Tzedek-Tzedek

Our Indifference Must End

2012-01-26T19:35:00.002+02:00

By Guest Writer Sam Sokol,
Kind Permission of The Five Towns Jewish Weekly

When Israel’s Channel 2 ran its exposé on the attack on eight-year-old Naama Margolese, who was innocently making her way to school and suffered the degradations of a group of chareidi extremists known to Israelis as the Sicarii, our own culpability in these events was exposed as well.

While an entire community stood by and did nothing, the Sicarii were allowed to bully, abuse, and torment many young Jewish girls, whose only crime was their desire to learn Torah in safety.

Many in the Orthodox community have tried to assuage their feelings of guilt by telling themselves—and anyone else who is willing to listen—that the Sicarii do not belong to their community and that the majority of chareidim deplore such activities.

While the second statement is most certainly true, the first is just as assuredly a pernicious falsehood. The extremists pray in the same synagogues, immerse in the same mikvaot, send their children to the same schools, and shop in the same grocery stores as the rest of us. We pass them in the street, live in the same buildings, and, as one of my acquaintances from shul admitted, even learn in the same kollels.

Like it or not, they are a part of us: the worst part. While we might deplore their behavior, we too are responsible for it. Our culpability, however, is not due to an act of commission but rather of omission: our failure to act against this cancer in our midst.

The Talmud teaches us that all Jews are responsible for one another, and the Torah states that one must not stand idly by as his brother’s blood is shed. Indeed, according to Chazal, one who witnesses a crime and does nothing is as guilty as the one who acted.

As a community, many of the chareidim in Israel have shown a deep-seated willingness to go to the streets to protest anything perceived as a threat to their way of life and to the honor of the Torah. If we can man the barricades for a parking lot, surely we can do so for the honor and safety of a little girl and her classmates.
Arguments over who owns the school building are irrelevant and detract from the real issue here, namely, our acquiescence to violence by those with whom we share a neighborhood and common institutions.

Some have called these thugs criminals, but this too is misleading. Criminals do not pretend to speak in the name of the community, or in the name of the Torah, or in the name of the Deity to whom we all have pledged our obedience and eternal honor.

While these people call out to the world that they represent Judaism, it is our responsibility for us to cry out, “Not in my name!”

Some gedolim have decried the actions of the kannoim within their own closed kehillot, but they have not called for any communal action against the extremists. Nor have they been willing to share their message with the wider secular public, other than such notable exceptions as Rav Ovadia Yosef and others like him. However, even as he decries violence, he continues to support a mayor who has all but bent over backward to give in to the demands of these criminals.

There have been some courageous individuals from Ramat Bet Shemesh Aleph who have gone out to the streets to protect the girls of Orot Banot. However, they have done so without the official sanction or encouragement of our rabbinic leadership.

One communal rav, in an e‑mail widely disseminated on the Internet, told a local resident that he would not sign a letter condemning the radicals for fear of giving the appearance that they are indeed of our community. This was followed by a 13-page epistle explaining his reasoning at length. This is disingenuous. The secular media has already tarred all of us with the same brush, and anyone with a basic understanding of the press can tell you that we need to show the world that opposition to this behavior does exist in the Orthodox community.

One such hero of public relations is Rabbi Shmuel Pappenheim, of the Kirya Chareidit. He is the former spokesman of the Eidah Chareidit. As a journalist, I can attest to the fact that while many chareidi leaders poured fuel on the fire by calling the media to task for an anti-chareidi conspiracy and downplaying the violence of our own radicals, Rabbi Pappenheim bravely faced the outside media and said, “Not in my name!”

If it were not for Rabbi Pappenheim, the chareidi world would be in a much worse position than it already is. This is a matter of chillul Hashem, and as such it behooves every one of us to mobilize all of our strength to fight for the honor of Torah by joining with right-thinking individuals of all religious persuasions to argue against the use of violence in the name of Hashem.

I must say this clearly: I am not chareidi, nor do I live in Ramat Bet Shemesh Bet. I am dati-leumi, I am married to a Chabadnik, and I live in Ramat Bet Shemesh Aleph. I do not know any of the Sicarii personally, and I have never been consulted before they commit their heinous acts.

But I am culpable nonetheless. I have stood silently while this violence has occurred and I did nothing. I accept my responsibility and offer my apologies to the family of Naama. Can the rest of our community do any less?

When I was writing about Bet Shemesh as a reporter, I would sweat bullets to make my pieces objective and fair. I would write revision after revision to purge all personal biases, and I interviewed people on all sides, sometimes risking my own safety to do so. I stayed up pulling all-nighters several times to make sure my pieces were fair and balanced.

Two days after the Sicarii attempted to lynch an Israeli television news team, I entered their beit midrash and confronted them, digital voice recorder in hand, asking why they act as they do. I risked my life for the story.
However, I am no longer writing the story. I have moved on to other topics and can finally speak out as a concerned citizen less worried about objectivity than protecting my family.

Every day I bring my daughter to school in Ramat Bet Shemesh Bet. Every day I wait for a bus back to my neighborhood at a stop on which is scrawled “death to Zionists.”

However, even with this on my mind I still stayed objective.

Following the publication of my final feature on Bet Shemesh for the Jerusalem Post, a local man approached me in my synagogue one Friday night, and in front of the entire congregation called me a “heretic,” because he did not approve of how I quoted his rabbi.

The pressure started to build within.

The next day, another member of the community told me that he believed that he had no obligation to assist his beleaguered brothers. It seemed that “Kol Yisrael areivim zeh la’zeh” was dead.

More pressure mounted.

However, it is only today that I finally speak out because one final incident occurred, what one might call the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Several hours prior to my writing this article, a young woman in Ramat Bet Shemesh Bet was surrounded, had her car windows smashed, her car keys stolen, and her head bashed with a rock, all for the “crime” of attempting to put up posters in a chareidi neighborhood.

What was particularly frustrating was that when she described the near-lynch, only disrupted by the intervention of the police, she told reporters about the large number of onlookers, outnumbering her assailants, who stood by and watched them close in around her.

Nobody did anything.

This passivity in the face of violence is what allows this type of religious crime to fester in our communities. The
silence of the rabbis not only emboldens our enemies, but also makes those who would otherwise stand up to these bullies feel that they need not act.

The excuses made by our rabbis are laughable. As a member of the press who is on friendly terms with Palestinian, secular Israeli, and chareidi journalists, I must say that the only truly unprofessional journalists I have witnessed were those in the “frum” media. Lies were told, the truth was distorted, and facts were hidden from the public.

Did the secular media blow things out of proportion? Many say yes. However, the media in Israel is sensationalist by its nature. Despite this, many in the secular media showed an appreciation for the nuances of the conflict in Bet Shemesh and my colleagues were searching for a chareidi voice that would provide context and distance the community from extremism. Except for Shmuel Pappenheim, that voice was never raised.

Was there an anti-chareidi media agenda among some journalists? It could be, but in the end it doesn’t matter. When there is an issue of Jews fighting Jews, those who profess to be our leaders must stand up and act, regardless of the media.

We must recognize that, as Gideon Levy wrote in Haaretz, the chareidim are an easy target and some are using them to further their own political agendas in this matter. However, that must not allow us to forgive or excuse their guilt.

While there would not be glowing press for the chareidi community, largely complicit in the violence for their
silence, the right words from the right rabbis could have greatly mitigated the negative press and diminished the chillul Hashem. Our rabbis may know Torah, but they do not understand media relations.

The chareidi press has cast doubts on the very occurrence of many of the incidents of violence, has misreported events, and on many occasions has declined to report on acts of violence by those living in their neighborhoods.
When the residents of Bet Shemesh got fed up with abuse, and with their appeals for help to the police, the rabbis, and the city government falling on deaf ears, they went to the media.

To the chareidi press, this was the real crime, not the violence.

As a resident of Ramat Bet Shemesh Aleph, I must say this: our continued silence is a crime. Until we end our shameful silence and come to the aid of our brothers, we are damned as collaborators. This indifference must end.

Oy Veh... Even More Violence in Ramat Beit Shemesh

2012-01-26T14:24:00.000+02:00

Natalia Mashiach, 27, was reportedly hanging posters in Ramat Beit Shemesh, promoting a lottery business, when she was accosted, and then attacked by a group of local residents; her vehicle was also attacked, smashing the windows and puncturing the tyres, and her attackers then poured bleach on her and the vehicle.

Natalie, who was born and lives in Beit Shemesh, believed she was about to be set on fire by the attackers, and likens the experience to being lynched in an Arab village.

Natalie reported that over fifty people watched the events, which happened in broad daylight on a busy street - and not one intervened to save her.

I am horrified by this event - I feel deeply ashamed of the depraved and lowly status of our community.

Those who attack fellow Jews in the name of my religion, and in the name of piety; and those who stand idly by the blood of our brethren.

How low we have sunk.

Migron Explained (In Hebrew)

2012-01-25T16:32:00.000+02:00

With the fight looming over the slated demolition of Migron, a not-yet-approved village in Shomron, here is a neat cartoon-like presentation of the history:

TONIGHT! Magen Presents: Dr Pelcovitz + Rabbi Yakov Horowitz

2012-01-19T14:03:00.000+02:00

DrDavid Pelcovitz, renowned psychologist, author, and inspirational speaker, willbe speaking in Beit Shemesh, and Rabbi Yakov Horowitz will be joining us by Video-Link, TONIGHT, Thursday 19th January, 2012,commencing at 8pm, at the RBS Matnason Nahal Dolev.

RabbiYakov Haber, Rabbi of Kehilas Shivtei Yeshurun in RBS, Founder of Torah Lab,will open the The Second Annual "Awareness Evening" organized by"Magen", the Beit Shemesh Child Protection Organization, with DivreiBracha.

DrPelcovitz will be the Keynote Speaker on: "What Every Parent Needs to Knowto Protect Their Children".

RabbiYakov ("Yanky") Horowitz, Founders of Project YES andFounder/Director of Darchei Noam Yeshiva in Monsey, will be talking about ChildSafety in the Community, joining us live by Video Link.

AChild Abuse "Survivor" will (for the first time) tell their powerfulstory.

RavHorowitz recommends, for preparatory reading, the following articles:

Therewill be an opportunity after the formal event for individuals to ask questionsto Dr Pelcovitz and other child abuse experts.

Ayear ago, Dr Pelcovitz also spoke for Magen, and addressed a packed crowd - amoving, passionate and highly educational evening.

Magencan affirm that, specifically due to that presentation, several local childrenwere saved from devastating harm.

Thewhole community is warmly invited to this important event - we are lookingforward to seeing you!

*** Tonight 19th January, 8pm, at the Ramat BeitShemesh Matnas, Nahal Dolev, RBS ***.

Recommended Donation at the Door - 20 NIS.(No one will be turned away through inability to pay).

---

"Magen"- Creating a Safer Community for Kids

MagenProtects@gmail.com

Hotline:052-765.2929

Sundaythru Thursday - 9am-12am;8-11pm

Fridays- 9am-12am

MotseiShabbat - till Midnight

MagenOffice

02-9997026

050-8489001

Getting Better Connected

2012-01-18T11:55:00.000+02:00

I don't think this applies to me, as I can spend seconds at a time away from my email and internet.

You too?

"Tag Machmir"

2012-01-16T18:51:00.000+02:00

"TagMechir" (literally: Price Tag) is a tactic allegedly used by some extreme right wingers, wherebyany actions taken by the Government, Army or Police against Jewish settlements,village and towns in Yehuda & Shomron are met with retaliatory actions.

Theconcept of physical retaliation against our own people, even or particularlywhen in uniform, or to innocent (Arab) bystanders, is anathema to theoverwhelming majority of the National Religious camp. These "tag machir"tactics are resoundingly and correctly condemned by the community leadership.

Inthe same way as the National Religious tend to have a chip on their rightshoulder about religious observance, sometimes imitate aspects of our Ultra-Orthodox brothers's ritual stringencies, I conjecture that the"tag mechir" is a tactic learned also from the Ultra-Orthodox.

Thebattle cry in Meah Shearim in Jerusalem and Ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods of Beit Shemesh, could be that of the ThreeMusketeers – "All for One, and One for All!".

It appears that whenever any ultra-orthodox person is arrested for any crime, the streetsfill with angry rioters, trash is burned in the streets, cars and buses stoned –in short, pandemonium breaks out.

Itseems to be immaterial the nature of the alleged crime.

Thisweek, it was a gang of alleged fraudsters, who are reported to have pocketed millionsof shekels of tzedaka funds.

Overthis past summer, protests turned to riots in Jerusalem, after police Police accompaniedtax authority and municipality officials, who raided a chicken slaughterhousebelonging to Yoelish Krois, the unofficial "operations officer" ofthe Eda Charedit.

Inanother incident, weeks of riots broke out in Jerusalemwhen a mother, apparently suffering from Münchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbP),was arrested on suspicion of starving her own child.

Herein Beit Shemesh we recall the riots which broke out in Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet whena body of a young woman was found in the local fields, in suspiciouscircumstances, and her body was taken for an autopsy. The husband was reportedlysuspected of murdering the wife. Due to the riots, the autopsy was abandoned and'suspected murder' category downgraded to "unknown causes".

Ihave no doubt that this "tag mechir" - which I hereby dub "Tag Machmir" - policy of the ultra-orthodox is indeed effective – and the police must think a thousand times before arresting ultra-orthodoxcriminals.

Onthe other hand, who would want to live in a community where suspected criminalsof every description, protected by the local powers-that-be, can walk freely inthe streets – like Harlem in the 1990's – a no-go zonefor law and order?

When Does Accommodation become Capitulation?

2012-01-12T16:21:00.001+02:00

Thelatest episode in the saga of spin-off stories emanating from the Beit ShemeshOrot Banot 'spitting' video, is the Machon Puah fracas.

MachonPuah is a fertility research center and clinic, established by the NationalReligious community.

Overa decade ago, Machon Puah decided to reach out to their ultra-orthodox(Chareidi) colleagues via a conference - “Innovations in Gynecology, Obstetricsand Jewish Law”.

Atthe time, the managers of Machon Puah asked Rav Mordechai Eliyahu whether theyshould have a men-only line-up of speakers at such an event, and the Rav saidthey should only have male speakers, I understand in order to encourage attendance fromtheir target audience.

Thepress outcry this year to this 'discriminatory' policy, banning women from talking (bedavka!) at afertility conference, was initiated by Rachel Adatto a Kadima Member of Knessetand an obstetrician.

In their response, MachonPuah pooh-poohed the press criticism, and announced the show would go on – and indeedit did this past week, with an estimated 1000 attendees.

Ihave seen comparable 'discriminatory' behaviour patterns at institutionsthroughout Beit Shemesh.

Eventswhich are not specifically 'religious', but where seating is separated out bygender.

Professional events where women are excluded from speaking, solely due to their gender.

Newspapersand magazines which do not ever publish a picture of any woman.

Communityorganizations which exclude women from all managerial or directorship positions.

Andof course we have the now-famous Beit Shemesh women-in-the-back buslines and women-on-the-other-side-of-the-streetpavements.

Iam not aware of any 'mainstream' rabbi who argues that these issues are addressinghalachik issurim (religiously forbidden activities). In religious terms, theseare considerations of chumras, minhagim, and 'mehudar' branding.

Theyare therefore principally issues of Chareidi culture and lifestyle choices.

Ibelieve the crux of all these issues is the question as to what differentiatesAccommodation of various cultural mores, as against Capitulation by a dominantculture, to the behavioural demands of a sub-culture.

Whenon a State visit to Abu Dhabi, theQueen of England covered her hair (see picture), in order not to offend her hosts. I thinkthis is entirely reasonable and unremarkable.

However,if the Queen of England was required to wear a Muslim headscarf every time sheappears in public in Britain, so as not to offend the sensibilities of the British Muslimminority – the British public would go bananas. The Sun (popular newspaper) would demand thatthe Queen revert to exposing her hair, and shout out "Stuff You!" tothe Muslim minority.

By covering her hair in public in London,the Queen would be seen as capitulating to the unreasonable demands of aminority of her subjects.

Meanwhile,back in Israel,I believe there is consensus that a synagogue is entitled to have separate genderseating arrangements, and so for example can a wedding banquet (althoughindividual guests may be miffed).

Andthat a woman in a tank-top would be unwise, and culturally insensitive, to walkaround Meah Shearim. She would be well advised, like the Queen visiting Abu Dhabi, to cover-up. (I am not saying the tank-topperis "answerable for the consequences" – the locals would not beentitled to harass the lady in any way).

DidMachon Puah do the right thing by banning women from speaking at a medicalconference aimed at Charedi rabbis and professionals, as this was simply pragmaticand sensitive to the needs of that 'market'?

Ordid Machon Puah, and do all the others, who adapt their own behaviour to meetChareidi cultural mores, sell out their principals and thereby capitulate to theunreasonable demands of a minority?

Whereare the red lines?

POSITIVE Initiatives in Beit Shemesh!

2012-01-09T09:17:00.000+02:00

Activists in Beit Shemesh are starting to prepare for the Day After, when the Press Vans go home, and the name of Beit Shemesh and the fractured community relations within the city, will need rehabilitating.

Recent initiatives include the Flash Mob dance by over a hundred women from Beit Shemesh. This event was the brain-child of Miri Shalem, Brenda Ganot, Orna Nachmany, Etty Ben-Ami Suissa and Paz Corcus.

Here's a great video of the Mob strutting their stuff:

This up-beat Beit Shemesh event received national press coverage, including articles on YNet, JPost, Arutz7, and Haaretz.

Another initiative is by the Parnership 2gether branch in Beit Shemesh, which has launched a request for proposals for grass roots cooperative and dialogue projects, aimed at bringing the various groups within the community closer together. Grants of 34,000 NIS are being offered as seed money for winning proposals. This was reported in the Jerusalem Post.

As reported here, there is also the Kiddush Hashem Initative, launched by Rabbi Yaacov Haber of Ramat Beit Shemesh.

If you hear of other POSITIVE initiatives being organized in Beit Shemesh, please let me know - I'll be happy to do my bit to promote them!
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Small Print: There are many halachik issues, even in seemingly harmless and 'no-brainer' public events. Before initiating or participating in a 'positive' event or project, it is (obviously) important to obtain the 'green light' from your possek/rav.

Kiddush Hashem in Beit Shemesh

2012-01-08T16:20:00.001+02:00

Rabbi Yaacov Haber

Ihad the privilege of attending a “Town Hall Meeting” arranged by Rabbi YaacovHaber last week, at his Kehilas Shivtei Yeshurun (KSY) shul in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Therav introduced the event by observing that there had been a huge Chilul Hashemaround the world, centered on the recent events in Beit Shemesh.

Thepurpose of the evening was to have a forum, for all present to float ideaswhich would (or could) create a Kiddush Hashem.

Rules:one minute on the timer for each speaker; any negativity is forbidden and willbe stopped in its tracks. On with the show…!

Outof around a hundred people who attended, over twenty people chose to speak. Theattendees were all anglos, and included broad representation of dati leumi andChareidi people. Men/Women were approximately 50/50. There were also someindividuals from Givat Sharett, including those who have been directly involvedin the struggle there, such as Dov Krulwich and Daniel Goldman.

Inspite of the controversial and highly charged events in recent weeks, I do notrecall even a single “negative” remark in the one hour event. The time keepingwas rigorously enforced, by the all-smiling MC David Geffen, and so everyone had an opportunity to speak on anequal footing.

Accordingto the event organizers, the following Kiddush Hashem-Ideas were proposedduring the evening:

* MassLove Your Neighbor Rally (maybe for 100,000 charedim

* Coordinatemore closely with the police to arrest and close down trouble makers

* Rabbanimfrom all the camps meet on a regular basis

* Shulmeetings… (maybe a couple of members from each shul)

* DefinitiveStatement against violence from all the leaders officially posted up on thestreets

* Finda symbol (like the orange ribbon for gush katif) to represent “We love allJews”, that becomes the In-Thing to wear or put on our car etc. (Rabbi Haberwould like to buy the T-shirt)

* Invitesomeone from CNN to see the good side of Beit Shemesh

* Indepth academic study of WHY and WHAT can be done

* Sothat those that want to be separate can be separate, establish areas for re-location

* Keepback tzedaka money for individuals and institutions in BET until Anti-Violenceconditions are met.

* OngoingDialogue for the leaders

* Votefor a Mayor that can solve the problem

* ProducePR, explanatory and family videos for Youtube etc.

* DifferentKehilot meet for kiddushim

* Storybooks for kids – maybe the adults will learn from them

* Daf Shalom – something like daf yomithat the community does each day for shalom.

* Largesignificant delegations visit the Rabbinical leaders

* Nashei Shalom – the women from allthe side should meet, strengthen relationships and lay the foundation forgenuine achdut

* Organizean immediate response team to violent outbursts

* AngloGimmicks such a singing evenings – fun things that bring the communitiestogether

Websitefor ideas

* Hire a top of the line PR firm to present the good side of Beit Shemesh

* Ona personal level to make sure to change our judgmental, distancing, evenhateful language that can sometimes unwittingly be used at the Shabbat Table

* AchdutMerchandise in the shops

* When we talk topeople, publicize the goodness in RBS BEG e.g. guarding the eyes (love “them”as well)

* Huggingexpeditions to various parts of Beit Shemesh, combined with idea 6 to be handedout before the hug J - The 1st expedition leaves from KSY at 11am on Friday Jan13 ~ 18th Tevet

* A book from RavHaber

Itis true that, in the cold light of day, many of these ideas sound zany; and surelyquestions will be asked what was in that pipe we were passing round....

Indeed, asI drove away from the KSY shul, in order to do some errands in Beit Shemesh, Ipassed dozens of RBS Bet residents, crowding around an incident involving abus, and a large dumpster. I believe protesters had thrown stones at the busand tried to block the main road with the dumpster.

Fora blessed hour, perhaps we had experienced the eerie quiet and peacefulness of the eyeof the storm.

I do hope that some of the ideas will spawn practical projects, as the need for "Beit Shemesh" to have positive associations tomorrow, instead of the negative ones today, is a supremely important mission.

However, as Rav Haber said (I paraphrase): if the only thing to come out of this evening, is this evening, and Hashem delights in our efforts to bring about a Kiddush Hashem, then this has been worthwhile.

Pleasesend further ideas and questions to: RabbiYHaber@gmail.com

If you have some nice photos of the evening, please email to me, so I can post them here (with credits!).

Right Mood (Can't Wait for Sukkot!)

2012-01-06T09:29:00.003+02:00

The newspapers/news-sites, magazines, blogs around the world are (quite rightly) not looking kindly on the protests and nefarious misdemeanors in Bet Shemesh.

Lest things get too depressing for we residents of Beit Shemesh I offer this locally produced simcha video. It's not Sukkot, but we need the fun and joy right now. I can't wait for Sukkot....

Kudos to: David Bar-Cohn, Moshe Hamburg, Stuart Schnee and Dr. Efraim Rosenbaum.

Beit Shemesh: When Thugs Run Schools

2012-01-03T14:23:00.000+02:00

"Sixof the Best" was the expression wryly used to describe the formalpunishment of being beaten on the buttocks six times with the headmaster'swooden cane.

Overthirty years ago, I was educated in posh English boarding schools – Malsis Schoolin Yorkshire, and the world-renowned Rugby School (where the gamewas invented); corporal punishment was encoded for over four centuries into the schoolrules (Rugby was founded in 1557).

Youhad to have done something pretty 'bad' to deserve the cane, particularly thetop-score of six strikes.

Lesseroffenses received lower counts, and there was a range of non-caning corporalalternatives, such as the ruler (across the hand), the shoe and the slipper (onthe buttocks).

Imyself managed to complete eleven years of posh schooling, without my buttocksever meeting the headmaster's cane. (I lost count of the milder slipperingsetc).

Althoughoutlawed in England for wellover a generation, and in Israel since child protection laws were enacted in the 1950's, many chedarim (religious primary schools) in

Israel

still practice corporal punishment.

Thoseresponsible for chedarim have pointed to the classic Jewish texts to supportthis practice:

"Hethat spareth the rod hateth his child, but he who loveth him chasteneth him betimes"(Proverbs 13:24)

Ateacher may employ corporal punishment to cast fear upon [the students].However, he should not beat them cruelly, like an enemy. Therefore, he shouldnot beat them with a rod or a staff, but rather with a small strap." (MishneTorah, Chapter 2, Halacha 2.)

Afull discussion on the pros and cons of corporal punishment in a school settingis beyond the scope of this article.

Indeed– such a discussion would actually just be a smokescreen…

Whathas happened in some chedarim is that, under the guise of "corporalpunishment", teachers/rebbes are behaving as thugs.

Violenceby adults against children under their care has become the accepted practice,by some cheder/school administrators, the teachers, the children (nebech), theparents, the rabbonim, their whole community.

Weare talking about teachers allegedly:

* beatingsmall children across the face

* smashingthe children's glasses while on their faces

* smashingthe children's heads against walls,

* drawingblood,

* permanentlyscarring skin tissue;

*causing permanent damage to ear drums (from being beaten around the ears)…

andalong with inestimable damage to these children's psychological health – andspiritual welfare.

Asecular Israeli related that he had been brought up orthodox, and when he wasin cheder, the teacher used a whip with three leather thongs to beat him andhis classmates. The teacher gave a name to each of the three thongs: Abraham,Isaac and Jacob. Due to the dreadful associations, the boy gave up praying (thecentral prayer the Amidah opens with "the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaacand the G-d of Jacob"), and eventually entirely left the religious fold.He does not know of even one boy in his cheder class who remained religiouslyobservant into adulthood.

Suchviolence by adults against small children under their care must be immediatelystopped.

Parentsand community leaders need to abandon their passive and accepting response tothis violence against their own children.

It isnot behaviour which can be glossed over as "traditional", "partof the culture" and explained away by using smokescreen halachik argumentswhich are about corporal punishment in schools.

Evenin my posh English school, the lines were clear. Yes, to corporal punishment.But if any teacher had dared, for example, to strike a child across the face (Idon't recall even one such incident in ten years in these Christianinstitutions), the teacher would have been immediately dismissed and in alllikelihood the police called in.

Andthis is not an issue for rabbonim to 'quietly sort out'. The rabbonim (I havespoken to) are well aware of the violence, and have been unable or unwilling totake measures to stop it.

Suchin-house hush-hush 'classic' community responses have failed these childrenmiserably.

Unfortunately,the parents themselves have been unwilling to report the violence against theirchildren to the appropriate authorities, due to an overwhelming dread of reprisals. They have a point - there havebeen several cases in Beit Shemesh/RBS where parents who dared to report child abuse in chedarim have been intimidated and chased out of the community, thecity, even the country.

Acommunity rabbi, well acquainted with the violence, warned that the parentshave every reason to be fearful – physically. He claimed that a particularcheder, known for its institutional violence to children, is run by people alsocapable of violence against adults. "It is an evil empire", he said,grim faced.

Thetime has come to call the violent behaviour in some chedarim what it is –criminal thuggery.

These 'teachers' face around nine years in prison (on each count) for their routine crimes against the children.

Andthe rings of adults who protect and even justify the thugs, are enabling childabuse – they are themselves criminals under Israeli law. They face six month prison sentences for failing to report these crimes.

Thecorrect and only effective address for parents of these children who are victims of violence byadults, is to report both the thugs and their enablers to the social servicesand the police.

Parents - All it requires, is to finally put the safety of your child, ahead of protecting the thugs and their cohorts.

The Beit Shemesh Partition Plan

2012-01-01T16:07:00.000+02:00

Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put up a trial balloon this week, proposing that Bet Shemesh be divided.

This is a new map showing Bet Shemesh, divided at the mid-point... between Men and Women.
(Thanks: Moshe Abelesz)

Further Beit Shemesh/RBS Horror Stories

2012-01-01T01:20:00.000+02:00

This Channel Two News story is about two Ramat Beit Shemesh families, and the treatment they suffered at the hands of ultra-orthodox extremists.

The first item focuses on the Kadosh family, consisting of a single mum and five kids. Three of these kids are severely disabled by a degenerative genetic disease.

According to the report, the Kadosh family were harassed and intimidated by extremist ultra-orthodox thugs, forcing them out of their home in Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph.

The Kadosh family have financial problems, due to their situation; the local "Charity Fund" raised money for the family; the Kadosh family then obtained significant help from that local charity fund.

The thugs apparently successfully arranged with the directors of the Charity Fund for the Kadosh Family to be struck off, resulting in additional financial hardship (not to mention the emotional pain caused by such treatment).

I understand that the Kadosh family did subsequently relocate to a more sympathetic location in Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph, where they are now helped by the community.

The second family, the Browns, are a National Religious family who lived in Ramat Beit Shemesh Bet; however, the Browns were systematically bullied and intimidated out of that neighborhood by thugs - and now daven in my shul (Soloveichik) in Ramat Beit Shemesh Aleph.

To the Brown Family - Welcome!!

Sanity In Bet Shemesh

2011-12-30T14:05:00.000+02:00

While the entire world is hearing about the "darker" side of Bet Shemesh we would like to tell (or remind) you about a sparkling gem in the midst of our city.

Lema'an Achai. Smart Chesed.

For over 11 years Lema'an Achai has been the voice of reason and sanity providing the tools to build better and brighter futures.

Lema'an Achai helps ALL those in crisis. Men and Women. Religious and not so religious. Ashkenazi and Sefardi. Young and old.

Poverty and hardship don't discriminate. Nor do we.

You can be a partner in our amazing work that has changed hundreds of lives for the better.

As we conclude this tax year please consider a generous tax deductible donation to help strengthen Lema'an Achai, a bastion of sanity that unites Jews from all stripes for the common goal of helping others in need.

Please visit our website at www.smartchesed.org . Take a look around and donate generously. Share this message with your friends. Everyone should know of the beauty of caring for all of our brothers and sisters.

With your help the positive messages of Lema'an Achai will continue to be a beacon of light for all of us.

Thank you and Tizku L'Mitzvot!
Rav Avrohom Leventhal

Executive Director

www.SmartChesed.org
avrohom@lemaanachai.org

Nachal Lachish 40/7

Ramat Bet Shemesh,

New Driving Regulations In Israel...

2011-12-30T09:20:00.002+02:00

Humour, well used, is the sharpest weapon.

Proportionality in Bet Shemesh

2011-12-29T15:12:00.002+02:00

Iwas contacted yesterday to ask if I would be willing to participate in a BBC panelof Beit Shemesh residents, to discuss the situation at Orot Banot.

Whenthe Israel Defence Forces undertake operations against terror groups, Israel’scritics throw the word “disproportionate” into their (knee-jerk) condemnations.

Asin: The top UN human rights official says

Israel

's military response to thefiring of rockets at its territory by Palestinian militants is"disproportionate."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3645919,00.html

Herein Beit Shemesh, the dispute between the ultra-orthodox “Sikrikim” and the OrotBanot school, has indisputably become the main news-story in Israel.

Whereasthe news abroad is full of human-interest stories, here in Israel's corner of the Middle East we’ve got existential threats from Iran's Nuclear bomb, the Syrian civil-war, Islamic Fundamentalists elected to power in

Egypt

,Hamas joining with the PLO… Some reasonably serious news items.

Nevertheless,literally half of the morning news on the radio and hours of TV, has been taken up withdiscussions about the behaviour of the “Sikrikim”, and other gender discrimination issues in wider Chareidi society, such as gender-segregatedbuses, and “Modesty” signs posted in Chareidi neighborhoods.

Israel

’sPresident, Shimon Peres, publicly encouraged people to attend this week’sdemonstration in Beit Shemesh.

AndPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raised the prospect of dividing BeitShemesh (100,000 residents) into two cities – a Chareidi city, and anon-Chareidi city.

Thetitle of the proposed BBC Forum discussion was “Are Ultra-Orthodox Extremists aThreat to Israel’sDemocracy?”

Areasonable question, in light of the wall-to-wall press coverage of the OrotBanot story in Israel.

Ofcourse the answer to the BBC’s question is a straight “No”.

That’swhy I said I wasn’t interested to participate, and probably why the panel discussionidea didn’t get off the ground. Such a daft question, doesn’t justify a paneldiscussion.

Of course, theissues raised by the sikrikim have wider relevance in Israeli society, but,actually, it is a very focused territorial squabble between a couple of hundredextremists neighbors, and one local girls school.

TheBeit Shemesh Parents leaders, particularly Rabbi Dov Lipman, have organized an outstanding campaign, and have succeeded in getting this local disputefront-page national and even international exposure.

Literally,beyond our wildest dreams.

Atthis point, it’s now time to re-adjust the balance, and to examine whether the proposedsolutions to the problem, such as turning Beit Shemesh into Cold-War Berlin, maybe "disproportionate".

Fatal Beating

2011-12-27T22:48:00.000+02:00

I rediscovered this gem of Rowan Atkinson.
As a graduate of two English boarding schools, I can relate...

Given the situation in some talmudei torah (chedarim), perhaps this sketch would go over better in Yiddish?

("Mild" bad language warning).

A Law Unto Themselves

2011-12-26T14:19:00.001+02:00

Thebattle since the start of this school year, for Orot Banot School, has reached national status.

8year old American olah, Naama Margolies, from Beit Shemesh, has become a nationalicon, due to a Channel Two News report aired this Saturday night.

Naamaexplains how scared she is to travel the 300 metres from her home to school. And,in front of the cameras, and in spite of her mother’s words of encouragement,Naama refuses to walk there.

Naamais clearly traumatized by the protesting Sikrikim (extremist chareidim) who havedemonstrated outside Orot Banot modern-orthodox girls school for the pasthalf-year. The demonstrators reportedly scream insults ("whores!""shikses!"), spit and throw various objects at the young school girls.

Hermother explains that, although her family is orthodox, in the eyes of the kanoim,they are not.

Thereport continues by interviewing a chareidi-from-the-street (in his car) whojustifies and apparently agrees with attacks on 7 year old girls who, in his opinion,are not dressed or behaving properly.

Here’sthe Channel Two report in full:

Sincethis report, Prime Minister Netanyahu has addressed the topic of GenderSegregation, and it’s unacceptability in the modern State of Israel. He hasinstructed his various Ministers to take firm action.

BetShemesh Mayor, Moshe Abutbol, himself Chareidi (Shas) has come under fire fromthe national press, for his inability to control the extremists in the city.

Anational level demonstration is planned for this Tuesday (tomorrow) in BeitShemesh – potentially reaching numbers well beyond the locals in Beit Shemesh havebeen able to field until now.

Ata telling point in the Channel Two interview, a chareidi man says that “yourState does not exist, your Laws do not exist – only the Torah exists”.

Inmy humble opinion, this is the crux of this issue.

Every“club” is entitled to some degree of self-regulation.

Agolf club, for example, can decide not to allow people to walk on the grasslawn. Or to add a 19^th hole to the course.

Theproblems are when the golf club also says that underaged (illegal) drinkers canuse the club bar.

Orthat it is permitted to drive your golf ball through a neighbour’s bedroomwindows.

Insome Moslem communities in England,the local communities have established Sharia, Islamic Law, as the governing codeof conduct within their communities.

Thisis fine, for example, when Sharia laws are used by participating neighbors to settlea financial dispute; or when Sharia is used for defining appropriate ritualpractices.

However,when these communities invoke Sharia law to, say, permit members of theircommunity to commit polygamy, or to amputate the hands of a thief in thecommunity, or carry out a Honour Killing on a girl who is suspected ofimmorality, or encourage and organize bombings on the London Tube, then thereal world outside their community pulls out a red card.

Thoseinvoking Sharia laws in these cases have exceeded their autonomy and their legaljurisdiction.

Theycan argue that Alah is the King, and only Sharia laws apply to faithful Moslems,all the way to the prison cells.

Theyare criminally delusional.

Inour case, in Bet Shemesh, it is not golf club rules, nor Sharia, but Halacha(as interpreted by any-which possek) which is applied within the bounds of theautonomy and jurisdiction of the frum community..

Theproblems start when Halacha is mis-applied to permit criminal acts, such asassaulting young girls in the street, throwing stones at drivers on Shabbat, orfailing to report (ie covering up) child abuse.

Whena Bet Shemesh man (or a Hilltop Youth from an Outpost!) says “Your State doesnot exist, your Laws do not exist, only the Torah rules”, he and his fellowsare being pathologically and criminally delusional.

----

I would like to add appreciation for the two heroes of this latest fracas in Beit Shemesh - Rabbi Dov Lipman (grass-roots activist) and Rabbi Eli Friedman (City Counselor for "Tov" Party).

Mindless Hooliganism or Pre-Emptive Strike?

2011-12-14T10:34:00.001+02:00

Theincursion Monday night by dozens of 'settler' youth into the Ephraim Army Basein Samaria has received severe condemnationacross the political spectrum.

Inthe course of the incursion, it has been reported that IDF vehicles were vandalized;tyres were set on fire; subsequently base commander, Col. Ran Kahane, wasattacked in his car and lightly wounded (Later Note: although this "injury" seems to have been denied now by the IDF spokesman).

Thecondemnations have come from Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Barak, rightwing MK's, rabbonim and settler leaders, such as Yesha Council Chairman DannyDayan.

Thisincursion follows a series of aggressive acts, allegedly carried out by "settlers"as a part of "Tag Mechir" (Price Tag) policies. These include settingfire to a carpet in a mosque, a previous incursion into an army base (damage tovehicles), and graffiti scrawlings on the homes of left wing activists.

Theseacts have been widely reported as mindless hooliganism, and dangerousextremism.

Verylittle attention has been given to the Tag Mechir phenomenon as a whole,although both Makor Rishon and Hamishpacha have recently published focused articleson the Hilltop Youth (Noar Hagavaot), who are perceived to be associated withthe Tag Mechir.

Itis important to glance backwards, to better understand the Tag Mechir.

Thestory, in my mind, starts with the Oslo Peace Process – the recognition of thePLO as a peace partner, the importation of Arafat as the President of thePalestinian Authority, together with his murderous henchmen, and the accompanying chain of devastating terror attackson Israeli buses, cafes, nightclubs etc, eventually reaching over one thousandIsraeli dead.

Therewas a loud and pro-active anti-Oslo campaign of protests, largely orchestratedby Moshe Feiglin's shadowy Zoh Artzeinu.

This anti-Oslo campaign came to a drastic halt as the three shots rang out in the King ofIsrael Square in Tel Aviv, as Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated.

Theright wing was then forced to engage in a "cheshbon nefesh" (anaccounting of sins), with accusatory fingers pointed at politicians such asBenjamin Netanyahu, Rabbonim and protestors.

Nexttime around, the Gush Katif Disengagement in 2006, the anti-evacuation campaign chose adistinctly friendly theme – "We Will Succeed Through Love" was thechosen anthem. Demonstrations were large, law-abiding, with lots of rah-rah andtolerance. The evacuation was carried out, on schedule, and with no deaths orserious injuries. The evacuees hugged the troops, the troops handed outhandkerchiefs, mission accomplished.

Thenew generation look at the Gush Katif Campaign with scorn, contempt anddisdain. And they don't remember the 'chashbon nefesh' of the Rabinassassination.

Awatershed post-Gush Katif stand-off was at Amona, a small village in Yehudah,where several houses were slated for demolition. Thousands of angry andresistant teenagers took on the Riot Police and Border Guards. It was a painfulaffair, hundreds of teenagers were wounded (including several of my relatives),some critically, and the government forces were accused of excessive violenceagainst the young protestors.

Thecreed of some factions of this young generation has further developed after the relative success of Amona.

Anypolicies or actions the activists deem antithetical, will be met with force, not displaysof love and tolerance. Thus the "Tag Mechir" – Price Tag – will beexacted for each act of the Government against the settler movement. The Pricecan be exacted against uninvolved Arabs, the Israeli police, army, politicians,whoever. There's a certain randomness and recklessness which is considered a tacticaladvantage over the enormous physical power and resources of the Army andPolice.

Inthat context, Monday night a call went out to the faithful that there wererumours of imminent evacuations and destructions of several outposts("maachazim"), with large troop movements in the field, and thus busloads of young activists were recruited onshort notice to man the outposts and defend them from Border Patrol soldiers,riot police and bulldozers.

Inkeeping with Tag Mechir, it would seem a group of activists went one step further, and tookthe fight to the troops, in their camp. From the fact that out of an estimatedfifty participants just one was caught, I surmise that the camp may have beeneffectively empty at the time. Perhaps the troops really were out, on their wayto destroy the Outposts. Perhaps as a result of the activists incursion, no outposts were destroyed on Monday night.

InIsraeli terms, this may have been a pre-emptive strike - and the army was apparently outflanked.

I fundamentallyand totally disagree with the Tag Mechir policy – I'm by nature a "We WillSucceed Through Love" kind of guy.

Theuse of violence of Jew against Jew (by both sides – the Army and theActivists), and Jew against random Arabs, fills me with disgust and shame.

The solution lies in the Knesset and the Courts - to legalise the Outposts and New Villages in Yehudah & Shomron.

Not in setting Jews against Jews.

In my opinion, even if either side in this dispute achieves its tactical objectives, destroying these villages on the one hand, or the activists defeating the Army on the other, the PriceTag, for Am Yisrael, is too high.

Burkas and Bikinis

2011-12-12T13:46:00.001+02:00

ThisYouTube video shows an interview of a "Talibanit" lady, sporting her burka, a full head covering veil; the interview is apparently conducted by her husband.

Thehusband asks his wife several questions about why she wears a full-face veiland multiple layers of clothing, the response of people in the street, and howshe responds to critics, from the secular through to the ultra-orthodox?

Thelady replies that she wears this non-standard dress in order to be more modest,and in imitation of women (both Jewish and non-Jewish) from previous eras,including the Mothers of the Jewish people, Sarah, Rebecca, Leah and Rachel.

Sheexplains that whereas many people encourage her in this, she experiencesparticular hostility in the ultra-orthodox neighborhoods, such as Meah Shearimin Jerusalem.

Sheclaims that she has been spat upon, people have tried to forcibly remove herveil, and she has even had rocks thrown at her.

Thelady declares her love and acceptance of all Jewish women as her sisters.

Shecriticises the "Eida Hachareidit" (the Chareidi leadership), who haverecently issued proclamations against women wearing veils etc, steps she findsto be negative.

Whereasmany see these women simply as loonies, and perhaps subjects of cultish or slave-likeregimes by their husbands, this particular Talibanit seems reasonably lucid tome.

Thereis little doubt that non-standard dress can evoke very strong responses; specificallyregarding veils, even liberal democratic Francehas introduced a ban on (Moslem) veils:

"Asof 11 April 2011,it is illegal to wear a face-covering veil or other mask in public places suchas the street, shops, museums, public transportation, and parks."

Onthe other hand, yesterday's fashion outrage, is part of today's regularwardrobe.

Considerthe humble (and skimpy) bikini.

In1946, Louis Reard, the (also French) creator of the then-controversial bikini, initiallycould not even find a fashion model willing to wear it.

Halfa century later, the bikini has been described as "perhaps the mostpopular female beachwear around the globe", an industry of almost $1Billion in annual sales.

Interestingly,the popularity of the bikini has been directly linked to women's rights.

Accordingto French fashion historian Olivier Saillard [the popularity of the bikini is] dueto "the power of women, and not the power of fashion". As he explains,"The emancipation of swimwear has always been linked to the emancipationof women."

I'mnot sure where the boundaries lie, between women dressing provocatively (atboth ends of the normal curve – highly covered, or almost naked) and a woman's legitimateright to express herself through her clothing.

TheBurka lady in the video, invokes democracy as protecting her right to wear aburka, which I find a reasonable point.

Sexist General or Funny Joke?

2011-12-07T18:25:00.001+02:00

Here's Israel's Joke of The Day:

Observing some army field excercises, Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak, asks IDF's Chief of Staff Benny Ganz: "What are those chayalot/women soldiers doing over there?"

Ganz leans over to Barak and says: "Singing".

----

Hmmm. I guess you had to have been there.

As indeed were some news crews.

Benny Ganz joke was caught on tape, aired and created something of a storm.

Ganz was referring to a recent controversy about whether or not chayalot should entertain troops, in particular religiously observant soldiers, some of whom object to hearing women singers on religious modesty grounds ("kol isha").

In that context, it's quite a clever and funny quip. Yes, I admit it, I giggled.

However, given that even Hilary Clinton has recently joined the criticism of chareidi gender segregation policies in Israel, (although interestingly enough, not the same practices in Hilary's own back yard, in ultra-orthodox communities such as Borough Park and Lakewood), Ganz' joke has added more petrol to the fire.

So what is this - a General with a quick wit? Or a male chauvinist - even a mysogenist - in the wrong job?

Absurd Finger Pointing By Clinton & Panetta

2011-12-05T09:07:00.001+02:00

Recentstatements by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary LeonPanetta have finger-pointed at Israel about the stuck-in-the-mud status of the"Peace" Process with the Palestinians, criticized Israel for nothaving made-up with Turkey, Jordan and Egypt, as well as undermining thepracticality of an Israeli or US first-strike on Iran.

Inoticed this week a tucked-away article in Israel Defense magazine, interviewing Moshe (Bogie)Yaalon, Minister of Strategic Affairs, in which the interviewer notes that the preparationand publication of the IDF 5-year plan, has been delayed from 2012, to 2013. Yaalonsays: "It is a long process which requires an entire year. It is now beingrevised in light of changes in the region…"

Eachof the issues raised by Clinton and Panetta, the Palestinian Peace Process, the situation with Turkey,the situation with Jordan,the situation with Egypt,and the military option on Iranare very different strategic issues for Israel.An Uzi-blast at Israel,by Clinton and Panetta blaming Israelfor all these, is an unholy cholent/mix.

ThePalestinians are refusing Netanyahu's many public invitations to meet with him fornegotiations without preconditions. Instead, the PA has conducted a campaign for UN recognition, in order to circumvent any negotiation at all with Israel. Netanyau's position sounds reasonableenough, and the Palestinians, must provide justifications for their refusal to negotiate,not Netanyahu.

Theproblem with Turkeyis popularly misrepresented as an issue of apology. Actually, Turkeyhas three demands, not one. Apology, compensation, and that Israelremove the naval embargo on Gaza. Israelhas shown willingness to accommodate the first two items – the sticking-pointis the third. The chutzpa of Turkey'sdemand that Israelmust allow free shipping into Gaza,which would inevitably include delivery of weaponry to Hamas, is clearlyunacceptable to any Israeli Government. It was also unacceptable to the UN (ofall people) who confirmed the legal right and defensive expediency of the Israelnaval embargo.

Iam unclear why Panetta mentioned Jordanat all, as I am not aware of anything but cordial and peaceful relationsbetween Israeland Jordan.

Asfor Egypt, theidea that Israelshould make-up with Egypt,is frankly bizarre. That country is the midst of upheaval, and transition froma Western leaning dictatorship to an Islamic-based democracy. There's no-one inEgypt in aposition to hold any kind of strategic negotiations with Israel,even if Israelwanted to.

Andfinally, Iran.Panetta's declaration that Israel must not go-it-alone by striking Iran, and,on the other hand, his pouring cold water on the practicality and desirabilityof a US led strike, may or may not reflect reality – very few individuals knowwhat plans Israel and or the US have up their sleeves, and therefore we cannot even begin to guage whether or not these may be militarily effective.

Whatis clear is that Panetta's declarations pull the rug from under the militaryoption, whatever that consisted of.

The Ayatollah's must be laughing all theway out of their re-enforced underground bunkers.

Onthe one hand, the dramatic changes of 2011, in the whole Middle Eastand North Africa, from Turkeythrough to Morocco, have required some quick-thinking and decisive actions. Slow-moving responses miss any boats of genuine opportunity. Wherewe must, we must change and adapt quickly.

Actually over the six decades of Israel'sexistence, she has been shown to be remarkably proficient in adapting totoday's realities on-the-hop. For example, I hope Israelhas the courage and capability to make an effective strike on Iran'snuclear bomb/missile development. There is simply no time left on our side.

Onthe other hand, as Bogey Yaalon points out, committing to a "five yearstrategic plan", when everything in the region around us in flux, would beirresponsible. Inthis environment of regional revolution, it could prove foolish to commit to longterm plans.

Israeldoes well to wait-and-see, and both Clinton and Panetta should exhibit somepatience and understanding for this – and stop insisting that Israeltakes overly-hasty decisions on her long term regional security.

Exclusively Revealed: The Men Who Sabotaged Iranian Defence Facilities

2011-12-01T00:26:00.001+02:00

Inthe past two weeks, two top-secret Iranian military facilities have been damagedin mysterious explosions.

On Mondaythere was a large explosion reported in the western Iranian city of Isfahan.Isfahan is the home of a nuclear materialsprocessing plant. That facility first went into operation in 2004, takinguranium from mines and producing uranium fluoride gas, which then feeds thecentrifuges that enrich the uranium. Since 2004, thousands of kilograms ofuranium flouride gas were stockpiled at Isfahanand subsequently sent to the enrichment plant in Natanz.

Thereported incident occurred about two weeks after Gen. Hasan Tehrani Moghaddamwas killed together with 20 other Guard members Nov. 12 at a military siteoutside Bidganeh village, 40 kilometers southwest of Tehran.General Moghaddam was the head of Iran'sMissile Programs, and his death is a significant blow to the Iranian militaryleadership. Satellite photographs (see above) of the military facility show extensive damageto the buildings, including some completely razed to the ground.

TheIranian's have officially blamed both explosions on "accidents".

Here,for the first time, I can exclusively reveal the perpetrators of these explosions.

Iranianofficials have obtained copies of two British passports, which were left at theguardhouse of the nuclear facility, and were not recovered by their owners.

Itis reported that the British subjects were officially visiting the top secretfacility in accordance with an Iranian Government contract involving specialistpiping units, awarded to "B & S Instalatorim Ltd", whose officesare registered in London.

I havelooked up the details online at the British Companies Registry and can revealthat the offices are located at the very same address as Blooms restaurant on Golders Green Road.

However,Iranian sources are pointing the finger at Israel,and claim these two employees of B & S Instalatorim Ltd, are actuallyIsraeli mossad agents.

Aspokesman for the Iranian Intelligence Services, Rabidd Soneh, was quoted by theFars semi-official Government news agency: "It wasclear from the state they left the place in, that these were Israeli and notEnglish workers."

Ican now exclusively reveal that the names of the passport holders have beentraced to British residents of Beit Shemesh, being Mr Jay/Yaakov Bondstein, aged 37, andMr Sam Meragel, 41.

Itook the liberty of contacting both Yakov and Sam, who both live close to my home, and attend a localsynagogue on Nahal Dolev, Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Yaakovwasn't home, so I spoke to Mrs Kasefet Bondstein, and explained the nature of the Iranian allegations. Kasefet was adamant that these rumours were "absolutely absurd". Kasefet claimed that Yaakovis not in the piping business, but is a physiotherapist. At the time of theincident in Isfahan, she said, Yaakovhad been treating a local gardener with chronic scoliosis, a spinal condition, here in Bet Shemesh.

I subsequentlyfound Sam Meragel at Mincha, so I asked him if he is aware that his British passporthad been found at the guard house of the Iranian Nuclear processing facility atIsfahan?

Sam said he was not aware, but that he's pleased it has been found, as he lost itabout six months ago, when he participated in the Jerusalem Marathon.

"This is the second time it's gone missing, and it cost fifty quid each time", explained Sam, "the other one turned up in Dubai, but I never got it back."

As we left the synagogue, Sam immediately got on his cellphone, to try to contact the Consular Division of British Embassy in Tehran, to ask them to kindly help retrieve the passport. Sam eventually got through, but he told me that initially all he could hear was some guys shouting in Persian.

Eventually, one of them said, in broken English, "British passport? One hundred pounds. Any name you want."

Gotcha! Pope Didn't Belt-Up!

2011-11-29T07:28:00.001+02:00

Hurriyet Daily News has reported that an unnamed German citizen has brought a complaint to the court in Freiburg, Germany, alleging that the head of the Catholic Church Pope Benedict XVI broke the law by not wearing a seat belt.

The Pope toured Freiburg on September 25 & 26 this year, using his unique Popemobile.

The Popemobile is apparently fitted with a seat belt in the rear; however, it seems the Pope omitted to belt-up during the tour of Freiburg, perhaps due to the vehicle traveling at walking pace, as you can see in this video.

The customised vehicle is reportedly capable of travelling at 160km/h if required. There are longstanding security concerns for the Pope, particularly since the assassination attempt (which critically wounded the Pope) on Pope Paul II in 1981, and so the idea of a 'quick getaway' in the Popemobile is a practical requirement.

The point being made by the plaintive is that:

1. No-one is above the law - even the Pope*.

2. Especially ("bedavka") the Pope should be leading by example, and wearing a seat belt.

If world and community leaders have still not got the message - the idea that they are not subject to the laws of the land, is an out-dated myth.

Leaders - You Have Been Warned!
------
* Note: This may not be technically accurate, as the Pope is a Head of State, The Vatican, and is probably immune from prosecution. It'll be interesting to see if his Excellency decides to do teshuva/penitence anyway, and pay the EUR 3000 fine.

UK Ambassador Honours Lema'an Achai

2011-11-26T19:35:00.001+02:00

Friday morning's official visit to Lema'an Achai and Beit Shemesh by British Ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould and British MP Richard Ottaway was a great success!

The Ambassador and Member of Parliament were accompanied by Mrs Nikki Ottaway (Richard's wife and a Court Magistrate) and Nathalie Tamam, Political Director of Conservative Friends of Israel.

The distinguished visitors came to Lema'an Achai in Ramat Beit Shemesh, in order to spotlight the community-based charitable social services organization, as an example for the British Government to take note of - and as an example of the positive impact of British Olim on Israeli society.

The UK Government has promoted a concept of "Big Society", which is to say that the grass-roots are being called upon to take on complementary and supplementary roles to Government services, including in the charitable sector.

Conservative Member of Parliament, and Head of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy, Mr Richard Ottaway described Lema'an Achai as "a shining example, here in Israel, of the principles of Big Society, now a central policy of the Conservative Party, and of David Cameron's Government".

The visit wrapped-up with scones with jam & cream, served up with English tea - kindly provided by local Brit and caterer, Mrs Miriam Kaplan.

Here's some snaps of the visit, including of the VIPs visit to Bet Shemesh Municipality and the Eshkol Community Center. "Official" photos should be coming soon....

From Left to Right: Amb. Matthew Gould, Mayor Moshe Abutbol, MP Richard Ottaway and Mrs Nikki Ottaway outside Bet Shemesh Municipality

Ceremony presenting Moshe Braun's artworks to the VIPs

Amb Matthew Gould, MP Richard Ottaway and Mrs Ottaway at Lema'an Achai

VIPs and Me!

Joke of the Day

2011-11-24T13:52:00.001+02:00

Bill Gates (about as gentile as anybody can be) advertised for a new chairman of Microsoft Europe. 5,000 candidates show up at the job screening. They are assembled in a large room. Among them is Maurice Cohen, a French Jew, a small, bearded, bespectacled man. Bill Gates thanks the candidates for coming but asks all those who are not familiar with the JAVA programming language to leave; 2,000 people rise and leave the room.

Maurice Cohen says to himself, "I do not know this language but what have I got to lose if I stay? I'll give it a try". Bill Gates then asks all those who have no experience of managing teams of more than 100 people to leave. Another 2,000 people go.

Maurice Cohen says to himself, "I have never managed anybody but myself but what have I got to lose if I stay? What can happen to me?" Then Bill Gates asks all candidates who do not have outstanding academic qualifications to rise and leave; 500 people remove themselves. Maurice Cohen says to himself, "I left school at 15 but what have I got to lose if I stay? So he stays in the room.

Lastly, Bill Gates asks all of the candidates who do not speak the Serbo-Croat language to rise and leave; 498 people rise and leave the room. Maurice Cohen says himself, "I do not speak Serbo-Croat but what the hell! Have I got anything to lose?" He finds himself alone with one other candidate. Everyone else has gone. Bill Gates joins them and says:

"Apparently you are the only two candidates who know JAVA, have managed large teams of employees, have advanced PhD degrees, and who can speak Serbo-Croatian. I'd like to hear you converse with one another in Serbo-Croatian."

Calmly Maurice turns to the other candidate and says to him: "Mah Shlomcha?"
The other candidate answers: "Baruch Hashem, Beseder - todah!"

British Ambassador Coming to Lema'an Achai

2011-11-20T08:48:00.001+02:00

Britain's Ambassador to Israel, HE Matthew Gould

Hon. Richard Ottaway MP, Head of UK Foreign Affairs Committee

OnFriday the 25th of November, the British Ambassador to Israel,His Excellency Mathew Gould, and the Head of the UK Parliamentary ForeignAffairs Committee, Hon. Richard Ottaway MP, will make an official visit LemaanAchai, as part of their general visit to Beit Shemesh.

Thisis a tremendous opportunity to spotlight the important contribution of Britisholim to Israeli society in general, and the remarkable achievements of Lema'anAchai in Beit Shemesh in particular.

Ifyou would like to be officially invited to His Excellency's visit to Lema'anAchai, please contact me (David Morris), and/or to the Beit Shemesh City Reception at Pais Eshkol, please contactHarley Stark from the Bet Shemesh Municipality (harleystark@gmail.com).

TTFN,

David

P.S.Do you have any Union Jacks (British flags)? Or know where to get them in thecoming days??

Anyother British patriotic paraphernalia, T Shirts, etc?

Understanding The Weak Link in the Eurozone

2011-11-16T13:23:00.001+02:00

Portugal,Ireland, Italy,Greece, Spainare on the terminally ill list. Earning themselves the lack-luster title "PIIGS".

Andthe Euro-Zone itself appears to be on the verge of collapse.

Iam not an economist, and probably neither are you. So it's hard to follow thecauses and effects of this crisis, never mind intelligently guage its future.

Here'smy best effort to share with you my understanding of the problem. This is notauthoritative in any way – please feel free to correct me in the commentssection.

Inpost-War Europe, the idea of a coalition of European countries, sharing certaineconomic & political values, financial mechanisms and strong performance – basicallya rich (white?) man's club – certainly had its attractions. While uniting past bitterenemies in a common pursuit of economic stability and controlled growth, thecoalition also faced off as a bastion of capitalism, against Soviet Block Communism.

Sincethe 1950's, this has been a remarkably successful idea – and has impacted allaspects of life on the European continent.

Today,the European Union has 29 member states and is the world's strongest economicentity.

Of these, 12 member states have joinedtogether (the "Eurozone" - see map below) to ditch their traditional nationalcurrencies (Francs, Marks, Liras et al) andshare the Euro as their common currency. The Euro was launched as an accountingcurrency in 1999, and in 2002 as the currency of the street.

TheEuro now accounts for 25% of international money reserves, and is the secondworld currency to the dollar.

Sowhat's the problem?

AsI understand it, conventional national currencies (pounds, dollars, shekels...) are an important tool foreconomists and governments to control their economies.

Abit like a driver has a steering wheel, brakes, gears, accelerator, etc to keephim on the road, and get him to his destination – so governments and economistshave their instruments of control, such as interest rates, government stocks/bonds,reserves, budget surplus/deficit , etc and, in traditional economies, their owntender/currency.

Whatseems to have happened is that several national economies in Europeare like cars in a skid.

Theirnational debt is high, due to topsy-turvy Government budgets – running highdeficits, effectively spending far more than they have.

Thisdoesn't need to be an existential threat – witness the USAwhich overspends by trillions of dollars – unimaginably huge amounts of money each year.

TheUSA"simply" prints up more dollars, and issues Government stock atattractive interest rates, to cover the debt. (Which, ahem, has been downgraded to AAA minus).

These indebted European countries have responded by issuing more Government Stocks to finance theiroverdraft, and they are enticing investors by offering 'attractive' interestrates.

However,they cannot simply print up more Liras or Drachmas, as an additional economic control.These countries don't have their independent currencies any more.

So'attractive' rates on their Government Stocks have become highly inflated –reaching 7%.

Thecombo of high national debt, with high interest to Government Bond buyers, and underperformingeconomies, has resulted in a downward spiral. The higher the interest on thedebt, the more likely the Government is to be unable to repay it, particularlyin economic hard times, and therefore default. Therefore they need to offermore 'attractive' rates of interest, etc..etc..

Thisis where the European Central Bank steps in, to fill in the hole – they'll buythe Bonds, inject Euros, prop up these member nations to regain confidence, thusreduce the interest on the bonds, reverse the spiral.

Theprice the European Bank charges to the recipient of all this aid, is to demand that the member reduces their budget deficit – ie spend less (or earn more – unlikely in aneconomic downturn).

Thisworked for Irelandand Portugal.

However,the Greeks have had a hard time politically meeting the EU's terms for reducingthe budget deficit – as this results in levels of national deprivation whichcan destablise the population (visions of another Arab Spring – in Europe!).Thus the Greek Prime Minister resigned.

As for the Italians – this is a very large economy. According to Wikipedia, Italy has the world's third largest gold reserves, the eighth largest nominal GDP, tenth highest GDP and sixth highest government budget in the world.

Thesalvage recipes which work for small economies, Ireland,et al, now risk sinking the whole European boat.

WithItaly's GovernmentBond interest rates exceeding 7%, which is considered unsustainable, Italyis looking at bankruptcy/insolvency. And so Italy'scolourful Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has put up a white flag, andresigned.

Theeconomic crisis can spread further – Spainand France arein the cross-hairs.

Theonly economies in Europe which are large and strongenough to help, are Germanyand the UK. TheUK is (smartly - in retrospect)outside of the Euro. And so Germanyis left as the sole address.

WhereasI think I may have some handle on the process which has got Europeto this dismal point, I am flummoxed what the coming days, weeks and monthswill bring to the Eurozone…

Maybe the Chinese will rescue the Euro? Maybe Germany will put their own economy on the line to save their neighbors? Maybe the Eurozone will throw out the weaker members, to sink (likely) or swim?

Anysuggestions, insights, predictions?

Baking Oat Matzos Already!

2011-11-13T22:11:00.001+02:00

It's that time of year – between Sukkot and Chanuka – oat matzo baking!

Some30 years ago, Rav Ephraim Kestenbaum's daughter Lisa was diagnosed withcoeliac's disease – an allergy to gluten. Nevertheless, their local orthodoxrabbi told Rabbi Kestenbaum that Lisa should eat a small quantity of matzo onPassover. Rabbi Kestenbaum was deeply troubled by this – how could he make hisdaughter eat something which was harmful for her?

RavKestenbaum is both a talmid chacham (learned in Jewish sources) and a chemicalengineer.

Hetherefore decided to find a work-around. A way for his daughter to fulfill theincredibly important commandment of eating matzo on Passover, while not causingLisa to become ill....

Afterseveral years of investigation and experimentation, Rabbi Kestenbaum inventedthe oat matzo – which are mehadrin kosher matzos for Passover, and which are not harmful for ceoliacs to eat.

Thefirst gluten free oat matzos were produced in the Kestenbaum family kitchen inGolders Green, London, and were forLisa. They over-produced, and made more than Lisa needed, and asked around ifanyone else was interested to have them too.

Overthe years, the kitchen experiment grew into a cottage industry. Today, tens ofthousands of boxes of Rabbi Kestenbaum's Gluten Free Oat Matzos are sold eachyear to Jews throughout the world.

Andmy connection?

RavKestenbaum, now aged a remarkable sprightly 84, is my father-in-law, and I have had a small hand in helping him withthe oat matzo baking ever since I married Julie – 22 years ago. Indeed I helped Rav Kestenbaumramp up the process from hand baking, to making the first machine oat matzos. Iam one of numerous family members who drop everything, and come to join zeidefor the annual matzo baking.

My son, Ariel, 11, helping out on the matzo production line

Thanksto Rabbi Kestenbaum's creative genius, his initiative and persistence, tens ofthousands of Jews around the world, who have various intolerances to wheat andgluten, are now able to fulfill the biblical commandment of eating matzo on Passover, whileremaining in robust good health!

More details about Rabbi Kestenbaum's Oat Matzos: http://www.glutenfreeoatmatzos.com/
If anyone out there could be interested in buying Rabbi Kestenbaum's oat matzo enterprise/business, please let me know, david at scitronix.co.il

Should Parents Hit Children?

2011-11-10T17:31:00.001+02:00

A graphicvideo published on You Tube has sparked off a national debate in the USA,about parental corporal punishment.

Thevideo shows (then) 16 year old Hillary being whipped with a belt by her father,Judge William Adams. Her mother also participates in the beating. Thepunishment was for using the internet to download games and music.

Warning: This video contains violence and is not appropriate for family viewing.
.

Manycountries around the world have outlawed corporal punishment in schools; in1979, Swedenbecame the first country to ban physical punishment of children, including bytheir parents.

Sincethen, 30 more countries have passed bans on corporal punishment at home, andeven more have banned it in schools, according to the Global Initiativeto End All Corporal Punishment of Children.

Inthe USA, whilethere are laws against child abuse, it is legal in all 50 states for parents tohit their children, and for schoolsin 19 states to physically punish kids. About 80% of American parents saidthey've hit their young children, and, according to researchers, about 100,000 kids are paddled in U.S.schools every year.

Herein Israel,according to a majority Supreme Court Ruling in 2000, corporal punishment isillegal both in schools and homes. A full translation of that ruling isavailable here.

Corporalpunishment is still carried out by many parents in Israel; furthermore, some independent schools stillillegally administer physical punishments on the pupils.

Severalchildren have been killed by parents/guardians in Israel,including in 2008 the tragedy of four year old Rose Pizem, who was murdered andthen her body dumped in the Yarkon Riverin a suitcase.

Thereare persistent reports that violent beatings of children by school staff isstill systemic, particularly in some Chasidic "chedarim", which arenot supervised by the Ministry of Education, and where many parents areunwilling to protect their children by complaining to the authorities, out of fear of reprisals from within theirown communities.

An Englishman in Israel Responds to Iranian Nuclear Crisis

2011-11-08T20:43:00.002+02:00

I knew this was the time to get twoboxes.

Stillin preview mode, the not-yet-published IAEA report on Iranis reported to include solid evidence that Iran'snuclear program goes well beyond medical research and power generation, and isactually to produce nuclear weapons. The obvious target for these is us, Israel.

Increasing probably scenarios include that Israelwill soon launch a tactical attack on Iranian nuclear facilities; Iranwould likely respond with massive ballistic missile bombardments on Israel;Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon,perhaps even Syria,would all join in and blast us with literally tens of thousands of long rangemissiles. Unconventional warheads, such as gas and biological weapons are quitelikely to be used. Hezbollah is planning to infiltrate the northern border and capturewhole towns.

Forus in Bet Shemesh, we'd be in the thick of the missile debris.

Ihave no influence on Israel'sdefence policy, much less Iran's.I'm not even in the army.

I'man arm-chair target.

Thereis one response that every Englishman knows, tried and tested over centuries, forany and every apparently insurmountable crisis.

Anice cup-a-tea.

In my visit to the local corner store, I knew THIS is the timeto buy two boxes of PG Tips English Tea Bags.

Rabbi Yosef Blau: A Reaction to Rabbi Motti Elon's Public Speech

2011-11-07T09:41:00.001+02:00

Note from Tzedek-Tzedek: Rabbi Yosef Blau is the mashgiach ruchani at Yeshiva University and its affiliated rabbinical school Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchal Elchanan. Rav Blau has been active in helping survivors of abuse in the Orthodox community, including cases involving rabbis and teachers. Rav Blau has kindly agreed to offer his insights to Tzedek-Tzedek regarding the case in Israel of Rabbi Motti Elon, and in particular Rav Elon's speech last week, available in its entirety at: http://www.inn.co.il/TV/Cat.ashx/0/180107.

A REACTION TO RABBI MOTY ELON’S PUBLIC SPEECH

By Rabbi Yosef Blau

The Israeli court system will determine Rabbi Moty Elon’s guilt or innocence of the charges against him. His public speech in Migdal will not affect that determination. However the speech challenged the credibility of Takana, the forum set up by prominent rabbis, psychologists and legal experts to respond to accusations of improper sexual behavior by rabbis and Jewish educators in the Orthodox community. Rabbi Elon accused the forum of making up charges against him and improperly influencing the legal process. He also announced starting a new yeshiva based on his followers in Migdal. To show his disdain for his critics he is calling it the yeshiva of love.

Elon’s charisma and control of his followers were apparent from the onset. The video began with his leading them in religious song, establishing him as the rebbe. Throughout he not only claimed innocence, but cast himself as righteous and a martyr. Facing the difficulty that he accepted leaving his position as rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Hakotel and stopped his other projects; Rabbi Elon claimed that he wanted to prevent a chilul Hashem although innocent of all charges. For his supporters the implausibility of this explanation is irrelevant. Their loyalty overcomes any skepticism. I have learned from observing similar situations in America that a charismatic leader does create such trust in his disciples.

He reduced the entire structure of Takana to a small group of power-hungry individuals who mislead the major rabbis to believe the false allegations. He quoted snippets of conversations that supported his description of events although he never clarified what the original complaints were and what exactly occurred when he was interviewed by the forum. Behavior that would not be considered acceptable when done by others was justified as his way of showing love (pure and holy) for his pupils.

I have no direct knowledge of what actually happened but years of involvement with comparable situations in America led to hearing echoes in his speech of what I have heard numerous times. The popular and charismatic leader accuses others of being jealous of his success and manipulating young people to think they were abused. This dismissal of many rabbis and professionals is not questioned by followers who have been convinced that their rabbi is unique. In my experience this scenario has never corresponded to reality. For some true believers no proof will suffice to cause them to lose faith. Unfortunately it is faith in a man disguised as faith in Hashem and Torah.

Was The Rav Motti Elon Case Messed-Up?

2011-11-04T11:15:00.000+02:00

RavMotti Elon, once the star rabbi of the National Religious camp, was indictedthis week on charges of indecent acts against two minors.

Thealleged incidents took place in 2003 and 2005, involving teenaged male yeshivastudents. The Jerusalem District Prosecution claims that Rabbi Elon exploitedhis position as an educator and molested these two teenagers on variousoccasions in 2003 and 2005. Overall, the indictment covers five counts offorceful indecent act and abuse of authority.

Allegationsagainst Rav Elon were first publicised in February 2010, by the hitherto unknownTakana Forum.

TakanForum had been established in 2003 by leading National Religious rabbis, legalexperts and mental health practitioners. The Rav Elon case was apparently broughtto Takana soon after Takana opened its doors, and was the first (and so faronly) case where Takana has gone public.

Takana'sremit is to manage cases of alleged immoral or abusive sexual behaviour byrabbis, teachers and other influential people, within the National Religioussphere of influence.

Thisinitiative followed the Netiv Meir (Yeshiva High School) sex abuse case inwhich school principal Rabbi Zeev Kopelovich was convicted in the 1990's of molestingpupils in the school over a period of many years, and reportedly with the knowledgeof some within the school’s administration, and senior members of the religiousZionist movement, who had failed to inform police about the crimes.

Takana'smandate is solely to manage cases where the suspect cannot be charged with criminaloffenses under Israeli law – but may be immoral, abusive, inappropriate. Any casewhich is categorized as criminal, is referred for investigation by the police, notby Takana.

In theRav Motti Elon case, the allegations received by Takana were apparently lodged bystudents who were not minors (ie were over 18) at the time of the alleged offenses,and who did not press charges with the police or in civil court.

Reportedlydue to Takana's instruction, Rav Elon duly left his various rabbinical, managementand teaching positions in Jerusalem, and moved to Migdal, a remote village in thenorth of Israel. This was part of a wider agreement, or protocol, by which Takanagoverned Rav Elon's behaviour and, in particular, his relationships with students.

WhenRav Elon broke that protocol, Takana broke the story.

In theensuing furore, Attorney General Yehudah Weinstein, instructed the police to investigatewhether Rav Elon had committed crimes. The main differentiator being the agesof students who had brought allegations they had been molested bt Rav Elon. Duringthe investigation, further students came forward, brought allegations to the police, and, accordingto the charge sheet, these boys were 17 at the time of the alleged offenses.

Takanais a well thought out program, operating in a minefield.

It iscertainly a major step in the right direction, away from any assumption that religious(or any other) communities can effectively manage criminality in their midst.

Thissame lesson was learned, equally painfully, in the Modern Orthodox community inthe USA with the Rabbi Baruch Lanner case. Allegations concerning Rabbi Lanner werebrought by students to the NCSY Youth Movement, who referred the case to their parentorganization, the OU, who established an internal Beth Din to investigate and judgethe case.

ThatBeth Din cleared Rabbi Lanner of any misconduct.

WhenRabbi Lanner was subsequently arrested in 2002, then charged, then convicted ofsex offenses against minors, the OU was required to establish a second investigation,to make recommendations about how to assure such dangerous and scandalous foul-upscould not be repeated in the future.

Oneof Takana's objectives is to change the law in Israel,so that rabbis, teachers and other people of influence, will be included in existinglegislation which spotlights (for example) army officers and employers as beingin "positions of authority" who can criminally abuse these positions,even in cases which would otherwise be considered consensual.

If thelaw were to be changed in this way, Takana would essentially be putting itself outof business – and, by the sounds of it, gratefully so.

Is the Law an Ass?

2011-10-30T19:14:00.000+02:00

I was once asked by a respected rabbi to perform a taskwhich I pointed out to him is criminal under Israeli law.

His response has troubled me ever since.

The rabbi did not respond by quoting from a classic Jewishhalachik authority to justify his illegal instruction, such as from theShulchan Aruch, from the Tor or from Rav Elyashiv….

The rabbi wrote to me that “if the law supposes that, then thelaw is an ass”.

He was quoting from Charles Dickens. Actually from Dickens’fictitious buffoon, Mr Bumble, in Oliver Twist.

I could have written this off as one-time buffoonery by theRabbi – we all make slips and errors of judgment.

However, the same Rabbi then went on to give the sameadvice, to similarly break the Law, to his whole community. (Without evenbringing Mr Bumble as a source – just “take-it-from-me”).

In too many of my dealings with members of ultra-orthodox communities, they have taken such a frivolous, dismissive, nay,derisive approach to the Law – "zilzul".

There seems to be a recognition that the Law has anAuthority of Power – ie Don’t Get Caught.

But there is no acknowledgement that the Law has any MoralAuthority.

I was brought up in Englandto stand in respect for my teachers, stand in honour for the National Anthemand to honour and respect the Law. A policeman, or bobby, was someone you askedfor street directions, and turned to when there was crime or danger. We weretaught we are all on the same side – of lawfulness against criminality, ofcivilization against anarchy and primitivism. In other words that the Law has amoral authority.

In many orthodox circles, the sole moral authority is theTorah.

Whether the issue is declaring & paying taxes; fraud inmanaging businesses and institutions; breaking employer protection laws;ignoring building regulations; failing to report crimes; or covering up childabuse incidents – the dominant ethos appears to be that “the law is an ass”.

This is not entirely a chareidi vs national religious issue.We have recently seen from the fringe “tag mechir/price tag” incidents, thatsome national religious youth also put their understanding of the Torah, to beabove the Law*.

I asked my 18 year old son Yonatan, who is studying atMercaz HaRav (Kook) in Jerusalem, whether he holds that the Law has moralauthority, or solely the authority of power?

Yonatan quoted Rav Kook as saying that the Law has moralauthority; this authority is derived from the 7 Laws of Noach – of which one isthe Law to develop a system of law and order.

Furthermore, in Orot Hakodesh, Rav Kook writes that man hasan inherent understanding of right and wrong, and that anyone who learns Torah,and they find a contradiction with their innate sense of morality, then theyshould trust their sense of morality. Torah learning, which results inbehaviour which is immoral, has no value.

I would point out that Rav Kook was recognizing the moralauthority of the society and Laws around him in the early 20^thCentury – in Poland, and then under Turkish/Ottoman and British Mandate rule inPalestine.

In today’s democracies, such as in the USA,UK and Israel,the Law is not designed simply to protect the ruling classes, but is a malchutshel chesed, and aims to protect the weak.

There are numerous layers of checks and balances, to ensurethat the Law is as close as possible to the inherent ethical and moral justice,acknowledged 100 years ago by Rav Kook.

Of course the Law is imperfect. This is the reason for thechecks and balances, parliaments, committees, judiciary and practical policingand implementation. Laws may be sometimes unreasonable and unjust, or simply archaic– and therefore the mechanisms are in place to correct these aberrations. Thisis a dynamic process which is sophisticated and self-correcting.

There is no comparison with Halacha.

Halacha, for all its sophistication and intricacy, has notdeveloped criminal codes of justice for over a thousand years – due to theself-declared/acknowledged lack of jurisdiction of Batei Din for criminalmatters in the diaspora/Galut. Batei Din have not been authorized, by Halacha itself, for example toeven fine a thief (Kefel), or administer punishments to violent criminals.

Retaining a position that Halacha is morally authoritativeand that the Law is not, is a zero-sum game. If not the Law, and Halacha has nojurisdiction, then what are we left with? The answer is a dangerous hefkerut(anarchy) and lawlessness.

This discussion has come to a head, in the USA,in a dispute between Agudas Yisrael and the more left-leaning RabbinicalCouncil of America (RCA), following the death of Leiby Kletzky, the nine yearold boy, who was murdered and butchered in Borough Park by an orthodox Jew.

The RCA Statement demanded that laws which mandate reportingof suspicions of child abuse to the authorities must be followed, and that,beyond this, also people who are not mandated to report should also report childabuse, due to the Biblical admonition "not to stand by the blood of yourneighbor". The RCA appealed for people to use their “common sense” todecide when to report suspicions of child abuse to the police - and only if stillperplexed, to consult with experts, including Rabbis.

The Agudah stepped back from demanding that their flockrespect and obey the Law, or should report of their own volition. Instead theAgudah demanded that people should always, without exception, refer such issuesto their rabbis, who would tell them what to do.

No innate understanding of morals and ethics (“commonsense”) is recognized by Agudah. Nor any moral authority of the Law.

In the Aguda’s books, the sole and exclusive moral authorityis the Torah, via their rabbonim. As for the Law itself, if pushed, andacquainted with Oliver Twist, perhaps the Agudah would quietly whisper “the Lawis an ass”.

This is the same discredited strategy which has shattered the Catholic Church - and has caused untold suffering and chilul Hashem in frum communities.

----

* Note: "Tag Mechir/Price Tag" is actually apolitically motivated, tactical response in light of an historical event (the failedpassive resistance to the evacuation of Gush Katif), and to a specific issue (how to avoid such evacuations at Outposts), rather than a general zilzul/disdain oflaw and order.

A Crow Stole My Cell Phone!

2011-10-27T15:04:00.000+02:00

We'veall heard of the classic line to the teacher: "The dog ate myhomework".

Here'sa variation on the theme.

My newlymarried 20 year old daughter Avital returned from a day trip by the Kinneret,and told me that her cell phone had been picked up and stolen away by acrow/raven! No more cellphone.

Myson in law, Yair, reminded me that crows have a reputation for stealing brightshiny things – so the cell phone would have been a natural target for the bird.

Meantime,some desk-top research shows that a relative of the crow, the magpie indeed hasa reputation for stealing shiny objects.

Accordingto Wikipedia, the crow family (includes Crows, Ravens and Magpies) areexceptionally intelligent, "topping the bird IQ charts". Their braincavity, pro rata, is the size of a human's.

"Asa group, crows show remarkable examples of intelligence. Crows and ravens oftenscore very highly on intelligence tests. Certain species top the avian IQ scale. Wild hooded crows in Israel have learned to use bread crumbs for bait-fishing [ed. Even the crows in Israel are smarter than the Goyish crows..]. Crows will engage in a kind of mid-air jousting, or air-"chicken" to establish pecking order. Crows have been found to engage in feats such as tool use, the ability to hide andstore food across seasons, episodic-like memory, and the ability to useindividual experience in predicting the behavior of environmental conspecifics."

Andregarding Yair's observation that "crows steal shiny objects", here'sa canned response from "Know"

http://www.knowmag.ca/knowitalls/index.php?id=17

"Do crows and ravens steal shiny things?

Crows and ravens seem to be curious about all new things they see, whether they are shiny or not. Young birds will investigate objects they do not recognize. It might be something shiny, like a key, but it also might be a pine cone, a pebble, a bit of glass, or a blueberry. Unless the object tastes good, they will usually ignore it after awhile. Or, they might hide it in a cache. They don’t hide things in their nests, though. Crow expert Kevin McGowan has been peeking into crow nests for almost 20 years, and the only odd thing he’s ever seen has been a tennis ball."

Meantime,we're investigating the small print of the cell phone insurance, to see if theftby crows is covered...

Festering at Orot

2011-10-25T19:42:00.001+02:00

Thestand-off between the national religious school, "Orot Banot", in Givat Sharret,Beit Shemesh, and the extremist ultra-orthodox "Kanoim", residing five minutes walkaway in Ramat Bet Shemesh, has dropped from the headlines in Israel – but is stillfestering on.

Accordingto parents from the school, they arrived at the start of the post-chagimvacation, to find a smashed window and a stink bomb (smelling of feces) in a third grade classroom.

Some dozen Kanoim have re-established their demonstration outside the school.

Thepolice are also on the spot, using stun-guns and other crowd control methods tocreate a distance between the kanoim and the school kids.

Seethis recent video that Dov Krulwich, a parent from the school, posted to YouTube:

TheOrot Banot dispute has attracted considerable interest around the world. Myfolks in Englandalmost fell off their sofa, when the BBC News aired a report about Orot Banotin Bet Shemesh.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15237018

Thereis surely an aspect of chilul hashem here. The kanoim have much to answer for.

The Assassin's Brother

2011-10-24T00:23:00.001+02:00

Imet this weekend with someone close to the case of Yigal Amir's brother,Chagai.

YigalAmir is infamous for the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin on 4th November 1995. Yigal's story and occasionalantics occupy many column inches, particularly as the November memorial seasoncomes around.

Hisbrother, Chagai, however, has been almost totally forgotten.

Inparallel to Yigal's conviction and life sentence for Rabin's murder, Chagai wassentenced to 16 years for conspiring to murder and various arms relatedcharges.

Accordingto my source, Chagai has been kept in total solitary confinement in the Ayalon Prison for the past 16years. He has no TV, radio, rare visitors and even the guards are not allowedto talk with him. His cell is 4 x 4 metres. He once over the past 16 years metwith his brother Amir, to study together, for half an hour.

These terms of imprisonment are considerably harsher, for example, than for the Arab terrorists, a few cells down, who murdered literally tens of Israelis in bus and cafe bombings.

Chagai'ssole source of stimulation is his seforim. Apparently Chagai has a self-imposedregime of davening/praying at dawn, learning the daf yomi, studying and memorizingwhole tractates of Talmud, and repeatedly reviewing the mishna, Zohar, Rambamand other key Jewish sources.

Hislawyer is the only person allowed regular visits to Chagai, which consist ofthree hour study sessions together, once a week. These visits are closelymonitored, and they are not allowed to discuss or communicate anything asidefrom the texts they are studying.

Apparently,a US research groupfrom California has undertaken aworldwide study of prisoners kept in solitary confinement and universally foundthat prisoners rapidly degenerate physically, mentally and emotionally. Thestudy highlighted Chagai Amir as remarkable and exceptional for his soundness ofmind and good spirits. The report linked this with the stimulation Chagaiobtains from studying Talmud.

This16 year sentence is almost up, and Chagai Amir is up for release.

However,apparently the Shabak (Security Services) have submitted a classified report, recommendingthat Chagai remains in prison beyond his full sentence.

Mysource indicated that Chagai has much to say about the story of the Rabinassassination itself, and will add substantially to the conspiracy industrywhich still surrounds the Rabin assassination, as much as the JFKassassination. "This is why theShabbak are making strenuous efforts against Chagai's release."

Asfor when the public will hear the "true account" of the much debatedassassination, my source reckoned we will have to wait a further thirty years.

Welcome Home Gilad!!

2011-10-18T23:00:00.002+02:00

Need to Smash The Idols - Gilad Shalit

2011-10-16T23:42:00.002+02:00

Ourcountry waits with baited breath for Gilad Shalit's release from Hamascaptivity after five years of unimaginable horror. The immense joy of hisfreedom, the end of his and his family's dire tribulations, will be felt byevery Israeli and every Jew.

Theransom payment for Gilad Shalit's release, however, can only be described asnauseating.

Ofcourse, Israelhas a long history of agreeing to exchange vastly more prisoners, than Israelreceives in return.

Overthe last 30 years, Israelhas released about 7,000 Palestinian prisoners to secure freedom for 19 Israelisand to retrieve the bodies of eight others.

Thedecisive precedent was sent in 1985, Israelreleased 1,150 prisoners in exchange for three Israeli soldiers captured in Lebanon.Then-Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin defended the deal. "When no militaryoption exists," he said, "there is no choice but to enternegotiations and pay a price."

Othergigantic 'exchanges' (read "ransom payments") included a prisonerswap which was carried out on 29 January 2004: in exchange for Israeli businessman and former army colonelElchanan Tenenbaum abducted in 2000 in Kuwait,and the remains of the three IDF soldiers. Israelreleased 30 Lebanese and 400 Palestinian prisoners, handed over the remains of 59Lebanese militants and civilians, and maps showing Israeli mines in South Lebanon.

On July 16, 2008, Hezbollahtransferred the coffins of two captured Israeli soldiers, Ehud Goldwasser andEldad Regev, in exchange for incarcerated Palestine Liberation Front militantand convicted murderer Samir Kuntar, four Hezbollah militants, and about 200 otherLebanese and Palestinian militants captured by Israel.

Beyondthe numbers, the sickening part of the story is the vile and savage criminalityof many of the prisoners being released for Shalit.

Theyinclude the woman who lured an Israeli boy into an Arab village, via aninternet courtship, and then she set loose murderers on the boy to ruthlesslyslaughter him.

Andanother woman to be released is Ahlam Tamimi. She drove the suicide bomber andapparently had a lead role in organizing the attack on Sbarro pizza restaurant inthe middle of Jerusalem, which left15 Israelis dead, and over 150 injured.

Thedead included five members of the Schijveschuurder family.

Asurviving member of that family is reported to have been responsible for thedefacing last week of the Yitzhak Rabin Gravesite. (Misreported by the media asa "Price Tag Attack"). Such an act of vandalism, is an expression of total despair and outrage at the prisoner release, from the surviving Schijveschuurder sibling.

Thereare literally hundreds of these vile terrorist rodents now due for release.

Thereare numerous good reasons not to release them:

The payment of huge ransoms encourages terror organizations to seek out tomorrow's hostages.
Many of these terrorists will be active in the future. Even the enormous value of saving one life, is not worth the price of dozens, even hundreds of future Jewish lives. According to Amgor (the terror victims organization) "released terrorists who served time during 1993–1999 have been responsible for at least thirty attacks on Israelis after being released".
The capture of these terrorists required IDF soldiers to risk their lives, and even cost soldiers lives. It is a stain on these soldiers' sacrifices and willingness to sacrifice, when the terrorists they successfully captured, are released before their time. The motivation for soldiers to undertake such operations in the future is severely compromised.
The whole justice system is undermined, when multiple murderers, captured, found guilty, sentenced, are then released considerably early, due to extraneous factors (ransom payment).
The early release of terrorists is a double trauma for their victims and their families. It is a second stage of violation and abuse.
The terrorists themselves know when they are captured, they are likely to be released in such a ransom payment. The threat of a life sentence in Israeli prison has become hollow and provides minimal deterrence to terrorists.

Afew years ago, there were reports that Meir Shamgar had been appointed byDefence Minister Ehud Barak to head up a committee to set guidelines for theacceptable scope of prisoner exchanges and ransom payments.

Theresults of that committee's findings were never published. Apparently theserecommendations were deliberately withheld due to the Shalit negotiations.

Iam in the fortunate position of neither being prime minister, nor on theShamgar committee. These are heavy decisions – "heavy lies the head whichwears the crown".

And beyond the awesome responsibility of these positions, I do not have any privileged information about other behind-the-scenes-factors which may have made this particular deal imperative, which those who took this decision presumably have.

Inmy very humble opinion, the rule book does need to be re-written, and withimmediate effect.

Thepast idols need to be smashed.

Ipropose some steps which I suggest can reduce the phenomena of terrorists holdingIsraeli citizens as hostage, and which could address some of the problemslisted above.

One for one. A new standard should be declared. One for one. The negotiations will be for which prisoner gets released – not how many. Almost certainly the big-shots, such as Barghouti. Israel could even target capturing such big-shots, for such exchanges, as we did by capturing Abdel Karim Obeid and Mustafa Dhirani (with Ron Arad in mind), in Lebanon.
Different Rules for Repeat Offenders: Terrorists prisoners released will receive automatically severe sentences for future involvement in terror. Whereas they may have received ten years – life. Whereas they may have received life, death. Whereas they may have been taken alive, they will be assassinated.
Introduction of the Death Sentence: for murdering terrorists, where this is proven beyond doubt, the death penalty can be introduced. Dead terrorists cannot be released early and the deterrence to others is clear.

These or similar principles should be passed into legislation as soon as possible, before another Israeli is held to ransom, and the Israeli passions again overwhelm rationality.

Whilemy heart yearns for Gilad's release this week Be"H, yet my stomach issickened by the costs to our nation.

Is the Bet Shemesh Municipality Against Tzedaka?

2011-10-10T18:46:00.002+02:00

Thisweek's "Chadash" (local chareidi free Bet Shemesh newspaper) ranseveral articles, reporting and condemning the removal of charity boxes frombus stops in the town.

Impassionedarticles charged that the Municipality is attacking charity itself, are "sodomites" (in the sense extreme brutality to others) and theChairman of one local charity even said that the Municipality is responsible for needy families going hungry this Yom Kippur.

Thesame writer chides the Municipality for failing to (at least) warn theorganization of their intent to remove the boxes.

Forthose who are unfamiliar with the phenomenon of installing charity boxes on busstops, and on other public property, I will describe this.

Abouta decade ago, whoever is the PR guy for the Chasdei Naomi charity came up withthe most brilliant marketing campaign.

ChasdeiNaomi positioned half-adult-sized metal boxes, with attractive red 'roofs',outside stores on the pavement. These are designed to accept donations of foodand money. They have the organizations adverts prominently displayed. These containersare chained to other public property (railings, lamp-posts etc) to ensure theycannot be easily removed.

Whywas it such a brilliant gimmick?

BecauseChasdei Naomi got store front advertising exposure, at close to zero cost (the costof the metal container and the cost of a guy to chain it to something). Andthey stay out for year after year – promoting the brand, free of charge.

Thisnational advertising campaign would have cost the charity millions of shekels.

Thelocal authorities, and the store owners, turned a blind eye, and Chasdei Naomibecame a household brand throughout Israel.The campaign was cute, effective, and aided Israel'spoor families.

However, otherorganizations soon hitched a ride on the same idea. Outside my local makolet(corner store) there's now five of these large metal containers, each fromdifferent charities, advertising their brand. All installed on public property,the pedestrian pavement, chained to the hand rail.

Inparallel, these and other charities welded their smaller boxes to the busstops, lamp posts, and other public properties.

Thispast week, someone in the Environmental Department of the Bet Shemesh Municipalitydecided to put a stop to this increasingly out-of-control phenomenon, and the municipal workers started to remove the welded boxes from the bus stops.

Tothe best of my knowledge the Municipality haven't yet started removing thelarger containers from the shopping streets.

And thus, in the weekend Chareidi paper, the hullabaloo and indignation.

Inmy opinion, this whole phenomenon of out-sized containers and rugged iron welded boxes, is solely about free advertising, with a blatant disregard formunicipal by-laws and simple derech eretz.

Forthe organisations who have joined this freebie bandwagon, it is simply absurd forthem to tell the municipality that they should have warned the organizations.

These organizations put these adverts/containers up without permission nor payment,essentially stealing public property, and then have the chutzpa to complain theMunicipality didn't inform/ask if it's ok to take them down.

Itis even more outrageous to blame the Municipality for "families goinghungry on Yom Kippur". (Which itself sounds absurd).

VERYlittle money is collected in these boxes, and even less food – their primaryfunction is their free advertising value.

Herein Ramat Beit Shemesh, in the name of mitzvos-various, organizations regularly breakmunicipal by-laws, occupy public property, create public nuisance – creating anenvironment in our town of 'hefkerut' (anarchy).

Itis the slippery slope of zilzul (contempt) of the State and City laws andregulations, that can lead chas veshalom to individuals and whole organizations to stray evenfurther on that path, into fraud (fictitious yeshiva students, etc), money laundering and outright corruption.

"MitzvaHaBaah BeAveira". Doing a good deed by sinful means. Or, in thevernacular, the ends justify the means.

Overthe years, there has been a high price to pay, in such a hefker environment,for those who do chose to be lawful, straight, play by the rules, beconsiderate of the wider community, and have integrity.

Suchindividuals and organizations are playing on an uneven playing field. And theadvantage has been with the lawless, not the lawful.

TheMunicipality has taken an important first step in enforcing lawfulness and communal responsibility - which is to benefit of all residents, rich and poor.

Yom Kippur: Lema'an Achai

2011-10-06T16:04:00.002+02:00

GmarChatima Tova

DearFriends,

Aswe approach Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year, we extend our warmestblessings on behalf of the hundreds of families who, through your generosity, havebeen able to change their lives for the better.

Pleaseconsider Lema'an Achai when you make your charitable contributions for YomKippur as well as for Kapparot and Yizkor pledges. Donations can be madethrough our secure web site: www.smartchesed.org.

Thankyou for your steadfast support of and dedication to the goal of Lema'an Achaito help more people on the highest level possible.

Mayyou and yours be sealed in the Book of Life and receive all of the blessingsthat it bestows.

WarmestWishes for a Gmar Chatima Tova and an Easy Fast,

TheLema'an Achai Family

Rav Chanan Porat, zichrono lebracha

2011-10-05T16:45:00.000+02:00

I had the merit of meeting R.Hanan Porat during his therapy for cancer at Hadassah Ein Kerem.

A man who literally made history - steeped in love for our People and our Land, R. Porat strengthened Eretz Yisrael in every way conceivable.

As Kenesset Speaker Rubi Rivlin eulogized today:

"You knew how to be the public's agent with a mouth full of song, to be a sharp parliamentarian with a dreaming soul," Rivlin said. "Within your soul there was a great love, a conquering love, for the national of Israel, for the ground of this good land, for Israel's Torah."

R.Hanan Porat died at the relatively young age of 67. Our people has been deprived of a great man and fine leader.

Lema’an Achai – On the Cutting Edge of Tzedaka and Chesed

2011-10-05T14:30:00.000+02:00

This article is published on Tzedek-Tzedek by kind permission of Connections Magazine

How can a tzedaka and chesed organization be"on the cutting edge"?

Around the world, markets are erratic, wholecountries are facing bankruptcy, and here in Israeldemonstrators are protesting rising costs of basic necessities – housing, food,clothes are all becoming unaffordable, even for salary earners.

Lema'an Achai has felt the impact two-fold. Morepeople have turned to us for help and fewer people have funds to contribute.

Such a financial climate underscores the "SmartChesed" approach of Lema'an Achai. We have to be able to continue to giveassistance on the highest level with less incoming donations.

Smart Chesed's objective goes beyond the temporaryfix of hand-outs, by helping to solve problems, balance home budgets, achieveimproved employment, and build or rebuild their futures.

For those who have been hit by the recession thisholistic program provides the tools to cope with their situation with the hopeof a brighter tomorrow.

And for donors, with less maaser to distribute toworthy causes, these limited funds have a huge impact at Lema'an Achai –compared with hand-out organizations.

What are the tools to cope?

Intensive financial counseling, employmentevaluation, training and retraining, small business development and therapywill enable people rather than entitle them.

While we firmly believe that "by teaching a manto fish you have fed him for life" we also realize that if you don't feedhim while he is learning he is liable to starve.

Hence Lema'an Achai families also receive materialaid such as food coupons, weekly fresh food deliveries, free dental care,school books and supplies and critical bill assistance. Lema'an Achai is alsoproud to announce the Chasdei Chana new baby gemach. This fund, established inmemory of Mrs. Chana Steinmetz, A''H, provides needy families with all theneeds that a new bundle of joy requires.

The families that Lema'an Achai assists are inconstant contact with our practical, experienced and effective social workerswho manage their personal situation with the utmost professionalism and thewarmest heart.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth many Pounds ofCure

Smart Chesed is not limited to the families onLema'an Achai's list. Awareness and education in community at large can oftenpre-empt financial and other crisis from hitting an otherwise unsuspectingfamily.

Lema'an Achai provides financial seminars,educational workshops and a Merkaz Zechuyot (Citizen's Rights Office) that areopen to anyone and everyone regardless of their financial situation.Additionally Lema'an Achai's free loan fund (gemach) has distributed hundredsof thousands of shekel in interest free loans to "bridge the gap" forBet Shemesh residents.

The financial seminars provide tools for householdbudgeting, navigation of the banking system and realistic income needs for afamily residing in Israel.Our educational workshops help parents prepare their teens for bagriyut andgive a general picture of the Israeli education process. In addition Lema'anAchai, in conjunction with Chesed yair Le'Olam continues to educate local youthabout tzedaka and chesed and how they, despite their tender ages, cancontribute to their communities.

Lema'an Achai's Citizen's Rights Office has assistedhundreds of families with Bituach Leumi issues, arnona discounts, "hotzaalapoel", legal aid other government"red tape".

Our Nation Was United Through a Local Tragedy

This April tragedystruck the Viflic family when their beloved son Daniel, Z''L was critically injuredby a Hamas rocket that hit the school bus he was riding in the South. Tefilot wereorganized across the globe for the speedy recovery. The family normally reliedon a brisk pre-Pesach business in their food establishment. Their bedside vigilprevented them from tending to their business thus creating a financial burdenin addition to the emotional upheaval.

Lema'an Achai wasthere for them not only to ease the financial burden but also to give supportafter Daniel's pure neshama returned above.

Remembering A Dear Friend

This month marks the first yartzeit of our dear friend Daniel Gaziel, Z''L. Danny, a dedicated Lema'an Achai volunteer, was an inspiration to all who were privileged to know him. Lema'an Achai has renamed our Ayalay Shlucha medical needs fund to The Danni Gaziel Fund. This fund provides assistance and support to those families who are dealing with a life threatening illness, G-d forbid.

Lema'an Achai Needs YOU!

Lema’an Achai is in a difficult financial situation asmore people are turning to us for help while fewer are turning to us to help.

So here are ways you can become a partner is thisamazing work:

1. Volunteer! Lema'an Achai can always use people tohelp us in our programs. Come visit our office and see what we (and you) canaccomplish! We are also looking to recruit block captains who will be theLema'an Achai reps for their streets or neighborhood.

2. DONATE! Smart Donors give to Smart Chesed. Pleasedonate generously this Rosh HaShana/Yom Kippur and also sign up for a regularcommitment. Make a horaat kevah or credit card ongoing commitment to

Lema'an Achai. Donations are eligible for anIsraeli, US, UKand Canadian tax deductible receipts. Horaat keva of at least 50 NISper month qualify for the Kehilla card.

3. Sign up for the Lema'an Achai/ Capital One creditcard. This card, available to US residents only, is a fee free card with notransaction fee for purchases made internationally. They offer one of the bestexchange rates and Lema'an Achai will benefit from each purchase that you make.More details at: http://tinyurl.com/42m2oj2

4. Any other ideas?! If you could help with fundraisingventures, please step forward. We need people to step up to the plate, and helpimplement these plans, hands-on.

To donate now:

https://lemaanachai.org/donations.aspx

Call our 24/6 Donations Line: 02-99999.33

Or send your check to: Lema'an Achai, 40/7 NachalLachish, Bet Shemesh, 99093, Israel.

Magen - The New Bet Shemesh Child Protection Agency

2011-10-02T08:49:00.000+02:00

Published at Tzedek-Tzedek by kind permission of Connections Magazine (Full Article Here)

WhenI found out that Shlomi, my 9 year old son, had been abused, my whole worldshattered and collapsed.

Fromthe beginning of the year, Shlomi had been selected as one of the rebbe'sfavorites in the class. Shlomi was a part of an exclusive club, singled out forspecial attention, helped with homework after school, rides home in the rebbe'scar, extra one-on-one help with schoolwork during recess. As parents, wereceived regular calls from the rebbe, not to complain about Shlomi (as otherteachers had often done), but to patiently explain to us Shlomi's difficulties,and how these were being methodically and caringly addressed.

Wewere thrilled for Shlomi.

That'swhy we got upset when Shlomi was home so often with stomach aches, headaches,and other unverifiable ailments. Shlomi got behind with his studies, which therebbe kindly offered to make up with him after school hours and without pay.The rebbe was such a tzadik.

ButShlomi even made a fuss about going to these tutorials. I literally had tocarry Shlomi into the car to take him to the rebbe's house.

WhenShlomi started bed-wetting, we were recommended by Shlomi's pediatrician tovisit a child psychologist.

Itcame out in therapy that the rebbe had been molesting Shlomi for months.

Devastated,I reached for the phone, and called Magen…it was the best decision I ever made.

---------

MagenLeYeladim U'Lemishpachot (Magen) is a nonprofit organization in BetShemesh, Israel,dedicated to protecting children from abuse.

Magenmembers and activists include mental health professionals, rabbis,administrative professionals, past victims/survivors of abuse and community layleaders. All Magen personnel are currently volunteers.

Magenspent over a year in research & preparation phase (2009-10). This includedvisiting most organizations in Israeland several in the United Statesworking with child abuse. In addition, extensive contacts and cooperation weremade with Bet Shemesh social services (child protection), the Police as well asMercaz Lynn. Mercaz Lynn in Jerusalem,provides a combination of services: police, medical services, legal services,and is the sole authority authorized to interview suspected victims of childabuse under 14 years old.

Magenalso consulted with experts in the fields of sex crime law (including AdvYehudah Fried), treatment of victims (ELIChild Protection Association, Helise Pollack, Dr David Pelcovitz), andperpetrators (Doron Agasi, Shlom Banayich, Bnei Braq; Aleynu, Los Angeles;Ohel, New York), Halacha (including Rabbi Zalman Nechemiah Goldberg, RabbiYaakov Haber, Rabbi Yosef Blau, Rabbi Schachter, Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik, RabbiDaniel Eidensohn), and community organization and building in order to ensure awell rounded and deep knowledge base from which to work.

Magenhas incorporated the information and strategies learned through theseconsultations into its innovative, unique approach to combat childhood sexualabuse in the community.

Lastsummer, 2010, Magen quietly opened its doors, to accept enquiries and calls forhelp from the general public.

Thefocus of Magen's activities is a unique four point program:

Awareness and Education – child abuse thrives on secrecy and naivety. Knowledge and awareness increases child safety dramatically.
Phone and Email Hotline Service – confidential consultation with trained personnel.
Support for families affected by child abuse.
Management of allegations of child abuse in the community.

Regretfully,Magen's first year of activity in the field has been extremely busy...

Magen'soriginal synopsis was that there is a lack of resources dealing effectively withchild abuse in the community; this has been shown to have been accurate.

Magen'sactivities have provided assistance to literally dozens of victims of childabuse, and their traumatized families.

Abusecases have included Physical (violence), Emotional, Neglect, and Sexual.

Read Full Article HERE.

"Magen" - Creating a Safer Community for Kids
MagenProtects@gmail.com

Hotline:052-765.2929

Sundaythru Thursday - 9am-12am;8-11pm
Fridays - 9am-12am
Motsei Shabbat - till Midnight

Administrative& Non-Urgent Matters

02-9997026
050-8489001

Does Lema'an Achai Still Exist?

2011-09-27T20:15:00.000+03:00

Jewshave a long collective memory, remembering incidents and events for eventhousands of years - but sometimes we forget what happened yesterday – andcertainly the events of two years ago.

Yesterday,someone asked "does Lema'an Achai exist still? I don't see themaround…"

Theperson who asked belongs to BTYA a major anglo-chareidi kehillah/community inRamat Beit Shemesh.

BTYA'srabbi officially banned Lema'an Achai, the world-renowned RBS tzedaka &chesed organization, from fundraising in his shul, over two years ago.

Immersedwithin that specific community, from which the name & presence of Lema'anAchai has been officially wiped out for two years - even when community memberscontinue to receive the organization's help every day - it is not surprisingthis person reckoned Lema'an Achai itself had been obliterated.

Suchis the inestimable power of communal forgetfulness.

Theban/cherem at BTYA remains to this day, but the reason for it has beenforgotten. Even the ban/cherem itself is no longer remembered – and just ablurred absence remains. Posters about Lema'an Achai are taken down.Lema'an Achai flyers are quietly removed from the shul. Collecting boxes have'disappeared', including their contents. Another organization has inherited the"Official Annual Appeal" slot from the pulpit. And this cherem hasbeen personally directed by the Rabbi.

Veteran members still remember Lema'an Achai and are appreciative of the valuable work performed by the organization. Many veterans still quietly & generously donate and volunteer for the organization.

However, BTYA's more recently recruited members can be excused for assuming Lema'an Achai doesn't exist, or the organization has simply closed its doors....

So,the time has come to remind the public – WHY Lema'an Achai was and still isbanned from BTYA.

Thereason is two words:

"CHILDABUSE".

Twoyears ago, following a series of mishandled cases of alleged child abuse inRBS, which I personally witnessed, I took a strong stand for more effectivechild protection, and I spoke out against the 'traditional' and discreditedmethods ("shittas") that have been used to "deal with"cases of child abuse in our community – as I hold that these methods areillegal, irresponsible and dangerous to our children.

Duringthis time, the Jerusalem Post called me to tell me they had been contacted byparents of abused children from RBS, and the reporter asked me to comment onthe phenomenon of child abuse in RBS. I consulted with my rav, and then I spokewith the reporter. You are welcome to see theresulting article.

Explicitlyas his response to my quotation in that JPost article, Rav Malinowitz placed animmediate ban/cherem on Lema'an Achai, preventing Lema'an Achai fromfundraising in BTYA.

RavMalinowitz apparently holds that banning the Lema'an Achai tzedakaorganization, which also helps members of BTYA, is an appropriate and mature responseto his disagreement with me about child safety.

Thereal victims of Rav Malinowitz's Cherem on Lema'an Achai are the impoverishedfamilies of RBS, who come to Lema'an Achai for critical assistance and thereare now less resources to help them.

Theseneedy families are certainly not a party in this machlokes between RavMalinowitz and me about child abuse.

Iwould also like to add that, two years later, Lema'an Achai itself is actuallyno longer even dealing directly with cases of child abuse; B"H, a new andeffective organization now exists in Bet Shemesh/RBS which specializes in this.

Itherefore hereby offer Rav Malinowitz a trade.

IfBTYA will agree to remove the cherem on the two hundred needy families ofLema'an Achai, then I am willing to be cheremed personally by the shul, for myopinions and activities for child protection.

Thisseems a lot fairer.

AndI am even willing to work with Rav Malinowitz to design a range of particularlyugly B/W pashkevilim for the Rav himself to sign and hang up in the shul.

Rightalongside the sign in the BTYA foyer which says:

Our Mission

To maintain and expand an open and tolerant קהילה

Woops.Perhaps the pashkeville should be placed over that.

-----------

HowBTYA Members Can Still Quietly Donate to Lema'an Achai:

OnLine: https://lemaanachai.org/donations.aspx

ByPhone 24/6: 02-99999.33

MailA Check: Lema'an Achai, 40/7 Nahal Lachish,Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Video (Amateur) of The Orot Solidarity Demo

2011-09-27T00:00:00.003+03:00

This is a 10 minute video of last night's popular demonstration to show solidarity for the girls of Orot Banot, and to promote unity and peaceful relations in Bet Shemesh.

I thought of the several good speeches, the most outstanding was by Rav Kopperman, Rav Kehilla at Ahavat Zion in RBS.

Benjamin Netanyahu's Speech at the UN

2011-09-25T02:01:00.002+03:00

Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu spoke at the session on Palestine at the UN after it was already Shabbat in Israel...

Here's what Bibi said:

Solidarity With Orot Banot

2011-09-23T18:00:00.002+03:00

The struggle for Orot Banot will (literally) take a step forward, with the large demonstration planned for Sunday evening.

This follows the "Gigantic Demonstration" (Hafganat Anak) of the kannoim/extremists on Wednesday night.

That rally was attended by an estimated 400 people, including many children. By most accounts, this falls far short of the "anak" title, and must have been a set-back for the kannoim.

Regretfully, it was also attended by a clutch of otherwise respectable rabbonim.

The scandal of the blessing-of-silence of the mainstream Chareidi community on the behaviour of the extremists, continues and was epitomised by Rav Malinowitz' evasive article in this week's Chodosh free local newspaper.

Rav Malinowitz' previous column last week ramblingly promised to address the issue of Orot Banot, and seemed to propose a moral equivalency between the young girls of Orot (who wish to attend an orthodox school), and the extremist kannoim (trying to kick the girls out of the school while hurling physical and verbal abuse at them). "These are holy, and these are holy".

Rav Malinowitz stepped back from the brink in this week's column, and wrote that he'd decided to avoid the subject entirely by writing about something entirely different (I don't recall what).

The one positive example of moderate Chareidi leadership has been set by the lone-voice of Council Member R.Eli Friedman of the Tov Party, who has published clear public statements, in support of the girls of Orot Banot, and slamming the behaviour of the kannoim.

The Demonstration on Sunday evening, from 18:15 till 19:15 is aimed to bring together all non-extremist elements of our city - to promote tolerance and mutual respect - and to give chizuk to the embattled young girls of Orot Banot.

Kudos to the organizers - in particular Rav Dov Lipman and his team!

New Booze Store in RBS!

2011-09-18T22:04:00.001+03:00

UnsolicitedRecommendation: Cellar 18

Need to buy wine, liquor, for Rosh Hashana, Sukkot et al?

Ihave recently visited the booze store (translation for Americans: "Wine & Liquor Store") at the Commercial Center of Ramat BetShemesh, including stocking up for a family simcha (my daughter Avital marriedYair Yitzhari of Jerusalem/Yad Binyamin last week!).

Thestore is renamed "Cellar 18" and is now under new ownership. Cellar 18 is now run by the friendly and expert manager, Gedalya Persky (who previously ran the store on Fridays).

Thecompact premises has had an appealing refurbishment and, most importantly, Cellar18 now stocks an amazingly wide variety of alcoholic beverages…

Theserange from low cost wines, suitable for the family palate and wallet (pricescompare with the local supermarkets), to some pretty exotic stuff…

Totest out Gedalya, I asked if he has any traditional English cider.

Forthe uninitiated, English cider is not the same as American…. as my USraised father in law (Rav Ephraim Kestenbaum, now a sprightly 84) found outwhen courting my (to be) mother in law in England.

Theyoung Rav Kestenbaum ordered himself a large cider at the English pub where hemet up with his shidduch, Miss Sula Lerner, to chat and become acquainted; RavKestenbaum assumed cider would be a fizzy apple juice, and (so the story goes) henext remembers all sorts of people wishing him "mazaltov!".

Ciderin England isalcoholic…

Anyway,Gedalia promptly presented me with a bottle of "scrumpy". Scrumpy isan especially potent version of English cider, traditionally brewed by farmersin the rural South Western England (Devon, Cornwall,Somerset..).

Ratherimpressed, I next asked about English beer, and, within moments, Gedalya showedme a selection of Ales, Stouts and Bitters.

Evenfor the top of the range whiskys (various single malts from Scotland)Cellar 8 prices are in the same price range as Duty Free – without having tobuy an air ticket, show a passport, or be X-Rayed.

And,while there, I stocked up on a box of Moscato, fizzy sweet white wine, particularlyenjoyed by my wife and kids, and connoisseurship aside, I rather enjoy it myself.The price of four bottles for 100 NISis as attractive as any supermarket.

Well worth stocking up for the yamim tovim!

Inshort – Cellar 18 is recommended for all, and particularly if you enjoy the oddtipple, are adventurous, or simply crave for the tastes of a misspent youth in chutzl'aretz (abroad) – like me!

Thestore is located in the RBS A center Hakishon 48 (right next to the flowerstore).

LeChaim! Cheers!

Cute "Hasbara" Piece for Israel

2011-09-15T16:02:00.000+03:00

Enjoy this neat little video, and pass on to those you think will like it too!

Turkey's NATO Card

2011-09-13T00:14:00.000+03:00

There was an apparently small detail during Erdogan's histrionic efforts to distract the world from the defeat to Turkey, delivered in the UN's Palmer Report.

Erdogan has slipped in an approval for a NATO radar early warning station to be located in Turkey.

This early warning station, as part of a NATO missile defence system, is aimed at countering an Iranian ballistic missile threat against Europe/NATO.

By approving the station, Erdogan risks evoking the ire of Iran, a nation with which Erdogan has lately invested considerable resource in creating a warm relationship.

So I am puzzled why Erdogan approved the new station, particularly in the context of his belligerent campaign against Israel….

Here's my theory – what do you think?

Turkey is clearly heading towards a military confrontation with Israel.

Turkey can either sail in, and start shooting.

Or, Turkey can try to goad Israel into firing the first shot. (Such as Israel's pre-emptive strike in the Six Day War).

In such a case, Turkey's membership of NATO may give Turkey protection against Israel, if Israel is deemed an "aggressor" – as according to NATO rules, an attack upon one member, is considered an attack against all members.

This clause was invoked (for the only time) ten years ago, when Al-Qaida attacked the New York Twin Towers. NATO jumped into action, participating in the Afghan campaign, to "defend" the USA.

However, leading NATO members, such as the USA, UK, Germany, et al, are most unlikely to leap into an armed conflict with Israel, on Turkey's say-so.

So these members could tell their NATO ally, Turkey, to go jump – even literally throw them out of the NATO alliance, of which Turkey is a pretty ineffective and junior member (eg. Turkey solely managed to send some hospital ships to Libya in the NATO support role of the rebels – and that was primarily to evacuate the thousands of Turkish subjects working for Kaddafi's regime).

Indeed, the NATO members would have every reason to cry "foul" to Turkey, including referring to Clause 1 of the NATO Charter:

The Parties undertake, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, to settle any international dispute in which they may be involved by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered, and to refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.

I therefore suggest that the purpose of Erdogan's announcement about the radar early warning station which sacrificed Turkey's hitherto good relations with Iran, is in order to shore up Turkey's credentials with NATO.

By upgrading Turkey from an expendable NATO member, to a key ally, Turkey can goad Israel into a first strike, and then call upon NATO to 'protect' Turkey.

Even the prospect of Israel facing NATO in combat, is a strategic asset for Turkey.

Reporting from Ankara

2011-09-06T23:19:00.000+03:00

I’m currently in Ankara, Turkey. I’ve been travelling here regularly for business for around a decade.

Ten years ago, I was warmly treated in Turkey, both by clients and by Joe-in-the-street – who were enthusiastic about showing their respect and affection for anyone from Israel.

With the series of hostile acts over the past years by Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan against Israel, culminating in this week’s expulsion of Israel’s ambassador and many diplomatic staff, and today’s news report that Israeli travelers were systematically harassed at Istanbul airport, a once fine relationship, has been irreparably shredded.

Although it feels a bit nutty to be still coming here, with the relations between the two countries at rock bottom, I’m actually a (very small) part of a four billion dollar Israel/Turkey commerce. Interestingly enough, and counter intuitional, this binational business is stronger than ever – according to Yediot Achronot, up a dramatic 26% up on last year.

The one customer here with whom I dared to discuss the latest anti-Israeli diatribe from Erdogan (which was airing on the news while we chatted), said that he is wholly embarrassed by Erdogan, who he described as a “dangerous hot-head”.

Not solely regarding Israel, but apparently on other issues also, my customer said Erdogan is reckless, illogical and disastrous for Turkey. The educated classes, he told me, are strongly against Erdogan. He said that he doesn’t even have a single friend who voted for Erdogan in the recent elections.

Under the slogan “no problems with neighbors”, Erdogan’s government set out to fix the many historical disputes with most of its immediate neighbors. Indeed, there was a sudden and dramatic warming of Turkey's previously-frosty relations with Syria, Iran, Armenia and Greece.

However, this was countered with Erdogan's constant flow of bully-boy antics against Turkey's erstwhile strategic ally,

Israel

My customer pointed out that the "no problems with neighbors" policy has proven a total failure –

Turkey

has more problems than ever.

By murdering thousands of citizens in its streets, Syria is embarrassing new-buddy Turkey, and threatening disruption and refugees to their common border.

Erdogan’s support of nuclear Iran, backfired, and seriously damaged Turkey’s relations with the USA and other Western allies – including the EU, which Turkey has long craved membership. Such membership prospects now disappeared over the horizon.

And recent fracas with Greek Cyrpus over Gas Field exploration in the Mediterranean (which Erdogan claims is not in Greek waters – because Greek Cyprus itself does not exist), is now threatening to lead to warfare on the high seas (Erdogan today: “securing the Eastern Mediterranean” seems to be turk-speak for enforcing Turkish sovereignty over Cypriot gas fields).

And Erdogan was wrong footed (along with the rest of the world) by the Arab Spring, leaving him bereft of strongmen Arab allies.

If, by slamming Israel, he was playing to the Arab gallery – there’s no one left watching.

Erdogan’s Turkey has apparently even managed to fall out with Azerbaijan, an erstwhile strong ally.

However, there is no denying Erdogan’s success at the polls.

Three successive General Election victories is an awesome accomplishment for any democracy. This June’s election was Erdogan's largest majority – almost achieving his goal of a 60% landslide.

So, the educated classes aside, there is no end in sight for Erdogan’s neo-Ottoman ambitions.

And so anyone who shares Ehud Barak’s optimism for re-building Israel’s strategic relations with this Turkish buffoon, regretfully is hallucinating...

But, given the counter-intuitional nature of Israeli-Turkish commerce, maybe the four billion dollar trade will continue to flow?

R.Avrohom Leventhal: Let's Not Be Silent

2011-09-05T21:43:00.001+03:00

The behavior affecting the innocent children at Orot Banot is intolerable. The silence from RBSA is equally intolerable.

The time has come to express our support to the girls,their parents and the entire Givat Sharet community at large. One can only imagine the thoughts running through the minds of these young and impressionable girls as they trek off to school each day. Will I be screamed at? Will someone try to throw something at me? There has been a need to bring therapists into the school to help the kids.

Can you imagine?

How would we feel if our children would be terrified to go to or return from school? What is most concerning is that the source of this fear is other Jews!

This is the time to show achdus and unity for others in our own community. Let us show these children that it is in fact only a very small group that behaves in such a way and the rest of us will not stand for it. Nothing can justify what is happening to the girls.

The famous words of a German cleric come to mind (and I paraphrase):
They came for the Jews, but I wasn't a Jew so I didn't protest.
They came for the workers, but I wasn't a worker so I didn't object.
They came for the Communists, but I wasn't a Communist so I didn't stand up.
When they came for the clergy, there was no one left to stand up for me.

Today it is Orot Banot. Tomorrow it could be a school in RBSA.

The residents of RBSA can not be silent. Please voice (and write and post) your support of our fellow Jews and neighbors.

B"Birchas Shalom Al Yisrael,
Rabbi Avrohom Leventhal
Lema'an Achai

Orot Banot – Winners & Losers

2011-09-01T16:26:00.003+03:00

(This photo courtesy of Yissachar Ruas)

The recent chaos surrounding the opening of the new school building for Orot Banot, in Beit Shemesh, seems to have reached a resolution, and the girls, staff and parents started the new school year this morning in their spanking-new school building – on the red-letter-day of 1^st September.

There has been a lot written about the dispute – how it started, the various claims of the parties involved, the protest activities etc – in the local, national and even international press (a friend who returned from a trip to the USA said people he met in the USA were asking him about "what's the story with Orot Banot?!").

For those unfamiliar with the dispute, I refer you to Haaretz, YNet, Arutz 7, Jerusalem Post, the protestors' Facebook Page, and the RBS blog Life In Israel.

At the milestone 1^st September point, the traditional start of the Israeli academic year, I declare the Victors are:

The Young Girls - who can now study at Orot Banot, in appropriate & respectable facilities.

The Vaad Horim (PCA) of Orot Banot – who stepped up, mobilized the community and brought national resources to fight their side.

Shaalei Torah – the parent organization of Orot Banot, under Rav Nissimi – who now have two beautiful new school buildings, which they worked hard to build.

The National Religious community – with particular kudos to the residents of Givat Sharett.
Beyachad - Shalom Lerner & Jacki Edri were highly active throughout the campaign and strongly supported the protests

The Israeli Government – including the Ministry of Internal Security/Police and the Ministry of Education – who came to battle for justice and the Law in Bet Shemesh.

Life In Israel blog and Facebook – which provided the Winners with a platform.

The Losers are:

The Kanoim/Extremists - who tried to use mafia tactics to frighten law-abiding residents

Mayor of Bet Shemesh – Moshe Abutbol – who was outflanked, exposed lying, and eventually by-passed

City Spokeman - Matti Rosensweig – who trumpeted falsities & nonsense, and was rapidly exposed

The Chareidi Parties (Gimel and Shas) – which failed to use their influence, and instead succumbed to their loony right.

Those Who Lost By Absence

The 'moderate' Chareidim - the overwhelming majority have very little in common with the Kanoim who caused the rumpus – but failed to disassociate themselves

Tov – the local moderate Chareidi party, which failed to take a stand for Reasonableness & Moderation – which is usually their rallying cry.

Of course, this story may not be over yet...

But in the meantime, the "Orot Banot" Winners should take a few moments to enjoy the sweet taste of Victory!

Protests at Orot Girls School, Bet Shemesh

2011-08-30T16:23:00.000+03:00

Here's a view of the protests at Orot Banot girls school in Bet Shemesh.

See previous posting for the background....

Orot Banot vs The Kanoim

2011-08-30T10:04:00.005+03:00

Photo Courtesy of Yissachar Ruas

(Above Two Photos Courtesy of Michal Stein)

Over a thousand Bet Shemesh residents are reported to have demonstrated outside the building slated for "Orot Banot" National Religious girls' school last night.

The dispute is over the use of the new school building, located in Ramat Neriya, Bet Shemesh, which was built by the Orot Banot's parent organization, Shaalei Torah.

The problems surfaced with objections and threats by other local residents, "Kanoim" (loosely translated as extremists, militants, fundamentalists, whatever...), who live in neighboring buildings designated for Chareidim.

The Bet Shemesh Municipality, under the Shas Party Mayor, Moshe Abutbol, has withdrawn its support for the Orot Banot school, and ordered the school out, apparently in response to the threats of violence against persons and property, and disruption, by these Kanoim.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has publicly sided with Orot Banot, confirming the school's version of events - that the land and building were indeed duly designated to Orot Banot, and that this designation has been summarily and unjustly withdrawn.

The dispute follows similar "turf wars" which have plagued Bet Shemesh for at least the past decade (that I have lived here).

My eldest daughter (now married with a child!) spent her first year at a National Religious primary school in Ramat Bet Shemesh, braving kanoim demonstrators, who gathered every day outside her school. The protesters blew shofarot, shouted slogans, waved banners - and the little girls were terrified. Heh, I found these folks pretty unnerving also...

Eventually, the protesters gave up, or found something else to make a fuss about, and, a few years later, the National Religious school moved up the hill to a larger premises.

Other high profile turf disputes have since included the National Religious schools on Nahal Arugot, the mikva on Nahal Dolev, and now Orot Banot.

Along with regular shabbos protests, segregated buses violence, anti-State demonstrations, anti-autopsy protests, etc..involving stone throwing, trash burning, and even physical violence against non-Kanoim, the image of Bet Shemesh has plummeted, both in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world.

I know this from a Lema'an Achai perspective: when attempting to raise funds abroad, one of the main obstacles is to first address donors concerns (usually "anger") about the Kanoim in Bet Shemesh.

Bet Shemesh is now indelibly associated with extremist and often violent Kanoim.

The Israeli national media are already putting the spotlight on to this latest dispute, appearing on the Hebrew language radio (I heard it reported on Reshet Bet news headlines last night) and news-sites (YNet, Arutz 7, etc).

In English, there is a report this morning on the Jerusalem Post site

Rafi Goldmeier's Life In Israel blog is giving the dispute extensive coverage.

And, taking a leaf out of the Arab Spring, a "We Are All Orot Banot" Facebook Group has been formed, with around 430 followers so far (when I checked this morning).

Not to be outdone, the Muncipality is using its own facebook page to wage its side of the propaganda war, now raging alongside the protests.

I fully support and encourage everyone to use their influence, time, resources, and protest skills, to make sure that Orot Banot opens, as scheduled, on 1st September, in its new purpose built premises at Ramat Neriya, Bet Shemesh.

If the Kanoim win this dispute, we all lose.

Yardenit: Great Swimming Experience in the R.Jordan

2011-08-28T19:18:00.000+03:00

My family are seasoned travelers around the wadis, hills and nachalim of Israel.

This summer's family pilgrimage to the North (together with almost everyone from the Center of Israel, who wasn't heading through Ben Gurion Airport) included well worn and fun hikes in the Golan to the Jilabun, Zaki, Zavitan, et al.

At the suggestion of my eldest son Yonatan, we tried a new (for us) trip to Yardenit. (Yonatan had previously been there with his Yeshiva friends).

Yardenit is located just next to Israel's first Kibbutz , Degania Aleph, close to the Southern shore of the Kinneret.

Yardenit is apparently the most desirable location for Christians to baptise in the Jordan; by so doing, they follow in the footsteps of Jesus who, according to the New Testament, was baptised by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (although probably not at this site).

Most of the Jordan River is now a disappointing stream, due to the majority of the water being diverted for irrigation and drinking, both to Israel's and Jordan's population centers.

We parked the car in the (spacious) carpark at the baptism center, bypassed the center itself, and instead we walked through a date grove, to the banks of the Jordan river.

Verily, a mighty river!

There were a scattering of families, soldiers, students, camping along the banks, and plenty of room for swimming in the expansive river. There was even a "tarzan" swing into the water (see photo), which was tremendous fun, even for adults...

Marvelous, and highly recommended!

----
Health & safety warning: this is only recommended for confident and competent swimmers - it's deep in the middle and there are very few standable spots at the edges. On the other hand, the river flow is very slow, so there is no apparent danger of being washed downstream.

View from Bet Shemesh: Encroaching Rockets

2011-08-21T00:05:00.000+03:00

Motsei Shabbat, 20th August, 2011

We pray and mourn for our brother and sisters in the South, where there are mounting casualities from the terror and rocket attacks in Eilat, Beersheva, Ashdod, Ashkelon..and indeed everything within 40km of Gaza.

From the narrow view from Bet Shemesh, we are also keeping a wary eye on those ranges.

In the Molten Lead campaign, in the winter of 2009/10, Hamas fired a huge quantity and variety of rockets at every Israeli town within 45km of Gaza.

At that point Bet Shemesh, at 50 km from Gaza, became a refuge for around a thousand school kids from the South; Lema'an Achai took a leadership role, in partnership with the Municipality, Ezrat Achim, Shaalei Torah, the Community Centers, and many schools in Bet Shemesh who took in kids during that one month period of terror.

Bet Shemesh stands ready, should there be a need, to host as many civilians as need refuge here.

However, if the current conflict continues, a more likely scenario is that Bet Shemesh itself will also be a target.

It is public knowledge that Hamas has aquired rockets and missiles with over 50km range, now placing Bet Shemesh within range of Hamas in Gaza.

Lema'an Achai has participated in several excercises during the past 18 months, arranged by the IDF Home Guard, to play its part in keeping the Bet Shemesh population safe, calm, and well cared for, in the event of a missile attack on Bet Shemesh, chas veshalom.

Our prayers are for all those in the South. While our eyes look anxiously to the skies.

Archaeologists: Did King David's Empire Exist?

2011-08-18T17:24:00.002+03:00

I recently took a family trip to Kayafa, an archaeological site, just off Road 38 on the left side, between Ramat Bet Shemesh and HaElah Junction.

This modest site, with two impressive gates, is the subject of much discussion and controversy amongst archaeologists.

Very little archaeological evidence apparently exists to support the Bible stories of King David's Empire.
Much of what was previousy assumed to be substantive evidence, has been since relegated to later periods of history (mainly moved up in history from the 10th Century BCE, the time of King David, to the more recent 9th Century BCE).

Kayafa is now claimed to be the "missing link" between the Biblical narrative about King David, and the archaeological history.

This is supported by the nature of the site itself (one-time settlement, built on bedrock, nothing before or since), the location (ties in with the strategic battles between the Israelites and Philistines), and various artificats (principally a shard with Hebrew script, other "Jewish" pottery, and, amongst many animal bones, a total lack of pig bones).

The two gates may even identify it as the biblical city "Shaarayim" - which literally means "two gates", and was located in the same area of Israel.

Kayafa was discovered just two years ago, and only 10% has been excavated so far....

Even CNN has picked up on the story. Take a look! (It rather weirdly starts out in Egypt - but ignore that, and the rest of the video tells the story):

Responding to Allegations of Abuse: RCA and Agudath Israel

2011-08-14T10:12:00.004+03:00

By Guest Writer,

Dr Nachum Klafter,

Cincinnati, OH

(Note from David: Many thanks to Dr Klafter for this helpful and detailed article explaining the different approaches of the RCA and Agudah to reporting child abuse to the authorities, and follows my previous article on this topic. Please note that, for Israelis, ALL citizens are mandatory reporters in Israel, ie it is a criminal offense to fail to report a suspicion of child abuse; whereas in some states in the USA solely some professionals are mandatory reporters - for a full listing of mandatory reporters in USA, state by state see:

http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/laws_policies/statutes/manda.cfm )

I have received several requests from clinicians and Rabbis asking me to respond to the last round of articles and posts, by explaining what exactly the differences are for therapists according to the rulings by the R.C.A. and Agudah.

The intent of some recent articles has been to defend the position of the Agudah and to stress the importance of receiving guidance in all halakhic issues from qualified poskim. I do not disagree with that sentiment, but I think that the position of the Agudah has been misrepresented.

In the course of recent discussions about halalkhic issues involved in reporting, the dialogue has also turned to the topic of whether sexual perpetrators may or may not be delineated as a rodef (a person pursuing an innocent victim in order to commit murder or rape on an ervah). This was in response to citing the case of rodef as one example of where it is obviously permissible to report Jewish criminals to the secular legal authorities. As a result of this digression, I believe that there is an inaccurate perception that the disagreement between the R.C.A. and the Agudah is about what categories of abuse may or may not be reported to the authorities. This is not the case, as I will explain.

To review: There were two rulings issued recently by the two major organizations of Orthodox Rabbis in North America about reporting child abuse to the authorities.

1. The Rabbinic Council of America ruled in April 2010 that there is an obligation to report credible allegations of sexual abuse to the secular legal authorities, and that there is no prohibition of mesira in doing so. This RCA reiterated this position on July 25th 2011. The full text is attached to this email. There are four important components to their ruling:

· All Jews who have first-hand-knowledge or a reasonable suspicion sexual or physical abuse of children are obligated by Torah Law to report this immediately to the secular legal authorities. Failure to report constitutes a biblical violation of “You shall not stand idly upon the blood of your brother….”

· The prohibition of mesira simply does not apply when making reports of sexual or physical abuse to the secular authorities.

· Mandated reporters, such as therapists, must follow the mandated reporting laws imposed by the secular authorities even in cases where Jewish Law would not require that a report be made.

· If someone is truly uncertain whether the facts he or she has become aware of are reasonable grounds for suspicion, he or she should seek guidance from a rabbi and/or mental health professional as appropriate. However, in a case where it is clear that the basis for suspicion of abuse is valid, and all the more so when one has first-hand knowledge, it is not necessary to ask a rabbi for a ruling before calling the secular legal authorities.

2. The Agudath Israel’s statement of July 22, 2011 includes the following key provisions:

· All Jews who learn of credible allegations that a child is being sexually or physically abused are obligated by Jewish Law to report this to the secular legal authorities. This obligation, based on “tikkun olam” and “other important principles” (unspecified the their ruling), pushes aside any prohibitions (i.e. including mesira).

· According to this opinion, the level of evidence required in order to achieve “probable cause” (raglayim la-davar) is a halakhic matter which requires a decision by a qualified posek. In other words, according to this statement issued by the Agudah, before anyone calls the secular authorities, he or she should first consult with a qualified rabbi in order to determine if the basis for suspicion is sufficient evidence to file a report.

· The obligation to report, according to the Agudah, is based only on Jewish law considerations and not on any mandatory reporting provisions in the secular law. In other words, according to the Agudah, a therapist or any other mandated reporter must also first consult with a posek before reporting suspicions of abuse to the authorities.

Practically speaking, the only difference in their ruling for the lay public is whether a Rabbi must be called first before reporting first-hand knowledge or a reasonable suspicion of child abuse to the secular authorities.

There are other potential implications of the Agudah’s ruling for mandated reporters, including Orthodox therapists. Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, an attorney and the E.V.P. of Agudath Israel of America, has stated that he does not believe that this ruling will lead to any mandated reporters violating the law. Not everyone is reassured by his statement. (My own understanding is that, like anything else, it would depend on the rabbi you are asking.) In any case, this opinion requires that a mandated reporter speak about the facts with a qualified posek so that each situation can be adjudicated on a case-by-case basis.

These two opinions are based on different understandings of the prohibition of mesira. The R.C.A.’s statement is based on two halakhic principles: (1) The laws of mesira are pushed aside when reporting people who pose a danger to others, people who menace and harass others, people whose actions impugn the reputation of the community, and even for those who are simply so disruptive that they cause a public disturbance. These categories obviously include sexual and physical abusers of children. (2) The R.C.A statement follows another widely accepted opinion in halakha: Generally speaking, in a nation which enforces the law equitable and humanely, it is not forbidden to report or press criminal charges against Jews who are violating reasonable laws which were enacted for the betterment of the society. That is why the R.C.A.’s ruling states that mandated reporters are always obligated to adhere to the mandatory reporting laws, even in cases where according to Jewish Law there is no obligation to report. According to this opinion, the prohibition of mesira applies only in societies where there is no procedural justice, such as nations where Jews are seized by anti-Semitic rulers for no legitimate reason. The gedolei ha-poskim of the 20th century who have ruled in this manner include the Aruch HaShulchan, Rav Elyashiv, Rabbi Eliezer Waldenberg z”l, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach z”l, and Rabbi Shmuel Wosner. This view is also followed by the R.C.A.’s own poskim and dayanim. I have personally discussed these matters with three: Rav Hershel Schachter, Rav Gedalia Dov Schwartz, and most recently with Rabbi Michael Broyde (who has written extensively and frequently answers halakhic questions on this topic).

The Agudah is following a different opinion about mesira, which holds that even in societies whose legal systems are fair to Jews and whose authorities enforce the law equitably and humanely (such as America) there is nevertheless a prohibition against informing on Jews who are violating the secular law. However, the view expressed by the Agudah agrees that there are many situations where mesira is not only permitted but mandated by the halakha; in fact there is no disagreement about this among any halakhic authorities. The classic cases where mesira is permitted, in any society, are specified in Choshen Mishpat 388. The view expressed in the Agudah’s statement further agrees that sexual and physical abuse of children falls clearly within those cases which must be reported to the police because the prohibition of mesira has been pushed aside. However, unlike the R.C.A.’s ruling, if we could imagine a case where Jewish Law does not require that we inform the secular authorities, the opinion expressed by the Agudah holds that even in America and Canada the prohibition of mesira remains in effect. That is why the Agudah’s opinion states that the secular law’s provisions for mandated reporting are irrelevant to the question of of whether reporting is permissible. According to this opinion, either there is an obligation to report according to Jewish Law (such as in a case of sexual or physical abuse), or there is a prohibition of mesira which precludes reporting (even for mandated reporters).

I have already provided to those who have requested this an English article by Rabbi Broyde which explains the rules and legal principles which govern the prohibition of mesira, as well as the various views of the great poskim of the last century.

It appears that some correspondents believe that the opinion of the Agudah (and the clarification reported in the media by Rabbi Shmuel Kamanetsky) is predicated on the notion that the only instances where reporting is permissible are when the molester or abuser is adjudicated as a rodef. Following this incorrect assumption, one contributor goes on to cite the classic cases from the Talmud of incestuous or adulterous rape, in order to distinguish them from other cases of less serious sexual abuse where the perpetrator would not be a rodef.

This is incorrect. In fact, both opinions (the Agudah’s and the R.C.A.’s) agree that physical abuse of a child, or sexual molestation of a child which does not involve actual rape, must be reported to the secular authorities. Their disagreement is only over whether there is a requirement to first check with a Rabbi about whether the basis for one’s suspicion rises to the threshold of probable cause (‘raglayim la-davar’). Their disagreement is not, for example, about whether a molester who fondles the genitalia of young children must be reported. The opinion expressed by the Agudah clearly holds that such a person must be reported (though only after consulting with a Rav to determine if the evidence is sufficient). This has nothing to do with whether a molester has the actual din of rodef.

In fact, in the same siman in Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 388), we learn about a number of other cases where people may or must be reported to the authorities despite the fact that they are not, literally, rodfim. This includes counterfeiters (388:12), people who disturb the public (388:12), and people who assault others by hitting them (388:7). In fact, the Rema rules in 388:7 that a person who has been assaulted by someone (“adam ha-mukah me-chavero”) is allowed to press charges with the secular authorities against his assailant after the assault has already occurred. However, the assailant is not a rodef. In other words, the victim of this assault is certainly not allowed to purchase a gun the next day and kill his assailant. However, he is allowed to call the police the next day and inform on the assailant by filing criminal charges. People who cause a public disturbance are not rodfim in any sense of the word; they are not even dangerous; they are simply a disruptive nuisance. Nevertheless, we may report them to the authorities. The rabbis of the Agudah and the R.C.A. all agree with this. They all further agree that if we are allowed to call the police after a physical assault against an adult, we are certainly allowed to call the police to report sexual and physical abuse of children (though the Agudah requires that a posek review the evidence first, in order to avoid spurious reports). And, again, the Rema is addressing a situation where the legal authorities are anti-Semitic feudal despots who we presume will treat the assailant is very harshly. There is certainly reason to be more lenient about mesira in America, Canada – not to mention Israel, where the legal authorities are Jews.

There are some reports in the Jewish media which imply that the Agudah’s requirement of ‘raglayim la-davar’ (that only suspicions which are based on substantial evidence should be reported) will interfere with the reporting of sexual abuse. I think this is unfair. In fact, the R.C.A.’s opinion states the same thing, but trusts the reporter to make that determination and does not require the input of a halakhic decisor:

As always where the facts are uncertain one should use common sense and consultations with experts, both lay and rabbinic, to determine how and when to report such matters to the authorities. False accusations are harmful to those falsely accused – but unreported abuse or endangerment can be life-threatening, as we have recently been tragically reminded.

Essentially, the Agudah’s ruling expresses an opinion which is so concerned about the potential havoc caused by baseless suspicions being reported to the government that it requires rabbinical review. The Agudah’s statement is nevertheless an acknowledgment that in contemporary Western society, Rabbonim and lay communal leaders are not empowered to effectively intervene and protect children who are being physically or sexually abused. We need to make use of Child Protective Services or similar agencies in our communities and jurisdictions. It is mandated by halakha that we do so.

I will also mention that there is good research being done which has found that enforcement of mandatory reporting laws does, in fact, reduce the incidence of sexual abuse.

In summary I will again quote Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein, who can hardly be called a ‘left-winger’. He recently wrote the following:

It is time to forever bury the myth that reports of pedophilia can be managed and dealt with by committees of rabbonim, even for a short time. It is time to bury the myth that there is a serious halachic barrier to going to authorities to deal with credible reports of such behavior. Enough baalei halacha have told us that there is no barrier.
Choshen Mishpat 388:12 tells us that those who vex the public can be handed over. Any pedophile does at least that, and poses a danger of doing much more. Moreover, mesirah of a molester exposes him to a safek of danger; pedophiles pose a much greater danger level to many more victims.
It is natural and good that many people were not eager to rush to modes of address that themselves could be too sweeping and harsh, with terrible consequences to people and their families. They thought that various types of modus vivendi were possible. By now they should realize that this is not true. Rabbonim cannot handle the issue. We have enough evidence of this…. (http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2011/07/14/yadeinu-shafchu-es-hadam-hazeh/#ixzz1UP7xBP8J)

Tisha Ba'Av: There Are Only Two Types of People

2011-08-08T18:07:00.000+03:00

Message for Tisha B'Av from Lema'an Achai

For almost 2,000 years we have mourned the destruction of our Holy Temples and the fact that they have yet to be rebuilt. It was "Sinas Chinam" (baseless hatred) that put us into exile. It will be through "Ahavas Chinam" and "Ahavas Yisroel" that our bitter exile will end. When we show compassion for those in need, regardless of their affiliation, we can rectify the wrongs of discord and disunity.

"Great is Charity as it Hastens the Redemption" (Talmud Baba Batra 10a).

To prepare for Tisha B'Av please support Lema'an Achai, an organization based on Ahavas Chinam

and Ahavas Yisroel.

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"Aish" on Unity

2011-08-08T16:10:00.003+03:00

Child Abuse: Dispute Among The Rabbis

2011-08-04T22:22:00.000+03:00

(Illustrative photo)

Following the tragic and gruesome murder of 8 year old Leiby Kletzky in Borough Park, New York, the two largest orthodox rabbinical organizations, the Rabbinical Council of American (RCA) and the Agudath Yisrael, have both put out statements (see RCA and Agudah). The RCA is Modern Orthodox whereas the Agudath Yisrael is Chareidi.

Both organizations address the question of what someone should do, if they suspect or know of abuse against children.

The RCA's bottom line is:

"if one becomes aware of an instance of child abuse or endangerment, one is obligated to refer the matter to the secular authorities immediately,"

and then adds,

"As always where the facts are uncertain one should use common sense and consultations with experts, both lay and rabbinic, to determine how and when to report such matters to the authorities."
On the related topic of those who are "mandated reporters" (ie required by US law to report suspicions of child abuse):

"A person covered by mandatory reporter laws must comply with those laws, even in a case in which Jewish law might otherwise not require a person to report such child abuse or endangerment."

Meanwhile, the Agudath Yisrael published their own policy statement.

This states:

"Where there is “raglayim la’davar” (roughly, reason to believe) that a child has been abused or molested, the matter should be reported to the authorities."

So far, sounds pretty similar to the RCA.

However, the statement continues:

"However, where the circumstances of the case do not rise to the threshold level of raglayim la’davar, the matter should not be reported to the authorities."

Therefore:

"the individual should not rely exclusively on his own judgment to determine the presence or absence of raglayim la’davar. Rather, he should present the facts of the case to a rabbi…"
And regarding the Federal & State Law for mandated reporting, the statement is unclear:

On the one hand:

"This halachic obligation to report where there is raglayim la’davar is not dependent upon any secular legal mandate to report."
And yet:

"Thus, the question of whether the threshold standard of raglayim la’davar has been met so as to justify (indeed, to require) reporting is critical for halachic purposes. (The secular law also typically establishes a threshold for mandated reporters; in New York, it is “reasonable cause to suspect.”) The issue is obviously fact sensitive and must be determined on a case-by-case basis [ed: by the rabbi]."
In other words, according to Agudath Yisrael, the rabbis have sole and exclusive jurisdiction & control in defining whether any specific allegation of child abuse requires reporting, or not, solely according to halachik standards of certainty ("raglaim ledevar").

The individual (ie.any non-Rabbi) is instructed not to take any independent decision, such as to follow the Law, obtain professional advice, follow his professional code of ethics, or listen to his common sense.