Haredi Rabbis 0; Internet 1

from Haaretz:

By the grace of God, and Mark Zuckerberg
Internet is prevailing over rabbis as Haredi advertisers seek ways to circumvent modesty.

“What’s hiding behind the black?”

That’s the opening line of a Facebook page created by a group called “Haredim – Pleased to meet you,” which aims to offer a glimpse into the Haredi world. With more than 4,000 virtual friends, the site aims to facilitate discussions with the non-observant world about the many points of friction between the two.

The very creation of a Facebook page dedicated to Haredim defies the odds, given the abhorrence of ultra-orthodox rabbis for the Internet. The faithful are regularly ordered to steer clear of the abomination and to stay offline.

And yet, the allure of Internet has prevailed. Not only are the Haredim online, but they’ve joined the Web 2.0 age and are active on social networking sites. They’ve also discovered how to make money on Facebook, and they’re doing a good deal of business online.