The arrest of an alleged Iranian spy in Bnei Brak has sparked an unlikely social media storm - not about espionage, but about who gets to be called "Haredi."
Benjamin Weiss, charged with tracking nuclear scientists for Iran, wears a black kippah and lives in Israel's most religious city. But Jewish social media can't decide if he's "really" Haredi.
"His parents are hardcore Haredi," argued one user. "Sure, he had a non-religious phase, but he's married now, back in the community." Others pushed back: "A black kippah doesn't make you Haredi any more than a Yankees cap makes you a baseball player."
The debate took a humorous turn when social media star Melech Zilberslag weighed in: "The rule is simple - when someone from Bnei Brak does something impressive, suddenly everyone claims him as Haredi. When they mess up? 'Oh, he's not really religious.'"
Behind the dark humor lies a serious case. Weiss allegedly agreed to spy on strategic Israeli targets for Iran in exchange for payment. He's part of a larger Iranian operation targeting Israeli citizens that security services exposed last week.
