Israeli Rabbi's unite to Stop the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade!
Pastor Dale Morgan
Israeli Rabbi's unite to Stop the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade!*
16:53 Oct 30, '06 / 3 Cheshvan 5767
by Hillel Fendel
A new united hareidi-religious-secular front was formed in Jerusalem
last night. The goal: the absolute cancellation of the homosexual march
scheduled for Jerusalem 16 days from now.
The formative meeting was held in the office of Jerusalem City
Councilwoman Mina Fenton Tuesday night, with the participation of
representatives of many religious and secular groups from around the
country - and non-Jewish ones as well.
A series of activities is planned, with the goal of convincing the
police that allowing the parade will simply be too dangerous. The
message is that the expected turnout of anti-parade protestors, as well
as the clashes that are likely to result, is likely to deteriorate into
violence and possibly even bloodshed. The organizers emphasize that the
planned protest activities will be totally legal.
Israel's Chief Rabbi, the Rishon LeTzion Rabbi Shlomo Amar, publicized a
declaration condemning the homosexual march and advocating wide public
protest. He called upon "every Jew for whom the existence of the Nation
and Land of Israel is important," as well as rabbis all over the world,
to "arouse a tremendous protest until this bad parade is totally called
off."
Rabbi Amar "calls with love and affection to all our brethren, the House
of Israel, to strengthen themselves in holiness, modesty and purity, and
especially during these difficult days when Israel is persecuted from
without and within and we are in need of great Heavenly mercies..."
Among the participating groups in the new front are the Eida HaHareidit
Badatz Rabbinical Court, the Orange Task Force, Professors for a Strong
Israel, the Nahalal Forum, Emunah Women, Yesha rabbis, Women in Green,
and more.
Sabbath in Jerusalem
Rallies and marches against the parade will be held in various Jerusalem
neighborhoods in the coming days. In addition, arrangements will be made
for protestors from all around the country to spend the Sabbath at
private homes and dormitories in Jerusalem - as the homosexual march is
set to end late Friday afternoon.
Fenton reports that there is strong opposition from Jewish groups around
the world to allowing a homosexual march in the Holy Land. In addition,
she says, important donors from abroad are reconsidering their support
for various projects in Israel, in light of the government's agreement
to hold the parade.
Increasing Unity
Many of the speakers mentioned the great unity that the cause is
engendering. The sensation of fulfilling an important mission for the
Jewish People was felt by all, "totally dwarfing all that differences of
opinion that generally exist between different sectors and ideologies."
A headquarters will be active 24 hours a day "until the announcement is
received of the total cancellation of the abominable event."
Rabbi Yoel Schwartz, a prolific author and revered rabbi and teacher in
the hareidi community, said, "Our total dedication is being tested. The
rabbis must serve as an example, stopping the parade with their bodies.
I am the first to say I am willing to lie down in the streets and stop
it, and another 200 rabbis must do the same."
An unsigned poster to be hung on Jerusalem streets quotes Biblical
verses referring to the punishment reserved for those who commit "sins
of abomination," and then warns threateningly, "Jewish governments that
support, silently or otherwise, this parade and the departure of
holiness from Israel, and their courts and law-enforcers - they are all
guilty and responsible for the grave results that are foreseen as a
result of this parade and [that could happen] during the parade, Heaven
forbid..."
The poster continues, "As everyone already knows, on the eve of Sabbath
Vayera [when the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra is retold], the loyal
Jewish public is threatened by a march of the abominators in Jerusalem -
a giant parade with the permission of the police and the Supreme
Court... For such sins, the Torah warns clearly that the Land will vomit
out its inhabitants... Will you [sit] closed up in your home and wait
for destruction, Heaven forbid?"