WATCH: Ultra-Orthodox spit on “immodest” 8-year-old girl in Beit Shemesh

By Ami Kaufman December 25, 2011 | Edit

Since this news report last Friday, about a little girl from Beit Shemesh, secular-religious relations seem to be the only thing Israelis are talking about

WATCH: Ultra-Orthodox spit on “immodest” 8-year-old girl in Beit Shemesh

Haredi in Bet Shemesh. "You are sick. I'm healthy" (photo: youtube)

Naama Margolis, an 8-year-old from Bet Shemesh, is the most famous girl in Israel today. In fact, nobody can stop talking about her.

And why is that? Well, on Friday evening, Naama told her story on the most watched news show in the country. Interviewed by Channel 2’s Shai Gal, Naama told how she was afraid to go to school, just a few hundred meters from her house in Bet Shemesh, because Haredim cursed and spit on her for being dressed “immodestly.”

The report, translated in full below, has sent Israeli public discourse on relations between secular and religious into a frenzy.

We're back try to imagine a woman, a religious woman, who leaves her home and is cursed by religious extremists on the street,in front of everyone calling her "slut", cursing and spitting on her because she is not dressed modestly, in their opinion and now, think that this person is a 7 year-old girl 7 years old! this is what is happening now in "Beit Shemesh" a city surpassed Jerusalem and Bnei Brak in the matters of women's segregation, and the control of public spacesby ultra-Orthodox extremists this week, Shay Gal went to the city which has beco me a symbol of religious coercion to try and understand if this is what the future holds for other cities in Israel "Beit Shemesh" as an allegory "Twilight" "Beit Shemesh" lots of times they scare me, scared of what? what will happen? that I'll get injured or something who are they? who are these people? we can understand the story of "Beit Shemesh" throughone moment through one child her name is Naama, she is 8 years old she made "Aliya" with her parents from America to Israel and what scares her the most is the path from school to her home 900 feet away we'll just walk a little bit o.k? no, no, no Nam, do you want to walk just a little bit? no no? and then we'll cross? no! no? O.K they wanted me to dress as ultra-Orthodox and that I'll give them my school in Namma's nightmare they are back again the ultra-Orthodox extremists who spit and cursed they came from there, the other side of the road it's unpleasant that they call us names it's unpleasant that I walk and I'm afraid when one of them passes by me and I don't know if he will spit on me or will curse me "whore", "slut", "bastards" "go away from here" exactly in those words you are a religious woman, a believer we can't really say that you are dressed provocatively but you are saying that in their opinion... in their opinion I'm not even religious don't worry they're not going to do anything there are young girls here-Yes they're being spit on Yes... right! because they are not dressed modestly that's right, it bothers me, I'm a sane man what gives you the right to spit on a girl? so I'll tell you why, to spit on a girl who doesn't behavelike the "Torah" commanded - right. a 7 year-old girl?! a 7 year-old girl, yes,a 7 year-old girl, yes, what's the problem? there are Rabbis and they give us the strength, how to walk in public and how a woman should behave when she walks in public and this is how it should be so how is it to live in Beit Shemesh? scary the story of Beit Shemesh became more relevant this week than ever suddenly, the whole country is talking aboutpublic segregation of women about religious coercion about Tanya Rosenblit who refused to move to the back seat of the bus in Ashdod in Beit Shemesh, truth be told, no one was surprised in Beit Shemesh it has existed for a long timeit's not news to us then what?! in Israel we say: "it's Beit Shemesh, it's not interesting?" right! exactly here, 5 years ago, a girl was attacked because she insisted on seating in the front of the bus but no one put a stop to this and it became a norm ...and what if one of the girls will try to sit in the front? lord have mercy, she won't try for her own good she won't do it,she is scared so what you are telling me is thateven the seculars accepted it upon themselves? yes. definitely yes this city has changed faces in the past, religious people lived side by side with seculars and there was an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in the mid. 90' more and more ultra-Orthodox citizens joined the city from Neturei Karta, through Vizhnitz Hasidic, Ger Hasidic, Toldos Aharon and more they lived in closed communities until at some point they started to expand this expansion came with clear messages modesty rules, separation, radicalization there you go - this is modest, this is how they want it to be a woman nature is the beauty of covering herself I want to read you something, listen to modesty regulations: "women outside of their homes, should be dressed in a manner that does not attract attention" - right! "women who walk in groups create an obstacle for men"- right "and should avoid that and walk on side streets"- right "women sitting in groupsin central locations and entrances to buildings borders on insolence" "little girls should not be allowed to ride bicycles "women walking in public should not draw attention"- right! rigfht, right, because we are healthy people we are healthy people - and we are sick people? yes, you are sick people, yesexcuse my expression but these regulations are being implemented not just within the community * the joined spaces of the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods and the other neighborhoods have become conflict rings come into an ultra-Orthodox house, and you'll seethe respect for the woman of the house and excuse me, look at the seculars, the woman is almost like a sex object maybe you are the one who sees her like that? it's not like I'm looking at her like that,in the ultra-Orthodox community we respect the woman and in our community we're not? you assume... "Shiksa! Shiksa!"(non-Jewish woman) there you go look, what is that?! no, please explain to me because you came here to show provocation I came?! she didn't come with me you came to make provocation and she waited for that,look how she smiles someone just spit in my face he is wrong however, your husband should respect you and you need to raise the next Jewish generation and this is your role (the women) "come in peace" we accepted them with open arms there are traditional citizens here traditional citizens, we love religious people, we want the ultra-Orthodox people we believe that as long as our shoulders can carry weak people we'll be happy to accept and we know that this population is a weak population, however... now they started to conquer all the hills and to throw us away Zion Sultan is a local journalist and a social activist he is a believer, Yarmulke on his head, and in the last city ellections he supported the first ultra-Orthodox mayor in Beit Shemesh Moshe Abutbul, from Shas lots of non-religious citizens voted for him, and didn't expect that I will present a booklet of Beit Shemesh municipality and this is the beginning, this is where it all starts... only boys there isn't one picture of a girl, not of a woman, here, lots of faces, I'm sure we'll find one woman no, you won't find. you can search with magnifying glassyou wouldn't find here even one girl look - in a meeting of the city's council it's not possible that there are no women,3 women are part of the council so they set outside of the picture yes, they set outside of the picture Sir, do you want my picture? yes, I like pictures for what? Sir do you want to talk with us? I love pictures great, that's fine I like to take pictures of people who talk in an anti-Semitic way I'm happy for every word you said they put the words in your mouth your moment will come your Yarmuike is unnecessary, I'm saying it in front of the kids your Yarmuike is unnecessary,your Yarmuike is forbidden I take responsibility for every word I said his Yarmuike is the Yarmuike that rules we are witnessing the development of "small Iran" and this war here is sponsored by "Judaism" but Judaism is so far from their actions because there is no coercion in the Torah shame on you for supporting her how come you are talking to a woman?!how come you are talking to a woman?! go away from here,take your gear and leave this will not be the last time that we'll be asked to leave but that was the most polite request we moved to the next stop no one hides anything in Beit Shemesh -for example this sign with the rust as an evidence to its age * "in an order, women are being asked to move to the other side of the road... and certainly do not dawdle in front of the synagogue" please, I can explain, what do you want to know? why this sign? what sign? the one that asks women not to walk on this side listen, there's Paris culture yes?and there's the jewish national culture why whenever Bibi Netanyahu walks in public,a group of people secure him? he wants to talk to everybody,he has respect in the Jewish nation, an ultra-Orthodox woman has respect it started as a practical and even polite conversation but soon enough the dialogue has stopped * I saw in my own eyes, I'm not making this upa woman with short sleeves passed by * and people spit on her that is... if a person spit on a woman who didn't come on purposehe is being unfair these are not our people,it's not us go away from here!!!go away from here!!! why aren't you go away from here?!this is not your place, go away! go away, don't smile, go away, bastards we don't need to explain ourselves to you reporter: you don't need to explain yourself? no! we have Torah and commandments!no rules, no state, nothing! only Torah and commandments. O.K now go away!today is Hanukkah without Hellenists (converted Jews) Barukh atah Adonai(Blessed are You, LORD,) Eloheinu melekh ha‑olam(our God, sovereign of the universe) the Nissan family lights the first Hanukkah candle in Modiin they lived for 14 years in Beit Shemesh, and last summer they sold their house if we could see a future we would have stayed from our generation, as we arrived as a young couple to Beit Shemesh I think there is no one left he still denies the reality when we filmed them last year he led the struggle to prevent the closing of his daughter's school which was located in an Orthodox neighborhood the school stayed open but let say: successful surgery - dead doctor the fact that you are here (Modiin) - they won? yes, it's an escape instead of staying and fighting... here - I know that the school will survive here - at least I feel that this city stands a chance back to Beit Shemesh in these days, a new neighborhood is being built here thousands of housing units which as for now, are intended to ultra-Orthodox congratulations, but what about us? don't we deserve this as well? this conversation is taking place on the ruins of what was supposed to be -the big city mall here everything stopped it's something that only can happen in stories, in tales how this Consolidated minority overcame almost 65% of the population of Beit Shemesh and we are to blame seculars can live everywhere, and the orthodox can't there is hatred against Orthodox in this country as if we are another nation no one hates you we want to live in peace we will get in front of you, we'll get ahead of you I will take out your heart your heart! you exist thanks to me and to my children he didn't mean you personally bastard, do you see?! do you see?! you weren't here during the 50's - I was here! I built this city! and you come here now and break the good silence the peaceful whereever you go you are only making it worse for Jews and for the Bible go away from here!!! go away from here!!! Beit Shemesh is on a collision course and everyone around is silent after all there are a lot of ultra-Orthodox who don't agree with the behavior of the hard core Orthodox but they don't stop it what will be in Beit Shemesh? what will be in Beit Shemesh? an Ultra-Orthodox neighborhood not just Beit Shemesh, all of Israel will be ultra-Orthodox and nothing can help you, the country will be at the really end - an ultra-Orthodox country whether you want it or not where are the authorities? they are as usual being careful maybe intentionally and maybe not you can turn a blind eye on everything from the separation, the segregation, the signs, the graffiti, the spitting but this is what eventually happens a 7 year-old girl shaking just from the thought of walking to school at the end of the street 900 feet away do you think that the time will come when you'll walk this wayby yourself? No. this story was broadcasted as part of "Aulpan Shishi" Channel 2 News English Subtitles created with Subber.com for more on this subject and other stories go to 972mag.com

Since the report, the Israeli Prime Minister has spoken about it, the Haredi Beit Shemesh Mayor has condemned it, Haredim in Beit Shemesh attacked a Channel 2 news team who came to town again on Sunday, and rioted when municipal workers took down signs calling for segregation between men and women. They later put the signs back up. Today, the city announced plans to put up 400 security cameras.

But guess who hasn’t said anything? That’s right: the rabbis. Apparently, they don’t care. And why should they? It’s not like they recognize the state or anything. And guess what else: They don’t have to. Because the invalid who spoke from inside his car at the end of the item is actually right. Out of all the ignorance he spewed, he managed to say one correct thing at the end:

“All of Israel will be Haredi, and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

He’s right. The numbers speak for themselves.

Actually, it makes the whole two-state, one-state discussion seem like a waste of time. What does it matter when in a few decades between the river and the sea, secular people of any nationality will be a small minority.

You’ll just have to chose your theocracy.

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TEST TEST GAL Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war. The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza, inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians, as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence. We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians. The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent, using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies. This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, entrenched occupation and apartheid, and a normalized siege on Gaza. We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives. Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists, and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.

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