It should come as no surprise that The Atheist Rabbi would have an issue or two with Haredi Jews, especially when it comes to the matter of \u201cexclusion of women\u201d that has come to dominate Israeli discourse.\u00a0 I have this in common with millions of secular Jews in Israel and around the world.<\/p>\n
What is surprising is the large number of Orthodox Jews who are also at the end of their ropes with these people.\u00a0 Because they come into more frequent contact with them, traditional and moderate Orthodox Jews have witnessed their behavior up close.<\/p>\n
The latest symbol of this is a seven year old girl named Na\u2019ama Margolis.\u00a0 She was spit upon for her \u201cimmodest\u201d dress as she made her way to her modern, Zionist Orthodox girls\u2019 school wearing her long skirt, long sleeves and high collar.<\/p>\n
I have been very concerned about this situation for years.\u00a0 Some theorize that the extremism has increased because of the increasing contacts between Haredim and wider society.\u00a0 Others suggest that they\u2019re feeling empowered by their demographic successes and the weaknesses of Israeli authorities in dealing with them.<\/p>\n
This video was broadcast last Friday night on \u201cUlpan Shishi\u201d (Friday Studio), the major Channel Two news program of the week, hosted by the very popular Yair Lapid.\u00a0 It was in response to this piece that Netanyahu made his strongest statements<\/a> about increased law enforcement and taking down signs that require women to stay off men\u2019s sidewalks.<\/p>\n One of the most chilling parts of the item is the Haredi who promises that they are the future of Israel.\u00a0 This is not an Israel that I would be interested in.\u00a0 But I don\u2019t believe him.\u00a0 Not when videos like this are being passed along with translation by Israeli Orthodox women.\u00a0 Hannah Katsman, author of the blog AMotherlnIsrael.com<\/a>, is hardly an anti-religious radical.\u00a0 But she, like many other moderately religious Israelis, is concerned about this phenomenon.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Israeli press is reporting on fresh violence today against a Channel Ten news crew.<\/p>\n It is true that the story of the Haredim is not new.\u00a0 But is it possible that with these new twists the government of Israel may begin to take some real action against these people?\u00a0 They are a huge socio-economic drain on the nation, they refuse to serve in the army and they are treated with kid gloves.<\/p>\n Maybe it\u2019s time to take off those gloves.<\/p>\n