I was in the gym, on the exercise bicycle, reading Rolling Stone when I laughed so hard I nearly fell off my bike. The article was about Matisyahu – the reggae, pop, hip-hop, beatboxing orthodox Jewish sensation who is currently blowing up the circuit. This article, like everything else written about Matisyahu, explored the lingering question that follows him everywhere he goes. That question is this: How does an orthodox Jew front a reggae, hip-hop, pop band without contradicting his orthodoxy?
Anyone who knows anything about Hasidism knows it has a lot of rules.

It’s a religion chock full of rules, many of which would make being in a hip-hop, pop reggae outfit highly complicated. For instance, according to Hasidic law, Matisyahu (born Mathew Miller) must not have contact with women to whom he is not related, which means he can’t even shake their hands when they want his autograph.

“It’s hard to [say no] to every other person who comes up to you,” he complained in the RS interview. “It can come off as disrespectful.”

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Below are only a fraction of the letters we received in the aftermath of the Matisyahu article Just Another Yahu that ran in CityBeat Magazine on March 8, 2006.

This piece was a real firestarter. Angry readers emailed it to friends and family and soon it was whisking across the country, inflaming people in dozens of states who then wrote us to express their disgust. There were, of course, threats of boycott. The Anti Defamation League was notified and they in turn grilled Editor Dave Rolland on the phone for publishing it.

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“Hey Edwin Pecker, Are you a Nazi?”
Adam Shila – North Park

My last column saying Hasidic rasta-singer, Matisyahu, was being disrespectful of women for not shaking their hands (a practice called shomer negiah) has garnered more fireworks than any other column I have written. As soon as the article hit the streets BANG! I immediately began receiving emails from all across the country calling me, “anti-Semitic,” “racist,” “skinhead,” “Nazi,” “white-hood wearer,” “member of a white power group,” and even, “a self-hating Jew.”

There are also numerous angry postings on various Jewish websites in cyberspace. Another responder with so-called connections threatened to bully Google to take us off their search engine. I just finished an interview about the scandal with Donald Harrison from the San Diego Jewish Times. And, unbelievably, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has contacted us. Apparently, they’ve received a “score” of complaints about my column.

Ok, getting all irritated about some of the trash I write is one thing. I can even tolerate your calling me an Anti-Semite, or a Nazi. But going to the ADL to snitch on me is so weak.

“Mommy! Mommy! Eddie Decker is saying mean things to me. Make him stop!”

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Anti-Defamation League calls for
protest of CityBeat column on Hasidim
(Jewishsightseeing.com, March 16, 2006)
By Donald Harrison

SAN DIEGO– Morris Casuto, the regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, contends that San Diego CityBeat columnist Edwin Decker stepped over the line of taste and fairness in a column ridiculing certain practices of Orthodox Jews. Casuto’s organization has asked its members as well as those of other Jewish organizations in San Diego County to write letters to the periodical in protest.
In an e-mail sent to Jewish leaders, organizations and media of San Diego County, Casuto contended that Decker’s column, “Sordid Tales,” requires a response from the community to the alternative weekly newspaper.

Here is the text of his letter, addressed to “dear colleagues”:
It has come to our attention this afternoon that Edwin Decker’s column “Sordid Tales” in CityBeat should be insulting to the entire Jewish community. We have attached a link below so you will have the chance to read this disgusting column yourself.

http://www.sdcitybeat.com/article.php?id=4131

In it you will find a disturbing perception and rather vile portrayal of the Hasidic community’s alleged view of Jewish women. Although directed at Hasidic Jews, this negative representation affects our entire community.

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CityBeat columnist responds to Jewish community protests
(Jewishsightseeing.com, March 17, 2006)
By Donald Harrison

SAN DIEGO– A San Diego CityBeat columnist whose denunciation of gender separation and other Orthodox Jewish customs ignited a storm of protest letters from the San Diego Jewish community said he understands the community’s reaction, but said although his language may be vile, he believes speaking out for women is just.

The exchange between columnist Edwin Decker and me began with my email to him, in which I asked for a telephone interview, explaining: “Your most recent column concerning the fact that Orthodox Jews do not shake hands with unrelated people of the other gender has prompted a lot of comment within the San Diego Jewish community. I’m told that some members of the community are writing letters to your newspaper in protest. The Anti-Defamation League, in particular, feels that you have offended the community.”

In his response, the “Sordid Tales” columnist wrote “yes, the Anti-Defamation league has contacted us. And we’re receiving more angry mail than any article ever published in this magazine before. I would love to do an interview with you, but, given the angry nature of my letters, and what I perceive to be a total misunderstanding of my words, I would rather do the interview via email so that I have a written record of everything that was said, just in case I am misquoted, or quoted out of context. This is not to imply that you would intentionally misquote me, but I have to protect myself here. (I’ve never received communication from the anti defamation league before — scary!). Does this work for you?”

That was fine with me. Following are my questions, which were submitted as a group, and his responses:

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Editor, jewishsightseeing.com,

An interesting interview. I hope you realize that we have never called Mr.Decker an anti-Semite nor have we suggested or implied that a proper response to his, as he puts it, vile language, are threats or boycott. However every community and individual have the right to call such an article disgusting and inaccurate since it belittles and insults an entire community which is more sophisticated and nuanced than he suggests.

Given his comments one might come to the conclusion that he throws a metaphorical “bomb” at something he doesn’t like and then sits back to watch. What type of interaction does he expect from those he so easily stereotypes and reviles? Nevertheless you do a service to the community by printing his comments.

–Morris Casuto, Regional Director, Anti-Defamation League