Thousands Gather in Manhattan for Satmar-Led Protest Against IDF Drafting of Yeshiva Students
New York, NY: Tens of thousands of Chasidim gathered in Manhattan on Sunday in a mass protest organized by the Satmar community against the Israeli government's proposed draft of yeshiva students into the Israel Defense Forces. The demonstration took place outside the Israeli Consulate on Second Avenue and spanned several city blocks. Some estimates place the crowd size at over 100,000 participants.
Protesters held signs and banners decrying the Israeli government's attempts to conscript yeshiva bochurim calling it an attack on religious freedom and a violation of long-standing religious traditions. The crowd repeatedly chanted, “Israeli government, shame on you!”, expressing solidarity with fellow Charedim in Eretz Yisroel who face pressure under the proposed legislation.
Rav Aaron Yuda Gordon of Bobov-45 addressed the crowd in English, specifically for the media and wider public. In his remarks, he emphasized that the protest was both an act of unity with their brethren in Israel and a firm denunciation of what he called a “persecution of Torah scholars.”
“This is not a political protest. This is a protest of faith, of conscience, and of heritage,” said Rav Gordon. “We are here to stand with our brothers in Eretz Yisroel, whose right to devote their lives to Torah learning is under threat. We call on the Israeli government to cease its efforts to draft yeshiva students and respect the religious integrity of our communities.”
The Satmar-led demonstration was peaceful and heavily attended by a cross-section of Chasidic groups, including representatives from Bobov, Vizhnitz, Skver, and others, all united in opposition to the proposed draft law. Organizers stressed that the rally was not a political endorsement or campaign, but a religious outcry against what they described as an infringement on Torah values.
There was no central stage or dais,, the speakers were hoisted up on lift to address the crowd.
Police maintained a significant presence to manage the large turnout, and traffic was rerouted in parts of Midtown Manhattan for several hours. No incidents or arrests were reported.
This protest is part of a broader global response from Charedi communities, who have staged similar demonstrations in cities around the world in recent months including Lakewood, as tensions in Israel continue to rise over the future of the IDF draft exemption for yeshiva students.
(Photo credits to the photographers)
.jpg)
.jpg)
List of admorim in attendance
אדמו"ר מ'סאטמאר (מהר''א)
אדמו''ר מ'סאטמאר (מהרי''י)
אדמו''ר מ'באבוב 45
אדמו''ר מ'קאשוי
אדמו''ר מ'ספינקא (תולדות צבי)
אדמו''ר מ'סאקליע (18)
אדמו"ר מ'שינאווע
אדמו''ר מ'ליזענסק מאנסי
אדמו''ר מ'גלאנטא
גאב''ד סאטמאר מאנסי (מהרי''י/מהרח''י)
אב"ד ראצפערט (ודומ"ץ בקיט"ל מהרי''י)
אב''ד עדעלין קרעסטיר
אב"ד גרינוויל
אב''ד נעפלימיץ
אב''ד זרע קודש
אב''ד חוות דעת
אב''ד פאיע
אב''ד נירבאטור
אב''ד סאטמאר ב''פ (מהר''א)
אב''ד סאטמאר ווס''ב (מהר''א)
אב''ד סאטמאר ירושלים - ק''י (מהרי''י)
אב''ד זענטא
אב''ד סיגוט (ב''פּ)
אב''ד סאטמאר מאנסי (מהר''א)
אב"ד מישקאלץ
אב''ד קארוב
אב''ד בערטש
ראש כולל זכרון מנחם
דומ''ץ קרית יואל (מהר''א)
דומ''ץ סאטמאר ב''פּ (מהר''א)
דומ''ץ סאטמאר מאנסי (מהרי''י/מהרח''י)
דומ''ץ טאהש ב''פ
ראש ישיבת בית הילל
Oh Please! There were maybe 15 thousand people there no more. Look at any aerial footage and I spoke to people who were there who concurred. The only significant figures were both Satmar Rebbes and Bobov 45 -the rest on that long list have less than a thousand followers combined. Interesting Jake Shapiro didn't speak and instead they had someone who can't speak a proper english.
ReplyDeleteAnd?. That still does not explain why you do not care and didn't attend. And if your standpoint is right who cares if they had 1 million people there.?
ReplyDeleteThe point is not that the Satmar shitta is not correct (although of course I believe it isn't). The point is that Satamar and all the Lakewood eitznik wannabes pretend that everyone in the frum world buys into their shitta when they clearly don't. The same as with the failed Lakewood asifa last year just as Israel was invading Lebanon. """Kannoim""" have no way of coping with the fact that the tzibbur isn't on their side other than lying to themselves about turnout.
DeleteAre there any eitznikim in Lakewood? I don't think I ever met one.
DeleteAnd the only way to know if most people disagree with the"kanoim" would be to have an affair for "mainstreamers" and see how many people attend but that won't work since the so-called mainstream don't stand up for anything ever
DeleteStandard projection from those who do nothing as they attempt to discredit those who disagree with them by calling them as kanoim eitzniks etc..
DeleteThe Bruchim Haboim for Reb Dov and Reb Moshe Hillel on the street of Clifton Avenue, with over 25,000 people in attendance in the rain, should prove that central events do attract people to come, so to your suggestion, we have some data.
DeleteI and nearly all Lakewood residents did not attend because our rebbeim and rabbanim did not encourage it or attend themselves. If there was purely for the cause why did they announce a “false” police estimate of the crowd at the event? This is how bochurim who have few outlets are entertained which is why they were the overwhelming majority of the crowd. Most importantly we don’t reject the validity of the satmar shita for those who hold so while they and eitz followers say that our gedolim are treif and not entitled to their own opinions. They use bully tactics as well in Lakewood and in Eretz Yisroel to prevent those who disagree with their misguided kanous from voicing their opinion. Meanwhile the biggest fights are in their own camps as they steadily try to out-kanai each other and cancel everyone else. Eg satmar has many splits as does eitz and edah chareidis. BH we have leaders in Rav Dov and Rav Moshe Hillel who show us the right way to travel and not be hate filled foolish people.
DeleteMore chareidi exceptionalism . .
ReplyDeleteMoradik, BMG did have a contigent, and a diverse array of Hasidim were there to speak to the Zionists who want to shmad us in their tuma army. We tell Milekowsky you will not get us, we are ONLY loyal to the Torah, to the Abishter and to Yahadus and will never serve your gechka. The Zionists parade on 5th avenue has a bunch of kids forced to come by their schools and their parents forced to stand there to watch them plus toeiva groups and some old timers from the federation.
ReplyDeleteSo diverse they had three different groups of satmar. If it was truly so important why didn’t the satmar brothers sit near each other at the event as unity is more important for the cause rather it’s all a big joke and they don’t think they’re actually accomplishing anything but rather a kosher outlet for bored people in middle of bein hazmanim.
DeletePM Millikowsky is a big supporter of charedim.
DeleteIt's the rest of the country and most of Likud plus the Left (which are the instigators of the anti charedi actions) that opposes and or is indifferent.
Federation has nothing to do with the parade. (They are more and more anti Israel.)
DeleteIt's the NY-JCRC that sponsors and runs the parade.
If you're willing to commit to subsidizing the parade, they'll get rid of the toaivot. Does that include NK?
there is a printed sign (with some org. name at the bottom) that s/o held at the event the image is posted on YWN in their coverage it says " from ancient times: Haman, the inquisition, the Nazis... But worst of all- the ZIONIST! (with the word Zionist in a bloody red font)
ReplyDeleteThis seems like crazy extreme hyperbole which doesn't seem right
That’s makes a lot of sense haman , inquisition & the Nazis all tried killing us the Zionists try to shmad us “gadol hamchtia yoser min hahargo”
Delete1:11 PM Say your beliefs about Zionists were true, do you really believe the Inquisition did NOT try to shmad us? When you are so ignorant of basic facts you should try to understand situations instead of sounding off about them.
Delete4:46 Massive difference
DeleteIf it's coming outside vs coming from within
It's insanity, written by these guys who are completely ignorant of history and have no perspective. The Zionists did a lot of good too, like providing a homeland for yidden after the war. R Yaakov Kaminetzky said this, and it's obvious
DeleteI don’t think that is accurate reflecting Rav Yaakov’s view, As per one of my rebbeim who was a close talmid of Rav Yaakov in Torah Vodaas (and very anti Zionist himself ) Rav Yaakov said that he sees the hasgacha and the positive in the state of Israel in the sense that (1) a secular Israeli who spent years of his life fighting to protect other Yidden and doing other things that benefit will come to the next world with zechoyos that he would have not had were he to have lived elsewhere and (2)secular Israelis will mostly identify as Jews and keep some mitzvahs. That wouldn’t be true elsewhere E.g 50% of secular Israelis fast on Yom Kippur only 20% of secular Jewish Americans do. I don’t think Rav Yaakov was sold on a Jewish homeland per se.
DeleteBottom line, Rav Yaakov saw hashgacha and positive things in the creation of the State. Let's be honest, many Chareidi leaders today, including Rav Landau, Rav Shternbuch , Rav Feldman and Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva would consider it kefira. But would deny that he said it.
Delete3:58 PM Exaggeration at minimum.
DeleteHe gave a public speech in YTV Monday after the declaration of the State.He stated the subliminal purpose of the state was/were to be to bring about the change as to the leadership/ direction of am Yisroel. We grant no change as far as we are concerned.
P.s.
He told his son Avrohom z"l many people need it after the Holocaust.He never ever implied that WE need it.
@4:46 I stand corrected you are right the inquisition tried to shmad Jews to become Christian’s but Zionism is worse as it’s not shmading Jews it’s shmading Judaism they’re trying to change the definition of what a Jew is and you my new friend seem to be falling for it r”l
DeleteRav Yaakov held that Klall Yisoel, frum and not, needed to be lifted up after the crushing Holocaust. It was Hashgacha. We should stop thinking that there is only only Hashkafa regarding the State of Israel.
DeleteWere any BMG RY present at this rally?
ReplyDeleteSatmar separated themselves into their own quasi-religion, like Chabad. Why is "Satmar" making their own protests? Why not "klal yisroel" making a protest?! Because its only Satmar, and no one else. You can join Satmar, but its Satmar.
ReplyDelete@3:08 ????? They’re a freakin chassidus any group whether it’s a chassidus organization shul neighborhood etc… can make an event if you believe they’re doing something good and then there should be involved and organize it than the kasha isn’t on satmar it’s on everyone else
DeleteIt seems that some people enjoy living a life of sheker.
ReplyDeleteNobody really believes that the zionists are worse than nazis, if they met a zionist they wouldn't throw up as they would if they met a nazi, and if their child became a mass killer they would be more upset than if he went OTD.
How that fits with Chazal is a separate question, but humans are humans, and nobody feels like that.
But they enjoy announcing how they can ignore their feelings and beliefs, and pretend that up is down and black is white, just for the fun of it.
It seems that some people enjoy living a life of sheker.
DeleteBuddy, you're projecting what's going on with you onto other. How right you are that you're full of sheker and you're simply trying to drag others down with you. Amazing what you'll spend your time doing and typing for a few NIS. I'm always amazed at the paid trolls who come out for this and the WZO.
The WZO is paying people to come out here and here post for them? How do I apply for the job? It sures beats doing it for free...
Delete@7:12 I’m amazed at your utter brilliance! For starters if your using becoming a mass killer as an example than going otd isn’t a comparison it would be would you rather your child becomes a mass killer or becomes a missionary that converts masses of yidden to Christianity r”l!!!
DeleteBut regardless of feelings shmeelings I hope you believe that someone who does an aveirah goes to hell but if someone gets killed they don’t go to hell for getting killed and bc 1+1=2 the logical conclusion is that the nazis that killed did less harm to yidden that the Zionists who are causing dorei doros to burn in hell forever
Now if you don’t believe in hell or don’t believe in avairos than your takah right
9:08 If you really believe what you wrote, and are not just ignorant of history, you need serious medical help. Ideological Zionism is dead, and today they're all tinokos shenishbu. How dare you compare fellow Jews, misguided though they may be, to vicious brutal murderers of almost half of the Jewish people!
ReplyDelete
Delete11:29AM
That makes both of you as ignorant ..Many, including likely almost all big frei & liberal dati big shots aren't tinokos shenishbu.Hardly.Far from it!
Usually they're superbly knowledgeable. Even more than you or your relatives.Meet them in person.
P.s. the majority of your orthodox neighbors wouldn't dare use that TSh red herring as an excuse. Though likely they fit the term Tinokos shenbishu better than many chilonim .
11:29 you say ideological Zionism is dead but then you say they’re thinks sheneshbu so who’s they if they don’t exist? And hey don’t get feisty on the messenger as a relegious Jew you have an obligation to understand that someone who is a machti regardless if they’re a Jew or not is more dangerous and a bigger rasha than someone who murders.
ReplyDeleteHow dare you not to care about the more than half of Jewish population that has been destroyed by Zionism
The problem with you is that you despise fellow Jews, like the morons who block traffic and throw rocks at mechalilei Shabbos, which to date never made anyone frum The Zionists did not destroy half of klal Yisrael, Most of the grandparents of these guys came to EY as irreligious Jews before they knew anything about so called Zionism. Unlike you, I grew up with real gedolei olam, like R Moshe and R Yaakov, etc. and they rarely spoke of this issue, and never spoke negatively of the frei Jews, bc they understood the larger picture.
ReplyDelete2:52 PM,
DeleteTo outsiders they wouldn't
To insiders they would
Which makes you an..
So Moreinu anon 2:52 seems like if Zionism hit you in the face you would have no clue what it is you just know that bc you grew up with Reb yakov and Reb Moshe and didn’t hear them talk about it then must be it doesn’t exist.
ReplyDeleteYou know who else I’m sure said similiar words uneducated bale batim when the chofetz Chaim wrote his Sefer on lashon hara said wait we grew up with design and no one would talk about lashon hara so much the c”c must be a fanatic l”h obviously doesn’t exist.
The issue with people like you and the danger you cause is you talk about a topic that you admit you never heard about so why say it doesn’t exist you don’t even know what it is! Instead listen to the people who have been talking about it maybe they know a thing or 2. And once you know about the topic it will be come clearer to you maybe Reb Moshe and Reb yakov didn’t talk about it as much as you would have liked
I know more about the history of Zionism and its origins, as well as what it represents, than you kids ever will. Because you're ignorant on the subject, and on history in general, you just keep regurgitating meaningless coffee room talking points and distortions. You and your illiterate ilk are not worthy of being my disputants (check dictionary, if it's mutar to own one today). All the best
ReplyDelete8:42 PM Golly.
DeleteYou drank the Kool aid.Go ask any bonafide secular researcher in Tel Aviv U. ,or Yeshayahu Leibowitz ( who is that?) who hated elite charedi beliefs,yet who grant that from classic religious values they are more right than zionism of any sort ever could be.
You lose every discussion,so ad hominems start flying.Well,obviously.
You are as ignorant & as weak in background gravitas, as the least of those involved in these discussions.Fancy vocabulary is as empty as your values are.
You aren't worthy of even being my children's disputants
8:42 I’m so sorry I didn’t realize how intelligent you were you used the word disputants!!!!! Wow!!! One thing I noticed you say you know about the history and origins of Zionism I’m proud of you. But never mind that do you know about the ideology of Zionism though you see Zionism isn’t a movement it’s an ideology and that ideology is very much alive today unfortunately, and that seems to be what you don’t understand.
Delete