Tzedek-Tzedek

(Note: You Tube removed the video which was initially embedded here) The UK Channel Four "Dispatches" investigative program broadcasted "Britain's Hidden Child Abuse" this week. The documentary was made over a one year period, and visits the chareidi communities of London, Manchester & New York. In London, an anonymous (to us) Chareidi rabbi is interviewed, who tells how a child was allegedly mollested in the community, who then told his parents, who went to the police. The community rabbinical leadership and many members subsequently intimidated and shunned the victim's family, charging them with "mesirah" (betrayal to the non-Jewish authorities). Another alleged child abuse victim, now an adult (Moshe) is wired up by Channel Four, and then meets and secretly videos Rabbi Ephraim Padwa. Moshe tells Rav Padwa that he was sexually abused as a child, and Rav Padwa tells him, repeatedly, from several angles, not to report to the police. ...

The full documentary goes out tonight on UK's Channel Four "Britain's Hidden Child Abuse." The impact of the documentary on the Jewish community in Britain is envisaged to be "like a tsunami hitting".

  This Wednesday night, Britain's Channel 4 News will screen a documentary "Britain's Hidden Child Abuse", which will spotlight alleged cover-ups of child abuse in England's Jewish community. According to information which hit the Jewish media this weekend, the documentary will feature Rabbi Ephraim Padwa, rabbinical head of the Stamford Hill-based Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations. Rabbi Padwa was caught on a hidden camera telling a man who alleged he was abused as a child that he should not report the allegation to the police. According to the Jewish Chronicle: Rabbi Padwa says no, and is asked why. “It’s mesirah”, he responds — a term which means betraying a Jew to the non-Jewish authorities. “But this is a very serious issue,” the interviewer says. “Yes, but not police,” Rabbi Padwa answers. A spokesman for Channel 4 said that the investigation had uncovered “19 different alleged cases of child sex abuse across the UK. Yet not one was report...

Local hero Rabbi Dov Lipman is going to be a Member of the Knesset!! Dov has been a mover-and-shaker in Beit Shemesh since hitting the ground with Nefesh Be Nefesh from the USA eight years ago. By profession, Dov is a Torah scholar and educator, including teaching for several years at Reishit Yeshiva in Beit Shemesh. However, apparently teaching in the Beit Hamedrash was a little restricting for Dov's multifarious talents, and so he took to dynamically & energetically promoting the public interest in the streets of Beit Shemesh, even when this has evoked the wrath of some of the local Establishment and Leadership. Dov took a lead activist role in lobbying the local politicians for municipal support to good causes - such as Lema'an Achai! In 2011, when the mayor of Beit Shemesh, Moshe Abutbul, handed over the new school building of Orot Banot Modern Orthodox Girl's School, to an ultra-orthodox group for their school - Dov was the right guy, at the right tim...

Batya Jerenberg encourages Zeide (Rav Kestenbaum) to vote Likud Our Two First-Time Voters - R.Ephraim Kestenbaum (83) and Yonatan Morris (19) Zeide's First Vote - Ever!! He said "Shechiyanu" as he put his vote in the box Proud Israeli Voter David Morris Wavering

Even though election polling is now banned (for a four day respite prior to the elections) I am willing to share the shocking findings of Tzedek-Tzedek's own poll. This poll was carried out over shabbat and motsei shabbat, and any suggestion that results were obtained by  talking in shul will be vehemently denied, as this is surely no less forbidden than publishing polls. The populations polled included family members (of voting and non voting ages), buddies in shul, colleagues in a shiur, two schnorrers at my door, and attendees outside last night's Likud Party Rah-Rah in Ramat Beit Shemesh. (More about that later, if I get the chance). Here we go: Likud Bayit Hayhudi Otzma Leyisrael  Not disclosing Others 1 1 9 1 0 In the 120 member Knesset, this translates to a whopping 90 seats to Otzma Leyisrael, and 10 seats to Likud & Bayit Hayehudi. All other MK's and Candidates should pack their bags and get their CV's...

MK's Arie Eldad and Michael Ben Ari pulled off another "shtik" - this time waking up the wealthy neighborhood of Ramat Aviv, with the recording of a Muezin from a mosque, at 6.30am.

Naftali Bennet, Leader of HaBayit Hayehudi, in Beit Shemesh   Naftali Bennet with MK's Nissim Slomienski and Uri Orbach   A Packed "Jewish House" at Kinor David (featuring Rav Ari Enkin) Rav Shmuel Eliyahu dispenses blessings "The Jewish Home" (Habayit HaYehudi) held a rah-rah session in Kinor David Hall, Beit Shemesh on Wednesday evening. Attendees included a cluster of (current & candidate) Members of Knesset (Uri Ariel, Uri Orbach, Nissim Smoliansky, Rav Eli Dahan, Avi Vertzman), Rav Shmuel Eliyahu (Chief Rabbi of Sfat, son of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu z"tzl) and local hero Rav Nissimi, head of the Shaalei Torah educational network and no.16 on the Habayit Hayeudi ticket. The two highlights were Naftali Bennet, who came over as very charismatic (cute smile, well spoken, sense of humour, which has got him into trouble...) and the second highlight was Crembos (chocolate gooyey things) with Bayit Hayehudi wrappers. Let...

When does Discipline become Physical/Emotional Abuse? When does Affection become Inappropriate Touch/Sexual Abuse? What should we do if we believe someone is Breaking Boundaries? --- Come hear Dr David Pelcovitz, keynote speaker, in RBS this Sunday 13th January! Magen's third Annual Child-Protection Awareness Evening will focus on "Breaking Boundaries". The program will include a unique & dramatic presentation (by Offer Goren), and an opportunity to ask questions to Dr Pelcovitz and a panel including  Rav Chaim Soloveichik shlita, and a Police Criminal Investigations Officer.  When: 8pm, Sunday 13th January Where: Beis Tefilla Hall, 34 Nahal Refaim, RBS A. This important event is a Must Hear for all Parents, Educators and Mental Health Professionals. Admission: 30 NIS. Light refreshments will be served. Dr Pelcovitz is a world-renowned Speaker, Psychologist and Author. Dr Pelcovitz recently published "Breaking the Silence" - Child...

I wasn't born National Religious (dati leumi). As my Jewish identity and then Israeli persona developed, I was attracted to the Dati Leumi camp as being a good fit for my faith (orthodox) and world-view (modern). When I first came to Israel, I was politically inclined to the left. It was the heady days of Oslo and I was enticed, together with throngs of Israelis, by the dizzying promise of peace in our time, no more war, etc. When the three shots rang out, and Yitzhak Rabin was rushed to hospital, and before we knew he was dead, I immediately arranged for a group to meet in shul to say tehilim for our fallen leader. (Not everyone I called said "Yes"). I voted for Shimon Peres (=Peace) and Shas (=care for the needy). As the mangled bodies, victims of the second intifada, mounted up, I grasped that the dream of peace, at least in the near term, had become a dangerous mass-delusion. With each time that terror victims were described by our leadership as ...

When does Discipline become Physical/Emotional Abuse? When does Affection become Inappropriate Touch/Sexual Abuse? What should we do if we believe someone is Breaking Boundaries? Come hear Dr David Pelcovitz in RBS this Sunday 13th January! Magen's third Annual Child-Protection Awareness Evening will focus on "Breaking Boundaries". The evening will include a dramatic presentation and an opportunity to ask questions to Dr Pelcovitz and a panel of experts. When: 8pm, Sunday 13th January Where: Beis Tefilla Hall, 34 Nahal Refaim, RBS A. This important event is a Must Hear for all Parents, Educators and Mental Health Professionals. Admission: 30 NIS. Light refreshments will be served. Dr Pelcovitz is a world-renowned Speaker, Psychologist and Author. Dr Pelcovitz recently published "Breaking the Silence" - Child Abuse in the Jewish Community. "Magen" is the Beit Shemesh Child Protection Organization. For further details: 02-9999.678 After office ho...