You may have already heard the story. A hasid tries to enter an upscale shopping mall in North Tel Aviv but is denied entry by security. When asked by passersby why the hasid was not allowed in, security says that his dress upsets customers and that it upsets people at the food court who are eating to have to look at hasidim. A famous non-Orthodox Israeli singer tells the story on his radio show, and a haredi website releases a video of the event. Haredi blogs and Orthodox and haredi news websites pick up the story. It's worse than Berlin in 1939, the singer said – but is it? And is the story true? No, and no it isn't.
First, the lie, from Yeshiva World:
Chareidim Banned From Ramat Aviv Mall
Sunday, June 3rd, 2012
Yeshiva World Israel Desk
The following story occurred in the Ramat Aviv Shopping Center. A chossid who arrived at the mall’s entrance was prohibited from entering by the security guard. The guard explained to the man that he received orders “from above” and he cannot permit him to enter since being dressed in chareidi garb will make visitors “uncomfortable”.
Famous singer Yehoram Gaon was at the mall entrance when the incident occurred, and he confirmed the events during his erev Shabbos radio program ‘Gaon on the Radio’, telling listeners “the treatment of the man was worse than the treatment of Jews in Berlin in 1939”.
He went on to explain what he saw. “I was astounded when I saw the chossid arguing at the entrance because he was being barred from going inside. He was simply blocked from coming in like the rest of us because of his beard, peyos and black clothing.
“I asked the guard ‘Why isn’t he permitted inside? He explained ‘I am just obeying orders’. Did you hear this? This was the directive from the management of the mall, Ramat Aviv Mall. The guard was instructed to prohibit chareidim from entering because those seated in eateries will feel uncomfortable. We must applaud the management for being so concerned with the appetite of customers”.
Many heard the story since it was aired by Gaon, but at least one person, chareidi businessman Chaim Ravaad decided to do something. Ravaad along with a number of “known personalities in the chareidi community” announced on motzei shabbos that if the mall’s management does not fire the guard along with others responsible for the policy, they will use all means at their disposal to take legal action against the mall.
“We will act in every legal way possible against the racist policy of the mall. We are demanding the dismissal of the manager and/or all those responsible for the decision” he announced.
In addition, they are planning to organize buses of chareidim to visit the mall, to protest against the discriminatory policy.Click HERE to watch a video of the man being refused entry to the mall.
Now the truth.
The story was broken by Behadrei Haredim. But Behadrei Haredim includes much more information about the hasid and the mall that Yeshiva World omits.
The hasid is Schneur Schneerson, a Chabad follower. His purpose for going to the mall was to missionize shoppers. The mall doesn't want missionary activity on its property and it banned Schneerson.
The mall has an Orthodox synagogue for shoppers and employees to use and is closed on Saturdays.
Schneerson told Behadrei that the mall is fertile ground to ensnare people and get them to put on tefillin or accept a Chabad tract:
"Ramat Aviv Mall is a place where we get to put on tefillin with many people. There is a huge revival in the neighborhood." He said he was hurt blocking the gates of the mall. "The Rebbe says that when there are obstacles and delays, apparently it is a great mitzvah and there are good things.
"Thank God there are many store owners who wish to put on tefillin, and they open the door for me. I go there every day, and God willing I will continue to get there. Ramat Aviv Mall is where you put [tefillin on] a lot of people.”
Chabad's aggresive missionizing has been an issue in the overwhelmingly secular Ramat Aviv neighborhood for several years, with residents complaining that Chabad was proselytizing minor children, even pre-teen children, against the will of the children's parents.
Not only did Chabad not deny doing that, it insisted it would continue to do it despite the complaints. (Please see the links at the bottom of this post.)
The mall issued the following statement to Behadrei Haredim:
"Ramat Aviv mall is open and welcomes the general public regardless of religion, gender or race. Mall are hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, from all walks of life. Important to stress that the mall is a synagogue open continuously at all hours of activity as well as the mall, the mall does not work on Saturday.
"Following the intense activity of Chabad throughout the mall, we received numerous complaints from customers and business owners in it, who feel disturbed by this activity. Therefore, we asked members of the Chabad coming to the mall to respect and to avoid activities in the mall."
You'll note that Yeshiva World's Israel Desk omitted all these key facts and crafted a story that was meant to make it appear as if haredim were being discriminated against because of their dress.
But what about Gaon's claims on his radio show?
Gaon walked up to an ongoing situation, asked the security guard why the hasid wasn't being allowed to enter, and was told by the guard that he was following the orders he had been given.
Reacting to that, and to statements made by onlookers (some who may have been associated with Schneerson), Gaon spread a false story.
But it doesn't end there.
I believe Gaon owned a Judaica store in the Cardo in Jerusalem's Jewish Quarter. A traditional Sefardi, Gaon was close to many Jewish Quarter regulars and shop owners – including several Chabadniks.
Tefillin and other ritual objects whose use Schneerson encourages were sold – and may still be sold – by Gaon.
CrownHeights.info also has a version of the story that relies on the Yeshiva World report. But it contains a link to the Behadrei Haredi report Yeshiva World incorrectly represented. And that means the Chabad authors of this CrownHeights.info article knew that the hasid had been banned because of his aggresive missionizing.
But CrownHeights.info doesn't tell its readers the truth:
June 03 2012
No Dogs, No Jews: Chosid Refused Entry to Israeli Mall
CrownHeights.info
A Lubavitcher chossid who arrived at the Ramat Aviv Shopping Center was prohibited from entering by the security guard. The guard explained to the man that he received orders “from above” and he cannot permit him to enter since being dressed in chareidi garb will make visitors “uncomfortable.”
From Yeshiva World News:
Famous singer Yehoram Gaon was at the mall entrance when the incident occurred, and he confirmed the events during his erev Shabbos radio program ‘Gaon on the Radio,’ telling listeners “the treatment of the man was worse than the treatment of Jews in Berlin in 1939.”
He went on to explain what he saw: “I was astounded when I saw the chossid arguing at the entrance because he was being barred from going inside. He was simply blocked from coming in like the rest of us because of his beard, peyos and black clothing.
“I asked the guard ‘Why isn’t he permitted inside? He explained ‘I am just obeying orders.’ Did you hear this? This was the directive from the management of the mall, Ramat Aviv Mall. The guard was instructed to prohibit chareidim from entering because those seated in eateries will feel uncomfortable and lose their appetite. We must applaud the management for being so concerned with the appetite of customers.”
Many heard the story since it was aired by Gaon, but at least one person, chareidi businessman Chaim Ravaad, decided to do something. Ravaad, along with a number of “known personalities in the chareidi community,” announced on Motzei Shabbos that if the mall’s management does not fire the guard, along with others responsible for the policy, they will use all means at their disposal to take legal action against the mall.
“We will act in every legal way possible against the racist policy of the mall. We are demanding the dismissal of the manager and/or all those responsible for the decision,” he announced.
In addition, they are planning to organize buses of chareidim to visit the mall, to protest against the discriminatory policy.
To view video of the incident, click here.
Related Posts on Chabad in Ramat Aviv:
Chabad Tries To Lure Kids With Wine And Booze, Parents Say.
Chabad Preys On Little Children In Ramat Aviv Park.
Tel Aviv Mayor Slams Chabad Missionizing In Ramat Aviv.
Hundreds Demonstrate Against Chabad In Ramat Aviv.
800 Tell Chabad To "Leave Our Kids Alone!"
Update 2:20 am CDT 6-4-2012 – Another video of the incident has been uploaded to YouTube, and I added it to the post at the top. The audio stops about halfway. That is what the video is like on YouTube. Click the links in the Yeshiva World or CrownHeights.info posts above to see the original version.
Update 1:42 pm CDT 6-4-2012 – Schnuer Schneerson now admits that the whole incident was a scam set up by him and a few friends who had been sneaking him in the mall through a back door for some time.