Anne Barker, Seasoned Reporter, Gets Harassed, Spit On At Orthodox Jewish Protest In Jerusalem

Anne Barker, a reporter for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, was caught in a violent protest of Orthodox Jews against a local carpark that would be open on Saturday--or Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest--that left her "humiliated and degraded", the ABC reports. Expecting a conservative crowd, Barker tells her story of dressing modestly and maintaining a low profile to cover the protest, only to have the mob turn on her and drench her in spit. It was only later that she learned the abuse had been provoked by her turning on her tape recorder, which by Orthodox standards for Shabbat, is unacceptable even for non-Jews.

Suddenly the crowd turned on me, screaming in my face. Dozens of angry men began spitting on me.

I found myself herded against a brick wall as they kept on spitting - on my face, my hair, my clothes, my arms.

Read Barker's full account of the protest here.

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Comments

[VickiPolin]

Over the last ten years that I've been involved in the orthodox world, I have been told something over and over again. The way to determine if someone is orthodox is if they keep kosher and are shomer shabbos (keep the sabbath). If the individual is a man, he is also required to be a part of a minyan (a group of 10 men praying together), praying three times a day if possible.

Whenever there is an individual who follows the above rules, yet does something that brings negative attention to the orthodox world, then I am told that they are not really frum, haredi, orthodox, or practicing Judaism. To be honest I see this as a lame excuse to perpetuate the vision that those who are orthodox are perfect.

I personally believe that when someone parades around in the orthodox traditional clothing, keeps kosher and shabbos, and when the individual davens three times a day in a minyan, usually at an orthodox synagogue -- even if they do something against the cultural norms, they are still considered orthodox, haredi, frum or what ever else you want to call it. The rest of the world will not buy into the excuse that keeps being given.

Those who perpetrate sex crimes against children come from all cultural backgrounds. This includes those of other faiths, neo-nazi's, and the orthodox Jewish community.

[LincolnParkChicago]

I do not understand this mobs motivation. Non Jews are regularly used by Religious to do work on the Sabbath that they must not. It has been done for centuries. What is the problem when this woman turned on the recorder?

This is Wikipedia’s definition:

A Shabbat goy… is an individual who regularly assists a Jewish individual or organization by performing certain acts for them on the Biblical Sabbath which are forbidden to Jews within Jewish law.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabbat_goy

This is an example:

“The boys here can't push the buttons on Saturday, so I have to do it for them. You see, I'm not Jewish, so it's all right for me to push the buttons. I stand near the elevator, and they tell me what floor, and I push the button for them."
http://www.collectedthoughts.com/quote.aspx?id=11302

[tman418]

Sheesh, could have just asked her to turn it off.

[forpeacealways]

There are religious people in all countries. In the South, alcohol isn't sold on Sundays. In this case, the religious were protesting a government decison to have something opened on shabbat. She wore conservative clothing but forgot that you are supposed to not use electricity on shabbat. I have been to Israel and most Israelis don't like the religious. Israelis don't even have real Bar-Mitzvahs, all they will do is have a party or something for their 13th birthday.

[piul05]

Dear courtb and myopinion2,

I've posted a total four short answers to your queries, (sarcasm on) but it's obviously just too complex to be processed expediently (sarcasm off).

It's been in moderation for hours...

[modwiz]

piulo5 my experience with the moderation here has been maddening. I would like to offer a thought but it probably wouldn't get past the mod. The kossacks seems to be a bit more allowing.

[TerrapinCB]

Walter Sobchak: I told those fu*^ks down at the league office a thousand times that I don't roll on Shabbos!
Donny: What's Shabbos?
Walter Sobchak: Saturday, Donny, is Shabbos, the Jewish day of rest. That means that I don't work, I don't get in a car, I don't fu*^king ride in a car, I don't pick up the phone, I don't turn on the oven, and I sure as she_it don't fu*^king roll!

{{{evidently I don't believe in the "brevity thing"}}}

[HFR]

At least you have a free press, this story is not allowed in Australia?

[wm1066]

I love studing all types of religions, they are all the same for me, all roads lead to Rome. I am very Sufi in my belief. You got hindu sufi, muslim sufi, christian sufi ( Richard Burton, the explorer was a christian sufi) But the fanatics I can't abide by, and the Orthodox are fanatics. They will be the ones that destroy the Jewish State. The Arabs won't destroy the Jewish State it will be the Orthodox who in their quest for perfection wont be satisfied with what they got.

[OldSchoolLiberal]

This is totally absurd. They have the right to regulate their behavior not others'.l BS.

Islam and Judaism are very similar in two respects:

1) Moral and social law are proscribed in minute detail by holy texts.
2) There is a rigid dualism throughout the religion between what is "treif" or "haram" and what is "kosher" or "Halal." And, of course between believers and unbelievers, Jews and gentiles.

Islam and Christianity are similar in their belief that their religion applies to the whole world.

[karela]

Religious fanatics! Spitting once on a cop in the U.S. is assault and it has a special level of severity because of the biological hazard. I hope that the reporter prosecutes and sues them if she has that recourse. We all need to stand up against religious fanaticism. We're all free to worship as we please, but none of us are free to impose our religious beliefs on others. It's against their rules for another person to turn on a recorder on their Sabbath, but it isn't against the rules to engage in political protest on their Sabbath?

[Naqba]

I wonder how Anne Barker would have fared in Tehran? or Riyadh? She put herself in the middle of the action - how about more reporting and less whining?

[BackToFight]

Yeah, but that's not what they are talking about. Yet again, another hard core defender if Israel that deems it necessary to push the attention some where else. Naqba, this is about what happened to a reporter on a job covering ultra orthodox religious Jews. Why can't you just accept that?

[who38]

It's the usual non-reflective response that allows for the continued victim role.

[Shawn828]

How about removing that self righteous stick from your fourth point of contact and realize that there's no excuse for this assault. And as for your lower post about Americans supporting Israel more than ever- not this one. I'll back them when they're right, but I believe they are being arrogant and abusive to the people in the occupied lands, among other items.

[beauwulff]

Religious extremists of all stripes are the major disturbers of world peace.

[jollyelle]

Turning on a tape recorder is unacceptable?????

Accosting, abusing and spitting on a person is okay?

Israel is out of control, thank goodness Americans are waking up and beginning feel comfortable expressing the glaringly obvious oppressive behavior. VICTIMS no more, let's live in the present.

[Naqba]

Americans are supporting Israel like never before. The Haredim, or ultra-Orthodox, are not liked by most Israelis. They are still a very small minority in this country.
What is the purpose of denigrating these people, unless it's to level the playing field for ALL Middle-Eastern religious intolerance, thereby making everyone feel better about the REAL intolerance accepted universally in most Muslim countries. Female circumcision, anyone?

[piul05]

Female circumcision is a tribal, not a religious practice, which pre-dates both Islam and Christianity. It's practiced across the religious spectrum (Christians, Muslims, Jews and animists) as a result of cultural syncretism.

Learning is a wonderful thing; should try it sometime.

[alexa07]

If you think more Americans are supporting Israel "like never before," you are delusional.
In fact Islam is one of the fastest, if not the fastest, growing religion in the USA. This does not equate with your accusation about female circumcision. As more of us get to know Muslims in our neighborhoods, in the workplace, in universities, hospitals, there is a growing acknowledgement of how our govt policies are wrong & how Muslims have been portrayed unfairly by our media & entertainment industry. P.S. Of the many American Muslim or other Muslim women I know, I have yet to meet one who has had her clitoris removed, or advocated anything but vehemently against such folk practices. In Nairobi I attended a university panel of women who debated the practice of female circumcision, for & against, with no one on either side linking the practice to Islam.

[writerjohnny]

I see a bunch of men spitting on a woman for ANY reason and I am wading in all fists and knees.

[BackToFight]

Don't forget the elbows. Those are useful.

[writerjohnny]

Thanks I'll probably need them against all those spitters.

[devilyousay]

Lesson to all; extremist religious behaviour, from any religion, is the bane of humanity. Religion is our greatest problem right now. it incites, by the nature of its demand for unflinching faith.

If humanity and religion are to survive, moderates must take control of ALL faiths.

[AdamX]

Refusal to respect another's religion is the real issue.

[SwearengenCS]

..or, refusal, by the religious, to respect another's non religion.

[Octoberluna]

respect flies out the window with the first hocked loogie - a female with a a tape recorder is a violation but a man with a video camera isn't - oh please don't dare talk about respect for religious practices

[who38]

And you respect the right of Muslim's to perform "honor" killings?