Justice Ministry Attorney Slaps Haredi MK In Knesset

A haredi MK gets into an argument with an attorney from the Justice Ministry after a heated committee meeting about allocations to haredi schools given in violation of the law. The MK accuses the attorney of "being worse than the Germans, because the Germans only wanted to destroy our bodies while you want to destroy our souls!" The attorney tells the MK to shut up "or I'll slap you!" Apparently taunting, the MK says "I'm waiting!" The attorney slaps the MK, gets arrested and then released under restrictions, including having no contact with the MK.

The MK, Yakov Cohen says "even my father never hit me like this" and "my whole world went dark." Yet, when photographed after the incident, the MK's face shows no bruising, swelling, redness, cuts or any other signs of injury. The MK wants the attorney fired.

I think it is wrong to lash out physically and the attorney should be reprimanded and perhaps fired. But what of the MK, a Gerrer hasid? Is calling another Jew "worse than" the Nazis appropriate, especially in the Knesset? I think not. Yet haredim do this all the time. They turn secular Jews, Modern Orthodox Jews, Conservative and Reform Jews, into the Other and then demonize them. It is a normal part of haredi discourse, so normal, in fact, that competing haredi factions do this to each other.

This goes to the heart of the matter. Haredim have no civics education, no training in or appreciation for democracy and free debate. This is especially sad because, in its most pure form, the yeshivot that first codified halakha, Jewish law, 1800 years ago operated as mini-democracies, where decisions were made by majority rule. But haredism (and especially hasidism) has corrupted that system to such an extent that democracy has become a foreign element, not a founding principle.

And all of this is especially ironic because the Knesset committee was discussing allocations given illegally to haredi schools. Why were these allocations illegal? Because the law states that a basic core curriculum including basic math, science and civics must be taught in any school that receives state funding. Civics, of course, includes democracy. And the haredi schools in question? That's right – they do not teach it.

UPDATE: The attorney is the son of Holocaust survivors and lost much of his family in Auschwitz. That and more, here.

Comments

[Garnel Ironheart]

This is the natural consequence of allowing extremism to back you into a corner.

Having made it well known that they oppose anything "secular" they now can't even accept basic things like math, civics or science. Nothing that might give their kids a chance to be employed when they grow up. It's not like they're being asked to learn philosophy, poetry or even secular history. What they're being asked to teach are neutral subjects that don't cause a conflict with Torah learning. But they can't accept that and if you disagree, you're a Nazi.

Heaven forbid you call them a parasite.

There is a simple solution. The Knesset should simply uphold the law - no math and geography? No money. Have a nice day.

[Lawrence M. Reisman]

"Is calling another Jew "worse than" the Nazis appropriate, especially in the Knesset?"

No ,but it's par for the course in Israeli political dialogue, even among the secular. Years ago, the Jewish Press used to publish excerpts from Knesset proceedings on a regular basis. The language the MKs used (all of them) was, by any standard of civilized discourse, shocking.

[David]

We really have cheapened the whole concept of "nazi" beyond recognition. If the appelation can be used for someone who doesn't favor granting the requested amount of funding for Haredi schools, then: a) there are a staggering number of nazis in Israel; and b) Hitler wouldn't recognize his own party due, in part, to its large Jewish membership. Oh, and, for the record, the MK in question did deserve to get hit.

[MoChan]

Even though we all know the MK was worng, I think it's a pity that the attorney reacted in such a way. If he would have held his head high and wouldn't have slapped him, the case could have been won. But instead, now all we have done is given the haredi schools ammunition to use against more moderate Jews and people who feel these haredi schools need to teach secular subjects along with limudei kodesh. As for the MK, how knowledgable is he in the atrocities the Nazis commited against us (and other minorities) during WWII? As David said above me, the meaning behind the word 'Nazi' has cheapened over the years, and what makes it worse is that this is happening while there are still some surviros who are alive. Imagine how it will be 25 years from now.

[Neandershort]

What they're being asked to teach are neutral subjects that don't cause a conflict with Torah learning.

Science doesn't cause a coflict with Torah? We know it doesn't but they don't.

Whatever happened to basic manliness? Didn't anybody tell Hartuch that it's beyond the pale for one man to slap another; men fight with their fists? Oh well, I doubt if Hartuch thanks God every day for not making him female :)

Seriously, nobody wins here. Two public officials are acting like twelve-year-olds. The reports say that Hartuch was ordered to have no further contact with Cohen and was barred from the Knesset. That's about what would have happened in America - an "order of protection." The knesset should now sanction Cohen for calling someone a Nazi; among us that's a fighting word.

[The Monsey Tzadik]

The attorney should be reprimanded and perhaps fired

Ha ?

He should be promoted !

[ed]

Shmarya is so dishonest.

He purposely leaves out the part where prior to MK Cohen's statement, Hartuch calls him a beast and tells him to shut up.

[ed]

>I think it's a pity that the attorney reacted in such a way.

Ha Ha Ha. The true colors of the secularists are finally showing through.

>The knesset should now sanction Cohen for calling someone a Nazi;

HE NEVER CALLED HIM A NAZI.

[ed]

Anyone wonder why Alex is silent today?

[Shmarya]

ed is so dishonest. He doesn't mention that before the attorney called the MK a beast, the MK told the attorney: "You’re destroying the Torah world."

And their argument began inside the committee meeting and continued outside.

And calling someone a behamyma, bad as that is, is not the same thing as calling someone a Nazi or "worse than" a Nazi.

[Shmarya]

HE NEVER CALLED HIM A NAZI.

Poor ed. So hared to read and understand:

Cohen then said, ‘You’re worse than the Germans; they wanted to destroy the body and you want to destroy the soul’.

I guess in ed's mind, it all depends on what the meaning of the word "is" is.

[chief doofis]

I am a Halachik Jew (neither "Modern" nor "Haredi"). If the Haredi world insists upon denying their children a secular education, and the Israeli law says that you have to provide secular subjects in order to be subsidized, that's it! It is after all, quite possible to synthesize the two. No one would ever insist that schools teach anti -religious science (as if that really exists!!) Math is definitely neutral, history can be as well, forget about civics, what these guys need is CIVILIZATION!! (I once rode on a (Haredi) bus from Ashdod to Jerusalem on a Thursday night, most sewers smell better!!) If you want to reap the benefits of a Democratic society, you musr follow its rules. Nonetheless, physical assault is also a no no. A plague on both their houses!!

[Upset]

I'd have hit the MK so hard he'd be permanently facing backwards to match his backwards-facing worldview.

[Anonymous]

Why are we so worried about getting along with the Palestinians when we can't get along with each other. I think the two of them should be treated like children. Put them in a room together and lock the door and they can't come out until they're friends.

Two babies.

[Ma Rabbi]

Why wasnt the lawyer arrested and charged with assault?

[ed]

>ed is so dishonest. He doesn't mention that before the attorney called the MK a beast, the MK told the attorney: "Youre destroying the Torah world."

Idiot. That isn't a personal insult. That's a criticism of his opinion.

The attorney began the name calling, and the words - shut up.

>HE NEVER CALLED HIM A NAZI.
Poor ed. So hared to read and understand:Cohen then said, Youre worse than the Germans; they wanted to destroy the body and you want to destroy the soul.

He didn't say that the attorney is a cold blooded murderer. He said it in the context of "Gadol Hamachtio Yoser Min Hahorgo"

[ed]

>I'd have hit the MK so hard he'd be permanently facing backwards to match his backwards-facing worldview.

SHUT UP, YOU SUBHUMAN PIECE OF TRASH.

[Alex]

Ed is mincing words in a dishonest fashon, kinda like what Lawrence does by the way.

Two dopes.

[Alex]

Ed said- "SHUT UP, YOU SUBHUMAN PIECE OF TRASH. EDUCATION IS FOR LOOSERS! WE WANT TO BE CLOSE TO GOD, SO WE HAVE TO BE STUPID LITTLE BORG DRONES THAT DON'T KNOW ONE MESCHTA OF TALMUD, BUT PERFECTLY ABLE TO REPEAT DOGMA! RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!"

[Alex]

Next up on the heredi telepathic cable network's Superman series:

Can Superman stop the devilous duo, Sin and Cosine from teaching math to hereidm in Israel's yeshivas, or are rabbis gonna have to do some mumbo jumbo to save the day again?

Remember- eat your chulent on Saturday morning to be able to receive the telepathic transmission!

lol

[Shmarya]

Why wasnt the lawyer arrested and charged with assault?

He was arrested and let go under what we would call a restraining order.

As for what ed writes, the "Torah world" is built on theft. Stopping that theft may bring the Torah world to collapse, but that is not the fault of those enforcing the law – it is the fault of the gedolim and their thieves.