The image of a United Hatzalah volunteer who was killed during Operation Rising Lions was defaced on a rescue vehicle in Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet, the neighborhood where she lost her life.
Ronit Elimelech Hy”d was killed alongside her mother and seven others when an Iranian missile struck a shul in the neighborhood during the operation.
Her portrait, displayed on a United Hatzalah emergency vehicle, was vandalized by an individual described by local residents as an extremist.
“It’s a portrait on a rescue vehicle, not a private picture for someone to deface,” her brother, Tomer, told Ynet.
He said the incident was particularly painful because their mother had sponsored a sefer Torah l’ilui nishmas her parents — a sefer Torah that is used in the same neighborhood where the vandalism took place.
In an emotional statement, Tomer addressed the vandal directly: “You succeeded — I hate you. Without reason, without anything, you did this. I wonder what you would do if it were reversed. You managed to create sinas chinam. You don’t deserve the Torah.”
A Ramat Beit Shemesh resident said the United Hatzalah driver who witnessed the defacement “was in shock and drove away.” The resident noted that the driver responds to medical emergencies in the neighborhood daily.
“It’s frustrating to see a vehicle that serves the community vandalized,” the resident said. “It’s unfortunate that this is how the driver and the organization are treated.”
United Hatzalah president Eli Beer condemned the vandalism as “a vile act” that “crosses a red line and has no place in our society.”
“This is an extreme act that does not represent the residents of Beit Shemesh,” Beer said, adding that Elimelech “dedicated her entire life to helping and saving lives.
Beer said the organization has launched a fundraising campaign for an emergency ATV in Elimelech’s memory. “The best response to this vandalism is to continue saving lives and helping those in need,” he said.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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18 Responses
Here come all the angry vengeful comments that will come to paint the entire community because of the act of one
there shouldn’t be public pictures of women. Tznius doesn’t care about your feelings.
Sorry to hear of the brother’s pain, and the words on the van are illegible, so it’s not possible to know the motivation behind that extremist’s act.
I am not aware of any Judaic value in placing the portrait of a woman in a public place. In fact, Kol kevuda bas melech penima would indicate otherwise, that it is a disgrace for a woman to have her photo plastered in public for all to see.
So, ironically, this extremist, wrong as his act was, is actually expressing concern for this woman’s honor, HY”D.
Whether or not it’s the right or wrong thing to vandalize the vehicle (or poster), it’s definitely wrong (read: שלא בדרך התורה) to post ANY image of a woman on a public platform.
I’m trying to read what was written on the poster. What does it say?
I’m trying to read the handwritten comments that were written on the poster. What does it say?
Hakatan, the words are clearly legible. They say תמונות שחץ. So we know this wicked person’s motivation, and we know exactly who brainwashed him with false Torah and inspired him to do this.
Doom, Kinsler, and Hakatan all share in the responsibility for this crime. By spreading their false religion, their made-up halachos that don’t exist and can’t be found in any source, they caused the criminal to do this. There is absolutely NO halachic problem with showing a woman’s picture. Especially one who is no longer alive. Ziyuf hatorah is a serious sin.
@Hakatan you can dress it up however you want but I can assure you the extremist absolutely was not expressing his concern for this woman’s honor.
You can debate putting the woman’s face on the car but don’t whitewash actions which only serve to create chillul Hashem.
Why would a so called “Yeshiva World” outlet that represents Yeshivah and communities that are strictly adhering to Hallachah be promoting putting put posters of woman by a Jewish Orthodox Agency.
And what is the “Hetar” of posting here constantly pictures of woman?
UseYourBrain, this site represents the Yeshiva World the way the Israeli knesset “represents” Judaism. Don’t be naive
Whether it’s tznius or not, it’s definitely assur to deface property that’s not your own.
When did “news” turn into op-eds? YWN, you are reporting what happened or expressing your opinion about this “vile” act, as you wrote in your headline?
Milhouse: You’ve been brainwashed by the secular culture you’ve steeped yourself into over so many years. You’ve bought into non-Jewish values. So much so, that you’ve become blinded to Torah values. Not looking at women is absolutely, unquestionably, without any doubt a Torah mandate. Whether a real woman or an image of her. And the sorryful state you’re in where you can’t even conceptualize this fact, sadly demonstrates how much into Golus-culture you’ve fallen.
This penciled sketch on the orange background, you call “woman’s picture”?
That is a black and white outline of a person that barely looks female. “A woman should never be posted publicly blah blah blah”
That’s a woman? I couldn’t tell lol everyone….calm down
Omg, Hakatan you literally make me sick. I’m not a fan of womens’ pictures in public either, but to deface a woman’s picture, especially if it’s a memorial for one who was killed for being Jewish (even you just wrote “HY”D” in your comment so don’t you dare backtrack and say that she deserved it for being a Zionist), and especially if it’s not a pritzusdik picture, is not the Torah way. We never saw our rabbeim rip down or vandalize signs of women….
And how disgusting that you say he was doing her an honor by vandalizing it. You are so twisted it’s scary. Chazal (and Rav avigdor miller-an antizionist) say some pretty damning things about people who are merciful to the wicked and cruel to the innocent… Time to get your head checked. Your Rov and your Rabbeim would be so proud of you…
“Toras Moshe”, you are a kofer in the actual Toras Moshe. Making up fake halachos is just as bad as disobeying real ones.
Milhouse: You’re an am haarerz, but even worse than that, your are a rasha. Your amaratzus doesn’t excuse your encouraging men to view pictures of women.
I’m sure you were completely unaware, but the Shulchan Aruch paskens l’halacha that a husband is obligated to prevent his wife from going outside the home “too much”. (Rambam paskens the same and goes even further by specifically quantifying “too much” as meaning husband’s should not permit their wife to leave the home more than “once or twice a month” [and even then mainly for the purpose of things like visiting her parents]).
Do you want to venture and take a guess as to WHY the Halacha is that women shouldn’t be in public much?