Beit Shemesh Extremist Speaks Out On Israeli TV

In an Exclusive interview that appeared on Israeli television show Hamakor Beit Shemesh extremist Moshe Friedman offered his views on the recent controversy that has thrust this city of 80,000 into the headlines.
Friedman, who was just recently released from prison to house arrest after being arrested on a number of charges including common assault, assaulting a public servant, obstructing a police officer and spitting at a reporter, will be facing trial in a few weeks.

“From age three and up both girls and women are obligated to dress modestly,” explained the twenty seven year old father of two. Friedman was known to stand outside the Orot Banot school daily, shouting ‘Gevald!’ as mothers would bring their daughters to the school, which had become a symbol of the religious conflict in Beit Shemesh.

While Friedman admits that he would never want anyone screaming at his daughter, he blames the clientele at Orot Banot for the controversy, saying that it is clear that the only reason they are situated in the midst of a Chareidi area is to disrupt the neighbors and cause conflict. While Friedman was in prison at the time the infamous demonstrations that featured people clad in Holocaust era yellow stars, he defended their actions and likened the current actions of the Israeli government to that of the Nazis.

“During the war people with beards were also singled out and treated in despicable ways, just as today, the authorities are clearly looking to torment those who live by the ways of the Torah,” said Friedman.

Friedman told Hamakor that he and fellow extremists just want to live quietly, according to their own values, in their neighborhood.