Ste-Agathe, Canada – Rabbi: Teach Members of the Jewish Community Two French Words. “Merci and Bonjour (Thank You and Hello)”

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    Members of the Montreal community on the streetsSte-Agathe, Canada – The mayor of this quiet resort town north of Montreal says a spate of seemingly anti-Semitic acts against visibly Jewish residents is nothing more than the rogue behavior of a few teenagers.

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    But the recent incidents in Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, a popular weekend and summer destination for Montreal’s Hasidic Jewish community, has roused calls for diversity training for youths and more cultural events bridging the two communities.

    In the most serious incident, provincial police are still investigating an attack on Jewish university student Mendy Haouzi, who was swarmed and punched by a group of youths last month.

    The group allegedly tossed pennies at Haouzi and his family as they made their way to a synagogue. When the 23-year-old Haouzi confronted the teens, he was punched in the face.

    A local religious leader said there have been reports of vandalism in a local Jewish grocery store and cars being attacked in predominantly Jewish neighbourhoods.

    Rabbi Emanuel Carlebach, the spiritual leader at the House of Israel Congregation in Ste-Agathe, says some Jewish residents have complained of cars edging too close as they walked on the side of the road and youths shouting “Heil, Hitler” as they passed them.

    Provincial police spokesman Benoit Richard confirmed that investigators are looking into the assault and other incidents.

    Carlebach says he’s satisfied with the response so far from local authorities toward the intolerance.
    “As a person (who lives here), absolutely, the vandalism has been escalating,” Carlebach said.
    “It’s disturbing, but I think the police are now taking it much more seriously.”

    Steven Slimovitch, B’nai Brith Canada’s national legal counsel, says it’s not sensational to say the acts in question may well be hate-motivated.

    “In this case we’re talking about a visibly identifiable Jew walking to a synagogue and who was accosted and beaten up with numerous racial comments made,” Slimovitch said.

    “If that’s not an anti-Semitic act, I don’t know what is. They are a visibly identifiable minority so they’re easy targets.”

    Slimovitch said statistics show the number of anti-Semitic incidents continues to rise, although physical assaults are rare. Slimovitch says education and dialogue could go a long way toward preventing any future incidents.

    Carlebach said a rash of fires in a Hasidic resort area two years ago in the neighbouring Laurentian community of Val-David had residents fearing an arsonist was targeting Jewish homes.

    But the mayor of Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, population 10,000, says the cases are few and not symptomatic of a widespread phenomenon.

    “The cases are isolated and they certainly don’t reflect the sentiments of the population,” said Laurent Paquette, arguing that not all of the acts can be considered outright anti-Semitism.
    “It’s not a major problem in the town – it’s a small group of young people who aren’t conscious of the consequences of their actions.”

    Paquette says part of the problem lies in the reclusive nature of the Hasidic Jewish community who spend the summer there. The 10,000 full-time residents know little about their Jewish neighbours despite nearly a century of ties to the community, Paquette says.

    “The more we have exchanges between the two communities the better we’ll understand each other and learn to better get along,” Paquette said.

    Rabbi Reuben Poupko, a respected religious leader and member of the Canadian Jewish Congress, says members of the tightly knit Jewish community can sometimes be perceived as cold by those who don’t know their customs.

    “Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of ties (between the two communities),” said Poupko.
    “There’s contact between community leadership but on a day-to-day social level, there’s not much interaction.

    “It’s almost a recurring drama every summer when Ste-Agathe enjoys an influx of people.”

    The mayor says the town and the Jewish community are planning a number of exchanges and events. And in an attempt to bridge the divide, a young Jewish couple even invited the entire town to their marriage this month.

    “We need to demystify what a Jewish person is, not just to teach tolerance and respect of minorities, but appreciation of each other,” Carlebach said.

    Carlebach thinks the solution starts with teaching members of the Jewish community two very simple French words.

    “Merci and Bonjour (Thank You and Hello),” said Carlebach.

    “It’s a small town, it’s not like a big city where no one talks to each other. So when you come with a big-city mentality to a small city, people should key into that. It will be less frustrating.
    “It’ll go a long way to show appreciation.”


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    22 Comments
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    r' yid
    r' yid
    15 years ago

    I don’t really like canadian goyim.. so full of hatred to other people. for nothing. cause there bored??

    AuthenticSatmar
    AuthenticSatmar
    15 years ago

    This Rabbi has now fueled the flames of hatred by giving the haters a simple excuse that hasidim don’t say hello/thank you.

    anonymous
    anonymous
    15 years ago

    thank god we live in usa

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    is this the Helbrans community ?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    I speak in English over there because if I let on that I know how to say merci beaucoup and bonjour, they start talking to me in Francais, which I do not really understand.

    Drill Here!!  Drill Now!!  Save Money!!
    Drill Here!! Drill Now!! Save Money!!
    15 years ago

    canadian shgutzim are really bad. in fact, it seems like the more socializm there is to a country, the worse the shgutzim are.

    talking with them isnt gona help. isnt it lefty obama that says “JUST WORDS!!”

    good morning and good evening wont help either. thats just liberal talk.

    Lock & Load
    Lock & Load
    15 years ago

    The French Canadians are the Worst Anti Semites…

    They wont talk English to Anyone…

    The Yidden shouldnt give them any Attention…

    When they talk to you, just walk away,Ignore them…

    Lock & Load

    postville
    postville
    15 years ago

    How about the goyim learning to stay out of our life?

    The Amish say to every body. ” Hello & Thank you “???

    They can stop traffic with their Horses , and no one says a word!

    And we didn’t see people burning their houses because they have their own schools, or because the dress in a different way,or because they live diferently.or because they don’t let us take pictures of them!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    the rabbi is not fueling nothing. the sick french lowlife;s hate everything. and the jews go around like they own the world. and in a place like that it hard to live that lifestyle. in new york its easyer to live like that. you cant go in the lions den and just do as you please. I was there about 10 summers

    r u serious
    r u serious
    15 years ago

    Saying hello and thank you are so important. Our shyness is often confused as unfriendliness.

    akiva
    akiva
    15 years ago

    AuthenticSatmar Says:

    This Rabbi has now fueled the flames of hatred by giving the haters a simple excuse that hasidim don’t say hello/thank you.

    09-21-2008 – 1:41 PM

    ———————————————

    LYDA LYDA, The truth Hurts.

    A HELLO AND A THANK YOU GOES A LONG WAY . But since the yidden feel its OSSUR to talk to goyim ( ONLY WHEN ITS CONVIENT FOR THEM OF COURSE) it becomes a real problem.

    And this is exactly why many out of towners have a much easier time dealing with goyim because most of them dont have these hang ups like the new yorkers for example. NOT EVERYTHING IS ANTI SEMITISM and just because ~esav soneh lyakov~ does not mean you can treat goyim as dirt under your shoe.

    Rav Yacov kaminetsky ztl lived around the cornr from a monestery in monsey and i can tell first hand that he would greet the gelachim when he saw them in the street.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    I agree there is a lot of horrible anti-semitism working here, but that is no reason not to smile and say hello and thank you – it’s common courtesy. Maybe we can overcome some of the negative sterotypes by showing how kind and friendly jews are. Also, if you chose to live in Montreal, doesn’t it make sense to learn French?

    Joseph
    Joseph
    15 years ago

    The rabbi is 100 percent correct.

    Lakewood also was once a small town invaded by city Jews, and their city manners are perceived as snobbiness by the natives, and it contributes a lot of bad feelings.

    ex frummie
    ex frummie
    15 years ago

    whats wrong with saying please and thank you ??? is thatb a goyish minhag? learn to live like civilized members of society

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    ah the french…making Jewish lives miserable for over 1500 years.

    Saying Hello
    Saying Hello
    15 years ago

    I know this rabbi.

    He is no apologist for the behavior of the goyim, on the contrary, he spoke out against it.

    His words are undoubtedly are taken out of context. I am positive he said other things as well (that was CRITICAL of anti-semitism).

    Having said that, I believe if Jews go to a place like S. Agathe or anywhere in Quebec, for that matter: looking people in the eye, smiling, and saying ‘bonjour’ DOES go a long way.

    That is not to say that this will mitigate all feelings of anti-semitism. (Anti-semitism it is certainly not CAUSED by the lack of hellos, but stems from the virulent Catholic creed and the decades of preaching Jew hatred from the pulpit) it nevertheless, helps to say HI.

    In my interaction with French speaking Quebecers, and even non observant Jews, many of them perceive the lack of “hellos” as a put down. They think that some religious Jews (who do engage in eye-contact when they speak) are doing so, because they (the religious Jews) look down at them.

    This can breed resentment and it snow balls from there.

    Indeed, we are admonished in Pirke Avot: “Hevei Makdim Sholom Lchol Odom”

    It is at the very least, Derech Eretz, to do so, and may even create feelings of mutual respect.

    Saying Hello is making a correction!
    Saying Hello is making a correction!
    15 years ago

    OOPS! What I meant to say: In my interaction with French speaking Quebecers, and even non observant Jews, many of them perceive the lack of “hellos” as a put down. They think that some religious Jews (who do NOT engage in eye-contact when they speak) are doing so, because they (the religious Jews) look down at them.

    Matzahlocal101
    Matzahlocal101
    15 years ago

    Bonjour! Leave me alone! Merci.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    15 years ago

    BS”D

    The Jewish community needs to teach the anti-Semites one phrase in Yiddish: Chaptzem!!

    Avraham
    Avraham
    15 years ago

    Be grateful for what we got in the U.S. for now. For now.

    carlebach
    carlebach
    15 years ago

    unfortunetly we are in gullus. these things are happening allover.

    R
    R
    15 years ago

    wow. St Agathe. I thought 10 people lived there (ok not really) weird they are getting anti semitic stuff….do you think it might also be to do with the sem having moved there? BTW great skiing.