The Mea Shearim Haredi Mafia

An employee at a CD and DVD store that opened in Mea She'arim three years ago told how the Sikrikim had held protests outside the shop, blocked customers from coming in, thrown rocks at him and broken the store owner's car windows because they consider the CD and DVD formats too modern.…"There's protection money involved. We would have to pay them and they would send someone in regularly who would have free rein to remove whatever books he didn't like."

Haredim stoning police, Mea Shearim, July 2011

Jerusalem bookshop targeted by 'mafia-like' extremists
Or Hachaim/Manny's in the ultra-Orthodox Mea She'arim neighbourhood has had its windows broken and its locks glued shut by members of the Sikrikim group
Luke Browne • The Guardian

A bookshop in a strict ultra-Orthodox neighbourhood of Jerusalem has come under attack from religious zealots whose "mafia-like" intimidation tactics have created a climate of fear and resentment among members of the area's business community.

The shop, known as Or Hachaim/Manny's, has had its windows broken twice [actually, the number is greater than this], its locks glued shut and has been pelted with fish oil by members of the fringe Sikrikim group, an extremist breakaway faction from the ultra-Orthodox Neturei Karta movement, which opposes the modern state of Israel because it was established by man and not God.

Since the shop opened in the neighbourhood of Mea She'arim in March 2010, the Sikrikim have been calling for a boycott in an effort to force its managers to remove all English-language and Zionist books, said Marlene Samuels, one of the shop's managers. They have also demanded the shop shut down its English-language website and erect a sign requesting that customers dress modestly.

"They're not happy with the large number of tourists that come in here because they feel they're not dressed modestly enough," she explained, pointing out that Israel's English-speaking community and visitors from the US, the UK and other European countries constitute a large proportion of the shop's clientele.

David Rotenberg, head of Or Hachaim's English department, said the Sikrikim had also dumped bags of human excrement beside the religious books on display inside the store – "the bottom line on how disgustingly crazy these people are".

Established in the 1870s by ultra-Orthodox Jews of eastern European origin, Mea She'arim's residents have retained the conservative customs and dress of the old eastern European ghettos. Life in the insular, densely populated neighbourhood is strictly governed by Jewish law and its patchwork of religious sub-groupings and factions generally resent state interference in their affairs.

According to Samuels, while the Sikrikim have no religious legitimacy in the eyes of Mea She'arim's ultra-Orthodox community – and reportedly comprise just 60 to 100 members – their reach and impact are widespread.

"Everybody suffers from them; this has been going on with other stores for years," she said. "If people do not toe the line according to their very extreme, anti-Zionist philosophy, they become very aggressive."

Several shop owners in the neighbourhood told the Guardian they had been harassed by the Sikrikim, but requested anonymity and would not allow their businesses to be named.

An employee at a CD and DVD store that opened in Mea She'arim three years ago told how the Sikrikim had held protests outside the shop, blocked customers from coming in, thrown rocks at him and broken the store owner's car windows because they consider the CD and DVD formats too modern.

"They work like a mob, they're very dangerous," he said. "Even though we sell nothing but Jewish religious films and music they have a problem with us. If we sold porno movies or Pretty Woman I could understand it."

Samuels claimed the police had not done enough to arrest the window-smashers, despite Or Hachaim having lodged four complaints and provided CCTV footage identifying the culprits.

"The police don't want to get involved, they're scared of this group. It's almost like the mafia," she said, adding that the owners of a nearby ice-cream parlour were considering hiring a private security firm to patrol the area, having had fish oil thrown at their windows despite complying with the Sikrikim's demands and establishing separate entrances for men and women.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Jerusalem police had received only two official complaints in connection to the shop, and an investigation had been opened which was working on "an operational as well as an intelligence level".

Samuels said complying with the group's demands could open the door to greater Sikrikim interference in her shop.

"There's protection money involved. We would have to pay them and they would send someone in regularly who would have free rein to remove whatever books he didn't like."

Rabbi Shlomo Melech, a lawyer and former member of the Jerusalem municipal council, said: "The Sikrikim are a very small, very extremist group, and they practice violence, which is against Judaism."

Comments

[Suzy Q.]

what a chillul hashem

[centrist]

In the USA, if the police can't handle something they send in the national guard. Does Israel have a similar mechanism?

[centrist]

In the USA, if the police can't handle something they send in the national guard. Does Israel have a similar mechanism?

[rebbeca]

I would advise Mannys book store which I have been to a number of times is to move to either Ben Yehuda street which is a major tourist site and has no Jewish books in the area or just move a block up to Geula area which also has many tourists. They are smack right in the middle of meah shearim which opens them up for attacks. You dont need to be in the center of meah shearim.Being in Ben Yehuda is far more lucrative as far making money of tourists.

[Anon]

All they need are a couple of baseball bats and some ninja turtles.

[jancsipista]

the mindless morons are at it again, theese hassidim should be put to hard labor so they would know what this world is about they have it too good thats why they are going all this insane behaviour.

[Guest]

If the sikrikim would form a union, maybe Shmarya will support them.

International Union of Sikrikim Teamsters and Gangsters.

All they have to do is claim that Manny's is not paying living wages to its poor workers, and then all the leftists would support them burning down the store.

As usual, all you need is the proper perspective.

[Guest]

If the sikrikim would form a union, maybe Shmarya will support them.

International Union of Sikrikim Teamsters and Gangsters.

All they have to do is claim that Manny's is not paying living wages and bloated benefits to its poor workers, and then all the leftists would support them burning down the store.

As usual, all you need is the proper perspective.

[si]

pay some yeshivah students (ne'veeh..nair yaakov type yeshivas) to "secure" their store. Those kids love a reason to fight.

[ah-pee-chorus]

: rebbeca -

you are a spineless simpleton. your response to all acts of haredi terrorism is to let them win and run away. do you also advocate all jews leaving israel following a terrorist bombing? shouldnt jews just move to a safer place? and after they move their families at great cost , if an anti-semite pulls off their kids kippah should they move again?

do you even think before posting? you never grasp the bigger picture.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Posted by: si

great idea. i love it. lol

[Maple Bacon]

Haha--they one wearing a "brown bathroom" in the photo throws like a girl!!

[Yankel]

The owners/employees should stay on guard on night, and when attacked should empty couples UZI's AK47 on their baitzim, with a double accomplishment......

[Bracha]

Is it just me, or does the man (and I use the term VERY loosely) on the far left of the photo look like he's enjoying himself a bit too much? The bastard looks like he's actually _smiling_!!!

sarcasm/ Lovely face of Judaism they are presenting. I am SO proud that their religion and mine share a name (if nothing else, particularly a moral structure). /sarcasm

[David]

Is it just me, or does the man (and I use the term VERY loosely) on the far left of the photo look like he's enjoying himself a bit too much? The bastard looks like he's actually _smiling_!!!

Yes, he is indeed enjoying himself throwing the stones . (He is probably also enjoying the thought of all those "sexually provocative" prepubescent girls they were also stoning.)

This is what happens when they refuse to work or fight and have no outside interests and live undignified, dishonourable, parasitic lifestyles and live as mindless automatons.

[Bas Melech]

ah-pee-chorus | September 19, 2011 at 03:17 PM

These thugs have ruled Mea Shearim for many years and will continue. Rebecca is right. Manny is no match for them, and he should move.

The thugs genuinely believe that they are obligated to protect their neighborhood from outsiders just as their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents did. They do enjoy what they are doing.

I do not condone their violence. In an ideal world, Manny should remain.

Try starting an independent garbage collecting business in NYC.

[Tikvah]

Haha--they one wearing a "brown bathroom" in the photo throws like a girl!!

Posted by: Maple Bacon | September 19, 2011 at 03:19 PM

I'm a "girl" and I probably throw better than you. Try being a little less sexist in your taunts.

[Guest]

The sikrikim are no different than the secular Israelis in this video savagely beating up an off duty cop for no reason other than he was black (Ethiopian). He almost died.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg4ualL71hY&feature=relmfu

[jancsipista]

geust- youre a confused idiot the police was a few here you have many many who behave insanely and the police are held responsible for their actions but not by the hassidim by them its a hefker velt anything goes.

[seymour]

Posted by: Guest | September 19, 2011 at 05:31 PM

but isn't the motto of the frum we are better I see that is only a myth and you are willing to compare the frum to anybody

what a joke

funny i tried that in yeshiva to give me an excuse to go to a movie somehow comparing myself to others to go to a movie it did not work

but it is good for you and many others to compare and excuse for any idiotic stupid or criminal things the frum want to do

[seymour]

Try starting an independent garbage collecting business in NYC.

Posted by: Bas Melech | September 19, 2011 at 05:08 PM

it used to be that one could not do that

those days are over and you could do it now

try a different excuse to make this nuts not look as bad as we know they are

[Betzalel]

These people seem to have all three of the worst character traits: They are hypocrites, they are cowards, and they are fanatics.

It's easy to find people with one of these character traits but very difficult to find people with all three.

[anuran]

Throw terrorists in jail.
Demolish their homes.
Kill the ones who are using deadly weapons like stones.

That's all you have to know about these scum.

[Jeff]

Posted by: Tikvah | September 19, 2011 at 05:30 PM

Tikvah, I read your posts about your son. Allow me to add my congratulations to the others. I'd have left a comment underneath the last one, but I HATE the Facebook commenting system, and I don't want to install the plug-in.

[Litvish]

Yes, they are laughing.

They know that the police, the municipality, their neighbors and the state will do nothing to oppose them openly.

However, the smiles will not last forever.

Whether they are punished locally by nameless but pissed citizens or sent to Postville to clean the chicken shit from the throne of the once mighty Rubashkin, these frume fucks will taste justice.

Anyone for taking a slightly used mitzvo mobile from Crown Heights and equipping it with flame throwers?

The plan is modest but, hopefully, will have the desired effect.

There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a flaming kapotuh ascending to shamayim.

It will be a musar haskel for the other bench pressers who dare to make trouble.

[NLR]

e they consider the CD and DVD formats too modern.

Sheesh. Don't they know that these days if it's not MP3 or Blu-Ray it might as well have been a format used by Fred Flintstone? And even that's pushing it, with all of the streaming media direct to TVs and portable devices that are out now.

[Mendy Hecht]

Okay, let's be clear here: These people are not religious. Period.

They can insist that they are Torah-true Jews from today to tomorrow. They're not.

Why is it okay to take away someone's livelihood?

There's no excuse for violence here.

These people are an embarrassment to Jews and Judaism.

[Maple Bacon]

Tikvah-
I'm also a female, and I can throw and shut a gun probably better than any haredi. Relax, no need to get your panties all bunched up.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Okay, let's be clear here: These people are not religious. Period.Posted by: Mendy Hecht

wrong. they are absolutely religious, and in fact the actions they are taking are being done specifically because they ARE religious.

Why is it okay to take away someone's livelihood?

well, if its okay to KILL somebody for violating shabbos or having gay sex, its not too hard to decide its okay to vandalize a store for going against the haredi interpretation of the torah.

There's no excuse for violence here

sure there is. their torah guides them. they are protecting the world from these evil shopowners.

thats the problem with religion in general and fundamentalism in particular.
once you accept the big myth that theres a god and he wrote a book, how you interpret it is just a matter of choice. after all, god doesnt ever clarify it .

[rebbeca]

ah-pechorus
You talk like a big hero but Im sure you would be the first to run if your area filled up with druggies or the criminal element. Mannys should move and not be foolish to subject themselves to being victims. The Jews did it in Crown heights in the sixties and built Borough park which was Italion at the time. Why do you think most Jews dont live in areas like Chevron or other such settlements. They dont want to be fired at and killed like flies.

[Adam Neira]

Do these sikrikim heed the word of any particular Rabbi or are they the outlaws of Mea Shearim ?

They must stop these attacks.

[ah-pee-chorus]

: rebbeca - you also said the modern orths in beit shemesh should leave their school since the haredim are terrorizing their daughters. the answer to terrorism is to show them they arent going to take away your freedom. mannys should keep going to the press, the police, and politicians to get them to do their jobs and have the terrorists arrested and punished. THAT is the solution.
you never answered. should jews leave israel?

[rebbeca]

Jews in Israel are not being harrassed so why should they leave.The police will never fight a majority if its easier to move away an individual. If you go and antagonize a community,the police will side with the community because its easier to difuse a situation,

[adam zur]

Here is note I wrote eon the blog of Garnel which I think I should paste here because it is relevant to the discussion:

Charismatic Leadership

I don't like charismatic leadership and your idea of this being the answer to the problems in the ultra lunatic orthodox world is not correct. Do you honestly believe that if the Rebbi of Toldot Aaron(the large one near Bati Ungarrin (Hungarian)) would say one word of disapproval that the Sikrikin would continue? Come on. And what about that store that sold regular C-ds a fews years back that the whole community rioted against? (The owner of the store is now in jail.) Believe me when I tell you this all comes from the Top of the leadership. You just live in a different world so you have an idealistic picture of what you would like Torah leadership to look like. But it is not what you think.

[Tikvah]

Relax, no need to get your panties all bunched up.

MB - My "panties" are just fine, thanks. BTW, it doesn't make you edgy or cool to be snarky toward other women, it makes you look like you're trying to be "one of the boys".

[Maple Bacon]

Tikvah-
You're the one who assumed that I was a guy. Save your bitchiness for someone else.

[anuran]

Mendy, "No true Scotsman eats his porridge with sugar."