A Message of Peace From  

Rabbi Morgenstern  

To Torah-abiding and God-fearing Jews everywhere,

I am sure that many of you have been shocked and disturbed by the reports of violence and abuse that have surfaced in recent days and weeks in Israel.  Radical elements within the Chareidi, ultra-Orthodox, community have taken it upon themselves to demean, attack, and harass other Jews, particularly women, who they deem to be dressing or behaving inappropriately or "immodestly." 

I condemn and denounce, in the strongest terms possible, these abominable actions and behaviors of hatred and extremism.  There is no place in Judaism for people to foment aggression and violence under the banner of religion.  The Torah's ways are "ways of pleasantness and all its paths are peace."  Those who demean and devalue others who do not conform to their religious standards are not acting towards the promotion of Torah values in the world; quite the contrary, they are defaming the Torah, causing a Chillul Hashem of the highest order.  When we see and read about Jews throwing rocks, rioting, cursing, and spitting at other Jews, it makes us think that, God forbid, we have turned into our enemies, people who are mired in an abyss of intolerance and religious extremism.  That is not the Jewish People and that is not Judaism.

In the spirit of this Shabbat, Parashat Vayigash, we call upon the perpetrators to realize the error of their ways and for brothers and sisters to reunite under the true banner of Torah and Judaism.  The entire Orthodox establishment needs to seriously re-evaluate their whole outlook, one which encourages Chumrah after Chumrah and which judgmentally looks down upon all who don't practice the Torah the way they choose to.  We call upon Rabbis and lay-people, in the Chareidi world and without, to speak out and rise up against these extremist elements within their midst that threaten our peaceful way of life that has been a light to civilization for thousands of years.  We also call upon the government of Israel to prosecute those who demean, harass, and threaten women in the name of the Torah.  There is no place for that kind of thinking or behavior within the minds and hearts of Torah-abiding and God-fearing Jews.

With Hopes for Peace on Israel,

Rabbi Jonathan Morgenstern