After threat of lawsuit: 'Bakehilla' newspaper apologized

After a lawsuit threat, comes an apology: newspaper 'Bakehilla' published today (Thursday) a double apology to attorney Yoav Lalum, after two weeks ago he was called in Harav Yaakov B. Friedman's column: "street thug".

Under the heading 'Apology' it was written on the second page in the paper: "This paper previously wrote expressions which inappropriate and harmful to attorney Yoav Lalum, Executive Director of Noar Kahalach, we retract the phrases written and / or published completely and apologize for the harm caused."

Lalum, through his attorney Zvi Hadari, sent a warning letter to the newspaper and demanded a public apology and financial compensation of 50 thousand dollars, after he was called in Harav Yaakov B. Friedman's column, which dealt with discrimination, a "street thug". Lalum's lawyer wrote in a letter: "The name-calling and accusations leveled against my client in the column are vicious and baseless false accusations, to say the least."

Besides the formal apology, the apology appeared in the column itself in the name of its author, Harav Friedman: "Two weeks ago on this stage, an article entitled 'On Italian Ashkenazism and racial purity' ... Among the words, I expressed my aversion selected by different factors to deal with the problem. In my opinion, dragging the issue into the halls of the court, did not serve and will not serve in any way the Sephardic Torah world.

"However, I deeply apologize for calling the lawyer Yoav Lalum in that article with the term "street thug ". Besides my wish to appease Attorney Lalum who found himself affronted due to this phrase, I personally believe that the place of such an expression would not be recognized in a philosophical discourse.

"The Even Shoshan dictionary defines a bully, 'a man who takes control by physical force'. Mr. Lalum is far from this definition, and I regret that I had used this expression concerning him, and ask his forgiveness."

In response to the apologies attorney Lalum said today in a conversation with Behadrey Haredim: "At these moments when the heart is with our brothers in the south, it is a little hard to deal with important every day matters. Regarding the actual apology, things speak for themselves and whoever adds, detracts. The Haredi media must stop the conduct whereby criticism is directed against a person instead of a phenomenon. "

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!