I have Jewish relatives on parent's side.
I've been somewhat disappointed to see how corrupt and crazy many Orthodox Jews can be .
There is a large community of them in Rockland County - they fight often.
One guy set another family's house on fire because he didn't like their prayer practices.
If an outside girl stops for gas in July and is wearing shorts the official "community standards" gang goes after her.
Its like something the Taliban might do.
Then there is the welfare fraud - more people are on welfare in the orthodox areas than anywhere else in the country.
They have all sorts of issues with law and corruption - FBI has gone after them.
I was at a "Iran Deal" protest in Manhattan that was mostly Jews concerned about Israel.
There was a very large crowd and in the middle of George Pataki speech 6 Hassidic men run down street with banner dissing Israel for being too secular. They don't mind the gov checks .
I believe they dont marry in a way the state considers "official" so they get all sorts of "single parent" checks.
Contrary to popular belief Hasidim dont trace back 1000s of years but go back to 1800s.
I consider them a cult.
I also consider them amateur lawyer who know how to play the "depends what 'is' is" game
Mortgage, welfare fraud bust in Brooklyn, Orange and Rockland county Orthodox communities
The suspects are accused of taking $20 million in fraudulent loans that were never repaid. Instead of using them for mortgages, they were used for credit card payments, real estate development and to pay off debts.
abc7ny.com
Raids in New Jersey town target ultra-Orthodox Jews accused of welfare fraud. ‘What is going on here?’
It was a spectacle nobody in this sleepy New Jersey town would forget.
www.latimes.com
Ortodox residents claim rabbi is running illegal yeshiva and boarding house in NY homes
Several members of the ultra-orthodox community have written letters to town building officials and the Rockland County Health Department complaining that Rabbi Nissan Arash Kakakian is operating an illegal yeshiva and rooming house in two homes zoned as single-family houses.
www.nbcnewyork.com
Seven Rockland Residents Sentenced In $14M Yeshiva Fraud Scheme
The federal funds that should have been spent to help educate underprivileged children instead went to line the conspirators' pockets.
patch.com
In a NY town, increasing Haredi influence turns a school board into a battleground
In Hasidic Enclaves, Failing Private Schools Flush With Public Money
Hasidic School to Pay $8 Million After Admitting to Widespread Fraud
The Central United Talmudical Academy, which operates the largest all-boys yeshiva in New York State, acknowledged illegally diverting money from federal food aid and other programs.
FBI makes arrests in sweeping mortgage, welfare fraud case
'The defendants involved alternately played the parts of prince and pauper,' the U.S. Attorney said.
www.lohud.com