A group of about 20 zealots arrived this evening (Wednesday) from Jerusalem to the home of Rabbi Moshe Havlin - rabbi of Kiryat Gat and Sderot, member of the Chabad Rabbinical Court and head of the Chabad yeshiva in Kiryat Gat, to protest against The agreement signed between Chabad yeshiva and the IDF.
According to reports, the rioters broke into the home of the rabbi - who initiated the arrangement - without permission, and began reciting Psalms loudly and blowing shofars, in protest of his support for the arrangement that was signed.
They broke furniture, and his wife even fainted and needed to be evacuated to the hospital.
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The police reported that three of the attackers were arrested last night, and they will be brought to court during the day, requesting an extension of their detention.
According to the police, after the arrest, the three were taken to the police station for questioning - where they even refused to identify themselves.
There are those in Chabad who claim that activists from within Hasidism are behind the provocation.
Those close to Rabbi Havlin said tonight: "Shame and disgrace, this happened only because of the incitement of 'zealots' from within Chabad.".
The mayor of Havlin told COL this evening: "Shame and disgrace. A group of extremists came here and started rioting, until the National Guard and the police arrived to help. My wife was not feeling well and was sent to receive medical treatment.".
""It's a shame and a disgrace, instead of going and arguing in the Chabad Rabbinical Court, they incite the extremists of the extremists. This is not against me, but against the Chabad Rabbinical Court, and in any case against the Rebbe. There must be a condemnation against such things.".
Head of the Chabad Rabbinical Court in the Holy Land, the Gaon Rabbi YTzach-Yehuda Yaroslavsky condemned the rioters, in a conversation with COL: "Rabbi Moshe Havlin called me after the incident and informed me of what happened. This is unparalleled audacity, fanaticism for the sake of harm. This is against the Chabad Rabbinical Council, and the one who founded it, namely the Rebbe. This is the greatest audacity, harming people's health.
""Rabbi Havlin knows that people are behind him, he sacrifices his life for the Rebbe's interests. He has a beautiful yeshiva, students of great fame, and he is devoted to the Rebbe with all his heart.".
Deputy Defense Minister Rabbi Eli Ben Dahan condemned the attack on Rabbi Havlin. "I view with great severity the proliferation of activists from the ultra-Orthodox community, who are fighting against those who support conscription into the IDF and against the ultra-Orthodox soldiers themselves.
""I once again call on the state authorities to take these acts of violence very seriously and to take all necessary measures to stop them. Harming a city is a step up and we must not pass over it in silence," said Ben Dahan.
