Gonna repost here what I just commented on DDMS:
Wow, look, here’s my “shocked and surprised” face at this turn of events: 🙂
Sadly, these anti-frum lunatics won’t ever change their hateful ways, except for one possibility… if you make it cost them money. Lots of it.
In Israel, there is something called “Chok Lashon Hara” - basically, a law against slander/defamation that is extremely draconian by American standards. You can very easily sue someone for “defaming” you if they post something negative about you online, and you can even be awarded a minimum judgement of 50,000 shekels (IINM) right off the bat, WITHOUT EVEN NEEDING TO PROVE THAT THE “DEFAMATION” CAUSED YOU ANY FINANCIAL HARM! (This is why it’s so hard to find reliable reviews of products/services/restaurants/etc. on Israeli websites - Israelis are terrified of leaving an honest negative review, for fear of being sued under Chok Lashon Hara.)
Please inform Nigel of this, and ask him to pursue such legal action against this “journalist” piece of garbage. I’m sure he’ll say he “doesn’t want to pick a fight” and “doesn’t want to make a chilul Hashem” and “doesn’t even need the money anyway”… but let’s be honest: it’s not about him getting the money - he can donate it straight to tzedaka if he wants. Rather, it’s about putting a stop to this hatred once and for all. People like this journalist will keep publicly slandering religious people simply because they feel there is no repercussion or blowback for their actions, since frum people never stand up to them and fight back (legally). Hit them in the pocketbook - hard! - simply AS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE, and I guarantee you that next time, they’ll think twice before making up hateful stories about religious people. Don’t do it for the money - do it for the Klal, Nigel!
(You can put Nigel directly in touch with me if you/he wants to discuss this matter further.)
