The storm caused by journalist Aryeh Erlich's column in the magazine 'Mishpacha', which included an appeal in Arabic to the terrorists, "Stop murdering us," led many to wonder how the newspaper's editorial staff operates: Is there control over the writers' publications, how is it conducted, and who is responsible for what is published?
Haim Grillek, who is part of the Haredim 10 writers' team, turned to his uncle Rabbi Moshe Grillek in light of the storm, who appears on the credits page of Family magazine as the "editor-in-chief," and whose column - which appears across a double page spread - opens the popular weekly magazine every week.
He wrote: "Against the backdrop of the 'family' storm, I asked my uncle, Rabbi Moshe Grilak, to finally clarify to me the essence of the role of 'editor in charge', in which he has served with honor on the newspaper's editorial board for ten years.
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""And as only David Moshe knows - he replied: 'Compared to Chaim Weizmann, the first president, who said that a handkerchief was the only thing he was allowed to stick his nose into, I, as editor-in-chief, have not even sneezed for ten years.' And may those who listen be pleased.".
The appeal that appeared in Erlich's column sparked harsh criticism from ultra-Orthodox, national religious, and secular Jews, after many saw it as a provocation with a simple meaning: "Murder them, don't murder us.".
In Ehrlich's address to the terrorists, it was stated: "We, the Haredi community, have no interest in ascending the Temple Mount at this time. We strongly oppose this, and more than that: Jewish law considers this a severe prohibition - a prohibition of cutting. Therefore, you will never see Haredim climbing the Mount, except for one, isolated family, acting on their own, and being condemned for their actions.".
""So even if you have solid information about an Israeli desire to change the status quo at the Dome of the Rock, which is not true to the best of our knowledge - the ultra-Orthodox public has nothing to do with it. So please, stop murdering us.".
The explanatory notes to the appeal, which Ehrlich himself described as "a little bizarre," read: "This text that opens the column is not the result of a malicious act or a typographical error. It is simply an appeal to the cousins living on their swords, based on the assumption (a tenuous one, to be honest) that the magazine will be seen by some influential Arab.".
Following the storm, the newspaper's editorial board published a clarification, under the title: "We are brotherly people," which stated: "As Jews, we believe in mutual responsibility for each other, regardless of faith, outlook, or opinion. As an editorial board, we apologize if things were misunderstood, and we will work to prevent mistakes in the future.".
