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Apparently the Satmar Jews in Williamsburg went a little wild last night. According to Newsday:
At least one person was injured in a faceoff between hundreds of members of two opposing factions at Congregation Yetev Lev D'Satmar... Police estimated the crowd ranged anywhere from 500 to more than 1,000. Police eventually restored order, and many of the members of the faction from upstate New York retreated to a nearby tent where they have been praying.
Of course, the NY Post has a more colorful retelling of the story, under our favorite headline of the week- " MAZEL TOUGHS":
Yesterday's melee, which included punches, slaps and beard-pulling, broke out between clashing factions of the Satmar Hasidic sect in Williamsburg and ended with cops in helmets closing down streets to restore order on a Jewish holiday, Shmini Atzeret. "There was chaos," said worshipper Joel Klein, 29, who said he was pulled from the Yetev Lev Bikur Cholim synagogue on Rodney Street by cops. "It was like a war zone."
The dispute between the upstate and Williamsburg Satmars dates back a few years. Moses Teitelbaum (the head of the sect) had appointed his younger son Zalman to take over in Williamsburg, and his older son Aaron to take over upstate in Orange County-- they immediately started fighting with each other, and now the Satmars are in full schism. The fight last night started when the Orange County Satmars tried to enter the temple in Williamsburg, and got forceably repelled by the Brooklyn blackhats.
Man-- if people who have as much in common as the Satmar Jews can't get along, is there any hope for the rest of us? To restore peace, we recommend the fighting Teitelbaums meditate on the words of another famous Jew-- the reggae rapper Matisyahu from Crown Heights:
Hashem rules the world and Israel is his wife
Love you yes my G-d with all my heart my soul and my might
When I feel you by my side yes I'm flying like a kite
You open up my eyes and give me sight
Super energized and everyday I feel you give me life
I seen the ways of the world intoxifying on pride
Young man don't you know drugs impurify your mind
When Israel left mitzrayim four fifths got left behind
If you got no water how you gonna survive
Roots lead you to the well springs so you could stay alive
Pharaoh claimed to be a G-d and claimed to make the Nile
A crocodile could smile and show his teeth
You could see beauty shining externally but that's the story of Greece
Inside America bleeds, Israel won't you get up from your knees
Its just lies in disguise Torah's truth won't you please realize
Given to the humble one on Mt. Sinai
Why can't we all just get along?
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It should be illegal for any journalist ever again to quote a witness/source/etc. who uses the phrase "it was like a war zone" when really, it's not at all like a war zone. It's a lazy way to say a situtation is chaotic or whatever, without having to really describe the particulars of the chaos.
or maybe i'm just being nitpicking and peevish.
"Why can't we all just get along?"
Because religion makes people stupid.
Fantastic fezzes! Do they also zoom around in miniature Cadillacs?
"Inside America bleeds, Israel won't you get up from your knees"
What does that mean?
"I against my brother, I and my brother against our cousin, I, my brother and our cousin against the neighbors, All of us against the foreigner."
- Bedouin proverb
well I was actually in williamsburg last night for the wolf parade show and was totally put out of my way with bedford avenue being closed. not too mention that the jewish people fleeing the scene were just running wildly across the streets without even looking. i do wish i would have gotten to see some of that beard pulling though.
so what does that lyric mean? see above
"Because religion makes people stupid."
That may or may not be true, but this conflict is certainly not about religion. It's a power struggle. Satmar is a vast empire today, controlling numerous institutions worldwide, and phenomenally huge cash-flows.
Neither Aaron's nor Zalmen's supporters give a rat's ass about the religiosity of either. It's all partisan politics hasidic-style.
i guess the irony of using Matisyahu's words as a calming influence should be noted - there is a longstanding rivalry of sorts between the Satmar and Lubavitch sects - Matisyahu being Lubavitch...
As a religious jew I am totally embarassed by these stories, and can honestly say that this does not in any way reflect the majority of the Jewish people. The Satmar are an insolar, ignorant and intolerant community who does not care about anything or anyone different from themselves. I am confused on why they are fighting amongst themselves, but am not shocked.
The most important relationship in Jewish tradition is the relationship between "person to person," such communties as the Satmar seem to forget this and place their relationship between "person and god" first. They hold themselves out as pious Jews who engage in religious studies and prayer all day, but do not think twice when cheating on their taxes, embezzling money, or in this case attacking their brethren. They should look at their actions and realize that by acting this way they are doing more harm than good. I cannot believe that they let a family feud turn one of the most joyous days of the Jewish calendar into one of fighting and war. You people should be ashamed of yourself, stop acting like animals and start acting like a good Jew should, respect your fellow man and woman.
Alright, Im done ranting.