With friends like these who needs enemies?
JTA reports:
The Satmar Rebbe distributed $5 million to 150 anti-Zionist institutions
Zalman Teitelbaum was in Israel to present the heads of the institutions with checks made out in shekels, The Jerusalem Post reported. The checks were distributed on Thursday night [Nov. 21] in the Satmar stronghold of Beit Shemesh.
The ceremony to distribute the checks is called Pure Shekel.
Satmar ideology holds that there should not be a Jewish state and the Jews should remain in exile until the redemption, or coming of the Messiah.
Teitelbaum is in Israel for a 10-day visit to distribute the money and meet with his followers of his chasidic movement.
Call us confused, but if Satmar Jews adhere to this ideology, why do they live in Israel at all? That illogic aside, let’s get to the heart of the matter:
How repulsive is it to travel to a country and hand out funds to people who openly state they oppose the country on whose soil they live? And the checks aren’t even handed out in private — there is a ceremony to celebrate this perversion.
Is there any other such example of this occurring anywhere else in the world? We can’t think of one, but if you do, please post it in a comment.
We are not here to debate Satmar’s theology. But it’s one thing to disagree with an ideology — Zionism — and it’s a different thing to publicly oppose it and financially support those who do. Remember, we’re talking about a country where half of the world’s Jewish population lives. Even if Satmar doesn’t agree with the state, there is an obligation to love every Jew.
Can you imagine living as a Jewish Israeli and seeing these Jews come to your land — the Jewish State — and openly undermine it? Remember, it’s Israeli Jews (and some Bedouins and Arabs) who risk their lives by serving in the IDF to secure the state these Satmar Jews live in!
But the people behind “Pure Shekel” aren’t even the worst. Also in the news this week: The ten Neturei Karta members who participated in the Palestinian Authority’s event on Nov. 28 marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.This fringe anti-Zionist chasidic group pops up at pro-Palesitnian events — dressed in chasidic garb but draped in Palestinian paraphernalia — to protest the State of Israel.
Not only is this immoral toward Israelis and the vast majority of Jews worldwide, it’s an utter chillul Hashem — desecration of G-d’s name. No one aside from fellow travelers can look at this group with anything other than shame and anger.
Israel has plenty enemies who seek its destruction. It’s a sad day when Jewish groups number among them.
