Pride? No. Shame? Absolutely!

Peleg Protesters (VIN)

Here we go again. According to a story in JTA (republished at VIN) I am ashamed to report that 400 Charedi students did their level best to make yet another Chilul HaShem - in what they surely believe was a Kidush HaShem:

More than 40 haredi Orthodox protesters were arrested in Jerusalem during a demonstration against the arrest of a yeshiva student who refused to register for the draft.

The demonstration on Thursday morning closed an intersection near the entrance of Jerusalem.

Police and some of the estimated 400 protesters clashed during the demonstration, which also stopped the Jerusalem light rail on Jaffa Road. The demonstrators shouted “We will die before we enlist,” Ynet reported.

The demonstration that closed Jerusalem roads came a few hours before the start of the Jerusalem Pride Parade, which will close roads and bring out extra security. 

By now most people know who these students are. They are part of an extremist religious party called Peleg (founded by R’ Shmuel Auerbach). Their sole purpose is to defy any attempt by the Israeli government to draft them into the army (or some form of national service). 

In service to that goal they reject even registering for the draft which would give them the option of an exemption or deferment.  Which is the path taken by the more rational and sane Charedi leaders in Israel  Leaders  that are both idealists and realists. They are willing to cooperate with the government as long as it leads to Yeshiva students being left alone.

The question is who is going to come out the winner here. Will it be the more sane and rational Charedim that are willing to negotiate a compromise acceptable to all? Or will it be the insane and irrational Charedim that are willing (they say) to die for the cause?

(My views on whether all yeshiva students should be automatically given an exemption are irrelevant to this discussion.)

At this point I don’t know which faction has greater numbers or is stronger. What I do know is that the ones making all the noise are the intransigent idealists that are willing to die rather than register and get a deferment.  They say that. But they are not even willing to spend one day in jail for their convictions since this protest was all about getting one of their draft dodgers out of jail.

It is this noise that is the Chilul HaShem the 'gift'  that keeps on giving. As it did once again here. That 40 students were arrested is a start. Unfortunately when it comes to these kinds of arrests, they don’t mean much in terms of consequences. They are almost always released due to one of the Charedi K’nesset members interceding on their behalf.

As I have said before, these are not the Eida HaCharedis Meah Shearim extremists doing this. They are mainstream Yeshiva students that have been inspired by the wrong person. They view Peleg’s founder in iconic terms, especially once he died. Death has a way of elevating someone beyond human proportion. Especially in the Charedi world.  All one has to do is read an ArtScroll ‘biography’ of a deceased religious personality. They will see a characterization that can only be described as being angels walking on earth when they were alive. Perfect human beings created by God from their very inception in the womb.

This is the mentality they are dealing with. Students that might otherwise be seen as mainstream Charedim become ‘monsters’ in the name of their founder. Believing that his views were God’s views. That there are other great religious figures that – not only don’t believe this is God’s will but goes against God’s will - doesn’t mean anything to them.

In short, they have been brainwashed. There is no better explanation for their behavior. I’d be willing to bet that any encounter with them that does not involve the draft – will elicit a more or less mainstream Charedi approach. But when it comes to the draft, their eyes must glaze over. And they turn into a self-centered mob blinded to any collateral damage that will result. Caring little about anything but getting their way. 

It’s kind of ironic that they have ignored the Gay Pride Parade. Something that I believe should not take place. Just because we should treat every human being (including homosexual people) with the dignity required of being created in the image of God, that does not include celebrating a lifestyle that is conducive to violating  a Halacha. One that is considered a capital offense! It is one thing to treat them individually with respect and dignity. It is another to celebrate that lifestyle. Especially in the holiest city in the world, Jerusalem. 

(I would not, however, encourage an actual Gay Pride Parade protest. I would allow it to pass in peace. That is because a huge protest has in the past had generated deadly violence by a misguided extremist... And on the other hand it would surely generate a huge backlash. Why tempt fate that way? I would have however understood protesting that. But I digress.)

I’m glad those boys were arrested. I am not however glad they will probably be released almost immediately. Not that being brainwashed is their fault. But without consequence to their actions - the Chilul HaShem will continue. Of course keeping them in jail would have generated more protests like this. But it needs to be done. Israel must stand its ground if they ever hope to convince these people of the futility of their ways. Since their common sense on this issue has long ago disappeared.