dresses, long sleeves, opaque stockings with a visible seam, and wigs covered by a pill box hat.
And that, in the eyes of a clandestine group of Lakeview inquisitors, constitutes communally unacceptable behavior. Gross and her husband, Yoel, awoke Tuesday morning to find the tires of their silver Chevy Impala slashed and white oil-based paint splashed on their new, black Mazda Van. Written in white paint were Hebrew words that Gross interpreted in English as "get out" and "greasy Chasid."
Chicago police Sgt. Warner Hein said his departmnt is treating the incident as criminal mischief and are interviewing residents for potential leads. Police are also investigating another incident that occurred about a month ago, in which fliers slandering Gross were thrown on Lakeview streets.
Just before this week's vandalism, Gross and her husband received several letters — one was hand-delivered by a modern Orthodox man. The man told them that he and 24 other men have decided that the couple should leave Lakeview immediately. "He had a lot of guts coming up here in person," Yoel said.
Lakeview is a village populated by about 5000 observant modern Orthodox Jews. Its residents hold fast to modernity and are considered by many other Orthodox Jews as too modern.
The Grosses said they do not believe that their persecutors are representative of Lakeview, but are rather a fringe group of radicals who have taken it upon themselves to make an example of them. The couple at first suspected the attacks to be the work of the so called “Committee for Good Taste in Clothing’ …the fashion police in Chicago.
But when Chedva's family confronted members of the group, they denied responsibility for the acts, she said. Still, The committee has been suspected of acting through other agents of the community to achieve its ends, she said. Speaking with a reporter yesterday, Chedva wore a the traditional modest clothing that is typical of the Satmar community. Yoel, who works in construction, stood by her, as their 1-year-old daughter, Zlaty, played.
The couple at first thought about ignoring the threats, but changed their minds after their cars were vandalized. "I want these people arrested," Chedva said. "I want them to pay for my damaged property and to pay for what they are putting my family through."
Shlomo Heligman, an expert in Modern Orthodox culture at Yeshivas Toras Yoel of Rogers Park, said Chedva Gross's plight is not unusual given Lakeview's anti Frum attitude. "The whole image she is projecting with her clothing is that of someone who despises the modern world.
How can anyone treat a fellow human being this way? Especially a Jew… a Frum one no less! Is there no shame? What are these Jews thinking? Is this how they express their Judaism? Through intolerance?! … by destroying property!?
Is this Yiddshkeit, Lakeview style? Is mode of dress so important to these people? Must homogeneity of dress trump Mentchlichkeit? What kind of value system is it, that values clothing styles above human decency? What kind of priority is clothing style? They persecute decent human beings for fashion violation. Is this what modern Orthodoxy teaches? Absurd!
Apparently the Modern Orthodox Jews of Lakeview have no clue about how to treat a fellow human being who is just a bit different than they are. They are so absorbed in their own culture that they do not recognize the folly of their own ways.
The fact that the actual violence was done by a fringe group does not absolve the community at large. The disgusting and destructive vandalism perpetrated by this group is a logical extension of the kind of intolerance that this community has for anyone who do not conform to their shallow Modern Orthodox value system. One that is clearly at odds with the values of the Torah.
I have a message for Lakeview. It’s just a few days before Rosh Hashanah. I’m sure that even Lakeview residents heard of that holy day. Stop your sinful ways and learn to love your fellow Jew.
Disclaimer: Some of the details in this version of the story may be a bit off. For the actual story, see here.
