Religious Sect Tells Mothers To Stop Driving

[icyfroth]

Leaders of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish sect in north London have said children who are driven to school by their mothers will be turned away at the school gates.

Rabbis from the marginal Hasidic sect Belz have told women in Stamford Hill who drive that they go against “the traditional rules of modesty in our camp”.

In a letter sent to parents last week, seen by the Jewish Chronicle, they say there has been an increase in the number of mothers driving their children to school and add that this has led to “great resentment among parents of pupils of our [Hasidic] institutions”.

The letter says the ban, to come into force in the summer, is based on the recommendations of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, the Belzer spiritual leader in Israel.

It says that if a mother has no other choice but to drive her child to school – for medical reasons, for example – she should “submit a request to the special committee to this effect and the committee shall consider her request”.

The move has been met with some disagreement within the Orthodox community.

Dina Brawer, the UK ambassador of the Jewish Orthodox Feminist Alliance, said: “What this is really about is the curtailing of women’s freedom of movement rendering them dependent on men. It’s an issue of power and control not one of religious sensibility.

The Belz, who originated in Ukraine in the early 18th century and established their headquarters in Israel after the second world war, are one of the most prominent Hasidic sects.

Entire Article Here

Sheesh. These ppl are still living in medieval customs, even though Israel has Hi-tech nuclear weapons. That's scary.

[myoclon1cjerk]

You're right.Minor ones who were noted for their beauty.Sex objects eh?

[Anonymous]

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@myoclon1cjerk wrote:
You're right.Minor ones who were noted for their beauty.Sex objects eh?

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eh ???

no.  one that comes to mind was  a 'judge' -

cant recall her name but i don't think she was

known for her beauty.  

[azureline**]

The letter came from the school........... didn't it?

I guess you could liken it to joining a soccer club and not wanting to play soccer?

Outside the schools on Friday, the Guardian found parents were broadly supportive of the decree. Jacob – not his real name – who said he had sons at one of the schools, said he and his wife had actively chosen to be part of the Belz sect because of its strict regulations. “My mother drives, my mother-in-law drives, if my wife wanted to drive, she could drive tomorrow, we could take our children to another school. We’d have a discussion about it, as in any marriage.

“It’s not forbidden in Jewish law. But this is our tradition, this is our choice to be a little more pious. So my wife doesn’t want to drive. This isn’t Saudi Arabia, no one’s going to be punished, or whipped or whatever, or even ostracised.”

[Anonymous]

true, but:

The letter says the ban, to come into force in the summer, is based on the recommendations of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, the Belzer spiritual leader in Israel.

does that mean there wasn't a ban at the

time of enrolment?

[tasfleur]

"This isn’t Saudi Arabia, no one’s going to be punished, or whipped or whatever, or even ostracised"

Within the whole discussion of religion/s and their dogmas, rules etc where fear is a factor around the world, then yes, there is punishment, ostracism, and I can't see where anybody has mentioned that this is Saudi Arabia, it was used as an example within the context of what can (and does occur) and where.

Saudi Arabia is one place (amongst many), and one type of religion (also amongst many) where cruelty against those who do not conform to that which is forced upon the culture is the norm.

Here in Australia,there is ostracism, fear, and who knows what within these sects and cults when members disobey, no amount of denial and blinkered apologists or excusers can pretend otherwise, much as they would like it to be that way .... 

[azureline**]

---

@*julia*2010 wrote:

true, but:

The letter says the ban, to come into force in the summer, is based on the recommendations of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach, the Belzer spiritual leader in Israel.

does that mean there wasn't a ban at the

time of enrolment?

---

No idea......not sure I would know where to look for that.

To The Honoured Parents of our students, Shlita,

Owing to the fact that in recent times, there has been an increase in incidences of mothers of our students who have begun driving cars, something that goes against the laws of modesty within our society, and against the laws of suitable behaviour for parents of our Chasidic institutions, especially Belz institutions, and there is a lot of exasperation amongst the parents of students at our holy institutions due to this.

We asked the holy one, our teacher The Admor, Shlita, and his answer was thus: To have an ammendment that if a woman is driving a car, she cannot send her children to be educated in Belz institutions.

Therefore, we are informing you, that from Rosh Chodesh Elul 5775 and forward, no child will be allowed to learn in our school, if his or her mother drives a vehicle.

She who has no other choice, but to drive for a specific reason (for example, medical etc.), must submit a request to a special "va'ad" - committee, which will be established for this purpose, and the committee will discuss her request.

With much respect,

The spiritual management of Belz Institutions, London

[azureline**]

I suppose the members of the sect can say whatever they choose.

[tasfleur]

I wonder if it means the father can drive the child/children to school in the car, just not the mother.  It's not that clear, so I might google it when I get a moment.

"MODESTY" .....  , a lack of "modesty" to drive a child to school in a car .. oh my .... that does make me laugh, pathetic, but funny.

[Anonymous]

Within the whole discussion of religion/s and their dogmas, rules etc where fear is a factor around the world, then yes, there is punishment, ostracism, and I can't see where anybody has mentioned that this is Saudi Arabia,  it was used as an example within the context of what can (and does occur) and where.

huh?

that quote came from a parent whose

kids attends the school.

Here in Australia,there is ostracism, fear, and who knows what within these sects and cults when members disobey

this school is in london

[tasfleur]

"I suppose the members of the sect can say whatever they choose"

You suppose correctly.  At the same time though, what these sects and cults say is irrelevant:   what they do is quite different, especially when it comes to appalling psychological control, especially of children and their parents, the results can be horrifying.