Prominent Lakewood Haredi Rabbis Call For A Ban On Haredi Children's Video

Prominent Lakewood haredi rabbis are calling for a ban on Megillas Lester, a new haredi children's video that has been well-received by haredim, because the video supposedly "profanes and embarrasses the holy." Update 4:18 pm CDT – Artscroll has pulled the video from its website. Update 3-12-2014 – Artscroll resumed selling the video.

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My source tells me this was posted in the coffeee room of Bais Medrash Govoha (Lakewood Yeshiva). It is signed by Rabbis Dovid Schustel, Yeruchem Olshin, Yisroel Neuman, Yakov Forscheimer and Asher Chaim Lieberman. The first three are three of the four rosh yeshivas of Bais Medrash Govoha. The other two are prominent Lakewood haredi rabbis and poskim (decisors of halakha, Jewish law) for the yeshiva:

Megillas Lester.

[Hat Tip: Avi.]

Comments

[Pax Monzi (not the one from Cedarhurst)]

What a bunch of insufferable, bitter morons.

[S M L]

What's that sound emanating from Lakewood? Sounds like the braying of donkeys - or of jackasses.

Another day, another demonstration of Haredi narrow-mindedness.

Yawn.

'Scuse me - time for my afternoon nap.

[NeverFrum]

So this cartoon about a work of fiction is a problem?

[RWisler]

"profanes and embarrasses the holy."

They've already done that.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

These guys remind me of the wizard from the wizard of Oz.

How can you embarrass the holy?

Those who consider themselves holy, are full of folly.

[Lawrence M. Reisman]

There is a post on Cross-Currents (http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2014/03/10/megillas-lester/) praising the video. Anyone care to speculate on how long before it's pulled?

[David]

+++ Anyone care to speculate on how long before it's pulled?

Posted by: Lawrence M. Reisman | March 11, 2014 at 03:27 PM +++

It's pulled.

[!]

OK
NOW I want where. Where can I get it?

[!]

"it."

[Yochanan Lavie]

Approved Ultra-Orthodox cartoons:

Dati Duck
Sponge Dov Tzitziz Pants
Scooby Don't
Yitzy and Scratchy
The Shimshons
American Rav
Family (Shabbos) Goy
Yo Semite Sam
Bugs Bullshit
Mickey Moskowitz
Teenage Mutant Ninja Torahs
The Rugrabbis
Looney Jews
South (Borough) Park
The Pink Panhandler

[ah-pee-chorus]

What was the problem? they even removed vashti's breasts.

YL- nice.

[avi]

A guy I know who's in 'the know' in Lakewood tells me that Nechemia Gottleib, the guy from the Internet Assifa in Citifield is the one behind this. We cannot let this creep ruin our lives. What's wrong with some nice wholesome Jewish entertainment?

[Allan]

This musical score seems almost identical to the Harry Potter score. The Purim play’s director is a virtual knockoff of Professor Snape down to the menacing voice, while Haman is cast as Valdemort. The only thing missing is for Lester to break out his wand !

[Yochanan Lavie]

APC.

[Pax Monzi (not the one from Cedarhurst)]

David and Lawrence m Reisman :
It's still there for all to see.
http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2014/03/10/megillas-lester/

[seymour]

still on YWN interesting

[otherbox]

The Lakewood rabbis want the name changed from "Megillas Lester" to "Megillas Molester".

[Alter Kocker]

Profanes and embarrasses the holy. Hmmmm. They could not embarrass themselves any more if they appeared in gay porn. All in all the signatories to the ban Rabbis Dovid Schustel, Yeruchem Olshin, Yakov Forscheimer and Asher Chaim Lieberman need to get over themselves...or appear in gay porn.

[jancsibacsi]

otherbox---"The Lakewood rabbis want the name changed from "Megillas Lester" to "Megillas Molester".
Hahaha thats a good one and an honest one.

[Lawrence M. Reisman]

As of the time I'm posting this, Cross-Currents still has the Megillas Lester piece. It might have been temporarily pulled. One comment, posted at 6:00PM is poignant, "How do I order it online? The Artscroll link says the title doesn’t exist!"

[Wigmore]

http://megillaslester.com/

[Yochanan Lavie]

I meant to write "Thanks, APC." I'm all farkocht today.

[Office of the Chief Rabbi]

There are 6 copies left on Amazon, or you can rent it streaming. However, since the Internet is prohibited to us, we'll have to forgo it.

[Abracadabra]

YL - GREAT!! LOL!!

[Feminista]

YL - that's great!
Where's that gay advocate Tinkie Winkie when we need him?

Those poor children are growing up so twisted already, this is just one more bar in the cages. Pretty soon those creeps in Canada will be the new normal for the frum.

[typadder]

scooby don't
megillat molester

tee hee hee. ha ha. roar.

[Yochanan Lavie]

Thanks, Abra, Feminista, Typadder.

[SMR]

ArtScroll has NOT pulled the video from its website (10:40pm NYC):

Product page:
http://www.artscroll.com/Products/MLESD.html

Appears on the listing of all Purim titles:
http://www.artscroll.com/Categories/hpt.html

SMR

[SMR]

Yeshiva Word News claims that the movie was made by Rabbi Paysach Krohn's son-in-law.

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/218291/videos-megillas-lester-brings-the-house-down.html

[SucceededMesiah]

This video does not win an Academy Award, but at least it beats that "Fiveish" character. One wonders if their cultural sophistication can extend beyond anthropomorphic currency. I guess since it is related to money, it's not bittul Torah.

[David]

+++David and Lawrence m Reisman :
It's still there for all to see.
http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2014/03/10/megillas-lester/

Posted by: Pax Monzi (not the one from Cedarhurst) | March 11, 2014 at 04:49 PM+++

Ok. The first link you posted did not work.

[Nachum Lamm]

My wife points out that it's kind of sad that they took one of the few Jewish stories with a female heroine and gave it a male hero.

[typadder]

yep, i recognized it as krohn'son in law's kolrom productions. i think he does really nice stuff, including remember that bikkur cholim parody, and also a beautiful video for mirer yeshiva. they probably will ban the video, but not the producer.

(btw...nachum l.nice, and fitting that you credited your commento your wife)

[Sanford Hausler]

Sheesh, we are showing the video to the children at my synagogue on Purim. Guess no haredim will be attending.

[anonymous]

sorry but i dont believe that these rabbonim even watched it so how could they say this, i thin someone made it up, wrote a letter so they wouldnt be able to sell it and make money, and btw it was shown in both of my kids special ed schools, they would never show it if it had foul language so this is a lie!!

[SMR]

The video is still for sale on ArtScroll.com. Will Shmarya change his incorrect headline for this post?

SMR

[Boten]

I am actually impressed with the quality of the video. The only surprising thing to me about this story, is that the movie got made in the first place.

PS -- as always, best way to promote something is to ban it. Before this post, I had never heard of the movie. Now I think I'll buy it.

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

SMR-

Read the comments. Artscroll did pull the video. Later, it put it back.

Why?

Supposedly because they found out Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb's son, thee same guy behind the last Internet ban, was behind this. As you know, that son is a very problematic individual.

[Shmarya Rosenberg]

Also, you're talking about a subhead, not the post's headline.

A fine point to be sure, but one that is still worth making.

[Schnoro Park]

My friend has her son in the Williamsburg Satmar Cheder. He watched this movie with his class.

[BMW]

Megillas Lester is a Kiddush Hashem! People are afraid of advancement in technology, when phones were first invented there were rabanim who Assured its use during the week(not just on Shabbos) I want to give my Grattitude and hearty ya sheer koach to Rabbi Kramer who sacrificed his time and money for this thrilling and creative video. My kids have brought the Megilas Lester video to their yeshivas and their class really enjoyed!

[avi]

This video is great, and there's nothing wrong with it... did it ever occur to you that this may just be plain old 'purim shtick'? How do we even know the ban is real? Maybe it's a marketing ploy...

[Sarah D,]

Thanks for posting - just ordered two. wonderful educational video for all jewish kids...Chag Purim Sameach!!

[Nathaniel Korb]

That "movie" was terrible; aesthetically revolting and contrived. For once I have to sympathize with the poor Hareidi rabbis who had their eyes violated. Parents, do your kids a favor and show them a good Pixar or Studio Ghibli film. While they're not explicitly Jewish, kids can take great values out of them. I suggest My Neighbor Totoro or Finding Nemo.