'Moderate' Haredi School Demands Parents Attend Rally Against Internet

A so-called moderate haredi girl's school in Brooklyn has sent a letter to parents demanding that they attend the large anti-Internet rally planned for CitiField later this month. Ticket sales for the haredi gathering are said to be sluggish, and haredi leaders are allegedly worried the gathering will be a flop.

Comments

[Kirly]

Each and every parent...er...men only.

[none]

classic school letter. As equal partners we demand....

[DBSesq]

This is the standard letter promulgated by the organizers of the event for the yeshivot to use. I'm certain the school simply too the text, printed it on letterhead and sent it home, without bothering to read it first.

[Kloinemus Kalmen]

U idiots are gonna feel mad dumb when you see the outcome!!
It's going to be full, the whole Lakewood is going

[seymour]

U idiots are gonna feel mad dumb when you see the outcome!!
It's going to be full, the whole Lakewood is going

Posted by: Kloinemus Kalmen | May 08, 2012 at 08:48 AM

well if forced what is teh big deal

this letter/story is the reason the leaders hate the Internet.

it exposed their corruption and exposes them to ridicule

before the Internet these type of corruption would not be exposed outside the community now it is

[Eliezer/Barzilai]

It is indeed a moderate school. I don't know if you ever read Farina's book, but when moderation starts to appear to you like extremism, you can join Gnossos in saying "Been down so long it looks like up to me."

[Red Sox Fan]

As a parent in this school, I will tell you that there was a second page - a registration page. One of the options was "I would love to go, but due to other commitments I am unable to attend." So they do give you an out. Of course, I plan on writing back that I am not going out of protest for Chabad being snubbed. :)

[seymour]

I wonder how many Torah or Kosher filters will be for sale or recommended?

maybe they can can give a discount for those that attend this event.

maybe they can even have a hashgucha on the filters.

all web sites rabbinically approved

I wonder if this web site will pass mustered

[Moshele]

Internet is a tool, the ultimate goal of it is to inform and communicate. Fortunately many people earn honest livings with this tool, however when used in a negative way many people end up with issues!
What I don't understand is that the leading rabbis in klal Yisroel seem to be naive or in denial about the real issues surrounding the community. I don't mean to be critical but is says by the shvatim (Bereishis) when reuven came to the pit and saw that yosef wasn't there he said, and I'm paraphrasing "we are guilty because we saw the pain of his soul when we begged and we didn't listen that's why we endured this pain" what I'm trying to get is that many of us when we don't feel accepted we turn to different avenues for our acceptance. Unfortunately the system is flawed. I hate to compare it to SODOM, basically if u don't fit in you are not accepted! Sorry for getting all spiritual but there is another Gemara (Taanis) when God sent Yona to the people of Ninveh to tell them to repent and again I'm paraphrasing "not the sacks and the fasts are that caused God to accept their teshuva just that they changed their actions" basically what I'm getting at is the God judges by actions not looks. Let's all start accepting our brethren for who they are not for what they look like!!!!!

[Expatriate Owl]

I cannot attend because I have a prior bu$ine$$ commitment out of town.

Would it be possible for me to tune in and watch the event over the Internet?

[rebitzman]

U idiots are gonna feel mad dumb when you see the outcome!!

We already have - an anti-Internet haredi is posting on the Internet.

Tells us just about everything we need to know.

[Yochanan Lavie]

U idiots are gonna feel mad dumb when you see the outcome!!

A fine example of the "mad dumb" (sic) mangling of the English language. I think I read that Satmar wasn't going because most of the speeches will be in English and its a foreign language (their words).

[thelionroars]

the whole lakewood can go
its not like there missing any work time

ban kolel

[Simple Jew]

B"H

I think people should go to this

Internet as you all know can be very bad and especially with children in the home filters are important.

Shmarya has shown his concern in the past for abuse of children -- and exposing a child to smut on the net can be very damaging.

[chaim36]

Stop taking any monies from people who use the internet for parnasaw.Did I hear any one agreeing ?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Apologies to John Fogerty (Center field):

Well, ban the net and learn a blatt - a new chumra today!
We're born again, there's more power to wield.
A fanatic turd, on the podium, it's a black hat cranky man;
Anyone can understand the way I feel.

CHORUS:
Oy, I'm above reproach - I'm ready to pray, oy vey;
I'm above reproach - I'm ready to pray, oy vey;
Look at me, I can be in Citifield.

Well, I spent some time in Palestine, learning on a bench;
You know I took some rocks when the Intifada broke out.
So Say Hey Rebbe, tell Satmar and Moshe Rabbeinu;
Don't say "it's permitted", you know the answer's "no."

CHORUS

Yeah! I got it, I got it!

Got a long black coat, a streimel hat, and a brand-new pair of tefillin;
You know I think it's time to give "gevalt!" a schrei.
Just to ban it all and act appalled - a Luddite time of fun;
It's trief and you should ban modernity!

CHORUS
CHORUS
Yeah!

[ruthie]

demanding that they attend
lol

i don't know if i'm laughing at the school or the parents

[heshyfriedman]

Well I will go and all my male kids and grandkids are going. They sold ten thousand tickets the first week. I think the moderate chareidi schools really need to go as their homes mostly have computers. They are only allowing men because it only has 40 thousand seats. The daf yomi event in August will have 92 thousand seats so there will be room for women. To be in a crowd of so many frum Jews is historic. The spiritual energy will recharge my soul to keep fighting the atheists and evolutionists.

[jancsipista]

lets demand no one who is religious should masturbate and put someone in charge to make sure no one does:)

[jancsipista]

heshyfriedman-Obviously you never evolved in fact youre devolving so no problem there

[ah-pee-chorus]

lubavitch isnt going because the rebbe wasnt asked to speak. rumor is he wasnt even offered a seat on the dais.

[ah-pee-chorus]

to keep fighting the atheists and evolutionists.

Posted by: heshyfriedman |

save some energy to fight the evil heliocentrists and spherical-earthers.

[thelionroars]

lakewood rabbis want people to go so they can take their minds off not being able to pay bills and living in poverty

help the kotlers go to the asifa

[Andre]

I cannot attend because I have a prior bu$ine$$ commitment out of town.

Would it be possible for me to tune in and watch the event over the Internet?

Posted by: Expatriate Owl

ROTFLMAO. Thanks, this post made my day!

[Jeff]

save some energy to fight the evil heliocentrists and spherical-earthers.

Posted by: ah-pee-chorus | May 08, 2012 at 11:39 AM

Heh!

[Brian]

Ticket sales for the haredi gathering are said to be sluggish, and haredi leaders are allegedly worried the gathering will be a flop.

That's because they aren't available online...

[Shmarya]

U idiots are gonna feel mad dumb when you see the outcome!!
It's going to be full, the whole Lakewood is going

Posted by: Kloinemus Kalmen | May 08, 2012 at 08:48 AM

That's because their kids will be kicked out of school if the parents don't attend.

[thelionroars]

lakewood people dont have jobs
not a problem to attend

[Red Sox Fan]

My kids go to this school. They had some guy come down to speak of the dangers of the Internet a couple of years ago. They threatened back then that everyone must go or else. I stayed home watching the Mets game that night. Nothing happened. So calm down, Shmarya.

[Alter Kocker]

Yes-let the cavemen curse the fire. The technology that the neanderthals want to stymie is what takes their children and opens their minds to a world that instills fear into their small minded leaders. They may wish to stop progress by dressing like 18th century Polish aristocracy and pretending that the world has not progressed since then or whitewashing technology as being treif, but that technology is an integral part of the world at large and will creep into their reality just as sure as the sun rises and sets.

[Hakham Yosef Haim]

It was said by a blogger in the previous post about this asifa that child molestation is caused by people seeing smut on the internet. If this is true, why was there child molestation before the internet existed? If anything the internet is exposing the child molestors and causing people to turn in child molestors causing child molestors to go to jail.

[Hakham Yosef Haim]

Going to this asifa in citi field is a way for them to fullfill their yetzer hara to go to a baseball game without having to watch a baseball game.

[Hakham Yosef Haim]

Failedmessiah is not available on haredi filtered internet.

[Porn4All]

why was there child molestation before the internet existed?

Hustler, Playboy etc...

[EileenK]

I take it there will be no librarians or teachers of technology at the Asifa. What a shame! Librarians teach beneficial use of the internet routinely. (Full disclosure, I'm an academic librarian.)

Moreover, in New York State, the school librarians are required to have a more extensive graduate education than those who work in higher education. I'm not sure if the day schools and yehsivot hire librarians with the requisite degree and outlook, but even if they don't, I would think the local community college librarians or CUNY librarians might be happy to volunteer.

My goal if I was teaching safe surfing would be for my class to walk out feeling empowered and educated. The answer is education, NOT fear.

[downwiththehaters!]

I am amazed at some of the comments above. I attended this school and they provide an exceptional education along with practical hashkafik and halachic values. Over the past few years, the internet has grown in many ways providing countless opportunities to do both good things and bad things. This gathering is simply to educate parents about the potential dangers of the internet. Most children can do far more using technology than their parents will ever be able to. This gathering is to help educate parents about how to have internet in their homes without blindly subjecting their children to the many possible dangers it brings.

[Rochel]

This gathering is simply to educate parents about the potential dangers of the internet.
Posted by: downwiththehaters! | May 08, 2012 at 03:36 PM

This gathering SHOULD be to educate parents on how to protect their children from the neigborhood charedi/chasidic/orthodox pedophile/molester! That would be a much better use time of time and space.

[EileenK]

Downwiththehaters said: Most children can do far more using technology than their parents will ever be able to.

Would that this were so. Teenagers and middle school kids have a way of running around in their own kid bubble. When they reach the end of their network, that's pretty much it. As a result, they don't learn to use technology in most of its power or in a way adults would recognize as useful.

Yes, they can have a cell phone conversation without being overheard (texting), and they can upload photos to Facebook or pin images on Pinterest, but ask them to set up a page of RSS feeds, write a note on Facebook, put a function in a spread sheet, or change the settings in a word processor, and most of them can't. And forget learning html or css.

[moti]

you can buy tickets by email ironically I saw an ad in Binah or Mishpocho...

[Rebitzman]

@Brian

That's because they aren't available online...

Bravo.

[internet lover]

Shmarya, your hate is amazing. The gedolim are doing something to educate the people about the dangers of the internet. Obviously, the internet is an amazing tool if used correctly. As far as I heard, the asifa will be packed and there will be people that will be turned away.

[jancsipista]

Rochel-You hit the nail on its head you are 1 thousand per cent right theese bozos dont want to face reality so they go and divert attention from more important issues to get their daily or weekly feel good about themselfs what a bunch of indifferent worhtless clowns

[jancsipista]

To educate the parents you dont need all this circus just tell them its as easy as that this whole gathering is a waste of energy and time and money it just doesnt make sense

[Litvish]

Attention all gonovim:

Many frume homes will be available for entrance during the asifo with an all you can carry away arrangement.

Since they do not need internet, please feel free to take all related equipment. Also, TVs, washers, dryers, refrigerators, and electrically operated dildoes will be available to fill your rent-a-vans.

S'forim may be used for toilet paper; help yourselves. Leave soiled pages in sheymos for later recycling.

The shnaps is hidden behind the shas in case you need a nip.

If you take sheytlekh remember they must be fumigated for lice before using or selling on eBay.

[ah-pee-chorus]

The gedolim are doing something to educate the people about the dangers of the internet
Posted by: internet lover

as jancsipista wrote, if this were really about educating people it wouldnt be taking place.
everybody has known for many years whats available on the internet. even these parents. and a gathering of 30,000 isnt a good place to impart knowledge. the real purpose is to scare and threaten. you can be sure there'll be a bunch of ignorant old bearded men with famous last names who will remind their sheeple about the bans and the need for kids to be prevented from using the internet. there will be sob stories about marriages undone by porn. the large crowd will serve to remind everyone just how powerful these ketonim are. and you can be sure that any filters being recommended will block out any sites that allow people to post about rebbeim in less than glowing terms.
and the smell youll sense is that of abject fear and terror. the ketonim see the writing on the wall. their destructive and morally bankrupt leadership is being called into question as it never has before. many charedim have opened their minds up a bit and now question much of what theyve been brainwashed with. this is an act of sheer desperation and to add icing to the cake, few would even attend if not for the direct threats as seen in this letter. its all beginning to fall apart and i couldnt be happier.

[Mike]

@ ah-pee-chorus:

You're absolutely right. Porn is the one issue they'll talk about, but it's really the last thing on their minds. You know what they're really worried about? Websites like this that expose these rabbis for what they are- a bunch of old frauds who want to keep the established power structure intact- with them at the very top.

[Seraphya]

By "all parents" they mean families with two dads. Kudos to them for trying to be inclusive!

[Rochel]

By "all parents" they mean families with two dads. Kudos to them for trying to be inclusive!
Posted by: Seraphya | May 08, 2012 at 07:28 PM

That made me LOL. I think you just won Shmarya's Jewish Joke contest!

[ah-pee-chorus]

Mike |-

no doubt.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

What's the URL for the webcast of the asifa?

[mechi]

its going to be a depressing boring event...such bittul torah....our gadolim today are frauds....my chavrusa told me a interesting vort...the opposite of progress is congress (assifa)bunch of bored souls...lets see how many losser attend.

[ultra haredi lite]

Let's hope that no kids get molested AT the event!

[heshyfriedman]

All you apikorsis will roast in hell big time. We saw what happened to Jews who turned their backs on HG-d in the holocaust and embraced German culture. They got gassed and burnth. Hell came down to this world.

[nj princess]

heshyfriedman:
I thought the Chareidim were fighting with Yad Vashem because they dont mention the fact that many victims of the Holocaust were Chareidi. Oh, I forgot, as long as you come in opposite Shmarya, you dont have to be consistent or make any sense. Well this comment is even more ridiculous and nonsensical than your usual. It is so crazy Im beginning to think you actually are just trying to be funny AND facetious.

[Joe Field]

Posted by: heshyfriedman | May 08, 2012 at 11:22 PM

Why don’t you go and swallow some rat poison.

[ah-pee-chorus]

All you apikorsis will roast in hell big time. We saw what happened to Jews who turned their backs on HG-d in the holocaust and embraced German culture. They got gassed and burnth. Hell came down to this world.

Posted by: heshyfriedman

there were a couple of errors i thought i'd fix for you.... youre welcome...

All you charedim wont roast in hell big time since there is none. you got lucky . We saw what happened to Jews who turned TOWARDS G-d in the holocaust and eschewed German culture. They got gassed and burnth. Hell came down to this world.

[ruthie]

rochel,

good point

[Hometown Postville]

Sorry fellas, the 21st century is here and your followers will soon find out that in the "outside world", people are not governed by power-happy rabbis, woman-hood is celebrated, and pedophilia is not tolerated.Love thy neighbor as thyself.

[jancsipista]

heshyfriedman-Go and commit youreself into a lunatic asylem the sooner the better,you are a lowlife trash who is beyond the pale ver geharget.

[ruthie]

jancsipista,
simply ignore him. he wants and needs attention

[mechi]

heshy friedman you are a miserable person how can you say such primitive arrogant things...its people like you that i dislike my litvishe roots...why so much misery depression, and negativity...for 30 years this is all i felt...this is not what yidishkeit is all about...i feel bad for your family...your home must be soaked with negativity, misery and a very sad place....ivdu hashem bsimcha...vihavta lreacha kamocha...

[heshyfriedman]

Fift per cent of Jews in Berlin were intermarried. Judaism was falling apart throughout Europe. The minority of religious Jews that died in the holocaust was because they did not do outreach to their secular brothers. They said live and let live.

[ah-pee-chorus]

sorry heshy. it was because the jews didnt accept hercules and Ganesha. god loves those guys. and you still worship yehovah?
god totally hates him. youre screwed.

[heshyfriedman]

G-d loves us chareidim and despises the non orthodox rebels.

[ah-pee-chorus]

you keep telling yourself that and maybe youll be convinced.
i spoke to him and he HATES YOU.

ALL PRAISE TO ZEUS!!

[heshyfriedman]

The reform and conservative heretical sects are dying out while the chareidim are increasing at incredible rates. Soon all of you apikorsim will be roasting in gehinom.

[Jeff]

Soon all of you apikorsim will be roasting in gehinom.

Posted by: heshyfriedman | May 09, 2012 at 05:32 PM

As offensive as you are, I can't keep from laughing; you're such a pathetic piece of garbage. Are these the tactics that make you so successful at kiruv?

[heshyfriedman]

Jeff
I'm not looking to be mekariv apikorsim. I'm looking to drive them away from out holy heritage. I'm only mekarav those worthy sincere souls.

[ah-pee-chorus]

heshyfriedman -

in your honor i'm going to step up my richuk campaign. and im quite certain im better and more successful at richuk than you are at kiruv. cheers.

[heshyfriedman]

Apieekorus
I'm very good at driving reform and conservative heretical sect clergy wild. I did it to the once upon a time balfour brickner who is cooking in hell now and quite a few old fogie conservative heretical rabbiTS.

[yankel g]

can failed messiah help expose the gangsters behind this asifah such as rabb

gottlieb alleged child beater

i hear the names deerenfeld nsquare trying to get ns back into holiness

B & H photo

[Dovy]

I had dealings once with Zlata Press. She is a horrible witch with a face made for radio.

[Alexander]

Citifield was build with taxpayer-bond money, hence cannot segregate men and women, if any one is ready to call a lawsuit against the city of NY, the gathering either will have to allow women and it will not take place.

[Yukmeister]

I think I might be swayed to purchase a ticket and send FM there to stream it live online. That would be hilarious.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Apieekorus
I'm very good at driving reform and conservative heretical sect clergy wild.
Posted by: heshyfriedman

sounds like your kiruv technique is a bit off. no wonder you claim to be successful. you convince them youre nuts and pat yourself for a job well done.
if i could spend a few hours talking to your kids i would shake their faith.

[heshyfriedman]

I can take any reform jew and turn him chareidi. I was born with this talent. I can't do it with conservative or modern orthodox. But I can wipe the floor with all the reform conservative modern orthodox and jews for cheeses leadership.

[marcus]

I don't get all the anti-Asifah feeling on this site. Can someone please explain it to me, coherently and calmly?

A typical Charedi pubescent boy has desires which are only kept in check by social attitudes and logistics. He may be curious what is in that porn mag on the top shelf in the supermarket, but he won't dare buy it because someone might see him. But those desires will be there and will remain there unsatisfied.

One day he will be alone with the net, and a little voice will tell him to google 'porn' - just, y'now, to see what all the fuss is about. He will watch, and he will learn. Very quickly.

It happened to me. I wish I never had the option of using unfiltered internet.

[Shmarya]

Posted by: marcus | May 21, 2012 at 03:30 PM

I think the opposition comes from two facts:

1. These exact same rabbis have a long history of covering up for and enabling pedophiles while doing nothing of merit for the victims.

2. The rabbis also want those filters to block sites that post opinions from Rishonim they disagree with and blogs and sites that don't let the rabbis censor their news content.