A video of a left-wing activist harassing a Lubavitch Bochur as he was assisting two teens to don tefillin at Kikar HaBima in Tel Aviv drew widespread outrage from the public, both left and right, as well as praise for the Bochur for remaining calm and polite.
The woman first addressed the teens, talking as if the bochur offering them a chance to don tefillin next to a stand in the middle of a densely populated public space is a suspected predator. “Did he promise you something? Candies? You don’t have to do it – you know?”
The Chabadnik said: “They don’t have to but they want to.” The woman responded: “I’m not talking to you right now.” Then turning to the boys again, she said: “Did he ask you? It’s forbidden according to the law, you’re a minor. The fact that he asked you something while you’re alone – where are your parents?”
The Chabadnik then said: “I’m watching my brothers. Every Jew is a dear brother.” She nastily responded: “I wasn’t talking to you. Be quiet.”
Turning to the boys again, she said: “The fact that an adult is requesting that you do things is against the law. You’re minors, it’s forbidden for you. It’s forbidden for him to ask you do these things.” The Chabadnik tried speaking up again and she said: “I wasn’t talking to you, shut up. Don’t engage in religionization with these children. It’s forbidden, you can go to jail.”
Following the spread of the video on social media, secular TV presenter Guy Lerer called on leftists to stop fighting against Chabad tefillin stands, stating: “My fellow secularists and liberals, people of truth and freedom, there are so many important struggles to wage, so many threats to public life – leave the polite Chabadniks and their stands alone.”
Secular comedian Guy Hochman wrote in response to the video: “This is horrifying. I’m not religious but I’m in love with Chabad.”
He continued by writing about all the good experiences and acts of kindness he received over the years from Chabad shluchim in various locations around the world.
“So thank you tzaddikim, don’t pay attention to this nonsense, you’re doing avodas kodesh. You’re the real ‘Foreign Ministry’ and you’re an example of a loving Yahadus. And remember what I say: in my next incarnation, I’m a Chabad shliach – at Kikar HaBima.”
But the best response by far was the message that right-wing journalist Yinon Magal received from someone who wrote that “in wake of the horrifying video, I took it upon myself to support the Chabad tefillin stand in the Florentine neighborhood [of Tel Aviv] for a year.”
The story follows an incident last month in which a Tel Aviv mayoral candidate waged a hate campaign against Chabad chassidim manning tefillin stands, calling them “missionaries” and inciting against their “religionization” of the city.
שלום ינון
בעקבות הסרטון המזעזע לקחתי על עצמי להחזיק את דוכן הנחת התפילין של חב"ד בפלורנטין למשך שנה.
אחזקת הדוכן עולה 1000 שח בחודש. (סה"כ 12000 ש"ח)
מה שלא יגוייס- אני אשלים.https://t.co/cw6BrwZQMi
פרטי חשבון להעברה:
עמותת "יהדות וחסידות לכולנו". בנק פועלים 12 סניף 772 חשבון… pic.twitter.com/3oUxS78Ray— ינון מגל (@YinonMagal) July 4, 2023
It might be true, but I personally feel that it is wrong to highlight that one Jew expressed hate for another Jew.
Maybe “Negativity” or “confrontation”
Calling anything by a different name, will make the thing not exist!
Brilliance!
If only they would have called what happened on 9/11 a confrontation, then the twin towers might still be standing.
9/11 was not the same. It was an act of murder committed by muslim terrorists.
This was committed by a Yid L’HAVDIL, and was just an act of anger.
Since we believe that all Yidden are inherently good, it should be difficult and painful to use the word hate about one Yid for another.
Very different than 9/11 attacks.
This happens to be the exact message of Shloma Gerber (the bochur) on Israeli TV last night.
are you delusional, stop with liberalism
the left are nothing but hate. the left liberal in Israel is maybe worse than the left liberal in america
seems to be very “political”. Cut it out. It’s people making fun of Lubavitchers. That’s all I care about
not political, just the truth
Stop with the hate
Go put on tefillin with another Jew
Learn a maamar
Give tzedaka
Love your fellow (liberal ) Jew
Ignore the right wing fear and hate mongering
its impossible, not just to be a lubavitcher , but any type of jew cannot be a liberal. the left liberals are nothing but hate and ;eft wing fear. since the start of that dem party, it only has been about hate, slavery and intimidation . when they dont get what they want, they start terrorist groups , like the KKK , ANTIFA & BLM.
Why do you insist on reading everything into political terms?
This commenter is speaking straight out of the Rebbe’s Torah. The Rebbe definitely tried not to highlight a Jew’s hate for another Jew. See the sicha about Miriam bas Bilgah.
If this is liberalism in your opinion, it only serves to prove that there are some aspects of liberalism that align with Torah, just as there are some (or many) aspects of conservatism that align with Torah.
As the Rebbe Rashab said that all political parties (including communism!) have a basis in Torah (in certain aspects).
But not liberalism. their whole being is based on hate
By that logic collive shouldn’t have downvotes
I don’t see any hate against this ignorant secular Jew. She says that ppl have a right to choose. .. and we agree, every Yid has a right to choose to put on Tefilin and Chabad Bochurim with mesiras nefesh and varmkeit give others who wouldn’t have an opportunity to do so. Keep up the good work!
thats your problem. there was nothing but hate. enough of these lies. people need to open their eyes
Unfortunately the hate from the left is very serious
Yes we are doing a tremendous job in keeping them in check
But when you are not standing by a teffilin booth or your not at any of the הרי חשך where they like to hang out and get a kosher meal
The hate is there and it’s deep unfortunately
The chabadnik bachur did a real kiddush hashem by not getting angry at this secular person
Kol hakavod
No Yid is “chol”
May Hashem help her do Teshuva right away
I sense that there are many secular orientated Israelis who are not at all antagonistic towards the Chabad Tefilin stands and similar activities undertaken by Anash in the public sphere .. including visits to Army posts etc.
A little light always extinguishes much darkness.
Thank you to the lady who took this clip and actually posted this with all the positive comments we can disspell her darkness and she will see how wrong she was maybe she will even start lighting shabbos candles 🕯 be”zh.
What’s the Bochur accent?
He’s an American
Shloima Gerber from Philadelphia!!!
His name is Shloimo Gerber and he is from the US
shliyach at yeshiva CHAZON ELIYAHU in Tlv
He’s from Philadelphia
American ,i believe
An American boy
His parents are shluchim in Philadelphia a very chassideshe bochur.
she’s also talking to the children
she is also taking a video of the kids
If the bochur can go to jail for talking to a minor without their parents around, why is it ok for her to do the same thing?
…instead of focusing on the politics. So poised, composed and sincere!! We can all follow his example and learn to return nastiness with kindness!
he answered so politely real kiddush hashem and u never know when a video goes viral..
Talk about keeping cool under fire…
What a real kiddush Hashem and kiddush Shem lubavitch
It might be wise to contemplate how we are meant to apply the story of the Alter Rebbe responding when he was notified about the 2 misnagdim who found pamphlets of Chassidus in
Shul. One reacted with ‘hate’. The Alter Rebbe said, HE will become a chossid. And so it was. Iy”H, so it will be. רחמנות מבטלת השנאה ומעוררת האהבה.
I’ll vote Shloima!
Since when is it legal to video minors???
Why we wear Tefillin check it out: spiritual protection
https://youtu.be/78WsrPAwZM8
Was he interviewed anywhere afterwards? I’d love to see it
By Israeli TV
He is rasing money for his mivtzoim if you would like to donate:
http://Cash.app/$sgerber770
When in this video does she claim to be a leftist. Stop bringing your political agendas into this
If the title of this article had been “Lubavitcher Bochur Rises Above Harassment”, maybe commenters would have focused more on the positivity that this bochur brought into the world and the nachas he surely is giving the Rebbe!