Jerusalem – It was a message of optimism from Reuven Rivlin to the father of a female IDF soldier who reached out to the Israeli president on social media after his daughter was pelted with garbage and dirty diapers during a visit to an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem.
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Alon Shadmi posted a message to Rivlin’s Facebook page on October 26th telling him how his daughter Tamar was leading a group of new recruits to the IDF’s Garin Tzabar program in Meah Shearim when local residents assaulted her with refuse.
“The group had to leave with the help of police after they threw eggs, water bottles, dirty diapers and even a jerry can of water at them, just because my daughter was a woman dressed in an army uniform,” wrote Shadmi.
Shadmi expressed hope that President Rivlin could find a way to mend these disturbing rifts in Israeli society that “divide the tribes in our land.”
Rivlin responded two days later on Facebook, expressing his distress over the incident saying that no IDF solider should ever be subjected to the type of abuse that Shadmi described.
“There is no answer that will ever give a parent peace of mind after hearing about an incident like this from their daughter, who they proudly sent to the army,” wrote Rivlin.
Rivlin said that he believes that it is just a small minority of extremists who act in this way and that he has met countless members of the Chareidi community, both young and old, who work daily to build bridges between Israel’s culturally diverse communities.
“These are people who see only the good in everyone and I believe, because I see these initiatives every day, that the citizens of Israel who are completely devoted to creating harmony in all sectors of Israeli society,” wrote Rivlin.
Rivlin praised Tamar Shadmi for her efforts in the IDF Educational Corps and said that, while it may be difficult, it is important not to let the actions of a few extremist derail the positive trends that are uniting Israelis from all walks of life.
Shadmi said he was heartened by Rivlin’s response.
“Like you, I believe in the power of good and am grateful for every action that brings unity,” wrote Shadmi on Facebook. “In my eyes, the presidency is the largest public agency that works tirelessly to bring our tribes together and I appreciate those efforts. Thank you for your response.”
These ignorant creatans, need to be deported to their fundamentalist bretheren in Gaza
And then we wonder y were so negatively covered? Of ur Hashems servant, this is not the way to come across. Violence is NOT our way. What a shame! Then these people generalize that all anti zionist people are violent. No! We defntly do not condone such actions. We absolutlely stand by the Torah which prohibits a woman to serve but no violence! There r peaceful ways to explain or shut up and ignore. Your just made a tremendous chilul Hashem.
The animals that threw garbage at this AISHES CHAYAL are the ones who are garbage. There is no way they are true Yidden. Go back far enough in their genealogy and they are most likely a product of a rape by Amalake.
Shame on her, she knew exactly this would happen, whe she need to come to a jewish neighborhood?
They are the Torah True Jews who vote for Trump. It looks like they both like to abuse woman, The Torah True Jews in the name of Yiddischkeit and Lohavdil that Meshugeneh Trump who brags about what he does to women because he is Rich and famous.
The mishkal ha’chassidus probably wouldn’t allow for such behaviour by the extremists. The chilul Hashem is too great and that overrides the need for protest against the Medinah’s hefkeirus of bnos Yisroel. However, don’t be fooled by the stupidity of the media and the politicians. The fact that a woman can walk around in Eretz Yisroel in an army uniform as part of a “Jewish” army is an embarrassment to all Jews loyal to Hashem and protest is definitely called for. However, it should be done with much more thought and with the approach of “diracheha darchei noam.”
A bully is a bully, whether he lives in Meah Shearim or somewhere else. I know a young American girl, studying in Israel for the year, who was “bleached” by someone in Meah Shearim. She was dressed properly and perhaps she was “too beautiful”…. she was very upset as you might imagine. Who gives anyone the right to decide who should be assaulted? Torah true Jews live by the law, and they are not permitted to embarrass or assault anyone. Just another way to be a hooligan. What a shame.
How does protesting an 18 year old girl accomplish anything.
You want to stand in front of the Kenesset and protest the government, maybe something will change.
You want to show an 18 year old girl the right way? Welcome her into your home. A little chicken soup an kigel, and she might hear what the Torah says. But only if it’s said gently with ahavas yisroel.
Violence is not the way of Torah yidden. These attackers are chasing Jews away for Torah and mitzvos. Lehavdil, lost opportunities in chodesh Tishrei.
Shame on her, she knew exactly this would happen, whe she need to come to a jewish neighborhood?
To #11 -Don’t make excuses for those despicable extremists. I cannot understand why the Israeli police and the Shin Bet don’t take action against those horrible individuals. If they were Arabs who engaged in such conduct, they would have been arrested a long time ago. This is not the first time that Chareidim have assaulted members of the IDF, or the Israeli police. A large raid should take place in Mea Shearim, to teach those criminals a lesson. In 1981, the Israeli police staged such a raid, when they were being pelted with stones by extremists. However, today, because of the strong political influence of the Ultra-Orthodox, the authorities are reluctant to take any action, even though they probably know who the ringleaders are. The inaction of the police and the Shin Bet, only encourages those religious extremists to repeat their horrendous actions!
Now THIS is how to mekarev people.
How are you going to get soldiers to defend this neighborhood? They are chasing them away!!