האם בחורי הישיבה האלה חלק מה״יחד״ שב ״יחד ננצח״? / Are these Ultra-Orthodox Students Part of Israel's "Together We Will Be Victorious" Campaign?

ערב חג חנוכה תשפ״ד

English follows the Hebrew.

המחדש - יוזמה מרגשת: בחורי ישיבת 'ערלוי' הציבו בישיבה 138 חנוכיות כמניין החטופים
בחורי ישיבת 'ערלוי' בשכונת 'קטמון' בירושלים הציבו בהיכל הישיבה 138 חנוכיות כמניין החטופים • כשעל כל חנוכיה מופיע שמו של החטוף.
חיים גפן, כ״ד כסלו תשפ״ד 06.12.2023

״כשלמדנו את הלכות הדלקת נרות החנוכה, עלתה היוזמה לקיים את ההדלקה במקום החטופים שלא יכולים להדליק ולזכות אותם במצווה״ אמר אחד מבחורי הישיבה.

קצת על חסידות ערלוי (ויקיפדיה):

חסידות ערלוי היא קהילה בעלת מאפיינים של חצר חסידית, שהוקמה לאחר השואה על ידי האדמו"ר רבי יוחנן סופר, מצאצאי החת"ם סופר ויליד העיר ערלוי שבהונגריה. החסידות ממשיכה את מורשתו ומנהגיו של החת"ם סופר וצאצאיו.

לאחר פטירת רבי יוחנן באדר א' תשע"ו ממלא את מקומו בנו הבכור, רבי משה סופר.

מרבית החסידים גרים בישראל (בירושלים, בני ברק, צפת, פתח תקווה, חיפה, אלעד, ביתר עילית, בית שמש, מודיעין עילית ואשדוד). קיימות קהילות באירופה בערים לונדון ואנטוורפן, וכן בארצות הברית, בבורו פארק ויליאמסבורג ובמונסי. המוסדות שהוקמו במהלך השנים מונים את רשת תלמודי התורה "כתב סופר" (על שם הרב אברהם שמואל בנימין סופר), רשת בתי המדרש "יד סופר", רשת כוללי אברכים, מכון להפצת כתבי החת"ם סופר וצאצאיו ומוסדות צדקה וחסד.

...בנוסף הקפיד האדמו"ר ללבוש ציצית עם פתיל תכלת כמנהג בעל היד סופר אביו של האדמו"ר הקודם....

עשר אגורות (2¢):
הקטע הזה על מעשה בחורי ישיבת ערלוי לא נמצא בתקשורת הרגילה, גם לא בעברית וגם לא באנגלית. כנראה אתם כבר למדתם להפסיק לצפות דבר כזה באמצעות קריאת האתר הזה. לכן, כבר מובן לכם כמה חשוב לי לפרסם אירועים כאלה.

האמת היא הסרטון המרגש הזה מספיק כדי להבין את כוונת תלמידי הישיבה האלה.

עם זאת, אני חייב לשאול אם כוחות השלטון מחשבים את הבחורים האלה כחלק מה"יחד" שבביטוי שבמבצע פסיכולגי "יחד ננצח."

אין ספק שהתשובה היא ברורה: מאוד: "לא".

התפלאתי מאוד לראות שאף ח״כ או חבר מועצת עיריית ירושלים לא הגיע כדי לנצל את ההזדמנות להצטלם איתם באירוע. אף אחד לא ידע על זה. אף אחד לא הודיע להם. אולי יגיעו להדלקת נר הראשון הערב.

בואו נראה.

(קיבלתי קישור לסרטן בערוץ טלגרם של המיטב שבסטטוס / Tip credit: joshpnamm)

HaMehadesh - a moving initiative: the students of the 'Erlau' yeshiva placed 138 Hanukkah menorahs in the yeshiva according to the number of the abducted Israelis. (Translation from the Hebrew above)
The boys of the 'Erlau' yeshiva in the 'Qatmon' neighborhood of Jerusalem placed 138 Hanukkiyoth (Hanukkah menorahs) in the yeshiva hall as the number of the hostages • with the name of each hostage appearing on each Hanukkiyah.
Chaim Gefen, 24 Kislev 5784 / Dec. 6, 2023

"When we were learning the laws of lighting Hanukkah candles, the initiative came up to hold the lighting in the place of the abductees who cannot light them and bring them merit for the a mitzvah (commandment)," said one of the members of the yeshiva.

A little background on the Erlau community:

Erlau (Hebrew: ערלוי, also spelled Erloi), is a Haredi dynasty of Hungarian origin, which follows the teachings of the Chasam Sofer and is often considered Hasidic...

...The Erlau community was established by Rabbi Yochanan Sofer in Jerusalem after World War II to continue the legacy of his grandfather, Rabbi Shimon Sofer, who was Chief Rabbi of Erlau and rosh yeshiva of the Yeshivas Chasam Sofer there. This community uniquely follows Ashkenazic tradition blended with Hasidic customs...

...Due to the Communist grip on Hungary and oppression of Judaism there, Sofer immigrated to Israel together with his yeshiva in 1950...

...In 1953 he founded the Erlau yeshiva and community in the Katamon neighbourhood of south-central Jerusalem,[22] starting with the purchase of a few rooms in the building of the former Syrian Consulate on Yotam Street. The yeshiva was named "High Yeshiva of Rabbi Akiva Eiger" after the father-in-law of the Chasam Sofer. Later this yeshiva expanded to the whole building, where Sofer founded a dormitory and orphanage for Holocaust survivors and students from needy families...

Today the Erlau community numbers well over 500 families in Israel and many more abroad. The largest Erlau communities are located in Jerusalem (Ezrat Torah), Bnei Brak, Ashdod, Beitar Illit, Elad, Haifa in Israel and Antwerp and Borough Park [and Monsey], New York in the diaspora.... (Wikipedia)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
As you have hopefully come to learn from reading this blog, this piece could not be found in the mainstream media, neither in Hebrew nor English. Thus, as you have also come to learn from reading this blog, how important I find it to publicize such reports.

Truly, the video and and short report speak for themselves.

It begs the question, though, if the powers that be would consider these young men to be part of the "together" in the catchphrase psy. opp. "Together We Will Be Victorious."

The answer should be obvious: "No."

I was very surprised to see that there were not even any government officials present to exploit photo opps. from the event. No one knew about it. No one had informed them. Perhaps later, at the lighting of the first candle this evening.

We shall see.

האם חסידי בעלזא יותר ציוניים מהדתיים הציוניים? / Are Belzer Hassidim More Zionist than Religious Zionists?

כ״ב לחודש השישי תשפ״ב

English follows the Hebrew.

הסרטון ביידיש (אידיש) עם כתוביות בעברית מתוך חנוכת בית לבניין ״בנות ירושלים״ באנטוורפן י״ב תמוז תפנ״ד/21.06.1994:

בני חוץ לארץ. רצוני לשאול אותכם שאלה:

מה לכם פה ומי לכם פה? מה מעשיכם כאן בחוץ לארץ?

מקומכם הרי בארץ ישראל!

ועד לבנות בנייני פאר וארמונות?

מה עם מצוות ״והורשתם אותה״ הכתובה בפסוק ״וישבתם בה״ (במדבר לג,נג) שעל פי כמה וכמה ראשונים הינה מצוות עשה מן התורהאפילו בזמן הזה.

ואפילו לפי הראשונים שלא קיבלוה כמצות עשה בזמן הזה, הרי זה רק מן התורה. אולם משרבנן הרי זה בוודאי מצווה אפילו בזמן הזה - להתישב בארץ ישראל, כמו שנפסק ברמב״ם ובשולחן ארוך אבן העזר....

עשר אגורות (2¢):
זה בדיוק מה שכדאי ליהודים המזדהים כציונים דתיים לומר, להודיע, ולפרסם. יש אומרים את זה? יש אבל בכלל לא מספיק.

יהודיי בלגיה עוברים אירועי אנטישמיות שנאת יהודים יום-יום. החברים שלי בבאנטוורפן מדיווחים לי עליהם גם החסידים (ויז'ניץ) וגם המודרניים . אולי האירועים האלה השפיעו להניעה של הרבי בכתיבת נאומו.

אפילו אם כן, קשה למצוא יהודיי ניו יורק או לוס אנג'לס מתגייסים לאחיהם, יותר מרגיל, לעזוב את ארה"ב ולעלות לארץ מולדתם האמיתית והיחידה, ארץ ישראל.

איזה אדמו"ר מבעלזא בעבר, דודו של הרבי הנוכחי או לפניו, אמר שהוא יותר ציוני מהציונים, והתחיל לומר בקול פסוקי תנ"ך בעל פה שיש בם המילה "ציון".

הלוואי שהיהודים בכל רחבי העולם יכולים ללמוד מהדוגמה הזו של הקשר בין ציונות למקור האמיתי שלה: התנ״ך ושבועת הקב״ה לתת לעם ישראל את ארץ ישראל למורשה. כל שכן לקראת ראש השנה הזה.

The video, from a building dedication for "Bnos Yerushalayim" in Antwerp, 12 Tammuz 5754 / June 21, 1994, is in Yiddish with Hebrew subtitles. A full transcript in English in available at matzav.com. Here is just a snippet, which sums it all up nicely:

Why are you here?
What are you doing outside of the Land [Israel]?
Your place is in Eretz Yisroel!
And you continue to build magnificent buildings and palaces?
What is with the pasuk “And you should inherit it and dwell within it?״ (Num. 33:53)

That according to many Rishonim it is a positive commandment, even now, in our time.
And even according to the Rishonim that did not accept it as a positive commandment now, in our time, that is only min haTorah, but mid’Rabbanan, it is surely a mitzva even now, in our time to live in the Land of Israel, just as the Ramba"m (Maimonides) rules, and also in the Shulchan Aruch, Even haEzer.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
This is exactly what those Jews identifying as Religious Zionists say, or rather, what they should be saying. Are they all saying this? Of Belgium is no stranger to antisemitic attacks. I have heard first hand reports from both Hassidic (Vizhnitz) and Modern Orthodox friends in Antwerp. So perhaps this contributed to the Rebbe's motivation behind his speech, or at least in part.

Nevertheless, you would be hard pressed to find New Yorkers or Los Angelinos rallying their fellow Jews, any more than usual, to pick up and leave the U. S. and relocate to the only true, homeland of the Jewish People, the Land of Israel.

A previous Belzer Rebbe, either the current one's uncle, or before him, once said that he is more Zionist than the Zionist, and proceeded to recite verses from Tana"kh (The Bible) by heart with the word ״ציון״ (Zion) in them. I wish Jews could learn from this example, connecting Zionism to its original source, Tana"kh and The Almighty's promise of the Land of Israel to the Jewish People, even more so, now right before Rosh HaShannah, the Jewish New Year.

YNET's "Hassidic Jew"

כ״ד לחודש השישי תשע״ה

YNET: Meet the Hasidic-slogan-tagging Jew fighting in Syria
Timothy Paul Jacobs Wordsworth has been fighting with the Kurdish YPG in Syria for the past six months; he tells Ynet what brought him to this point, and about his dream of living in Israel.

Liron Nagler-Cohen, 08.31.15

In a special interview to Ynet, Batn El Ghoul, also known as Timothy Paul Jacobs Wordsworth, tells the story of how a British man ended up tagging the walls of former ISIS positions in Syria with Breslov Hasidic chants.

His story is truly something out a movie: He has spent the last six months fighting alongside the Kurdish YPG (People's Protection Units) against ISIS in Syria. He has tagged every house he has liberated with the Hasidic saying Na Nach Nachman, in order to – as he calls it – "Bring some light into the darkness."

In one of his more popular posts on social media, he posted a picture of a building he and his comrades had liberated, saying: "ISIS turned this school, 50 km from their capital in Raqqa, into a prison. I was part of horrible fighting in the area, my friends and I fended ISIS off when they tried to recapture the prison from the next village."

The post continued, "ISIS left women's clothes and underwear on the floors of the cells, a lot of it, evidence of unholy crimes. I wrote Rabbi Nachman's name here to bring some light in to this black sink hole of torture, rape, murder and savage war. Amen."

But Jacobs-Wordsworth's story did not start in Syria. The 37-year-old is a British citizen, and the grandson of a holocaust survivor who made it out of Dachau after losing his mother in Auschwitz, and his father at Theresienstadt. "My grandfather converted to Christianity, and I grew up as a Christian," he says.

Although his grandfather passed at the age of 96, Jacobs says he "always knew he was from a Jewish family, and heard stories about my holocaust survivor grandfather. My mom is a Zionist, and she taught me to love Israel and hate cruelty. She always told me the due to the suffering incurred by the Jews and my family during the Holocaust, made me feel physically ill."

Jacobs Wordsworth did two central things with the education he received growing up: He joined the British army in order to fight against evil, and travelled to Israel with the goal of live here.

"I wanted to help the people of Bosnia, whom I saw as undergoing another sort of holocaust and genocide," he says. "That’s why I joined the British army in 1996, and served several years in the British forces under NATO in Bosnia and Kosovo."

10 years ago he made his dream a reality and visited Israel, believing he could become an Israeli citizen without too much fuss, however things didn’t work out like he planned: "I asked for Israeli citizenship, but I was deported from Israel in 2005 because my visa had expired," he says. "Because I grew up as a Christian in a Christian family, I couldn’t make aliyah through the law of return, although with god's blessing I will be able to return to Israel this year, because my 10 year entrance ban expires soon."

During his stay in Israel, he was exposed to Breslov Hasidism – and immediately fell in love. "I saw Nachman Hassids dancing in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, but it was an Orthodox friend in London who convinced me to travel with him to Uman. It was during Rosh Hashana in 2012, and since then I have been to Uman three times."

In the meantime he got married, and joined the Kurdish forces battling against ISIS in Syria. "I got to them through a Facebook page called the 'Lions of Rojava,' which helps smuggle international volunteers into Syria, most of whom are former soldiers from the Kurdish forces in northern Iraq," he says.

"I fought in Syria for six months, and I wrote Rabbi Nachman's name in a bunch of places where we beat ISIS," he added. "I have met Jewish soldiers with strong Jewish roots from around the world among us here."

Jacobs-Wordsworth tends to close every sentence with "Am Israel Chai," and Rabbi Nachman from Uman stars in many of his Facebook posts. But he does admit that his beliefs are somewhat complex: "I believe that there were two messiahs, as it is written in the Talmud: The messiah Ben Yossef, and the messiah Ben David. I believe that Ben Yossef was already here, and his name was Jesus. (ימך שמו וזכרו) I believe that the messiah Ben David will come soon.

"I plan on filling a request to make Aliyah again," Jacobs-Wordsworth says, and adds that he has undergone a Reform Judaism conversion in London a few years ago. "I am a member of the North Western Reform Synagogue in London," he said. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
This individual is not a Hassidic Jew.

He is not even a Jew!

Leave it to YNET to make up its own "Judaism" as it goes along. No surprises there.

He mentions that he was unable to qualify for Israeli citizenship, because he was raised a Christian. Good! Now he suggests that he will receive God's blessing (חו״ח) to re-enter the land. Apparently, his "studies" have left out some crucial halakhoth (Torah Laws), as to who is actually allowed to live here.

Did he obtain one of those fake conversions as a backdoor into Israel? Or did he obtain it, in order to circumvent his "ban" from entering Israel, and study Torah at a proper institution? I have no idea. However, obtaining a “Reform conversion” makes him a “Reformist,” not a Jew.

I am not even going to touch upon the issue here of Na Nach... not really being Breslov, let alone a "Hassidic saying."

The report from YNET already had a lot of other crap to fill three blog posts!

He still relates to Yoshke, the Christian theological figure, claiming that he was Mashi’ah ben Yosef. Previously, I had thought even the “Reformists” were above something as idiotic as this. But, apparently, I was wrong.

This guy mentions the Talmud. But, he has apparently not learned that the Babylonian Talmud mentions a couple of “Yoshkes.” My favorite is the one who goes down to Egypt to learn magic. Which one is this individual talking about?

This is just another guy trying to graft Christianity onto Judaism, whether he is conscious of it or not. Even if he ever does go through a real conversion to Judaism, if he holds onto these beliefs, at the very least, he would be considered a kofer (denier of crucial aspects of Torah) anyway, like all Christians and Muslims (Ramba"m, Sefer Mitzvoth 51).

At the very least, he needs to be reported to the Israeli Rabbinate, and investigated, and jump through hoops. But, like my real, Jewish convert friends, who have the merit of living in Israel, I am sure that he will not be.

I have no doubt that all he will have to do is flash that silly piece of paper from his "Reformism," fake rabbis, and he will be embraced a social justice hero, having defended the refugees of ISIS violence.

He may even have the "Law of Return" interpreted in his favor, given the assimilationist, anti-Torah, "religious freedom" oriented Israeli Supreme Court, religious freedom, that is, except for Jews.

His Christian mother is a Zionist, and loves Israel. Like all such Christians, they love us, alright. They want to love us to death, take our souls AND our homeland.

By the way, does the term "Jerusalem Syndrome" mean anything to you?

Montréal is Also Part of the Exile

ד' לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ד

Arutz 7: Montreal Votes In First Hassidic Female Council Member
In a landmark move for Hassidic, Jewish women's representation, Montreal elects Mindy Pollak, 24, to city council

Dalit Halevy, Tova Dvorin, November 8, 2013

Mindy Pollak, 24, has become the first Jewish representative to be elected for city council in Montreal, several news media outlets reported. The landmark decision is a first in Jewish representation in Quebec, but also as to the involvement of Orthodox Jewish women - specifically, Hassidic women - in the public sphere.

The elections, which were held last week, selected Pollak to represent the Montreal borough of Outremont, a district highly publicized in local media for the past several years due to an ongoing conflict between its large Orthodox Jewish population and other local residents, according to the website Hello, Toronto.

The conflict allegedly started over plans to extend a synagogue into public space. When the issue was brought to light, media coverage of the issue expanded the conflict into clashes of opinion between the locals and the Orthodox community, the former of which was critical of the way the Orthodox kept themselves separate from the wider Outremont community and specifically the Hasidic and Haredi ways of life, which are often more isolationist.

Pollak, a Montreal native, has been working to bridge the gaps between the two communities for several years. Her efforts have included establishing the group Friends of Hutchinson, which aims to bring the communities together to discuss the issues in an open and relaxed environment.

Pollak has worked to establish an environment of mutual understanding. Hopes are high that her election on the council will put the conflict permanently at rest.

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Just I proclaimed to...

Rabbi Nachum Shifrin, when he was a candidate for the California State Senate,

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, when he was a candidate for the U. S. House of Representatives from New Jersey,

Joe Strauss, when he was re-elected Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, and

Itamar Gelbman, when he was a candidate for the U. S. House of Representatives from Texas,

...regarding the United States of America...

Canadian (l) and Israeli (r) Commemorative Friendship Stamps
"Friends," but still the Exile

I will tell Mindy Pollack (who is apparently not Montréal's first councilor - see comment below) that Canada is not her Homeland. It is only a temporary way station before being able to return How nice it is that she wants to bridge that gaps between the Hassidishe and goyshe communities of Montreal. But does she waste he time? She, like any other Canadian, Québécois or Montréal Jew is now able to return to Eretz Yisra'el (Land of Israel), the only true homeland of the Jewish People.

Must I remind Mindy Pollack, that although I have no doubt her intentions are pure, and has the physical safety of her People in mind, the results of her activities have the potential for idsaster. After all, we are supposed to remain separate from the goyim. This issue alone has kept us viable.

Want to have a greater representation for your community? Want to bring them out of isolation? Then begin employing the only Jewish option to fulfill these desires, not to mention the only solution to prevent the escalation of Jew-hatred toward your community. Use the publicity, noteriety, and media access which comes with your position, and encourage Jews, not just in your constintuency, buy all around Montreal, Quebec, and Canada as a whole, to make Aliyah.

Set a deadline for yourself, when you will do the same, and set the greatest example that you can for your people in your section of Galuth (exile). After all, Montréal is also in Galuth.

Where Should my Payos (Side Locks) Go? In Front or in Back?

ט"ז לחודש התשיעי תשע"ד

Life In Israel: Rav Chaim Kanievsky says wearing peyos in front of ears will give good health
November 17, 2013

I need some help here...

A yeshiva bochur who has bad health conditions went to Rav Chaim Kanievsky asking for a bracha.

Rav Kanievsky told him that if he would take his peyos out from behind his ears and keep them in front, he would be healed.

This yeshiva bochur later went to Rav Shteinman and asked the same - a bracha for his health, and mentioned that Rav Kanievsky had told him to wear his peyos out front, though he said he is embarrassed to do so.

Rav Shteinman said he should not be embarrassed but should wear his peyos out front, as instructed by Rav Chaim Kanievsky, the "Minister of Torah", and he will have good health because of it.

Rav Chaim's opinion seems to be known that peyos should be worn in front of the ears, and people should not be embarrassed by their Jewish appearance. (cont.)

(source: Kikar and Bechadrei - though Bechadrei  relates the story slightly differently)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
I have heard that their are Qabbalistic reasons for putting payos behind the ears, not allowing the hair of the head to touch the spiritual hair of the beard. This has never made sense to me, since most hassidim keep their payos upfront, apparently without such fear, and they most certainly take Qabbalah under serious consideration with regards to custom.

I have also heard some say that they put behind their payos behind their ears, simply because they can get in the way.

As you know, I am not the biggest fan of segulos. So, when these highly respected rabbis suggest that arranging ones payos* (or simanim** to the Yemenites) will have a positive influence on ones physical health, I am skeptical.

Payos in front of the ear, or in back of the ear,
that is the question.

Mental health is another story. And as such, I believe that there is definitely something in what these gedolim say.

"Rav Shteinman said he should not be embarrassed but should wear his peyos out front, as instructed by Rav Chaim Kanievsky...."

We are Jews, living in Eretz Yisra'el, the [only true] Jewish Homeland. In which other lands are the people embarrassed to wear traditional clothing and hairstyles? I cannot think of any.

Only in Israel, where the influence of about 2,000 years of galuth (exile) still prevails, do we seem to have this problem,...or rather, problems.

1. Collective low self-esteem, reflected in "embarrassment" over appearance, and preferring the "castrated"/hidden, payos look, over "prominent" payos. (Note: Non-analytically oriented psychotherapists, please humor me here. Fake therapists, it's time to stop that anxiety-provoked giggling, and go back for more training.)

a. I wonder how this is reflected in the differences in marital relationships between those communities which are predominantly "in front of" and those which are "in back of." Feminism has clearly snuck in through the backdoor of many Litvish and Modern Orthodox communities, particular the English-speaking ones. It is nor longer pashut as to who "wears the pants" in the family,...in some cases, literally so.
b. Perhaps this is also reflected in miqwah/mikveh behavior. However, I cannot be sure. Most, but not all, of the "in front of"'s follow the custom of not covering oneself in the miqwah, showing that we are not embarrassed by our brith milah of Avraham Avinu. Do the "in back of"'s tend to be those uptight ones in the miqwah? Like I said, I cannot be sure.

2. Collective co-dependence, reflected in how we view ourselves through the eyes of the goyim, and seek their validation, rather than producing it internally.

How we dress and style or cover our hair, are only two of the symptoms of these psychological conditions.

There are more.

I will conclude this somewhat serious piece with a not so serious conclusion.

I once witnessed a hassidishe friend of mine from Me'ah She'arim criticizing his grandson for arranging his payos behind his ear...

If you keep them that way, they will end up looking like question marks.

Sure, I know that his reaction was the response of American parents to their children making unattractive faces at others: "If you do that enough, your face will stay that way."

Nevertheless, we can learn something from this. Hassidim are often accused of living galuth (exile) mode. Yet, wearing their payos in front of their ears, clearly runs against the grains of fear of the goyim and desires to assimilate amongst them.

As Jews, if we have questions, we should ask them, rather than keep them buried inside to fester, only manifesting themselves through a permanent imprint in our hairstyles.

Food for thought.

*********

*payos: Yid. (Heb. payot) "corners"
**simanim: Heb. -"signs"

Jerusalem's Social Event of the Season Makes International News!

י"ד לחודש השלישי תשע"ג

And, who said that Hassidim were not fashionable??!!

Even though my invitation must have been lost in the mail, I do still feel a bit snubbed.

Why wasn't my invitation just hand-delivered?

Yahoo: Incredible Photos from the Wedding with 25,000 Guests

Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine, May 23, 2013

When 18-year-old Shalom Rokeach married 19-year-old Hannah Batya Penet in Israel on Tuesday, it was more than just a lavish wedding —it was the launch of a new era. The groom is the future leader of the revered Belz Rebbe, a Hasidic Jewish sect that began in Poland in the early 1800s. More than 25,000 guests attended the hours-long ceremony, which was filled with traditional significance and lasted until dawn the next day. On Wednesday, photos of the massive event in Jerusalem were published internationally. Here are some of the incredible highlights....

18 year old Shalom, the sole grandson of the Belzer Rav
wearing the traditional crown of a hassan.
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Not only was Yahoo's Alphonse mostly accurate regarding on the traditions involved in a Jewish tradition, she also seemed positive and upbeat, as this was, after all, a happy occasion.

No doubt, many left-wing news sources would have been critical of the lavish expense, while many Haredim do not work. They, of course, would neglect to note that many Hassidim, in face, do work, in addition to learning Torah. They also would have commented on how oppressive to women such "primitive" cultures are.

But not Alphonse,...

The Hassan and Kallah (groom and bride)
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

For example, regarding the tradition of veiling, she wrote:

"The veil also has modern significance: If the groom places it over her face himself, then it symbolizes the fact that he values her for more than just her beauty. It also allows the bride to avoid curious stares from guests during the wedding ceremony."

In fact, she also makes allusions to the royalty-like atmosphere surrounding Hassidic dynasties.

The United Kingdom has Prince William and Kate Middleton.

But, we have Shalom and Hayah Basyah!

And, this truly WAS Jerusalem's social event of the season.

Mazal Tov!!