The Jerusalem Post reports:
Seven pupils at a Beit Ya'akov school in Netanya were punished after they stood up for the siren that sounded Monday in honor of Holocaust Memorial Day (Monday), Yediot Aharonot reported.
According to the report, the school principal removed the girls from their classroom and forced them to stand up for the rest of the day and read psalms.
In haredi circles, using sirens and "moments of silence" to mark memorial holidays is considered a gentile custom and is discouraged.
Haredi rabbis often encourage their followers to recite psalms or other prayers silently during the siren.
Right. Hold an upschurnish ceremony? Fine, even though it's origin is a non-Jewish. Wear masks on Purim? Ditto. Dozens of other "holy" haredi minhagim? Ditto. (See Sperber's new volume of Minhagei Yisrael for many examples of non-Jewish customs adopted by Jews and now held "holy" by haredim too ignorant to know the actual source of the customs.) Governmental welfare, as opposed to tzedaka, is a non-Jewish idea. So how about this for some real haredi piety? Take your haredi asses off the dole and go to work. Become self-supporting. Now wouldn't that be holy! And while you're at it, serve in the army. Help defend your friends and family like real men. Dovid HaMelech did it. Isn't that Jewish enough for you?