Birdcage liner NY Times defames Orthodox Jewish community

"All the news that fits in your birdcage" New York Times, was blasted by Agudath Israel of America, an umbrella organization for Haredi Jews in the United States, representing a vast majority of the yeshiva world and many, but not all, Hasidic groups. Agudath has ideological connections with both the Agudath Israel Party and with Degel HaTorah [Flag of the Torah]. 

We are at a period in time in which anti-Semitism is on the rise. Agudath Israel of America said that The Times is “investing significant resources to contribute to an atmosphere of hate against those most identifiably Jewish.” [H/T UnitedWithIsrael.org]

The organization on Monday expressed "deep chagrin" with The Times' front-page article, "Why Some Hasidic Children Can't Leave Failing Schools," that Agudath says is "defaming and misrepresenting" the Orthodox Jewish community.

The article starts off with an anecdote on a divorced mother of 10, Beatrice Weber. She tried to withdraw her 10-year-old son from a yeshiva but “found that she could not do it” because “she had signed away that right in a divorce agreement drawn up by Hasidic leaders.”

The former newspaper went on to say that “[A]cross New York’s Hasidic community, parents like Ms. Weber often end up trapped in an impossible position, anxious to get their children out of some of the worst-performing schools in the state but hindered by social pressure and religious institutions.” 

But Agudath pointed out in a statement that “the ‘reporting’ exclusively features the opinions and stories of individuals who have left their communities and those closely affiliated with groups dedicated to tearing down traditional Jewish education and helping religious people leave their roots.”

In other words, the anti-Semitic 'reporting' only included those people who have left their Hasidic communities and those who are against Jewish education, not typical religious Jews. And The Times gets away with this crap because anti-Semitism has become acceptable to many on the left, including secular Jews who seem to be ashamed of their heritage. 

Of course this is also acceptable to the far right, which is a tiny minority of the country, but the left would like us to believe they include everyone who voted for Trump.

Agudath went on to say, “[C]onversely, notwithstanding repeated outreach to the Times, the paper has consistently shunned any narrative that does not portray the Orthodox community as backward, societal leeches, controlled and persecuted by their own religion. Even the photographs selected, the sullen faces and marching children, are marshaled to further this narrative. This, notwithstanding that the Orthodox Jewish community produces thousands of hardworking, successful, civic-minded, peaceful families, who are an asset to every New York community they choose to reside in.”

During a time of rising antisemitism, the Times is “investing significant resources to contribute to an atmosphere of hate against those most identifiably Jewish,” Agudath Israel added.

So to all my Jewish friends who drink their overpriced Starbucks coffee while reading their Sunday Times, wake up and actually smell the coffee. They'll be coming after you too and they'll be coming after Christians as well. But they'll probably leave the Muslims alone because they fight back with a vengeance.

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