[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
A secular Israeli has developed a new video game which is designed to make chareidim look violent and intolerant. In the ‘Shabbos Today’ video game, chareidim are seen attacking and punching non-frum Jews without provocation.
The video game has been gaining popularity since it was released two weeks ago. The game is modeled after the chareidi protests against the Big Shopping Center in Ashdod operating on Shabbos amid shouts from one overly zealous participant shouting “Shabbos Today!”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Seems quite accurate!
Free speech of course.
It’s only incitement to violence when a gang of Arabs scream at a Jew “Kill the Jew” and the Jew has the temerity to respond with “Mohammed is a pig.”
It’s a mod to an already-existent (and immoral) video game about breaking the law.
IMO violence is part of the middle east.
I once saw an unfortunate sight: two religious youths breaking shabbos to throw mukztza rocks at a passing car. Now I don’t think violence is necessarily a Chareidi thing, I’m pretty sure it’s part of living in the warzone that the middle east is.
By the way, the “non-frum Jews” that are victims in the game are not necessarily non-frum Jews – since “Shabbos today” is a modification of an already irreligious game with no connection to judaism, it’s safe to say that the player character is attacking goys.
I’m sorry but those who sow the wind should not be surprised when they reap the whirlwind. I read and hear vicious incitement by charedim against non-charedim on an almost daily basis on YWN, in its comments sections and in numerous other charedi news outlets. And it is simply undeniable that charedim in Israel are becoming increasingly more violent. I am truly saddened by this appalling video game but the time has come for some serious cheshbon nefesh and tshuvah in the charedi community and chodesh Elul is an auspicious time for it.
If someone would create a similar game ridiculing Jews in general or if some Arab would develop a game where “shahidim” (holy martyrs) bomb, kidnap or otherwise bother an Israeli, the Israeli government would be at the head of the pack charging “antisemitism,” “incitement to violence,” “ban this game,” etc.
1) In America they probably would be charge for a “Hate Crime”. In Israel, if it was an Arab character then it’d also be considered a hate crime. However, being that it’s a Frum Jew it’s just “friendly hating”.
2) It’s sad when brothers fight like this.
3) DikDukDuck – the kids set rocks aside before Shabbos in order to make it M’yached l’Shabbos and thus not mukzta. Of course, it then becomes a Kli Ziyin which is mukzta machmas chasaron kiis, so I’ve never figured out how setting it aside would help. I guess if you consider throwing rocks at people a “game” then it would be considered a “toy”. Sad!
The people behind this think that a frum man would attack a half dressed woman?
@8.
It’s easier to mod the player character to look Jewish than to program a spitting action.
“Shabbos today” is a cheap shot at making fun of us.