It was probably only a matter of time before what is defined as the 'struggle against religious extremism' would reach the low point we have seen in recent days.
How can a beautiful event held every year on Lag BaOmer fall victim to a struggle that is beginning to show signs of hatred of Judaism, exactly like that? Is there something Jewish there? We found a reason to oppose it.
Here's the story: A quarter of a million children in Israel, a quarter of a million, participated last week in Lag BaOmer events held by the Chabad movement across the country.
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This is an old tradition, forty years old, hundreds of children's parades. "Together all the children of Israel," said the Rebbe years ago, and through his emissaries, this day was designated as a day of solidarity and a great demonstration of the unity of Israel. Religious or secular. We also thought that there was something very powerful and beautiful about such an event, which manages to gather so many parents and children by choice in the spirit of the holiday and love of Israel.
So we thought.
Did you see the headline they chose in the Kan Corporation news release for this story? Religion on Lag BaOmer.
After all, it is known that Lag BaOmer was a secular event - until the Chabad community arrived and, together with the confused Yuval, took over it too. But that was enough. Jewish children say this in public: "Hear, Israel, and love your neighbor as yourself?" God forbid.
What's amazing about this piece is that the confused Yuval really wasn't confused this time. The confused reporter sees a problem when children enthusiastically repeat phrases like "Love your neighbor as yourself" or "Hear Israel"? What's so outrageous about this? Enlighten our eyes - where is the religious persecution here, where is the coercion here, when children and their parents come of their own accord to open events held by Chabad?
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So who are those parents from all over the country whose anger this incident aroused, according to the reporter? You'll see in a moment.
But first, here is the response from 'Kan News': "The article reflects the anger of parents who attended the events. Viewers will judge whether it was justified or unjustified, wrong or not. The Kan News division represents the entire public, so in one article, parents were presented who were outraged that Chabad events were presented as public events, and in an article that aired immediately after it, hundreds of thousands of celebrants and worshippers in Meron were extensively covered." This is how the response reads.
In this article against the Lag BaOmer parades, almost three minutes long, there are three interviewees: all three, probably coincidentally, are familiar names and faces in the fight against religious extremism: Ram Froman, chairman of the Secular Forum, Pavel Gorodetsky, an activist against religious extremism in Rishon LeZion, and Amit Marla from Herzliya.
A quick Google search shows us that they even took part – not long ago – in a petition regarding leaven on Passover. By chance.
True, there is nothing wrong with that, but to base the argument that many parents from across the country have expressed their anger on these three. And what about the quarter of a million parents who decided out of choice and without a trace of coercion to participate with their children in these events? To hear the child say, "Love your neighbor as yourself" or "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one" and be filled with joy? Maybe even a small tear.
So how did they say in 'Kan': The public will judge, justified or unjustified. Real religion or just hatred and aversion preached by a drop of Jewish spirit on Lag BaOmer.
