Tzedek-Tzedek

The seismic shock wave of political revolution which started with a Tunisian immolating himself, has spread through North Africa to the Middle East, and is dominoing around our region faster than the CNN updates can keep track of. Tunisia, Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya, Algeria...who knows where next? It’s clearly not us , here in Ramat Bet Shemesh Although these events are alarmingly close to us geographically, they seem worlds away politically. These regimes are tyrannical – and our Israeli democracy is thriving. We overthrow our governments via the ballot box, or they implode in coalition debacles, far too frequently for discontent to build up. It has been fascinating watching the evaporation of paradigms in the events around our region. For example, the European Community recently put out a statement that one should not allow the events in Cairo et al “to distract us from reaching a resolution of the Palestinian conflict”. This is using the Old Paradigm that the big prob...

In the third such case in as many months, another anglo-saxon (English speaking) man has been arrested in Ramat Bet Shemesh Aleph under suspicion of child sex abuse. This past Friday night, a 29 year old American tourist was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15 year old girl, and two teenage boys. According to Walla news-service , the man’s custody was extended in court yesterday (Tuesday), to enable the police to further investigate. Beyond the published information, the man apparently is from Brooklyn , NY , and he was lodging with an anglo family on Nahal Soreq, Ramat Bet Shemesh. The alleged incidents apparently took place in the Ayalon Park and in the host family’s apartment. The man is apparently from a prestigious rabbinical family in NY. This arrest follows the arrest several weeks ago of a 60 yo English speaking man at his home on Nahal Dolev, who allegedly operated also in the area of Nahal Revivim. This man is alleged to have committed sex crimes against min...

A “Pashkevil” is a printed notice , particularly used in Orthodox Jewish communities, which is glued on walls and notice boards in public areas. Announcements can be that someone has died, or that a certain rabbi will be speaking, or, more controversially, derogatory announcements against this or that behaviour or particular individual. Usually these notices are anonymous, or are apparently signed by rabbinical leaders, but whose signatures are often not authentic. Here in Ramat Bet Shemesh, pashkevilim recently went up around town, denouncing the establishment of a yeshiva here which, alongside torah studies, also teaches secular studies. I recently wrote about Rav Soloveichik's sermon, in which he criticised another Pashkevil, which was rare or unique, in that the distasteful Pashkevil was apparently published by National Religious activists.   As a response to the phenomenon of pashkevilim, Rabbi Yaakov Haber, together with members of his Kehilat Shivtei Yeshurun community...

As I headed off to synagogue this past Friday evening, there was a strong smell of woody fire in the air. My brother, who drove to Ramat Bet Shemesh shortly before Shabbat, told me he had seen flames in the forest on the way into town. Both Ynet and the Jerusalem Post  reported last week that firemen in Bet Shemesh had blamed three forest fires in the Ramat Bet Shemesh area, on ultra-orthodox demonstrators. Indeed according to these reports: “the haredim started the fires as an act of protest against the relocation of ancient graves in Ashkelon . The firefighters said they had to ward off haredim who were trying to disrupt the efforts to contain the blazes.” I haven’t yet seen reports that these fires continued, or were new fires, on Friday afternoon. I am appalled that anyone would deliberately start a forest fire. Such an act risks the lives of those who live nearby, or folks who could be caught in the fire, and of the firemen who are required to put out these fires...

I guess some fifteen years ago, I used to receive Microwave & RF Engineering Magazine. Not that I’m an engineer, but at that time I had an interest in microwave communications. Most of it was way over my head, but I was amazed to read an article about the then-new cellular phones. The article addressed an engineering problem, that there is inevitably an object blocking the path between the handheld cell phone antenna and the station antenna – and therefore a need to boost the microwave signal to transmit unhindered to the station antenna. That obstructing object is better known as the human head. The article concluded with a side-note. That the medical effects of the boosted radiation through the human head, could only be evaluated in twenty years time. This week, a $24 million U.N. study spanning a decade and covering 13 nations was released. This report suggests frequent cell phone use may increase the chances of developing rare but deadly form of brain cancer. The report, ...

In his weekly Shabbat morning sermon (Parshat Bemidbar), Rav Hayim Soloveichik spoke out forcefully against a recent “pashkevil” which was distributed in specific locations last week in Bet Shemesh. Rav Soloveichik told his congregants that a “pashkevil” (a public written announcement, see previous article ) had been published and distributed last week, presumably by individual residents of Bet Shemesh, which was unacceptable in both its content and its anonymity. Rav Soloveichik noted that this week’s Torah portion starts with the counting of the Children of Israel – and this reflects the fact that every member of Israel is “chashuv” – important and valuable. What makes us “chashuv” is that we keep Hashem’s Torah (halacha) and we keep to Ruach Hatorah (hashkafa).  Rav Soloveichik said that the recent struggle to retain the local makvaot (ritual baths) under the control of the Municipal Rabbinical Council, is a correct and honorable cause, and the campaign was carefully plann...

Announcement from Rabbi Dov Lipman For weeks we have been working on many fronts to preserve the mikva on Dolev to be under the Rabbanut since this is the mikva in the area of most of the dati women in RBS.  We met with members of Knesset, sent letters to the ministers involved, got messages to Rav Ovadiah Yosef and the Chief Sephardic Rabbi, and were in constant contact with the Rav HaIr and the new head of the city religious council.  In addition, a large number of you showed up today with almost no notice to have a presence at the critical meeting between the Mayor and the Rabbanim involved.    I am happy to announce that Rav Spector signed on an agreement this morning which keeps the mikva on Dolev in the hands of the Rabbanut to service the dati and hareidi women who prefer their approach and there won't be any signs dividing the mikva and the community.  The Rabbonim who had wanted to control that mikva will be given the mikva on Lachish where more of th...

By Rabbi Dov Lippman This is an update for those following the story of the struggle over the running of the Mikva on Nachal Dolev, Ramat Beit Shemesh: - Mayor Abutbol received a letter from the Minister of Religion, Yaakov Margi (Shas), that he cannot appoint a private person to oversee a public mikva. - Despite this letter, the Mayor insists that Rabbi Davidovich will oversee the mikva on Dolev and the Rabbanut will oversee the renovated mikva on Lachish. It appears likely that the Mayor will try to do so by appointing Rabbi Davidovich as an official employee of the Rabbanut. - A stormy meeting took place between the dati Rabbonim of the city and the Mayor during which the Mayor berated the Rabbis for suddenly wanting to follow the psak and leadership of Rav Ovadiah Yosef [ DM: who has been notified that the Rishon Letzion's shittot were being possulled by those supervising the "right" side of the mikva - and Rav Yosef strongly objected to that ] . - Meetings we...

The Action Committee for Integrity in Providing for Religious Services, which includes many of the most prominent Rabbis from Ramat Bet Shemesh, requested that I help the English-speaking public understand the issues encompassed in the struggle to ensure that Mikvehs provide any woman who wishes to utilize Mikveh services with amiable and Halachically-sound service which will promote Mikveh use. I may also write up some summaries in English of the material which has been publicized in Hebrew in the past several weeks; but, first of all, I wish to encourage anyone who wishes to hear the truth from someone who has studied this issue in depth, and whose purpose is simply to promote positive experiences relating to dipping in the Mikveh and other spiritual actions, to contact me by phone or Email for more details. Catriel Lev Mobile Phone: 050-205-7867 Home Phone: 02-991-4332 Email:  clev@actcom.com