American Friends Of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva Try To Whitewash Rabbi's Call For Mass Murder Of Arabs

"We are thankful that Rabbi Perel immediately retracted his comments and issued an apology when he realized that his use of Biblical analogies to call for the IDF to take harsh steps against Hamas were misinterpreted by some readers as a call to vigilantism…"

 

Here is what World Bnei Akiva Secretary-General Rabbi Noam Perel actually wrote:

"An entire nation and thousands of years of history demand revenge. The government of Israel is gathering for a revenge meeting that isn't a grief meeting. The landlord has gone mad at the sight of his sons' bodies. A government that turns the army of searchers to an army of avengers, an army that will not stop at 300 Philistine foreskins. The disgrace will be paid for with the blood of the enemy, not with our tears,” Perel wrote on his own Facebook page and on the Facebook page of World Bnei Akiva emissaries, referencing the biblical story of David, who killed 200 Philistines and gave their foreskins to King Saul as the bride price to marry Saul’s daughter.

After facing withering criticisnm from Inside Bnei Akiva – but not from Bnei Akiva in the US – Perel issued a no-retraction retraction, claiming his "words have been misrepresented due to their biblical and poetic style."

What Perel clearly called for is what David did in the Bible – mass murder. He indiscriminately murdered 200 Philistines.

Perel calls for that and more – for the IDF not stop even at 300 Philistine foreskins. Just as David paid for his bride with the blood of 200 Philistines, "the disgrace" to Israel and the IDF caused by the terrorist kidnapping and murder of three Zionist Orthodox teens on the West Bank last month "will be paid for with the blood of the enemy, not our tears" and that price will be exacted by "an army that will not stop at 300 Philistine foreskins." The IDF, Perel wrote, should be turned into an "army of avengers."

Biblical? Poetic?

Maybe.

But it still calls for mass murder.

American Friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva, the American fundraising arm of the Zionist Orthodox Bnei Akiva yeshivas in Israel, however, isn't willing be truthful about this.

Sent to supporters in an email by American Friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva leaders:

American Friends of Yeshivot Bnei Akiva was deeply saddened to learn of the inflammatory comments made recently on Facebook by the World Bnei Akiva Youth Movement Secretary General, Rabbi Noam Perel, in reaction to the kidnapping and brutal murder of teenagers Gilad Shaar, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach, Hy"d.

We are thankful that Rabbi Perel immediately retracted his comments and issued an apology when he realized that his use of Biblical analogies to call for the IDF to take harsh steps against Hamas were misinterpreted by some readers as a call to vigilantism (see below).

We wish to make clear that the World Bnei Akiva Youth Movement, which deals with non-formal Zionist education in the Diaspora, is an independent organization and is not part of the Yeshivot Bnei Akiva network of schools in Israel. Rabbi Perel's comments were his own and should not be construed to reflect the educational values of YBA schools in Israel or AFYBA.

We pray that Hashem will bring comfort to the families of the three boys and they should know no more sorrow.

Arthur Alexander, President

Menachem Bar-Shalom, Executive Director

From Rabbi Naom Perel's Facebook page (July 3):  

In the last few days, the entire Jewish people and the nation of Israel has been in enormous pain. The loss of our sons and our brothers has raised tremendous emotions. We are a nation on edge, experiencing national tragedy and all its ramifications. As a nation with a long history and tradition we turn to our sages and our forefathers in times of tragedy for strength and support.

Following the discovery of the bodies of the three students, Eyal, Gilad and Naftali, murdered in cold blood, I wrote a Facebook post that has been widely misunderstood. My words have been misrepresented due to their biblical and poetic style. I deeply and unreservedly apologise for the anger that this has caused. Particularly in times of national tragedy it is incumbent upon leaders and educators to be more precise and careful in words than I have demonstrated.

As Mazkal of WBA I encourage Bnei Akiva members around the world to follow the example of the courageous families who have called for continued unity for the Jewish people, and that should be our focus at this time. 

Related Posts:

Head Of World Bnei Akiva Calls For Murder Of Hundreds If Not Thousands Of Arabs As Revenge For Kidnapping And Murder Of 3 Zionist Orthodox Teens.

Bnei Akiva Of US And Canada Issues Weak Condemnation Of World Bnei Akiva Head's Call For Mass Murder Of Arabs In Revenge For Kidnap-Murder Of Yeshiva Students.

Comments

[Yosef ben Matitya]

He retracted? not good enough. I don't believe a word when these creeps turn suddenly politically correct just when there are calls for their dismissal.

[PulpitRappi]

I am torn over this. On the one hand, I keep having these facepalm moments when I see how unfitting (I am being very gentle here) some rabbinic statements have been. I mean, where do these people live, on the moon?

On the other hand, he did not call for mass anihilation of Arabs, or anyone else. two hundred or three hundred casualties is definitely harsher and much more indiscriminate than police action, but it is not a vision of collective punishment and causing massive collateral human damage.

Instead, he evidently expressed support for the IDF performing a swift and devastating blow to Hamas. In less poetic language we call that war, and under such circumstances, rather than bringing perpetrators of the enemy camp to justice, they get killed in action.

So he chose his words very badly and given what else has been happening, he also chose a very, very bad moment. But the title of this article is simply incorrect, and in function of that, I wonder whether it is necessary to go beyond the outrage already expressed. I would "condemn" him to corporate reeducation in the art of leadership and the use of social media. Put him on probation, ask him to submit all his posts and other public pronouncements to a "rebbe" in humane leadership.

[sifter]

The overlooked observation here is when Papa Assad had a revolt Hama, he killed 20,000 of is own cigizens. He also bought twenty years of quiet. Not suggesting we emulate butchers, but King David had his methods, and they worked. Gaza isnt Kent State, get over your liberal delusions.

[sifter]

Typing quickly from tablet, pls excuse typos.