A Satmar Chasid and the Pope

Kidney donor,Rabbi Labin (3rd from left) showing Achdus - Photo credit: VIN

There are two stories in the news that that should make a lot of people feel good for entirely different reasons. One is a story that appeared at VIN a couple of days ago about 31 year old Rabbi Yoel Usher Labin. He is Satmar Chasid that donated a Kidney to a fellow Jew.

Not that such altruistic acts are all that uncommon in Satmar. They are known for their acts of Chesed toward their fellow Jews. They do not discriminate about which Hashkafa a Jew adheres to. Nor do they even discriminate if a Jew is even religious or not; or which denomination he belongs to. If a Jew is in trouble and they can help, they will. What I liked about this fellow aside from his true dedication for the health of a fellow Jew, is that he felt a sense of Achdus one rarely sees these days between various Hashkafos. From VIN: 

In the days prior to his surgery, Rabbi Labin went to several rabbonim from different segments of the Jewish community for brachos, including the Karlsburger Rebbe, the Rachmistrivka Rebbe, R’ Yosef Rosenblum, R’ Herschel Schachter and R’ Mordechai Willig. 

“It wasn’t that I needed their blessings because I knew I was going to do a mitzvah,” explained Rabbi Labin.  “I want to raise awareness for kidney donation and I want people to know about it so I went to both heimishe and Modern Orthodox rabbonim. 

Now that is Achdus. Instead of saying it’s all about me and my Hashkafos, he said it is about Klal Yisroel. And for that I salute him. I only wish there were a lot more like him. It would only benefit us all if we could integrate and share our Hashkafos with each other and adopt some of them into our own world in order to better ourselves as a people… both spiritually and materially.

Pope Francis & the Chief Rabbi of Rome, Riccardo Di Segni

In a totally unrelated story, Rabbi Yitzchak Adlerstein has a wonderful post at Cross Currents about the current Pope. In it he sings the praises of that man and of how Catholicism has evolved in our day. There was a time not that long ago (about 50 or so years ago in fact) that Catholic Church doctrines did not recognize the Judaism as a valid religion, they considered us as having broken our covenant with God and no longer deserving to be considered God’s chosen people. And they blamed our ancestors for the crucifixion of Jesus and that we – their descendants - carried the burden of that ‘sin’.

They no longer believe that. Pope John the 23^rd began the process of changing that attitude into one of acceptance of our validity - blameless for the crucifixion. They now acknowledge that we have retained our covenant with God and consider us an older brother religion. Pope Paul fulfilled his predecessor’s wishes in Vatican II. It is now Church doctrine. And it seems as though with every succeeding Pope since then, the relationship has improved. 

But there are still those whose memories of the past prevent them from seeing Catholicism and the Pope in anything but bad terms. I can’t really blame them, especially if they are Holocaust survivors and old enough to remember how anti Semitic the Church was in Europe before the Holocaust. Throughout Jewish history there have been pogroms against the Jewish people wherever the lived. ‘Good’ Christians felt that persecuting us was a Mitzvah because we killed their god. Ending with the ultimate pogrom, the Holocaust. 

While it is true that those responsible for the Holocaust were not Catholics, and were probably even atheists, it is rather well known that religious Roman Catholic Poles were all too eager to carry out the wishes of their Nazi occupiers. This has recently been demonstrated by a movie produced by Poles with a conscience that depicts the truth about a Polish town where the Jewish half of its citizens slaughtered by the non Jewish half. Jews were rounded up, placed in a barn and burned to death. The townspeople had always claimed it was the Nazis that did it. But evidence now shows that it was the Polish people of that town. 

To now believe that Roman Catholics have done ‘a 180’ about us - is therefore very difficult for these people. But the fact is that the Catholic Church has done a 180. And the current Pope, Pope Francis is the the most positive thing that has happened in the Church for the Jewish people since Pope John the 23^rd. From Rabbi Adlerstein’s article:

 (A) major document (officially called an apostolic exhortation) that Pope Francis (was) released a short while ago.

Overall, the document is extremely warm and accommodating to Jews and Judaism. It speaks of friendship for a Jewish people that enjoys significance in an irrevocable covenantal relationship with G-d. It owns up to the debt owed to them, and apologizes for their past persecution when done by Christians.

The document includes language important to supporters of Israel looking to defeat the Palestinian and BDS wars against her legitimacy.

The Vatican regards itself as a sovereign state. It has conducted its own foreign affairs for centuries. Nothing gets out with the imprimatur of the Church without every word and nuance being weighed and measured. There are no haphazard or casual expressions, unless multiple people have blundered. Those people are expert in diplomacy, and assessing the impact their words will have on those who scrutinize them.

The connection of Christianity to Judaism is organic, not accidental. He does not ask anything of them, but talks of friendship and a special relationship.

But most important, at least in my reading, are some key words in Section 249: “G-d continues to work among the people of the Old Covenant and to bring forth treasures of wisdom which flow from their encounter with his word.” In other words, there is recognition and expectation that Jews remain an עם חכם ונבון/ a wise and comprehending people. They possess Divine wisdom, and those who seek deeper understanding of His ways ought to listen to what they have to say, when they speak in the name of the Torah.

Some of us – myself included – have witnessed this thirst for Jewish insight again and again, from people light-years away from converting. Some of us realize that we are in the first generation in many centuries that we can even think of trying to apply the Torah’s wisdom to the questions that trouble general society – not as part of a polemic, but simply to enhance the good of humanity, and Hashem’s glory. 

I could not agree more! I have felt this way for quite some time now. And I believe that my beliefs about the Catholic Church are being borne out and felt by a wider range of Orthodox Jews, including Charedi Jews to the right of Rabbi Adlerstein. This is a very welcome change from the Catholicism of the past - dating back over 2000 years. The relationship is long past thawing. It is warming up. That is a good thing and I think we ought to take advantage of it by offering our own hand in friendship.

Saying Hallel on Thanksgiving

Rabbi Meir Yaakov Soloveichik

How many people say Hallel on Thanksgiving? I can just hear somebody screaming at me saying, "What? Hallel on Thanksgiving?!" "Are you out of your mind?!" "That is the height of absurdity." "Not only should we not say Hallel on Thanksgiving - the very holiday itself is suspect as it as overtones of a non Jewish religious celebration."  

"Religious modalities of other religions are off limits to the Jewish people." "We should in no way participate with the annual ritual of eating turkey and a big meal on that day, let alone say Hallel. Hallel is reserved for Jewish holidays as mandated by the sages." "Poskim forbid saying it even on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. And you ask if anyone says it on Thanksgiving?!"

Well, yes, I do ask that question. That’s because there is an Orthodox Congregation that has been saying it every Thanksgiving of its existence.

Back in 1654 a group of Jews set sail from Brazil to escape the Portuguese inquisition… and ended up in New Amsterdam. At the beginning of the 18^th century a Shul called Shearith Israel was formed by this group. By the year 1768 they hired their first American born minister, Gershom Mendes Seixas. (Not having Semicha he was not officially a rabbi.) So goes the story of some early Jewish settlers of the New World – as related by Rabbi Dr. Meir Yaakov Soloveichik, the newly installed rabbi of Shearith Israel. From his Wall Street Journal article (also available here in PDF): 

In his (Sexias) sermon, delivered Nov. 26, 1789, he expressed his profound gratitude for a government that was "founded upon the strictest principles of equal liberty and justice." In a Thanksgiving Day service several years later, Seixas declared: "As Jews, we are even more than others called upon to return thanks to God for placing us in such a country—where we are free to act according to the dictates of conscience, and where no exception is taken from following the principles of our religion."

Throughout its history, the members of Shearith Israel have observed Thanksgiving by reciting in synagogue the same psalms of praise and gratitude sung by Jews all over the world on festive days like Hanukkah.  

As Rabbi Soloveichik points out, this year we will of course be joining the members of this Shul in saying Hallel on Thanksgiving. That’s because it coincides with Chanukah. (If I hear the word Thanksgivukkah one more time, I’m going to… well you know.) Rabbi Soloveichik points out both holidays celebrate the freedom to practice one’s religion as they see fit. In the case of Chanukah it is to give thanks to God for returning the freedom to practice our religion via the heroic efforts of the Maccabbees. And in the case of Thanksgiving it is to give thanks to God for the privilege of living in a country that gives us that same freedom. And to express our gratitude to the founding fathers and their spiritual heirs in government today for enshrining and guaranteeing that right in the Constitution.

Such a strongly positive view is not shared by the illustrious Gadol of the last generation Rav Moshe Feinstein. Although he clearly permits eating turkey in a festive meal with family and friends, knowing that it is not a religious ritual in any sense to eat turkey in a festive meal with your family, he still considers the practice as imitating gentile customs (Chukas HaGoy).

I wonder how he would view saying Hallel on Thanksgiving in those years where it does not coincide with Chanukah? (The next time this happens is 79,000 years from now.) My guess is that he would not approve as this attaches a religious ritual to a gentile holiday.

I will be celebrating Thanksgiving with my daughter and her family this year at the home of my Mechutanim (her in-laws). And like my fellow Jews in Shearith Israel, I too am very grateful to God and to this country for the blessings bestowed upon me. How lucky I feel to be living here.

I’m sure that Rabbi Meir Soloveichik will be doing the same. It is indeed his family tradition to do so. His grandfather, my Rebbe, Rav Ahron Soloveichik, ZTL ate turkey on Thanksgiving. As did his great uncle, the Rav who disagreed with Rav Moshe. He held that eating turkey on Thanksgiving does not constitute imitating gentile customs.

And like my fellow Jews in Shearith Israel I too will be saying Hallel on Thanksgiving this year. Although I will not be continuing this Minhag every year, I agree with Rabbi Soloveichik who ends his article with the following: 

(L)ighting candles this Thanksgiving/Hanukkah eve will be a moment for reflecting on the story of our community, on our people's miraculous deliverance from their ancient oppressors, and on the land that opened to us yet another miraculous chapter in our history. We will also ponder our obligation, as Jews experiencing unfettered freedom, to live our lives fully as Jews and as Americans, to remain loyal to our faith while devotedly serving our country.

All this we will do as we lift up our voices to sing, with our fellow Jews around the world, as, perhaps, did the voyagers on the Mayflower upon their own arrival in the New World: "O give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness endureth forever."

Some Good News about the Israeli Chief Rabbinate

Chief Rabbis David Lau and YiItzhak Yosef - Photo credit; Ha'artez

I’m happy to announce that the Chief Rabbinate in Israel has done something right. Something which actually argues in favor of retaining the Israeli Rabbinate as the authority over religious matters in the State of Israel.

There has been a lot of criticism leveled at this institution as of late, much of it deserved. The corruption alone that the last Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi has been arrested for (and all the evidence that supports those allegations) is enough in my view to justify that criticism. And as if that weren’t enough, the politics that now permeates this high office makes its judgments suspect.

Even the way these rabbis are selected is less than equitable since it is done secretly by a panel of 150 electors (chosen by the Ministry or Religion) that are subjected to heavy lobbying by special interests. Which may sway one or more of these electors to vote against their own better judgment.

As it happens the current ‘power behind the throne’ are the Charedi rabbinic leaders. Their favored candidates have won the last two elections. That’s 20 years worth of influence!

The loudest call for abolishing the Rabbinate comes from Heterodox movements that complain they are treated unfairly – and prevented from having any power over religious matters even over their own constituencies.

Nevertheless, it would be a bad idea for the Rabbinate to completely relinquish all control over religious life in Israel. As much as Israel is a Democratic State, it is also a Jewish State. And despite all the definitions floating around as to what constitutes a Jew, I am of the firm belief that Halacha is the prime determinant. 

As such people who are the most knowledgeable about Halacha should be the ones determining religious matters in a Jewish State. That said, I do not think it should be in the hands of one religious faction either. Halacha should be the only thing that matters. Hashkafa should never play into decisions by the Rabbinate. Unfortunately it now does. Big time!

For example there is something called the Heter Michira. This allows farmers to work their fields and sell its produce during the Shmitta year (that occurs every 7 years) via a the sale of their land to a non Jew (similar to the way we sell our Chametz to a non Jew every year before Pesach). The Charedi influence over the Rabbinate has caused them to remove its Hechsher (religious sanction) over any produce that is the result of the Heter Mechira.

The Charedi establishment does not consider the Heter Mechira a sale valid. They consider it a sham sale leaving the land in Jewish hands. Thus making its produce remains forbidden from use.

I am not here to Paskin on this issue. But I am here to say that the Rabbinate should not adopt Chumros (strictures). They should only be concerned with the letter of the law. Those who do not trust the Heter Michra, don’t have to use it. But for those who do, it is wrong for the Rabbinate to impose this stricture on them... making it harder for them to be observant.

This is just one example, there are others that are of even greater import. Like the whole conversion controversy. Here too, the rabbinate has acceded to the Halachicly stricter Charedi position rather than the more Halachicly permissible lenient position. The Charedi view is that the lenient position is invalid and the conversions made via these leniencies are invalid. And they have even ostracized those rabbis who utilized it casting a pall on all of their conversions – past and present. Even those that did not employ any leniencies.

I am therefore not too enamored of the Rabbinate as it now stands. To say the least. But I am fully opposed to abolishing it. Because even as I am opposed to the undue influence of the Charedi rabbis, I still believe that the Rabbinate is necessary to determine base Halacha and to eliminate abuses of it by people under their charge that work in religious institutions.

Which brings me to the following good news. The Rabbiante has just righted a wrong. One may recall the post I did about the outrageous phenomenon of some Mikvah ladies abusing their positions and causing many problems for those women use the Mikvah. They have been insisting on Chumros and interrogating users about private matters that have nothing to do with their Tevilah (the religious immersion into the Mikvah).  In some cases they have been forbidding Mikvah usage entirely for some women based on the results of those interrogations!

One may remember that Yesh Atid MK Aliza Lavie was about to sponsor a bill that would bar these Mikvah ladies from doing any of that. But the Chief Rabbinate has risen to the occasion and has come up with a clear mandate for all Mikvah ladies. From the Jewish Press: 

“The attendant is meant to help the immersing women fulfill the commandment of immersion according to Jewish law, and the attendant must be available for that purpose, and to offer her assistance,” the letter read. “In addition, the attendant is not permitted to coerce customs, investigations or checks on the women against their will.” Separate letters from Israeli Chief Rabbis Yitzchak Yosef and David Lau, and from Deputy Religious Services Minister Eli Ben-Dahan, endorsed the new restrictions. 

Now this is something we can all cheer. And it is one reason why the Chief Rabbinate is necessary. One might argue that legislation in the Knesset could have served the same function. But the State does not have the religious standing to make such laws. It is far more significant when the Rabbinate does it. They have the power of Halacha behind them. What legislators can do is to back up those decisions up with legal sanctions for violations. Like huge fines.

There is of course a lot that needs to be corrected in how the Rabbinate operates. Starting with the way the Chief Rabbis are chosen. But in my view at least we can see why it is important for the Rabbinate to retain its control of religious matters in a Jewish State.

The Beauty (and the Beast) of Chasidus

Chasidic girls from the video - Photo credit: Forward

I must admit that the video below about Chasidic life is very inspiring. As an article in the Forward notes, this video was not produced by any of the outreach groups like Chabad or Aish HaTorah. It was produced by two women who are not even Orthodox. One of them, Elisa Goodkind, describes herself as “a Reform and rebellious Jew”. I guess it must be rebellious for a Reform Jew to portray Orthodoxy in such sympathetic terms.

The 16 minute video interviews various Chasidim, including but not limited to Chabad (Lubavitch). Which is by itself unusual. Most videos like this are almost exclusively Chabad. That’s because the nature of Chabad it to reach out to fellow Jews. As such they are always eager to ‘get the word out’ by co-operating with any documentarian that comes their way. As did Oprah Winfrey in one of her shows.

Chabad is quite good at it. I give them a lot of credit for presenting a very positive image of observant Judaism. Here again they did not disappoint. But this is the first time I’ve seen a documentary where  Chasidim other than Chabad were so prominently featured. Most non Chabad Chasidim rarely grant access to the outside world. We therefore rarely get a peek at what goes on inside their world. And they too did a good job of portraying their values and their way of life.

The fact is that many of the values and beliefs described by the interviewees are not all that dissimilar than the rest of observant Jewry. Explaining concept like modesty in dress are done quite well.  Although modesty standards are not alike for all segments of Orthodoxy, the basis for them is the same.

Even the subject of sexual relations is discussed quite candidly and in my opinion quite beautifully.

Just to highlight one part of this video, there was a description of Chasidic dating habits by both Chabad and the non Chabad Chasidm.  Lubavitchers go out on dates alone to see if they like each other. If they do, they usually get engaged. Typically after about 6 to 8 dates. In this sense they are no different than the rest of Orthodox Jewry - from the right wing Yeshiva student to the Modern Orthodox Jew.

Chabad is the exception to the rule among Chasidim. In most Chasidic communities, the parents ‘date’. This means that the parents who usually know their children quite well  will find compatible members of the opposite sex for their children via a Shadchan (matchmaker), relative, or through a very good networking system in their community.

The potential couple then usually meet in the home of the young female prospect’s parents. As explained in the video by one such Chasid, they will typically sit across a table and talk to each other for an hour or two. Perhaps there is a second or third meeting. Then they decide if they are compatible. If they agree, a wedding date is set and they do not see each other until the day of their wedding.

This is just one aspect of a very good presentation. My guess is that none of the Chasidim that were interviewed were Satmar. I say this because most Satmar Chasidim speak English as a second language with a heavy Yiddish accent. The Chasidim in this video speak English like any educated American who was born in this country. If you weren’t looking at them, you wouldn’t know you were talking to a Chasid.

The over-all impression of the Chasdic world in this video is very sympathetic. In fact the Ms. Goodkind said the following about her experience making this video:

Elisa Goodkind writes that the time she and her team spent among Hasidim in the Catskills was “a 12-hour odyssey that would change us forever.”

“[N]ot only did I begin to identify with some of my own life values, but I found a new group of the coolest people I had met in a long time, who were about to become my new great friends...  

Goodkind rightly praises the strong communities built by Hasidim, who are “committed to helping their neighbors and free of a preoccupation with sensational, pop culture.” I fully agree that Hasidic communities – and Orthodox communities more generally – offer American society an important alternative model for how to build community and lead a meaningful life.

 “The big families, the sense of belonging to an extended community, and the reverence for the female body, mind and soul, were among the eye-opening and thought-provoking revelations…”

I would therefore say that this video made a very positive impression - a Kiddush HaShem even. I wish it could all end there. But as we all know there is a very dark side to the Chasidic world. The Forward article (written by a direct descendant of Chasidus founder -the Baal Shem Tov and who describes herself as Modern Orthodox) mentions one such problem. The modesty patrols in Chasidic enclaves like Skvere and Satmar.

Need I remind everyone about these communities treat victms of abuse and their abusers? Or how they treat people who veer from some of their customs. Like the fellow in Skvere who tried to set up a Minyan for a sick friend against the Rebbe’s rule requiring everyone to attend only the main Skvere Shul. He as harassed and finally torched by the Rebbe’s Hoiz Bachur(young personal valet)

And then there was how Satmar treated serial sex abuser Nechemya Weberman and his victim. A courageous soul  testified against him. He was convicted and put in jail for virtually the rest of his life. The Satmar leadership vilifies her to this day and considers the convicted serial abuser a victim of her false accustations.

And let us not forget about the Toldos Aharon Chasidim in Israel who seem to never miss an opportunity to make a Chilul HaShem. Whether it is their extremist elements harassing an little girls on their way to school; throwing stones, or bleach or even acid  at innocent passersby in Meah Sheairm who do not dress according to their modesty standards; or torching a clothing stores that sell non ‘modesty certified’ clothing. Yes they are the extremists even within Toldos Aharon. But they are tolerated if not officially sanctioned by the greater community and their rabbinic leaders because they are fighting for values they all support.

And then there is the problem of Chabad Messianism. Which has in recent years quieted down. But it has not disappeared. I have no clue what is in their hearts currently about this. It is rarely mentioned any more in public. But I suspect that in their heart of hearts - nothing has changed.

The poverty situation among some sects of Chasidim has not gone away either. In fact it has probably increased. Add to this their insular ways… their negative attitude about higher education… their total vilification and rejection of the internet (as was made clear in that Internet Asifa a couple of years ago) and many other problems that exist - and it makes them not quite as attractive as the video suggests.

Of course a lot of this depends on the kind of Chasidus one belongs to. There are many types and they are not all the same.

If one looks at the positive side, there is a lot to admire and even identify with. But one must never lose sight of the problems. They are serious. And they need to be properly dealt with. Once they are, then what will remain is the very beautiful picture that this video paints.

Analysis of a Bad Deal

Iran's Gadol HaDor

Death to America! Death to Israel. That is almost the national anthem of Iran. And it has been since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Although they have toned down the anti America rhetoric lately for obvious reasons, they have not toned down their anti Israel rhetoric. Iran is also labeled a terrorist nation known to export terror all over the world. 

I’m not happy about the deal we made with Iran. I agree with Senator Chuck Schumer. It is a bad deal that gives Iran a big break and the rest of the world nothing. They do not have to dismantle a single nuclear reactor. All they have to do is wait six months, get back on their financial feet, and then full steam ahead.

The Obama administration claims that this is a first step. I don’t think so. The Iranians still insist on their right to continue enrichment and they will not give this up. I fear, as do all the critics, that Iran’s real goal is to become a nuclear power. That means having nuclear weapons and a delivery system that will reach its enemies. And as we all know Israel is their prime target. This is known by the administration. But they still claim this is a step that will lead to more steps with the ultimate goal of eliminating all of their enrichment facilities. Anyone who really believes that probably also believes in the tooth fairy. But that’s the administration’s claim. In my view, this is wishful thinking in the extreme!

No one understands the danger of this deal better than Iran’s neighbors, That includes Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states. In a rare circumstance of agreement, these countries are on the same side as Israel on this issue. They all fear a nuclear Iran. And with good reason. Iran is not a rational state. It is a theocracy disguised as  democracy. And the theology it embraces is a murderous one that has little value for human life - even their own- in the cause of promoting their Islamist ideals. 

A nuclear Iran means they will have no respect for the famous deterrent of the cold war between the US and the former USSR (FSU) called MAD – Mutually Assured  Destruction. In a nuclear war nobody wins. Mass populations will be destroyed quickly and most of the rest of us will die from radiation poisoning. Those who survive will be thrown back into the stone age. That assured that the US and the FSU would not launch nuclear attacks against each other.

MAD will not stop Iran. So even the slightest possibility of Iran becoming a nuclear power has to be resisted full force. Even if it means a military attack where people will no doubt die in battle! Iran will not hesitate to use a nuclear weapon as a means toward their Islamist ends. And that probably includes a nuclear attack at any country they think is evil incarnate. Like Israel.

Is there any doubt that Israel is the most hated country by Iran? It's very existence is anathema to their theology.

What the administration fails to understand is that current Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s ‘charm offensive’ is meaningless. There is no difference in their beliefs and ultimate goals between him and former President Ahmadinjad. Their only difference is in how they present themselves. Their loyalties are to Allah as expressed by their supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He decides what “Daas Islam” is. Iran is a theocracy. What is Khamenei’s latest expression about the Jewish State? From AP (via NBC World News ): Ayatollah Ali Khamenei... blasted Israel as being "the rabid dog" of the region...

Well we all know what must be done when a dog becomes rabid. We destroy it!

So what difference does it make who is in office in Iran? The goal of Islamism is the same. Khamenei insists on his right to nuclear weapons and that is what th political leadership in Iran will in the end pursue despite its current 6 month pullback. 

What about the fact that it slows them down? Big deal. They get some  financial relief now that was up til now ‘killing’ them. Once they are a somewhat back on their feet they will feign interest in going further but they will in no way give up their nuclear program which they believe is ordained by God. I believe further negotiations will show that. Those negotiations will eventually break down.

But all is not lost. There is a silver lining here The Obama administration will eventually realize that they wasted their time and will not only re-install the sanctions, but will add to them.

That will be torture for them. It is rather well known that torture best works when some relief is given and them reapplied.They will feel the pain then much more this way than if we just continually applied pressure.

What will all this produce in the end? I don't know. But it is clear that Iran must be prevented form obtaining nuclear weapons. And they will under no circumstances give it up. I’m afraid that it will ultimately require  military action. Islamism does not submit to anything but Allah. Allah’s transmitted only through their Gadol HaDor, the Ayatollah Khamenei. Seeing it as God’s will he will do what’s necessary to perpetuate and eventually increase his Islamist empire. I do not see him breaking under additional sanctions. Here is a recent quote: pressure from economic sanctions will never force the country into unwelcome concessions

There will be no internal revolution. Iranians are either religious and support their Gadol or fear the consequences of taking action if they don’t. Besides, it's been tried to no avail.  Unfortunately they will have be destroyed in a massive attack by the free world. And our first target should be the Ayatollah. I believe he is a bigger danger to the free world than Bin Laden ever was. Lives will unfortunately be lost as they are in any war. But the alternative is a nuclear Islamist Iran. This is something that the world cannot afford.

One Step Forward - Two Steps Back

Mesivta of Bet Shemesh - Beis HaMedrash

Every step forward seems to require two steps back. Changing how the Charedi world educates their children is not an easy task. I only hope that it is not an impossible task.

Some may remember a post I did a while back on the Mesifta of Bet Shemesh - a new Yeshiva high school that opened up in Ramat Bet Shemesh.  It operates in the style of many American Charedi Yeshiva high schools. Like Telshe and Chofetz Chaim for example. I thought at the time that this was a step in the right direction and I still do. But I also knew that the hard core Charedi world did not consider it their educational paradigm for the future. Nevertheless I believed that this model would catch on in increasing numbers at a grass roots level as time went on in sort of a silent revolution. Unfortunately it hasn’t. Yet.

What has happened instead is that there is more push-back than ever by the right against such schools. One has to look no further than how they react to the slightest suggestion by the government to require a core Limudei Chol (secular studies) curriculum.  They are apoplectic at the mere mention of it.

The government’s insistence on a core curriculum is considered an attack against the Torah .  At least for boys. For girls… well that’s another story. They can study secular subjects in school. Which makes girls far more educated than their male counter parts in every area except Gemarah, Rishonim, Achroinim and Halacha.  

There are some Charedim who ‘buck the system’. They send their children to a school like Maarava, a Chofetz Chaim type Yeshiva high school in Israel that offers a curriculum that prepares their students for Bagrut. Those are comprehensive exams given at the end of 12^th grade much like New York City’s Regents exam.  

Even though schools like Marava are filled to capacity the demand for schools like this is no where near what it should be. Or else there wold be a lot more schools like them. Which is sad since many American Charedim who make Aliyah would (in their heart of hearts) like to see some basic secular studies taught in their schools.

But the peer pressure to conform to the mainstream Charedi model of zero Limudei Chol in high school is enormous. Most Charedim who do not want to be considered second class citizens opt for that mainstream model. They rationalize that the typical secular subjects taught in high school are not at all necessary in order to function in life – especially in the Charedi world. They are fooling themselves though. All one has to do is watch that poverty video by Hamodia presented at the Agudah Convention about the dire circumstance of Charedim. This is a poverty that would certainly be alleviated by a better education.

The Mesivta of Bet Shemesh is a Yeshiva high school much like Marava. They are doing quite well with those parents who are willing to sacrifice a bit of their social standing among their Charedi peers so that their children can get a decent education.

The level of Torah study is very high. They study Gemarah and other Limudei Kodesh for 7 hours a day plus Teffilos (morning, afternoon, and evening prayer services). Just like Marava, they offer a curriculum that includes Bagrut. And yet if you listen to all the screaming by the right - insisting on a school curriculum modeled on this is considered anti Torah. That is truly incredible.

Ad rejected by Mishpacha

Indicative of the long road ahead for change is what happened to them recently. To publicize their success and kick off their 5^th year of existence, they wanted to place an ad in the Hebrew version of Mishpacha Magazine. Mishpacha as many people know is a moderate Charedi publication that tries to appeal to the broader religious public.

After initially accepting the ad and even helping to design it, their Rabbinic adviser would only publish it if the ad read that his school was not intended for ‘regular’ Charedim. I’m not exactly sure what that Rav meant by ‘regular’. But I doubt he was talking about bowel movements. He probably meant normal mainstream Charedi students.

So even in the moderate Charedi world, the study of Limudei Chol makes you abnormal. A person with problems. Because regular Charedim should only go to regular Charedi schools. Meaning a school that has no Limudei Chol.

Obvioulsy the Mesivta of Bet Shemesh, did not want to advertise to parents of problem children that cannot function in the ‘regular’ schools. They are not a remedial or special needs school. It is a school with high standards for both Limdei Kodesh and Limudei Chol. They withdrew the ad. Here is the reaction of one parent in that school who chooses to remain anonymous: 

To the Chareidi establishment, apparently it’s wrong to publish an ad that simply lets parents know that there is a yeshiva high school option, where boys learn three sedarim a day, dress yeshivish and also get a Bagrut degree.   And this is coming from Hebrew-Mishpacha, which is considered way too open-minded by many Chareidim and has even been banned by some rabbonim. It just shows how entrenched the anti-limudei chol bias is in the Israeli chareidi world, unfortunately. 

It sure does. The problem is that the pressure to ‘belong’ in the Charedi world of Israel is very intense.  I am not saying that anyone is ostracized who decided to send their child to a school like that. Their peers will be treat them no differently than they did in the past. But that acceptance includes a lot of winking behind their backs about it. They will not consider you fully Charedi if you do. 

That’s why American Charedi Olim (immigrants)  are willing to send their children to a school without Limudei Chol. Peer acceptance is apparently a big motivator. They are unwittingly sacrificing their children and rationalize away the value of a good secular education. …because ‘membership has its privileges’.

Yes, my friends we have a long way to go.

Tis the Season...

I know it’s early.  But I just got this video. I really liked it and thought I’d share. Chanukah is just a few days away. Hope it generates a smile or two. Enjoy.

How Many More ‘Pious’ Sex Abusers are There?

Rabbi Yakov Yitzchak Roth

It seems we have an epidemic on hand. Sex abuse seems to be more prevalent today than at any time in history. Or is it…?

My guess is that it is as prevalent today as it was in the past. It has always been an epidemic. The difference today is that we know about it. The media is all over it and the internet spreads the word widely and quickly. Everyone knows about it instantly. And thank God for that.

I say  ‘Thank God’ even though it makes the Torah world look bad by being no different than other communities that have these problems. But ‘knowledge is power’. Now that we know more we can do more to prevent it and to help survivors better deal with it.

Although we have a long way to go, things have been slowly changing for the better as some survivors have come forward to expose their abusers and testify against them in court. And major Orthodox religious organizations like the RCA and the OU have publicly supported reporting abuse to the police immediately. Even Agudah and Lakewood support it in theory as long as you consult with a rabbi first. (That this is woefully inadequate is beyond the scope of this post.) The only religious groups who outright forbid it are major Chasidic enclaves like Satmar, Ger, and Toldos Aharon.

As recently as the late 1970s, it was widely believed that sex abuse in our world was extremely rare. To the extent that it existed at all, it was thought to be the rarest of aberrations. People like serial sex abuser Avreimal Mondrowitz were thought to the exception that proved the rule. We believed that our religious values and simple fear of Heaven would prevent all of us (with rare exception) from doing this. 

But as we now see, there is a new story of sex abuse almost every day. And it doesn’t matter a bit how religious the abuser acts. It doesn’t matter if he is Jewish or not. I believe that the percentage of abusers per every type of population base is the same. I further believe that there is a lot more sexual abuse than is being reported. Who knows how many untold stories there are?!  Sex abuse is under reported for many reasons - even though it would mean putting an abuser behind bars. It takes a lot of courage for a survivor to come forward.

You would think that the religious values of abusers would prevent religious people from doing it. But that is clearly not the case. If an individual has an aberrant sexual appetite and lacks the ability to control his impulses, he will seek to satisfy his lust clandestinely all the time, even as he might feel guilty about it. He thus become a predator. It doesn’t matter how pious he is. Nor does it matter what Hashkafa he has. Or what denomination he belongs to. Or even what his religion is. Or what stature he has in his community.

Which brings me to Rabbi Yakov Yitzchak Roth. I believe this is the first religious leader to have served a 16 year sentence for ‘raping, sodomizing and sexually assaulting a child relative…’ 

Who is Rabbi Yitzchak Roth? He is the Chasidic Rebbe of Shomrei Emunim. Shomrei Emunim was founded by Rabbi Roth’s father Rav Chaim Roth, son of Toldos Aharon founder Rav Aharon Roth. Rabbi Yitzchok Yakov Roth is R' Chaim Roth’s son and one of the current Rebbes of Shomrei Emunim. They are primarily located in Meah Sheraim and Bnei Brak.

His conviction of sexual abuse has now come to light because Rabbi Roth has applied for a visa to come to New York. He lied on his visa application swearing that he had never been arrested or convicted of a sex crime. He was arrested by the New York police Special Victims Squad.

How does a man like this retain any respect in his community? Even after spending 16 years in prison. I guess the answer to that his followers do not believe it. They think he was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit in a court which they do not recognize as valid.

And I’m sure they view those who reported him and testified against him Mosrim (informants). Which they consider to be a capital offense. They do not believe that a man who they see as holy; a man that is exemplary in his public behavior; a man that they see as an icon the son of an icon and grandson of an icon to be holy.

I’m sure that his every public act and his every publicly uttered word is pure Torah. I’m sure he exudes extreme piety. I’m sure that he advises people on how to live holier lives via Tznius and other religious practices that go beyond the letter of the law. I’m sure that he is as Machmir on Shabbos and Kashrus as possible. I’m sure that Chalav Akum or Chalav Stam has never touched his lips. I’m sure he lives in modest dwellings and lives a modest lifestyle. And never speaks a word of Lashon Hara.

With such an image constantly displayed, how is it possible that he sodomized anyone?! The mere thought is sacrilegious! But he was convicted of that in a court of law. It is highly unlikely that he was innocent – even though I’ll bet he still denies it. As we all know they all deny it.

The list seems endless and as I said crosses all lines. From Catholic priests, to evangelical preachers. Rabbis of all Jewish denominations including Orthodox Rabbis, Poskim and Dayanim. It includes all Hashkafos: From Modern Orthodox Kiruv workers to Chasidic Rebbes; from Religious Zionist Mechanchim, to Chabad; from Satmar to Ger; from principals and teachers in Modern Orthodox schools to principals and teachers in Charedi schools. It doesn’t matter what station in life they had. And it doesn’t matter how exemplary their reputations were or how charismatic they were.

I too used to think that people like this were incapable of sexually abusing anyone. Their piety spoke volumes to me. But unfortunately that image has been shattered to me so many times that it no longer surprises me when I hear about it. Although I admit that there is a part of me that still finds such stories incredible.

How many more people in prominent religious positions are there out there, that are yet to be exposed? And how many victims are there who have still not come forward? How many are suffering in silence in all of these communities? How many more are yet to be abused by these predators?

I can’t even imagine the pain of suffering in silence. And I’m afraid to think about just how big the numbers might be. And to make matters worse - is it any wonder that a typical survivor goes OTD when trusted religious icons end up sexually abusing them? It would not surprise me that the vast majority of young people who have gone OTD have done so because they were sexually abused. And frankly, I don’t think we are doing enough about it. We need to do more. But what?

A Crooked Rabbi

Rabbi Yona Metzger dojng the 'perp walk'.

What a Chilul HaShem. From VIN: 

Rabbi Yona Metzger was photographed and taped by a police operative undermining investigations, arranging alibis and compromising himself, according to the Israeli news website Ynetnews.com. 

The court on Monday opted to keep Metzger in custody based upon the evidence. Superintendent Assaf Wofish, leader of the National Fraud Unit, gave the judge only some of the available evidence. The police haven’t handed over the incriminating videos yet.

Metzger is acused to have committed fraud, bribery, money laundering, breach trust and witness tampering as well as obstruction of justice. 

The Jerusalem prosecutor and the tax authority both believe the crimes involve several million shekels.

I don’t know what it is that turns good people into criminals like this. Here is a man who for 10 years had the highest rabbinic office in the land…

*a man who served his country in the Israeli Defense Forces( IDF) before that…

*a man that was hand chosen by Rav Elyashiv, ZTL because of his loyalty to certain values important to Charedim…

*a man who had admirably represented the Torah point of view and his country…

*a man who I have admired for his principled stand on the issues…

*a man who understood how to present himself, the State of Israel and the Jewish people to the world...

and he turns out to be a crook!

OK. I know all about innocent until proven guilty. But that’s kind of like saying that Al Capone’s only crime was income tax evasion. We all know that he was guilty of a lot more than that.

It turns out that Yona Metzger’s primary interest was… Yona Metzger. He sure had a lot of people fooled.

Which brings up the question about how much this has to do with the power one achieves in life. I guess some people are ethical because they are never challenged. Temptation to the tune of millions of Shekels was put before him and he succumbed.

I know that there are some real idealists in the world. And that no amount of power in the world will corrupt them. But it seems more often the case that the old adage about power is true: Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The behavior reported about Rabbi Metzger is the behavior of man with no integrity, the behavior of a crook. It doesn’t matter that most of the money went to his personal charities. The means by which he obtained that money were illegal and immoral. He knew it was wrong. Which is why he tried to cover it up. Which only made things worse.

Unfortunately there are a lot of corrupt people in power these days. Not all of them are chief rabbis. Living in Illinois, I can testify to that. A lot of former governors have spent some time in prison. And it isn't just Illinois. Just today Florida Congressman Trey Radel, a rising star in the Republican Party was caught buying cocaine from a federal agent in a sting operation.

The same is true in Israel unfortunately. And it isn’t only about money. Sometimes it’s about sex as was the case with Moshe Katzav, the former President of Israel. But when it is someone that the world sees as occupying the top religious post in Israel, that is a Chilul HaShem of major proportion.  

Whose Fault is it Anyway?

Studying Gemarah to the exclusion of all else

I am reminded of the old joke about the child who murdered his parents and then tells the judge, ‘Please have mercy on me, I am an orphan!’ 

I wish I could laugh. I just watched a video (available for view at the bottom of this post) that made me as angry as I have been in a long time. It was produced by Hamodia and presented at the Agudah convention.

What it shows is the dire poverty conditions of Charedi world in Israel. Indeed watching these people as they try and live normal lives is heart wrenching. It isn’t just a few. It is apparently the vast majority of them. They are among the poorest people in the entire State of Israel. The sheer numbers of Charedi Jews in this situation makes Israel one of the poorest developed countries in the world.

The reasons for this (as stated in the video) are that the incomes of the typically large Charedi families are meager and government subsidies to Yeshivos, Kollelim, social services agencies, the poor, and to large families have been cut.

Food is virtually being taken out of the mouths of children. Merchants can no longer afford to extend credit. Basic utility bills aren’t being paid. Medical care is substandard. Children’s clothing is often second hand and ill fitting.

Although the women in this community work, the jobs they have often pay menial wages. The husbands who learn full time in Kollel - are paid meager stipends by their Kollelim. The combined income is nowhere near the cost of the basic necessities of life.

I don’t see how a Jewish heart cannot have mercy on what they see in this video. While there is a lot of talk and statistical information published about the dire poverty of the Kollel lifestyle, putting a face on it as this video does - makes it very real.

To see such dire poverty among those whose values are supposed to be the highest among us - makes you question your own values. They have a lifestyle of pure Torah… and this is how they are rewarded for it?! We need to sacrifice a little of our own welfare and help these people live their lives in some semblance of dignity!

So why am I so angry? Because it does not have to be this way. These people are not poor because they are disabled. They are not poor because they can’t find a job. They are poor by choice. But not really by their own choice. It is the choice of a system gone crazy which has indoctrinated them!

Every single Charedi man and woman are educated to choose this lifestyle. Men are not educated for the job market at all. They have no preparation for the workplace. Not even a basic elementary school education. The vast majority of Charedi elementary schools refuse to teach any secular subjects other than basic arithmetic and Hebrew grammar. High schools teach no secular studies at all.

The Charedi goal for every student is to become proficient in Torah study. This consists primarily of Gemarah, Rishonim, Achronim and Halacha. That is almost their entire focus.

The Charedi system has succeeded in convincing their people that Torah study of this type is all that matters. The things which have always been part and parcel of the Jewish life - about which Halacha has much to say – are being virtually ignored. Like earning a livelihood and teaching your child to how to do it. Without which you are teaching him to be a criminal. (These are not my words. They are Chazal’s words.)

So I can’t blame the individual Charedi Avreich for his situation . It is how he was raised. He was taught to rely on others to make ends meet, like his wife, parents, in-laws, government welfare, and simple charity.

Full time Torah study was never meant for all Jews. While we are all required to perform this most important Mitzvah, we are not supposed to abandon our responsibilities to our families. Relying on handouts from others is not the way to do that. That doesn’t mean that there shouldn’t be Jews who study full time. Of course there should. We need Talmidei Chacahm as much as we need doctors, lawyers, and accountants; butchers, bakers, and plumbers.

But only the most elite scholars should be studying full time. And they should be fully supported. There ought not to be any impoverished Torah scholar. They are required for our spiritual health.  Without them Judaism would not properly be perpetuated.

But for the rest of us, we should be working. Torah study should be done by establishing fixed times for it. Times that do not interfere with our jobs and our responsibilities to our families. And Torah leaders should be encouraging them to do so. Including requiring studies in their curriculum to that end. If they had been doing this all along, this video could not have been made. 

There are those who say that even if all the Avreichim were suddenly capable of doing the kinds of jobs that pay decent wages, there still wouldn’t be enough jobs in Israel to go around and the poverty situation of Charedim would not be significantly altered.

That may be true. But had they been properly educated and prepared for those jobs, the vast majority of them would be working at good jobs in similar percentages to their Dati and secular counterparts. And helping to support the elite scholars so that they could dedicate their lives fully to Torah study.

Which is why it is so important to change the Charedi paradigm of full time Torah study as the ultimate goal for everyone. 

There must be accountability for the poverty. And it isn’t the government that should be held accountable. They can no longer support Avreichim at former levels. Charedim are growing by leaps and bounds and instead of contributing to the tax base, they are accelerating the depletion of it.

First let me reiterate that starving these people into change is the wrong thing to do. If you can afford to help these people survive, you ought to do it. But if nothing else this video should strengthen our resolve to support government initiatives to require a core curriculum in Charedi schools.

The condition of poverty must not be allowed to stand. The fact is that it won’t be able to anyway if the current trend continues. Even if all of us send them as much financial help as we can. Their population increase will outpace our ability to help provide for their needs. And the Israeli government will certainly not return to the former level of financial support because they can’t afford it. It will bankrupt them.

I therefore propose that any help given to these poor Avreichim - be given directly to them. They should not God forbid be allowed to starve. But not a penny should be given to any system that perpetuates that poverty by refusing to help prepare them for the workforce. And then blaming others for the poverty that results.

Overkilling the Left

Rabbi Asher Lopatin

Sometimes I wonder if the right wing really does care about the rest of Klal Yisroel. Oh, they pay lip service to it. There is a lot of talk about reaching out to our secular brethren. And there are Kiruv organizations run by the right that do a pretty good job reaching out to fellow non observant Jews.

But after reading the constant barrage of attacks against those who have crossed some lines in their attempt to reach out, I am beginning to think that Kiruv, is at best an afterthought. That they care a lot more about their own piety than they do about their fellow Jew.

It seems that ever since Rabbi Lopatin invited the leaders of Reform and Conservative Jewry to give their perspectives on practical rabbinics in our day, there has been one relentless attack after another. Not a word about his intent. Only about how much damage he did by departing from tradition and the wise counsel of the previous generation of Gedolim that forbade any interaction with them.

Even Centrist Rabbis (whom I count myself among) wrote an open critical letter to Rabbi Lopatin. As I said in an earlier post, It’s not so much that I disagree with them. But I would not have signed the letter. I know Rabbi Lopatin. He is a uniter and despite my disagreements with him he deserves a lot better than he is getting from – not only the right wing, but even from Centrists like me.

He should be left alone be given the chance to bridge the gaps he so fervently wants to bridge. Rabbi Lopatin’s invitations to the Conservative and Reform movements do not make him a Conservative Rabbi.  Nothing he has personally done justifies making comparisons to the Conservative Movements’s founding. Rabbi Lopatin never budged in matters of Halahca without first consulting with his Rebbe - and mine - Rav Ahron Soloveichik. Rav Ahron was his Rebbe until the day he died.

Would Rav Aharon approve of what he is doing now? I doubt it. But then again I don’t really know. In the meantime Rabbi Lopatin has probably single handedly reached out and touched the Jewish souls of more non observant Jews than have all the rabbis on the Dais of the recent Agudah convention - combined. With the massive intermarriage rate reported by the Pew Research organization, is this the time to be telling an effective leader of outreach how terrible he is? Wouldn’t it have been more prudent to just be quiet?

With this in mind, let us take a look what Jonathan Rosenblum did in Israel a short time ago. From Mishpacha Magazine: 

I participated in a panel on state and religion in Israel sponsored by the Israel Government Fellows Program of the Menachem Begin Center. My co-panelists turned out to be the current director of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC) and a teacher at a Jerusalem “secular yeshivah” who is also a blogger on New Age spirituality. IRAC is the public and legal advocacy arm of the Reform Movement in Israel. 

Where is the condemnation here? You won’t hear any from me. Nor will you hear any from Jonathan’s Charedi base. He tries to differentiate between what he did and what Rabbi Lopatin did by saying (among other things) that he was not billed as a rabbi – which he is not. I agree that there are the differences between him and Rabbi Lopatin that he pointed out.

But he appeared on a stage with leaders of Reform to present and directly debate Orthodoxy with them. Rabbi or not, is there any doubt as to why Jonathan was invited to participate in that forum? He was the Charedi representative. His appearance there is hardly that different than that of Orthodox Rabbi Yosef Reinman who stood on the same stage with Reform Rabbi Ameil Hrisch. In fact Rabbi Hirsch and Rabbi Reinman did not even debate their religious perspectives - agreeing to disagree up front! Rabbi Reinman was criticized. Will Jonathan be criticized?

Will Chabad be criticized for inviting Reform leader Rabbi Rick Jacobs to their Shiluchim convention? Of course not. Most of the criticism of Chabad in recent years has to do with their Messianism.

Not only did Jonathan criticize Rabbi Lopatin, he criticized the British Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis for accepting an invitation to Limmud. Which is a cross denominational day of teaching where each denomination meets with visitors and teaches them about their various perspectives. Why did he criticize him? He is worried about how this looks

(This refers to Psak given by Rav Aharon Kotler and many of the Gedolim of the previous generation forbidding interaction with Conservative and Reform rabbis because it looks like we are endorsing Apikursus.) 

Really? ‘How this looks’ trumps the numbers of Jews who Rabbi Mirvis might reach at Limmud while Jews are otherwise hemorrhaging out of Judaism at record numbers?!

Interestingly Jonathan included the following in his article: 

But that does not mean that one can easily extrapolate from the 1956 psak to other cases.

How  does Jonathan say that we cannot extrapolate from 1956 and practically in the same breath – do exactly that in the cases he talks about?! One can speculate that it would indeed be the same. But for Jonathan to be so critical when he himself has done something so similar is unfair and counterproductive to the massive problem of reaching out to those hemorrhaging Jews.

What Jonathan said about these two rabbis is high praise compared to what Rabbi Yitzchok Frankfurter said in his Ami editorial last week. He basically said that the ‘tepid’ rebuke by those Centrists rabbis was not enough. He believes that Rabbi Lopatin and those who share his views are no better than the Conservative movement and should be treated that way!

That’s nice. And what about all the Jews, that Rabbi Lopatin has reached… and the potential number yet to be reached? What about he 70% intermarriage rate of non Orthodox Jews? I guess his answer would be, too bad! And that as long as we ‘ the keepers of the faith’ perpetuate the Kollel system, make sure our women dress modestly, and jettison anyone who veers slightly to the left, we can ignore the rest of Klal Yisroel, sit back with a sense of triumphalism and really feel good about ourselves.

Making the Mikva Experience Miserable

Mikva Lady - Photo credit: Jerusalem Post

The ‘evil’ Yesh Atid party is at it again. They’re trying to fix another problem in the Charedi community via legislation.

The issue is the how the Mikva in Charedi circles is utilized… or more precisely how its attendants treat it users in what has to be one of the more outrageous misuses of authority.

The Mikva is a pool of water of specific minimum size and various other Halachic parameters that is designed to spiritually purify those who are immersed in it. Without getting into details, a woman must Halchicly use the Mikva after the cessation of her Nidah (menstrual) period in order to have relations with her husband. Having relations with a woman that has not immersed in a Mikva is a serious violation of Halacha for both the man and the woman. 

Interestingly the use of the Mikva was not universal in Orthodox circles in pre-war America. Even women that were observant of Shabbos and Kashrus did not – in many cases use a Mikva. But today, virtually every observant family uses it. It is one of the three defining Mitzvos of Orthodoxy: Shabbos, Kashrus, and Taharas HaMishpacha (family purity via the use of a Mikva).

This is the case in all segments of Orthodoxy, from the most right wing Chasid of Satmar or Neturei Karta to the most left wing modern ‘Open Orthodox’ Jew.

Going to a Mikva is not always convenient. It is time consuming and involves a lot of preparation. It sometimes involves driving in snow storms to do this Mitzvah. And yet in our day, the vast majority of Orthodox women observe Taharas HaMishpacha. I am told that even many non observant women observe this Mitzvah properly. There are women who use it for other reasons – but that is beyond the scope of this essay.

Going to a Mikva today is not what it used to be. The Mikva of the past was kind of a scary place, run down and possibly located in bad neighborhoods. Today many of the more modern Mikvaos look like spas. One of the reasons for this is to make the experience more pleasant which will encourage more women to use it.

But in Israel in Charedi circles - the opposite is now happening. They seem to be doing their level best to discourage Mikva use. From the Jerusalem Post:  

MK Aliza Lavie, in conjunction with the ITIM religious services advocacy and advice group, has proposed a law to forbid mikve attendants from interrogating women seeking to immerse themselves about their level of personal religious practice.

“Over the years, a norm has developed in which at certain mikvaot women are forced to answer and undergo tests as a condition before immersing in a way that intrudes the private and personal life of women wishing to immerse,” says the introduction to the bill…

According to ITIM director and Orthodox rabbi Seth Farber, attendants often question women about what contraception they use, their marital status, whether they have conducted internal examinations and similar issues…

On occasion, attendants refuse women permission to immerse.

Lavie said that in most situations, it was the municipal rabbi who had taken it upon himself to instruct the mikve attendants, who are always female, to question women wishing to immerse.

“These investigations...humiliate and disparage women and injure her rights to dignity and privacy,” the Yesh Atid MK said in explaining why she has proposed the bill. “There are many women who are offended by such personal questions and inspections which are carried out without their permission.”

I am thoroughly disgusted by this. What possible business is it of the Mikva lady (attendant) to know what kind of contraceptives a woman uses… or if she is using it at all? And it takes Yesh Atid to do anything about it?! Where is the common sense? What is their goal? If it is to discourage women form using the Mikva, they are doing a pretty good job of it.

I applaud Yesh Atid and ITIM for introducing this bill. Mikva attendants should cease and desist from ever interrogating Mikva users again. The only thing they should be doing is helping a woman be sure that she is immersing properly. The rest is pure garbage. It is not their job to determine whether a user is doing so for the wrong reasons. It is not their job to decide how stringent or lenient the preparations have to be. That is up to the woman’s rabbi, or Posek. Not the Mikva attendant. It is both intrusive and insulting. And I’m glad that someone is doing something to stop it.

Can This Man’s Reputation be Restored? Should it?

Last year I posted a series of articles about Rabbi Chaim Halpern. He was a prominent and popular Charedi Rav in London’s Golders Green Jewish Community. He was accused by 30 different women of various forms of sex abuse during their sessions with him as an unlicensed marriage counselor. The Jewish community there took action. Here is what I said at the time: 

They have taken action to relieve this man of his involvement with the Jewish community. There is no “What if he’s not convicted?” It doesn’t matter to these good Rabbis. They want him out! They do not want him to have any position of power. Anywhere! Not even in his own Shul… where members stand in complete disbelief and continue to support him. 

Rabbi Halpern was forced to resign from his many posts.

Today, almost exactly one year to the date of my first post on this subject, all charges have been fully investigated and dropped. From the Forward: 

A police investigation into sex abuse allegations against Chaim Halpern, a prominent London rabbi, has been dropped.

The Metropolitan Police said Friday that a file passed to the Crown Prosecution Service “regarding allegations of sexual assault has resulted in no charges being brought against a 54-year-old man,” The Jewish Chronicle of London reported on its website.

The report said that officers from the London borough of Barnet’s sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command, who investigated the allegations, “confirm that all allegations have been fully investigated.”

Rabbi Halpern, who is the head of the Divrei Chaim synagogue in the heavily Jewish Golders Green area of the British capital, was arrested in February but had denied any wrongdoing.

The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations will have to decide whether to reconvene a special rabbinical court, or Beth Din, which was suspended during the police inquiries, to examine his conduct, the Chronicle wrote.

The Law has spoken. There was no evidence found to indict him.  Is he really innocent? I don’t know. But after 30 different woman came forward it’s hard to know what to believe. The police investigation did not find any usable evidence that would make Rabbi Halpern indictable for a sexual crime. 

This is either a gross miscarriage of justice (30 different victim/witnesses?!) …or the man is actually innocent as he has been saying all along.

On the side that he is innocent - this is an excellent example where even after being cleared of all charges of sex abuse- especially in the current climate of zero tolerance on these issues - the man’s reputation will be tainted forever. I doubt that anyone will ever trust him again. I wouldn’t. And yet he may very well be completely innocent.

This is something that is often glossed over by victims’ advocates. While I completely agree with them about siding with the victim where an abuser denies it because the vast majority of reported abuse is true, there are occasionally cases where it isn’t and a man’s reputation will never be the same after his name has been dragged through the mud. Even after thorough investigation by the police which did not find enough evidence to indict. As has happened with Rabbi Halpern.

I would not change anything about how we proceed from here in treating sex abuse. If anything I would redouble our efforts in eliminating sex abusers from society and finding justice for the survivors of abuse. So I support the efforts of organizations dedicated to that cause.

But I think this case serves to reinforce the idea that once someone is accused of sex abuse, that stigma will stick with him forever even if he is cleared of all allegations.  Even though all credible allegations of sex abuse should be immediately reported to the police... and all accused sex abusers should be vigorously prosecuted and if found guilty punished to the fullest extent of the law… I do not think it can be emphasized enough that one should make certain that the evidence is indeed credible. Because the consequences of a false accusation, although quite rare, can ruin a good man’s life forever.

Postscript
Point 1. I just wanted to make clear that I am not declaring Rabbi Halpern innocent. I don't think he is. But since no charges have been brought after a thorough investigation by the police - it is possible. If he is innocent his reputation will nonetheless be ruined forever. I am just making a point about what can happen if people are too quick to act on rumor an innuendo.

Point 2. If as has been suggested there was any kind of witness intimidation by supporters of Rabbi Halpern, that should be investigated. 30 women were sexually abused and not one is willing to testify?! That is not something that can so easily be done and so easily be hidden. (It was tried with Weberman and look what happened there.) If that is found to be the case, I would prosecute the perpetrators - and if found guilty I would sentence them to the maximum prison term allowed by law.

Point 3. If there was intimidation and it was done at the behest of the Charedi leadership there, they too should pay a price. There is no way that a serial abuser should be allowed to not only get away with it, but to continue doing it with impunity.