By COLlive reporter
2 young boys who were arrested on Sunday on suspicion of desecrating the gravesites of noted Chabad personalities will be “expelled forever,” the Yeshiva Ketana in Tzfas in which they learn has stated.
The suspects, both 15 years old, are reportedly residents of Tzfas and Migdal Haemek. They were arrested on Sunday by Israeli Police.
They have allegedly erased the inscription on headstones that referred to the Rebbe with the title “Zya” and similar titles written about tzadikim who passed away.
“Israeli Police takes the case very seriously,” they said in a statement. “As soon as the complaint was received, an investigation was opened that led to the quick arrest of the suspects in the execution of the act.”
The headstones that were violated belonged to Chief Rabbi of Tzfas Rabbi Levi Bistritzky, the legendary chossid and activist R’ Pinye Althaus and Rabbi Leibel Kaplan, Head Shliach of Tzfas, all of blessed memory.
In a public letter, Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad in Israel wrote: “We hereby protest the terrible desecration of the tombstones, which harms the dignity of the inhabitants of the earth and their burial tomb, and the severity of this is well known.”
The rabbonim called on the perpetrators to “return from their evil ways, correct their handiwork and request the forgiveness of deceased whom they have harmed.”
Israel’s Chief Rabbis David Lau and Yitzhak Yosef condemned the act as well.
Their actions speak for its self
They definitely did not know what they were doing
Rachmonus, Lock of Chinuch
Indeed, their actions cannot be ignored; they desecrated graves. I’m not sure any punishment, especially from a yeshiva in which they happen to study, can adequately provide justice to the families of the deceased. That said, I’m not even sure if it is the yeshiva’s responsibility to punish the boys involved. If the boys were secular, law enforcement would be summoned. The way I see it, there are two factors that must be considered when punishing these rambunctious teens, a) the sense of justice, and b) the punishment should serve as a deterrent to other, potential vandals (These factors are… Read more »
How old are these boys if they learn in the yeshiva ketana? They should not carry the shame of this forever. Educators, please do your jobs here.
Because these boys were misguided, by extremist teachings, they will never be let into a normal Yeshiva!
Yes they were wrong! Yes they need to ask forgiveness and rectify what they did!! However being kicked out of Yeshiva forever,??????? too harsh!
They will be let into plenty of yeshivas. The envelop is continually pushed. I happen to be sympathetic to their beliefs but when you cross the halachic line they you are dangerous and wrong. Anything less would have allowed this to go as a precedent and sadly we’ve had way way way too much of that. I’m glad the Yeshiva took a stand, which is important because the Yeshiva believes in the same beliefs. Halacha is a higher authority and even the most fervent must accept that. If we go out and do whatever we feel is correct without reference… Read more »
In the days of sefira and we know the Rebbes explanation about how R Akiva’s student died, because each one “misunderstood” the others way of how to interprent their masters teachings and sayings. As chassidim of our Rebbe, Lets dont fall on this one one more time whatever you believe and understand from the Rebbes teachings if zia o iechi, or etc etc Lets everyone in this case more than usual, show our Ahavas Chinam to bring Moshiach Now! Also its good to remember the teaching from Nachman miBreslev quoting the Baal Shem Tov on last perek 3 on Pirkei… Read more »
What about the rabbis that influenced these young boys to behave this way? 15- year-old must have gotten the idea from elders. Who are they? And what is their deal?
These kids are the first of literally tens of thousands of other kids who learned at the same yeshivas and somehow didn’t vandalize graves. This has nothing to do with the teachers and everything to do with the kids. Still, they should be punished because vandalizing behaviors tend to become trendy among their circles
I would think that a permanent ban wouldn’t be detrimental to the long-term rehabilitation
For sure this act must be condemned but it pains me to read that ” they will be expelled forever”. They are just 15! How do you expect them to make tshuva like this? Give them love so they can really change and be better adults. Be curious about why they did this. Don’t try to just have a quick solution.
The yeshiva must also look into its chinuch to ensure that hiskashrus to the Rebbe can 1) take many forms
2) NEVER take other forms
Couldn’t they just have make the boys pay for the restoration and make them work for the money once they turn 16? That may have taught them the lesson better than to possibly cause them such embarressment, so they can never show their faces again. I think they may have come down too hard on teenagers who clearly took mischief too far. Maybe they need to judge them a little more favorably? Many of these types of people are the ones who leave the community in future. Just my 2 cents. Have a great shabbos everyone! 🙂
Is too investigate and ascertain how and who taught them that this things are permisible, since they are only 15 years old
Give them community awareness work as part of their restitution. Set them up with compassionate shluchim for whom they have to work for x number of hours
Bs’d It seems that this Beis Din and the Mechanchim have never heard the stories of R’ Yisroel Neveller and how he turned out!