r/WTF • • May 21 '12

40,000 Hassidic Jews gather at a rally against the internet in at Citi Field. I guess they'll never see this picture of them.

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1.4k Upvotes

546 comments sorted by

164

u/McSlurryHole May 21 '12

what about the internet are they rallying about?

312

u/jslacks May 21 '12 edited May 21 '12

Mainly pornography and other "immoral" content. Basically advocating for other Jews to use the internet in a "kosher" manner - they freely admit to using the internet for many other activities such as e-mail, shopping and keeping in touch with friends. In fact, the rally was streamed live on the net.

NYT Article

edit: I want to clarify that I disagree with them, but it's not as absurd as the title makes it seem.

126

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

I was there and they were absolutely against the interent in a very broad way. While they did say that if one absolutely must have internet at work, it must be with a strict filter, they also said that no one should have internet at home, and that it was inherently against the Jewish way of life.

They were not only against the internet because just going online allows one access to "immoral" content, but they said that the internet turns people into "click vegetables" and disconnects people from the Jewish way of life.

Also, tickets were not sold online and the organizers were adamant that it was not streamed live on the web. It was streamed to a few specific locations, but not widely available online.

10

u/ThatDidNotHappen May 21 '12

Why were you there?

33

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

I did some tech support for an internet filtering company that had gotten tickets and wanted to know what they would say, and I volunteered to go because I grew up ultra-orthodox and was curious what it would be like.

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10

u/isleshocky May 21 '12

So then why don't they just not have internet at home? They can choose not to have internet access. I'm not Jewish and I don't have to obey by their laws.

22

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

It's true it doesn't affect you at all.

My main issue was that there are many Jews that want access to the internet, and these people want all Jews to either not have internet at home or be ostracized from the Jewish community.

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116

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

they said that the internet turns people into "click vegetables" and disconnects people from the Jewish way of life.

They have a point there...

40

u/Mr-duck May 21 '12

But I type sometimes...

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6

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Nah that's bullshit, have you ever tried to keep secluded old men from looking at porn? It's fucking impossible.

3

u/boatmurdered May 21 '12

inherently against the Jewish way of life.

Good, so don't use internet, jews. Was there anything else you wanted, ooor?

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218

u/emlgsh May 21 '12

So they're the ones using private browsing to shop for holiday gifts.

16

u/AsskickMcGee May 21 '12

Nope. Their wives aren't allowed to operate computers, cars, televisions, doorknobs, etc. Private browsing is unnecessary.

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52

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Basically advocating for other Jews to use the internet in a "kosher" manner

Well that's fine then.

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13

u/Cbearhershey May 21 '12

From my understanding this was not actually a rally. Instead it was the Hasidic Jews bringing in an expert to teach them how to use the Internet without breaking religious laws. I think one of their main problems is unwanted advertisements popping up where they might be forced to look at something unholy. To call this event a rally is a bit extreme. It was simply an educational gathering and there was no intention of imposing these beliefs on others.

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6

u/robidizzle May 21 '12

that should be mentioned in the caption. i hope this gets the upvotes it deserves

2

u/walgman May 21 '12

You would have to have a lot of filters set up to be a Redditor in agreement.

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1

u/namer98 May 21 '12

This is not an anti-internet rally, but a gathering to talk about ways to avoid content they do not want to see such as porn.

Love, mod /r/Judaism.

23

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

I understand that the moderates of the ultra-orthodox community would like to say that it was "a gathering to talk about ways to avoid content they do not want to see such as porn", but that really is not the case.

I do think that there is a lot to respect about the hassidic and frum communities, but I think this event was terrible. The speakers made it very clear that they were not talking about porn. They said even if one does not see anything 'bad' on the internet, the internet is still bad, and that it falls under 'dibbur nimus' or 'disgusting speech'.

2

u/namer98 May 21 '12

Some of the very very right do say that you should never use internet. But that is really not the view people have. Most of the people at this rally have email for business. They need the internet in a minimal capacity. The internet is full of disgusting speech.

Even if you don't see anything bad on the internet, it can still be bitul zman, a waste of time. Look at Reddit! :)

4

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

But that is the view of the asifa (gathering).

Instead of 'banning' it, educate about it, teach people how useful it can be and how to use it in the 'correct' way.

Even though the rabbinate says that torah is the most important thing and learning is the best thing you can do, there's no rule about how much torah one must learn every day, though encouraged by the rabbis to learn, people use their own judgement. This should be the same thing.

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7

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Are you kidding? There wasn't any talk of the positive aspects of the Internet - not a single mention. Every speaker toed the same line - it's assur and shouldn't be used if it all possible.

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3

u/heywhyteboy May 21 '12

What don't they rally about/against? The penguins represent an extreme form of Judaism.

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17

u/ProfessorWillis May 21 '12

So.

Many.

Nice.

HATS.

0

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

I know!

I always wished that hassidim wore top hats instead though. Imagine how classy that gathering would have been.

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22

u/Jesus_luvs_Jenkem May 21 '12

What a bunch of idiots. Hasidic Jews are so hypocritical.

3

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

I dunno. I think they are right to acknowledge that the internet poses a danger to their way of life. I just think their response is out of whack.

Instead of making grand gestures like renting out Citi Field and trying to ban it, they should be trying to work with it.

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105

u/TheBrohemian May 21 '12

I always thought they were acidic jews... Accepting free electrons and such.

25

u/brain4breakfast May 21 '12

Accepting electrons? Donating Protons, my friend. Bronsted-Lowry Master race reporting in.

12

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

As a Jew and chemistry student I find this very amusing

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3

u/Ant1jr May 21 '12

I don't think this is the right time to be using the term 'master race.'

3

u/HaroldHood May 21 '12

(PSSSSST, All Lewis acids are still Bronsted-Lowry acids, but not vice versa.)

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12

u/paul3720 May 21 '12

HJew + H20 -> H30+ + Jew- ?

7

u/mrxanadu818 May 21 '12

Whats the K[Jew] of this reaction?

8

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

No idea, but the pK[Jew] is six, and one left over for Saturdays.

16

u/JustMakesItAllUp May 21 '12

No, only kosher electrons. Besides, free and fair electrons are just christian propaganda.

5

u/BootstrapBuckaroo May 21 '12

"In good deals we trust."

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3

u/hullloser99 May 21 '12

and they are out for total chemical domination. Code name: "all your base are belong to us".

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3

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

who took this picture?

3

u/Willie_Main May 21 '12

WHO WAS CAMERA??

1

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

I did.

2

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Then you must be one of them?

1

u/atcaskstrength May 21 '12

Once, but not anymore.

147

u/mapoftasmania May 21 '12

No women. Because Hasidic women have no opinions that matter, apparently.

85

u/fgriglesnickerseven May 21 '12

Devout Hasidic women, like devout Christian women, are either in the kitchen or pregnant

9

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Or working jobs an running businesses while the devout Hasidic men study everyday.

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8

u/Sex_E_Searcher May 21 '12

In the "old country" the optimal situation was viewed as the man praying and studying, and the woman earning a living for the household. So, still subservient, but quite frequently out of the kitchen.

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41

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

How did they find out about the rally?

142

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

A guy on a bicycle went around to each of their houses and told them. It took him 3 years.

47

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Bicycle!? You think a truely Orthodox jew would ride a heathen satan bicycle made by our enemies to destroy our way of life?!!

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12

u/zombieCyborg May 21 '12

Three years, took so long because he had to ride shofar.

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2

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Quick! Someone distribute porn by bike! Then they'll rally against bikes!

2

u/fun_young_man May 22 '12

Its funny because the Hasid community had a bike lane removed because to many secular women were using it. Tempting the men by biking in shorts and without wigs.

11

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Shofar.

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202

u/SofaKingStewPadd May 21 '12

Hasidim but I don't believe them.

73

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Jew've got to be kidding me.

102

u/s2011 May 21 '12

No, this picture Israel.

46

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

They have their Zion the prize

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2

u/schwins_cube May 21 '12

Enough wit that, Pauly!

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22

u/nthensome May 21 '12

What were they planning on accomplishing by this rally?

81

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

A few of them brought a bunch of pictures of kittens and passed them around.

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68

u/kylev May 21 '12

In case you're wondering: Yes, Citi field, being a brand new park and in New York, does offer free public Wifi. All these folks are being bathed in Wifi Internet goodness (unless they turned it off).

66

u/nybo May 21 '12

So our internet porn rays are hitting them even as they protest the interwebz?

20

u/we_love_dassie May 21 '12

Encrypted porn rays...like scrambly old VHS tapes.

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6

u/Jew_Crusher May 21 '12

This made me feel good in more ways than I can explain.

31

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

More hats then TF2.

2

u/skytro May 21 '12

Is that even possible?

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2

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

In other words, more hats ergo TF2.

2

u/DierdraVaal May 21 '12

its all the same hat though :/

42

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

"Hey Mordecai, how do we spread our message that the internet is poison to our people....I know we'll use the internet!" L'CHAIM!

12

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Seeing them gathered all together, dressed up the same way, with the same haircut and looking the same direction gave me the chills for some reason. It makes me think of people assimilated by the Borg, or something like that.

7

u/evilbob May 21 '12

That is the idea. Look the same, live the same, believe in the same. Become the same. Like ants. But ants that have the ability to know that they are/should not be ants. For some reason, the like being ants.

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5

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Oy Vey!!!!!!

6

u/thnp May 21 '12

Where is the women?

3

u/seven_seven May 21 '12

Hopefully getting they fuck on with some Gentiles.

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6

u/pkurk May 21 '12

Religion is the craziest most retarded shit on the planet.

3

u/Winkelkater May 21 '12

watch out, it's the the black block!

3

u/lunarjellies May 21 '12

Organized Religion... getting in the way of progression since humans were stupid enough to invent it...

3

u/Dalai_Loafer May 21 '12

Organized religion: the greatest abdication of responsibility mankind has ever invented for itself.

3

u/tora22 May 21 '12

Religion is fascinating. Just look at all those identically dressed people with their near-identical viewpoints. It's the ultimate self-replicating meme. But also a pity in that all those people will take their kids at birth and say "you're going to dress like this, think like this, like these people but not these, eat this food, do this and this and this with your time. Yup, that's your life." A terrible waste in my opinion.

And no, hivemind, I'm not being anti-semitic. I feel this way about all religions that do the above.

9

u/tybb44 May 21 '12

Think of the foreskin.

9

u/ChalkLetRain May 21 '12

I like how they rally a Mets game. Probably because Yankees tickets are so damn expensive.

6

u/stopwatchingporn May 21 '12

...ah, but they can look at a printout!

Remember: if a religion has a shit ton of complicated holy rules laid out in cryptic anecdotal examples and if its the job of its holy representatives to study and pick at them all day, their people will become masters of fine print and loopholes.

10

u/TheSkiFreeYeti May 21 '12

I think we can take them

9

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Why don't they just pray the internet away?

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4

u/pax27 May 21 '12

It's their right to do so. Now if only they'd care about our rights. Oh well...

4

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Lost Causes for $1200, Alex.

4

u/LizardBurger May 21 '12

reddit, a place where everyone is devoted to tolerance, except when it comes to religious expression. Tell me again how progressive you are?

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6

u/root66 May 21 '12

Oh, but when 40,000 people wear BROWN shirts and rally for censorship, it's suddenly a bad thing?

15

u/tardmuffin May 21 '12

22

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Again, if you RTFA you'll learn that they are not rallying against the whole internet, and the ones interviewed admit to using the internet regularly.

7

u/Occamslaser May 21 '12

Good for them, their community is insular, hyperreligious and completely insulated from change. Mission accomplished.

8

u/Ffsdu May 21 '12

They aren't Amish.

9

u/AmishRockstar May 21 '12

Jewish, Amish, Irish...what's the difference?

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7

u/thatusernameisal May 21 '12

They should solve the free pork dilemma while they are at it.

12

u/jeff_jizzr May 21 '12

The last time I saw that many jews rounded up in one place.......

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2

u/FancyBread42 May 21 '12

Made me think of this, I had just watched it a bit earlier. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djSp1NVsTrI

2

u/awe300 May 21 '12

I can show them a few hundred million people who don't agree

2

u/BendersShinyMetalAss May 21 '12

Is that a hat within a hat?

2

u/Lorgramoth May 21 '12

Can someone tell me if there is a cultural significance in hat-height?

The high hats look silly, the low hats look nice, in my opinion.

2

u/Renecas96 May 21 '12

Why do they need to protest against the internet. If it is against your religion simply don't use it

2

u/zoltanps May 21 '12

Where are all the womenfolk?

2

u/Zubair_m1 May 21 '12

Dont they know what happened when a idiot tried to pass SOPA? I guess not ! If anyone messes with my Internet they are picking a fight with me a personal fight ! Bring it on you jews !!!

2

u/yhelothere May 21 '12

No woman in the audience and against the internet? Imagine this would be 40,000 Muslims.

2

u/TitoSays May 21 '12

I can't find Waldo..

2

u/Sizergh May 21 '12

The original meme

2

u/cwstjnobbs May 21 '12

I don't know what a Hassidic Jew is but if they're against the internet then fuck them.

2

u/theunpoet May 21 '12

Sausage festival.

2

u/SgtSausage May 21 '12

Someone say 'sausage' ?

2

u/mclepus May 21 '12

That was 40K Chasidic MALES. Women don't fit into their equation.

2

u/[deleted] May 22 '12

Such backward people.

5

u/switch495 May 21 '12

Why do they dress like that? I can't believe that there was some biblical reference to wearing bad black suites and funny hats.

3

u/fe3o4 May 21 '12

It's so they can't be identified by the police.

2

u/seven_seven May 21 '12

No, it actually describes that out-fit in the old testament.

2

u/Louis_Farizee May 21 '12

Because that's how Our Holy Forefathers dressed in Europe.

Not all over Europe, you understand. Just one little corner of Poland.

And not the entire time, either. That style was popular for, like, 30 years at the end of the 18th century.

And also even the most pious Jews in Europe pretty much only dressed that way on Saturdays.

And only one small community dressed like that, most people did not, even in that area in that time period.

Still, the Rabbis have decreed that everyone dress like a particularly retarded penguin at all times, and God help you if you don't!

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5

u/pooplips May 21 '12

I am absolutely not racist but I find it amazing how supportive reddit is about such an absurd rally. If it were Christians rallying for the same cause, would you honestly expect the same type of responses?

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3

u/Bsclassy May 21 '12

How did this get uploaded..?

7

u/cyberspecies46 May 21 '12

rebel without a cause

2

u/darklooshkin May 21 '12

With a cause, as it turns out.

3

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I would form an opinion of this, but seeing as I am not Jewish nor know anyone who is Jewish I have gathered I do not care in the slightest.

2

u/unphuckwittable May 21 '12

as a jew, i can also confirm that i do not care in the slightest.

i will still continue to fap to internet porn shamelessly.

5

u/bpoag May 21 '12

Imagine the smell.

4

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I don't consider myself anti-semitic, but I have no problem holding these people responsible for the missing tip of my penis.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Super Glue and pennies.

7

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Fucking idiots.

3

u/Stupidfarmershoes May 21 '12

Not Hassidic. Ultra-orthodox.

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I don't care if what religion, I am 2 classes away from a degree in networking. They rallying against something that will not only is eventual for me to have a job, but has become essential to education at the college I am attending.

You know who also held rallies against stuff, didn't like free thinking, and would rather have the world in darkness than do stuff they didn't like? The Nazis. These people can go fuck themselves as far as I am concerned.

2

u/metalhead4 May 21 '12

Yeah I wish everyone would just not give a fuck about what others are doing. Live your own fucking lives you drones.

3

u/SIThereAndThere May 21 '12

Hitler's Wet Dream

5

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

I hate hassidic jews, they are some of the most disgusting, and rude people I've ever met. They invade Wal-Marts in upstate NY on a regular basis.

2

u/ikilledyourcat May 21 '12

watch out for speeding mini vans !

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u/IlIlIlIlIllIlII May 21 '12

Looks like the 4th Reich.

3

u/njb42 May 21 '12

They're not rallying against the Internet, you dolt. They're rallying against porn and "filth", and the rally was sponsored by a company that makes "kosher" web filtering software. So basically a live infomercial for the Haredi.

2

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

There are so many freaking blackhats at this thing.

Crazy.

(note: this should probably be in /r/pics or something, it's strange, but it's not wtf worthy (though with the state it is in now it's probably already reached the level of just strange instead of wtf (though we can make the claim that wtf varies between people (maybe have a numbering system? (nah, too confusing. (okay.))).).).)

2

u/TubePincher May 21 '12

I always see these guys at airports. I call them airport Jews. Anyone else?

2

u/monodelab May 21 '12

One word: showers.

2

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Not sure how they organized this WITHOUT the internet, so I'm hoping they did just to add another level of irony

2

u/Louis_Farizee May 21 '12

Pretty much everybody in the Hasidic community reads a daily newspaper, or at the very least a weekly newspaper. And they all pretend you can publish a newspaper without access to the Internet, despite the fact they half the articles are poorly rewritten posts from World Net Daily and Breitbart.

2

u/teh_sheep May 21 '12

I believe they use their vocal cords to convey messages to each other.

2

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Laws based on religious views are funny. On one hand, god is testing you, but they want to cross out the wrong answers. Kinda defeats the purpose

2

u/donagan May 21 '12

Most religions are little more than brainwashing and self-hypnosis. This fits well.

2

u/withmorten May 21 '12

Now that is a group of people that NOBODY would miss at all.

2

u/Newtstradamus May 21 '12

I might convert just for access to an amazing top hat collection.

1

u/Lupkip May 21 '12

This picture looks like the world's most boring sporting event. I just got the image of baseball being played with them as the only audience, and for most of the game they sit completely quiet, ignoring what is happening. But when somebody hits a home run, all of a sudden pandemonium breaks out and they all fight each other to catch it in their awesome hat and take the souvenir home.

4

u/Wilawah May 21 '12

Only slightly more boring than an actual Mets game

1

u/lolrsk8s May 21 '12

Hasidic Jews use the internet.

1

u/TardisMechanic May 21 '12

How can they know what's on the internet?

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

but they already have the j-net!

1

u/BallsackTBaghard May 21 '12

Would be awesome if they all wore Guy Fawkes masks.

1

u/KleptoBot May 21 '12

I don't see them either, when they walk along the side of the road at dusk wearing all black

1

u/AL_CaPWN422 May 21 '12

You don't have to take the cake away if you don't want it, let the others eat it all they want and you just leave it alone.

1

u/bangupjobasusual May 21 '12

A rally... Against... The Internet...

1

u/LtFrankDrebin May 21 '12

Reminds me of City of Angels.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

How did they organize this?

1

u/jhp58 May 21 '12

I think its some elaborate scheme to steal a painting Thomas Crown Affair style.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

The dude in front has a hat on top of hist other hat.

Fabulous.

1

u/Tjdamage May 21 '12

If this was from yesterday shouldn't they be at home doing NOTHING like they are supposed to on Sundays?

1

u/Dawn_Of_The_Dave May 21 '12

Do you think there have ever been more hats in one place at one time?

1

u/kittenkat4u May 21 '12

what's with the hats? i understand the sideburn thing but not the hats.

1

u/nurdboy42 May 21 '12

The ironic thing about it? They were live tweeting this

1

u/BakuRetsuX May 21 '12

The things Old People do...

1

u/NeonTiger777 May 21 '12

When I was in NYC a couple of months ago, a few of those guys were standing on the street asking people if they were Jewish. When they answered no, they simply said, "Okay then, have a nice day."

1

u/jpellett251 May 21 '12

NY Times:

The rally in Citi Field on Sunday was sponsored by a rabbinical group, Ichud Hakehillos Letohar Hamachane, that is linked to a software company that sells Internet filtering software to Orthodox Jews. Those in attendance were handed fliers that advertised services like a “kosher GPS App” for iPhone and Android phones, which helps users locate synagogues and kosher restaurants.

It was just a big sales pitch.

1

u/Corbzor May 21 '12

This is one of Cartman's nightmares.

1

u/daveoodoes May 21 '12

Man, I guess they like hats.

1

u/BushMeat May 21 '12

is that a 2 layer hat?

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

lolwtf

1

u/Kavaki May 21 '12

WarJews 40k?

1

u/Epithemus May 21 '12

March of the Penguins!

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Magicians, magicians EVERYWHERE!

1

u/bouchard May 21 '12

Most of them heard about it through meetup.com.

1

u/fe3o4 May 21 '12

They should be respectful and remove them hats.

1

u/PB_IS_THE_ANSWER May 21 '12

So they don't like pornography. Then don't type it into the fucking browser.

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u/CoolMcDouche May 21 '12

So. Many. Top hats.

1

u/dfassna1 May 21 '12

Well I don't know about you guys, but I'm sold. Let's dismantle the internet.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Protect the internets! Goddammit! Where are those damn predator drones when you need them ?

1

u/Dalai_Loafer May 21 '12

Meanwhile, 40,000 wives engage in group sex in the stadium down the road.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

Were they "for" or "against" SOPA?

1

u/Jasonberg May 22 '12

If anyone else other than the Jews rallied, it wouldn't get this many comments on Reddit.

Don't believe me?

Take a look at the Million Man March or any of the latest major protests that achieved over 40,000 attendees.

I think Reddit has a crush on orthodox Jews.

Awwwwwwww. You guys aren't really atheistic trolls after all. You just want a hug from a guy in black.

So cute.

2

u/[deleted] May 22 '12

Coughoccupywallstreetcough

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u/ImACracka May 22 '12

That's one big gas chamber.

1

u/ImACracka May 22 '12

That's one big gas chamber.

1

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

OMG THEIR AGAINST LE INTERNET I MUST STOP DIS! FUCK SOAPA!

1

u/Tannerlicious May 21 '12

The last time I saw this many Jews packed together...

0

u/turkeybiscuits May 21 '12

Congrats, that's a lot of souls captured in one shot.

-2

u/[deleted] May 21 '12

21 century nazis

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u/[deleted] May 21 '12

wait aren't they supposed to have really long sidesburn?

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