Amir Hetzroni, the colorful and controversial professor, is performing a new stand-up show, in which he promised, as announced yesterday, that he would hold a wig-removal ceremony for those who "come out with a question.".
""We will have lovely ceremonies for the ultra-Orthodox who cut off their wigs. Just as the re-repentant Jews cut off their earrings, I cut off their wigs for the Dosis. Something really, really lovely," said the professor.
Hezroni is currently in Istanbul, Turkey. This is a good opportunity to talk to him about his - additional - provocative intention, and his attitude towards the ultra-Orthodox and Judaism in general.
• Hello Hezroni, don't you think it's an offensive act, cutting your sideburns in public?
""I'm not a missionary, I don't ask for money back, nor do I take people out of the army or give them passports to leave the country, as people attribute to me, but if someone tells me that this is what they want to say goodbye to religion on my show, I have no problem with it.
""I am not a Hillel organization, I am not asking young Haredi men to sign a get from God and the Haredi community, but if that is what will do them good - then I am happy to do so.".
• Is there a demand for this?
""I am very popular in the community of those who have returned to Judaism. In Tel Aviv, many Haredim come to me, some of whom you probably know, and who are in situations that are not particularly Haredi. There will be such ceremonies at concerts, but only for those who want to. I don't stand in the Geula neighborhood and cut off sideburns or set up a stand and sign people's names.".
According to the professor, he receives many inquiries from expatriates who tell him that he is their model. Are these hundreds?
""No, in the dozens, but I don't think that Haredi society is going to fall apart because of this, unfortunately.".
Hezroni, a professor who was fired from Ariel University, has spoken out in the past against various and diverse populations, and many of the country's residents are outraged by him.
• Despite everything, does he have a warm spot in his heart for Judaism?
""I have a hard time finding anything good about Judaism. I can say that Islam is more cruel, that's all I can say.".
• Don't you see compassion, socialism, in Judaism?
""I am not a socialist, my esteemed friend, I am anti-social. There is nothing that disgusts me more than Easter bread and parasitical help for others and rehabilitation. A person has children and cannot support them, they should be taken away and given to someone who can support them.".
• To that extent?
""Certainly, just as if a person has a dog and can't take care of it, they take it away, that's how it should be in a civilized country. People should be prevented from having many children, of course, but if they are already in the world, the right thing to do is simply take them away.".
• Are you comparing children to dogs?
""No, I appreciate and love dogs much more than babies.".
In the past, Hatzroni has spoken out against the settlers, writing that he was glad that his dog, Zachariah, was alive, while the three kidnapped boys were murdered.
This harsh statement angered many who saw him as a provocateur who crossed all the red lines, which leads to deep thought - is the fact that he despises the Haredim less a compliment to us?.
""Both you and the settlers have the same harmful traits as many children, sociopaths, and live at the expense of the state - and yet you are better, because you do not have the settler characteristic that causes us to fight with the whole world. They, the settlers, live in complete lack of synchronization with the whole world - everything is ours and ours and ours - and this creates a fatal phenomenon in which people die all the time.".
The professor recently went to the High Court of Justice and asked to revoke his Jewish identity. Does he not see any importance in preserving Jewish identity and nationality, or in other words, will the country's marriage and divorce laws not protect the Jewish people as they have protected them until now?
""The Holocaust proved that being Jewish is not a big deal. Not a success story. I'm not in favor of burning the Bible, etc., but I have no problem with the Jewish religion disappearing. If it were up to me, I would first abolish the Law of Return - every Jew who organized himself around a Jewish grandmother comes to Israel. He wants a good life, let him look for it in Moscow.".
• Do you really want to revoke your status as a Jew?
""Do you know that Deri, or rather his assistant, as I think his name is Sudari, said that I am the only case where the Minister of the Interior will agree to cancel my status as a Jew? I am waiting for this with bated breath, but like many other things, this is also stuck in the High Court of Justice - the state wants more time. We will wait.".
• Hezroni, why are you so provocative?
""I'm just expressing my opinion. What do you want me to say that I'm moved by your lifestyle, that your lulav on Sukkot is doing me good? This is a legitimate opinion, which I'm expressing. I'm not harming anyone, I'm not calling for harming anyone, for my part, you should study in yeshiva, observe mitzvot, as much as you want. I'm not interfering, but don't ask me to budget for you. If it were up to me, I would cancel all child support payments.
""Saying that I prefer cute little husky dogs to children is not a provocation, but I am not a missionary. I am not putting up a signboard against religion.".
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