By Ofri Ilani, Haaretz Correspondent
At the world center of Chabad Hasidism in Brooklyn, New York, the afternoon service is about to begin. Like many other events held at ultra-Orthodox venues these days, someone there photographed the worshipers with
his cellular telephone's video camera. As is customary, at the center, dozens of Hasidim crowded against the sides of the hall, making a path for the Lubavitcher Rebbe to pass. The members of this messianic group have been doing this for years, in the belief that their late rabbi continues to attend the prayer services, as he did before his death. Suddenly, the screen on the man's cell phone shows a stooped, elderly figure with a white beard and a hat, walking quickly between the Hasidim.
"The Chabad rabbi walks among the people as if alive," states the film's title (snipurl.com/15fpn ), and the Chabad portal (www.chabad.fm ) declares that the Rebbe began revealing himself on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Heshvan (November 16, 2006).
"After 12 long years in which our detractors ridiculed us, here is the clearest proof that our teacher is alive," wrote one surfer.Other participants in the ultra-Orthodox forums throughout the Web were more skeptical, referring to the incident as one more indication of the "false messianism" of some Chabad Hasidim. During the week following the distribution of the video clip, however, something happened that shed light on the previous week's event. It turned out the elderly man captured by the camera is one of Chabad's activists in Israel, who wanted to leave the hall and used the path. Still, even after the logical explanation, some people persisted in their belief.
"I still contend it is the Rebbe," wrote one participant in "B'Hadrei Haredim" (in the Haredi inner sanctum) in the Hebrew portal "Hyde Park," the most popular Internet forum among the ultra-Orthodox. "It is simply impossible that everyone is clearly visible and only this image, which resembles the Rebbe, looks like a glowing soul."
Rabbinical paparazzi
The "revelation" that occurred in Brooklyn may be an extraordinary event, but it exemplifies a wider phenomenon spreading throughout the ultra-Orthodox world in recent months: paparazzi clips of rabbis, filmed by their followers, who sneak sophisticated cell phones into conferences. The film clips are uploaded onto "Haredi YouTube" sites, the most popular of which is Mashtap ( www.tsofar.com/), which defines itself as "the first ultra-Orthodox film-sharing site." Film clips of Admor Hasidic leaders are the most popular category at Mashtap, which is part of the ultra-Orthodox news portal Tsofar.
Among the most viewed clips are "Engagement at Belz," "Rabbi, Pinhas Weber in the Mitzvah Dance," "The Satmar Rebbe Dancing with his Eldest Son," and even "The Funeral of the Saintly Admor of Rachmastrivka." The site's operators told Haaretz that since this category opened, there has been real competition between the various Hasidic courts, with each group uploading events and waiting for viewer feedback. The Tsofar portal offers the impression that the ultra-Orthodox sector has enthusiastically adopted the Internet. Such an impression, however, is misleading. Formally, since 2000, use of the Internet is strictly forbidden in ultra-Orthodox society, and is described by the Council of Torah Sages as a "terrible threat" and "the greatest temptation in the world," and which is to be avoided by adherents to the Torah. It is no wonder that the activities of the Mashtap portal are veiled in secrecy, and its operators are hesitant to be interviewed.
"The Internet is strictly forbidden in the Haredi sector," says ultra-Orthodox journalist Bezalel Kahan. "It is not recognized at all, and will probably not be in the foreseeable future. The rabbis object to the Internet and speak out against it, always mentioning it as a sick evil." Even so, anyone familiar with the media habits of the ultra-Orthodox tell you that tens of thousands - up to 30 percent - of ultra-Orthodox access the Internet regularly, despite the prohibition, and actively surf forums, news sites and other sites.
Sometimes access is gained via Internet cafes at the edges of the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods or at secular workplaces. Other ultra-Orthodox clandestinely install Internet access in their own homes. Unlike television, this is easy to conceal, as owning a computer is permitted by some rabbis.
To bridge the gap between the ideal and reality, there are occasional initiatives offering different types of hookups that afford access to useful services provided by the Internet without any risk of exposure to content considered an abomination and without the accompanying guilt.
No risk of exposure
Just last week Bezeq announced the launching of a special Internet infrastructure under rabbinical supervision. This infrastructure will facilitate Internet access via screened servers, but even this has been deemed unacceptable by the strictest ultra-Orthodox rabbis. In fact, over a year ago a few similarly screened Internet services began operating. One of the leading portals is Nativ ( www.enativ.com), which provides users with software blocking everything but e-mail, or allows access to a limited number of sites, such as those operated by banks, health maintenance organizations and public transportation services.
Nativ is approved by several rabbis, including Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, vice president of the ultra-Orthodox council in Jerusalem, and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Ullman of Bnei Brak. The rabbinical approval displayed at the site states that "an Internet device" is permissible in an office, and "only on the strict condition that software is installed that guards against the risks to body and soul, Heaven forfend."
Nettonet.co.il is a portal that offers a similar service, and includes links to essential sites and film clips of rabbinic leaders. Babakama.co.il is a site that offers "kosher" googling and access to the strictly kosher shopstar.co.il e-commerce site, which does not operate on Shabbat.
Ultra-Orthodox media sources report that the only arrangement that has been awarded the approval of most of the rabbis is netto mail, by Bezeq International, which provides e-mail service only, with no access to Internet content.
Participants in the ultra-Orthodox forums frequently discuss the "kosher" aspects of the Internet and constantly explain and justify their Web surfing to themselves and their surroundings. They exchange creative ways of saying they saw something on the Internet, without admitting actively surfing. "Somebody else told me," "I overheard a conversation on a bus," and "I heard it on an emergency medical services pager," are a few examples. One ultra-Orthodox member of the media, who preferred to remain anonymous, explains the origin of such sophisticated tactics:
"The ultra-Orthodox are apprehensive in such matters, as they could have dire consequences. If it becomes known that someone surfs the Internet, the next day his son could be expelled from [private] school."
Despite the constant fear, the ultra-Orthodox journalist believes the Internet has gained such popularity in the ultra-Orthodox sector that the struggle against it has no chance of success, that the rabbis' harsh opposition to the Internet only heightens the curiosity about this medium.
At the world center of Chabad Hasidism in Brooklyn, New York, the afternoon service is about to begin. Like many other events held at ultra-Orthodox venues these days, someone there photographed the worshipers with
his cellular telephone's video camera. As is customary, at the center, dozens of Hasidim crowded against the sides of the hall, making a path for the Lubavitcher Rebbe to pass. The members of this messianic group have been doing this for years, in the belief that their late rabbi continues to attend the prayer services, as he did before his death. Suddenly, the screen on the man's cell phone shows a stooped, elderly figure with a white beard and a hat, walking quickly between the Hasidim.
"The Chabad rabbi walks among the people as if alive," states the film's title (snipurl.com/15fpn ), and the Chabad portal (www.chabad.fm ) declares that the Rebbe began revealing himself on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Heshvan (November 16, 2006).
"After 12 long years in which our detractors ridiculed us, here is the clearest proof that our teacher is alive," wrote one surfer.Other participants in the ultra-Orthodox forums throughout the Web were more skeptical, referring to the incident as one more indication of the "false messianism" of some Chabad Hasidim. During the week following the distribution of the video clip, however, something happened that shed light on the previous week's event. It turned out the elderly man captured by the camera is one of Chabad's activists in Israel, who wanted to leave the hall and used the path. Still, even after the logical explanation, some people persisted in their belief.
"I still contend it is the Rebbe," wrote one participant in "B'Hadrei Haredim" (in the Haredi inner sanctum) in the Hebrew portal "Hyde Park," the most popular Internet forum among the ultra-Orthodox. "It is simply impossible that everyone is clearly visible and only this image, which resembles the Rebbe, looks like a glowing soul."
Rabbinical paparazzi
The "revelation" that occurred in Brooklyn may be an extraordinary event, but it exemplifies a wider phenomenon spreading throughout the ultra-Orthodox world in recent months: paparazzi clips of rabbis, filmed by their followers, who sneak sophisticated cell phones into conferences. The film clips are uploaded onto "Haredi YouTube" sites, the most popular of which is Mashtap ( www.tsofar.com/), which defines itself as "the first ultra-Orthodox film-sharing site." Film clips of Admor Hasidic leaders are the most popular category at Mashtap, which is part of the ultra-Orthodox news portal Tsofar.
Among the most viewed clips are "Engagement at Belz," "Rabbi, Pinhas Weber in the Mitzvah Dance," "The Satmar Rebbe Dancing with his Eldest Son," and even "The Funeral of the Saintly Admor of Rachmastrivka." The site's operators told Haaretz that since this category opened, there has been real competition between the various Hasidic courts, with each group uploading events and waiting for viewer feedback. The Tsofar portal offers the impression that the ultra-Orthodox sector has enthusiastically adopted the Internet. Such an impression, however, is misleading. Formally, since 2000, use of the Internet is strictly forbidden in ultra-Orthodox society, and is described by the Council of Torah Sages as a "terrible threat" and "the greatest temptation in the world," and which is to be avoided by adherents to the Torah. It is no wonder that the activities of the Mashtap portal are veiled in secrecy, and its operators are hesitant to be interviewed.
"The Internet is strictly forbidden in the Haredi sector," says ultra-Orthodox journalist Bezalel Kahan. "It is not recognized at all, and will probably not be in the foreseeable future. The rabbis object to the Internet and speak out against it, always mentioning it as a sick evil." Even so, anyone familiar with the media habits of the ultra-Orthodox tell you that tens of thousands - up to 30 percent - of ultra-Orthodox access the Internet regularly, despite the prohibition, and actively surf forums, news sites and other sites.
Sometimes access is gained via Internet cafes at the edges of the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods or at secular workplaces. Other ultra-Orthodox clandestinely install Internet access in their own homes. Unlike television, this is easy to conceal, as owning a computer is permitted by some rabbis.
To bridge the gap between the ideal and reality, there are occasional initiatives offering different types of hookups that afford access to useful services provided by the Internet without any risk of exposure to content considered an abomination and without the accompanying guilt.
No risk of exposure
Just last week Bezeq announced the launching of a special Internet infrastructure under rabbinical supervision. This infrastructure will facilitate Internet access via screened servers, but even this has been deemed unacceptable by the strictest ultra-Orthodox rabbis. In fact, over a year ago a few similarly screened Internet services began operating. One of the leading portals is Nativ ( www.enativ.com), which provides users with software blocking everything but e-mail, or allows access to a limited number of sites, such as those operated by banks, health maintenance organizations and public transportation services.
Nativ is approved by several rabbis, including Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, vice president of the ultra-Orthodox council in Jerusalem, and Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Ullman of Bnei Brak. The rabbinical approval displayed at the site states that "an Internet device" is permissible in an office, and "only on the strict condition that software is installed that guards against the risks to body and soul, Heaven forfend."
Nettonet.co.il is a portal that offers a similar service, and includes links to essential sites and film clips of rabbinic leaders. Babakama.co.il is a site that offers "kosher" googling and access to the strictly kosher shopstar.co.il e-commerce site, which does not operate on Shabbat.
Ultra-Orthodox media sources report that the only arrangement that has been awarded the approval of most of the rabbis is netto mail, by Bezeq International, which provides e-mail service only, with no access to Internet content.
Participants in the ultra-Orthodox forums frequently discuss the "kosher" aspects of the Internet and constantly explain and justify their Web surfing to themselves and their surroundings. They exchange creative ways of saying they saw something on the Internet, without admitting actively surfing. "Somebody else told me," "I overheard a conversation on a bus," and "I heard it on an emergency medical services pager," are a few examples. One ultra-Orthodox member of the media, who preferred to remain anonymous, explains the origin of such sophisticated tactics:
"The ultra-Orthodox are apprehensive in such matters, as they could have dire consequences. If it becomes known that someone surfs the Internet, the next day his son could be expelled from [private] school."
Despite the constant fear, the ultra-Orthodox journalist believes the Internet has gained such popularity in the ultra-Orthodox sector that the struggle against it has no chance of success, that the rabbis' harsh opposition to the Internet only heightens the curiosity about this medium.
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