The leader of the Karlin-Stolin hasidic sect responded Tuesday night to Sunday's events in Bnei Brak, strongly condemning the riots and the damage to property.
"We all heard with shock what happened two days ago in Bnei Brak," the Karlin-Stoliner Rebbe told his hasidim (followers). "To our embarrassment, the riots have become something of a norm, and this is a terrible thing."
The Rebbe acknowledged the difficulties faced by the haredi community but clarified that these challenges do not justify violence.
"It’s true that we are in a very difficult situation, many are struggling during this tough period and don't know how it will resolve," he said. "But none of this justifies behaving in such a reckless manner."
Stressing that such behavior violates halakha (Jewish law), he added, "Throughout all generations, we have gone through hardships and difficult times, and we never found any justification to act against clear halakha. It is forbidden to cause harm, it is forbidden to burn. We have the Torah, and we have halakha before everything else. It is forbidden to harm others or damage property - whether it’s trash cans or other items. How did we deteriorate to this point? Who allowed this?"
"What justification is there for blocking roads and closing the way for many people who need to reach their destination, including cases of saving a life? What has happened to us? Does this help anyone? It only harms and hurts our own community."
The Karlin-Stoliner Rebbe added, "What should shock us all is that tefillin (phylacteries) and a prayer book were burned. Dear G-d in Heaven! If this had happened anywhere else, the entire Jewish world would have been shaken and appalled. How did we reach this terrible situation where tefillin and sacred prayer books were burned with our own hands? Where is our Jewish feeling? Have we completely lost our minds?'
At the end of his words, the Rebbe called for an end to the deterioration and urged for soul-searching.