The following article appears in The Brookyln Paper:
You can believe everything you read in The Brooklyn Paper – unless it’s in the comments section of our award-winning Web site.
Imposters have been commenting under the names of prominent members of South Williamsburg’s Hasidic community for months, spreading lies and attempting to ruin reputations in a proxy battle between rival camps within the Jewish sect, according to the victims of the attacks.
“I feel upset,” said Shimon Weiser, a Community Board 1 member who has been impersonated repeatedly in fake posts touting bogus political affiliations and a love for beer. “They are using my name to defame me with lies.”
Under a strict posting policy, The Brooklyn Paper deletes all “abusive, obscene, vulgar, slanderous, hateful, threatening material” as soon as The Paper becomes aware of it – but that hasn’t stopped the imposters from posting dozens of comments from a variety of different Internet protocol addresses depicting Weiser as a buffoon.
“We live in a crazy world my friend, just crazy,” read a comment under Weiser’s name that the real Weiser said was fake. “I will be drinking my beer this evening and I will enjoy it, ’cause that’s how I roll. MMMM.'”
Other fake posts under Weiser’s name have attacked politicians including Borough President Markowitz, Mayor Bloomberg, and Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D–Bushwick) – dubbed “Vito Low-pest” by the faux correspondent. Many of the fraudulent comments mention weekly “beer hall” meetings.
“This is just childish,” said the real Weiser. “If they want to comment, comment themselves. Don’t use fictitious names.”
Though The Brooklyn Paper regularly deletes fake comments, some have remained on the Web site long enough to confuse readers.
“People called me and said, ‘This can’t really be you,'” said Rabbi David Niederman – head of the United Jewish Organization of Williamsburg, who has also been a victim of Interweb impersonators.
“Everybody with some brain understands and knows that it’s not David Niederman commenting – but in order to understand that, you have to know who David Niederman is,” he said. “Somebody who does not know David Niederman gets a distorted picture of what I am and what I stand for.”
Sources say the fake posts stem from the ongoing rivalry between two battling Satmar sects.
The two groups have opposed each other on just about every issue from political endorsements to the Broadway Triangle.
Considering that both Weiser and Niederman are followers of Satmar Williamsburg, tipsters say the imposters might be supporters of Satmar Kiryas Yoel who are attempting to publicly shame their civically active rivals.
“People are sometimes playing double,” a tipster told The Paper. “They use their own names, then blame other people for it just to make an issue out of it.”
In this case of insider Jewish baseball, it’s unclear which side is the Sandy Koufax on the mound.
But one thing’s for sure, sports fans – if you see a comment by “Shimon Weiser” or “Rabbi David Niederman,” a curveball is definitely coming.
(Source: The Brooklyn Paper)
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15 Responses
why dosen’t somebody ask the rebba what to do? I can’t imagine that they would want fighting among their chassidim. Only they can fight with each other.
Hmmm…let’s see…Chassidim defaming each other…on the INTERNET…on a secular website…major Chillul Hashem…what would the Rebbes have to say about this??
smh1, I agree with you. I can’t begin to describe the absolute embarrassment that I felt when the original fight made it’s way to Kings County State Supreme Court. Of all of the things to put in secular court. What would the goyim think about us?
B”H the the Rabbis are in the papers again so my guyishe friends can tell me “Your Rabbis” are in the news again.
Shame on them and than when one of them end up in jail we need to say t’hilim for them and raise bail money (pidyon shvuim) or legal defense funds. WHY?!
#4, thank you for endorsing the Vilna Gaon. Unfortunately there is enough infighting between the Litvishe Roshei Yesivah. The Yetzer Horah of machloikes is everywhere. Hashem Yerachem.
The famous saying of “practice what you preach” obviously dose not apply over here.
What? You mean people are writing comments on websites that are nasty about other Jews??? I don’t believe it. If it were true I’d see it in the headlines of YWN!
Tayerer Chaver. Maybe you can explain the Ponevitcher machlokes, where two bochurim were stabbed in yom tov. Where the Rosh Yeshivas went to Israeli Court. Where the infighting is unbelievable. Why the Chassidim comments and rebbe comments.When you are done tell me about the machlokes in Chevron yeshiva.Unfortunately, Machlokes is color blind and sickening for all. It does not add sholom by pointing on one sect. Gut Shabbos.
To all you chassidim bashers, you’re probably righ, Ponevez and Chevrom are chassidusin…
These have all been very disturbing posts by yeshiva world users. So much hatred and in fighting. Do we have to bash litvish, chasidish, rebbes, and rabbonim on this website? Will we ever learn our lesson?
Notice-this is speculation…we don’t know who the posters are.
One thing I am sure of-all of this posting negative about ourselves in so public a forum as the internet will come back to haunt us one day. And those who cause it or allow it to happen are responsible.
#4 I like the way you state “The Vilna Gaon was right about Chassidim” as if that was the issue of the day. Now with your reasoning, should one say the Vilna Gaon is to take blame for all the Yidden from Lithuanian countries aka “LITVAKS” who went off the derech in the time of Haskala?! It obviously has no conection! You and all of us today do not have any idea of the origional oppinion of the great Gedolim of that era!
I would like to let both sides know, that i am fully available to mediate shalom between both sides . just let me know and i really will work hard on mediating real peace
#11 – You’re absolutly right. If jews are really bashing people in public, YWN should definitely report this “Chillul Hashem” right up there with the Hamodia “story”.
#14 – You said it.
If you see a tzaddik do something that may be a sin…
I saw this erev Shabbos and felt hurt by some comments because I used to do much worse. Motzei Shabbos, any possible wrongdoings are corrected and apologized for.
Mi Kiamchah Yisroel!