The caption above the picture of a Jewish man being arrested for a misdemeanour clearly states that he was an "ultra-Orthodox" man. (I am surprised he was not also given the title of "Rabbi". After all, he has a black hat and a beard!)

No, he is not an ultra-Orthodox man. He is a chossid - and not a good example of one at that.

For far too long, chassidim, who follow a different philosophy with regard to certain aspects of Judaism, have been portrayed in the press as being "ultra-Orthodox", considered to be the bastions of Orthodoxy, ie they represent authentic Judaism.

This is an incorrect assumption as they do not have a monopoly on the Jewish faith.

The truth of the matter is that chassidim, as proven by your photograph, cannot always be considered charedim - I am a charedi, i.e. a religious Jew, but not a chossid and never an "ultra".

Rabbi L E Book,
St Annes on Sea,
Lancs.

THE Jewish Telegraph bends over backwards to portray Orthodox Judaism in a positive light. Each week, our local and world pages are packed with stories, features and pictures to that effect. Perhaps Rabbi Book is thinking of another newspaper - Editor.

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