A number of Jerusalem community rabbis have signed a protest letter against the creation of a cultural center for haredim in the capital. The planned center would involve channeling public funds for the purpose of developing haredi cinema.

According to the rabbis, the move would cause a spiritual blowback. “We have heard with shock about the existence of a plan in the Jerusalem Municipality to create a ‘cultural center’ for the haredi sector, to be the first of its kind. According to the publications, the location would include movie screens, a gallery, a studio and infrastructure for creating art, and more. It also calls for bringing secular artists and cultural figures from art schools and academic institutions.

“We and the Torah oppose such a disruption. There is no reason to copy the culture of entertainment and recreation into our camps. Opening a special center for this purpose would lead to terrible destruction and ruin by bringing the Greek culture into our camp and creating theaters and circuses. After this, who knows where it would lead, even if everyone involved is haredi?”

The rabbis continued by arguing against acting classes for the haredi population. “We have read about a recent phenomenon of haredi actresses and female directors who are regularly creating new movies. Such a thing never occurred in the past.

“The very act of watching movies, even if they have been rewritten by the censors or even made by haredim, and even if they have with recommendations from educated women, are forbidden by all leading sages. It is known that such a thing would work against us and that many pure souls would be dragged down to hell (G-d help us), as a result of movies. The idea of haredi actresses is a further serious deterioration because it would insert the gentile culture into the heart of the Jewish People and destroy the building blocks of all Israel, G-d forbid.”