Sunday, June 8, 2014

Attacking the Frum community in the secular press

An article in the Jpost titled A Black sheep in the Haredi community interviews a Rabbi who takes on sensitive issues that the mainstream Rabbonim supposedly dont get involved with (at least publicly on the web). While discussing  a book addressed for safety concerns geared for the charedi community, the article lists a whole slew of so called dangers that are prevalent in the uneducated third world charedi community missing from the book.

"There is no mention of accidental poisonings from cleaning materials and of leaving buckets or tubs of water that could end up in a child’s drowning; the need for parents to prevent falls, especially by putting bars on windows and balconies; adult supervision of young children instead of a-bit-older ones’ taking care of their smaller siblings; avoiding sunburn; taking young children for all necessary vaccines; avoiding smoking, quitting smoking and teaching children and husbands not to smoke; how to keep teeth healthy and avoid tooth decay, including not putting small children to sleep with a bottle filled with sweet liquid; encouraging exercise by all family members; teaching about overweight and junk food and how to eat in a healthy way; never leaving young children alone in vehicles; and awareness of postpartum depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders and other psychological and psychiatric problems and where to get help."
 Theses dangers are not specific for the charedi frum community, but the article in its appearance to depict charedim as third-world and not educated will give off an impression that these are serious issues that charedim are not well informed of. Some of these suggestions are based on freak accidents that took place. Its sad when a Rabbi does not object to these claims and HE actually agreeS to it, by saying according to the article "he could stress such preventive measures in future editions."

A better answer should have been the Charedi community does a great job educating and raising their children, but when you run to the secular press this is what the outcome is. He should defend the frum Torah community not attack them and support a bigoted lying article. As this rabbi himself tweeted he wasn't fond of being called a black sheep.
 Perhaps the paper is right.


9 comments:

  1. I am sorry to say that the problem of forgetting young children locked in cars has lead to numerous tragedies and these have been in Haredi families. Pointing this out is NOT "Haredi-bashing" it is a real problem and it is imperative that people's conciousness of this matter be raised as soon as possible.

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    1. actually there have been many stories of this happening in gentile families too. It is not a "Jewish issue". this wannabe muckraker is just a little jerk trying to be relevent by posing as our generation's Johan Pfeferkorn.

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  2. Funny, how Yaakov Horowitz who was misquoted in a op-ed in the Jpost in 2009, and denied comments attributed to him would run back to them and grant them a interview. Self promotion knows no boundaries.

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    1. Even more shocking that Agudah let him speak recently at a event.

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  3. Did the reporter ask him about the stories- while he was teaching at YSV

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  4. If friends are an indication, look who is so proud of Yanky Horowitz the black sheep, giving him credit as the messiah for taking on the tough issues- fellow blogger Harry indeed motza min es mino.

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  5. Sorry but the facts tell us otherwise.
    Vaccine refusal is at a higher rate in the Chareidi community than surrounding non-Chareidi populations.
    Chareidim learn little about physical health (let along getting any physical education) and diet in their school system. It would be called "bitul Torah" if it was attempted.
    In fact, there is a strong reliance on the "shomer pesa'im" principle when it comes to many basic safety issues.
    Pointing this out isn't Chareidi-bashing. If we hated Chareidim we'd pretend it wasn't a problem and let them continue to maim and kill themselves. It's because we can't stand that happening that we point it out.

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    1. Do you have any research that backs up your "facts". The article paints charedim as uneducated and clueless. The same issues are prevalent in other society's too.

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    2. There is plenty of research in medical journals about vaccine refusal in the frum community. A recent issue in The Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society detailed this thoroughly.
      And yes, the same issues are present in other societies too, but
      a) I don't care about ignoramuses in other societies
      b) our society loves to style itself as the most intelligent in Creation so its dumb moves stand out that much more.

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