An Outrageous 'Religious' Ruling

What enrages me about this is not so much their opposition to the draft. Although that, in and of itself, is upsetting. I understand where that opposition comes from. What enrages me is how they framed their opposition. As reported last month in Arutz Sheva:

A halakhic ruling was published Monday by leading decisors of Jewish law from major and influential Hasidic courts, reinforcing a firm prohibition against enlistment in the IDF.
The rabbis state unequivocally: “According to Torah law, it is strictly forbidden to enlist in the army, which serves as a melting pot for the gravest transgressions and for casting off the yoke [of Torah and mitzvot].

”The ruling comes in response to questions posed by members of the Haredi public whose primary occupation is not Torah study, and addresses also military frameworks designated for the Haredi sector.

If it weren’t for the serious repercussions of such a ‘Psak Halacha’ (religious ruling), it would be laughable. The idea of forbidding someone from protecting their country - and all the people living in it - would be laughable if it weren’t so egregiously immoral.

Even if we were to grant their assertion that the IDF serves as a ‘melting pot for the gravest transgressions and for casting off the yoke of Torah and mitzvot’, that argument pales in comparison to the nation’s need for survival.

Furthermore, that assertion is clearly no longer true - if it ever was. And yet this ‘Psak Halacha’ (see below) forbids even service in the Haredi enlistment tracks, which they claim have been proven to be deceitful.

But that is simply not true. While there may have been isolated incidents of misrepresentation, it is certainly not a widespread or defining feature of these frameworks.

And even where it did happen, it was often due to error or misunderstanding - not malicious intent. In cases where there may have been individual attempts to purposely undermine the nature and purpose of these units, I seriously doubt it was sanctioned by the military brass.

I have to question the motivation of these Rebbes - and how much that motivation colors their perception of what the IDF is really about today. Especially in its religious tracks. What I believe is behind all this is their fear of losing control over their Chasidim - perhaps even fear of losing their Chasidic dynasties altogether.

The worldview of Chasidus starts and ends with the Rebbe. His leadership trumps all else. The historic charisma associated with a Chasidic Rebbe gives him unparalleled control over virtually every aspect of a Chasid’s life. Control which each Chasid willingly submits to, trusting fully in their Rebbe, whose level of Kedusha (holiness) is assumed to be inherited from father to son (or son-in-law, in some cases), generation after generation.

They are believed to possess a level of Kedusha exceeded only by God Himself. No one else - no matter how pious or learned - is granted such reverence. And when the authority of a Rebbe is challenged, they will pull out all the stops to squash that challenge completely. One need only look at what’s happening in Ger between the Gerrer Rebbe and his cousin, R’ Shaul Alter, to see this dynamic in action.

Even if I were to grant them the right to preserve their particular Chasidic stringencies - which they fear would be compromised by IDF service - such stringencies do not qualify as Halacha. Violating these customs should not be labeled as a sinful transgression. And there is no evidence that a Chasid would even be denied his particular customs in one of the IDF’s religious tracks. If that has happened in the past, it is very likely that these issues can be - and often have been - worked out to everyone’s satisfaction.

What makes this ‘Psak Halacha’ even more laughable is that Religious Zionist Poskim say the exact opposite. That serving in the IDF, especially at a time of war, is mandatory for all.

Of course, each side is allowed to have its differences of opinion. But when one devoutly religious faction declares IDF service to be an egregious violation of the Torah, while another devoutly religious faction considers avoiding it to be an egregious violation of the Torah - it cannot be that both are right. Each side essentially believes the other is advocating serious violations of Halacha.

And this doesn’t even touch on the complete obliviousness these Rebbes seem to have for the sacrifices being made by the rest of Israel over these past nearly two years of war. It’s as if they don’t care. If they do, they certainly didn’t express it in this ‘Psak Halacha’.

I am so fed up with this attitude. I find it to be extremely self-centered. Callous, even - toward the rest of the people of Israel who are enduring this long national trauma. A trauma that is apparently not being felt by these Rebbes or the devout Chasidim who abide by this ruling.

Normally, I might say Elu v’Elu – Divrei Elokim Chaim: that when devout religious Poskim disagree, it is due to their piety and sincere understanding of what Halacha demands. But in this instance - when other Jews, many of whom are themselves devoutly religious, are putting their lives on the line for their people, while these Rebbes insist that their followers may not do so as a matter of Torah law I just cannot see it that way.

I would like to be Dan L’Kaf Zechus, to judge their motives favorably. But in this case, I find it impossible to do so.

The Identity Crisis of Young American Jews

 *At the height of the campus protests against Israel’s war with Hamas, I recall one particular young Jewish female protester being interviewed by a broadcast news reporter. She was asked why, as a Jew, she was protesting the Jewish state. Her answer was quite revealing and went something like this:

I was raised in a typical pro-Israel home, where the Jewish state was seen as a heroic nation that defeated its enemies, a country that served as the antidote to global antisemitism. I was taught that Zionism was rooted in justice, that Israel's founders dreamed of living in peace with their Arab neighbors, and that Israel was meant to be a place where Jews and Arabs could coexist in harmony - where antisemitism was no longer a threat.

She then added that her bubble was burst when she learned what she was ‘lied to’. She now believes is the ‘truth’ about Israel’s founding was completely at odds with what she had been taught. According to this new perspective, the Jews had forcibly displaced the indigenous Arab population to colonize the land.

And that following the Six-Day War, they began to treat Palestinians in ways not unlike how Black South Africans were treated under apartheid. The upshot of her revelation was the belief that Israel’s founders were no different than the white supremacists who colonized South Africa, segregating Black people into ghetto-like conditions and exploiting them.

My initial reaction to her response was that it wasn’t all that unusual. Many young Jewish students who were raised in pro-Israel homes are exposed to progressive academics in college who ‘educate’ them on what they claim is the real history. But there is more to the story.According to eJewish Philanthropy, which reported on two studies related to this issue:

 “Young American Jews and the field of Israel Studies are facing dual ‘identity crises.’

”One of the studies, authored by Jewish People Policy Institute think tank researcher Sara Hirschhorn, focused on the field of Israel Studies and found that it, too, is going through an “identity crisis.” Hirschhorn noted that Israel Studies has increasingly shifted toward self-criticism and even self-excoriation—unlike other ethnic studies programs, which are explicitly designed to instill pride in the groups they study.

She explained:

“[The field of Israel Studies] was not originally neutral on Israel’s right to exist, and of course it isn’t neutral any longer. It has simply reversed course. As all of us likely know, the field itself, along with Jewish Studies, is now not merely politically split, but deeply polarized. In some settings, it is thoroughly anti-Zionist.”

It turns out, as is often the case, we are our own worst enemies. When Jewish Studies courses themselves are promoting anti-Zionist views, is it any wonder that students like the one I mentioned are now participating in anti-Israel protests - right alongside their Palestinian classmates?

When well-educated Jewish professors - regarded as experts on the subject - promote these ideas, how can their students not be influenced? Especially if these students come to believe that their pro-Israel parents and synagogue rabbis ‘lied’ to them? This makes the phenomenon even more insidious.

What has happened is that for many intellectual Jews with no real Jewish education, their identity has become rooted in progressivism. That explains much of what is happening today. The identity crisis now facing young Jews is whether progressive ideology should be seen as superior to Jewish values. Or worse, whether any Jewish ideology based on the Torah is immoral. Judaism is being redefined in the image of progressive values, as espoused by their Jewish Studies professors.

This mindset helps explain why the (now former) Jewish president of Penn could say that calls for genocide against Jews ‘depend on the context.’ It explains why so many younger Jews in New York could support an anti-Israel candidate for mayor. It even helps explain why the National Education Association (NEA), dominated by progressives, voted to sever ties with the ADL. Which included support from some Jewish educators. 

Those who love to “blame it all on Netanyahu’ are overstating their case. While it may be true that he has turned some Democrats against Israel, I would argue that in most such cases, their support was at best quite shallow. True Democratic supporters of Israel still stand by her and reject anti-Israel rhetoric. Progressives, however, will only support an Israel that aligns with their values. And, unfortunately, there are some members of the Israeli Knesset who share that progressive outlook and vilify any version of Israel that leans to the right of it.

What makes the trend toward progressive values - and its ideological offspring, anti-Zionism (increasingly morphing into antisemitism) - so troubling is that these values are already dominant in many other spheres. They are promoted on college campuses and reinforced by an entertainment industry and media ecosystem heavily populated by progressives. These influences are not to be underestimated. They are extremely powerful and can easily overwhelm values learned in the home.

This deeply concerns me. And I don’t believe there’s much we can do about it when it comes to the general public.

But what we can do is teach our children well. Ensure they receive a strong Jewish education that ‘immunizes’ them against the ideological winds of our time. And we must do our best to reach out and try to disabuse young Jews of their uncritical embrace of progressive ideology. Only then can we begin to restore their pride in being Jewish.

*Update - My apologies for the strange look of this post. There is apparently something wrong with the blogger that is blocking my ability to control the look of the posts. Hopefully this will soon be corrected.

The New Home of Antisemitism in America

There is no doubt that antisemitism is on the rise in this country. The question is: Why? Has the world gone mad? Here are some thoughts.

It’s important to first note that antisemitism has always existed in America. But prior to October 7th, 2023, it was mostly expressed by fringe groups on the political right. Ever since Israel’s victory in the Six-Day War of 1967, however, there has been increasing criticism from the political left over Israel’s recapturing of all of biblical Israel (including the Kotel), to which Jews had been denied access since the founding of the state.

This criticism was led primarily by Palestinian academics or their sympathizers, whose rhetoric has increasingly influenced students on college campuses across the country. Students began urging university administrators to honor the BDS movement and boycott Israel. Campus protests against Israel’s so-called ‘apartheid’ -a canard perpetuated by those same academics - became more frequent.

It was against this backdrop that the October 7th massacre happened. After a brief period of near universal sympathy for Israel, it was back to business as usual. Anti-Israel protests increased exponentially on campuses nationwide.

Some argue that this is not antisemitism at all. Especially since many young Jewish students joined these protests, often referring to what was happening in Gaza as ‘genocide’ based on the tens of thousands of civilian deaths reported by the Hamas-run Health Ministry and the constant images of death and destruction in Gaza dominating the media.

But it wasn’t only on college campuses that Israel was being treated this way.

One of the most poignant Holocaust films ever made is Zone of Interest, a foreign film depicting the banality of ordinary German citizens living just outside the walls of Auschwitz while it was in full genocidal operation. The producer of that Oscar-winning film, Jonathan Glazer - a Jew - said the following when he accepted the Oscar just a few months into Israel’s war against Hamas:

“We stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people.”
He went on to ask, “Whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza—all the victims of this dehumanization—how do we resist?”

The audience dutifully applauded. An audience composed primarily of liberal Hollywood elites. Many of whom are themselves Jewish. Just a day or two ago, another prominent Jew, Senator Bernie Sanders, said it was a ‘shameful day’ for the U.S., declaring:

“Today, a war criminal under indictment from the ICC will be welcomed to the White House,”

He accused Israel of intentionally starving Gazans and “systematically” killing civilians in the enclave, adding:

“Trump, like Biden before him, has aided and abetted the extremist Netanyahu government as it has systematically killed and starved civilians in Gaza. It is a shameful day in America.”

When so many Jews - some quite prominent - are themselves so aggressively anti-Israel, is it any wonder that many non-Jews follow suit? The assumption is that if you’re Jewish, you support Israel - a state now portrayed as genocidal led by a man declared a war criminal by the ICC.

It should then come as no surprise that New York voters have chosen the most anti-Israel candidate in their city’s history to be their next mayor. The mayor of a city with the largest Jewish population of any other city in the world. Nor should it be surprising that some New York Jews voted for him. Not because he is anti Israel. But because they either don’t care about how he feels about Israel, or worse, don’t themselves care.

One thing all of these anti-Israel voices have in common is that they are almost all on the left side of the political aisle. Many are young and progressive. Those that happen to be Jewish among them have little to no understanding of what being Jewish really means. Dismissing our biblical right to the land as irrelevant in today’s world. To the extent that they care about anything the Torah says - it's about Tikkun Olam. And even then, their interpretation of Tikkun Olam is often reduced to providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians suffering under what they see as Netanyahu’s genocidal war.

There is far more sympathy expressed for suffering Palestinians than for the hostages still in Hamas captivity or for the families of IDF soldiers who have died in battle.

When progressive views have so thoroughly permeated our culture, it’s no wonder that Jewish particularism is frowned upon. Progressives believe in the universality of man. To a progressive, Jewish ‘chosenness’ is seen as inherently racist.

This belief has become a guiding principle in today’s culture. The younger someone is, the more likely they will be progressive and see universalism as the most moral outlook. And by contrast anyone who identifies as a Jew is viewed as a Zionist. And thus a racist by default.

Thankfully, most conservatives still support Israel. And that’s still about half the country. But the idea that we can return to a time when Israel was looked upon favorably by all - including the left is quickly vanishing. The more ‘Jewish’ Israel becomes the more the left will favor abandoning it.

Crossing Another Line

Woman married to another woman ordained as a Maharat (screenshot)

I hate to keep bringing this up. I don’t want to be considered homophobic or obsessed with gay issues. But since I find myself compelled to address this issue so often, I fear that some of my friends on the left - especially those who are also observant Jews -  already see me that way. That’s painful. But I cannot let it silence me.

This issue speaks directly to how we are meant to live as God’s chosen people. The Torah - our divine instruction manual - lays out the blueprint for our lives. And when those who identify as observant Jews clearly distort its message, I feel obligated to speak out.

Let me be clear: I have no personal obsession with gay or transgender individuals. Nor is it my intent to cause them harm. On the contrary, I have consistently expressed sympathy for the struggles they face.

But here is where I part ways with them. Many do not view their same-sex attractions as a struggle at all. They see them as a normal part of their sexual identity. No different than heterosexual desire. And believe those attractions should be expressed freely and without guilt.

When it comes to gender dysphoria, the prevailing societal attitude is that it’s easily ‘correctable’. That if a man believes he is a woman or vice versa, then that identity should be affirmed and accommodated, with or without medical intervention. What matters, they say, is that such individuals can live happy, productive, and fulfilling lives - and that society should fully embrace and support their choices.

But this is not my personal obsession. It’s the cultural obsession of our time. If there is a defining divide between religious and secular worldviews today, it is over the source of moral authority. Religious people recognize a Power greater than ourselves (God) as the source of morality. We acknowledge our own limitations in determining right and wrong.

Secular individuals, by contrast, believe that morality is entirely subjective - defined by human reason, culture, or emotion. They reject ‘ancient instruction books’ as irrelevant, or deny that such texts were Divinely authored. Even those who claim to believe in God and His Torah may reinterpret or distort its teachings to fit contemporary values.

It’s this last category that I find most troubling: left-leaning Jews who identify as Orthodox, observe the ‘big three’ Mitzvos — Shabbos, Kashrus, and Taharas Hamishpacha. And claim to fully adhere to Halacha, while at the same time embracing the LGBTQ agenda as fully compatible with Torah Judaism.

A recent example (see video below) underscores this trend. At Yeshivat Maharat’s ordination ceremony - a school created to train women as rabbis - one of the graduates was a gay woman ‘married’ to another woman. In her address to the audience, she praised the institution for its inclusivity and cited the Mishnah in Avos: “It is not upon you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” The ‘work’ in this context was clearly framed as the advancement and full legitimization of LGBTQ identity and relationships. A cause that stands in clear contradiction to Torah values.

It’s troubling enough that Yeshivat Maharat exists in defiance of longstanding halachic consensus against women entering the rabbinate - a discussion for another time. But at least those advocating for that change attempt to offer a halachic argument. I disagree with them, as do the vast majority of rabbis across the Orthodox spectrum - aside from those on the far left.

But to ordain a woman whose personal lifestyle represents an open rejection of Torah prohibitions - and then give her the authority to rule on matters of Halacha - defies credulity. Yet this is precisely what has happened. This graduate studied the Shulchan Aruch, passed her exams, and is now regarded as an Orthodox authority on Jewish law.

She would likely argue that her lifestyle does not violate Halacha. That the Torah’s prohibition of homosexual relations doesn’t apply to those who were ‘born this way’. It is true that female homosexual acts are not classified as severely as male ones. Still, the behavior remains prohibited. To rationalize such behavior as permitted is, at best, self-deception.

What’s most disturbing is not that secular society has embraced values so far removed from biblical tradition. That’s regrettable, but not surprising. What’s disturbing is that someone now claiming to represent Orthodox Halacha - with a formal credential to prove it - is using that position to promote an agenda that is fundamentally at odds with the Torah’s values.

This must be unequivocally rejected by all who consider themselves part of the community of observant Jewry. Yeshivat Maharat’s actions in this regard are a betrayal of both Halacha and Jewish tradition.

Israel's Pending Civil War

Charedi protestors near Bnei Brak (Times of Israel)

The war in Gaza seems to be winding down. And yet, even in its weakest moment, Hamas continues to hold hostages over Israel’s head — making demands that Israel cannot possibly accept. It’s unclear how all of this will end. Prime Minister Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Trump later today to try and figure it out. Hopefully, something positive will emerge from that meeting. I won’t be holding my breath. But one can hope.

Be that as it may, there is another war going on — one that may ultimately do more harm to Israel than Hamas or even Iran has. The war between Charedim and the rest of Israeli society. A war centered around the Charedi refusal to share in the burden of defending the nation they live in, by refusing to enlist or be drafted into the IDF.

Another point of contention is the Charedi lifestyle, which often does not include entering the workforce until much later in life. Many Charedim are poorly equipped to contribute meaningfully to the economy due to a lack of sufficient secular education. And while they are learning full time (before they enter the workforce) they rely on working wives, government stipends, and other sources of income not related to employment — such as support from parents or in-laws, free loan funds, maxed-out credit cards, and charity.

Ever since the war with Hamas broke out, the draft issue has taken center stage. Without belaboring the point, much Jewish blood has been spilled by soldiers who have either enlisted or been drafted. Meanwhile, Charedim have avoided all of it, continuing with their lives as if there were no war. The public resentment that has resulted from this cannot be overstated. And who can blame them?

The IDF has had to rely on prolonged periods of service, with soldiers being away from their families for inordinate amounts of time — in some cases losing their jobs, businesses, or even their lives. All while Charedim go about their daily lives almost oblivious to the sacrifices others are making.

The IDF has attempted to rectify this grossly unfair arrangement by urging the government to legislate mandatory military service for all — including Charedim. No more blanket exemptions for an entire segment of society. Charedim have fought back hard. But yesterday, Arutz Sheva reported the following:

Israeli security forces are preparing to implement an unprecedented enforcement plan against members of the Haredi public who refuse to enlist.
As part of the new plan, which will be launched next month, checkpoints will be set up at entry points to major Haredi cities, aiming to identify and arrest youths avoiding military service.

The plan follows the decision to send 54,000 draft orders to Haredi youths in the coming year… 

The new checkpoints will be positioned at several strategic locations: entrances to major Haredi cities such as Bnei Brak, Jerusalem, and Beit Shemesh; main traffic routes used by the Haredi population; and border crossings, including Ben Gurion Airport and checkpoints in Judea and Samaria.

In addition to the permanent checkpoints, mobile enforcement actions and targeted raids on religious institutions and residential areas will be carried out.

This sounds like a declaration of war. Charedi politicians have already threatened to bring down the government — and have promised it again if this version of a draft law is implemented.

That was yesterday. Today, the Times of Israel reports the following:

Likud lawmaker Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, presented a Haredi representative with a copy of a watered-down compromise bill regulating the conscription of yeshiva students…

According to national broadcaster Kan, the legislation will call for conscripting only some 4,800 Haredim in the first year. The report said that while the ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism parties will oppose the new legislation, they are not willing “to blow everything up” over the issue.

4,800 inductees is a drastic reduction from the 54,000 the IDF had announced just yesterday.

To say that opposition politicians are upset would be an understatement. I’m sure the same can be said for the rest of the Israeli public — those who have sacrificed so much for their country which of course includes Charedim.

I do not see this watered-down bill as a compromise that will ultimately be accepted — not by Charedim, who continue to insist on full exemptions for all yeshiva students, and not by the rest of Israeli society, who have given up so much while the Charedim have given up nothing .as far as they are concerned

I see only an increase in animosity between both sides. While I understand that Charedim believe they contribute to the welfare of the nation through their diligence in Torah study, they have failed to make that case to the broader public — which sees only a self-serving, entitled group of Jews getting away with what they view as “murder.”

This is not to say that Torah study has no bearing on the welfare of the Jewish people. It is to say that the Charedim appear oblivious to the life altering sacrifices everyone else is making — sacrifices that benefit them, too.

This problem is not going away. However in my view, it would be the easiest of Israel’s major issues to solve in a way that would be acceptable to all. A true compromise — one that recognizes the value of Torah study and ends blanket exemptions from IDF service. Quotas could be established to satisfy IDF needs and strictly followed. Once those quotas are filled, the remaining Charedim could then continue learning with the blessing and support of the government.

Why this hasn’t happened is due to the intransigence of Charedi leadership. Which means this war — unlike the one with Hamas — will only get worse. Scenes like the one in the photo will become more frequent. And Israel may yet face a real civil war in the not-too-distant future.

Thank You

I just received a generous contribution to my blog through my Paypal portal on the right.

It doesn't happen that often but when it does, I do appreciate it. It tells me that the appreciation I often hear from readers I meet along the way in life - is more than mere words. 

So I want to thank this reader publicly without mentioning his name since I don't want to embarrass him and in any case I have no permission to do so. 

At the same time, I do not want it to go unnoticed so... Thank you to this reader and to all the other readers in the past that have done the same. 

Hating a Great Leader

There is surely much to criticize. I don’t know anyone who is fully satisfied with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership over his long tenure as the leader of the Jewish state. Depending on one’s politics, religious demographic, sense of ethics, perception of personal hubris, or simply mentchlichkeit, one could probably fill a book with complaints about him. Some more serious than others, but in most cases, quite true.

And yet, in my view, Netanyahu has been one of the most consequential leaders the State of Israel has ever had. In my opinion, he deserves another term in office, if he so chooses. I don’t know what the polls currently show, and I’m sure there are plenty of Israeli voters from all walks of life—whether on the political left or right, Charedi, Dati, or secular - who would strongly disagree. Not the least among them are some of his former political allies, including members of his own Likud party.

Why do I think so? I believe it’s fair to explain my perspective.

On the domestic front, Netanyahu, while still Finance Minister under Ariel Sharon, began to turn Israel’s economy away from its socialist origins and steer it toward a free-market economy. That transformation led to remarkable prosperity and encouraged a wave of foreign investment. The fact that Israel came to be known as the “Start-Up Nation” is largely due to Netanyahu’s economic policies, which favored unfettered innovation in the tech sector.

As important as that is, what he has accomplished since the October 7^th, 2023, Hamas attack is nothing short of extraordinary. At that point, Israel was at a low point. Its vaunted military intelligence apparatus had experienced a catastrophic and unprecedented failure. Many pundits believed Israel would never recover, and that its intelligence services had lost all credibility.

But Netanyahu did not let that stop him. He became laser-focused on eliminating the evil in Israel’s midst and launched a war against Hamas that they surely never expected. Today, Hamas is a shadow of its former self. Its leadership has been decimated, and its Iranian patrons and suppliers have themselves suffered devastating setbacks.

To Israel’s north, Hezbollah met a similar fate. Israel’s brilliant military intelligence strategy led to operations that literally exploded in their faces, killing their top echelon of leadership. Including long-time leader Hassan Nasrallah and his successors. They, too, are now a shadow of what they once were. With that victory, Netanyahu restored global respect for Israel’s intelligence services. Long before October 7^th, Netanyahu had approved a plan to deceive Hezbollah’s second-tier leaders into buying booby-trapped pagers and walkie-talkies, which Israel later detonated at will. Precisely when they needed to do it.

As a result of the now-neutered Hezbollah, Syria’s pro-Iran, pro-Hezbollah dictator Bashar al-Assad lost his protector and was soon overthrown, along with the Iran-backed militias stationed there.

And then came Netanyahu’s bold and fateful decision to attack Iran directly. A move many pundits called suicidal. Iran had the most powerful military in the Middle East: the IRGC, a highly motivated and ideologically driven force dedicated to Israel’s destruction. Its political leadership had long been waiting for an excuse to unleash their massive arsenal of ballistic missiles.

That fear was quickly dispelled. After twelve days of war and deep infiltration into Iran’s military and political infrastructure, Israel succeeded in assassinating several top military leaders and nuclear scientists - many of them while they slept - and bombing key nuclear facilities with pinpoint accuracy, guided by reliable intelligence.

With Iran significantly weakened, the United States seized the opportunity to finish the job and demolish its most vital nuclear facility at Fordow without suffering a single casualty or facing any resistance.

‘They said it couldn’t be done.’ But with determination and clarity of vision, Netanyahu did it. Even against the advice of some of his closest advisors.

The Abraham Accords have never been more significant than they are now. The potential for Syria to join the accords - possibly even ceding the Golan Heights to Israel - was unthinkable before the chain of events initiated by Netanyahu. Today, it is within the realm of possibility. Israel’s relationship with the U.S. has never been closer than it is now under Netanyahu.

I don’t see how anyone can deny that this is the most impressive display of Israeli leadership since at least the Six-Day War of 1967.

What about all the negatives? In my view, they pale in comparison. Let us look at some of them.

There are still hostages in Hamas captivity - an area where Netanyahu has not yet been fully successful. But allowing Hamas to survive in order to negotiate the release of those hostages would have allowed them to regroup, rearm, and attack again—likely with even more terrorists released from Israeli prisons. That was not a realistic option. And in any case, it may have prevented many of the successes Netanyahu has achieved.

(A hostage deal recently proposed by the U.S. has been accepted by Israel but rejected by Hamas, who added an unacceptable condition. Netanyahu will be visiting the White House this week. That’s where things stand now.)

That the political left hates Netanyahu is nothing new. That many hostage families have joined mass protest demonstrations against him during the war is also not new. They are largely the same people who protested Netanyahu before the war. Not all hostage families share their views, but the media mostly ignores those who don’t.

Much of the secular and Dati opposition stems from Netanyahu’s political alliance with the Charedi parties, who demand continued exemptions from military service. I am as upset by that as anyone and have expressed my displeasure with these exemptions. Many times. But Netanyahu’s ability to promise them everything and deliver nothing has kept the status quo. They haven’t gotten their way, even if many voters are upset that he didn’t pass a law ending their draft exemptions. Netanyahu is a master politician with few peers, unafraid to make enemies - even among his biggest supporters - if it helps him stay in power.

Then there are the corruption charges for which he is currently being tried in court. I’m sure the charges have legal merit. But there is little doubt in my mind that they were brought by political enemies. (if I understand correctly, the prosecution’s case is now falling apart.)

Accusations of accepting Cuban cigars and expensive champagne as gifts - while technically illegal - pale in comparison to the historic accomplishments Netanyahu has achieved. As reported during Israel’s bombing campaign in Iran:

Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday endorsed Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, saying it was doing essential work for Germany and others.

“This is the dirty work that Israel is doing for all of us,” Merz told the ZDF broadcaster during an interview on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada.

You can despise him all you want. And even have good reasons for doing so. But you must give credit where credit is due. If you’re being honest and not trying to ‘explain away’ his achievements, as no achievement at all - it becomes impossible to deny their scope and importance.

Yes, Israel has suffered a PR disaster due to how the legacy media is covering Gaza - relying heavily on Hamas-run sources, biased Palestinian reporters, and longstanding anti-Israel UN officials and NGOs. Medical staff often cited are also Palestinian expatriate volunteers in Gaza with longstanding grievances. To rely on such sources for a balanced view of Israel’s actions is like trusting the International Red Cross’s glowing reports on Theresienstadt, the Nazi “model” concentration camp.

Sadly, the media’s mantra of ‘if it bleeds, it leads’ ensures that the bloodiest images dominate coverage - images that, while not representative, shape public perception.

In reality, no one truly knows what’s happening on the ground in Gaza. But the imagery and narratives being broadcast shape public opinion in ways that may be wildly disconnected from the truth.

If one looks at the totality of what has transpired in the Middle East since October 7^th and understands that the legacy media cannot be trusted to provide unbiased reporting, then it becomes undeniable: under Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has achieved unprecedented victories and made the world a far safer place - for everyone. And for that he deserves another term.

God Bless America

Thank you, America! (OU)

I often talk about how proud I am to be an American. How great America has been to the Jewish people. That has never been more true than right now. So on this Independence Day, July 4th, 2025, I want to express my profound gratitude to a nation that has given the Jewish people the unfettered opportunity to succeed in any endeavor they choose, and has granted us unprecedented religious freedom.

Never has that last point been more evident than it is today. Religious Jews, whose education demands intensive classroom instruction - and therefore by its nature requires a parochial school education - have now been given the means to better afford it. It is no longer the case that only a public school education is federally funded.

Yesterday, Congress passed a bill that includes a provision for school choice. This mandates that all parents - regardless of the type of school their children attend - be eligible for federal educational support. Parents who wish to give their children a more intensive religious education will no longer be penalized for that choice. They will now stand on equal footing with public school parents. The President is scheduled to sign that bill into law later today. And I can’t think of a more appropriate day to do so than Independence Day.

America’s unprecedented response to rising antisemitism is another area worth highlighting. One of the most troubling arenas where antisemitism has flourished is on college campuses. Anti-Israel sentiment has too often translated into naked antisemitic behavior, particularly by leftist professors - many of whom are either Palestinian or extoll extremist Palestinian ideology. These educators have been indoctrinating students with blatant lies about Israel: labeling it a colonialist, apartheid, racist, and even genocidal state. Long before the October 7^th massacre of Jews by Hamas that precipitated the war in Gaza

Student governments, often governed by those indoctrinated students, have pushed for and led protests demanding that their schools adopt the antisemitic BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) platform. Biased media coverage of the war in Gaza has only fueled this trend and contributed to the rise in antisemitism across the country. The media often highlights these misguided individuals as if they alone reflect the moral core of our culture. Sadly, this kind of thinking has begun to seep into public consciousness.

As a result, harassment of Jewish students on campuses has spiked nationwide.

And here, once again, the government shines. They have tackled antisemitism on campus like no administration before them. Previous administrations either ignored it or dismissed it as free speech.

Not this one. Heads have rolled. Ivy League university officials who turned a blind eye - or even expressed support for pro-Palestinian protests that included threats of violence against Jewish students have been forced to resign in disgrace. That happened because this administration finally gave these issues the attention they deserve.

And last, but certainly not least, is America’s relationship with Israel - now stronger than ever. The coordination between the U.S. and Israel in neutralizing Iran’s nuclear program is one of the most significant achievements of the 21^st century thus far. After extensive analysis by experts on Iran’s nuclear capabilities – it is now believed with a high degree of confidence that Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been set back by at least two years.

Even Iran’s foreign minister publicly admitted that the country’s nuclear program was severely damaged. When asked by an American reporter whether Iran would retaliate with more than the feeble response seen after the U.S. bombing of Fordow, he said they would not. When asked whether they would restart their nuclear program, he affirmed their ‘right’ to do so, but appeared far more concerned about what the U.S. might do if they tried. And therefore said they are now more focused on  restoring their country.

Israel and its neighbors are now safer than they were just weeks ago. Syria has even indicated a willingness to join the Abraham Accords and has reportedly offered to concede the Golan Heights to Israel - provided Israel vacates the buffer zone it currently maintains between the Golan Heights and the rest of Syria. Not a word was mentioned about a Palestinian state.

A 6-month ceasefire with Hamas also seems to be on the immediate horizon, one that would include the release of all hostages. Israel has already agreed to it. Hamas has not. Their sticking point appears to be a refusal to lay down their arms. But their primary patron, Qatar, has now told them to do exactly that. One thing is clear: Hamas is a shadow of its former self. Iran is no longer in any position to help them. And Qatar, who once funded and backed them, appears to be done with them too. Everyone wants peace now. It seems even their own backers are sick of Hamas.

The President also expressed his displeasure with the ongoing corruption trial of Israel’s Prime Minister. Calling it a witch hunt! He said that all charges should be dropped. Those who thought President Trump had turned sour on Netanyahu - well, think again.

And then there's the cultural battle taking place in this country. A war between values rooted in biblical morality and those rooted in ever-shifting secular ideologies. Many of the values under attack today are the same values upon which this country was founded, many of which come from the ‘Old Testament’ - our Tanach or more precisely, our Torah.

Those who love to emphasize the theological differences between Judaism and Christianity - or point out that Christian interpretations of certain portions of the Torah differ vastly from ours - are missing the larger point. Which is that the core values that underlie this country are values that Jews and Christians share. That’s why it’s not uncommon to see groups like Agudath Israel and the Catholic Church filing amicus briefs together before the Supreme Court. A national voucher program is one such example.

Recently, the Supreme Court ruled that parents may remove their children from classes that discuss LGBTQ issues, or decline to use textbooks that promote their values if it contradicts their religious values.

So yes, this is a great time to be a Jew – especially a religious Jew - in America.  So on this day, July 4th, 2025, I proudly join the Orthodox Union in expressing my profound gratitude to this great country for bringing us to this historic moment.

God Bless America, land that I love.

Sean Combs and Chaim Rotter

Sean “Diddy” Combs (ABC)

It’s hard to fathom the depths of depravity in which Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs had engaged. I watched with horror as the media reported the chilling testimonies of his victims during his trial. Yesterday, he was found guilty of two lesser counts among the five charges of criminal sexual activity. He now faces up to 20 years in prison.

Whether or not he was technically guilty of all five federal crimes is almost beside the point. What he is guilty of is some of the most disgusting behavior imaginable. Behavior that no religious Jew would be capable of, let alone commit.

Except that the last sentence is not true.

It appears that even the most devout-looking Jews among us can be just as guilty of such crimes as Combs - if not worse.

To say that someone who commits such atrocities cannot truly be considered Charedi is to fall into the ‘No True Scotsman’ fallacy. The latest Jew accused of such crimes is Charedi.

There have been so many instances of outwardly devout Jews committing sexual crimes that it could fill a book. Some may argue that these individuals are anomalies. Exceptions that prove the rule. Perhaps. But the same can be said about Combs. Most non-Jews don't behave like him either.

Just because the general rule is that Charedim don’t usually commit such crimes doesn’t explain why so many of them have been caught doing exactly that.

Chaim Rotter - Right  (Jerusalem Post)

The latest such criminal is Chaim Rotter, head of Shomrim in Bnei Brak - arguably the most Charedi city in Israel, if not the world.

Shomrim is a civilian watch group meant to protect citizens from attack. In practice, however, they often go much further. Acting as vigilantes who beat up those they suspect of harming a fellow Jew. They’ve essentially appointed themselves judge, jury, and executioner. And shockingly, Shomrim is supported by the city government and, more importantly, enjoys the apparent blessing of its rabbinic leadership.

But that blessing now seems horrifically premature. By orders of magnitude.

Because what Rotter is accused of makes Combs’ crimes seem almost mild by comparison. According to the Jerusalem Post:

At the hearing on Wednesday, Rotter was silent when asked if he wished to respond to the allegations. One of his alleged victims, “Meir” (an alias), called out, “He raped me. You are evil, you are cursed. I am sick. He almost cut off my penis. He raped the mother of my child.”

Worse still, Rotter allegedly turned the tables on his victims—using his authority to accuse them of being the perpetrators, subjecting them to the full force of Shomrim’s vigilante brutality.

Meir, 39, from Tel Aviv, further told Walla:

“There is no comfort for what he did… I am hopeful that justice will be carried out. In early 2013, he fell in love with my wife, now my ex-wife, and made my life hell. He desecrated her and did horrors to her in front of our eight-month-old daughter, stole my belongings, and barred me from entry.”

“It happened several times. Once, he told me to come over to either pick up my tefillin or see my daughter. He said, ‘Now we’re going to beat him up.’ I told him I missed my daughter… I found myself on the floor, pinned to the stairs, as he hit me in the face.”

“He told me, ‘I’ll tear off your [genitals], I’ll castrate you.’ They beat me until I was dehydrated and fainted, and no one helped me… They tortured me.”

That’s the ‘beauty’ of being the Charedi head of a community policing group. You can rape and torture whoever you want and then accuse the victim or their loved ones of being the criminals.

Who are you going to believe? The trusted head of Shomrim, protector of Bnei Brak? Or some guy accused of abusing his wife - who ‘deserved what he got’?

In my view, there is no question that this group must be disbanded. They are a disgrace to the very idea of protecting the public. Even if they’ve done some good, the cost of unfettered vigilantism and the harm to innocent people is far too great. If anything, it is the police who should be strengthened and their presence expanded. Not replaced by unaccountable thugs in religious clothing.

But the real tragedy is that evil on this scale can be perpetrated even by someone who grew up immersed in the most stringent standards of sexual modesty. Remember Chaim Walder?

In communities like Bnei Brak, men and women are strictly separated. Women often wear long, loose-fitting dresses and fully cover their hair. Ads featuring women are banned. These communities enforce the strictest codes of Tznius (modesty).

And yet, how often have we seen those raised in such environments accused of the very crimes those standards are meant to prevent?

Far too many times to count.

Maybe it’s time for the Charedi world to consider whether their standards might be too much of a good thing. Is there such a thing as too much focus on Tznius?

That may sound almost blasphemous. But perhaps when you separate the sexes to such extremes, it takes far less to trigger dangerous desires. While sexual crimes are more about violence than desire, unfulfilled or repressed desire often plays a role in precipitating such violence.

This is not to say we should abandon modesty altogether. That would likely make things worse. But perhaps there is a middle ground – a happy medium. One that religious leaders in cities like Bnei Brak should seriously consider. But probably never will.

It Ain’t Over – Till It’s Over

Orthodox Jewish day school children

Mark Twain once said in response to a newspaper report of his death, “Reports of my demise are grossly exaggerated.”

I don’t want to overstate my renewed hope regarding the reversal of a troubling trend. But I do have some hope that we can reverse the trend of the growing number of American Jews abandoning their Jewish future. This trend is reflected in rising rates of intermarriage and a widespread ignorance of Jewish heritage - leaving many with little or no ability to pass it on to their children, who in turn have no interest in learning about it.

Of course, this is not true across the board. There are many American Jews — not necessarily fully observant or observant at all — who do care about their Judaism and do make efforts to pass it on. Some are successful, and some are not. But the sad reality is that, unless something changes, the great mass of American Jewry may soon become a thing of the past.

And yet, there are two recent developments that give me a sense of hope — developments that might change this trajectory to a far greater extent than I ever thought possible. But before addressing them, it’s worth revisiting how we got here. It all boils down to one thing: the lack of a significant Jewish education. There are a variety of reasons for this, among them:

• The “melting pot” culture of pre-Holocaust America that encouraged assimilation and discouraged distinct religious or ethnic identities.
• The desire of children of earlier Jewish immigrants to distance themselves from their parents’ “Old World” ways in pursuit of the American dream.
• The near absence of an organized Jewish educational system prior to the Holocaust.
• And more recently, the skyrocketing cost of Jewish education. Which has become prohibitive even for middle-class families with decent incomes, and continues to grow less affordable every year.

By the time we entered the 21^st century, this combination of factors  - especially the cost - made Jewish day school education an unlikely choice for most families, except the most highly motivated. In most cases, that has meant Orthodox Jews.

As a result, we now have a strong and growing Orthodox community. But one whose size pales in comparison to the vast number of Jews who never had access to such an education.

Encouragingly, it appears that the non-Orthodox Jewish community - at least those who care deeply about the future of American Jewry - are waking up to the fact that Jewish education is what’s missing most. And that only education has a real chance of reversing the current trend.

This was a key point made by Jewish activist, Shira Goodman, former CEO of Staples, in an eJewish Philanthropy article:

“I’ve learned that real, lasting growth doesn’t come from sticking to the old playbook — it demands shaking things up, thinking differently, and sometimes even inviting entirely new players into the game.”

Barry Finestone, in an earlier article, proposed a shift in communal strategy from a defensive focus on antisemitism to a proactive focus on Jewish joy. He passionately urged:

“Let’s pour more resources into camps, day schools, trips to Israel, youth groups and other experiences proven to deliver strong outcomes. We know these things work.”

Goodman says this vision fuels her work on a new project called the Lauder Impact Initiative (LII) — a bold experiment aimed at transforming the narrative and trajectory of Jewish day school enrollment.

The long and short of it is this: increasing enrollment in Jewish day schools requires inspiring prospective families to reshape their sense of Jewish identity -  and helping them see themselves as ‘day school families’. This can be done by encouraging interaction between current day school families and those considering enrollment.

It also requires disabusing them of common misperceptions, such as:

• Overestimating the cost of attendance due to limited awareness of available financial aid.
• Concerns about a perceived lack of socioeconomic diversity.
• Assumptions about rigid religious expectations, often based on outdated impressions of what Jewish day schools are like.

It also means doubling down on early childhood education, building strong secular studies programs, and offering rich extracurricular activities. All designed to meet the expectations of parents accustomed to the educational experiences provided by top public and private schools.

This is precisely the kind of ambitious, visionary thinking we need from lay leaders like Shira Goodman if we’re going to reverse the trajectory so many American Jews have taken. One leading out of Judaism entirely.

But perhaps the greatest boost to this noble goal comes from something that just happened in the U.S. Senate.

As reported by VIN, the Senate recently passed a bill that includes the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA). The most important aspect of which is the following:

Families earning up to 300% of their area’s median income can apply for scholarships through certified Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs). These scholarships can be used for yeshiva tuition, Jewish studies materials, Hebrew language tutoring, and other educational expenses that support Torah learning…

The program’s generous income limits mean that many working Orthodox families will qualify. In communities like Lakewood, NJ, or Brooklyn, NY, even families earning well into six figures may still be eligible for assistance — a recognition of the high cost of living in areas with established Jewish communities.

This truly is game-changing. Not only for Orthodox parents struggling to meet tuition obligations or schools struggling with budgets. It is game-changing because it removes one of the main barriers preventing non Orthodox Jewish parents from enrolling their children in day schools in the first place: cost.

When combined with the shifting attitude about the importance of Jewish education to Jewish survival in America, this new national voucher program gives me real hope. Hope that we can turn things around to a far greater extent than anyone might have imagined just a few short years ago.