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BAN: Chareidim Website Shuts Their Doors; Follows Etrog


chr.jpgThe popular “Chareidim” website announced today, on erev Shabbos, that it is following the example of Etrog (reported by YWN yesterday), and it too is closing down, adhering to last week’s kol korei of Gedolei Yisrael Shlita.

At 12:20pm, Chareidim posted what appears will be its final posting to the site, explaining that despite incurring heavy financial loss, it will be shutting down to comply with the word of Gedolei Yisrael.

iri.jpg[CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE KOL KOREI]

For previous stories on the Internet ban: Click HERE, HERE, HERE & HERE.

THE FOLLOWING APPEARS ON THE CHAREIDIM WEBSITE:

בצער רב, בגאווה גדולה: אתר “חרדים” נסגר!

לפני כחצי שנה עלה אתר “חרדים” לאוויר, בגאווה רבה ותוך קביעת סטנדרטים חדשים בעולם החדשות החרדי. היום, בצער רב אך בגאווה ובכבוד, למרות ההפסד הכספי העמוק, אנו מכריזים על ציות מלא לגדולי ישראל. החל מרגע זה, אתר “חרדים” מפסיק את פעילותו ברשת האינטרנט.

אין כל ספק, והעובדות מצביעות על כך. “חרדים” היה סיפור של הצלחה. המידע האמין ביותר, המהיר ביותר והחם ביותר זרם בעורקיו. הסיפורים הטובים ביותר של המגזר החרדי הגיעו לכותרותיו, והוא הפך עד מהרה לדף הבית של עשרות אלפים במגזר החרדי, שמצאו בו אתר שפוי, אמין, רציני ולא מתלהם.

המאבק נגד האתרים החרדיים, שנחשף ב”חרדים” בסוף השבוע שעבר, תפס אותנו, נודה על האמת, לא מוכנים. זה בא בדיוק לאחר הוספת עובדים נוספים לאתר ושכירת צלמי שטח נוספים, בעקבות דו”חות שהצביעו על הצלחה והתרחבות משמעותית בכמות גולשי האתר, שהביעו את אמונם ב”חרדים” בעוד ועוד כניסות.

מכתבם של גדולי ישראל היה קשה מאוד. מדובר בהשקעה גדולה מצד בעלי האתר, בעולל מטופח, אהוב ומוצלח מצד אנשי התוכן, הכתבים והעורכים, ובמוצר מנצח מצד אנשי השיווק. היה לנו ברור שסגירתו תהא גם מכה קשה לעשרות אלפי גולשים מהמגזר החרדי שאוהבים את האתר וכבר לא יוכלו בלעדיו.

אין קשה מלוותר על חלום, במיוחד כשמדובר בחלום שכבר קרם עור וגידים והיה המועמד הברור לקחת את הבכורה מבין האתרים החרדיים. ההחלטה הייתה קשה, מייסרת, אך לבסוף היא התקבלה: נשמעים לגדולי ישראל וסוגרים את האתר. הנזקים הכספיים עצומים, אך ההחלטה ברורה: נשמעים לדעת גדולים.

וודאי יהיו בין הגולשים כאלו שיתקוממו על המהלך, יראו בו כניעה ל”גחמות של עסקנים”, ל”יצר נקמה של ראש עיר חרדי שהושפל” או ל”קומבינאטורים שמונעים מאינטרסים אפלים”. חלק מהטענות צודקות. ואכן, בידינו חומרים שעלולים לגרום לכמה “עסקנים” לרדת למחתרת לעולם, אך אנו נמנעים מלפרסמם.

מכתבם של גדולי ישראל הוא ברור וחד, ואין כל דרך להתחמק ממנו. הגרי”ש אלישיב והאדמו”ר מגור, הגר”ח קנייבסקי והאדמו”ר מצאנז, הגראי”ל שטיינמן והרה”צ ר’ ישראל הגר כותבים דבר חד ברור: “וחייבים להוקיע תחנות אלו ולשרש אותם מתוכנו”. אתר “חרדים” מקיים את הציווי בלי התחכמויות.

כשם שהיינו גאים לעלות לאוויר, כשם שהיינו גאים להוביל את חדשות הציבור החרדי ואת דיווחי השטח הטובים ביותר, כך אנו גאים להודיע על ציות לגדולי ישראל ועל פרישה מלאה. שלא כמו אחרים בחרנו שלא להסתתר מאחורי מסכות של צביעות, ולקיים את דרישת מנהיגי הדור בלי התחכמויות ופרשנויות.

כאן המקום להודות לכל הצוות המסור שעמד מאחורי החדשות. ליענקי ביכלר ולמני גירא, לעורך שמוליק שיף, לכתבים אריה מנדל, שרוליק מייזלס, משה ויגנפלד, יוסף לוק ואיתמר שחר, לצלמי השטח יואל רייזנר, עוזי ברק, אלי סגל, משה גולדשטיין, יוסי קוריץ, למנהל המערכת יואב כהן, למנהל השיווק טל ניר, ולאיש שעושה הכול – אלכס.

בברכה,

הנהלת אתר “חרדים”

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)



26 Responses

  1. I understand the circumstances which have called for the banning of frum websites, but I don’t think that the full ramification of closing down all the Frum sources has been fully analysed.

    As with us readers at YWN, many of us rely on the Frum websites to bring us the news that we care about, and the news that “is fit to print”.

    Most of the Frum websites today, (with the exception of a few .blogspots) have a standard which they up hold. If the Frum websites in the US were to close down, I would look else where for my news, and those news sites definitely don’t care to weed out all the news which is not fit to print.

    Rabbi Eli Tietelbaum zt”l was adamant that there should be a Jewish outlets. Whether it was a Frum concert, or a Frum radio station, there should be an outlet in the Frum world so we don’t have to find out what the Gentile world looks like.

    Thank You Yeshiva World for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the high standards of news and information everyday.

  2. I have asked YWN to stop the lashon hara and other garbage in the comments section many times over. I have sent them MANY examples from the comment section as I used to be a frequent commentor and stopped because of the garbage.

    They did nothing. 0. not even a response.

    So I stopped commenting until now.
    I just need to say this. NO I am not perfect and I am on the internet yes albeit on a “kosher” type site. However YWN who RUNNNS after all these psakot of the gedolei hador , are responsible in my opinion to heed the call this time around too. Or when it hits in your pocket then you dont listen…???

  3. Anyone want to know what was accomplished? Etrog, a squeaky-clean website, and chareidim, a pretty-clean website have been shut.
    And the lowlives, like bichadrei charadim, and other “free-for-alls” will remain opened and continue their websites STRONGER THAN EVER.
    Why stronger than ever?
    Because let’s face it people, the Internet is here to stay, and now people will just go to those sites instead of a decent, clean site.

    Good job by the askonim once again.

    FYI, I learned in Mir, Brisk, and Ponavez, I have 6 children, and I live in Lakewood, and I am losing all emunah and bitachon in the gedolim of today.

  4. Just amazing.

    These people are without jobs, noone will help them.

    some askonim very peobably were slandared and had their names dragged around on some of the notoriously vicious and ruthless Israeli forums.

  5. How sad. Look how in the same letter they also acknowledge that it’s really the work of ‘Askonim’, infemous ones, who did this out of revenge.

    The whole thing is a joke: The letter says that you can have internet in the work place if it’s open only to good sites, so why not just tell us which is good and which is not? What’s it different then newspapers? Why do a move to close only the good? onless their’s an interes of revenge involved…?!

    Their signitures arn’t on it, and it sure doesn’t look like a work of Chachomim. “Askonim” maybe.

  6. newspapers are just as bad. they claim to have rabbinical boards, and when challanged, they never say who they are.
    they write whatever they want, they have readers-writes section which is the exact same this as commenting on blogs – all without names.
    when they make major mistakes against frumkeit, they never ever appoligize, they just move on and ignore ignore ignore ignore all complaints.

    so please, cut the garbage people.

    wake up and smell the coffee.

  7. Lakewood Shelachem — December 18, 2009 @ 10:29 am,

    How mistaken you are.
    Have you opened your eyes lately?
    Look around us, all the “garbage’ from Israel ALWAYS makes its way here in the form of “being frumer”. and those who dont agree lose their heads in this “frum” world of ours.

    Open your eyes look around. Look at Lakewood, when the the problem start with children being rejected from schools? After it started in Israel. Ask any Israeli, the schools there are ruthless!!

    And it doesnt stop there. Concerts, Shaitels, Hechseirim….. Its getting WORSE!!!

    MARK MY WORDS PEOPLE….
    WE’RE IN FOR SOME BAD TIMES !!!!

  8. #5.

    Didn’t they teach you in Mir, Brisk, and Ponavez That while one must have Emunas Chachomim, Emunah and Bitachon are only on Hashem.

  9. Telephones can be used for Loshon Hara, let’s ban them too.

    Also, the written word. In fact, all language in general can be used to badmouth people. A true chareidi is one who communicates only in semaphore. During tefilah too.

  10. The Yeshiva World is the greatest website. I will be very very disapointed if it closes. Where will I get my news from? From the frei news networks and the Goyishe ones? From my perspective, this YWN website is a mitzvah. Every moment spent here brings Bnai Yisrael together with achdus. I will be so upset if there is no Torah websites remaining. Obviously, if one is a Rav or a Talmid or learning in Beis Medrash, internet may not be appropriate. YWN and all similar websites should be primarily for grown working men and women. May HKBH bless YWN for their great service.

  11. Dear all you farfrumta people calling for YWN to alter their ways be it by CHV shutting or stopping comments,

    I would like to suggest that you lead by EXAMPLE. Please shut your computer and THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW.

    You think you are such hot shots BY POSTING?!? If you are not part of the solution, you ARE the problem!

  12. Is the Chareidileadership (both rabbinic and lay) 100% confident in their shita or not? If they are, they would have no qualms about allowing Chareidiut and chareidim to compete in the fair marketplace of ideas. The working hypothesis would be that the chareidim appraoch would come out on top, since it and it alone is the ultimate truth. Things like bans on such free exchanges bespeak a distinct lack of confidence in one’s POV.

  13. Each generation receives gifts of technologies that Hashem has allowed us to have. Our Gift of this generation is communication from the Internet, blogs, twitter, face-book and … It our responsibility to use these gifts (tools) in a responsible way to advance serving Hashem. We have to train ourselves to stay away from the evil side of the gifts.

    The blogs and kosher news site has forced the rabbonim from all sectors to deal with painful issues that they have avoid for years mainly, pedophiles that has preyed on our helpless children. Rumor has it that it was also a problem in Europe. The Chareidim leadership are running away from technologies that can be extremely useful and helpful in advancing Avodah Hashem.

  14. to #15 i agree that there are allot of viruses we are catching from the israeli ‘chareidim’

    ruthless is a good word for the schools in the holyland because the menahalim think they and their schools are second only to hashem and will not bend an inch when asked by even the most chashuva rabonim once they decided to reject a student.

    i dont think any family should be asked to change their name just to get their kid in.
    is this what we are in for in the states?

    i am so sad i want to cry.

  15. This is very Sad.
    Unfortunately all those who care about the Kol Koreih will shut their doors and everyone will lose out. Those who dont care about the Kol Koreih and are the problem in the first place will continue to exist and will attract just as many visitors. So really only the good lose here. Only those who want to learn torah on line or use it for all its wonderful purposes will lose, not those who dont care anyways.
    I feel horrible for everyone who is losing their jobs as well as all of us who benefit from these website for learning torah, giving tzedaka, feeling connected to other jews, forums that help everyone in their situations and priceless amount of information that is otherwise difficult to find.
    I am saddened again and I pray and hope that all the Rabbis responsible for this will change their mind and admit their errors. It isnt too late.

  16. chashum:

    nobody cares how many yeshivos you learned (or didn’t learn?) in. but thanks for reminding us why these websites should be shut down.

  17. I hate to say this, but I think if all the frum websites are closed down, frum people will be getting the news from other sites, like the New York Times, and so on, and that will make matters worse.

  18. Unfortunately most of the Gedolim receive their information from askonim who have an agenda to push. It may be a sensible agenda or it may not, but it is an agenda. I venture to suggest that most if not all of the Gedolim, Rebbes and Roshei Yeshivos who signed the announcement last week have never seen “the Internet” or actually have any real idea how “it” works. In todays world the more chumradik you are the more points you score and banning this or that is a great points scorer for the askonim. Go through the list of names on last weeks announcement and see how many of the Rebbes listed there have web sites for their chassidus. Oh of course that is different, it is to let the world know who we are, the great things we do etc. etc. etc. In other words for money for our Mosdos the Internet is not so treif after all. Get real. If it is treif, it is treif. The fact that this or that Chassidus has a web site indicates clearly that the Internet is NOT treif. Which Rebbe will risk feeding treif to other Yidden. They try to be mekarev people, not force them into aveiros.

    Get real people. This is yet another example of double standards, the sort of double standards that got the Spinka Rebbe a free two year vacation yesterday.

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