חֲרֵדִים

Updated: 2013.09.17

Quakers, Tremblers – Kha•reid•imꞋ, anglicized to Haredi(m).

Kha•reid•imꞋ anti-Zionists (Umm Al-Fahm 2010)

Kha•reid•imꞋ are Ultra-Orthodox extremist al Jews of European origin; neither as historically nor Biblically authentic as (regular, moderate) – particularly Tei•mân•imꞋ – Orthodox Jews!

While the outside world views the odd assortment of often peculiar black hats, black suits, and sidelocks hanging from over the ears of Kha•reid•imꞋ as the archetypal "Jew," in fact, the term Kha•reid•imꞋ has only relatively recently (not Biblically) been hi-jacked by this relatively small, hodge-podge collection of Ultra-Orthodox fringe extremists – who are morbidly different from Orthodox Jews. Although Kha•reid•imꞋ are only a tiny fraction of Israeli or world Jews, their free time, combined with their absolute zombie-like worship of their rabbis, makes them highly active, vocal and visible when orchestrated by their Ultra-Orthodox Kha•reid•imꞋ rabbis; generating public awareness (irritation and blowback) of their extremist ways far above the majority of Jews – who are busy at their jobs, working for a living.

Orthodox Jews, in contrast to the Ultra-Orthodox Kha•reid•imꞋ fringe extremists, are moderate, and dress normally (though most wear a knitted, not-black, kip•âhꞋ) and are known as Orthodox-nationalist or "knitted kip•âhꞋ" Israeli Jews.

Kha•reid•imꞋ, preferring German-assimilated bastardization of Hebrew (namely, Yiddish) instead of Hebrew, self-righteously proclaim themselves "frūm").

Exactly the opposite of being the archetypal "Jew", the great majority of Jews dismiss the Kha•reid•imꞋ as radical, hypocritical and cult-like, fringe religious extremists. Worse, because the Kha•reid•imꞋ are so medieval, superstitious, corrupt, abusive (spitting, throwing dirty diapers and even calling "regular Orthodox" little school girls "whores") and hypocritical, their Dark Ages mentality – constructive blasphemy of Tor•âhꞋ and י--ה – combined with a supremely sanctimonious arrogance drives no small number of Jews away from Tor•âhꞋ!

Background History

Strictly obedient to their rabbis instruction about voting, the Kha•reid•imꞋ turn out a large voting bloc. Consequently, they have been Israel's "king makers," sought by all political candidates for decades. They've been empowered, in return, by a string of secular Israeli governments (for purely political considerations), over the Israeli Rabbinate. As a result, Orthodox standards of Ha•lâkh•âhꞋ have become unacceptable to Israel's Kha•reid•iꞋ rulers over the Rabbinate and religious courts – a position backed, in large measure, by the secular Supreme Court, extremely reluctant to intervene in religious matters.

Both offices of Chief Rabbi were ordained, not by the Bible (Tor•âhꞋ), nor even by the secular Israeli government… but by the Turks (Ottoman Empire) before modern Israel was born! Both Chief Rabbis are currently elected by an electoral college comprising secular government officials and Kha•reid•imꞋ – not moderate Orthodox – electors. Consequently, both Chief Rabbis are Kha•reid•imꞋ.

Rioting against the Internet

Unrelated to Christian Quakers, ultra-Orthodox Kha•reid•imꞋ Jews are anchored in the Dark and Middle Ages, and dress in 19^th-century costume – "costume Jewry". Kha•reid•imꞋ are anti-Zionists (anti-Israel) who selectively reject science and logic – forbidding the teaching of science in their schools, and relying, instead, on irrational (illogical) and contra-historical beliefs, more than a few of which directly contradict Tor•âhꞋ. While Kha•reid•imꞋ attract more than their share of media attention, due to their blind mass obedience to their rabbis' orchestrations for the media, Kha•reid•imꞋ / ultra-Orthodox no more represent "real"—Orthodox—Judaism than Quakers represent "real" Catholic or mainstream Christianity.

Mainstream Orthodox Jews can be distinguished from Kha•reid•imꞋ by the latter's 19^th-century costume. In Israel, mainstream Orthodox Jews are more likely to support of the מפד"ל (Maph•da"lꞋ, acronym for מִפלָגָה דָתִית לְאֻמִית [Miph•lâg•âhꞋ Dât•itꞋ Lᵊ•um•itꞋ; Party Religious National—i.e., National Religious Party / NRP) rather than the other religious political parties. [Update 2014: In recent years, however, this has been taken over by the Kha•reid•imꞋ and has now been morphed into just another Ultra-Orthodox Kha•reid•imꞋ political party.]

Khareidi riot (2009) – Thousands of ultra-Orthodox stage violent protest over municipality's decision to open central parking lot on Shab•âtꞋ. Six officers wounded as rioters hurl bottles, rocks and dirty diapers (Ronen Medzini, Ynet)

The recent usage, unrelated to any Biblical Kha•reid•imꞋ (e.g., Yᵊsha•yâhꞋu 66:5), refers to the anti-science, logic-rejecting and anti-Zionist ultra-Orthodox of many different traditions. Most Kha•reid•imꞋ, at the very least by the tacit endorsement of their silence and inaction, greedily devour the benefits of Israel and contribute the allegedly most corrupt of all Israeli politicians while simultaneously rejecting the validity of the state of Israel and trampling upon the rights of secular Jews they regard as fodder. Even on שַׁבָּת, they throw rocks at Israeli police, soldiers and cars driven by Jews, they attack fellow Jews and even Kha•reid•imꞋ soldiers from their own community for serving in the IDF. Kha•reid•imꞋ desecrate memorials to fallen Israeli soldiers, and organize "modesty vigilantes"—who throw feces at women whose sleeves aren't below the elbow, or whose skirts aren't below the knee or whose blouses aren't buttoned to the neck.

About 300 Kha•reid•iꞋ (Ultra-Orthodox) men threw stones at police and burned trash cans Monday after the police removed a Kha•reid•iꞋ (Ultra-Orthodox) sign calling for the separation of the sexes on city streets, Haaretz reported.

In their desecrations of שַׁבָּת and their khi•lulꞋ י--ה, the term "Kha•reid•imꞋ" was coined to describe these fanatics who bear primary responsibility for the estrangement of the 90% of unaffiliated Jews—i.e., the typical ro•iꞋ hâ-ë•lilꞋ who have alienated 90% of the Jewish community from Tor•âhꞋ.

Kha•reid•imꞋ have repeatedly and contemptuously labeled the true keepers of Tor•âhꞋ (as contrasted with endless ultra-Orthodox fences and details of interpreting ritual)—mainstream Orthodox Jews—as Goy•imꞋ.

While ignorantly, superstitiously, and superficially faithful to things from the Dark Ages – sons of darkness – and Talmudic minutiae, Kha•reid•imꞋ are remotely distant from true Tor•âhꞋ-observance, DërꞋëkh ha-Sheim, and legitimate Judaism. The Kha•reid•imꞋ typify those whom RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa criticized as "filtering out a gnat and swallowing a camel."

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