Earlier this week, the Parks Department removed 16 controversial signs in the predominantly Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of South Williamsburg because they were screwed into public trees. The Yiddish signs, first reported on Failed Messiah, roughly translated to: "Precious Jewish Daughter: Please move to the side when a man approaches!" Today the Daily News checks in on the neighborhood and finds that some of the locals feel the city is suppressing their civil liberties.
"It's taking away freedom of speech," one 70-year-old woman told the News. Another local resident, 18-year-old Abraham Klein, said, "The signs don't bother anybody. Men and ladies don't go together. It's just our religion." The News also spoke with Deborah Feldman, who left the Hasidic community and wrote a book called Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection of my Hasidic Roots. She speculates the signs were probably posted as "part of a crackdown on rebellious behavior by women."
Whatever the reason, without the signs things are heating up on the sidewalks of Williamsburg, where proximity to women in wigs and ankle-length dresses is no doubt driving the men to distraction. Next thing you know, the government will be forcing them to look at scintillating photos of that wicked Goy temptress Hillary Clinton!
