By Rabbi Lamech
Somayach Meshumad Meshubach
Special to
MeshumadMeshubach.blogspot.com
In light of removing
the kollel exemption from the Israeli army draft, new signs have been
posted at the entrance to the gated community in front of the
Jersualem neighborhood of Meah Shaarim and their anti-work statements
have been causing quite a stir.
The neighborhood was
already famous for signs requesting that women wear a restrictive
dress code and asking that no tourist groups come through, now they
have signs in German declaring studying Torah makes a person
observant while work makes people leave religion.
In a large metal
letters on an arch across all entrances to the gated city are the
German words, “Arbeit macht frei, Kollel mact frum.” The first
half of that phrase was famously posted over the entrance to Nazi
Labor internment camps during the 1930's and 1940's to make the gay,
Gypsy, Jewish, and Communist people inside work even harder.
However, residents of Meah Shaarim say they saw they have reclaimed
and revitalized the phrase.
“I have never worked
a day in my life and I don’t want my children to either. The only
thing is the study of Torah,” said Rabbi Alter Klein of Meah
Shaarim. “Working at a job is a sign of secularism and leads people
off the path of study,” he said. "Besides, Moshiach is coming,
and then all true Jews will be studying Torah while the goyim and
fake Jews wait on us hand and foot. I know so because my Kiruv
teacher taught me."
Many of the so called
"normal" residents of Jerusalem think this is yet another
sign that the frummies have lost their minds, with the frum sheep
merely echoing another crazy drasha designed to keep them obeying and
financially supporting the rabbis of Meah Shaarim.
“I worked year in and
year out to grow this beard, and studied a lot also. Now I have my
followers trained to think like children. I have been running out of
innovations, and this should keep them so busy they never realize
I’ve embarrassed them again,” Rabbi Klein said. "Also, My
father, alav haShalom, worked hard to generate a trust fund so I
don't have to work. This is the only respectable way to be Jewish."
“The people of that
neighborhood have long been an eyesore in the area. This is no
different,” said Mark Goldberg, who settled in the area because of
his Jewish roots, but feels no compunction to keep up with the
frummies. “All four of my grandparents died in the gas chambers
during the Holocaust, and I find this latest move offensive, but that
is also nothing new.”
