A Belgian court filed indictments on Wednesday morning against three mohelim who were arrested last year in Antwerp following an outrageous complaint filed by a Jew with a history of antagonizing and provoking Jewish kehillos in Europe.
In the wake of the complaint, police raided the homes of three mohelim, including the well-known mohelim HaRav Aharon Eckstein and HaRav Moshe Landau, confiscated their knives, and demanded a list of all the babies they circumcised in the past year.
The mohelim were later released to their homes but have now been formally indicted for performing medical procedures without the presence of a certified physician.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar responded by stating, “Belgium has just announced the indictment of the three Mohels who were investigated last year in Antwerp. With this act, Belgium joins a short and shameful list, together with Ireland, of countries that use criminal law to prosecute Jews for practicing Judaism.”
“This is a scarlet letter on Belgian society. The Brith Mila is the cornerstone of Jewish faith. Many countries in Europe and around the world have created legal frameworks to facilitate brith and Jewish religious freedom in their countries. I call upon the Belgian government to act immediately and to find a solution.”
US Ambassador to Belgium Bill White retweeted Sa’ar response, adding: “This is a shameful stain on Belgium. The prosecution of these religious figures (mohels), one of whom is American, is WRONG and won’t be tolerated.”
“Belgium will be thought of now as anti-Semitic by the world. Until this is resolved, there is no way around it.
“The Trump Administration condemns this judicial action and also condemns the political inaction by the Belgium Government to find a solution with the beautiful Jewish communities here in Belgium. We call upon the Belgium Government to work with the Jewish leaders and communities to find a certification solution immediately.
“For the sake of Belgium’s reputation around the world, I hope the Belgian Government will act NOW. We will be making more announcements shortly following our meetings with the Belgium Government.”
Earlier this year, White launched a sharply worded attack on the Belgian government, accusing it of targeting Jewish religious practice and demanding they drop the “ridiculous and antisemitic prosecution” of the mohelim.
“They are doing what they have been trained to do for thousands of years,” he added.
White also personally addressed Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, demanding the establishment of a legal provision that would allow Jewish mohelim to perform their duties lawfully.
At the same time, about 60 Jewish leaders appealed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, asking her to condemn the actions against the mohelim. The signatories asserted that the move constitutes a significant violation of religious freedom for the Jewish communities in the country.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
Seemingly, the רוח.. בין עדר לעדר is coming to an end; multiple Anti-semitic attacks in Australia, UK and elsewhere, Mohalim and Shechita ban in Belgium, threat to Jewish education in the UK, Zionist persecution of Bnei Torah and Chareidim in general in Eretz Yisroel… – We can only daven HASHEM should protect us!
Of note, the main ringleader behind this persecution is a former Neturie Karta hotshot who met the Iranian leader many times to stir up his hatred for Jews. And was defended here and other places by the usual crowd who defends those type of Rashayim….
1. Who knows if this indictment is not a direct result of the irresponsible manoeuvrer of so called local Askonim to involve the arrogant highly disliked Trump administration.
2. The Israeli foreign minister should clean up his own trash by not oppressing freedom of religion in the Zionist state.
3. More importantly, the Zionist state is not and should not represent Yidden by any means.
Jews around the world are being nirdaf. Its the responsibility and function of a sovereign Israel to protest. Please. In Belgium there is much more Muslim circumcision going on, and the practioners are unlikely licensed. But the govt won’t start up with them because of their masses and noise.
You don’t have to mix in Zionism with everything bad that happens to Jews around the world or you’re no better than all the antisemites who blame Zionism, Israel and Jews for everything from controlling the weather, banks, wars, 9/11, space lasers, etc…
I get that you’re extremely anti-Zionist. However, this is something that is happening in Europe, particularly Belgium, which seems to have become a virulently antisemitic place nowadays and is affecting one of the core foundation stones of religious Judaism. This is not really about Zionism.
@CRR
Exactly what I’m articulating, the Zionists should stay out of it and out of anything that is about Judaism.
DavidtheKanoi: did Hashem hear the tefillos of the tzadikkim who were abused and murdered at Auschwitz? Hashem is not subject to changing His mind. If Jews are going to die, then that’s that.
CRR,
To Nazi Kapos like FaceButt, every evil in the world, from the first sin to the churban, from the Inquisition to the Holocaust, has been caused by Zionism. Unfortunately, they’re all too happy to “help” world Jewry with their fake religion consisting of only one vile commandment.
Why do people get angry when someone mentions the fact of PERSECUTING BNEI YESHIVOS in Eretz Yisrael?
Whether you are pro or anti Zionist facts are facts and don’t change. My relatives cant exit Israel because they learn while I from diaspora can travel freely [this doesn’t take away all other anti Semitic things from countries worldwide].
the anti-Zionism of the likes of Faceit, DavidtheKanoi, etc. is deplorable.