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Jerusalem - Protest over Shabbat Opening of Parking Lot Continue, But Intensity Diminishes |
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Orthodox demonstrator is carried by police during a protest in Jerusalem July 11, 2009 against the opening of a parking lot on the Jewish sabbath.
The clash took place in the Haredi neighborhood of Mea Shearim, where police had been deployed to maintain order.
The incident began when hundreds of Haredim gathered Saturday afternoon at the intersection of Shivtei Yisrael and Hanevi'im street, where they demonstrated in front of police who arrived at the scene.
The demonstration turned violent when demonstrators flooded the neighborhood near the parking lot, screaming "Shabbes," the Yiddish word for Sabbath, and occasionally lobbing rocks at police. Officers, some in riot gear, shoved them back as they tried to break through the police barriers.
Several dozen demonstrators also reached the parking lot, near Jerusalem's Old City, where one protester crawled under the wheels of an idling bus as it waited to enter. Police dragged out the man, who lay on his back, clutching his festive fur hat (shtrimal) to his chest.
Police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said he was taken away for questioning.
Several other demonstrators lay down in the street near the lot, trying to block cars from entering. Police seized them by their arms and legs to drag them away.
No one was reported to have been wounded.
Nearby, secular Jerusalemites held a counter protest in support of the opening of the parking lot and police ensured that none of the haredim could approach them.
Saturday was the third Shabbat in a row that the garage was open by orders of the Jerusalem Municipality to accommodate visitors to the Old City.
Although most senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis and newspapers have abandoned the issue, the extreme Edah Haredit is advocating continued protests, which police do not expect to get out of control.
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Read Comments (23) — Post Yours »
1
Jul 11, 2009 at 09:19 PM chesky Says:
They are right. If we will not against this chillil shabbos they will continue
To open more things on shabbos!
2
Jul 11, 2009 at 09:12 PM Anonymous Says:
And we will keep on fighting until they close that chillul shabbes lot down
3
Jul 11, 2009 at 09:07 PM Elie Says:
These protests are nothing but Hypocritical!!!!
Throwing Rocks is Chilul Shabbat and Chilul Hashem!!!
4
Jul 11, 2009 at 09:05 PM Anonymous Says:
It appears that common sense has prevailed and as the article says, "most senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis and newspapers have abandoned the issue" and are no longer attempting to force their view of shabbos observance on the poplulation of Jeruselam. This is a wise decision by the mainstream chareidi leadership and literally throws the extremists at the Edah Haredit under the bus.
5
Jul 11, 2009 at 09:52 PM Anonymous Says:
u have to stop them or else it will go further and further the desecrating of the shabbos
6
Jul 11, 2009 at 10:15 PM MaNishMa Says:
anyone who thinks that is EVER ok to throw rocks at jews for any reason should be treated as gentile.
7
Jul 11, 2009 at 10:09 PM yoelyg Says:
in the all 50 years of mdins yisroel the only way it works are protesting, seeding in knasset or around the tabls dosnt help at all, check history
8
Jul 11, 2009 at 10:09 PM Anonymous Says:
“ They are right. If we will not against this chillil shabbos they will continue
To open more things on shabbos! ”
It appears the chareidi rabbonim have finally realized that they cannot keep the city shut down on shabbos? I guess you didn't get the message to find some other issue to protest about.
9
Jul 11, 2009 at 10:34 PM Anonymous Says:
“ in the all 50 years of mdins yisroel the only way it works are protesting, seeding in knasset or around the tabls dosnt help at all, check history ”
Yeah, only rock-throwing, that works, if you define 'works' as flexing politcal muscle.
As a way to encourage shemiras shabbos, it doesn't seem to have accomplished much more than getting people to be mechallel shabbos elsewhere.
10
Jul 11, 2009 at 10:34 PM Anonymous Says:
“ in the all 50 years of mdins yisroel the only way it works are protesting, seeding in knasset or around the tabls dosnt help at all, check history ”
Yeah, only rock-throwing, that works, if you define 'works' as flexing politcal muscle.
As a way to encourage shemiras shabbos, it doesn't seem to have accomplished much more than getting people to be mechallel shabbos elsewhere.
11
Jul 11, 2009 at 11:45 PM Anonymous Says:
From the article is seems that the secular and city government won and the chareidi lost and are crawling back into meah shearrim after realizing that they cannt blackmail the city into shimiars shabbos. From now own, hopefully, Yeresushalim will be open on shabbos and yidden can decide for themselves whether to drive cars or do other thinks that might offend the chareidim;
12
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:00 AM Anonymous Says:
“ These protests are nothing but Hypocritical!!!!
Throwing Rocks is Chilul Shabbat and Chilul Hashem!!!
”
exactly!!!! to act the way they act is a big Chillul Hashem!!
13
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:10 AM Milhouse Says:
“ It appears that common sense has prevailed and as the article says, "most senior ultra-Orthodox rabbis and newspapers have abandoned the issue" and are no longer attempting to force their view of shabbos observance on the poplulation of Jeruselam. This is a wise decision by the mainstream chareidi leadership and literally throws the extremists at the Edah Haredit under the bus. ”
"Their view"? And what other view of shabbos observance is there? Driving on shabbos isn't subject to some sort of machlokes haposkim; it is chilul shabbos, lechol hade'os. And no Jew has the right to break shabbos, no matter who he is.
14
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:08 AM Milhouse Says:
“ These protests are nothing but Hypocritical!!!!
Throwing Rocks is Chilul Shabbat and Chilul Hashem!!!
”
What has your second sentence got to do with the first? Even if there are five or ten people throwing stones not in self-defense (and I see no reason to believe that), what has that got to do with the thousands of people protesting chilul shabbos?
15
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:11 AM Milhouse Says:
“ anyone who thinks that is EVER ok to throw rocks at jews for any reason should be treated as gentile. ”
What's worse? Throwing a rock or breaking shabbos? By your own reasoning, kal vachomer that anyone who thinks that it is EVER ok to break shabbos for any reason should be treated as a gentile. And if he's a gentile then they're not throwing rocks at a Jew. So by your own reasoning you should not object.
16
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:15 AM Milhouse Says:
“ From the article is seems that the secular and city government won and the chareidi lost and are crawling back into meah shearrim after realizing that they cannt blackmail the city into shimiars shabbos. From now own, hopefully, Yeresushalim will be open on shabbos and yidden can decide for themselves whether to drive cars or do other thinks that might offend the chareidim; ”
HOPEFULLY? This is what you hope for? Sheigetz! Even if unfortunately we can't stop chilul shabbos, how can you call that a good thing? The Torah says Jews do NOT have the right to decide for themselves; they must keep shabbos whether they like it or not. If you don't believe that then you are an apikores, and have no business here.
17
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:15 AM Milhouse Says:
“ From the article is seems that the secular and city government won and the chareidi lost and are crawling back into meah shearrim after realizing that they cannt blackmail the city into shimiars shabbos. From now own, hopefully, Yeresushalim will be open on shabbos and yidden can decide for themselves whether to drive cars or do other thinks that might offend the chareidim; ”
HOPEFULLY? This is what you hope for? Sheigetz! Even if unfortunately we can't stop chilul shabbos, how can you call that a good thing? The Torah says Jews do NOT have the right to decide for themselves; they must keep shabbos whether they like it or not. If you don't believe that then you are an apikores, and have no business here.
18
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:15 AM Anonymous Says:
“ u have to stop them or else it will go further and further the desecrating of the shabbos ”
I know you will miss the action. It seem to me there is a segment in the chareidiem community, who just cannot wait for Saturday night to see if any fights broke out and hopefully some rock were thrown, and how many people were arrested, so you could pontificate on the web. Why don’t you just get a live?
19
Jul 12, 2009 at 04:54 AM Doniels Says:
Apparently this morning's (Sunday's) Chareidi newspapers ignored the protests completely.
(And never forget that had they let R' Uri run again, we'd still have a frum mayor.)
20
Jul 12, 2009 at 07:32 AM Happy Man Says:
Let's understand the facts. The Rabbunim didn't allow to throw rocks, and if someone through, it was one or two individuals who you can't control.
On the other hand if we talk about Israeli officers and "diplomats", they act different then other diplomats. They use the lowest words, and they behave so discusting.
The Chariedim aren't so bad and the police aren't so innocents.
21
Jul 12, 2009 at 08:30 AM Anonymous Says:
the only way the israeli govermant get's a message is w/rock's they never ever sat properly round table for any TORAH issue to settle. they have din as a MIMER L'HACES!!!
22
Jul 12, 2009 at 09:01 AM Avrohom Abba Says:
What a shame that this wrong approach just continues.
Do you really think that all this yelling and protesting and fighting and pushing is going to accomplish? They want the non religious to suddenly close their shops and the parking lot?
Like the Neturei Karta crowd who think that Israel is suddenly going to give back the whole country of Israel to the Arab Muslims, these loud mouthed screamers also are only going to make the others more stubborn and determined to open on Shabbos.
Shabbos protests should be done with respect and sweetness, in a relaxed Torah teaching derech. They should not look like a bunch of wild people.
23
Jul 12, 2009 at 09:00 AM Anonymous Says:
I was present at this rally as I am from New Yorks boro park area. I am writing now in Jerusalem at my daughters house here about exactly what happened. The protest rally was not advertised much to the public because they wanted an element of surprize .I myself would ask taxi drivers on thursday and friday before the Shabbos if they heard anything and they all said that if anything was planned they would know. But I had a hunch that there would be some rally so I began walking to the karta parking lot on shabbos and met some chassidim who gave me the details of the afternoon rally. On friday I went to the parking lot and spoke to the manager and he told me it was ok to park a car from friday through sunday morning at 100 shekels total/ Long term parking is ok. I found out it holds 800 cars and I figured for 12800 dollars you can fill up the lot, I think this plan would avoid anyone getting hurt and by filling up the lot no one would be able to park in on shabbos, I witnessed the rally at 6 pm at the parking lot and no stones were thrown at all. There was just civil disobedience like martin luther king did. Nothing outragous at all. The only area where streets were closed with garabage bins was across the big jerusalem police station entering arzei habirah and maalot dafna neighborhoods. And that was done by yeshivash type kids ages 7 to 11 who threw stones at cars who tried to break through the barriers. It had nothing to do with the eidah chareida group. There were 2 police horses at the karta parking lot and 100 cops. There was pushing and shoving. Im returning to ny monday and I contacted some heimish people who would put up the money in order to fill up the lot so a surprize sighn will read LOT FULL. There were about 20 media people with cameras there, This the real story.
24
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:30 PM Milhouse Says:
“ What a shame that this wrong approach just continues.
Do you really think that all this yelling and protesting and fighting and pushing is going to accomplish? They want the non religious to suddenly close their shops and the parking lot?
Like the Neturei Karta crowd who think that Israel is suddenly going to give back the whole country of Israel to the Arab Muslims, these loud mouthed screamers also are only going to make the others more stubborn and determined to open on Shabbos.
Shabbos protests should be done with respect and sweetness, in a relaxed Torah teaching derech. They should not look like a bunch of wild people. ”
Why shouldn't they expect them to close the parking lot? Who made them open it in the first place? If it was closed till now, why can't it remain closed?
25
Jul 12, 2009 at 12:39 PM Milhouse Says:
“ I was present at this rally as I am from New Yorks boro park area. I am writing now in Jerusalem at my daughters house here about exactly what happened. The protest rally was not advertised much to the public because they wanted an element of surprize .I myself would ask taxi drivers on thursday and friday before the Shabbos if they heard anything and they all said that if anything was planned they would know. But I had a hunch that there would be some rally so I began walking to the karta parking lot on shabbos and met some chassidim who gave me the details of the afternoon rally. On friday I went to the parking lot and spoke to the manager and he told me it was ok to park a car from friday through sunday morning at 100 shekels total/ Long term parking is ok. I found out it holds 800 cars and I figured for 12800 dollars you can fill up the lot, I think this plan would avoid anyone getting hurt and by filling up the lot no one would be able to park in on shabbos, I witnessed the rally at 6 pm at the parking lot and no stones were thrown at all. There was just civil disobedience like martin luther king did. Nothing outragous at all. The only area where streets were closed with garabage bins was across the big jerusalem police station entering arzei habirah and maalot dafna neighborhoods. And that was done by yeshivash type kids ages 7 to 11 who threw stones at cars who tried to break through the barriers. It had nothing to do with the eidah chareida group. There were 2 police horses at the karta parking lot and 100 cops. There was pushing and shoving. Im returning to ny monday and I contacted some heimish people who would put up the money in order to fill up the lot so a surprize sighn will read LOT FULL. There were about 20 media people with cameras there, This the real story. ”
Genius. So they'll claim this proves the demand for parking is so high, they have to open ANOTHER lot.