The "Purity Committee"

B"H

What and who is the so - called "Purity Committee" in Mea Shearim ?

In order to find that out, I obviously need to apply for a job there, get an interview and be accepted. Otherwise no one finds out. Maybe the "Committee" is part of the Edah HaCharedit, maybe not.

Whoever goes through Mea Shearim these days on Purim, can see all the "warning signs" on the walls. Fakshvilim, the Mea Shearim news poster. As the inhabitants have neither radio nor TV, the news has to spread in a different way. Whenever you are interested in the Mea Shearim news, read the Fakshvilim on the walls. Mea Shearim is full of them; they are available in Hebrew or Yiddish. The Edah announces its latest decrees and on the holidays, the "Purity Committee" seems to be very active as well.

The lastest news from the "Committee" is a warning not to let out the Mea Shearim teenagers into the streets on Purim Shushan (in Jerusalem). Evil people from the outside world would walk through Mea Shearim and might influence the pure haredi youth. Using drugs, stealing, going astray, prostitution, whatever you want. The pure youth might be finding itself at Zion Square on the next day. Being turned into something secular. Who knows.

But what exactly is happening when you let out your youngsters ? Are the Purity Members on duty and arrest the teens ? And how do I recognize someone evil from the outside world walking up and down Mea Shearim Street ? Do I belong to those evil people, as I am not from Mea Shearim ? How does the whole thing work at all ?
And who is the "Committee" ? It would be interesting getting some details.

Hopefully no one accuses me of being an evil influence. I can assure the "Purity Committee" that I am only an evil influence to myself and not to others.

Fact is that from a certain age, everyone should have developed his own sense of responsibility. Why is everyone so afraid that especially Yeshiva students could go astray ? Don’t they trust their own students ?