Despite increased police protection, neo-Nazi youth gangs continue to assault members of the ultra-Orthodox community in Petah Tikva.
"Yeshiva boys no longer leave the house alone at night and girls are scared to go outside for fear Russian skinheads will beat them up," says Nachum Taub, the sexton at the city's main synagogue. "Practically every few weeks we hear of attacks against Haredim in the city. It doesn't end only in spraying swastikas on synagogues and public institutions."
Taub says he himself was assaulted two months ago "in broad daylight" at the entrance to the synagogue. "I left the synagogue at noon following the morning prayer service," Taub recalled. "Right at the exit, two underage Russian skinheads emerged from the alley, intoxicated. They cursed and began beating me. Fortunately, they were so drunk that I managed to hold them off and flee back inside. One of the worshippers called the police. I filed a complaint with the community police officer who arrived but nothing came of it. I was told that if I spot the assailants, I should contact the police again."
 |
Advertisement |
|
As chronicled in Haaretz, Petah Tikva's ultra-Orthodox community of 5,000 households has been under attack for several years from neo-Nazi gangs, made up of teenage immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Married yeshiva students have been beaten up and synagogues desecrated.
"There are people here who simply hate Jews. There is no other way to put it," Taub says. "This is a mixed area with a large Haredi population and a large population of new immigrants, some of whom simply can't tolerate any outward sign of Judaism."
Students at the Ohr Yisrael yeshiva, which was located until recently in the center of town, were frequently victims of assault. The climax occurred two years ago, when several youths burst into the yeshiva armed with knives, beat up students and hurled prayer books on the floor. A brawl ensued, until someone outside heard the commotion and tried to scare the assailants off.
A month later, two yeshiva students walking in the area were assaulted by Russian youths. Police arrested three of the attackers.
Rabbi Yigal Rosen, head of Ohr Yisrael, said that two months ago, shortly before the yeshiva relocated to the suburb of Hadar Ganim, three students had another run-in with neo-Nazi gangs. "The students were passing through the central park in town when they were jumped by a gang of skinheads brandishing brass knuckles. They beat them, called them names and even held a knife to the neck of one of the students. Afterward they demanded [the students'] mobile phones. The students tried to explain that they don't have mobile phones," the rabbi said, adding that Lithuanian yeshivas ban even "kosher" cellphones. "We filed a police complaint, as usual. Now that the yeshiva has moved from the center of town, things are quiet."
Rabbi Rosen has no problem with the police: "The police were straight with us throughout the time the assaults occurred, and made us feel like we had somewhere to turn to. I have no complaint against them. The police are doing their job."
That said, the police have yet to submit data on the extent of the phenomenon, as demanded by the Knesset Immigrant Absorption Committee. The lawmakers have been holding discussions for two years on a bill, proposed by MK Colette Avital (Labor), to outlaw the use of Nazi symbols. In response to requests by Haaretz, the police refused to designate the situation "a phenomenon," and stated: "Every complaint received regarding suspected racist crimes, including incitement, incitement to rebellion and anti-Semitism, is examined at professional levels in the Justice Ministry. According to the data in our possession, we cannot point to the existence of a phenomenon."
MK Avital said yesterday: "I condemn the haplessness of the police, which chooses to ignore the existence of neo-Nazi movements that are spreading throughout the country. At issue is not only an ideology that does not belong in the Jewish state, but wanton violence. I call on the public security minister to take immediate action to stop the criminals, close down the incitement sites on the Internet and put the criminals on trial.
|
