The Topeka-based hate group, the Westboro Baptist Church, once again targeted Brooklyn Jews with a barrage of hate-filled demonstrations today. The anti-Semitic organization planned to picket two Brooklyn Yeshivas today – the Mirrer Yeshiva in Midwood & Yeshiva Bais Hatalmud in Bensonhurst. Their plan was to assemble on sidewalks and sing anti-Jewish songs and display signs with slogans such as “God Hates Jews” and “America is Doomed.” Instead, they only made one stop at Yeshiva Bais Hatalmud on 82nd Street in Bensonhurst and promptly left town.
So what was different about today’s visit? Today’s demonstration was different because no one knew about them. Last time, Westboro protested in front of Yeshiva Torah Temimah and Yeshiva Chaim Berlin. In those protests, YWN had been the first to publicize the schedule in advance, and was even the first to inform the local politicians – including NYC Councilman David Greenfield, and NYS Assemblyman Dov Hikind who differed on what action should be taken. Greenfield suggesting ignoring the crazies out of concern that publicity was exactly what they were seeking. Hikind took the opposite view and led a counter-protest.
Naturally, following the publicity of these events, and the counter-protest led by Assemblyman Hikind who went as far as jumping a police barricade and ripping a hate-filled sign from a church-member’s hands a large crowd ensured. Along with the crowd came lots of foul language directed at the church by members of the frum community. TV cameras were rolling, and yarmulka-wearing Jews made a Chillul Hashem by lowering themselves to the level of the protesters. This time, upon reviewing the situation with our posek, we agreed to follow Councilman Greenfield’s suggestion and simply ignore the protest and not publicize the Church’s events.
It turns out Greenfield was right. This is what happened:
The BoroParkScoop.com reports that with NYPD all around, the group arrived at Yeshiva Bais Hatalmud, and stood next to the Yeshiva building. Not one person exited or entered the building during the entire 30 minute protest. The group left without even one person acknowledging that they were even there. No media showed up, and the group that was then scheduled to go to the Mirrer Yeshiva canceled their visit.
We don’t know for sure that they skipped the Mirrer Yeshiva because we chose not to interview them so that they would not have any satisfaction. We suspect, however, that they took their hate filled message to someone who would give them publicity – something that we were not going to do.
