First publication: The art piece showing the burning of the name of Hashem is removed
Following demonstrations organized by several groups, headed by Lehava chairman Benzi Gopstein, the Ein Harod Mishkan of the Arts announces that the artwork desecrating the name of Hashem will be removed.
Yehonatan Gottlieb, Arutz 7 14 Tamuz 5781/24.6.21
The Ein Harod Mishkan of the Arts has decided to removed the piece of art showing the burning by the artist of the name of Hashem and written on a large paper, from its exhibit.
The museum’s decision to remove the shocking art piece despite the initial insistence by the museum on not removing it, comes following pressure exerted by Lehava, headed by Benzi Gopstein.
Gopstein called the museum’s director and informed her that he intends to hold a legal demonstration at the Mishkan of the Arts. The director entreated him not to hold the demonstration, but he insisted.
In a conversation between Gopstein and Orit Lev Segev, of the Ein Harod Mishkan of the Arts, she asked him to stop the demonstration. “The last thing we want is to do harm”, she said. “It’s clear to me that an entire public was badly hurt. I want to hold a dialogue and a conversation to solve this together. I’m not coming from an assumption of some ivory tower that I know what art is and the religious public does not know.”
“I’m coming from a starting point of finding a compromise”, she added. Gopstein answered: “The only compromise that will convince us to change our minds about the demonstration is the removal of the piece and an apology.” Lev asked: “Isn’t another kind of compromise possible? I’m very much seeking, if at all possible, to try to lower the flames.”
Gopstein clarified: “As long as it stays there, I’m not lowering the flames.” And again Lev asked: “Give me a few days to see what I can do.” Gopstein: “No. I can’t give even one day. We are getting organized, and you’ll make all your own considerations. If this were mine, I would have been able to give it to you. If you had done this to Muslims, you wouldn’t be speaking because they would have burned the place down on you at that moment, but Jews are suckers. I am not in favor of doing anything illegal, but just as you do art, we can do demonstrations. That’s what we’ll do if you choose to leave it there.”
Later, Lev sent a message to Gopstein informing him that they have decided to remove the art piece that desecrates the name of Hashem, from their exhibition.
“We cannot be silent about the desecration of G-d’s name, so following the exposure by Elad Tzadikov, we decided together with other groups to organize a large protest at the museum. In the beginning, the museum’s director Orit Lev Segev called me and tried to justify the artwork. I told her that in this, there’s no wisdom and no justification and that they must immediately take down the piece and apologize. Following a conversation, they took the shocking piece down. There must be a limit to freedom of art, too. Such a thing should never have happened. And it’s even much worse in a Jewish country”, disclosed the Lehava chairman
