8 year old girl cursed at by religious zealots in Israel

by JerryM | December 29, 2011 at 06:13 pm
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In a town outside of Jerusalem, Israel, little Naama Margolese, an 8 year old girl, faces being called a whore and spit upon by ultra-orthodox Jewish men. Yes, you read that right. She is called those things and even has had rocks thrown at her. The average Israeli and the average Jewish man and woman is horrified by these things. But the ultra-Orthodox in Israel are like America's Christian rightwing/ Pat Robertson types. They hate womens' rights, they detest atheists and they have contempt for gay rights. She is of course not the only girl called these things by these religious zealots, as she walks to school.

What does she wear? Well, a long dress that entirely covers her legs and a shirt that completely covers her arms. Ultra-orthodox women by the way are expected to coverup everything except face and hands. So, they are just slightly more tolerant of women in public, than Muslim fundamentalists who require faces to be covered also. There is a religious rightwing in Israel that is extremely intolerant of any other groups, again, like the Christian rightwing here in the U.S.

Oh, in another case of religious zealotry, a pagan student took off for a pagan holiday. His teacher in Georgia (who probably is a very devout Christian conservative by her actions) stated that "Paganism is not a religion." The student was also punished later for speaking Spanish on a school bus by what seems a very overzealous bus driver. Why a bus driver believes student conversations that that much of a security threat where he has to monitor them word for word, I have no idea. Heck, students study Spanish at school, they can't do that kind of homework on a school bus? 

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tikun

Just a little correction: You said.."But the ultra-Orthodox in Israel are like America's Christian rightwing/ Pat Robertson types. They hate womens' rights, they detest atheists and they have contempt for gay rights. She is of course not the only girl called these things by these religious zealots, as she walks to school"

I am not Ultra-Orthodox and I am also in favor of quickly putting down this public display of Abuse of women and children. But that said, it is NOT all ultra-Orthodox that are this militant. In fact, it is a small group of zealots that have terrorized even their own community.

Just yesterday the leader of the Labor party-center/left warned the press and public not to demonize the ultra-Orthodox because we do not agree with their life style and/or religious practices. They are not all "evil" and many contribute to the welfare of Israeli society.

So before you put them so conveniently in a box from a Milwaukee view point you need a better perspective first hand would help from Israel. There is a social justice movement that is now part of our political/cultural dialogue that includes the Haredi(ultra-orthodox). 

Also many do not hate women's rights as you put it and certainly there is now a gay orthodox group of young people that has surfaced in Israeli society.

Nothin in this country is as black and white as you have alluded to.

In Peace, Steve


 

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