His father, Brian, explains to  BJL:

Yesterday's event captured in the video below developed around my son, Baltimore’s own Daniel Tanen.  Daniel and his wife Sara are the Av and Em Bayit for Ohr Torah Stone's Elaine and Norm Brodsky Darkaynu programs in Alon Shvut.  He was escorting a group of special needs students to a tekes (induction ceremony) for a former madrich of the program who is now bravely serving his country.  After the ceremony the students asked if they could get Thursday night chulent in Geula/Meah Shearim “like regular yeshiva guys.”  A pleasant walk to the restaurant ended in what you see in this video simply because my son and his friend were in uniform while wearing a Yarmulka. 

I daven each day for the safety of my son and his fellow soldiers….I never imagined that this would be the danger from which he would need my tefilos.  Rather than share my personal feelings about this incident (sadness/shame as a fellow Jew and anger as a parent), I thought I would share the letter (below the video) sent from the Director of the program, Avi Ganz (brother of Baltimorean Noki Ganz) to the parents of the students who were unfortunate to be part of what is an all too common occurrence in the holy land.

Good Shabbos,

Brian Tanen

PS: For those who want to learn more about the incredible work of Darkaynu and/or make a donation, they can visit http://www.darkaynu.org.il/

Dear Parents,

We are so proud of our program, our students and our staff. Much thought and hard work goes into the planning and implementation of our programs; the regular aspects as well as the special programs. Our Madrichim, in particular, truly represent the fulfillment of our daily prayer to be forunate to be counted amongst the ללמוד וללמד לשמור ולעשות : Our Madrichim maintain daily sedorim in the beit Midrash, they teach Torah to our students weekly, they serve as role models of the highest caliber in their Mitzvah observance and their actions on behalf of the greater community even beyond their very demanding Darkaynu responsibilities.

Tonight we had the distinct honor of supporting and paying tribute to Darkaynu former Madrich Leibel Nebenzahl as we attended his tekes hashbaah, swearing in ceremonies as a paratrooper in the IDF. The ceremony was held at our most precious spot, the Kotel HaMaaravi. While the significance of the place needs no explanation,  the message of the ceremony is clear : Am Yisrael and its army exist and thrive in Eretz Yisrael because of Torat Yisrael. It is for this reason,  as well, that each soldier is gifted with a Tanach upon his completion of basic training.

After tonight's meaningful ceremony at which were present Yeshivat Darkaynu's assistant director Platoon Sergeant Steve Gar, and Yeshivat Darkaynu Av Bayit, Private Daniel Tanen, the group headed to town to enjoy some dinner and celebrate.

As your son may tell you, the sight of our group of soldiers in Mesh She'arim elicited a loud and aggressive response from individuals who are tragically uncomfortable with and intolerant of those who represent the complexity and multifaceted nature of a life of strict Torah adherence coupled with national service.  The boys and our soldiers, in particular, we're safely escorted out of the crowd, and we are on our way home.
We stressed to the boys the primacy of humility in our Avodat HaShem and I'll take this opportunity to share it here as well. The Navi tells Klal Yisrael: "לא ברעש השם",  God is not found or experienced amid loud tumult but rather in The "קול מדמה דקה". It is The soft still voice that conveys Godliness. The Gemara in Berachos quotes Rav Sheishes who explains that the same is true about our experience of the masses. When people act more like the tumultuous noise, than like the soft still voice, there is no greatness nearby.

The individuals who engaged in rude, loud, protest are expressing the very antithesis of Godliness and for that, we would be better off to pray that they learn to acknowledge and experience the exalted nature of the קול מדמה דקה inherent in everything truly great. Their efforts to cause division should help us realize the genuine unity that elicits such strong protest in a feeble and ineffective attempt to break it up.

That is what we can celebrate tonight, even after this unpleasant experience.

All the best,

Avi