Thousands of Gerrer chassidim gathered Wednesday outside Military Prison 10 at Beit Lid in a rare mass demonstration led by the Gerrer Rebbe, protesting the arrest and imprisonment of yeshiva bochurim over the military draft.
The protest was sparked by the arrest of Gerrer chassid Yechiel Kutainer, who was taken into custody after reporting to a military recruitment office to arrange a medical exemption. Because he had been classified as a draft deserter, he was arrested on the spot and sentenced to military prison.
According to reports, Kutainer’s family recently suffered a devastating tragedy with the death of his brother, Rafael Ari z”l, in a traffic accident just weeks ago. Despite repeated pleas on his behalf, military authorities ordered his imprisonment.
The gathering was organized on short notice, with thousands of Gerrer chassidim traveling from across Israel to participate. In a rare move, the Gerrer Rebbe traveled from Jerusalem to personally lead the demonstration.
The event opened with Mincha, led by Gerrer Askan Moti Bobchik, who is in his year of Aveilus for his father. This was followed by the recitation of Tehillim, led by MK Yitzchak Goldknopf, and divrei chizuk delivered by HaGaon HaRav Moshe Chaim Denderowitz.
In his remarks, Rav Denderowitz sharply criticized the authorities.
“There is so much theft and so much corruption in this country, yet the police don’t go out of their way over that,” he said. “Instead, they find the time to go after those who learn Torah. They say we are evading our obligation. Our bochurim and avreichim are devoted to Torah—are we the ones evading our duty?”
Ahead of the demonstration, Gerrer organizers instructed participants to remain calm, avoid confrontations with police, and refrain from entering private property, emphasizing that the protest should be conducted peacefully and with dignity.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
16 Responses
I was wrong on this issue. I thought it was nuanced. Courageous Rebbe. The Israeli state is insane, just in the exact opposite way that all antisemitism always portrays Israel’s flaws. Israel is always kid-gloves with everyone, but religious Jews. Evil leftists. Almost as evil but very evil islamic terrorists, always get clemency. However, like all antisemitic countries always have, religious Jews get animosity. From birth until death, poor religious Jews face animosity and ubiquitous antisemitic liars in this world. I think the US wants more soldiers like they do to people in the Ukrainian dictatorship up against the Russian dictatorship, to fight America’s bribery wars, which are all always also blamed on the Jews.
If all the Gerrers doing a protest against the arrest of a Gerrer, as did the Belzers for a Belzer, All the Sefardim should stage a protest for a [or many] sefardy Bocher.
I cant think of a dumber thing for the military police to do in this environment than arrest a prominent person from the one of the most integrated chassidus in israel which is actively looking for a decent solution to this problem while that person is at the recruitment office working on regulating his status. Trump was right when he said Israel lacks discretion. We see it all the time in all aspects of the life. Israelis set a goal and a standard and then bulldoze their way in enforcing that standard and goal. Sometimes thats what saves israel and sometimes they end up looking like fools.
Unfortunately protesting “legally” does not get you anything.
The only protest they understand is when it hurts their pockets. When people can’t get to work, or to the beaches because of the chareidim protesting the chiloni will say the heck with their army service, I need my beach, I need to get to the places I want to get… only they can pressure the government for their own selfish reasons to stop the insanity.
We all know they don’t want the chareidim in the army, they just want to turn them into non chareidim. The question is only at what cost.
So protesting “legally” does very little unfortunately.
We need Hashem to send Moshiach and give us a heart of flesh a heart of goodness, not a heart of stone cold….
If the police have the audacity to arrest the Gerrer Rebbe, this shall be the beginning of totally anarchy across the entire Israel. Anarchy which has never been seen in entire history of Medinat Yisroel.
There is still no unity even among chassidim or Chareidim. If a Belzer chassis gets arrested than Belz gets involved. If a gerrer gets arrested than ger gets invoved. Otherwise each group sticks to themselves. If hundred thousand Chareidim plus came out to protest and hundreds of chareidi soldiers left their military posts they would bug off arresting yeshiva boys. Also if American Chareidim would come out to protest as well or warn Israel they were voting for congress and senators who are anti Israel they may wake up. Money plays a role. This year I’m not even voting in Boro park between Brad Lander and Dan whatever his name is.
Very responsible way of protesting within limits and protecting rights of demonstrators and avoiding violence. Hopefully, the police will likewise show restraint.
A true holy person. rashcabahag. leader of the jewish world
This it least makes a little sense showing caring. blocking streets makes no sense
Even if you’re not religious at all, even if you’re not even Jewish, if you are honest with yourself you know that these publicly identifiable Jews are our non violent army by just existing. In the world where they love the Torah and sages and they do their best to keep the authentic Torah feast days as detailed in the Hebrew people’s Talmud. The Israeli state will lose their war on those who make a gateway around the Torah of Moshe.
So it took a Gerrer Chussid to be arrested to have Gerrer Chassidim give a hoot?
LOL!!!! Who forced you to edit my comment? Were you threatened??
@Flatbush Yid,
You’re not voting in Boro Park because you live in Flatbush.
Ever think of that?
Zionism is history. All religious Jews are waking up to these atheistic bare headed and pork eating Israeli elite leaders be it in the Supreme Court or army elite. They hate Judaism more than Iran. Thats what’s crazy.
Great job!!! Message received loud and clear.
If you arrest someone for learning Torah, no problem.
If you arrest a Sefardi or any other Yeshivish Bachur, ok.
But, if you arrest a Gerrer, we won’t stand for it!
Not chalila to cast question on the Rebbe but why is Yechiel Kutainer’s incarnation more egregious than any of those other poor bochurim who have been detained! Am I posing questions of questionable behavior where I shouldn’t be?
What a lot of shtick about nothing. If the bochur knew his day for reporting had passed he must surely have known he might be arrested. So he was. 10,000 people have to waste thousands of hours of learning for this?