Yeshiva World News has a letter posted from a woman who lives in the Charedi neighborhood of the Meah Shearim – Geula near Kikar Shabbos - Shabbat Square - Jerusalem. This is probably the most Charedi neighborhood in all of Jerusalem. She is obviously an American with a good command of the English language. Her Charedi/Chasidic Hashkafic credentials seem to be unquestionable. What she reported made me sick.
Briefly she described the havoc wrought in her neighborhood by a yet another call for a protest by the Edah HaCharedis. Not that the Edah has approved of what this woman experienced. I’m sure they did not.
The call for a protest against the opening of a municipal parking lot on Shabbos in a secular neighborhood in Jerusalem has once again generated violence. And once again it has caused unbelievable stress and danger to the lives the residents of that neighborhood.
It should be noted that the protest was called for Shabbos on a street called Bar Ilan - not Kikar Shabbos where this vandalism and destruction took place. What happened in Kikar Shabbos took place on the Thursday night before that and on the Sunday and Monday after.
I recently criticized such protests. But now I will go a step further and say that protests like this should be banned. (That’s right - I do favor some bans). Calling for protests like this one will almost always be an excuse for some young people to become violent.
The descriptions of this poster are heartrending! And the behavior of these young delinquents is inexcusable!
I suppose that many of these kids were Chasidic type residents of Meah Shearim. But not all of them. Some were American students studying in Israel. Apparently some are in Yeshivos like Brisk and Mir. The one thing they had in common was the desire to disrupt the peace and destroy property in pursuit of the goal called for by the Edah – to get the municipality to keep a parking lot closed on Shabbos.
That gave them the excuse to be completely oblivious to the welfare of fellow human beings. It didn’t matter to them that they were Jews! It didn’t even matter that they were Frum Jews - very Frum Jews! Their eyes were on the fun they were having in the process of carrying out what they thought was a nobler goal. The ends – justified their means.
This can no longer be looked at as a group of neighborhood hooligans with time on their hands. This is way beyond a local and cultural problem located only in certain ultra Charedi neighborhoods in Israel. Not when there are American students participating.
If my son were spending his year in Israel involved in anything like this I would literally tear Kriya! Where are the parents? Do they know where their kids are?
When are organizations like the Edah going to get real? When are they going to realize that not everything they don’t like needs a major protest? When are they going to realize there are bigger fish to fry? - Like teaching their children to be civilized instead of tolerating their criminal behavior.
The question is what is going to prevent this kind of behavior in the future? Will more and stronger bans do it? Will a Rosh Hayeshva forbidding his students from any participation – on pain of expulsion – even be enough?
Frankly I think that kind of ‘fix’ is the wrong approach –although it’s a start. Many young people will still at the core believe this cause - and its means were just, if a bit of an over-reaction. It is this attitude that needs to change. Not just of the young, but of their mentoring Roshei Yeshiva and Rebbeim
Instead of railing against the evil secular government and decrying the breaching of yet another wall in the status quo they ought to start focusing on the underlying causes of this criminal and dangerous vandalism.
Yes, some of them are incorrigible and are perhaps beyond hope. Those should have the book thrown at them and given maximum sentences in Israeli prisons. Hard time!
But what about the kid who comes from a fairly normal home and gets caught up in the moment -rationalizing that Chilul Shabbos is indeed worthy of such protests?… that this is indeed the only thing that city government officials respond to?
That can only be changed if the entire mindset changes from one of intolerance to one of tolerance. I am not suggesting that Chilul Shabbos shouldn’t be protested, but not in this way. This way has wrought nothing but grief for the very people whom they represent.
A change of heart is needed. We need to go back to the days of Rav Chaim Shmulevitz, Rosh Yeshiva at Mir yeshiva in the sixties. He knew who and what the secular government was. But he did not hesitate to praise it when he felt they deserved it. And he did so publicly. Not that he didn’t get criticized for it by some in his own Cherdi community!
There has never been a time better than now to change the mindset and dynamic of the Charedi from one of hatred towards the flag and country and its secular citizenry to one of tolerance and Vitur – looking the other way – at least in public.
No more protests. Not even peaceful ones since inevitably they will result in violence. I hope Charedi leadership comes to its senses. I hope that if the Edah doesn’t – that at least other leaders part company with them and make their views known to the public! And I hope that they can begin to do what’s necessary to change the mindset that causes student s to do this kind of thing.
I hope that clearer minds in Jerusalem and elsewhere are up to the task. It is a huge one.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Rueven and His Remarkable Family
It’s been a while since I posted about my beautiful and happy grandson, Reuven ben Tova Chaya. There are probably many people wondering what is up with him. On Monday July 6th he will be undergoing another surgery. My daughter Rivkah Greenland (Tovi’s oldest sister) has sent out an update which needs no further comment from me:Hi everyone. A lot of people have been asking me about Reuven lately so I thought I'd post an update.
Reuven recently finished his third course of chemo treatments (mild in comparison to the ones he'd had in the past.) Chemo was outpatient every morning for two weeks on and one week off...and then 6 rounds of that. A trouper through it all, Reuven managed to attend school after almost every treatment.
A few weeks ago, Reuven attended his kindergarten graduation. What a simcha is was for his parents to come and watch him get his diploma together with his class. This summer, Reuven will be attending summer camp, just like all his friends. A few days ago, Reuven had a scan which, I am told by my sister was good enough to enable his upcoming surgery to go on July 6th to remove the small nodule on his lung. It is unclear whether the nodule is dead skin cells or not, but either way the recommendation is to remove it.
Reuven will be receiving 2 additional rounds of chemo after the surgery. He will then IY"H have some time off and then treatment to continue will be determined.
At the end of the summer, further assessments will be made to determine how, and what treatments to continue for Reuven.
Reuven and his family are doing incredibly well considering everything. They are truly inspiring in how they continue to go about their day to day activities as if nothing was going on. Their home continues to be open to guests, shabbatonim, sheva brachos, and community functions. The kids remain well adjusted happy kids, and if you walked into their house, you would never know there was a sick child there. It is my sister's intention to keep it that way. That being said...
REUVEN IS STILL VERY MUCH IN NEED OF OUR TEFILLOS!!!!
So, on behalf of my entire family, we thank you all for continuing to check in and most of all for your continued tefillos for Reuven ben Tova Chaya.
Rivkie
Charedi School Funding - I’m with the Chilonim
The evil Israeli government is at it again. They are going to provide 100% funding for private Charedi schools. Will there be any Hakaras HaTov for that? Of course not. They are after all not doing it L’Shmah. They would just as soon shut down the Charedi schools as fund them at all.So this community will continue to curse the government hand that feeds them all the while taking their money.
The question is what exactly do those kids learn in these schools. Girls have a somewhat decent education in some of the moderate Charedi schools. But what do the boys learn besides Gemarah? What are the Hashkafos? How are they prepared for the world? What are they taught about non Jews? Or secular Jews? Or about the state? Or its founders? Secular education? The work ethic? Or Baalei Baatim?
What exactly is the Israeli government funding?
They are funding anti government sentiment and an education that does not prepare them adequately for the future. Yes these schools do teach an exorbitant amount of Torah. That is a good thing. But it is the only good thing. They teach little else leaving many students out in the cold – disadvantaged- with little prospect of decent employment.
And the attitude they teach about the outside world is so negative that it is also counter-productive to their future welfare.
What about all that Torah they teach? Isn’t that worth a lot? Of course it is - to those who actually learn it. Just because they teach so much Torah doesn’t mean every one of their students learns it.
Perhaps one can make an argument for the few brilliant students who love to learn and will spend their future contributing in some way as Poskim, Rabbanim Rabbeim etc. - or even Gedolim ... this is their best training for the future.
I would not agree to that proposition. I think anyone no matter how brilliant in their Torah studies - no matter how motivated and dedicated they are - would benefit from a more well rounded education.
But even if I concede that learning Torah only and nothing else is the best way to produce a Gadol and the other religious leaders I mentioned - it woud only be a small portion of them that will end up having careers in it. Most will not be able to have such careers. They would do far better in other fields for a variety of reasons if given the opportunity.
What about them?
Please do not misunderstand. I think all children – no less Charedim - deserve equal treatment with respect to funding for their education. But as many people know it is a pet peeve of mine – a big one – that these schools currently have no secular education – ZERO - for boys beyond 8th grade. And until 8th grade it is at best only rudimentary education in Hebrew grammar and arithmetic. That’s it!
Attempts in the past by previous governments in Israel to inject the most basic elements of secular studies have been rebuffed by Charedi religious leaders in Israel. They characterize it as a near heretical interference by an anti Torah government establishment whose goal it is to strip Jews of their Judaism. They will cite the European model of Volozhin – a Yeshiva that closed its doors rather than submit to a seemingly innocuous secular curriculum. They correctly believed that this was an insidious attempt by non Jewish government and their secular Jewish collaborators to ultimately assimilate their students. And it is true that some Chiloni leaders feel that way too.
But to suggest that this is their goal in trying to inject a basic secular curriculum is so laughable that it isn’t funny. The goal of the Israeli government is to educate its populace to be productive citizens and not a burden on society. Those who say it is are either very naïve or are just using that as justification for opposing it. But that is a red herring.
The real reason is that the Charedi leaders insist that Yeshivos are supposed to be about one thing. Learning Torah! Since there is so much of it to be learned that even a lifetime of devotion won’t begin to cover it all – the rationale is that they have no time for anything else – which is at best secondary in their view. Parnassa then becomes the individual responsibility of the students when they get older – should the leave the walls of the Beis HaMedrsah – Nebech – and go to work. Let them learn a trade then.
This results in an attitude in the yeshiva world that work is a four letter word. Work is reserved for the lowly Baal Habos – the family man who does not learn full time! Not for the exalted student of Torah.
Besides, since Charedim don’t go to the army they are not allowed to work anyway.
(That has always been the argument. But things seem to be changing g in that respect as Nachal Charedi seems to be catching on somewhat. I don‘t know to what extent. But at least there is no longer the excuse that one may not serve in the Israeli defense forces because the environment is detrimental to one’s spiritual health.)
This brings me back to Charedi school funding. I am fully in support of it provided that they have a curriculum designed to address the reasonable concerns of a government worried about its citizens ability to be productive in the future. There needs to be a curriculum that gives them enough education to eventually find a decent job or continue their education toward a career that will provide for their families. There is no reason that we have to continue to produce generations of young people who will end up living in impoverished conditions because of an inadequate education.
And I would add another requirement. An attitude adjustment needs to be made. These kids need to appreciate the people who help them and not curse them. Instead of taking the money and teaching the students to hate them in response, Mechanchim need to teach their students to appreciate them. Additionally there needs to be a restructuring of attitudes about secular Jews in general as well as non Jews.
You have kids learning that it’s OK to cheat Goyim - that they must hate them. You have some teaching that it is better for young woman to die than serve in Sherut Leumi - or that Israeli soldiers that are spilling blood are not on ‘our level’ because they are not religious. This is what the government is funding in some of the more extreme cases.
So yes by all means let us give equal opportunity to all children for a decent education. Funding the schools should be done across the board. But in my view, if the above mentioned problems aren’t dealt with – I’m with the Chilonim!
The question is what exactly do those kids learn in these schools. Girls have a somewhat decent education in some of the moderate Charedi schools. But what do the boys learn besides Gemarah? What are the Hashkafos? How are they prepared for the world? What are they taught about non Jews? Or secular Jews? Or about the state? Or its founders? Secular education? The work ethic? Or Baalei Baatim?
What exactly is the Israeli government funding?
They are funding anti government sentiment and an education that does not prepare them adequately for the future. Yes these schools do teach an exorbitant amount of Torah. That is a good thing. But it is the only good thing. They teach little else leaving many students out in the cold – disadvantaged- with little prospect of decent employment.
And the attitude they teach about the outside world is so negative that it is also counter-productive to their future welfare.
What about all that Torah they teach? Isn’t that worth a lot? Of course it is - to those who actually learn it. Just because they teach so much Torah doesn’t mean every one of their students learns it.
Perhaps one can make an argument for the few brilliant students who love to learn and will spend their future contributing in some way as Poskim, Rabbanim Rabbeim etc. - or even Gedolim ... this is their best training for the future.
I would not agree to that proposition. I think anyone no matter how brilliant in their Torah studies - no matter how motivated and dedicated they are - would benefit from a more well rounded education.
But even if I concede that learning Torah only and nothing else is the best way to produce a Gadol and the other religious leaders I mentioned - it woud only be a small portion of them that will end up having careers in it. Most will not be able to have such careers. They would do far better in other fields for a variety of reasons if given the opportunity.
What about them?
Please do not misunderstand. I think all children – no less Charedim - deserve equal treatment with respect to funding for their education. But as many people know it is a pet peeve of mine – a big one – that these schools currently have no secular education – ZERO - for boys beyond 8th grade. And until 8th grade it is at best only rudimentary education in Hebrew grammar and arithmetic. That’s it!
Attempts in the past by previous governments in Israel to inject the most basic elements of secular studies have been rebuffed by Charedi religious leaders in Israel. They characterize it as a near heretical interference by an anti Torah government establishment whose goal it is to strip Jews of their Judaism. They will cite the European model of Volozhin – a Yeshiva that closed its doors rather than submit to a seemingly innocuous secular curriculum. They correctly believed that this was an insidious attempt by non Jewish government and their secular Jewish collaborators to ultimately assimilate their students. And it is true that some Chiloni leaders feel that way too.
But to suggest that this is their goal in trying to inject a basic secular curriculum is so laughable that it isn’t funny. The goal of the Israeli government is to educate its populace to be productive citizens and not a burden on society. Those who say it is are either very naïve or are just using that as justification for opposing it. But that is a red herring.
The real reason is that the Charedi leaders insist that Yeshivos are supposed to be about one thing. Learning Torah! Since there is so much of it to be learned that even a lifetime of devotion won’t begin to cover it all – the rationale is that they have no time for anything else – which is at best secondary in their view. Parnassa then becomes the individual responsibility of the students when they get older – should the leave the walls of the Beis HaMedrsah – Nebech – and go to work. Let them learn a trade then.
This results in an attitude in the yeshiva world that work is a four letter word. Work is reserved for the lowly Baal Habos – the family man who does not learn full time! Not for the exalted student of Torah.
Besides, since Charedim don’t go to the army they are not allowed to work anyway.
(That has always been the argument. But things seem to be changing g in that respect as Nachal Charedi seems to be catching on somewhat. I don‘t know to what extent. But at least there is no longer the excuse that one may not serve in the Israeli defense forces because the environment is detrimental to one’s spiritual health.)
This brings me back to Charedi school funding. I am fully in support of it provided that they have a curriculum designed to address the reasonable concerns of a government worried about its citizens ability to be productive in the future. There needs to be a curriculum that gives them enough education to eventually find a decent job or continue their education toward a career that will provide for their families. There is no reason that we have to continue to produce generations of young people who will end up living in impoverished conditions because of an inadequate education.
And I would add another requirement. An attitude adjustment needs to be made. These kids need to appreciate the people who help them and not curse them. Instead of taking the money and teaching the students to hate them in response, Mechanchim need to teach their students to appreciate them. Additionally there needs to be a restructuring of attitudes about secular Jews in general as well as non Jews.
You have kids learning that it’s OK to cheat Goyim - that they must hate them. You have some teaching that it is better for young woman to die than serve in Sherut Leumi - or that Israeli soldiers that are spilling blood are not on ‘our level’ because they are not religious. This is what the government is funding in some of the more extreme cases.
So yes by all means let us give equal opportunity to all children for a decent education. Funding the schools should be done across the board. But in my view, if the above mentioned problems aren’t dealt with – I’m with the Chilonim!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The Chasidic Drug Mules
We must work to get them back. I say this without any equivocation. The three young Chasidic adolescents, Yeshiva Students, who are being held in Japan, cannot be allowed to be convicted at trial and punished for a crime they very likely did not commit.
Mishpacha Magazine published lengthy article - its cover story - on the heroic efforts of four Chasidic Rabbis to see justice done. Justice in this case is not incarceration in the Japanese penal system. Although I can’t be certain, based on everything I’ve read (especially in the Mishpacha article) I do not believe they knowingly transported drugs.
Whether this is considered an actual case of Pidyon Shevuyim – ransoming a Jew from captivity - I leave for the Poskim. Perhaps it is - perhaps not. One can debete whether any Jew in any jail who protests his innocence should be treated as a Pidyon Shevuyim case. But it is certainly an imperative to get these boys out of there under current conditions.
For those who are unfamiliar with this case here is what happened.
About a year ago three young and very naïve Chasidic Yeshiva students were asked by a Chasidic businessman to take a suitcase to Japan. For this they were given an all expense paid trip to the Kivrei Tzadikim – burial places of great European Rabbis. Some have the custom to visit and pray at such sites for Divine assistance. I am not going to get into the propriety of such customs. Different subject. Suffice it to say that for these young students this was a special spiritual experience.
Here is where the story gets murky. They claim that they were told that there were antiques in those suitcases. And they were put intentionally into false bottoms to protect them from being lost or stolen. These boys say they thought the entire enterprise was legal and were even given money to pay for any customs fees that might come up. They never suspected the drugs that were actually there.
This - it seems to me - is a stretch. On the other hand the claim made on their behalf is that these boys led such a sheltered life that they couldn’t conceive of any irregularities about such a proposal from a very religious Charedi businessman.
It’s hard for me to believe that they were that naïve. It is obviously also hard for the prosecutors in Japan to believe it. I tend to believe that they knew they were smuggling something but had no clue it was drugs. Japanese prosecutors suspect that they did know it was drugs.
I find it highly unlikely that anyone in any environment can be so sheltered as to think that being paid to transport anything in a suitcase with a false bottom doesn’t smack of something illegal.
On the other hand if they are that naïve, their system of Chinuch has failed them miserably. You cannot shelter young people to be so naïve and so unsuspecting of one’s fellow Jew that it could lead to this kind of naiveté. That they were kept in the dark about such things - is what caused them to be so trusting of what is an obviously suspicious offer.
As I said - I suspect that they were not that naïve. I suspect that they probably realized they were smuggling something illegal. But I doubt they knew it was drugs.
If that is the case, one must ask, how can such sincerely religious young adolescents do something like that? Why would they agree to take a suitcase with items hidden in a false bottom? That is G’neivas Daas – deception - which is tantamount to stealing. This is an act that is Halachicly forbidden - whether it is against one’s fellow Jew or one’s fellow man.
One can see how sincerely religious these young men are from a description in the article. They are meticulous about ritual observance - asking for very little in material comfort. They have only asked for religious artifacts. And for Gemaros so that they can spend their time learning Torah!
We are being asked to believe that they actually thought that hiring teenagers to transport legal antiques in the false bottom of a suitcase is a normal business practice. If that’s the case, fine! Then they are completely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever - as the article suggests. But then it is also true that they are victims of their insular culture.
But if as I suspect they knew they were smuggling , how can such sincerely religious students violate Halacha?
The answer, I’m afraid is that they saw absolutely nothing Halachicly wrong with cheating Goyim. There is obviously a culture in certain circles that actually preaches that – as long as you don’t get caught. That has become painfully clear over the last few days. I truly believe that these young kids were raised in this kind of culture. What is naïve about them is thinking they wouldn’t get caught. Or thinking that even if they did – it would amount to is fine for trying to sneak merchandise trough customs without paying the customs fees.
Either way – whether if by naiveté or design to smuggle antiques - they need to be saved from a punishment that far exceeds the crime. They are going on trial for smuggling drugs. Japan does not take that crime lightly. They are known for their law and order society where justice is swift and hard.
They have one of the lowest recidivist rates in the world. That’s because those who have committed crimes and were incarcerated for them do not ever want to repeat the experience. Prison conditions are so harsh that anyone who has gone though it comes out traumatized for life - it seems. A grim detailed description of all this is contained in the Mishpacha article.
These boys do not deserve this fate. And if they are convicted they will receive it. The Japanese court conviction rates are very high. Judges there rarely acquit according to the article. And foreigners are treated even tougher. Foreigners are a much higher percentage of the prison population than they are of the general population.
Looking at this picture in total - it is my view that we must give a 110% effort in trying to get those boys out of there. But we must do it legally with respect for the Japanese, their culture, and system of justice. That is the only way that it will have any chance of succeeding. To that end these heroic Rabbis - who spend countless hours, days, and sleepless nights working on their behalf are to be lauded and supported. The description in the article of these rabbis and their efforts speaks for itself. They have gone all out in hiring the best legal help in the world – in matters of this nature. And these rabbis have been working with them every step of the way.
Aside from the obvious real guilty party - a Chasidic Jew who is the actual drug dealer - the guilty party here is their system of Chinuch. It is a system that either over-shelters - or teaches that one can do anything they want to non Jews as long as they don’t get caught. Or both!
Mishpacha Magazine published lengthy article - its cover story - on the heroic efforts of four Chasidic Rabbis to see justice done. Justice in this case is not incarceration in the Japanese penal system. Although I can’t be certain, based on everything I’ve read (especially in the Mishpacha article) I do not believe they knowingly transported drugs.
Whether this is considered an actual case of Pidyon Shevuyim – ransoming a Jew from captivity - I leave for the Poskim. Perhaps it is - perhaps not. One can debete whether any Jew in any jail who protests his innocence should be treated as a Pidyon Shevuyim case. But it is certainly an imperative to get these boys out of there under current conditions.
For those who are unfamiliar with this case here is what happened.
About a year ago three young and very naïve Chasidic Yeshiva students were asked by a Chasidic businessman to take a suitcase to Japan. For this they were given an all expense paid trip to the Kivrei Tzadikim – burial places of great European Rabbis. Some have the custom to visit and pray at such sites for Divine assistance. I am not going to get into the propriety of such customs. Different subject. Suffice it to say that for these young students this was a special spiritual experience.
Here is where the story gets murky. They claim that they were told that there were antiques in those suitcases. And they were put intentionally into false bottoms to protect them from being lost or stolen. These boys say they thought the entire enterprise was legal and were even given money to pay for any customs fees that might come up. They never suspected the drugs that were actually there.
This - it seems to me - is a stretch. On the other hand the claim made on their behalf is that these boys led such a sheltered life that they couldn’t conceive of any irregularities about such a proposal from a very religious Charedi businessman.
It’s hard for me to believe that they were that naïve. It is obviously also hard for the prosecutors in Japan to believe it. I tend to believe that they knew they were smuggling something but had no clue it was drugs. Japanese prosecutors suspect that they did know it was drugs.
I find it highly unlikely that anyone in any environment can be so sheltered as to think that being paid to transport anything in a suitcase with a false bottom doesn’t smack of something illegal.
On the other hand if they are that naïve, their system of Chinuch has failed them miserably. You cannot shelter young people to be so naïve and so unsuspecting of one’s fellow Jew that it could lead to this kind of naiveté. That they were kept in the dark about such things - is what caused them to be so trusting of what is an obviously suspicious offer.
As I said - I suspect that they were not that naïve. I suspect that they probably realized they were smuggling something illegal. But I doubt they knew it was drugs.
If that is the case, one must ask, how can such sincerely religious young adolescents do something like that? Why would they agree to take a suitcase with items hidden in a false bottom? That is G’neivas Daas – deception - which is tantamount to stealing. This is an act that is Halachicly forbidden - whether it is against one’s fellow Jew or one’s fellow man.
One can see how sincerely religious these young men are from a description in the article. They are meticulous about ritual observance - asking for very little in material comfort. They have only asked for religious artifacts. And for Gemaros so that they can spend their time learning Torah!
We are being asked to believe that they actually thought that hiring teenagers to transport legal antiques in the false bottom of a suitcase is a normal business practice. If that’s the case, fine! Then they are completely innocent of any wrongdoing whatsoever - as the article suggests. But then it is also true that they are victims of their insular culture.
But if as I suspect they knew they were smuggling , how can such sincerely religious students violate Halacha?
The answer, I’m afraid is that they saw absolutely nothing Halachicly wrong with cheating Goyim. There is obviously a culture in certain circles that actually preaches that – as long as you don’t get caught. That has become painfully clear over the last few days. I truly believe that these young kids were raised in this kind of culture. What is naïve about them is thinking they wouldn’t get caught. Or thinking that even if they did – it would amount to is fine for trying to sneak merchandise trough customs without paying the customs fees.
Either way – whether if by naiveté or design to smuggle antiques - they need to be saved from a punishment that far exceeds the crime. They are going on trial for smuggling drugs. Japan does not take that crime lightly. They are known for their law and order society where justice is swift and hard.
They have one of the lowest recidivist rates in the world. That’s because those who have committed crimes and were incarcerated for them do not ever want to repeat the experience. Prison conditions are so harsh that anyone who has gone though it comes out traumatized for life - it seems. A grim detailed description of all this is contained in the Mishpacha article.
These boys do not deserve this fate. And if they are convicted they will receive it. The Japanese court conviction rates are very high. Judges there rarely acquit according to the article. And foreigners are treated even tougher. Foreigners are a much higher percentage of the prison population than they are of the general population.
Looking at this picture in total - it is my view that we must give a 110% effort in trying to get those boys out of there. But we must do it legally with respect for the Japanese, their culture, and system of justice. That is the only way that it will have any chance of succeeding. To that end these heroic Rabbis - who spend countless hours, days, and sleepless nights working on their behalf are to be lauded and supported. The description in the article of these rabbis and their efforts speaks for itself. They have gone all out in hiring the best legal help in the world – in matters of this nature. And these rabbis have been working with them every step of the way.
Aside from the obvious real guilty party - a Chasidic Jew who is the actual drug dealer - the guilty party here is their system of Chinuch. It is a system that either over-shelters - or teaches that one can do anything they want to non Jews as long as they don’t get caught. Or both!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Second Thoughts
A Word about Rabbi Dovid Cohen.
I want to make one thing perfectly clear. My post was not written about him. It was written about what he allegedly said. That was a disgusting Chilul HaShem. Once the media reported that the Rabbinical Council of America disbanded a Halachic advisory he was a member of because of those allegations -made by several people who attended his lecture - I had no choice but to protest the notion that a respected Posek could say such things.
But I want to emphasize that as of this moment, there is no hard evidence that he said - exactly - what he was accused of saying. There have been many plausible explanations given as to why it is the case that there is no hard evidence - that favor believing those accusations. But there is one possible explanation that has not been touted too much although some have alluded to it. That is that he was misunderstood.
Many people would scoff at that possibility in light of all the testimony to the contrary by witnesses who were there. But - I for one was not there. So it remains in the realm of possibility that he was indeed misunderstood.
So, I repeat what I said at the outset of this whole controversy. A man is innocent until proven guilty.
So any suggestion that he not be given the Kavod due a Talmid Chacham of his stature is mistaken. If I was perceived as doing that I apologize. And even if in a moment of anger I came close to that, I now retract it. As such questions about burning his Seforim (as one commenter mentioned) or any other such nonsense is repulsive and probably Assur.
This is a Posek whom many people relied upon - and many still do. He was the ‘go to’ Posek for many Shailos by people - lenient where many others were strict! I’m sure that is still the case.
I do not advocate using him as a Posek at this time. But I strongly object to the shabby way people are treating him without the absolute proof that he said what he is accused of saying – no matter how much we tend to believe it. Innocent until proven guilty. That means we must Dan L’Kaf Zechus and treat him with respect. It is what he is accused of saying that is condemnable.
I want to make one thing perfectly clear. My post was not written about him. It was written about what he allegedly said. That was a disgusting Chilul HaShem. Once the media reported that the Rabbinical Council of America disbanded a Halachic advisory he was a member of because of those allegations -made by several people who attended his lecture - I had no choice but to protest the notion that a respected Posek could say such things.
But I want to emphasize that as of this moment, there is no hard evidence that he said - exactly - what he was accused of saying. There have been many plausible explanations given as to why it is the case that there is no hard evidence - that favor believing those accusations. But there is one possible explanation that has not been touted too much although some have alluded to it. That is that he was misunderstood.
Many people would scoff at that possibility in light of all the testimony to the contrary by witnesses who were there. But - I for one was not there. So it remains in the realm of possibility that he was indeed misunderstood.
So, I repeat what I said at the outset of this whole controversy. A man is innocent until proven guilty.
So any suggestion that he not be given the Kavod due a Talmid Chacham of his stature is mistaken. If I was perceived as doing that I apologize. And even if in a moment of anger I came close to that, I now retract it. As such questions about burning his Seforim (as one commenter mentioned) or any other such nonsense is repulsive and probably Assur.
This is a Posek whom many people relied upon - and many still do. He was the ‘go to’ Posek for many Shailos by people - lenient where many others were strict! I’m sure that is still the case.
I do not advocate using him as a Posek at this time. But I strongly object to the shabby way people are treating him without the absolute proof that he said what he is accused of saying – no matter how much we tend to believe it. Innocent until proven guilty. That means we must Dan L’Kaf Zechus and treat him with respect. It is what he is accused of saying that is condemnable.
The Man and His Legacy
He was perhaps the greatest among greats in his field. He was bright and talented beyond belief. He spent a lifetime perfecting his craft. No one could hold a candle to him - his talents were so great. In addition to that he was a role model of success -showing what an individual from a modest background could accomplish in life. And he did so from the earliest of ages.
His success began early in life where - together with his older brothers - he pursued his dreams of excelling in his field. But he surpassed his brothers very quickly and achieved success early in life. The kind of success few people ever do.
The only problem was that he was a child molester.
To me that totally negates anything he ever accomplished – which in my view is detestable anyway. More on that later. Not only that - but as far as I am concerned there no place in hell low enough for this man.
It doesn’t matter to me what the level of success is. Nor does it matter how many people he affected in a positive way. There are no weighing things or putting them in perspective. Once you crossed that line you have fried your Olam Haba – not that he ever earned it. Like I said - more on that later.
I’m sure that most people would agree with me here. If I were talking about a talented Rebbe in a Yeshiva or a director of a national religious youth outreach program the feeling of disgust would be the same. Actually it would be worse because as religious leaders they have fallen further and have betrayed a trust. The point is that despite how much Torah they otherwise taught or Kiruv he otherwise did if even one victim had his life ruined because of his inability to control his unnatural desires? There are two famous cases where I think one would admit their many accomplishments in those respective fields. But it didn’t matter. They were both guilty of sexual abuse and that negated all the achievements they had.
Which brings me to the ‘King of Pop’. Michael Jackson was a child molester. He was accused. There was evidence and testimony by many victims. He was obsessed with children and built a Disney scale amusement park in on his sprawling property in his home to entice them. He would invite them over for sleep-overs.
Young children alone in his house with this individual overnight.
He even admitted sleeping in the same bed with them. One need not be a rocket scientist to know what happened there. When he was threatened with lawsuits, after much denial in the face of mounting testimony by his many victims, he settled with them rather than face trial that he no doubt knew that he would lose - as details of what happened on those sleep-over would become part of the public record and the public discourse. He paid out millions in settlements. The man was a Menuval. A very rich one that could buy his way out of an embarrassing jam.
I have been very busy over the last few days and have not seen that much of the news coverage about his death yesterday. But the few glimpses of it I have seen and heard on the radio make me nauseous. It seems like there is wall to wall coverage of this Menuval as though he was the greatest gift to mankind. The accolade by his friends and colleagues, his mentors, his family, his record producers… was fawning. He is treated as a hero of iconic proportion. They all talk about his contributions to the music industry… and how he redefined it practically inventing the music video. He sold millions of albums and was seen as an icon around the world! Very little if any coverage of the most significant part of his life as a child molester.
His music was almost as disgusting his sexual proclivities. His dance moves were obscene. And he got away with it. And that produced many musical acts that emulated him in their own music videos – crossing new boundaries that have helped define American sexual mores down. If anyone has ever had the misfortune to listen to some of the rap music with its obscene language and imagery they can trace it directly to what Michael Jackson started! And who can ever forget the anti-Semitic references that Jackson made in his song, ‘They Don’t Care about Us!’
And yet… the world mourns him. Do they not understand that they mourn one of the most disgusting individuals whom lived on the planet in the last fifty years? Is his success and popularity so important that the evil in his soul is ignored?
I usually defend the media when they are accused of bias. They are. But the accusations usually come from the people whose ox they’ve gored. But this is beyond bias. This - showering of glowing tributes from just about all media people - is a travesty. Michael Jackson’s life and his so-called contributions should not be celebrated. They should be condemned and forgotten!
His success began early in life where - together with his older brothers - he pursued his dreams of excelling in his field. But he surpassed his brothers very quickly and achieved success early in life. The kind of success few people ever do.
The only problem was that he was a child molester.
To me that totally negates anything he ever accomplished – which in my view is detestable anyway. More on that later. Not only that - but as far as I am concerned there no place in hell low enough for this man.
It doesn’t matter to me what the level of success is. Nor does it matter how many people he affected in a positive way. There are no weighing things or putting them in perspective. Once you crossed that line you have fried your Olam Haba – not that he ever earned it. Like I said - more on that later.
I’m sure that most people would agree with me here. If I were talking about a talented Rebbe in a Yeshiva or a director of a national religious youth outreach program the feeling of disgust would be the same. Actually it would be worse because as religious leaders they have fallen further and have betrayed a trust. The point is that despite how much Torah they otherwise taught or Kiruv he otherwise did if even one victim had his life ruined because of his inability to control his unnatural desires? There are two famous cases where I think one would admit their many accomplishments in those respective fields. But it didn’t matter. They were both guilty of sexual abuse and that negated all the achievements they had.
Which brings me to the ‘King of Pop’. Michael Jackson was a child molester. He was accused. There was evidence and testimony by many victims. He was obsessed with children and built a Disney scale amusement park in on his sprawling property in his home to entice them. He would invite them over for sleep-overs.
Young children alone in his house with this individual overnight.
He even admitted sleeping in the same bed with them. One need not be a rocket scientist to know what happened there. When he was threatened with lawsuits, after much denial in the face of mounting testimony by his many victims, he settled with them rather than face trial that he no doubt knew that he would lose - as details of what happened on those sleep-over would become part of the public record and the public discourse. He paid out millions in settlements. The man was a Menuval. A very rich one that could buy his way out of an embarrassing jam.
I have been very busy over the last few days and have not seen that much of the news coverage about his death yesterday. But the few glimpses of it I have seen and heard on the radio make me nauseous. It seems like there is wall to wall coverage of this Menuval as though he was the greatest gift to mankind. The accolade by his friends and colleagues, his mentors, his family, his record producers… was fawning. He is treated as a hero of iconic proportion. They all talk about his contributions to the music industry… and how he redefined it practically inventing the music video. He sold millions of albums and was seen as an icon around the world! Very little if any coverage of the most significant part of his life as a child molester.
His music was almost as disgusting his sexual proclivities. His dance moves were obscene. And he got away with it. And that produced many musical acts that emulated him in their own music videos – crossing new boundaries that have helped define American sexual mores down. If anyone has ever had the misfortune to listen to some of the rap music with its obscene language and imagery they can trace it directly to what Michael Jackson started! And who can ever forget the anti-Semitic references that Jackson made in his song, ‘They Don’t Care about Us!’
And yet… the world mourns him. Do they not understand that they mourn one of the most disgusting individuals whom lived on the planet in the last fifty years? Is his success and popularity so important that the evil in his soul is ignored?
I usually defend the media when they are accused of bias. They are. But the accusations usually come from the people whose ox they’ve gored. But this is beyond bias. This - showering of glowing tributes from just about all media people - is a travesty. Michael Jackson’s life and his so-called contributions should not be celebrated. They should be condemned and forgotten!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Oppressing the Convert
There is something definitely wrong with this picture.Once again a convert to Judaism has had her conversion annulled by Rabbi Avraham Sherman (pictured left).
For those who don’t remember, he is a Charedi Rav who sits on the Rabbanut Beis Din and last year decided that the hundreds conversions by Rabbi Chaim Druckman were null and void - retroactive to 1999.
At the time - that of course created an immediate outrage. Charges were flying back and forth.
But I am not here to discuss that particular outrage. Nor do I even want to discuss the current one. It may very well be that this particular convert was insincere.
What troubles me is that there seems to be a witch hunt in place now to seek and destroy all converts that are caught violating any Halacha at all. This is what happened last year when EJF founder Rabbi Leib Tropper allegedly annulled the conversion of his one of his own converts - a married woman he caught walking around in a remote part of town without a hair covering and wearing pants.
The Halacha is very clear. Those who wish to convert to Judaism and accept the burden of Mitzvos upon themselves – go through with the proper ritual procedure and they become a Jew in every sense of the word. If they sin completely in every matter immediately afterward they are treated as any Jew who sins.
So how could any of these conversions be nullified? It is a question of sincerity. How sincere is a convert who says he will accept and obey the Mitzvos? The nullification of Rabbi Druckman’s converts were made because of this very issue.
He was given a mandate by the Israeli government to do something about a national identify crisis. There were so many immigrants from Russia that were married to women who thought they were Jewish but for various reasons were not. That threatened to change the Jewish demographic in Israel. And it created all kinds of Halachic problems about their children getting married. And for those who managed to do that, the status of their children’s Judaism was in doubt.
So Rabbi Druckman found a way to be lenient. Rabbi Sherman decided that because very few of these converts followed Halacha, that all conversions by Rabbi Druckman were invalid.
What about the Halacha of sincerity at the moment of conversion being enough? Rabbi Sherman questioned it in all of Rabbi Druckman's converts.
Rav Moshe Feinstein wrote a Teshuva ( Halachic ruling) discussing this issue. If I recall correctly he said that one who is converted in a sham conversion whereby they say they are accepting the Mitzvos and immediately ignore it after the ritual is performed - proves that there was never any real acceptance. And such conversions are invalid no matter what these ‘converts’ said at the time.
I believe that Rabbi Sherman very likely used on this kind of thinking to nullify all of Rabbi Druckman’s conversions. One can debate whether he acted properly or not.
But the current case sounds like a witch hunt.
Now, I do not question the serious nature of the problem. We are talking about the very definition of Judaism. Who is a Jew? ...and who is not. I completely understand the worry of those like Rabbi Sherman and his mentors. But when a legitimate concern turns in to a witch hunt - I think even his supporters should concede that his zealotry has gone too far.
Where will it end? Today it was a violation of Hilchos Niddah. What will it be tomorrow? A woman caught wearing pants? Wearing a blouse that is not buttoned at the neckline? Participating in the ‘Yehoreg V’Al Yaavor of Sherut Leumi? Wearing a too glamorous Shaitel? Walking on the wrong side of a sex segregated street?
Rabbi Moshe Klein Rabbi Moshe Klein, former deputy head of the Chief Rabbinate's conversion program was prompted to say the following:
(This) ruling was "one of the last nails in the burial coffin of conversions in Israel."
Klein called on people seeking to convert to Judaism to wait, because in light of the present situation there was no guarantee that their conversion will eventually be approved.
What must it be like for the many sincere converts who now question their own conversions. Can anyone imagine what it must be like for a convert who reads this article and thinks about how he sometimes forgets to make a Bracha? Or ate outside a Sukka on Sukos one time in a moment of lapse? Will his conversion be nullified too? What about his children? Are they Jewish (assuming his wife is a convert under suspicion too)? What if his daughters married Kohanim?
Kohanim are forbidden to marry a convert. So even if they convert as an extra measure of safety will some Rav Like Rabbi Sherman come along and nullify their mothers conversion because she once went out of the house wearing pants?
I can’t imagine what it must be like for sincere potential coverts in Israel. They must feel like dirt. Here they are coming to Judaism from a lifestyle of freedom and taking upon themselves the difficult task of a lifetime full of many strictures. They have come – on their own – to find the truth of Judaism. They now believe they have found it. And this is how we treat them?
How many of those of us who were born into Judaism have even thought about it? We are Jews at birth and raised religiously by parents and teachers. We live in religious environments. Most of us do things out of rote behavior. We are used to the strictures. How many of us would give up a permissive lifestyle we were used to and become part of a minority religion that has been persecuted for millennia? That’s what these people are doing. But because of this current witch hunt – they are basically being told: Convert at your own risk – No guarantees.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The Impudent Rabbi
A few months ago on the eve of Pesach, I was compelled to register a protest against the besmirching of a Talmid Chacham by a couple of Rabbanim.
The two were officials at the rabbinical councils in their respective communities. They questioned the Hashgacha of Rav Moshe Soloveichik on Streit’s products for Pesach. By questioning Rav Moshe they questioned his father, Rav Ahron Soloveichik as well. It was Rav Moshe who was his father’s emissary -Shaliach for many years – taking care of all Kashrus issues for Streit’s who was under Rav Ahron’s Hashgacha for decades.
Of course they never dared to question it while he was alive. But last year they questioned it. They called in to serious question standards of supervision of Rav Moshe and called for a removal of all Streit’s products from the shelves just days before Yom Tov! Of course this was all done in a clever way. They simply said that all private Hechsherim cannot be trusted. While that is true it was obvious that this move was aimed at Streit’s and Rav Moshe.
That caused a big stir in the world of Kashrus. And I’m sure it hurt Streit’s financially. Their accusation was baseless and ignorant. It was no doubt an attempt to prove how Frum their Vaad was. It was underhanded and disgusting in the extreme. They had absolutely no basis despite their quoted speculations about possible problems or that Rav Moshe didn’t ‘swim in Kashrus waters’!
I said at the time and I will repeat it here. Rav Moshe Soloveichik is as Ehlrich as they come. All of Rav Ahron’s children and grandchildren are. They define the word. To accuse Rav Ahron’s oldest son – the one he trusted to carry out his Hashgachos for many years prior to his death - is an insult in the extreme to both Rav Moshe and his illustrious father!
It was because of that outrage that I said that they ought to be put into Cherem. As far as I know they have never retracted their irresponsible comments and actions.
In today’s Jewish Star it was reported that Streit’s has made a business decision to add the Kof-K - a national Kashrus organization’s Hechsher to that of Rav Moshe’s for next Pesach. I understand their decision and don’t blame them. But it’s too bad it had to come to this. Because it casts doubt on Rav Moshe’s Hashgacha which I am certain is superior to that of the Kof-K - a fine and trustworthy organization that I - among others - rely upon. The response by those two Rabbanim is as follows:
Rabbi Yosef Eisen, rabbinic coordinator of the Vaad of the Five Towns, pronounced the news about the Kof-K and Streit’s to be “wonderful.” Would he expect any problems next Pesach about allowing stores in the Five Towns and Far Rockaway to stock Streit’s matzo?“ Absolutely not,” he said.
Rabbi Yoel Schoenfeld, who heads the Queens Vaad and led the way on the initial Streit’s ban, was more cautious. Obviously, we’re very delighted that they’re taking a national hashgacha,” he said, but “we’ll have to see how they proceed. That’s something that’s going to have to be left to our kashruth committee.”
Rabbi Eisen gave a somewhat predictable response by saying that he thinks it’s wonderful. Burt as I pointred out it still leaves the impression that if left to Rav Moshe- it wouldn’t be so wonderful and would still be removed from the shelves next Pesach.
That is far from a mea culpa from him. He and Rabbi Schoenfeld are after all the ones responsible for the terrible Motzie Shem Ra on Rav Moshe in the first place.
But it is Rabbi Schoenfeld who has my greatest contempt. He still doesn’t like Streits. The Kof- K apparently is not good enough for him – if Rav Moshe is still involved.
“we’ll have to see how they proceed ?! He has never questioned any of the Kof-K Pesach products before or since. But for some inexplicable reason he still wants to wait and see how they proceed. This is a not so subtle threat to keep Streit’s off the shelves if they don’t proceed along the lines he wants. What exactly is he looking for? Rav Moshe’s resignation?!
I cannot believe this man is involved in any rabbinic position of authority. I defy him to produce any evidence that Rav Moshe’s Hashgacha is anything but superior. He has as of yet not done that. There is absolutely no testimony by anyone of any wrongdoing or miss-step by Rav Moshe. I know the measure of the man. If there is any problem is ever brought to his attention, Rav Moshe does not cover it up or deny it. He investigates it and if there is a problem he corrects it immediately.
Rabbi Schoenfeld remains unrepentant! If I were a resident of Queens I would call for his immediate resignation from the Vaad for the continued besmirching the name of an Ehrliche Talmid Chacham and - by inference – one of the Gedolei HaDor of the last generation - his father Rav Ahron Soloveichik.
The two were officials at the rabbinical councils in their respective communities. They questioned the Hashgacha of Rav Moshe Soloveichik on Streit’s products for Pesach. By questioning Rav Moshe they questioned his father, Rav Ahron Soloveichik as well. It was Rav Moshe who was his father’s emissary -Shaliach for many years – taking care of all Kashrus issues for Streit’s who was under Rav Ahron’s Hashgacha for decades.
Of course they never dared to question it while he was alive. But last year they questioned it. They called in to serious question standards of supervision of Rav Moshe and called for a removal of all Streit’s products from the shelves just days before Yom Tov! Of course this was all done in a clever way. They simply said that all private Hechsherim cannot be trusted. While that is true it was obvious that this move was aimed at Streit’s and Rav Moshe.
That caused a big stir in the world of Kashrus. And I’m sure it hurt Streit’s financially. Their accusation was baseless and ignorant. It was no doubt an attempt to prove how Frum their Vaad was. It was underhanded and disgusting in the extreme. They had absolutely no basis despite their quoted speculations about possible problems or that Rav Moshe didn’t ‘swim in Kashrus waters’!
I said at the time and I will repeat it here. Rav Moshe Soloveichik is as Ehlrich as they come. All of Rav Ahron’s children and grandchildren are. They define the word. To accuse Rav Ahron’s oldest son – the one he trusted to carry out his Hashgachos for many years prior to his death - is an insult in the extreme to both Rav Moshe and his illustrious father!
It was because of that outrage that I said that they ought to be put into Cherem. As far as I know they have never retracted their irresponsible comments and actions.
In today’s Jewish Star it was reported that Streit’s has made a business decision to add the Kof-K - a national Kashrus organization’s Hechsher to that of Rav Moshe’s for next Pesach. I understand their decision and don’t blame them. But it’s too bad it had to come to this. Because it casts doubt on Rav Moshe’s Hashgacha which I am certain is superior to that of the Kof-K - a fine and trustworthy organization that I - among others - rely upon. The response by those two Rabbanim is as follows:
Rabbi Yosef Eisen, rabbinic coordinator of the Vaad of the Five Towns, pronounced the news about the Kof-K and Streit’s to be “wonderful.” Would he expect any problems next Pesach about allowing stores in the Five Towns and Far Rockaway to stock Streit’s matzo?“ Absolutely not,” he said.
Rabbi Yoel Schoenfeld, who heads the Queens Vaad and led the way on the initial Streit’s ban, was more cautious. Obviously, we’re very delighted that they’re taking a national hashgacha,” he said, but “we’ll have to see how they proceed. That’s something that’s going to have to be left to our kashruth committee.”
Rabbi Eisen gave a somewhat predictable response by saying that he thinks it’s wonderful. Burt as I pointred out it still leaves the impression that if left to Rav Moshe- it wouldn’t be so wonderful and would still be removed from the shelves next Pesach.
That is far from a mea culpa from him. He and Rabbi Schoenfeld are after all the ones responsible for the terrible Motzie Shem Ra on Rav Moshe in the first place.
But it is Rabbi Schoenfeld who has my greatest contempt. He still doesn’t like Streits. The Kof- K apparently is not good enough for him – if Rav Moshe is still involved.
“we’ll have to see how they proceed ?! He has never questioned any of the Kof-K Pesach products before or since. But for some inexplicable reason he still wants to wait and see how they proceed. This is a not so subtle threat to keep Streit’s off the shelves if they don’t proceed along the lines he wants. What exactly is he looking for? Rav Moshe’s resignation?!
I cannot believe this man is involved in any rabbinic position of authority. I defy him to produce any evidence that Rav Moshe’s Hashgacha is anything but superior. He has as of yet not done that. There is absolutely no testimony by anyone of any wrongdoing or miss-step by Rav Moshe. I know the measure of the man. If there is any problem is ever brought to his attention, Rav Moshe does not cover it up or deny it. He investigates it and if there is a problem he corrects it immediately.
Rabbi Schoenfeld remains unrepentant! If I were a resident of Queens I would call for his immediate resignation from the Vaad for the continued besmirching the name of an Ehrliche Talmid Chacham and - by inference – one of the Gedolei HaDor of the last generation - his father Rav Ahron Soloveichik.
The Making of a Kiddush HaShem
Yesterday I wrote a post about a Kiddush HaShem done by a family who took into their home a couple of troubled teenagers. It was in the context of a BBC reality series about placing such teens into families with stricter rules. Orthodox Judaism - it was correctly perceived by the producers - fits that bill. The Sha-ked family was chosen to fill that roll. There was a lot of debate and even criticism of this family for risking the welfare of their own children by allowing these kids to be brought into their home. Their motives were even questioned by some!
The following is a response by the Sha-keds posted in the comments section. Rather than letting it get lost in there, I present it here - with some very minor grammatical corrections - for wider exposure as a guest post:
Thank you for the positive piece in your blog. We would like to address some of your readers concerns regarding the show:
1. We did not do this for money. The only money involved is for compensation of food and necessities.
2. We put in weeks of work, in advance of the show, to pick individuals, experiences, and lectures that would showcase Jewish values in a positive light to the world.
3. We consulted a number of Rabbeim.
4. We were given the permission of our Yishuv.
5. We took steps to ensure that our children were NEVER left alone, unsupervised.
6. You have no idea how many safe guards were put in place. There are NO guarantees in this world but with Ha-shem's help and a lot of homework we proceeded forward.
7. The BBC gave us a rare opportunity to showcase Jewish values and we ran classes with a Rabbi to help transmit the concept of Tznius and the Jewish notion of respecting parents etc.
8. We knew they were picking a family in Israel. We wanted to make sure it would be one that wanted to promote Jewish values instead of merely being on a reality show.
9. The BBC did not script it.
10. Without knowing any of the facts, or understanding the hours that were put into setting up the content for the show, some Yidden jump to erroneous conclusions which are hurtful.
Thanks again
The Sha-ked family
The following is a response by the Sha-keds posted in the comments section. Rather than letting it get lost in there, I present it here - with some very minor grammatical corrections - for wider exposure as a guest post:
Thank you for the positive piece in your blog. We would like to address some of your readers concerns regarding the show:
1. We did not do this for money. The only money involved is for compensation of food and necessities.
2. We put in weeks of work, in advance of the show, to pick individuals, experiences, and lectures that would showcase Jewish values in a positive light to the world.
3. We consulted a number of Rabbeim.
4. We were given the permission of our Yishuv.
5. We took steps to ensure that our children were NEVER left alone, unsupervised.
6. You have no idea how many safe guards were put in place. There are NO guarantees in this world but with Ha-shem's help and a lot of homework we proceeded forward.
7. The BBC gave us a rare opportunity to showcase Jewish values and we ran classes with a Rabbi to help transmit the concept of Tznius and the Jewish notion of respecting parents etc.
8. We knew they were picking a family in Israel. We wanted to make sure it would be one that wanted to promote Jewish values instead of merely being on a reality show.
9. The BBC did not script it.
10. Without knowing any of the facts, or understanding the hours that were put into setting up the content for the show, some Yidden jump to erroneous conclusions which are hurtful.
Thanks again
The Sha-ked family
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Dr. Schick Responds
The following is a response by Dr. Marvin Schick that was just posted on his blog. Since it is directed mostly towards the guest post by Toras Emes and the many comments it elicited, I repost it here without any further comment by me. - HM
My column criticizing the Jewish Week for its article on Rabbi Dovid Cohen has elicited an enormous response, a majority of it critical of what I wrote, and this is something that I did not expect. I haven’t read all of the comments. Those sent to me have been thoughtful and respectful. I am grateful for this and especially to Harry Maryles, a man who has demonstrated over the years that a blog forum for discussion of issues in Jewish life need not resemble a spitball fight. His comments and the long anonymous one that he posted have induced further reflection on my part.
Essentially, the criticism of what I wrote can be divided into two categories: My criticism of JW and what I wrote about people not paying all of their taxes.
I continue to believe that the JW article was disgraceful, even if what it claims Rabbi Cohen said is accurate. RDC spoke nearly two and a half years before JW published an article. There was nothing newsworthy to generate such an article and it was one more example of the tawdry journalism that constitutes too much of this newspaper’s reportage on Orthodox life. I cannot think of a parallel situation where JW or any other newspaper has allowed such a long gap of time before discovering that there is a story deserving of publication. This was an article that should not have been published, no matter what may have occurred in a Bergenfield shul in February 2007 and it was an exercise in character assassination.
The heavy involvement of Ohel in the story was an exercise in guilt by association. There was no reason to bring in Ohel, although it is apparent from what I have heard since the article was published that an effort has been made over an extended period to connect Ohel with what RDC said. Most of us have a plethora of associations including friends, relatives, institutions we are involved in and much else. What I think most of us have come to understand is the untenability of the notion that the friend of my enemy is also my enemy.
We come into regular contact with people who are involved with persons whom we do not care for and there is some rational instinct in most of us which says that this is not something that we want to make much of. Ohel did not belong in the story not because there is no connection to RDC but because its connection to RDC was not germane. I must note that over a great number of years the impression that I and many others in Orthodox life have had is that RDC plays a creative and responsible role at Ohel.
Interestingly, several of those who have written have taken a hatchet to Ohel, apparently because they have other axes to grind. For sure, Ohel has warts and it cannot be otherwise in view of the territory in which it operates. Life is always difficult because there are unexpected happenings and because there is too much that does happen that has no easy approach or solution. Ohel operates in zones of family dysfunction, of deep and enduring emotional problems and pain, of difficulty in determining what the right course of action may be, etc. There is nothing easy about what Ohel does and while the organization is not immune from criticism, those who criticize need to be careful.
The implication of the Rabbinical Council in the article was a further act of guilt by association. I have heard different versions as to whether the RCA has disbanded its halachic body because of the RDC matter. If it has, our community is the loser.
I also criticized the article for its heavy reliance on anonymity, which is based on the claim that if persons spoke on the record, they would be subject to severe communal retribution. I imagine that my point of view was significantly affected by my willingness to take a position and never to hide behind anonymity. Since I am not afraid (but I am often angry) I cannot figure out why others might be afraid. In his post, Harry Maryles specifically took me to task, saying that if I do not think that Orthodox communities “contain individuals who will act in retribution, then he is living in a different world than the one I live in.” That may be the case; if it is, I must concede that in writing about retribution I ought to have recognized that there are people who are unwilling to be out front. Still, it’s hard to accept that every single source cited by JW against RDC remained anonymous.
This brings me to the tax portion of the column: I did not write about cheating as such but simply said that answering questions about paying taxes is a mine field and that there are powerful social realities that both impel many tens of millions to underreport and impel government to allow a fairly large amount of slack in the degree of reporting. I gave a number of examples and could have given many more, including the failure of most persons who have nannies (they may not be called nannies) to pay the requisite Social Security tax and perhaps other taxes and also the failure of most parents who gift to their children to adequately pay the gift tax.
I do not regard such persons as criminals or, in fact, demonstrating severe ethical lapses. Rather, given the nature of the tax system, including complications in the tax code, as well as the feeling of many that ordinary tax on income that is recorded should be sufficient for governmental purposes, there is a powerful tendency to try to take advantage at the edges. Not only doesn’t government prosecute such “cheating,” it also makes no effort of consequence to prevent millions of persons to engage in such behavior.
A number of the comments link the tax issue to gezel akum and also to the more general notion that prevails in some quarters of eisav sonei es Yaakov, arguing that it therefore is permissible to be antagonistic to Gentiles, to cheat them, etc. For many more years than I can remember I have been strongly influenced by the words of Maharsha in Kesubos on the incident involving the daughter of Nakdimon ben-Gurion. Gezel akum is a sin and those who justify it are committing a chillul hashem and impelling others to sin. It is reprehensible for any rabbi to take the opposite position.
Worse yet because of the global implications is the sophomoric, ignorant, stupid, false and odious notion that eisav sonei es Yaakov means that every non-Jew hates us. This is a formula for tragedy and disaster and it is also a mind-set that runs counter to truth. As I have written quite often over a number of years, it should be obvious that G-D did not place us on this earth to be at war with billions of other people.
My column criticizing the Jewish Week for its article on Rabbi Dovid Cohen has elicited an enormous response, a majority of it critical of what I wrote, and this is something that I did not expect. I haven’t read all of the comments. Those sent to me have been thoughtful and respectful. I am grateful for this and especially to Harry Maryles, a man who has demonstrated over the years that a blog forum for discussion of issues in Jewish life need not resemble a spitball fight. His comments and the long anonymous one that he posted have induced further reflection on my part.
Essentially, the criticism of what I wrote can be divided into two categories: My criticism of JW and what I wrote about people not paying all of their taxes.
I continue to believe that the JW article was disgraceful, even if what it claims Rabbi Cohen said is accurate. RDC spoke nearly two and a half years before JW published an article. There was nothing newsworthy to generate such an article and it was one more example of the tawdry journalism that constitutes too much of this newspaper’s reportage on Orthodox life. I cannot think of a parallel situation where JW or any other newspaper has allowed such a long gap of time before discovering that there is a story deserving of publication. This was an article that should not have been published, no matter what may have occurred in a Bergenfield shul in February 2007 and it was an exercise in character assassination.
The heavy involvement of Ohel in the story was an exercise in guilt by association. There was no reason to bring in Ohel, although it is apparent from what I have heard since the article was published that an effort has been made over an extended period to connect Ohel with what RDC said. Most of us have a plethora of associations including friends, relatives, institutions we are involved in and much else. What I think most of us have come to understand is the untenability of the notion that the friend of my enemy is also my enemy.
We come into regular contact with people who are involved with persons whom we do not care for and there is some rational instinct in most of us which says that this is not something that we want to make much of. Ohel did not belong in the story not because there is no connection to RDC but because its connection to RDC was not germane. I must note that over a great number of years the impression that I and many others in Orthodox life have had is that RDC plays a creative and responsible role at Ohel.
Interestingly, several of those who have written have taken a hatchet to Ohel, apparently because they have other axes to grind. For sure, Ohel has warts and it cannot be otherwise in view of the territory in which it operates. Life is always difficult because there are unexpected happenings and because there is too much that does happen that has no easy approach or solution. Ohel operates in zones of family dysfunction, of deep and enduring emotional problems and pain, of difficulty in determining what the right course of action may be, etc. There is nothing easy about what Ohel does and while the organization is not immune from criticism, those who criticize need to be careful.
The implication of the Rabbinical Council in the article was a further act of guilt by association. I have heard different versions as to whether the RCA has disbanded its halachic body because of the RDC matter. If it has, our community is the loser.
I also criticized the article for its heavy reliance on anonymity, which is based on the claim that if persons spoke on the record, they would be subject to severe communal retribution. I imagine that my point of view was significantly affected by my willingness to take a position and never to hide behind anonymity. Since I am not afraid (but I am often angry) I cannot figure out why others might be afraid. In his post, Harry Maryles specifically took me to task, saying that if I do not think that Orthodox communities “contain individuals who will act in retribution, then he is living in a different world than the one I live in.” That may be the case; if it is, I must concede that in writing about retribution I ought to have recognized that there are people who are unwilling to be out front. Still, it’s hard to accept that every single source cited by JW against RDC remained anonymous.
This brings me to the tax portion of the column: I did not write about cheating as such but simply said that answering questions about paying taxes is a mine field and that there are powerful social realities that both impel many tens of millions to underreport and impel government to allow a fairly large amount of slack in the degree of reporting. I gave a number of examples and could have given many more, including the failure of most persons who have nannies (they may not be called nannies) to pay the requisite Social Security tax and perhaps other taxes and also the failure of most parents who gift to their children to adequately pay the gift tax.
I do not regard such persons as criminals or, in fact, demonstrating severe ethical lapses. Rather, given the nature of the tax system, including complications in the tax code, as well as the feeling of many that ordinary tax on income that is recorded should be sufficient for governmental purposes, there is a powerful tendency to try to take advantage at the edges. Not only doesn’t government prosecute such “cheating,” it also makes no effort of consequence to prevent millions of persons to engage in such behavior.
A number of the comments link the tax issue to gezel akum and also to the more general notion that prevails in some quarters of eisav sonei es Yaakov, arguing that it therefore is permissible to be antagonistic to Gentiles, to cheat them, etc. For many more years than I can remember I have been strongly influenced by the words of Maharsha in Kesubos on the incident involving the daughter of Nakdimon ben-Gurion. Gezel akum is a sin and those who justify it are committing a chillul hashem and impelling others to sin. It is reprehensible for any rabbi to take the opposite position.
Worse yet because of the global implications is the sophomoric, ignorant, stupid, false and odious notion that eisav sonei es Yaakov means that every non-Jew hates us. This is a formula for tragedy and disaster and it is also a mind-set that runs counter to truth. As I have written quite often over a number of years, it should be obvious that G-D did not place us on this earth to be at war with billions of other people.
The Body Piercing Boy and the Bikini Clad Girl
Is there any purpose to having a couple of non Jewish rebellious teenagers being taken into the home of an observant family? One might not think so. On the contrary. One might think that is the worst thing they can do to their family. Especially if there any children in the family. What can be gained – one might ask?
We know what might be lost. Children can easily pick up the bad habits and attitudes these kids bring in from the street. Who knows what they are going to sneak into the house? Drugs? Alcohol? Sex? Porn?
Well that didn’t seem to be much of a concern to one family - Tzipi and David Shaked and their five children ranging in age from 5 to 18. They were part of a reality TV show. From Ha’aretz:
The show is part of a BBC series, "The World's Strictest Parents," in which unruly British teenagers are sent to live with strict families in different countries. The episode filmed in Israel is due to air later this summer.
I would not have had the guts to do it. But this family did. The result was a Kiddush HaShem in my view. It showed that the supposedly overly strict lifestyle of religious Jews is not only - not - oppressive - it is actually a positive experience. Even to a couple of wayward non Jewish teens.
At first rebellious - 16 year old Jack Travers and 17 year old Gemma Lyons ended up liking it so much they stopped some of their own self abusive behavior and resolved to improve their lives. During their stay they eventually went beyond the show's and the family’s requirements and kept Shabbos with the family while in the home. The final two paragraphs are the kicker:
The producers of "The World's Strictest Parents" are not allowing the teens to be interviewed, as they are still following their progress, but they said that Travers has admitted since the trip that he smuggled alcohol into the Shakeds' house, but said he did not drink it, as he found family life there enjoyable without stimulants.
It seems that some other religious concepts impressed Travers and Lyons, as well. They heard about the Jewish idea of teshuvah, or repentance, and both plan to make amends with family members and teachers and return to their studies back home. And in a surprising endorsement of Israel, they both want to go back this summer - Lyons to spend time studying in university, and Travers to work on a kibbutz.
How wonderful it is to see a story like this for a change. If only there were more people like the Shakeds. They are so secure in the Chinuch they give their children that they do not fear exposing them to these somewhat incorrigible high school dropouts. Isolationism is not for them. The result - when given an opportunity like this? A Kiddush HaShem.
Instead of the Chilul HaShem I usually have to deal with here which seems to be increasing with ubiquitous frequency - it is so nice it is to be able to talk about a public Kiddush HaShem like this once in a while.
We know what might be lost. Children can easily pick up the bad habits and attitudes these kids bring in from the street. Who knows what they are going to sneak into the house? Drugs? Alcohol? Sex? Porn?
Well that didn’t seem to be much of a concern to one family - Tzipi and David Shaked and their five children ranging in age from 5 to 18. They were part of a reality TV show. From Ha’aretz:
The show is part of a BBC series, "The World's Strictest Parents," in which unruly British teenagers are sent to live with strict families in different countries. The episode filmed in Israel is due to air later this summer.
I would not have had the guts to do it. But this family did. The result was a Kiddush HaShem in my view. It showed that the supposedly overly strict lifestyle of religious Jews is not only - not - oppressive - it is actually a positive experience. Even to a couple of wayward non Jewish teens.
At first rebellious - 16 year old Jack Travers and 17 year old Gemma Lyons ended up liking it so much they stopped some of their own self abusive behavior and resolved to improve their lives. During their stay they eventually went beyond the show's and the family’s requirements and kept Shabbos with the family while in the home. The final two paragraphs are the kicker:
The producers of "The World's Strictest Parents" are not allowing the teens to be interviewed, as they are still following their progress, but they said that Travers has admitted since the trip that he smuggled alcohol into the Shakeds' house, but said he did not drink it, as he found family life there enjoyable without stimulants.
It seems that some other religious concepts impressed Travers and Lyons, as well. They heard about the Jewish idea of teshuvah, or repentance, and both plan to make amends with family members and teachers and return to their studies back home. And in a surprising endorsement of Israel, they both want to go back this summer - Lyons to spend time studying in university, and Travers to work on a kibbutz.
How wonderful it is to see a story like this for a change. If only there were more people like the Shakeds. They are so secure in the Chinuch they give their children that they do not fear exposing them to these somewhat incorrigible high school dropouts. Isolationism is not for them. The result - when given an opportunity like this? A Kiddush HaShem.
Instead of the Chilul HaShem I usually have to deal with here which seems to be increasing with ubiquitous frequency - it is so nice it is to be able to talk about a public Kiddush HaShem like this once in a while.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Defending the Indefensible
Dr. Marvin Schick is a man with whom I agree the vast majority of times. I can clearly say that I see eye to eye with him on many issues - especially those having to do with to Jewish education. However I strongly disagree with his views articulated in a paid article in response to the Jewish Week (JW) article on Rabbi Dovid Cohen (available on his blog.)
To sum up his article - Dr. Schick claims that the Jewish Week is guilty of a witch hunt motivated by their penchant towards Charedi bashing. He says it is a character assassination of a ‘a notable scholar and a truly nice person,’- calling it McCarthyesque.
He thereby questions the insinuation of guilt the JW heaped upon Ohel because of an unrelated incident with their Posek, Rabbi Cohen. An incident that happened in a Teaneck Shul over two years ago! He further castigates the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) for getting involved in this ‘putrid journalistic cauldron’.
He even tries to at least minimally justify Rabbi Cohen’s views in the sense that almost everybody cheats on their taxes anyway. Judge not lest ye be judged.
But the most problematic portion of his letter for me was the following:
There is at least a minyan of anonymous sources which aren’t identified, allegedly because they are fearful of retribution. This claim itself is designed to make the Orthodox look bad. The Orthodox are routinely taken to task, including in the Jewish Week, and the critics are mentioned. What retribution would ensue if this newspaper had identified its sources? When charges are made, the absence of attribution undermines credibility.
If Dr. Schick does not think that Orthodox communities do not contain individuals who will act in retribution, then he is living in a different world than the one I live in.
I received an e-mail that responds to Dr. Schick. I would not normally publish a letter that is as strongly worded. Indeed I caution that it should not be treated as entirely my point of view. But what this poster has to say is important. As is his passion about this issue. And the justifiable anger. I therefore publish it as written.
His identify is known to me. He asked me to use the pseudonym Toras Emes. I agreed because I completely understand his fear of being attacked as others have already been.
If there is anyone guiltier than Rabbi Cohen (if the aqllegations are true) it is his apologists. I could perhaps deal with them. It is those who have threatened and actually carried out those threats of retribution that I have the biggest problem.
Had this not become a matter of public record, I would never have brought it up. But once the truth becomes public knowledge - it certainly should be defended. It must instead be condemned as forcefully as possible by everyone - including rabbinic leaders!
Here now the response:
Guest Post by Toras Emes
I want to begin by acknowledging Dr. Schick's outstanding devotion and work on behalf of Jewish education over many decades. I hope that his disgraceful attack on the JW and his defense of R. Cohen was a lapse of judgment or was based on misinformation. In any case, those of us who care about Toras Emes must respond.
Dr. Schick accuses the JW of McCarthyism and character assassination. As we shall see below, it is Dr. Schick's column that reeks with character assassination and McCarthyism -- he sees enemies where none exist and he makes accusations against innocent people without any foundation in truth.
1) Dr. Schick begins by asking "what does Ohel have to do with R. Cohen"? Dr. Schick, did you read the article? The answer is in the first sentence of the article. Ohel takes millions of dollars of government money while its "Rabbi" (who is known to be a very powerful and central figure in Ohel) openly tells people that they can defraud the government of its rightful share of tax money.
Is it not the height of chutzpah for Ohel to ask the government for tax dollars while Ohel employs Cohen as its Rabbi? Why should those of who us who pay our taxes use our hard earned after tax dollars to fund an organization that does not seem to mind that its Rabbi is telling others that they can defraud the government? Dr. Schick, are these not legitimate questions?
2) Dr. Schick then wonders how the RCA was also "thrust into the same putrid journalistic cauldron". (As an aside, I agree that this whole story is putrid -- the fact that a heretofore well respected Rabbi has for years been publicly and privately telling people that they can ignore entire sections of Choshen Mishpat that deal with tax evasion and gezel akum is truly putrid). Dr. Schick, once again one must ask, have you read the article?
The article explains in great detail how the RCA very recently decided to sever its relationship with Cohen because of his noxious ethical and moral views. How is that not relevant? That also answers Dr. Schick's question as to why this story is relevant 28 months after Cohen made his comments. The fact that the largest Orthodox Rabbinic organization in the world essentially decided to throw a well respected Rabbi off of its most prestigious halacha committee is extremely relevant and newsworthy.
3) Dr. Schick seems to think that the article engages in character assassination. Is the truth character assassination? If so, the JW is guilty. The story is absolutely truthful and you could confirm that if you did even a modicum of research. You could have spoken to the RCA, the many witnesses whose names are known to the RCA, or you could have asked around in Teaneck/Bergenfield where the story is well known.
Dr. Schick, with all due respect, you have engaged in character assassination against the journalists and staff of the JW and all of the people who came forward to tell the truth to the RCA. They are the ones who deserve an apology.
4) Dr. Schick seems to think that the article bashes the Orthodox. If one thinks that David Cohen represents the Orthodox then he is correct. However, fortunately many Rabbis and Roshei Yeshiva do not think that Cohen is Orthodox at all in light of his deletion of very important parts of the Shulchan Aruch.
However, putting that aside, the article actually makes the Orthodox community look good. The article tells us how the largest group of Orthodox Rabbis in the world has decided to ostracize Cohen because of his views. It tells us that the RCA has also adopted a policy under which people who engage in unethical conduct would not be eligible to receive honors in shul. The article tells us how many Orthodox people were so disgusted by Cohen's words that they came forward to report what happened to the RCA.
Is all of that not a great Kiddush Hashem? Don't the true Orthodox Jews (not charlatans like Cohen) come out looking good? Just in case anyone might think that the halacha is to blame for Cohen's views, the article tells us that "virtually every halachik source agrees that tax evasion, as well as theft from non-Jews, is categorically forbidden".
Trust me, there is much more about this story that actually would make Orthodoxy look bad but it was not included in the article. Dr. Schick, you are the one engaging in McCarthyism -- you see enemies when none exist.
5) Perhaps the worst and most dangerous part of Dr. Schick's article relates to his shock and surprise that people would be "fearful of retribution" if their names were cited in the JW. Dr. Schick, have you been reading the news in the Jewish world for the past decade? Perhaps the single biggest issue facing our community are the threats and intimidation that people are often subject to if they report any misbehavior by Rabbis to the press or the authorities. So, Dr. Schick, let me fill you in on some of the facts of this case which again you could have discovered without much research.
Rabbi Cohen and one of his friends, as well as one Rabbi in the Teaneck/Bergenfield neighborhood, undertook an extreme campaign of intimidation and scare tactics in order to dissuade anyone from telling the truth to the RCA. Some of the people who came forward to the RCA were forced out of their shul, were subject to a deplorable motzei shem ra campaign, and they even had their parnossah threatened. That is why so many people were terrified to tell the RCA the truth. It is not surprising therefore that the JW had to rely in large part on the letters that were written to the RCA.
Dr. Schick, whether or not you have legitimate gripes against the JW for some of their past articles, I hope that you have come to the realization that in this case the JW did not engage in character assassination, unfair Orthodox bashing or McCarthyism.
The critical question is whose side are you on? Are you on the side of those who believe in a Torah that condemns fraud, thievery and gentile hatred, that believes that we are required to follow the halachos in Choshen Mishpat relating to tax evasion and gezel akum, and that refuses to accept scare tactics and intimidation as a means to prevent the RCA from knowing the truth about a fellow Rabbi?
Alternatively, are you on the side of people who use religion as an excuse to engage in the most deplorable type of character assassination in order to scare and intimidate people from coming forward with the truth? Dr. Schick, I hope that you are on the side of the former group and that you will apologize to the JW and to the people who courageously came forward with the truth in the face of threats and intimidation.
Updated: 6/26/09 11:28 AM CDT
To sum up his article - Dr. Schick claims that the Jewish Week is guilty of a witch hunt motivated by their penchant towards Charedi bashing. He says it is a character assassination of a ‘a notable scholar and a truly nice person,’- calling it McCarthyesque.
He thereby questions the insinuation of guilt the JW heaped upon Ohel because of an unrelated incident with their Posek, Rabbi Cohen. An incident that happened in a Teaneck Shul over two years ago! He further castigates the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) for getting involved in this ‘putrid journalistic cauldron’.
He even tries to at least minimally justify Rabbi Cohen’s views in the sense that almost everybody cheats on their taxes anyway. Judge not lest ye be judged.
But the most problematic portion of his letter for me was the following:
There is at least a minyan of anonymous sources which aren’t identified, allegedly because they are fearful of retribution. This claim itself is designed to make the Orthodox look bad. The Orthodox are routinely taken to task, including in the Jewish Week, and the critics are mentioned. What retribution would ensue if this newspaper had identified its sources? When charges are made, the absence of attribution undermines credibility.
If Dr. Schick does not think that Orthodox communities do not contain individuals who will act in retribution, then he is living in a different world than the one I live in.
I received an e-mail that responds to Dr. Schick. I would not normally publish a letter that is as strongly worded. Indeed I caution that it should not be treated as entirely my point of view. But what this poster has to say is important. As is his passion about this issue. And the justifiable anger. I therefore publish it as written.
His identify is known to me. He asked me to use the pseudonym Toras Emes. I agreed because I completely understand his fear of being attacked as others have already been.
If there is anyone guiltier than Rabbi Cohen (if the aqllegations are true) it is his apologists. I could perhaps deal with them. It is those who have threatened and actually carried out those threats of retribution that I have the biggest problem.
Had this not become a matter of public record, I would never have brought it up. But once the truth becomes public knowledge - it certainly should be defended. It must instead be condemned as forcefully as possible by everyone - including rabbinic leaders!
Here now the response:
Guest Post by Toras Emes
I want to begin by acknowledging Dr. Schick's outstanding devotion and work on behalf of Jewish education over many decades. I hope that his disgraceful attack on the JW and his defense of R. Cohen was a lapse of judgment or was based on misinformation. In any case, those of us who care about Toras Emes must respond.
Dr. Schick accuses the JW of McCarthyism and character assassination. As we shall see below, it is Dr. Schick's column that reeks with character assassination and McCarthyism -- he sees enemies where none exist and he makes accusations against innocent people without any foundation in truth.
1) Dr. Schick begins by asking "what does Ohel have to do with R. Cohen"? Dr. Schick, did you read the article? The answer is in the first sentence of the article. Ohel takes millions of dollars of government money while its "Rabbi" (who is known to be a very powerful and central figure in Ohel) openly tells people that they can defraud the government of its rightful share of tax money.
Is it not the height of chutzpah for Ohel to ask the government for tax dollars while Ohel employs Cohen as its Rabbi? Why should those of who us who pay our taxes use our hard earned after tax dollars to fund an organization that does not seem to mind that its Rabbi is telling others that they can defraud the government? Dr. Schick, are these not legitimate questions?
2) Dr. Schick then wonders how the RCA was also "thrust into the same putrid journalistic cauldron". (As an aside, I agree that this whole story is putrid -- the fact that a heretofore well respected Rabbi has for years been publicly and privately telling people that they can ignore entire sections of Choshen Mishpat that deal with tax evasion and gezel akum is truly putrid). Dr. Schick, once again one must ask, have you read the article?
The article explains in great detail how the RCA very recently decided to sever its relationship with Cohen because of his noxious ethical and moral views. How is that not relevant? That also answers Dr. Schick's question as to why this story is relevant 28 months after Cohen made his comments. The fact that the largest Orthodox Rabbinic organization in the world essentially decided to throw a well respected Rabbi off of its most prestigious halacha committee is extremely relevant and newsworthy.
3) Dr. Schick seems to think that the article engages in character assassination. Is the truth character assassination? If so, the JW is guilty. The story is absolutely truthful and you could confirm that if you did even a modicum of research. You could have spoken to the RCA, the many witnesses whose names are known to the RCA, or you could have asked around in Teaneck/Bergenfield where the story is well known.
Dr. Schick, with all due respect, you have engaged in character assassination against the journalists and staff of the JW and all of the people who came forward to tell the truth to the RCA. They are the ones who deserve an apology.
4) Dr. Schick seems to think that the article bashes the Orthodox. If one thinks that David Cohen represents the Orthodox then he is correct. However, fortunately many Rabbis and Roshei Yeshiva do not think that Cohen is Orthodox at all in light of his deletion of very important parts of the Shulchan Aruch.
However, putting that aside, the article actually makes the Orthodox community look good. The article tells us how the largest group of Orthodox Rabbis in the world has decided to ostracize Cohen because of his views. It tells us that the RCA has also adopted a policy under which people who engage in unethical conduct would not be eligible to receive honors in shul. The article tells us how many Orthodox people were so disgusted by Cohen's words that they came forward to report what happened to the RCA.
Is all of that not a great Kiddush Hashem? Don't the true Orthodox Jews (not charlatans like Cohen) come out looking good? Just in case anyone might think that the halacha is to blame for Cohen's views, the article tells us that "virtually every halachik source agrees that tax evasion, as well as theft from non-Jews, is categorically forbidden".
Trust me, there is much more about this story that actually would make Orthodoxy look bad but it was not included in the article. Dr. Schick, you are the one engaging in McCarthyism -- you see enemies when none exist.
5) Perhaps the worst and most dangerous part of Dr. Schick's article relates to his shock and surprise that people would be "fearful of retribution" if their names were cited in the JW. Dr. Schick, have you been reading the news in the Jewish world for the past decade? Perhaps the single biggest issue facing our community are the threats and intimidation that people are often subject to if they report any misbehavior by Rabbis to the press or the authorities. So, Dr. Schick, let me fill you in on some of the facts of this case which again you could have discovered without much research.
Rabbi Cohen and one of his friends, as well as one Rabbi in the Teaneck/Bergenfield neighborhood, undertook an extreme campaign of intimidation and scare tactics in order to dissuade anyone from telling the truth to the RCA. Some of the people who came forward to the RCA were forced out of their shul, were subject to a deplorable motzei shem ra campaign, and they even had their parnossah threatened. That is why so many people were terrified to tell the RCA the truth. It is not surprising therefore that the JW had to rely in large part on the letters that were written to the RCA.
Dr. Schick, whether or not you have legitimate gripes against the JW for some of their past articles, I hope that you have come to the realization that in this case the JW did not engage in character assassination, unfair Orthodox bashing or McCarthyism.
The critical question is whose side are you on? Are you on the side of those who believe in a Torah that condemns fraud, thievery and gentile hatred, that believes that we are required to follow the halachos in Choshen Mishpat relating to tax evasion and gezel akum, and that refuses to accept scare tactics and intimidation as a means to prevent the RCA from knowing the truth about a fellow Rabbi?
Alternatively, are you on the side of people who use religion as an excuse to engage in the most deplorable type of character assassination in order to scare and intimidate people from coming forward with the truth? Dr. Schick, I hope that you are on the side of the former group and that you will apologize to the JW and to the people who courageously came forward with the truth in the face of threats and intimidation.
Updated: 6/26/09 11:28 AM CDT
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Are Jewish Women Second Class Citizens?
I have been informed of an article in this week’s Hebrew version of Mishpacha Magazine. There is an interview with Rav Mordechai Neugershall who published a book aimed at Charedim which discusses Hashkafa.
Therein Rav Neugershall tells the story of how a BBC sponsored multi-faith discussion led to a question about how Orthodox Judaism treats women. The question stemmed from a Yated Ne’eman photo of the newly elected government in Israel - where women were cropped out. His answer was that in Judaism the more valuable something is, the more it remains hidden.
The example he gave was the Kodesh Kodoshim - The Holy of Holies - of the Beis HaMikdash where the ‘Ark of the Covenant’ stood. A woman is like the Shechina - God’s presence - in the Beis HaMikdash and is therefore kept hidden. Just like the Holy of Holies is 'hidden' - visited only by the Kohen Gadol once a year on Yom Kippur.
I'm sorry this explanation smacks of apologetics. This is a typical response I often hear by some when trying to answer various challenges of feminism about the perceived second class status of women.
You will often hear things like: ‘No no no! Women aren’t second class citizens at all. Men are the second class citizens!’ ‘Women are smarter than men because they have Binah Yiseirah - extra wisdom!’ But that does little to answer other statements about women in the Gemarah that seem to indicate a second class status - at least by implication.
Take the phrase Nashim - Daatan Kalos. This implies that women generally do not think deeply. This is of course not true. But I have never heard a satisfactory explanation of that statement.
A woman can never testify as a witness in court where two witnesses are Halachicly required. This implies that women are not trustworthy - which is of course untrue. The Gemarah never says this. It says the opposite in fact. When only one witness is required they are believed same as a man. But the perception of untrustworthiness in ‘two witness’ situations remains.
There is a Bracha every man makes in the morning thanking God for not making him a woman. Many have explained that the reason for this Brahcha is because men are thankful for having more Mitzvos than women. Women in fact don’t need Mitzvos because they are a more perfect creation by God. He therefore requires less of them.
But doesn’t that mean we are thanking God for making us lesser human beings - who have to work harder to reach the status of a woman? What is so great about that? Why thank God for that? Shouldn’t women instead be thanking God for not making them a man?
I realize of course that the Torah is not prejudiced against women. The Torah simply recognizes differences between men and women that are both physical and spiritual. Men and women therefore each have their own tasks to fulfill. Even though there are answers given along these lines I have not found them fully satisfying thus far.
So when a Rabbi like Mordechai Neugershall sets himself up as a sort of expert on this subject by writing a book and gives the kind of answer he gave about publishing pictures of women, it does nothing for me. It just reinforces my questions.
There is another point to be made here.
In my view the answer he gave about why women’s photos are not published - has nothing to do with the real reason: Excessive focus on Tznius. There is no Halachic reason not to permit a photo of a modestly dressed woman in a religious publication. It is a Chumra only among some. And yet it is increasingly becoming the norm to exclude photos of women.
The problem in Charedi circles is that since no segment wants to be seen as 'the Sheygitz' - once a Chumra is adopted by one segment, the other segment feels the need to adopt it too.
The argument often given by a publication like Mishpacha for doing this is that they do not want to exclude readers who find photos of women objectionable. That may be true. But it all adds up to a world where Chumros dominate. And then that becomes the norm. Those who refuse top go along with the new norm will be looked down upon. They will be admonished and even expelled from the group as L’hachisniks – contrarians! And those outside of the Charedi world are further marginalized if the don't conform to this standard. Instead of Achdus we have more wedges being created.
When is a rabbinic leader in the Charedi world going to stand up and say - Enough! When will there be a leader with the courage to say that just because one segment of Jewry has a Chumra - that does not mean that we all have to adopt it?
Therein Rav Neugershall tells the story of how a BBC sponsored multi-faith discussion led to a question about how Orthodox Judaism treats women. The question stemmed from a Yated Ne’eman photo of the newly elected government in Israel - where women were cropped out. His answer was that in Judaism the more valuable something is, the more it remains hidden.
The example he gave was the Kodesh Kodoshim - The Holy of Holies - of the Beis HaMikdash where the ‘Ark of the Covenant’ stood. A woman is like the Shechina - God’s presence - in the Beis HaMikdash and is therefore kept hidden. Just like the Holy of Holies is 'hidden' - visited only by the Kohen Gadol once a year on Yom Kippur.
I'm sorry this explanation smacks of apologetics. This is a typical response I often hear by some when trying to answer various challenges of feminism about the perceived second class status of women.
You will often hear things like: ‘No no no! Women aren’t second class citizens at all. Men are the second class citizens!’ ‘Women are smarter than men because they have Binah Yiseirah - extra wisdom!’ But that does little to answer other statements about women in the Gemarah that seem to indicate a second class status - at least by implication.
Take the phrase Nashim - Daatan Kalos. This implies that women generally do not think deeply. This is of course not true. But I have never heard a satisfactory explanation of that statement.
A woman can never testify as a witness in court where two witnesses are Halachicly required. This implies that women are not trustworthy - which is of course untrue. The Gemarah never says this. It says the opposite in fact. When only one witness is required they are believed same as a man. But the perception of untrustworthiness in ‘two witness’ situations remains.
There is a Bracha every man makes in the morning thanking God for not making him a woman. Many have explained that the reason for this Brahcha is because men are thankful for having more Mitzvos than women. Women in fact don’t need Mitzvos because they are a more perfect creation by God. He therefore requires less of them.
But doesn’t that mean we are thanking God for making us lesser human beings - who have to work harder to reach the status of a woman? What is so great about that? Why thank God for that? Shouldn’t women instead be thanking God for not making them a man?
I realize of course that the Torah is not prejudiced against women. The Torah simply recognizes differences between men and women that are both physical and spiritual. Men and women therefore each have their own tasks to fulfill. Even though there are answers given along these lines I have not found them fully satisfying thus far.
So when a Rabbi like Mordechai Neugershall sets himself up as a sort of expert on this subject by writing a book and gives the kind of answer he gave about publishing pictures of women, it does nothing for me. It just reinforces my questions.
There is another point to be made here.
In my view the answer he gave about why women’s photos are not published - has nothing to do with the real reason: Excessive focus on Tznius. There is no Halachic reason not to permit a photo of a modestly dressed woman in a religious publication. It is a Chumra only among some. And yet it is increasingly becoming the norm to exclude photos of women.
The problem in Charedi circles is that since no segment wants to be seen as 'the Sheygitz' - once a Chumra is adopted by one segment, the other segment feels the need to adopt it too.
The argument often given by a publication like Mishpacha for doing this is that they do not want to exclude readers who find photos of women objectionable. That may be true. But it all adds up to a world where Chumros dominate. And then that becomes the norm. Those who refuse top go along with the new norm will be looked down upon. They will be admonished and even expelled from the group as L’hachisniks – contrarians! And those outside of the Charedi world are further marginalized if the don't conform to this standard. Instead of Achdus we have more wedges being created.
When is a rabbinic leader in the Charedi world going to stand up and say - Enough! When will there be a leader with the courage to say that just because one segment of Jewry has a Chumra - that does not mean that we all have to adopt it?
Friday, June 19, 2009
Dating and Marriage
For purposes of this essay, I am not addressing Chasidic Shiduchim. Their system works well albeit not without its own problems. What I have to say is not really about their situation. Although some of it would apply to them too.
An e-mail list to which I belong is once again having a discussion about Shiduchim. One poster commented that the entire Shiddach system is flawed.
I agree and it got me to thinking about the Shiddach issues of our day once again. I think we all know what the problems are. What we don't know is how to navigate through them.
Dating is an issue for both young people and for their parents. Parents are always worried about when - and even if – their children will get married. Fortunately for me, my children are now all happily married . But I was plenty worried when they started dating. And I still know plenty of young singles starting at age 18 and up (all the way into their mid forties) who are having problems. I even know a few my age who are still dating never having been married!
Finding the right person is a difficult task. But sometimes we make it much harder than it should be. It is understandable why. The divorce rate is going up in all strata of the religiously observant – from Charedim to Modern Orthodox. And there are plenty of unhappy marriages that do not end up in divorce. This is not good for the children. But that is another post.
So, how do we do it? How does one find a mate that will lead to a happily married life?
One must put in the effort - Histhadlus. That is a good thing. In theory this includes getting input from as many knowledgeable people as they can about a potential mate. People like: parents, teachers,siblings, aunts, uncles, friends, and Shadchanim. All are valuable in finding the right person. The more you know.... (as they say on NBC).
But all this checking has a downside. There is such a thing as too much information. What I mean is that people will give you their perspective based on their own biases. Biases that you may not have. Even if they try and stay positive a negative voice inflection can ruin a Shiddach too even if what is said about a potential mate would normally be innocuous in your eyes.
The more people you talk to the greater the chance of this happening. On the other hand there are so many potential pitfalls even if everything one hears is good. All the checking in the world may not find the one flaw that can ruin a marriage.
In the end it is a gamble anyway. You never really know a person until you live with them. For a while. No matter how well they are checked out. And no matter how many times you've dated them. And when I say living with them, I don't mean having sex or moving in without the benefit of marriage.
An ideal marriage does not necessarily mean that every moment of your married life will be blissful. Not every moment will necessarily bring one great joy. There is going to be disagreement. Sometimes on important issues. There is no way for a courtship to find out which issue will end up causing unbearable strain on a marriage. No matter how much you think you know about another person you never know enough to predict that.
The key to successfully finding a mate in my view is to be aware of that and to realize that two people raised in two different situations will each bring their own perspective and their own baggage. And yet while they are dating each will do their best to hide that baggage and put their best face forward.
It is true that a longer courtship will give you a little better understanding of the other. But it is a drop in the bucket compared to the understanding one gains about the other after they are married.
So again - what to do? As I said - in the end it is a gamble anyway. But one does need to have a general outline of how to proceed. Although certainly not a conclusive list - here are a few suggestions.
One needs to first find out if personalities are compatible That takes a few dates (two or three). Then Hashkafa issues can be discussed. Observing the other's temperament is important. How does one interact with loved ones - parents siblings etc.? How does one deal with people there is no personal relationship with? In other words how does one treat his fellow man? All these things can be seen during a courtship and the truth will come out eventually. That is why more then just two or three dates is necessary even in a Charedi dating relationship.
Perhaps the most important aspect of any successful marriage is commitment. One has to be committed to a marriage. This means working out problems rather than retreating from them. It is the the individual character of the each and the determination to work out inevitable conflict that will in the end make for the most durable marriage.
The problem with many young people today is they expect to find perfection - or the closest thing to it. It is on that basis that ll the current Shiddach system works whether it is in the Charedi world or in the modern Orthodox world. That has led to a huge number of singles in my view. Especially in modern Orthodox circles.
All this checking that dominates the Charedi world is in the end counterproductive. And the fear of commitment in the modern Orthodox world is killing many chances for marriage there. There has to be a happy medium between checking out one's possible future mate and not over doing it. And the fear of commitment has to be eradicated.
It wasn't perfect. But we had a far better system when I was dating back in the sixties. Much more flexibility, and a lot less - checking.
If there was a girl I wanted to date I first found out if she was available. If so, I asked her out. Sometimes I was turned down. Yes - I felt bad for about a day and then I got over it. Sometimes I was 'fixed up' by a friend. A couple of times a family member set me up. Those didn't work out either. I used a Shadchan one time (at the insistence of my parents) and that didn't work out either. But! I met my wife that way. She is the sister of one of the girls I dated. She invited me into her house and I met her then. She was still a senior in high school
But I didn't date her until about a year later (at age 18).
Here's the story for those who are interested. I was 22. An engaged close friend went to Detroit with his Kallah who had recently moved to Chicago from there. A shower was being given by one of her best friends. I went to day school in Detroit and still had many friends there. They went in for the weekend - so I tagged along. Once there I was urged to meet her. We decided we would meet on Friday night first.
I saw her then and on Shabbos again where we went for a walk. I asked her out for that evening. We both enjoyed each other's company.
She had originally scheduled a vacation trip to Chicago after the shower so we ended up traveling back together. I took her out every day she was there. About 2 or 3 weeks later I went to Detroit to take her out some more. By the end of that weekend we were engaged. We have been married for almost 40 years. Our success is due to the commitment we both made to our marriage and to our children, and we have been paid off handsomely. Four children. 21 grandchildren. And one on the way.
An e-mail list to which I belong is once again having a discussion about Shiduchim. One poster commented that the entire Shiddach system is flawed.
I agree and it got me to thinking about the Shiddach issues of our day once again. I think we all know what the problems are. What we don't know is how to navigate through them.
Dating is an issue for both young people and for their parents. Parents are always worried about when - and even if – their children will get married. Fortunately for me, my children are now all happily married . But I was plenty worried when they started dating. And I still know plenty of young singles starting at age 18 and up (all the way into their mid forties) who are having problems. I even know a few my age who are still dating never having been married!
Finding the right person is a difficult task. But sometimes we make it much harder than it should be. It is understandable why. The divorce rate is going up in all strata of the religiously observant – from Charedim to Modern Orthodox. And there are plenty of unhappy marriages that do not end up in divorce. This is not good for the children. But that is another post.
So, how do we do it? How does one find a mate that will lead to a happily married life?
One must put in the effort - Histhadlus. That is a good thing. In theory this includes getting input from as many knowledgeable people as they can about a potential mate. People like: parents, teachers,siblings, aunts, uncles, friends, and Shadchanim. All are valuable in finding the right person. The more you know.... (as they say on NBC).
But all this checking has a downside. There is such a thing as too much information. What I mean is that people will give you their perspective based on their own biases. Biases that you may not have. Even if they try and stay positive a negative voice inflection can ruin a Shiddach too even if what is said about a potential mate would normally be innocuous in your eyes.
The more people you talk to the greater the chance of this happening. On the other hand there are so many potential pitfalls even if everything one hears is good. All the checking in the world may not find the one flaw that can ruin a marriage.
In the end it is a gamble anyway. You never really know a person until you live with them. For a while. No matter how well they are checked out. And no matter how many times you've dated them. And when I say living with them, I don't mean having sex or moving in without the benefit of marriage.
An ideal marriage does not necessarily mean that every moment of your married life will be blissful. Not every moment will necessarily bring one great joy. There is going to be disagreement. Sometimes on important issues. There is no way for a courtship to find out which issue will end up causing unbearable strain on a marriage. No matter how much you think you know about another person you never know enough to predict that.
The key to successfully finding a mate in my view is to be aware of that and to realize that two people raised in two different situations will each bring their own perspective and their own baggage. And yet while they are dating each will do their best to hide that baggage and put their best face forward.
It is true that a longer courtship will give you a little better understanding of the other. But it is a drop in the bucket compared to the understanding one gains about the other after they are married.
So again - what to do? As I said - in the end it is a gamble anyway. But one does need to have a general outline of how to proceed. Although certainly not a conclusive list - here are a few suggestions.
One needs to first find out if personalities are compatible That takes a few dates (two or three). Then Hashkafa issues can be discussed. Observing the other's temperament is important. How does one interact with loved ones - parents siblings etc.? How does one deal with people there is no personal relationship with? In other words how does one treat his fellow man? All these things can be seen during a courtship and the truth will come out eventually. That is why more then just two or three dates is necessary even in a Charedi dating relationship.
Perhaps the most important aspect of any successful marriage is commitment. One has to be committed to a marriage. This means working out problems rather than retreating from them. It is the the individual character of the each and the determination to work out inevitable conflict that will in the end make for the most durable marriage.
The problem with many young people today is they expect to find perfection - or the closest thing to it. It is on that basis that ll the current Shiddach system works whether it is in the Charedi world or in the modern Orthodox world. That has led to a huge number of singles in my view. Especially in modern Orthodox circles.
All this checking that dominates the Charedi world is in the end counterproductive. And the fear of commitment in the modern Orthodox world is killing many chances for marriage there. There has to be a happy medium between checking out one's possible future mate and not over doing it. And the fear of commitment has to be eradicated.
It wasn't perfect. But we had a far better system when I was dating back in the sixties. Much more flexibility, and a lot less - checking.
If there was a girl I wanted to date I first found out if she was available. If so, I asked her out. Sometimes I was turned down. Yes - I felt bad for about a day and then I got over it. Sometimes I was 'fixed up' by a friend. A couple of times a family member set me up. Those didn't work out either. I used a Shadchan one time (at the insistence of my parents) and that didn't work out either. But! I met my wife that way. She is the sister of one of the girls I dated. She invited me into her house and I met her then. She was still a senior in high school
But I didn't date her until about a year later (at age 18).
Here's the story for those who are interested. I was 22. An engaged close friend went to Detroit with his Kallah who had recently moved to Chicago from there. A shower was being given by one of her best friends. I went to day school in Detroit and still had many friends there. They went in for the weekend - so I tagged along. Once there I was urged to meet her. We decided we would meet on Friday night first.
I saw her then and on Shabbos again where we went for a walk. I asked her out for that evening. We both enjoyed each other's company.
She had originally scheduled a vacation trip to Chicago after the shower so we ended up traveling back together. I took her out every day she was there. About 2 or 3 weeks later I went to Detroit to take her out some more. By the end of that weekend we were engaged. We have been married for almost 40 years. Our success is due to the commitment we both made to our marriage and to our children, and we have been paid off handsomely. Four children. 21 grandchildren. And one on the way.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Misplaced Sympathy - Misplaced Outrage
The story about the prison Bar Mitzvah refuses to go away.
There has been some apologetics for what Rabbi Leib Glanz a Satmar Chasid who is the prison chaplain did for fellow Satmar Chasid Tuvia Stern - who is an inmate. The claim is that the media is unfairly criticizing him for arranging a Bar Mitzvah party in prison for his son ... and that he is being unfairly punished for what was at worst a lapse in judgment. To that effect there have been two glaring public criticisms. One by Agudah and one in Yeshiva World News (YWN).
As reported in the Forward, the Agudah has written a draft of a letter - as of yet unsent to Mayor Michael Bloomberg:
“The reports in the media pillory Rabbi Glanz, in the most cynical and derogatory fashion imaginable, for his role in accommodating Jewish prisoners’ religious requirements and helping them participate, personally or vicariously, in milestone family celebrations,” the draft letter says.
While Glanz’s action’s may have crossed lines, the draft letter states, “We also have no doubt that any such improprieties were nothing more than lapses of judgment; and that they emanated from a good place, a heart overflowing with empathy and concern.”
I can understand Agudah’s concern. They feel the media has been sensationalist in reporting this event. Perhaps they were. But even though Rabbi Glanz may have been operating ‘from a good place in his heart’ this is far from merely crossing a line. Crossing a line might have been allowing any celebration at all.
This was a catered party for 60 guests with a major singer and a band. All for Tuvia Stern, a 'religious' Jew who stole money in a scam and left the country with his entire family for 16 years to Brazil - a country that has no extradition treaty. He thumbed his nose at the US and lived his life as though he had done nothing wrong. All one big Chilul HaShem! He is now paying for all that crime.
By having this party he again thumbed his nose at this country and added to the Chilul HaShem. He is seen by the world as a criminal who is treated with special favors because of a manipulative Chasidic Jewish chaplain - while other prisoners suffer the typical indignities associated with incarceration.
The apologetics of Agudah while understandable are nonetheless misplaced in my view. If I were Agudah I would not send any letter to the Mayor as that will compound the Chilul HaShem even further. No good can come from being seen as defending a man who abused his power and the system for the sake of a Jewish scam artist.
It's too bad that Agudah decided to take this route. Because that takes away from a Kiddush HaShem they made in another matter as reported in Cross-Currents. They wrote a beautiful letter of condolence to the son of the guard who was murdered by a racist anti-Semite at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC.
But the Agudah letter pales in comparison to an editorial in YWN.
Now I have no quarrel with the issue of Mesirah. There is no love lost between me and a Moser. He is usually nothing more than a lowlife out to protect his own skin, or out for some vendetta, or out for personal gain. I have no pity for individuals who are guilty of Mesira.
That said, the outrage against a supposed snitch responsible for leaking this story to the media is grossly out of proportion to the outrage that there should be against the crime, the criminal, and the chaplain. Instead of seeing what this chaplain did as a Chilul HaShem, they see it as Kiddush Hashem. They see the Moser as destroying an individual with extremely good intentions whose 'hard work has been 'able to shield these individuals from countless unknown potential atrocities'.
While that may be true it does not diminish from what he did here. This was not about protecting a Jewish inmate from 'atrocities. It was about granting special favors to a Jewish criminal.
So they blame the Moser. The Chilul HaShem is all about the Moser. The Chaplain? A saint! The Moser? A Rasha. As if all the chaplain was trying to do was a good deed for an unjustly jailed Jew and is now being punished for it all because another Jew snitched on him.
The problem is that one cannot make a Chilul HaShem by reporting on a good Deed! If the Mesirah is seen as a causing a Chilul HaShem it can only be because people will see Jews in a negative light because of it. Good deeds are rarely seen that way.
Enabling a constituent Jewish prisoner to live a lavish lifestyle in prison while others suffer the indignities normally found there is not a good deed. But those condemning only the Moser do not see this contradcition. It is a testament to the blindness they have to the crime itself. You can't imply something is a Kiddush HaShem and then say that reporting it to the media is a Chilul HaShem.
So YWN is guilty of a compounding all of this further.
We ought to not be defending criminals and lauding those who ascertain special favors for them. We ought to be condemning them. If this Chaplain really wanted to make a Kiddush HaShem he should have been helping all the prisoners. Then I would have been the first to sing his praises.
There has been some apologetics for what Rabbi Leib Glanz a Satmar Chasid who is the prison chaplain did for fellow Satmar Chasid Tuvia Stern - who is an inmate. The claim is that the media is unfairly criticizing him for arranging a Bar Mitzvah party in prison for his son ... and that he is being unfairly punished for what was at worst a lapse in judgment. To that effect there have been two glaring public criticisms. One by Agudah and one in Yeshiva World News (YWN).
As reported in the Forward, the Agudah has written a draft of a letter - as of yet unsent to Mayor Michael Bloomberg:
“The reports in the media pillory Rabbi Glanz, in the most cynical and derogatory fashion imaginable, for his role in accommodating Jewish prisoners’ religious requirements and helping them participate, personally or vicariously, in milestone family celebrations,” the draft letter says.
While Glanz’s action’s may have crossed lines, the draft letter states, “We also have no doubt that any such improprieties were nothing more than lapses of judgment; and that they emanated from a good place, a heart overflowing with empathy and concern.”
I can understand Agudah’s concern. They feel the media has been sensationalist in reporting this event. Perhaps they were. But even though Rabbi Glanz may have been operating ‘from a good place in his heart’ this is far from merely crossing a line. Crossing a line might have been allowing any celebration at all.
This was a catered party for 60 guests with a major singer and a band. All for Tuvia Stern, a 'religious' Jew who stole money in a scam and left the country with his entire family for 16 years to Brazil - a country that has no extradition treaty. He thumbed his nose at the US and lived his life as though he had done nothing wrong. All one big Chilul HaShem! He is now paying for all that crime.
By having this party he again thumbed his nose at this country and added to the Chilul HaShem. He is seen by the world as a criminal who is treated with special favors because of a manipulative Chasidic Jewish chaplain - while other prisoners suffer the typical indignities associated with incarceration.
The apologetics of Agudah while understandable are nonetheless misplaced in my view. If I were Agudah I would not send any letter to the Mayor as that will compound the Chilul HaShem even further. No good can come from being seen as defending a man who abused his power and the system for the sake of a Jewish scam artist.
It's too bad that Agudah decided to take this route. Because that takes away from a Kiddush HaShem they made in another matter as reported in Cross-Currents. They wrote a beautiful letter of condolence to the son of the guard who was murdered by a racist anti-Semite at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC.
But the Agudah letter pales in comparison to an editorial in YWN.
Now I have no quarrel with the issue of Mesirah. There is no love lost between me and a Moser. He is usually nothing more than a lowlife out to protect his own skin, or out for some vendetta, or out for personal gain. I have no pity for individuals who are guilty of Mesira.
That said, the outrage against a supposed snitch responsible for leaking this story to the media is grossly out of proportion to the outrage that there should be against the crime, the criminal, and the chaplain. Instead of seeing what this chaplain did as a Chilul HaShem, they see it as Kiddush Hashem. They see the Moser as destroying an individual with extremely good intentions whose 'hard work has been 'able to shield these individuals from countless unknown potential atrocities'.
While that may be true it does not diminish from what he did here. This was not about protecting a Jewish inmate from 'atrocities. It was about granting special favors to a Jewish criminal.
So they blame the Moser. The Chilul HaShem is all about the Moser. The Chaplain? A saint! The Moser? A Rasha. As if all the chaplain was trying to do was a good deed for an unjustly jailed Jew and is now being punished for it all because another Jew snitched on him.
The problem is that one cannot make a Chilul HaShem by reporting on a good Deed! If the Mesirah is seen as a causing a Chilul HaShem it can only be because people will see Jews in a negative light because of it. Good deeds are rarely seen that way.
Enabling a constituent Jewish prisoner to live a lavish lifestyle in prison while others suffer the indignities normally found there is not a good deed. But those condemning only the Moser do not see this contradcition. It is a testament to the blindness they have to the crime itself. You can't imply something is a Kiddush HaShem and then say that reporting it to the media is a Chilul HaShem.
So YWN is guilty of a compounding all of this further.
We ought to not be defending criminals and lauding those who ascertain special favors for them. We ought to be condemning them. If this Chaplain really wanted to make a Kiddush HaShem he should have been helping all the prisoners. Then I would have been the first to sing his praises.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Is It Possible? Stranger Things Have Happened!
A few days ago I expressed my views about the protest going on in Iran. I indicated at the time that I don’t think there is a dime’s worth of difference between the two rival candidates - Ahmadinejad and Moussavi - with respect to their attitude about Israel. My view on that has not changed. If the election is truly what this is all this is about – it is a tempest in a teapot as far as Israel is concerned.But I also indicated that there is a chance that all this unrest could lead to the long awaited counter-revolution we’ve all been hoping for in Iran. I don’t think we’re anywhere near there yet. But it is getting interesting.
Thus far the government has been unsuccessful in quashing the protests. And with each passing day the protests become more significant. The government has forbidden foreign media access to those protests. But thankfully we live in an era where the mainstream media is not the only way for the world to see the images there. Twitter, and Facebook have become the sources for those images. Cell-phone cameras have been recording it all. It is not a pretty sight.
It is too early to tell if there will be any significant change - even if there is a successful protest leading to a new president.
The fact is that even though there was significant albeit unsucessful secular resistance in Iran at the time of the original Islamic revolution 30 years ago – that has long ago been replaced through intense indoctrination of a new generation of believers.
But it’s really hard to tell for sure. The will to be free and participate in modernity can be very strong even if one is religious. One can be modern and religious you know.
The protests are now ostensibly about supporting an opposition candidate. But I can’t help but believe – or at least hope - that the desire for freedom is what's really fueling these protests. It could very well be that this whole thing is just the pretext that young people are using to pursue their real goal – freedom from Islamic fundamentalist rule.
Like I said it is all too early to tell. This couild all be over tomorrow if the Ayatollas really want it to be. They have the power to do what’s necessary.
On the other hand it is also possible that the people of Iran will rise up and defeat the Mullahs and the Islamic Republic for which they stand.
We’ll have to wait and see what develops. But like I said... It’s getting interesting.
Good Times? Or Bad?
In times of trouble our rabbinic leaders tend to look inward. The idea is that we as a people are doing something wrong in the eyes of God. There is something lacking in how we act as a people that is the cause of our malaise - and it has to be repaired.
I have no quarrel with this view. It is an age old tradition that is based on our ongoing search to improve ourselves and elevate holiness. My only quarrel is with that which is focused upon. Yes – we need to fix those things that are wrong. The question always becomes what exactly is it that needs fixing the most? What are our priorities and how much effort is being put into correcting those wrongs?
That’s where I tend to at times part company with some of our rabbinic leaders. There is always a tendency on the part of some of them to focus on Godly issues of ritual observance – the Bein Adam L’Makom when it is the social issues – the Bein Adam L’Chavero - that are often the source of a problem. Not that I’m suggesting that there isn’t room for improvement in Bein Adam L’Makom issues. There is always room for improvement there. But for me it is a question of what the main focus should be.
Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald in his weekly Torah message does a good job of choosing several issues of importance - issues that I deal with here on a regular and frequent basis. Here is an excerpt:
Are we a generation that is always blaming G-d, and has not taken upon itself the responsibility to address even the most basic issues that face our community? Have we done enough to guarantee a viable Jewish education for every young Jew? Have we sufficiently supported the poor, the widows, the orphans, the agunot who are unable to obtain divorces from their recalcitrant husbands? Have we properly addressed the issue of child abuse in our homes and in our schools?
But there is one sentence in his message that bother's me:
Given the sad state of affairs of the Jewish people today, perhaps we should be asking ourselves, why the constant agony and persecution that our people experience?
Is our time so sad? Unfortunately - in my view - this sentence reflects the ‘glass half empty’ attitude.
I think we ought to take a moment and take stock of what we have today in our world - and what we don’t. We are not livening in terrible times. We are living in the best of times.
Yes - there are problems. I spend a good portion of my blogging time dealing with those I consider important. But how about a sense of proportion? How about a sense of history? Compare what we have now to any period in history, no matter how good – including the so called ‘Golden Age’ in Spain! Look how good we have it now compared to even a mere sixty or so years ago!
We live in an unprecedented time of prosperity and freedom for the Jewish people. I say this knowing full well that many religious Jews are struggling because of the extra financial burdens placed upon them (mostly having to do with the increasingly impossible costs of Jewish education). And then there is the added impact of current economic crisis.
Let us leave out the truly serious problems that effect some of us for a moment (like child sex abuse). Let us for a moment look at the way the average American or even Israeli Jew lives his life compared to the lives of any generation after the destruction of Bayis Sheni - the second Temple - the beginning of our current 2000 year old exile.
The average Jew - even if they are of modest of means – has:
- a roof over his head
- food on his table
- heat
- electricity
- free in home entertainment (if he opts to own a TV or radio)
- relatively inexpensive public transportation to just about anywhere in his city
- access to the best health care in the history of the world
- and perhaps most importantly the freedom to educate his children as he sees fit without interference from the government.
I’m sure there are many other advantages. These are just a few that come to mind. In short the average Jew today lives a lifestyle which is far superior to that of the average Jew of any previous generation.
Never in the 2000 years of Jewish exile have the Jewish people been so respected, honored, and even admired by so many non Jews. (Yes, I know about all the hate sites on the web - but they are a very vocal and virulent minority with a message that is abhorrent to the vast majority of Americans.)
One need only look at the reaction to the most recent hate crime at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. That was the lead story on the broadcast news for several nights in a row!
Look also at the huge numbers of Christians who are religious conservatives (over 65 million if I understand correctly) that are more pro-Israel than many Jews! Prior to a couple of years ago when it actually happened - did anyone in a million years ever think they would see an Evangelical preacher with an incredibly large following get up in a Jewish organization (AIPAC) and get wildly approving applause during and after his address? - perhaps greater applause than any Jewish speaker ever got?
And then there is yesterday’s extraordinarily pro-Israel address to the senate by Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey responding to the President’s speech in Cairo. And he is neither Jewish nor an Evangelical. And he is a Democrat to boot - a member of the President's own party!
I therefore think that we ought to stop whining. We ought to instead express Hakaras HaTov – gratitude to God for the privilege of living in 21'st century America or Israel - where our ‘quality of life’ is at an unprecedented historical high.
As for the difficult problems - anyone who reads this blog knows how strongly I feel about them. We need to get to work and fix them. But please please please! - lets stop whining about how bad we have it!
I have no quarrel with this view. It is an age old tradition that is based on our ongoing search to improve ourselves and elevate holiness. My only quarrel is with that which is focused upon. Yes – we need to fix those things that are wrong. The question always becomes what exactly is it that needs fixing the most? What are our priorities and how much effort is being put into correcting those wrongs?
That’s where I tend to at times part company with some of our rabbinic leaders. There is always a tendency on the part of some of them to focus on Godly issues of ritual observance – the Bein Adam L’Makom when it is the social issues – the Bein Adam L’Chavero - that are often the source of a problem. Not that I’m suggesting that there isn’t room for improvement in Bein Adam L’Makom issues. There is always room for improvement there. But for me it is a question of what the main focus should be.
Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald in his weekly Torah message does a good job of choosing several issues of importance - issues that I deal with here on a regular and frequent basis. Here is an excerpt:
Are we a generation that is always blaming G-d, and has not taken upon itself the responsibility to address even the most basic issues that face our community? Have we done enough to guarantee a viable Jewish education for every young Jew? Have we sufficiently supported the poor, the widows, the orphans, the agunot who are unable to obtain divorces from their recalcitrant husbands? Have we properly addressed the issue of child abuse in our homes and in our schools?
But there is one sentence in his message that bother's me:
Given the sad state of affairs of the Jewish people today, perhaps we should be asking ourselves, why the constant agony and persecution that our people experience?
Is our time so sad? Unfortunately - in my view - this sentence reflects the ‘glass half empty’ attitude.
I think we ought to take a moment and take stock of what we have today in our world - and what we don’t. We are not livening in terrible times. We are living in the best of times.
Yes - there are problems. I spend a good portion of my blogging time dealing with those I consider important. But how about a sense of proportion? How about a sense of history? Compare what we have now to any period in history, no matter how good – including the so called ‘Golden Age’ in Spain! Look how good we have it now compared to even a mere sixty or so years ago!
We live in an unprecedented time of prosperity and freedom for the Jewish people. I say this knowing full well that many religious Jews are struggling because of the extra financial burdens placed upon them (mostly having to do with the increasingly impossible costs of Jewish education). And then there is the added impact of current economic crisis.
Let us leave out the truly serious problems that effect some of us for a moment (like child sex abuse). Let us for a moment look at the way the average American or even Israeli Jew lives his life compared to the lives of any generation after the destruction of Bayis Sheni - the second Temple - the beginning of our current 2000 year old exile.
The average Jew - even if they are of modest of means – has:
- a roof over his head
- food on his table
- heat
- electricity
- free in home entertainment (if he opts to own a TV or radio)
- relatively inexpensive public transportation to just about anywhere in his city
- access to the best health care in the history of the world
- and perhaps most importantly the freedom to educate his children as he sees fit without interference from the government.
I’m sure there are many other advantages. These are just a few that come to mind. In short the average Jew today lives a lifestyle which is far superior to that of the average Jew of any previous generation.
Never in the 2000 years of Jewish exile have the Jewish people been so respected, honored, and even admired by so many non Jews. (Yes, I know about all the hate sites on the web - but they are a very vocal and virulent minority with a message that is abhorrent to the vast majority of Americans.)
One need only look at the reaction to the most recent hate crime at the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC. That was the lead story on the broadcast news for several nights in a row!
Look also at the huge numbers of Christians who are religious conservatives (over 65 million if I understand correctly) that are more pro-Israel than many Jews! Prior to a couple of years ago when it actually happened - did anyone in a million years ever think they would see an Evangelical preacher with an incredibly large following get up in a Jewish organization (AIPAC) and get wildly approving applause during and after his address? - perhaps greater applause than any Jewish speaker ever got?
And then there is yesterday’s extraordinarily pro-Israel address to the senate by Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey responding to the President’s speech in Cairo. And he is neither Jewish nor an Evangelical. And he is a Democrat to boot - a member of the President's own party!
I therefore think that we ought to stop whining. We ought to instead express Hakaras HaTov – gratitude to God for the privilege of living in 21'st century America or Israel - where our ‘quality of life’ is at an unprecedented historical high.
As for the difficult problems - anyone who reads this blog knows how strongly I feel about them. We need to get to work and fix them. But please please please! - lets stop whining about how bad we have it!
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