The principle of a prestigious religious seminary for girls in Ramat Gan was caught on camera by Channel 10 comparing religious Zionism to Nazism in the wake of a public outcry against the suspension of a student who had voiced support for performing national service.
“There are girls in this school who think that being a religious nationalist is okay,” the principle, Binyamin Metzger, is quoted as saying. “Today, we all know the truth, and that it is nothing more than paganism.”
“A person who likes his religion together with nationalism is like Hitler who also liked it, even worse,” he said.
The controversy initially erupted four months ago, when a student enrolled at the school – which has a mixed student population of ultra-Orthodox and traditional (masorti) Jewish girls – was suspended for expressing her support for national service. According to Channel 10, the girl has been at home for the past four months while subject to ostracism orchestrated by the school’s administration.
In a news feature which aired on Monday’s primetime nightly broadcast, Channel 10 showed footage of Metzger calling the young girl who was sent home “human filth.”
According to the report, not only did Metzger expel the student in question, but he also initiated a campaign of incitement against her while using classroom time to appear before students and reinforce his virulent opposition to national service.
“I want to hint to a few girls here in the class not to be like that little loser, that complete zero,” the principal is reported to have told his students. “Try not to go near her.”
The Education Ministry told Channel 10 in response that the student was not expelled from the school, but rather that the student’s father pulled her out of the school. Nonetheless, the ministry plans to summon the principal for a hearing to allow him to clarify his remarks.
There are a lot of religious people who serve in the IDF now. Just not enough of the Haredi yet.
Hitler was not a religious person. He was a closet homosexual, who deceived religious and non-religious people in order to come to power. He was a racist and eugenicist. A person who loves his country should not be compared to Hitler at all. The Torah is full of religious individuals who fought and got victories on various enemies of Israel/Judah for which they should be commended and honored (example, Joshua; Gideon; Samson; David etc.). Students who love their country should not be discouraged by anyone.
Let’s set the record straight:
The Rambam writes about the obligation to live in a Jewish State and not in a non-Jewish State. Everyone is influenced by his environment, and therefore must decide by whom he is to be influenced- by Jews and Judaism or by gentiles and their religions. Orthodox Jews in America will always be a “minority among a minority.” As such, they will inevitably be influenced more than they influence, will be like the goyim instead of being an Or La Goyim. I think it tragic that the orthodox minority among a minority (comprising a pitiful 7% of American Jewry which itself is just 2% of the national population!) could be living as a significant segment among the Jewish majority in a Jewish State where the average person (i.e. most people) sits in a sukkah (76%), fasts on Yom Kippur (67%), always light Chanukah candles (71%) and Shabbat candles with a bracha (51%), intermarriage is nil, and the Ba’al T’shuva movement is a national phenomena. 515,000 Israelis, comprising 17% of the adult population, report having come significantly closer to religion during the past six years, of which 212,000 have become totally observant and 280,000 have become more traditional, 77% consider themselves as religious or more so compared their parents. In contrast, the overwhelming majority of Jews in America not only are less observant than their parents, but 64% even intermarry!). The ba’alei tshuva one occasionally sees in America are an optical illusion due to their “high visability”, while statistically their numbers are unfortunately insignificant and have no influence on the overall picture.
There is a common condescending stereotype prevalent among Jews in America , that Israelis are less religious. This slanderous generalization (probably carried over from the days when Mapai ruled the country, or based upon negative association with yordim- Israelis who left the country, usually in pursuit of economic prosperity- who are by no means whatsoever representative of Israeli society, or simply as a result of a disappointing comparison with a wishful, utopian Holy Land) is sometimes mentioned as a deterrent from making Aliyah. This misrepresentation is nothing short of laughably outdated (if it was ever true at all) in today’s Israel where 40% of the army’s front-line soldiers and 45% of the officer’s wear kipot. Aside from the many communities in Israel which are 100% orthodox (as compared to Monsey, Williamsburg, and Boro Park which have many non-religious and even many non-Jews!), America or even New York will never come close to 1/4 of the citizens, or even the Jews being observant- much less have Judaism as the official religion! Whichever way you look, whether comparing religious leaders, communities, or on a state or surely a national level, whether measuring quantity, quality, or percentage, it is clear to all that religious life in Israel today is on all counts stronger and growing faster than anywhere else in the world. “There is no Torah like the Torah of the Land of Israel”.
Even if there are individual fairly orthodox communities in America, there is a significant difference if one’s Jewish environment is national or merely communal . It is clear from the Torah that the natural status of Am Yisrael is when we all live together in a Jewish State in Israel, as it was in the past (as is clear from the Tanach, the Second Commonwealth, and the Maccabean and Bar Kochva revolts) and as we are told will be fron now on and forever. Not only your neighbors, but your language (Lashon Hakodesh), army (Tziv’ot Hashem ), coin (Shekel HaKodesh), and even mud and rocks should be holy, as well. Only in Israel is the issue of when to begin and end the national daylight savings time dependent on leil haseder and slichot (Rosh Chodesh Elul for the sfaradim). Only here is it illegal to sell chametz on Pesach and on that week the government subsidizes potatoes instead of bread. Only in a Jewish State will a cook be sentenced to 28 days in jail for baking pizza in an army oven which is designated for meat! When it is not our state, who would even dream of asking the Jews for our opinion on such issues?
Another point to consider: Just as the entire Jewish community in America unites in action if, G-d forbid, a Jewish child is missing or orphaned, if a chasid is stabbed, or if a fire consumes a Jewish home, in our natural status in a Jewish State, every kidnapping or stabbing, every fire, or personal tragedy one hears or reads about, is meant to unite us all in constant, non-stop chessed. It is a difficult challenge but that is the framework the Torah clearly has in mind!
@ Ted Belman:
My fault I do not check what I type too often.
A head teacher or school principal (also known as headteacher, headmaster, headmistress or the head, sometimes informally in Scots, the heidie or heedie) is
The author of this article described Metzger as the Priniple. This is the wrong spelling. I changed the article to call him the Principal. Many of you are also guilty of the wrong spelling. Or is this the spelling in America.
Bear Klein Said:
Looking for a little ” manna from Heaven”?
@ honeybee:
A Bear gets restless too long in the cave. Besides it is a misnomer to say we sleep all winter.
@ Yidvocate:
First before I make my point I am not trying to get your goat nor change you opinion on Judaism (not my intend nor a possibility anyway).
The Chief Rabbis and Rabinoot as structured in Israel are subject to change by the laws of the State of Israel. Israel is a democracy and it is possible (no predictions being made here) that a restructuring will occur at some point. So perhaps Israelis will obtain more flexibility of the type of Judaism that will be available to them officially for marriages, divorces, conversions.
Currently more and more Israelis are availing of themselves of Judaism outside ( of marriage, divorce, conversion). Some kibbutzim even have temples now. I loved celebrating holidays as a community (years ago) when I lived on the kibbutz. It made feel great and part of a Jewish nation. It was a much different feeling than living in the USA.
@ Bear Klein:
Good post. Glad you have come out of hibernation!!!!
Yidvocate Said:
I think its time Jews stop comparing each to Hitler, Nazism and fascism.
@ Bear Klein:
Sure I vote.
So what?
Don’t get your point.
@ Yidvocate:
You do not vote? Correct?
@ Bear Klein:
There are always some bad apples in every barrel but to compare the entire Rabbinet to this rouge principle is beyond the pale.
Judaism is not a democracy!
The Maccabees were a small minority that saved the Jewish nation.
Metzger should be dumped in Gaza along with the other traitors.
It is impossible for jews to succeed when they are infested by “jewish” termites who are against Jews AND Israel.
@ Yidvocate:
Some people like this principle are in charge of marriages and conversions in Israel. This is not acceptable to the majority.
The principle of a prestigious religious seminary doesn’t know much about the religion he’s supposed to be “religious” about. Judaism values nationalism as one of the three pillars of Judaism: – the people of Israel, the Torah of Israel and the land of Israel.
Principle Metzger has no place in the educational system comparing patriotism to Nazism and ostracizing a student.
Shameful!
I found this comment by Yossi Klein Halevi fairly accurate,
Read more: The quiet rise of the Israeli center | Yossi Klein Halevi
http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-quiet-rise-of-the-israeli-center/#ixzz2wyU4XeWG