Tag Archive for Haredi

| June 16, 2015
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Haredi soldiers to begin serving in naval combat roles

Israeli Navy seeks to promote ultra-Orthodox soldiers in security missions along maritime borders, and expand the soldiers’ service  beyond auxiliary roles, IDF official says.

By Lilach Shoval

 

Ultra-Orthodox soldiers will soon be assigned to Israeli Navy combat units, Israel Hayom learned Monday.

An Israeli Navy Dvora-class patrol boat – Photo: KOKO

The decision was made by the Israel Defense Forces Personnel Directorate, following an initiative by the Naval Headquarters’ Personnel Division, which hopes to expand haredi soldiers’ service in the corps beyond auxiliary roles.

The military plans to present the initiative to rabbis in the coming weeks, with hopes of seeing it realized by the end of 2015. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| November 2, 2014
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El Al video parody: ‘Committed to your spiritual safety’

American-Jewish comedy writers Levinson Brothers post satirical in-flight El Al Airlines safety video in wake of recent news incidents of flight delays on Delta & El Al, due to Jewish ultra-Orthodox men’s refusal to sit next to women.

Ynetnews

 

“Gentlemen, and unfortunately, ladies,” the announcement featured in a satirical in-flight safety video by Jewish-American comedy writers Stephen and Joel Levinson begins. The parody of El Al’s flight safety video presents guidelines for passengers, following recent cases in which flights were delayed after ultra-orthodox Jewish men refused to take their seats next to women.

Picture that stirred a row – Photo from New York Daily News

In one of the latest of such incidents, which was first published by Ynet, passengers aboard an El Al flight from New York to Israel described their trip as an “11-hour long nightmare” due to disruptions caused by Haredi travelers during the flight. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| September 23, 2014
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Most of Israelis disgruntled with Ultra-Orthodox power over the society

Annual Hiddush study revealed that 61% of Israelis support increased religion-state separation & 78% are dissatisfied with the gov’t’s actions on religion-&-state issues.

By Ben Sales

JTA – During the past 18 months, the governing coalition in Israel has passed legislation to extend the nation’s mandatory conscription to the Haredi — a group currently exempted from military service — and Knesset leaders have advanced bills that would allow for civil unions and ease restrictions on Jewish conversions.

Haredim protest plans to draft them into the military in Jerusalem on March 13.

Haredim in Jerusalem on March 13 protesting plans to draft them into the military. – Photo: AP

But a new study shows that the majority of Israeli electorate remains unhappy with the amount of religious influence on Israeli life and law.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| June 17, 2014
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Jerusalem’s Artificial Beach Offends Capital’s Ultra-Orthodox Rabbis

 

Jewish Ultra-Orthodox residents of Israel’s capital, condemn opening of artificial ‘beach,’ calling it ‘immoral’ and an ‘abomination’.

By i24news

 

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (haredi) residents in Jerusalem have condemned the opening of an artificial beach in the city, saying it will lead to immorality and the desecration of the Jewish Sabbath.

The Largest Artificial Beach of the World - Seagaia Ocean Dome - Photo: flickr

The Largest Artificial Beach of the World – Seagaia Ocean Dome in Miyazaki, Japan – Photo: flickr

The 2,000 square meter artificial beach, located at the First Train Station complex in Jerusalem, features pools, a surfing simulator and concerts. The concept is intended to give the landlocked city a taste of Tel Aviv beaches during the summer. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| March 3, 2014
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Orthodox Jews Threaten to Leave Israel if Forced into IDF Service

Gov’t expected to compromise to avoid being portrayed as jailing Jews for continued study of Torah.

American senators promised to obtain refugee status for every Haredi family.

By Tsvi Sadan

 

Equal burden means that every Israeli citizen must serve in the IDF. In practice, however, 67 percent of the Jewish community and just 50 percent of all Israelis perform national service. To put it negatively, 50 percent of young Israelis are exempt from this burden, while the other half of society has to carry the extra weight.

Orthodox Jews Threaten to Quit Israel Over IDF Draft

Orthodox Jew anguishes at the thought of IDF service – Photo source Israel Today

Those who are exempt are primarily Arab Israelis – both Muslims and Christians, religious Jewish women, Orthodox yeshiva students, and other Jewish young men and women who can’t serve in the army for physical or psychological reasons. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: , , ,
| February 11, 2014
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Portman confronts local resistance over filming in Jerusalem

Israeli directorial debut to be shot in Haredi neighborhood of capital, to the chagrin of its residents.

By i24NEWS

 

Ultra-Orthodox residents of Jerusalem are reportedly trying to forestall Hollywood star Natalie Portman from shooting scenes from her upcoming directorial debut in Israel’s capital, increasingly defined by its religious majority.

Natalie Portman – Photo: AFP

According to the Haaretz daily, Portman, is set to film in an ultra-Orthodox part of the Nahlaot neighborhood. While she coordinated the shoot with the Jerusalem Municipality, officials apparently failed to inform the residents, who wrote a letter complaining that the filming will take place near synagogues and yeshivot. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| February 9, 2014
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The New General Draft Law threatens Israeli govt’s cohesion

 

Finance Minister Lapid threatens to leave Netanyahu’s coalition if criminal sanctions are  excluded in law against army-evaders.

By i24News

 

Threats of leaving the ruling coalition were made so far in the Israeli parliament in connection with the peace process, but on Saturday the threat came from another direction – a more social one
Israeli soldiers from an Ultra Orthodox battalion pray on the top of the ancient fortress of Masada in the Judean desert on March 23, 2007 ( AFP )

Israeli soldiers from an Ultra Orthodox battalion pray on the top of the ancient fortress of Masada in the Judean desert on March 23, 2007 – Photo: AFP

Yesh Atid party’s leader and Finance Minister Yair Lapid warned that he will leave the government if criminal sanctions on draft-evaders will not be stipulated in a new law.Lapid
Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| January 28, 2014
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Haredi radical sentenced for offering to spy & kill for Iran

 

 

Orthodox 46 yr-old man affiliated with radical Neturei Karta sect was sentenced to prison for 4.5 years after admitted to flying to Iranian embassy in Berlin, offering to work as a spy for the Iranian regime, and also offered to kill a Zionist.

By Aviel Magnezi

 

An anti-Zionist haredi man was sentenced to four and a half years in jail for offering to spy for Iran against Israel.

The Neturei Karta suspect (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

The Neturei Karta suspect – Photo: Alex Kolomoisky

The man, Itzhak Bergel, who belongs to the radical Neturei Karta sect, admitted to making the offer to the Iranian regime as part of a plea bargain. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| August 8, 2013
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Haredi gets punched in face for asking woman to move to back of bus

 

 

A male secular youth, becomes outraged and hits Ultra-Orthodox man who asked woman to move to back of Jerusalem bus.

Police are searching for assailant who is still unknown and are considering interrogating the haredi ‘victim’ for ‘women exclusion’.

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir

A secular man hit a haredi who asked a woman to move to the back of a bus traveling in Jerusalem on Thursday.

(Illustration) Photo - EPA

(Illustration) Photo – EPA

According to suspicions, the secular youth punched the man in the face and pulled his beard before fleeing the scene. A complaint has been filed with the police, and a search for the suspect is ongoing. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| July 21, 2013
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By day a Rabbi, by night a Border Guard Police officer patrolling the Upper Galilee

 

Meir Ohana is the chief rabbi of Mushav Kfar Yuval in the Upper Galilee, but that doesn’t stop him from patrolling the north as head of a volunteer Border Guard police unit.

Ohana has always demonstrated his support of haredi integration in the IDF: “Studying Torah does not preclude ‘bearing the burden’.”

By Itsik Saban

When Rabbi Meir Ohana takes off his traditional black suit, he puts on a Border Police uniform. While much of the ultra-Orthodox world in Israel is up in arms over the so-called “sharing of the burden” — the state’s intent to compel Israeli ultra-Orthodox citizens to enlist in the military after years of enjoying blanket exemptions from service — Ohana is a rare sight among his ilk.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| July 10, 2013
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New Haredi ‘tourist spot’: IKEA’s summer sale

 

Ultra-Orthodox institutions offer special stop after trips to burial places of biblical figures and rabbis’ tombs, to the Swedish home furnishing store in Rishon Lezion.

By Moshe Heller

Home furnishing stores in Jerusalem’s Mea Shearim neighborhood are in for some bad news: Ultra-Orthodox institutions have begun offering special trips to IKEA’s summer sale in the central city of Rishon Lezion.

File:903. Ikea Israel near Nethanya.jpg

IKEA in Israel – Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

A local bus company recently organized a trip from Beit Shemesh to Rachel’s Tomb, the Western Wall and the IKEA store in Rishon Lezion, which is in the midst of its summer sale. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| May 17, 2013
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Aharonovich: Arrested Haredi protesters to be prosecuted

 

8 Haredi protesters arrested in violent anti-draft demonstration were released from police custody, 7 under court restrictions.

Internal Security Minister said he was ‘appalled’ by violence against the police

By Noam (Dabul) Dvir

Eight protesters who were arrested Thursday at a haredi anti-draft demonstration in Jerusalem were released Friday, seven under restrictions.

ההפגנה האלימה בירושלים (צילום: אוהד צויגנברג)

Violent protest – Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg

Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich said he was appalled by the protesters’ violence which was also directed at police officers and promised that the rioters would be punished.

Thursday’s protest saw one officer moderately wounded and another five lightly wounded. Of the protesters, five sustained minor wounds. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| May 17, 2013
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8 policemen injured in mass Haredi protest against draft

The demonstration was not backed by Shteinman and the mainstream Haredi leadership, although they are vigorously opposed to the enlistment of yeshiva students.

By JEREMY SHARON


 

 

A demonstration staged by the radical Eda Haredit organization turned violent Thursday night, with haredi protestors throwing rocks, glass bottles and other objects at police, injuring at least eight officers, two of whom were taken to hospital in moderate condition.

Haredi demonstration against IDF enlistment legislation in Jerusalem, May 16, 2013

Haredi demonstration against IDF enlistment legislation in Jerusalem, May 16, 2013 Photo: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post

The police made at least ten arrests and fired a water cannon to disperse violent protesters.

Between 25 to 30 thousand haredi men protested against government plans to draft ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| April 15, 2013
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Haredi enlistment begins in 6 weeks

‘Equal share of burden’ committee has 1st meeting. ‘IDF’s needs are our first priority,’ Science Minister Yaakov Perry says.

Attila Somfalvi

 

 

The Knesset Committee for Promoting Equal Share of the Burden, headed by Science Minister Yaakov Perry (Yesh Atid), convened for the first time Sunday. Representatives of the IDF and the Civil Service Administration attended the meeting and stressed they were prepared to intake haredi enlistees.

At the end of the meeting, Perry said: “In six weeks we will have a historic law – the process is sensitive, but the IDF’s needs are our first priority.”

The committee’s meeting took place only a few hours before the beginning of Memorial Day, and while leading the meeting, Minister Perry stressed the symbolic importance of the coincidence. Continue Reading »

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