The Conservative Movement's Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) puts pashkvils, wall posters, up in Ramat Beit Shemesh in the 'extremist' haredi neighborhood where the spate of anti-secular, anti-Modern Orthodox violence in the city has originated. But these haredim don't know what JTS is – just like they don't know what Santa Claus is and therefore dress some of their children as Santa every Purim, because Santa costumes are Christmas remnants and therefore cheap. So the pashkvils remain posted – and haredim remain oblivious.
If you can't beat them join them.
Posted by: netflix | June 24, 2012 at 10:08 AM
Non-story, Shmarya. This isn't a pashkvil demanding equal rights for women or an end to the Orthodox hegemony. It's a notice of copyright infringement. Of which there are literally dozens every year in Israel. So whoop-de-doo. The letters JTS appear on a pashkvil. So?
Posted by: Apikorus al ha'esh | June 24, 2012 at 10:24 AM
This is different from Santa Claus. The Reason why this goes unnoticed is precisely because it is written perfect rabbinic Hebrew no different from the other cherems that are on the walls.
Posted by: moshe | June 24, 2012 at 10:44 AM
It may be a "non-story", but the idea of a JTS pashkevil in Ramat Beit Shemesh IS rather amusing!
Posted by: Atheodox Jew | June 24, 2012 at 10:48 AM
It's pretty funny.
Funnier would be Kolko putting up a poster about child molestation.
Posted by: FM Fan | June 24, 2012 at 11:05 AM
If JTS felt a need to warn chareidim about copyright infringement of their publications, then perhaps this is a good thing, in that chareidim are reading JTS publications and expanding their minds.
Posted by: Gefilte Fish | June 24, 2012 at 11:06 AM
This is not a "non-story" by any means. Both the placement and the content of the pashkvill point to some interesting issues (eg why has the library given reshus to only one party to publish? And is "Shmeril" really someone's name?) - as well as the whole sociological dimension of its reception: the unwitting acknowledgement of JTS's existence and credibility in Ramat Beit Shemesh by the blending of this pashkvill into the white noise of its environment.
Posted by: Lo K'darkah | June 24, 2012 at 11:19 AM
This is a huge story.
This shows me that the haredim have nothing against JTS per se, and they are free to put up any pashkivillim they want. Nobody will rip down others' pashkivillim.
It's when the secular go into haredi neighborhoods wearing immodest clothing, exposing their youth to indecency, or if the Reform movement want to destroy Judaism as practiced for thousands of years, that is when haredim will protest.
Which shows an entirely different light on haredi protests. It is not personal in nature.
I recall from my days in Israel, that the haredim were very welcoming of all secular people, unless the person wasn't dressed modestly.
Posted by: Lubavitchers are Christians | June 24, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Let's put up Failed Messiah pashkavils, like on your masthead!
Posted by: Yochanan Lavie | June 24, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Uh why should they even know what JTS is much less the signator, the head of the library?
Artscroll and JTS should Lear from Rabbi David Samsons copyright notice where he encourages people to copy his books digitally ,mechanically and in anyway possible to spread the word of Torah.
Posted by: Jake | June 24, 2012 at 12:53 PM
i was also very amused by this as soon as i saw this pashkevil near the mir yeshiva. thanks for reporting it. its nice to get some light amusement once in a while. id like to point out that it seems to me highly doubtful that Dr. David Kraemer of JTS wrote this exact letter, despite the triumphalism of some commenters on the quality of the hebrew. the language of the pashkevil is clearly "pashkevil style". im sure this is a very "free" translation of what kraemer wrote, if a translation at all.
Posted by: sanhedrin | June 24, 2012 at 01:43 PM
Santa Klaus?
Isn't he related to the Klausenberger Rebbe?
Posted by: Litvish | June 24, 2012 at 02:07 PM
Lit,
Lol also your dad was 100% correct re hot dogs.
Posted by: Jake | June 24, 2012 at 02:46 PM
Ah LaC, always the comedian!
How was your sabbatical? I hear Bellevue is simply delightful this time of year.
Posted by: No Light | June 24, 2012 at 03:04 PM
Tell them it's 770 times four.
Posted by: P. Almonius | June 24, 2012 at 05:07 PM
Lit,
Lol also your dad was 100% correct re hot dogs.
Posted by: Jake | June 24, 2012 at 02:46 PM
----
My 95 year old father is hilarious though he never attempts to be funny. He just says whatever comes into his head. An emese fargenign tsu zayn mit mayn tate!
My sister, who is obsessed with her weight, took him to her Weight Watchers meeting where he was the only man.
The lady in charge said, Today we will discuss why we eat. Each woman told her reason; anxiety, depression guilt, etc.
Finally, they got to my father. The lady asked him, Dan, why do you eat?
Because it tastes good, he answered.
Posted by: Litvish | June 24, 2012 at 09:18 PM
This was torn down after ten minutes in RBS-A
Posted by: Anonymous | June 25, 2012 at 06:41 AM