I personally know of people that went through this cult, and now have major issues in life (they were/are mentally stable people. One ex. a shidduch was put off last minute..).
Circumventing the law by not marring off the kids at 14-15 legally, but having a chuppah, in this day and age is child abuse.
The kids were given vitamin pills before the reporters came.
Even the pictures are posed. (Lets all line up and run to the camera… Tip: next time have the kids play with each other, if they even know how to).
I dont understand the reporter’s sentiments in regards to thinking that since it was all in the past we don’t prosecute anymore. If this group only stopped doing something while being watched, how can anyone trust them?
It is not hypercritical to claim that the kids are being taken away in part due to the fact that they are being forced away from their parents within the cult. Since the reason the cult does that (and marry them off young), is a tactic to keep the parents from running away.
Taking away the kids is the only legal option left to break apart this cult and to save the kids – yes to save them. (The are not put into foreign speaking homes, rather into chasidish homes nearby). Hopefully the parents can then leave the cult and repossess their kids.
This newspaper uses the same tactic as the cult, that this is our issue, not the cults.
The only true part is about education, but the schools are in negotiations about that.
Here we are dealing with run aways, mind control, child abuse (mostly mentally) and part of it is a lack of education.
That is not enough to write a half of a magazine equating klall yisroel to them.
The Rabbonim of Montreal did not endorse the group, they just wrote about the chumra of mesira.
There are even Rabbonim that say it is a mitzvah to maaser is this case due to the horrible things that happened to so many people that came out of the cult. (Im talking suicidal).
They have clearly written a biased article.
Either they wanted to sell some papers over Pesach, or “the writer” got influenced by the cult leader during his 3 hour meeting.
I know plenty of people that will not buy the this newspaper anymore.