World War in Hevron: yeshiva hall empty

World War in Hevron Yeshiva - Givat Mordechai, Jerusalem. Tonight (Wednesday) the prestigious yeshiva hall emptied of its students.

The beginning of the story was on Tuesday, when yeshiva students woke up in the morning to graffiti sprayed against Hagaon Rabbi Yosef Hevrony, one of the Roshei Yeshiva.

"Recently there has been downsizing and deterioration in the management's attitude to the members of the yeshiva," a student explains the events in a conversation with Behadrey Haredim. "Lately rations and quality have been cut down, the hours of the flow of hot water was cut down, the regular class photo which was made so far for every "Va'ad" (year N.G.) funded by the yeshiva, was contingent this year on different demands and, ultimately, members of the yeshiva financed it out of their pocket.

"At another upsetting case, not enough buses were brought to transport students to the funeral of our friend Yonathan Meller z"l. But, "continues the yeshiva student and says, "What was the straw that broke the camel's back was the cancellation of the traditional Purim Rav event."

The Purim Rav event is held every Purim, in which the 'Rav' who is one of the students presents a satire on the meeting and its leaders. According to the demand of the Roshei Yeshiav in the previous year, changes were made and the show referred to the atmosphere of the yeshiva and not its rabbis.

This year the event was canceled entirely out of a formal argument, that the yeshiva should mourn the tragedies that took place in it, including the death of Yonathan Meller z"l.

But yeshiva students claim that the cancellation is but an initiative of Rabbi Yosef Hevrony, since the 'Purim Rav' of yesteryear made fun of students associated with the rabbi.

Violence at the yeshiva

Unrest broke out last night. Boys scattered posters against Rabbi Hevrony and drew protest graffiti. An employee who was at the site, clashed violently with protesters and eventually found himself outside.

The worker claims he was attacked by members of the yeshiva, they argue that he attacked them.

This morning graffiti was drawn again and posters were distributed and the yeshiva management decided to remove from its ranks eight boys identified by the worker to be involved in the fight.

Disposal of the boys just made the situation worse, they complained of their dismissal and refused to leave. Hundreds of the yeshiva students expressed support for them and surrounded them singing "Utzo eitza utufar".

The Roshei Yeshiva Rabbi Shlomo Katz, Rabbi David Cohen and Rabbi Moshe Mordechai Farbstein met with representatives of the protesters in an attempt to calm the situation, but without results.

At 19:00 pm yeshiva students held a protest rally in the square outside the Beis Midrash. The students gathered for reciting Tehillim and the Beis Midrash was abandoned for half an hour.

In the information note circulated before the 'rally' the protest leaders presented their versions and made it clear that the protest is not directed against the Roshei Yeshiva, but against the employee who misled the rabbis of the yeshiva.

"We very much hope that matters will not get worse," says one of the yeshiva students, "We are not against the Roshei Yeshiva, G-d forbid, but against the takeover of the yeshiva office over its heads. If the parties involved will not come to their senses it may get out of control."

Director of Yeshiva Rabbi Shlomo Karlinstein declined to comment.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!