Jerusalem Court Orders Haredi Newspaper HaModia to Pay NIS 230,000 for Defamation

The Jerusalem Magistrate's Court has ruled that the Haredi newspaper HaModia must pay 230,000 shekels in damages to four residents of the Haredi community Ma'ale Amos. The ruling follows a defamatory article published by HaModia that disparaged the four individuals, casting doubt on their religious status and using mocking quotation marks around the term "Haredim." The court sharply criticized the newspaper for its harsh and disrespectful tone, emphasizing that even amid deep community disputes, personal insults and defamation are unacceptable.

The plaintiffs, represented by attorney Dr. Harel Arnon, filed a libel suit after the article questioned their standing as "Bnei Torah" (Torah scholars) and portrayed them negatively. The judge ruled that the article was unbalanced and unfair, stating, "It is not necessary to defame the plaintiffs to disagree with their actions and positions." The decision sets a new professional and ethical standard for both sectorial and general media, underscoring that legitimate criticism must not cross into personal disparagement.

This precedent is significant within the Haredi press, where internal disagreements are common but must be reported responsibly. The plaintiffs expressed satisfaction with the verdict, noting that other Haredi media outlets refrained from publishing the false information. The case raises broader questions about the responsibilities of sector-specific media, affirming that they are bound by the same standards of fairness and prohibition against defamation as all media.

Ma'ale Amos, the plaintiffs' community, is a growing Haredi settlement in the Gush Etzion bloc, founded by the late Admor of Biala and home to active educational institutions. The court's ruling aligns with recent legal decisions affirming that freedom of expression is not absolute and that defamation laws apply equally within the Haredi media landscape.