Rabbi Metzger: Israel Does Not Belong to Chareidim
Israeli Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger today criticized the segregation of men and women on public transportation, in an interview with Army Radio, according to a report in the Jerusalem Post.
According to Rabbi Metzger, the charedi community does not have the right to impose its practices on public bus lines. “If we want there to be segregation, it would be legitimate for us to establish our own transportation company,” he explained.
“We [the chareidim] don’t have the authority to force our ideas on others,” he continued. “This state does not belong to the charedi community.”
Prime Minster Binyamin Netanyahu also addressed on Sunday the recent controversy over the exclusion of women in the public domain, saying that “a fringe group must not be allowed to dismantle what we share in common.”
Speaking at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that the public domain must be kept “open and safe” for all Israeli citizens.
“The Israeli society is a complicated mosaic of Jews and Arabs, secular and religious. We have always agreed to coexist in peace, with mutual respect between all sectors of Israeli society,” the prime minister stated.
“Lately we have been witness to attempts to unravel this coexistence. We must seek that which unifies us and bridges the gaps between us, not what splits us up and separates us,” he added.
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni praised on Sunday Tania Rosenblit, a young woman who refused last week to submit to the demands of charedi passengers to take a back seat on a bus traveling from Ashdod to Yerushalayim.
Livni wrote on her Facebook wall, “Even if she [Tania] didn’t intend to become a symbol for her actions, there’s no doubt that her perseverance represents the need of everyone fearing for Israel’s character to fight and not give up. Tania revealed personal courage and in this decisive moment I call to all to join the struggle over Israel before it is too late.”
Rosenblit accepted on Sunday an invitation from Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat to speak before an inter-ministerial committee established to formulate a plan for dealing with the exclusion of women from the public domain.
“I am proud of you for standing firmly by your principles. You did an important thing and it doesn’t matter if you intended to or not,” Livnat told the young women. “You have brought honor to women with your behavior.”
Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz ordered on Sunday an investigation into the incident. The investigation will check whether the bus driver and Egged company violated the Transportation Ministry’s policy against gender segregation.
{The Jerusalem Post/Matzav.com Newscenter}
16 Responses to “Rabbi Metzger: Israel Does Not Belong to Chareidim”
2. Comment from Anonymous
Time December 18, 2011 at 10:51 AM
Rabbi Metzger, before talking against chareidim and judging them you must know the full story.
This is what happened.
FOR YEARS, the frum community repeatedly asked for more bus lines and they demanded they be “mehaderin”. Egged patently refused!!! So they started private buses which WERE mehaderin. Egged took them to court FOR INTERFERING WITH THEIR MONOPOLY and the judges in Israel’s so-called democratic state ruled that the private buses must stop providing service immediately.
If Egged is unwilling to provide the service that these people want there is no reason for disallowing them to provide the service on their own, provided they can find a means to pay for it. Imo it is wrong of Egged to try to block this. It is almost like trying to force all children to attend public school
So now, Rabbi Metzger, WELCOME TO DEMOCRACY IN ISRAEL!
3. Comment from Anonymous
Time December 18, 2011 at 12:07 PM
HuH?
4. Comment from Sensible
Time December 18, 2011 at 1:19 PM
The question is whether a non segregated bus is against halacha. If it is then he basically is declaring that Israel is a secular state. Which is no surprise. However for a Frum Rav to say it is surprising if not disappointing. Would it not be ideal if we can at least strive to be better? At least he should have suggested an alternitive, like separate bus services for Chareidim.
5. Comment from Tanya M
Time December 18, 2011 at 1:53 PM
it is tragic the whole situation
we need moshaich
6. Comment from Anonymous
Time December 18, 2011 at 2:04 PM
#4 That’s what chareidim want but the court would not permit it because in the so-called democratic state of Israel only Egged and Dan may have the monopoly over the buses. Read #2
7. Comment from yes
Time December 18, 2011 at 2:48 PM
wow. i am shocked
8. Comment from Anonymous
Time December 18, 2011 at 3:23 PM
when we start defending the leftists, we are in trouble.
we are also troubled by the few crazies who distort what we are trying to achieve with tznius
9. Comment from Chaim
Time December 18, 2011 at 3:29 PM
THANK YOU MATZAV FOR BEATING THE DEAD HORSE AGAIN!
I repeat: Rav Elyashiv has asked that it be clearly publicized that that which was said “in his name” in the secular media (assumably against the necessity for Mehadrin busses) is FALSE! In fact - there are presently notices in the neighborhoods now reiterating Rav Elyashiv’s support and encouragement of these busses. (See also my previous comments on the subject.)
Sorry to disturb you, but Chanukah is just around the corner.
10. Comment from Anon
Time December 18, 2011 at 3:45 PM
I don’t understand the problem. I was brought up that it is HALACHAH to conform with the laws of the country. If you are unable to, then you need to move to another country
If they allow for private buses or not and segregsted buses or not - the bottom line is that you must follow the law of the country.
11. Comment from cohen
Time December 18, 2011 at 4:35 PM
‘#4 That’s what chareidim want but the court would not permit it because in the so-called democratic state of Israel only Egged and Dan may have the monopoly over the buses’
The Trajchtenberg commission has recommended to breakup the Egged and Dan monopoly over the buses.
Don’t bet on it.
12. Comment from IMHO
Time December 18, 2011 at 11:56 PM
Egged took them to court FOR INTERFERING WITH THEIR MONOPOLY and the judges in Israel’s so-called democratic state ruled that the private buses must stop providing service immediately.
So are you actually implying here that if Israeli judges had ruled in favor of the charedi minority Israel would then be sufficiently democratic for them?
13. Comment from Kavod HaRav
Time December 19, 2011 at 12:50 AM
In Israel, as in many countries and cities, a single bus company is given a contract to manage a city. The bus company has a vested interest in building their business, and will usually provide as much service to a community as the community can support.
The issue of separate seating is not a simple one. I believe that the court in Israel has ruled that separate seating with the women in the back in segregation and illegal. Eged is therefor in their right, and possibly legally obligated (as a fairly public company) to deliver non-mandated separately seated buses.
I would strong recommend speaking to a gadol before protesting the bus system. You may surprised at what you hear.
14. Comment from Avi
Time December 19, 2011 at 1:19 AM
#4, by calling it “mehadrin” its proponents are admitting that it is not the halacha. No one has the right to impose his chumrot on others.
15. Comment from Despite all that…
Time December 19, 2011 at 3:33 AM
Rabbi Metzger speaks for the state.
16. Comment from Chaim
Time December 20, 2011 at 8:08 AM
To Anon:
I answered that one already. Outside of the Land of Israel (which eternally belongs COLLECTIVELY to the Jewish people, and carries with it no squatting rights for any political sub-division with an army and “international recognition”) there still remains the problem of slanted antireligious bias; which would halachically invalidate the “law of the land”. (Though there may be some element of controversy regarding what I have bracketed) one can easily look this 2nd point up in Halachic sources.
1. Comment from Shmoel
Time December 18, 2011 at 10:48 AM
Where the CR is wrong is that the Chareidim want to establish there own segregated transportation company! But the State refuses to allow them to, to protect Egged’s bus monopoly!