Claims against Haredim

B"H

Countless prejudices regarding Israeli Haredim are floating around. Not only in our country but also abroad. And sometimes I am really getting the impression that Diaspora Jews talk like they know our country much better than we Israelis do.:-)
At least, according to some comments from abroad.

What are the most common prejudices against Israeli haredi society ?

1. They don't go to the army.
Right, but you need to learn how to differentiate. It depends on the group and many other things. However, quite a few people do join the army (Nachal haCharedi).

2. They live in ghettos.
Sometimes, as they try to protect themselves.

3. They are being supported by the money of the tax payers and they themselves won't work.

4. They are all anti - Zionists.
It depends who.

5. They all want to force anyone else to keep the Torah.
It depends how the outside world understands it.

6. Their women are uneducated.
Depends on what your understanding of education is.

7. If no one else behaves as the Haredim want, they just beat people up or force them othewise.

Within the past few years, claims about haredi violence have been on the rise. Secular, national religious or even litvishe women, for instance, who claim that they got either yelled at or really physically attacked on public buses or elsewhere.

I am not denying that some cases may be true and if so, it is a horrible thing. Nevertheless, as soon as we hear about such claims we still need to be very careful. Especially today, many other society groups (secular or national religious) seem to hold a grudge for certain parts of haredi society. I spoke to some Haredim and asked about the reason such people might have. To be honest, I didn't get an answer. It sounds just like haredi society isn't too interested in the subject. Okay, there are people from the outside spreading rumours, so what ? Or to say it in Hebrew:
"Stam Shtuyiot - Just Nonsense".

The recent incident in Beit Shemesh has been discussed in many national religious and anti - religious blogs. Young people were attacked by some Jerusalem Chassidim (wearing golden coats on Shabbat). The blog world seems to jump on this particular incident. Anyway, I spoke to some Haredim from Beit Shemesh and they haven't heard about anything. No one was attacked lately.

You may argue that these Haredim lie but why should they ? In order to protect society ? Let me tell you there is not much more for a male Haredi than the latest gossip in society. Just look into Israeli haredi forums; and this particular attack hasn't been discussed once. In fact, the Haredim don't know about it.
This doesn't need to mean that the person being attacked lies; however, it does mean that blog readers or the public as a whole have to be very careful and if necessary, should further investigate. Not every attack reported to the press really took place.

So, what is the reason for such false accusations ? Specific groups have an interest in giving the Haredim a bad reputation ?
One Haredi told to me that those claims cause Meshiach not to come. Not only such behaviour but parts of it.

There is some truth in it although very much on both sides. Years ago, I was trying to be a Haredi myself and when I decided to leave, I had neither faced any violence nor was I pushed. My case was different anyway, as I wasn't born into society and thus people do have more patience than with someone born right into it.
What I remember very well is that especially the Haredim (at least most of them I knew then) supported me much more than any other Jewish society. And this, on the other hand, caused me always to come back into society. Even as a visitor or as someone supporting haredi ideas without being vey much haredi myself.

It goes without saying that there are violent groups within haredi society but, nevertheless, each case should be looked at carefully and individually, as sometimes the circumstances are much more complicated. Furthermore, other outsiders try to take advantage of the whole new "scandal" (if there is one) and thus put more and more fuel into the conflict.