"The Cult of the Black Hats" and the Murder of Leiby

I hesitated to write this blog because I was afraid that it would be only of interest to Jewish readers but I decided that it was necesssary for my own mental health to express my views on the horrendous murder of an eight year old Jewish child named Leiby who was a part of the "orthodox" community in Brooklyn, New York. And the more so because as the "New York Post" reported this morning, there were already those who claimed that "it was G-d's Will that this had happened, that Leiby took the wrong turn and got lost because it was G-d's Will. It wasn't an evil child predator or a mother who stupidly allowed her young son to walk the "safe" streets of New York by himself. One doesn't want to imagine what this poor woman is suffering now.

Only people who have given up the ability to think and act for themselves to some "higher" being, in this case their rabbis, could make such nonsensical statements. Like all members of cults they blindly follow what their rabbi tells them, thus absolving themselves from any responsibility for their actions.

This form of so called Judaism is totally alien to me, someone who was born a Jew, and who believes that G-d created man in his Own image and gave to man not only the gift of life, but the capacity to think and reason and the ability to choose between good and evil. G-d's actions and motives are unknowable to man so it is up to the individual to use his own conscience (hopefully he has one) and "siachu" (brains) when making decisions. Every man is accountable for his own behaviour and must face the consequences. As Dr. Phil would say "you did it, you own it".

He also gave man through Moses, the Ten Commandments and the Torah, "G-d"s Rule Book" for leading a decent life. What good is following the Laws if you are an adulterer, a thief, someone who beats their spouse and children, or a sexual predator and murderer? Will there be an outcry from the rabbis in this community, denouncing this monster as an outcast, whose crime demands the punishment meted out in the Torah which they claim to believe in? Judaism demands that a good Jew follow all the Mitzvot but it is an empty exercise if it is done without meaning, understanding, or for the purpose of becoming a mensch, a decent human being.

These narrow sects which arrogantly claim to be true Jews and superior to all others, practice a religion which is a mockery of authentic Judaism.
Too many of them disregard the words of Hillel, which describe the essence of Judaism, "What is hateful to you, do not do unto your fellow man".
In their isolation they contribute nothing to society at large, as Jews have done since time immemorial. And at their worst they are betrayers of
truly pious Jews who not only obey the words of the Torah but also its spirit.