A gay pride parade was hosted in Tel Aviv on Erev Shabbos R”L, attracting many members of the toeiva community from Israel and elsewhere.

A chareidi man, Itzik, as he prefers to identify himself, was heading home and found himself in proximity of the toeiva event. He explained to the media that he regularly passes the area on his way home from yeshiva on erev Shabbos to persuade people to put on tefilin. As he headed home, standing at an area bus stop, he was harassed by persons participating in the parade. They shouted insults at him as he waited for a bus.

Itzik stresses he said nothing to provoke them, and clearly they targeted him because he was dressed as a chareidi. However, despite the provocation he remained silent and ignored them.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)