EXCLUSIVE: The Inside Story Behind the Request to Remove Israeli Flag from SSSS in Lakewood – KCL Would Not Pull Hashgacha

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An Israeli flag outside the South Side Sandwich Shop in Lakewood, NJ, owned by Yosef Mutterperl, is still flying above the store on Cedar Bridge Avenue, despite efforts to have him take the flag down.

The effort to have the flag removed began with individuals contacting the KCL, the certifying agency that supervises the kashrus at the store. The KCL, according to sources, reached out to one of its senior rabbinic advisors regarding this matter, Matzav.com learned exclusively. This rabbinic advisor felt that in light of the fact that the store is located in an area of bnei Torah, not far from the Lakewood Yeshiva, the flag should preferably be taken down.

The store has kept up the flag, which is flying next to an American flag and an Israeli Army flag.

Matzav.com confirmed that claims that the KCL would pull its hashgacha from the establishment if the store did not adhere to the request are false.

“The KCL agency would not pull one’s kashrus supervision for this reason,” the source confirmed, refuting claims on websites and social media to the contrary.

In addition, this small group of individuals opposed to the flying of the flag, Matzav.com confirmed, are not “anti-Zionists,” per se, as they’ve been painted on social media and the web. Rather, they are “yechidim who felt, as mentioned above, that being located in an area of bnei Torah, the flag was better left not flown in front of the popular smokehouse.”

“The story has been blown out of proportion,” Matzav.com was told, “from a simple request into a viral story about a store under attack. This was never the case.”

One of these individuals told Matzav.com that in a different location or city, they wouldn’t necessarily advocate for similar action, but in this case, they felt that the request was warranted.

Mr. Mutterperl is enjoying the newfound attention this story has brought his store, stating that he has “sold more sandwiches today than at any time in the past.”

{Matzav.com}


115 COMMENTS

  1. typical example of how social media and people who hate bnei torah have once again been able to use a little story to turn into a hatefest against lakewood

    • “Lakewood” did a hateful thing – What reason whatsoever should the Israeli flag not be flown in the vicinity of a yeshiva?

      • Why shouldn’t it be flown near a Yeshiva? Perhaps because that flag represents an anti-Torah sentiment the likes of which have not been seen the baryonim or misYavnim.

        • Mr. Anonymous –
          Anyone who doesn’t recognize the incredible Divine chesed in restoring our ancient people to our holy Land and to a position of Jewish sovereignty and responsibility, is an incredible ingrate and כפוי טובה, sins with the מרגלים the sin of מאיסה בארץ חמדה and will answer for his or her stupidity, certainly in the next world and probably in this one as well. If you listened in shul when they read the תוכחה, you would know that Golus is a terrible punishment, not a way of life. If you want your life to have real meaning and purpose ACCORDING TO THE TORAH, you would come on Aliyah, insead of hiding out in Lakewood. The Torah was designed for application in Eretz Yisrael, not New Jersey.

          • And what exactly is dumb – aside from you making a throwaway insult – about Doctor Matar’s response?

            Typical of a cowardly anonymous comment.

    • I can confirm however that the KCL wouldn’t give a hechsher on a kosher ibuprofen because of a political feud.

  2. Perhaps in light of the fact that it is an area of Bnei Torah, a store like that should not exist in the first place.

  3. Why should an flag be removed since it’s close to Bnei Yeshiva & the Lakewood Yeshiva? That’s the reason it should be hanging..
    Bnei Brak is satisfied with an Israeli flag hanging from the rooftop of its premier yeshiva,
    Amen..

    • The Ponivitcher Rav, Rav Kahaneman ztzvk”l, hung the flag out of hakoras Tovah, not out of allegiance to to the anti-Torah state. Perhaps he hung it because as Rav Baruch Ber quoted his Rebbe Rav Chaim Brisker, they are chashud on retzichah (as we all know from Professor Dahan’s murder).

      • Grow Up.

        We are living in 5779, not in 5769. There are a million Charedim who have thrived in Israel and the State is the largest tomech Torah in the world.

        • “We are living in 5779, not in 5769. There are a million Charedim who have thrived in Israel and the State is the largest tomech Torah in the world.”

          That is a bold statement. I would venture to guess, that one R’ Shlomo Rechniz, or one Dr. Roberts, or one R’ Avrohom Fruchthandler each, but certainly together, do more.

          • Not according to the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l who called the Medinah the largest donor to Limud Hatorah in the WORLD!!

          • You would be dead wrong. The state of Israel spends more money supporting Torah than 1,000 of these people combined.

    • Even though the kcl didn’t threaten to rove the hashgacha. This article still makes you nauseous. What does being around Bnei Torah have to do with not hanging the flag. I’m glad he didn’t give in to these close minded baboons. What an embarrassment to live near these people. What a lack of respect to our Israel and our brothers in arms who protect our country, with the help of HaShem so we can have a beautiful land.

  4. The whole thing was idiocy – I feel like going in to buy a sandwich just as a protest against the epic nudniks who need to make everything into a problem.

  5. Leave him alone! Don’t make a bigger deal out of this than it really is. There is nothing wrong with his flying an Israeli flag on his property. If you don’t like it, don’t go there.

  6. What about the Zionist flag on roof of the Ponovizh Yeshivah in Bnei Brak?

    The Ponovizher Rav Zt”l has implemented a minhag to put up the Israeli flag on the roof of the Yeshiva, every Israel Independence Day.

    • Of course they do. Rav Gifter ztzvk”l said so. Rav Chaim Segal ztzvk”l said. But Zionists of a different tune, so to speak. Those who march to the tune of Ki mi’Tzion teitzei Torah (and NOT teitching it to mean “from Tzion Torah will leave”).

    • Are Zionist not capable of being bnei torah?
      The answer is NO. Do basic research on the origins of Zionism. Zionism was created to destroy torah and that is a fact. Hertzel did not deny it but rather proudly stated it. Don’t take me at face value-check for yourself. Google it….The saddest reality is that we live in a society that does not have a clue what Zionism is all about.

      To all of you who use examples of putting out the flag in yeshivos in EY, and Gedolim who worked with the Israeli government have it ALL WRONG. Chareidim need the government and therefore they work with the Zionist and put up the flag to keep things calm instead of outright fighting them. Its not a great solution but it works. However, they are no means agreeing with them or their anti-torah crusade!!!

      I think to sum it up in one sentence-Zionism is one with many opinions but very little knowledge. Learn the facts-it may open your eyes to a different opinion. (trust me I have been there)

    • well done!
      Living in Israel i know its a few crazy people who cause all the harm he deserves support. I as a ben torah cant see what is wrong with it!!!

  7. Like anonymous above wrote, how dare a tziyoni fly a flag over the Glatt Kosher Bnei Torah Smokehouse Sandwich Shop!! What a chilul HaShem- maybe for Tziyonim because they aren’t usually so into gashmiyus. Why, I would never expect to get a good sandwich from a Tziyoni!! Only us heimishe people know how to make amazing food.

    Complete idiocy and lunacy.

  8. PERHAPS THE BNAI TORAH SHOULD READ THIS

    The Haskala movement, which arose in the 18th century,
    destroyed and wiped off Yiddishkeit in hundreds of cities,
    towns, and communities across Europe and beyond.
    They swept away tens of thousands of Frum families.
    By now the vast majority of their descendants are
    100% Goyim who don’t even know that their ancestors
    were Jewish.

    A hundred years after the Haskala started, a new
    group of Maskilim organized. They established the Zionist
    movement. They too were mostly anti-religious and fought
    Yiddishkeit. They wanted to eradicate the Torah and its
    followers. They kept trying to שמד ח”ו Klal Yisroel and
    turn them ככל הגוים ר”ל.

    However, they weren’t as successful as the original Maskilim.

    והקב”ה מצילינו מידם

    Unlike their predecessors, the original Maskilim
    not only did they themselves remain Yidden
    up to this day, but Hashem turned the tables
    on them. Instead of Zionist stopping us from
    learning Torah, they became the largest benefactors
    & financial supporters of Torah.

    They spend billions of Shekalim to build Chadorim,
    Yeshivos Kollelim & Bais Yakovs. They also spend
    billions to support those who learn Torah.

    Their military draft laws keep the masses of
    Yeshiva Bachurim out of the streets and keep
    them in the Bais Midrash.

    In the past two thousand years, (maybe even beyond)
    there has never been so much Torah learning
    anywhere in the world as it is done now in
    Eretz Yisroel.
    There never was such a large ציבור of Talmidei
    Chachamim, Bnei Torah & Shomrei Torah Umitzvohs.

    They planned to make it difficult to remain a Torah
    observant Yid, yet they are the ones who pay
    hundreds of millions Shekalim for Rabonim,
    Dayanim, Mashgichim, Shuls, & Mikvaos in
    every city & town in the country. They alleviate
    the financial burden of Torah observant Yidden.

    In every country in the world today, the גזירת שמד
    is rampant. Intermarriage is between 70%-85%
    in every country except in the Zionist State
    where intermarriage is less than 2-3%
    (still too many).

    As much as the Zionist try to שמד Klal Yisroel,
    The Ribono Shel Olam in his wisdom made
    sure their wishes won’t happen.

    Since the six-day war, there has never been
    so many בעלי תשובה, despite the Zionist claim
    of כחי ועוצם ידי, etc. Instead of them turning the
    Frum into non-Frum, the opposite is happening
    the non-Frum become Frum.

    Perhaps we would be even more successful
    had we tried harder and put more effort to
    make sure that the non-Frum shouldn’t have
    reason to hate us.

    The Maskil, Ben Yehudah created the modern עברית
    so that the Frum Yidden will give up their old fashion
    religion and become a modern non-Frum society
    with their own modern language.

    Today the most used language to learn Torah
    is עברית. In most Chadorim, Yeshivos, Kollelim &
    Bais Yakovs the Shiurim & Schmussen are given
    in עברית.
    Chavrusos in the Bais Midrash argue & shout at
    each other in the language that was supposed
    to keep them out of the Bais Midrash.

    Yes, it’s true, it is not yet a perfect world out there,
    but when was the last time that it was?

    Perhaps, ‘חובותינו להודות, להלל, לשבח וכו
    It is our duty to praise and thank Hashem for
    not allowing the Torah to be ח”ו eradicated.
    We need to thank him for the Torah that is
    flourishing in Eretz Yisroel despite the
    Zionist attempts.
    Perhaps it would also be worthed not to be כפויי טובה

    • So modern Hebrew is a haskala language? Yiddish is mostly German, so I don’t think it is a Jewish language. And if it were so Jewish, how come Torah giants like the Ben Ish Chai or the Abuchaztera family never spoke a word of it? Modern Hebrew has more in common with biblical Hebrew than modern English has with old English. Yet deniers of God’s graces somehow still refuse to accept it as a holy language.

      For all your talk about the “Zionists”, maybe you should actually meet some real ones for a change. In my community you can meet Zionists like Harav Yigal Hadaya who is a descendant of the rabbis who taught at the Yeshivat Hamekubalim in Jerusalem. Or Harav Yosef Elnikaveh who is a descendant of Harav Rephael Enkawah, a great sage from Morocco. Or Harav Tzion Luz, who was the Av Beit Din of Beer Sheva before being appointed to the Beit Din Hagadol. The list goes on and on, and that is only from my community here, not even talking about the rest of Israel. So I would stop speaking bad about Zionists, because you are also speaking bad about some great rabbis.

  9. The problem here is that the hashgacha got involved at all. If individuals have a problem with the flag they can take it up with the business owner. I am unclear why a neighborhood of bnai torah would have an issue with the Israeli flag. no one is blasting music during sefira in honor of yom haatzmaut, it is simply a flag, not a halacha violation. We need to stop seeing red at anything unfamiliar and recognize the right to view world events differently. Not every little narishkeit needs a protest. In this business owners case it seems to have backfired on the protesters as more people have come out in support of the business owners right to express himself.

      • Just what “Palestinian” would allow a Jew to inspect and constantly monitor their premises? Your question boils down to “would you trust the certification of an establishment that does not allow inspection”.

  10. what’s wrong with a israeli flag??????? The ponivitch rav put one up on his yeshivah!!!! what r going to say now??? nothing!!! so guys please get u your self a job & start working

  11. “The KCL, according to sources, reached out to one of its senior rabbinic advisors regarding this matter,

    KCL
    learn the 5th Chelek Shulcan Aruch. Be eyun
    Simnan Tov Tov Aiyn Aleph::
    Seif Koton Kuf Kuf Shin Gimel:

    Al Teyeh Shoita….
    Take your head out of the sand….

    Tehey meurav im Habrios….

    See hagadah Shel Pesach::

    “Shoita Ma Hu Omer??””

    Hakol Asur
    Hakol Asur
    Hakol Uson

    Get a Life…
    Be a Real ben torah…

    Israeli flag goes UP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    AM YISROEL CHAI !!!!!!!!!!!!!

  12. What is kodesh and kodesh kadoshim in Eretz Yisroel now has been so “for ever” so to speak. Since binyan bayis sheini for sure and before as well.

    What is not, or even far from, kodesh now, can certainly be related to the establishment of the state. It is a matter of historical record that the state was built upon the goals of ignoring or even destroying Torah true Yiddishkeit. Read Ben Hecht’s Perfidy. Read up on Dr. Dahan. Read the newspapers.

    The decision by many great Gedolei Yisroel in previous generations up to today’s to be involved politically with the state was a decision, but it was not because they backed its ideals or goals.

      • First of all, I like it how you assume the only quoting Ben Hecht doesn’t know what type of person he was or what his agenda was.

        Second of all, much of what he writes is well documented and a matter of public record.

  13. 🙂 that’s why there’s anti semetisim. Yeshiva must of forgot what happened in Germany 50 years ago.

  14. a tremendous chillul Hashem by “those” people and the Rav Hamachsher. Nothing wrong with having an Israeli flag near a yeshiva. Such tipshus!! No common sense!

  15. Regardless of whether KCL will pull their hashgacha, I certainly plan to not ever patronize them. I have no desire to patronize an establishment that seeks to defy the community’s standards and sensitivities.

    • Thanks for not patronizing them. I & hundreds more plan to start patronizing them.
      The long lineup will be shorter by one Mr. Yoshor.

    • If your house chas v’shalom catches fire, should the owner of the restaurant, who’s also a firefighter, not come to your aide because he ”defies the community’s standards and sensitivities”?
      A few months ago, the restaurant owner was a tzaddik for going to the hurricane stricken areas in Texas and handing out free food. Now, he’s a pariah. Makes total sense.
      The Israeli flag is the only link some Yidden have to their roots. Protesting it shows a terrific degree of being out of touch with the general Jewish population. And, let’s not forget the sinas chinam your puerile attitude is causing. Klal Yisrael has had enough division lately, we don’t need anymore.
      Rock on, SSSS.
      By the way, there are no longer any standards in Lakewood. The recent influx of of those who flout the halachos of tznius has caused a blight on the community. Uber long sheitels, hair fahrshtupped into baseball caps, women with no socks, husbands with suits and pants that look like they shrank in the wash, huge chups and teeny yarmulkes are by no means appropriate for a Torah community. But, hey, if you want to protest a restaurant hanging up a piece of cloth with a two royal blue stripes and a magen david go right ahead.

    • Community standard??

      Do you ever visit Israel? How much do you spend there? Guess where your money goes….To the Zionist!

      Thank you for supporting my beautiful country!

  16. Based upon this article, should all bnei yeshiva leave Israel since there are Israeli flags flying there?

    • Not at all. It is not our country. They can do what they want to do. A kosher restaurant in our town, catering to chareidim to and run by people who are otherwise Torah observant Jews.

  17. ‭+1 (732) 961-6126‬ I called to compliment the store owner for showing thanks to a land of Jews.

  18. I assume that none of the protesters ever benefited from the Zionists by learning in Eretz Yisroel in yeshivos which could not exist without “Zionist money”, with bnei Torah who would starve without “Zionist money” [as proof, see how hard the chareidi parties fight for every shekel], or were treated in a Zionist medical facility. Not to speak of the protection afforded them by Zionist police and the Zionist military. Otherwise, this would be a great demonstration of lack of hakaras hatov [which we have to have even for mitzrayim], and as the ba’alei mussar say, one who is lacking in hakaras hatov to people is lacking in hakaras hatov to the RBSh”O.

  19. Hgaon Reb Aaron Shechter shlita upon being asked if it was appropriate to call Tzionim, Nazi’s answered if one understood what a true tzioni was they would suffice in calling them tzionim!

    The medina has been anti- religious and engaged in Shmad r’l. Ask any of the taimanim.

    Having said that, Mr. Perlmutter isn’t and shouldn’t be restricted by anyone as to how to run his private enterprise.

    As far as the KCL, if they are going to base their hashgocah on anything but kashrus they should consider removing the hashgocah from stores that offer outdoor seating!

    Lastly, the Punivitch Yeshiva receives funds from the medina and therefore should acknowledge it’s benevolence.

    • Rav Yosef Eliyahu Henkin
      “I was shocked to read in Chomoteinu of Cheshvan 5719 the slanderous notion that we are required to give our lives (limsor nefesh) to frustrate and resist the efforts of the State of Israel in its struggle against those who would rise up against them. This was stated as a p’sak din based on what we learn that Israel is restricted from rebelling against the nations (Ketubot 111a)…

      Now all the rabbis who were opposed to Zionism and the establishment of a state took up that position until the time that it was officially founded. Once the state was declared, anyone who plays into the hands of the nations of the world even where there is no imminent danger, is clearly a moseir and rodeif. All the more when there is danger to destruction of life in so doing… Surely, those who recently emigrated must be very weary of the state’s efforts to strip them of their Torah way of life, but to proclaim that anyone who aids the state is a rodeif, well such talk is the severest form of redifa.”

  20. The Rav Hamachshir was contacted and he asked someone senior to him. Very good. What should he have done? He did exactly what he was supposed to.
    The story did help the store, any publicity is good.

  21. To all those bringing an analogy from ponovitz – BIG DIFFERENCE! Bnei brak is in israel so waving a flag is equivalent to us putting out the american flag, recognition and hakaras hatov to your host country. But here in america putting an Israeli flag has way different connotations , significances and affiliations.

    • They have to eat like Bnei Torah .
      A Steakhouse that is made to be zoilel veSoiveah should not be where emeseh Bnei Yeshiva should be patronizing

  22. Did anyone other than myself perhaps find any irony that a smokehouse or steakhouse is not really where bnei torah of a high caliber should be in any way emotionally connected to ?
    I mean it`s one thing to get a kugel for Shabbes but such indulgence is not really for emeseh bnei torah

  23. I hope the yentas are happy. Just rename all the “jewish” blogs to yentarai.com because that’s what this is.

  24. Eat only Chalav Yisroel – go straight to gan eden.
    Eat Chalav Stam – go straight to gehenom.

    Eat paas yisroel – go straight to gan eden.
    Eat paas akum – go straight to gehenom.
    This is the real issue underlying all this phonie sanctimony.
    This has nothing to do with wearing a white shirt or a black hat by davening.

  25. Great food , nice guy… I’m going to be telling my Lakewood kids to go eat there more often. So sick of the frummer than thou mishegas. If you don’t like it don’t frequent the place. How can you ruin a Yids business because of your anti Zionist opinion.
    You need to get over yourselves!

  26. Is this the true story? Or KCL backpedaling?
    Remember, Rav Moshe said it wasn’t even ossur to have an Israeli flag in a shul (stupid, maybe, but not ossur).

  27. FLY OUR FLAG PROUDLY!!! Good for South Side Sandwich Shop!!!
    And by the way—We all belong in the land Hashem gave us!!!!

  28. This protest and bullying is all being organized and encouraged by Rabbi Yakov Shapiro and his buddies. They can’t stand anyone thinking differently to them and so now they’re trying to be like the mafia to this guy and force him to do what they want. In reality all they have is a WhatsApp group where they spend time acting like they’re the only ones who know anything and trash-talking everyone else. Pathetic.

  29. the funniest part of all these comments is that now one as mentioned that the store is all the way done Clift Ave. Now were near the yeshiva!!
    What area of Bnei Torah?

  30. why would jews want to take their own flag down? do we fear something?
    are we ashamed to be jews? to represent the land of Israel?
    our own people are fighting eachother, we have people that have the power to take away kosher certification from somebody just because they want to. this might seem like an insignificant story but it says a lot …

  31. Reb Moshe writes that the USA is a medinah dhel chesed. I challenge anybody here to show me a single thing that makes the USA more a medinah shel chesed than Israel. If the USA is, then kal vachomer ben bno shel kal vachomer the State of Israel is a medinah shel chesed.

    Antizionism is not a shitah. It is simply mental illness. The zchus of the boys who gave up their lives establishing and defending the Medinah has no parallel in any place, period. Kulam ahuvim, kulam berurim, kulam giborim. Hashem yikom damam.

  32. I’m not sure why this turned into a whole issue. But all of you who quote Ponovitch over and over and over again- stop! If you follow Ponovitch and all what they stand for on ALL areas of Torah Hashkafa then you can surely quote Ponovitch as “Proof”. If not, then stay out of it.
    1stly- I would buy from the store even if they have the Flag there. But there are others who take this more seriously and I respect- and we should respect that too.
    2ndly- so many people screaming ” Sinas Chinam, Where’s your Ahavas Yisroel and others cynical comments. It’s amazing, just because “some” people have an issue with Israeli flag is reason to purposely go there and buy from there- Just to show support?? All of a sudden, NOW that a couple of people are upset- On purpose you need to show this guy that ” Fly the Flag BRO- we support you!”?? C”mon. As Rav Avigdor Miller said that the Liberal Jews say they love every Jew. That’s right- they truly love every jew- EXCEPT for the FRUM Jew!!!
    So that love is all fake. When people have a serious issue with what the Flag represents and there was so many Gedolim who had an issue with it- Just respect it. Yes there are differences of opinion. But Respect and “love” and have “Ahavas Yisroel” to the Yid with the Anti Tziony Haskafah, JUST AS MUCH as you show respect and love to the Tziony! Otherwise it’s fake! Yup love every Jew- every level of Yiddeshkeit, “don’t be judgemental” EXCEPT to the Frum guy who is more right wing than you. On the “Frummy” guy its ok to be Judgmental?? NO! NO!
    Emes Torasainu Hakodosha.

  33. Thank you to the SONEI TORAH at MATZAV for taking a total stupidity, which may or may not be a issue which certain Bnei Torah were bothered by (for good reason-although that is not the point of this comment) and posting it here to incite the masses against the Bnei Torah. Thanks for again demonstrating to us the power of the internet to take a small silly story and use it to incite pure unadultered SINAS CHINAM,LH”R ,and SINAS HASHEM. כמו שמבואר בגמ’ מי הוא אפיקורס כל האומר מאי אהני לן רבנן. וכן יודע דברי רבינו יונה שמי שאומר כן נקרא שונא הץ
    Please stop yourselves before it is too late and stop posting incitement even if it will get you sme more clicks-Don’t you fools realize all those clicks are coming atraight from the עצת היצר.
    This comment is for the MATZAV editors does not have ti be published for the Tzibbur

  34. To Lakewood residents who are making an issue of the flag (and not too long ago, the kumzitz): Take a deep breath and ponder the great chilul Hashem you are propagating. A black hat is not a free ticket to Gan Eden.

    • Kumzits? You mean the Berry Webber concert? A kumzits is in your living room with a bongo on your knees. No smoke machine and big band. Thats a concert. Just saying.

  35. If I’m caught eating there, will it have a negative effect on my children’s shidduchim? Will my daughter still be able to get into the top seminary?

  36. “Bnei Torah”…
    ונחלתי שמתם לתועבה בחייכם, ותבואו ותטמאו את ארצי במיתתכם?
    We’ll still welcome you when you make Aliyah!

  37. Actual text Krem Kashrus administrator to restaurant owner:
    “Please take down the flag now as I told you before from Rabbi Forchheimer. If he tells you that you can put it back up then you can do that till then it should be down otherwise remove your KCl certification”

  38. I do believe that a hechsher is not just on the food, but it’s also on the entire establishment. If there is a place that for any reason is inappropriate for a yid, then by certifying their food your bringing ppl into such a situation. However, I don’t understand how coming to a restaurant which is flying the Israeli flag is an an appropriate atmosphere. What I speculate happened here is, the KCL request it be taken down and only after the store owner disregarded the senior rav did the KCL threaten to remove its hechsher. The issue now became one of ignoring and defying the requests of the certifying agency, be it correctly or incorrectly, and that’s already a possible reason to pull a hechsher. If he isn’t the compliant type that can, debatably, pose a possible kashrut issue.

  39. The kashrut organization should be focused on the ingredients and supervision of the food preparation…and that’s all. If a business owner wants to publicly support Israel, that should be the business owner’s prerogative.
    No one is above reproach, but invasive, pushy, bullying tactics have no place in the kashrut organization’s control. I find this entire mindset disturbing and definitely anti-Torah.

  40. The ironic thing is, is that when they come for us again, where do you think all these anti Zionistic pieces of garbage are gonna flee to? I would keep track of all these names and all these “bnei torah” To make sure they can’t get into our country, the country they forsake.

  41. The oilam missed the boat, and this bothers me alot.

    If you live in Israel, you should fly the Israeli flag outside your home.

    If you live in the USA, you should fly the American flag outside your home. Not the Mexican flag or the Israeli flag.

    If you live in the USA and you fly the Israeli flag or the Mexican flag, you have no one else to blame but yourself when people accuse you of being more loyal to a foreign country.

    Vehameivin Yovin

    • You live in America and have the right to freedom of religion/ and expression.
      Their is nothing wrong in putting an Israeli flag in the USA!

  42. This is not a question of “FRUMKEIT” but really “KRUMKEIT”.
    Maybe we should put the words of the רמב”ן to use here.
    “קדש עצמך במותר לך” –
    What business does a “Ben Torah” have in a “smokehouse”?????

  43. My first feeling in reading this story is that how can a Hashgacha be taken down if an Israeli flag is raised in front of a kosher store?? That was absurd. If that is in fact the case, then the KCL should be ashamed of themselves to even say such a thing. We are in Sefirat Haomer now, the most vulnerable time for the Jews to get along and now this story comes and separates us. We should all be proud and accept that the store has such a patriotism to our homeland, Eretz Yisrael and not be anti-Zionist. We should all waive the flag and have it in every household, Yeshivish and not Yeshivish. It is and will always be our country. AL Pi Torah is that you should love your friend as you love yourself. However, people never learn that and judge one another and start to cause hatred to our own brothers. Taking the flag down is a big Chilul Hashem especially if a Jewish/ Kashrut Agency has told them to do so. They should be ashamed and may as well be compared to the Neturai Karta as they hate their own brothers in Israel and ally themselves with the Palestinian terrorists. They themselves raise and waive Palestinian flags and no one says a word. Taking the flag down is an antisemitic statement. And in times like this, antisemitism has been more widespread in the past couple of years. If the kcl declared such a statement, they should NOT be a certified kashrut agency.

  44. To play Devil’s Advocate

    If Anyone founds a new state in the Transjordan and call it Jewish ,that obligates everyone to pay homage
    defending it,just because?

    Plus ,who were the original inventors of this flag ?
    Reform of New England

  45. Some Lakewood residents need to remember what their preschool teacher surely told them:

    IF YOU DON”T LIKE WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS DOING, IGNORE IT!!!

    Yom Ha’atzmaut is one day long. Maybe the flag would fly for a week. Maybe forever. Who cares?! It’s not on your house, you don’t have to go there if you don’t like it, why on earth do some people feel a need to hang up signs, get others to call, speak to the KCL, etc etc?! If you don’t like it, don’t go there. Those who do, will. Save the demonstrations and energy for the things in life that really truly matter.

  46. Jews against the Jewish state? We (here in Israel) just went through another war in which 4 people were killed and hundreds wounded. Not including those suffering from PTSD. So while our enemies are bombing us, our “brothers” don’t want to see another Jew identify with us. We really need this, especially in sfirat haomer. Shame on you.

  47. Is the flag more than just a silly piece of cloth ?
    how come people are obsessing over it?
    even if you support the present state

  48. In my opinion, at this point, it doesn’t matter anymore whether it was correct to fly a flag from a store or not, (personally, I could care less that he flew the Israeli flag) if posting about this issues on social media is spreading macklokes, it’s wrong!

    The Beis Hamikdash was destroyed because of sinas chinom. If any post will increase sinas chinom, it’s wrong to post it! If one is unsure if it will increase machlokes or can’t control themselves, then it’s better to just do away with social media all together.

    May we be zoche to increase our ahvas yisroel and respect talmidi chachomim and be zoche to greet Moshiach soon!

  49. I see a child enveloped in flames. The bystanders are afraid; they do nothing, or else they are only trying to save the building. I see the child. I rush in. Should I first ask my neighbor whether he, too, sees the child? Should I worry whether, in my haste, I am jostling someone, or perhaps hindering the salvage of the building by running in? Perhaps I am causing a draft, fanning the fire?
    “‘But,’ you might ask, ‘what if you are too late? What if the building collapses on top of the child in a roaring conflagration before you reach it?’ To this I reply: ‘Were I to be buried under it, I would at least have done my duty.’” (Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, Letter Nineteen, The Nineteen Letters).

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