Violence Against Rabbis Becomes Norm in Ultra-Orthodox Cities Amid Internal Crisis

In recent weeks, a disturbing pattern of violence has emerged within ultra-Orthodox communities in Israel, with respected rabbis and Torah scholars being attacked by groups of young yeshiva students. One notable incident involved Rabbi Faivelzon in Modiin Illit, who was surrounded and assaulted by hundreds of youths while sitting in his car. This attack is part of a series of violent episodes targeting prominent rabbis such as Rabbi David Leibel and Rabbi Uria Inbal, as well as other Torah scholars and community members.

These violent acts are not the result of external hostility but stem from internal tensions within the ultra-Orthodox society. The article highlights a culture of denial and deflection, where blame is often shifted to external entities like the Attorney General, the Supreme Court, or the media, rather than addressing the root causes within the community. The author warns that this internal violence reflects a deeper spiritual and social crisis, echoing biblical prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem when youth disrespect their elders.

The piece calls for urgent introspection and reform, urging leading rabbis and yeshiva heads to condemn violence unequivocally and to educate their students against such behavior. It stresses that tolerating or dismissing these acts as youthful indiscretion risks further communal decay. The article concludes by emphasizing that the current period of mourning between the Jewish fast days of the 17th of Tammuz and Tisha B'Av should inspire self-examination rather than external blame, reminding readers that the community's challenges come from within and require collective responsibility to resolve.