Rivky Stein & Yoel Weiss: Rikvy the Aguna, the Selling of the Brooklyn Bridge and other tall tales - Yoel refutes her claims

Guest Post Yoel Weiss - 4th attempt to arrange a Get

I have not heard back form Rivky Stein, for 7 days or from any of her rabbonem, advisers, supporters, about a set time when to arrive at her Beis Din to arrange for the get, I therefore decided to write a 4th public announcement, directed to Rivky's supporters and to the entire Jewish community who has wholeheartedly donated funds to Rivky's cause.

I've sensed from comments on Rivkys Facebook, that many of you are not satisfied that I decided to provide Rivky the get as soon as August 6th, or even sooner as I announced in my 2nd public announcement. Instead of encouraging Rivky to show up to receive the get your comments seem to be all over the place - and clearly designed to instigate her not to show up, with all kinds of cockamamie excuses.

The big question that comes to mind is, why would Rivky's supporters attempt to hinder her receiving the get? After all, her entire website and public relation - fundraising was all about helping ''free the aguna Rivky Stein''.

I guess the answer is pretty simple. You probably know good and well by now, that Rivky concocted this entire Beis Din story. You know that there is NO such Beis Din. You know she never sent me any hazmonos. (summons to Beis Din) You know there was NO cherem.(excommunication order). All her crying kicking and screaming, and her entire website was designed to defraud the good hearted public, to shower Rivky and her accomplices with hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Beis Din and Excommunication order, was the necessary fundamental underpinning tool to shed creditability on Rivkys story. This false Beis Din excommunication order, obviously ignited the public to send her donations to help free the aguna.

Who would ever believe in their right mind, that this little innocent aguna, and her acquaintances had the guts to cut and paste documents to fabricate a Beis Din story, that has no hands or feet, all in order to fool the Jewish -and the non Jewish people worldwide, to swindle them out of their money to help the aguna. What a Chillul Hashem rl.

Now that you all know the truth, that Rivky bluffed her way through, concocted this entire Beis Din story why would any of you still support her crying wolf -- aguna tactic story .Why would any of you aid and abet and encourage a criminal extortion enterprise?!

The answer I believe is, that you probably still don't know the entire truth. You probably believe, that since this poor little aguna is telling a horrible abuse story, there must be some truth to the story. Because if there is smoke there must be fire. How else would it be possible for a young soft spoken frum woman, to dramatize such crazy stories?

So you think that the answer is, that some abuse must be true. On the other hand, I assure you, that very soon you will learn the entire truth, that not only was there NO Hazmonos/ NO Beis Din/ No Excommunication order, you will shockingly learn with hard evidence that there was never a fire, the entire abuse story is nothing but a smoke screen designed by Rivky's partners - all for monetary gains.

During the 4 years we lived together, Rivky never filed any complaints to any authorities, rabbis, or doctors. She has no evidence to support her abuse story whatsoever. She has no abuse pictures, she went to the mikva every month and not a single reliable witness can support her abuse story. Its all a bunch of dramatized bubamayses which she and her accomplices made up. They, detected early on Rivky's weakness and desire for attention, they decided she is the perfect prey for them. Hoping to make millions of dollars they manipulated her to file these ridicules ludicrous false allegations, that she was kidnapped, and my entire family tortured her for the entire 4 years we lived together...crazy ah? or crazier then crazy?

The evidence surrounding the circumstances during the 4 years in question, mirrors a happily married Rivky, spending her days shopping, eating at restaurants, attending weddings and parties, walking in the park with the kids, often vacationing etc etc etc.. Her story that she put up a show the entire 4 years, with glitz and smiley faces, all because she was so so afraid of me, holds no water and makes absolutely no sense. The facts reveal just the opposite. Rivky abused and terrorized me the entire past 2 years.

She filed false allegations against me and against my family demanding 480 million dollars, obviously she is not and was not afraid of me. She had me arrested 5 times under false pretences where each time I spent the night in jail, obviously she was not afraid of me. She shocked the conscious of the entire Jewish community by launching her Chillul Hashem website, lying and deceiving the media and the entire world collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in charity, slandering me and my entire family as never heard before,--- obviously she is not afraid of me.

Imagine, Rivky, even had the guts to post a false Beis Din/ Hazmonos, / false excommunication order / false Beis Din address that never existed. Think about it for a second... Does Rivky's actions fit this little fearful nebbish aguana that submitted herself to be kidnapped, raped, and tortured for 4 long years all because she was afraid of me?! I am certain if you decide to be honest with yourself - the answer is obvious.

The clear answer is that Rivky is far from the little goody goody goody girl, and she was never afraid of me. Just to the contrary, she was always the bully in the house. She always got what she wanted, when she wanted, and at any price. More to the point, Rivky's friends at school remember her to being a bully. On the other hand, I was never a bully, never had a drop of violence in me. Rivky's past two year actions make it clearer then clear that she is not the fearful woman, who would like her supporters to believe otherwise that she was always afraid of me. Rivky, would never put up with any abuse or bullying for one second, she has no issue voicing her opinion. She let herself be heard when she accused her now parents, father and mother of being abusive. She let herself be heard when she accused landlord son of abusing her which resulted in her getting evicted from her apartment.

These are all made up concocted stories by Rivky.

Simply put, the reason she was silent for 4 years, is because there was no abuse whatsoever. Her entire abuse story is based on greed, and rests on fabricated lies and delusions. Something she has been suffering from since she is 11 years old.

Rivky, through her media campaign, has painted me as a rapist, kidnapper, slavemaster, abuser, thief etc etc.

 Its time for everyone to acknowledge the clear truth - it is all a big lie!

Rapfogel Sentenced to Three and a Half Years for Stealing From Charity

NY Times   The longtime executive director of a prominent and politically connected Jewish charity in New York was sentenced on Wednesday to three and a half years in prison for stealing more than $1 million from the organization.

The director, William E. Rapfogel, who led the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty for two decades, faced a sentence of four to 12 years when he appeared at State Supreme Court in Manhattan before Justice Larry Stephen. But under the terms of a plea agreement he accepted in April, Mr. Rapfogel paid the remaining balance of $3 million in restitution in exchange for a shorter sentence of 3 ⅓ to 10 years. [...]

Rav Sternbuch is sitting shiva for his sister a"h

bhol

ברוך דיין האמת: אמש נפטרה האשה החשובה מרת מסיא (מוזי) ליברמן ע"ה כשהיא בת 89 בפטירתה.

המנוחה ע"ה נולדה בלונדון בשנת תרפ"ה לאביה רבי אשר שטרנבוך זצ"ל. אביה שהיה סוחר היה מקורב להגאון רבי חיים עוזר גרודז'נסקי זצ"ל ולגר"א וסרמן הי"ד.

לאחר נישואיה עם הגאון רבי יצחק צבי ליברמן זצ"ל התגוררה במנצסט'ר ועמדה למען בעלה שהיה מרבני המקום. 

ניחום אבלים בבית אחיה ראב"ד העדה החרדית הגר"מ שטרנבוך בביתו ברחוב קצנלבוגן 4 שכונת הר נוף בירושלים לפנה"צ בין השעות 11:00 ל13:00 בצהריים ובערב מהשעה 18:00 עד 21:00 יתכן שבאחד מן הימים ישב בבני-ברק.

Schlesinger Twins: Michael is losing control because he is causing suffering to himself and others

As those who have been following the tragic saga of Dr. Schlesinger's battle to control and impose his will on Beth and the twin - his life is seriously unraveling. 

While initially enjoying a series of inexplicable successes 1) convincing the court to take full custody away from Beth - despite the fact that the police had thwarted his illegal attempt to have Beth committed to a mental hospital. He did this despite the clear record of his abusing Beth physically and mentally which had resulted in him being kicked out of the apartment by the police and given only supervised visits. The court's bizarre rational for ignoring the clear documentation of Beth's competence and his incompetence was that he was interested in providing the twins with therapy for their apparent developmental delays - while Beth (on the advice of the pediatrician and other experts) felt it best to wait a little longer since it was possible that this was a normal and not unusual delay. Thus full control of the twins was given to him when they were two years old. 2) Michael has had amazing success in denying his wife overnight visits or weekend visits with her children - as well as arbitrarily and illegally cancelling scheduled visits with them. 3) He has succeeded in avoiding court mandated psychiatric tests which would clearly show that there is something seriously wrong. 4) He has succeeded in fighting off Beth's appeals - all the way to the Supreme Court of Austria. 5) He has enjoyed the support not only of the community but also of a number of prominent rabbis - despite protests from rabbis around the world  that a terrible injustice was occurring. 6) This support exists despite a variety of newspaper exposes that have consistently described him in very negative terms - without having his offering one word in his defense. 7) He has done this despite the fact that he has no money and is using a government supplied lawyer - while he has forced Beth to spend a fortune to lawyers and for fees to a government agent every time she sees her kids. 8) He has succeeded in pulling all this off despite not being highly regarded either in his community,  in his profession or personally. 9) He has succeeded in convincing the court that he should have full custody - despite the fact that he has little time for his children and they are being raised by two Filipinos- instead of their loving mother. 10) He has full custody despite the fact that he obviously has significant personal problems such as anger control and has difficulty in relating properly to his children. 11) He has succeeded in maintaining full custody for 3 years despite that the fact that the 5 year old twins are not able to speak full sentences and have other developmental delays. In addition they have apparently not received a proper psychological evaluation for these problem - especially in determine the degree that his relationship to them has caused these problems. 12) Against the law he has succeeded in convincing the twins' school not to tell Beth anything about her children - even when they had a birthday party!

So why isn't Michael smiling?

The answer is that his run of "luck" is reversing. 1) Beth was recently given overnight visits every second week - after three years of only daytime visits. 2) The judge in the case seems to be finally acknowledging that the present arrangement is not optimal for the children and is now giving Beth a chance to show that she deserves to have a greater part in her children's life. 3) The children - while clearly developmentally delayed and showing signs of having a very traumatic existence  - are nevertheless still having a very close and loving relationship with their mother 4) The children still seem to have the potential for growth and recovery from the poor parenting they have had - as long as Beth receives full custody in the near future. 5) Beth - despite all the pressures she has been under including attempts to get her to abandon her children and move back to England - is still optimistic and determined to fight for her children's well being. 6) While Michael clearly has had the problematic Austrian judiciary on his side, it is clear that Beth now has a momentum of  world wide support. It now seems an obtainable goal that in the near future she will - G-d willing - be getting full custody and the ability to return with the twins to England. It also is clear that Michael's obsession with control is in fact destroying his life and that the only pleasure he gets from life is having power over the lives of the twins and Beth. It is urgent for him to relinquish control before all is lost 7) Relative to his potential his career is in shambles.  He left the Wilhelminenl Hospital without being awarded a specialization and he's now working for a few hours a day in a mental hospital. Rather disappointing for him since he had aspired to be a cardiologist. Of course it is not surprising that his career has not advanced when he spends all his energy trying to control and making the lives of Beth and the Twins unpleasant. His victory over Beth has become a tar-baby that is destroying him more than he is destroying others. Michael's victory is truly a Pyrrhic victory.

My advice to Michael is to stop fighting Beth while you still have something to save.


Please say Tehilim #130 everyday for the twins to be freed into Beth's full custody

ספר תהילים פרק קל
א) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְדֹוָד:
ב) אֲדֹנָי שִׁמְעָה בְקוֹלִי תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁבוֹת לְקוֹל תַּחֲנוּנָי:
ג) אִם עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמָר יָהּ אֲדֹנָי מִי יַעֲמֹד:
ד) כִּי עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה לְמַעַן תִּוָּרֵא:
ה) קִוִּיתִי יְדֹוָד קִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי וְלִדְבָרוֹ הוֹחָלְתִּי:
ו) נַפְשִׁי לַאדֹנָי מִשֹּׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר שֹׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר:
ז) יַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל יְדֹוָד כִּי עִם יְדֹוָד הַחֶסֶד וְהַרְבֵּה עִמּוֹ פְדוּת:
ח) וְהוּא יִפְדֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכֹּל עֲוֹנֹתָיו:

NYC Heath Department: Metzitza alert - new cases of herpes

Rivky Stein & Yoel Weiss: Is Rivky an Aguna? She has not responded to offer of Get for 5 days!

See Yoel Weiss offers to give Rivky Stein a Get

Yoel Weiss wrote:

It's been five days [as of July 22] since I went public that I was interested in meeting Rivky Stein at her Beis din. I have not heard a word from Rivky Stein her lawyer the Beis Din her brother Ezra Stein Yossi Bomberger Uziel Frankel everybody got an email.

Is it that hard to get her 3 rabonem who placed me in Cherem. [excommunication] because I supposedly ignored the Beis Din.

As many times I tried, I was unsuccessful to reach those 3 rabonem to arrange a set time for the get. Please urge Rivky and her advisers to invite the 3 Dayanem "Rabbi Chaim Taub ('dayyan') Rabbi David Binyamin Abales ('av bais din') Rabbi Yehoshua Goodman ('dayyan')" at the address cited on their Hazmonos 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234 which is also the same address on the face of the excommunication order, where the excommunication proceeding supposedly took place. ...

Rifky Stein & Yoel Weiss: Yoel announces he will give Rivky a Get day after Tishba Av - but only if her beis din shows up

Important Update Tuesday July 22, 2014 from Yoel Weiss

See Is Rivky Stein an Aguna? She has not responded to offer of Get for 5 days.

 Important Update Sunday July 20, 2014 from Yoel Weiss

To Daas Torah and to Rivky's supporters.

It has come to my attention that Rivky would like to have the get sooner then the day after Tisha Bav Wednesday August 6 2014 at 12pm at noon. I am making a 2nd  public announcement that she can pick a date and time of her choice and that of her  3 rabonem who placed me in Cherem. [excommunication] because I supposedly ignored the Beis Din.

As many times I tried, I was unsuccessful to reach those 3 rabonem to arrange a set time for the get. Please urge Rivky and her advisers to invite the 3 Dayanem "Rabbi Chaim Taub ('dayyan') Rabbi David Binyamin Abales ('av bais din') Rabbi Yehoshua Goodman ('dayyan')" at the address cited on their Hazmonos 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234 which is also the same address on the face of the excommunication order, where the excommunication proceeding supposedly took place. a link  

http://www.redeemrivky.com/uploads/2/3/0/0/23001734/siruv_against_yoel_from_beit_din.pdf 

2nd link http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2014/07/rivky-stein-yoel-weiss-rivkys-first.html 3rd link  

http://www.scribd.com/doc/232311850/Opp-Papers-5-27-14-3-No-Emergency?secret_password=B3mSWTNx6BsIXXvkVCwh

The email address to her Beis Din bdmillbasin@gmail.com

The telephone number to the 347-875-7874

And the address to the Beis Din 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234

Please updated on your Facebook so everybody knows what time to be there

Also you can try reaching or Rivky Stein or Uziel Frankel @ 917-282-4855 He is the one who Created the Beis Din if I don’t hear from any one I will be there at the day after Tisha Bav Wednesday August 6 2014 at 12pm at noon.

  ==================================================
 Just received this announcement 

*****please read*******

 Mill Basin Beis Din overrules Rav Moshe Feinstein

Mill Basin Beis Din - RaP's comments

What is the Mill Basin Beis Din?

=================================================
To Daas Torah and to Rivky's supporters.

Many of you have voiced a one sided opinion on the matter between Rivky Stein and myself, questioning my integrity, taking Rivkys side at face value that, 1) she summonsed me to Beis Din to give her a get. 2) I refused to go to the Beis Din, and 3) I refuse to give the get.

Since Rivky turned her divorce into a public matter, I am announcing publicly that I have full intentions to give Rivky the get. My Choshiva Rav and Dayan, initially advised me to wait till the outcome of the secular proceeding Rivky initiated before I render the get. However, after getting a massive feedback how unfortunate this private matter has risen to a public chillul Hashem berabim of no comparison, the Rav, in a sudden paradigm shift, called me last night, that its more important to dismantle the Chillul Hashem vehicle Rivky and her advisers erected. I therefore wish to share with all Rivkys supporters and admirers, that I intend to provide Rivky Stein with a get the day after Tisha Bav Wednesday August 6 2014

I intend to show up at 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234 the Beis Din Rivky Stein & chose, the very Beis Din who supposedly sent me 3 Hazmonos, which allegedly I ignored. This is also Rivky's Beis Din who placed me in Cherem. [excommunication] because I supposedly ignored the Beis Din. As many times I tired, I was unsuccessful to reach those 3 rabonem to arrange a set time for the get. I therefore make this announcement publicly. Please urge Rivky and her advisers to invite the 3 Dayanem "Rabbi Chaim Taub ('dayyan')  Rabbi David Binyamin Abales ('av bais din')  Rabbi Yehoshua Goodman ('dayyan')" at the address cited on their Hazmonos 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234  which is also the same address on the face of the excommunication order, where the excommunication proceeding supposedly took place.

I intend to show up Bezras Hashem at 12 pm sharp at Rivky' Steins & UZIEL FRANKEL Beis Din located 1278 East 77nd Street  Brooklyn, NY 11234  since these three Rabbonem are not known to anybody but to Rivky Stein and{ Uziel Frankel } , they will need to identify themselves, present proper identification and credentials that they are indeed rabbonem who can handle a get in general.

In light of the fact that Rivky's Steins and{ Uziel Frankel } Beis Din placed me in Cheirem [excommunication] it will require once I appear at the Beis Din that the same rabonem void their excommunication, regardless of the outcome in the get proceeding.

Rivky is now a celebrity, she washed her dirty laundry in the public, its now time to get the laundry to dry up in public. We will make certain to have a media blitz to witness the 3 Rabbonem conduct the get proceeding, and the nullification of the excommunication, which has caused tremendous shame and pain to me and to my entire family.

Rivkys supporters, please come and join the get proceeding at 1278 East 77nd Street  Brooklyn, NY 11234 We intend to serve refreshments to all her supporters, so please don't eat too much, and make sure to dress appropriately not to make a chillul Hashem when you talk to the media.

This is Rivky's only chance to receive her get. If only heavenly permits it, and Rivky and or her 3 rabbonem don't show up at the identified address to except the get, she will need to live the rest of her life without a get. I will obtain a heter mayeh rabbonem and move on.

The Seminary Scandal and Halacha by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

 update - this is a modified version that Rabbi Hoffman gave permission to post

By now, many people are aware of an unfortunate scandal in four of the religious seminaries for women in Israel.

The case was first taken up by the Chicago Beis Din and then handled by Rav Mendel Shafran’s Beis Din in Bnei Brak, Israel. The latter distinguished Beis Din did ensure that the offending party was no longer involved in the education of the seminaries, and declared that the seminary environments were safe.

The Chicago Beis Din still had some serious reservations about how the matter was being handled by the latter.

Generally speaking, when an untoward situation exists, it is necessary to completely “clean house” and ensure that there is absolutely no control or influence of an offending party over students or staff. This would include even being in charge of the building facilities, educational programming, and financial responsibility. It is also necessary to make sure that any new owner not be tied to the offending party in any manner or form. These criterion were not met to the degree that the Chicago Beis felt necessary.

The Rabbonim of the Chicago Beis Din have spent more than three months conducting intensive investigations both here in the United States as well as in Eretz Yisroel. In fact, it held multiple hearings in four different locations. The Rabbonim also interviewed multiple complainants, and numerous other witnesses. They both consulted with mental health professionals and reviewed many documents. These documents included e-mails and text messages. They also heard testimony, including admissions of critical facts, by the defendant.

In the past, we as a Torah community have not been very good at effectively preventing such abuse within our ranks.

There is no question that there are halachic authorities that sanction the past methods of minimal and quiet intervention where we handle all such matters internally. However, experience has shown that this either doesn’t work anymore, or never even worked in the first place.

There are numerous Mitzvos involved in taking decisive action to ensure that future victims are protected. The verse in Parshas Ki Taytzai (Dvarim 22:2) discusses the Mitzvah of Hashavas Aveida – returning an object with the words, “Vahashaivoso lo – and you shall return it to him.” The Gemorah in Sanhedrin (73a) includes within its understanding of these words the obligation of returning “his own life to him as well.” For example, if thieves are threatening to pounce upon him, there is an obligation of “Vahashaivoso lo.” The psychological repercussions that victims develop often causes them to, r”l, ideate suicide and also to abandon Judaism. This can be confirmed with experts in the field.

Lo Saamod Al Dam Rayacha

There is a negative Mitzvah of not standing idly by your brother’s blood as well. This is mentioned both in Shulchan Aruch (CM 426:1) and in the Rambam.

Lo Suchal l’hisalaym

There is yet another negative commandment associated with the positive commandment of Hashavas Aveida, and that is the verse in Dvarim (22:3), “You cannot shut your eyes to it.” This verse comes directly after the Mitzvah of Hashavas Aveidah. The Netziv (HeEmek Sheailah) refers to this Mitzvah as well. We as a community cannot shut our eyes to this type of activity anymore.

V’Chai Achicha Imach

The Sheiltos (Sheilta #37), based upon the Gemorah in Bava Metziah 62a, understands these words to indicate an obligation to save others with you. The Netziv in his He’Emek She’ailah understands it as a full-fledged obligation according to all opinions. He writes that he must exert every effort to save his friend’s life – until it becomes Pikuach Nefesh for himself. Thus, even when faced with intense pressure, it is our communal obligation to stop this type of activity within our midst.

V’Ahavta l’Rayacha Kamocha

The Ramban, Toras haAdam Shaar HaSakana (p42-43) understands the verse of “And love thy neighbor as yourself” as a directive to save him from danger as well. Although he discusses the issue of medical danger, it is clear that this is an example, and it would apply to danger from activities of molestation as well. Even without the Ramban, however, it is clear that defending and protecting someone from danger is a fulfillment of this Mitzvah.

Our Ineffectiveness

The repercussions of our ineffectiveness have led to four very unfortunate situations. It has led to untold suffering on the part of the victims themselves and on the part of other students who have attended these seminaries and now are at a loss because their spiritual guide has fallen. It has also led to a situation where the public has lost much of their trust in their teachers and Rabbis. And finally, it has led to untold suffering and embarrassment for the families of the perpetrators themselves.

The efforts of the Chicago Beis Din, however, with the haskama of leading Gedolim, represent a sea-change in how we are dealing with these types of scandals internally. The Beis Din has handled the situation with a strength and sensitivity that, unfortunately, in the past has been rarely seen.

The growth we have witnessed in how these matters are handled involves a greater sensitivity to the needs of the victims in terms of both closure as well as counseling and a firm commitment to ensure that the situation not repeat itself again. This can only happen if we adopt the idea that “Sunshine is the best disinfectant.”

Which approach is most ideal when dealing with such a horrific topic? Do we follow the lead of the Chicago Beis Din where we need to completely “clean house?” Perhaps the field of Kashrus may be instructive here. In kashrus, when an owner is caught selling tarfus, changing the management is not adequate. Recent events have born that out. Shouldn’t our children be treated with at least as much dignity as our meat?

The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com

Levaya Information for Nissim Carmeli HY”D by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

5TJT.com Hakaras HaTov is a central to our Avodas Hashem. Gedolei Yisroel, among them, Rav Chaim Kaniefsky and Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman have stated that we must all daven for the soldiers that are endangering themselves to protect Klal Yisroel.

Young Nissim Carmeli a”h, a young Texas native who moved to Israel,was among 13 Golani brigade soldiers killed in combat on Sunday morning in the Gaza Strip.

Nissim or Sean Carmeli a”h was a lone soldier whose parents live in the United States. His Levaya will be at 11 p.m. at the military cemetery in Haifa’s Neve David neighborhood. For those who are in Eretz Yisroel, we should express our Hakaras Hatov. by attending. May Hashem bring yeshuos to Klal Yisroel.
 

Arutz 7  Soccer Fans to Flood Lone Soldier's Funeral

In a heartfelt call to fans, the Maccabi Haifa soccer club called on its fans to “do a mitzvah (a good deed) and attend the funeral of fallen IDF soldier Nissim Sean Carmeli, so that his funeral will not be empty.”

The funeral for lone soldier Carmeli, whose parents live in Texas, is set to take place later Monday night, after his parents arrive in Israel.

Carmeli is one of the 13 combat soldiers who were killed in the close fighting at the Battle of Shejaya Saturday night and early Sunday. [...]

In the call to fans, the soccer club said that “Carmeli was a lone soldier, and we don't want his funeral to be empty. Come to his funeral Monday night to pay respects to a man who died so that we could live. This is the least we can do for him and for our nation,” the message said.

update
Arutz 7

Thousands Pay Respects to Fallen Lone Soldier

 Israeli media estimated that anywhere from 12,000 to as many as 20,000 people had heeded Maccabi Haifa’s call and attended the funeral.

Rivky Stein & Yoel Weiss: ORA denies claim they are involved or have verified her beis din

A recent commentator pasted in his comment a quote from Rivky Stein's Facebook page claiming that ORA was involved and supporting them and in addition that ORA had verified the validity of Rivky's Mill Basin Beis Din. In addition the contact information for ORA was given.

I was just asked "for the sake of truth" to remove that comment by a member of ORA who says that ORA is not in fact involved in the case and has not ascertained whether Rivky's Mill Basin Beis din is authentic or not.

While I have my disagreements with ORA concerning halacha and the appropriate tactics - I have found them to be sincere and honest in what they believe to be facts. Therefore I have removed the false statement from my blog - as they requested. 

Another one of Rivky's "facts" that have turned out to be fiction.

Ort family tragedy: When the wife goes to court and not to beis din.

Emes vShalom  To the best of my knowledge the facts presented on this website are accurate and unfortunately true. The husband has been driven from his family and is living in Har Nof while being alienated from his children and stripped of his inheritance and wealth. His wife refuses to go to beis din.

Child abuse: Police say father had legal right to beat up son's molester

A Daytona Beach father beat an 18-year-old man unconscious after finding him sexually abusing his 11-year-old son early Friday morning, police said.

The father called 911 around 1 a.m. after he walked in on the alleged abuse, police said. When officers arrived, they found Raymond Frolander motionless on the living room floor. He had several knots on his face and was bleeding from the mouth.

"He is nice and knocked out on the floor for you," the father told the 911 dispatcher. "I drug him out to the living room."[...]

The father has not been charged with any crime.

"Dad was acting like a dad. I don't see anything we should charge the dad with," Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said. "You have an 18-year-old who has clearly picked his target, groomed his target and had sex with the victim multiple times.

RaP's editorial: The Current Situation in Israel

Guest post by RaP

The Current Situation in Israel:

Why Hamas will lose, and the Jews will win!

It's the Three Weeks and Israel is officially at war. As Shlomo HaMelech says in Koheles, there is a time for peace and a time for war! Perhaps that it has come to war is in itself a sign of the Three Weeks. But this is an unusual situation in Jewish history. The customary perception from a Torah point of view shaped by 2,000 years of Jewish life OUTSIDE of Israel, is not serving as a useful looking glass for what is actually going on INSIDE of Israel today.

Now, in our times, the majority of the world's Jews live in Israel. Israel is the Torah center of the world! It is obviously precious in the eyes of Hashem. Israel is now one of the strongest countries not just in the Middle East but in the world, especially in an Age of Technology that equalizes nations in the Digital Age. Israel is a foremost center of technological innovation and its people and army make full use of that, as one can see in the way the Iron Dome system has created a literal "Star Wars" defensive shield for Israel's people and cities. Truly amazing. Baruch HaShem! The British did not have such a merit when Nazi Germany blitzed them with V-1 and V-2 rockets trying to terrorize the British people and beat them into submission, a strategy adopted directly by the evil brains that drive Hamas in their rocket attacks against the Jews of Israel.

Another great paradox of Jewish history is that while in some way all of Israel is "besieged" by its Arab and Islamic enemies, as in the days of old when the Babylonians and Romans laid siege to ancient Judah and Jerusalem, however the modern-day Jews in Israel successfully hold them at bay and have now unleashed the force of their own army against Hamas to reconquer Gaza yet again.

Indeed these are scary and frightening days, echoes of real Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe) that now also loom, when Jews turn their eyes to and beseech HaKadosh Baruch Hu for the safety of the Jews in Israel, victory and peace, yet something quite obviously different is taking shape in front of our eyes...the Jews will no longer "turn the other cheek" as the meek victims of a 2,000 year old exile, but will react and lead the way against any arrogant enemy.

Torah Jewry in Israel is as Israeli as anyone else is. They also do not "turn the other cheek" to the threats from the secular elements in Israel. In fact, now that that monkey is off their backs for the time being (it may well be the plan -- and punishment -- of Hashem to redirect the attention of the haters of Torah to deal with their own real Arab tormenters and leave the Haredim alone!) as Israel and its army (previously chasing Torah-observant Haredim, now they have to hunt Hamas for real -- THANK YOU HASHEM!!!) as they turn to deal with the Arabs in Gaza and Torah Jewry can get a reprieve and get on with the job of growth in Torah as the greatest zechus (merit) for Israel and all Jews, a spiritual "iron dome" in Hebrew "kippat habarzel" that is actually the "kippat haTorah" and unifying all of it "kippat HaShem" that protects His people!

Hamas's leadership has made a fatal miscalculation. In the olden days of the former USSR they used to think in terms of a "correlation of forces" that if "on balance" there was an opportunity to win, then they went for the kill. This time Hamas's unbridled killer instincts are backfiring on them badly. They have miscalculated. The cold-blooded ruthless uncalled for murder of the three teens unified Israel and unleashed a deep anger that none wanted to be the next family to suffer like the families of three martyrs. The Israeli people came together and for once even the Haredi parts of society prayed as hard and as bitterly for the teens return and then mourned their death. It reached all Jews everywhere in a very deep way and not just in Israel. It was the ultimate "trigger" that launched the Jews' "righteous fight" pushing back against the arrogant Arab onslaught from Gaza. The Gazans dig "attack tunnels" like rats digging for swiss cheese and gold-diggers hunting for "el Dorado" but only their aim is to kill Jews and hurt Israel. That is their perverted "black light at the end of their tunnel". Habo bamachteres (a robber coming through a tunnel) is so dangerous he deserves death according to the Talmud. Some "gold-diggers"! More like gravediggers, and the world media "glorifies" this as if it was something "normal" -- what can one expect from a weirdo crazy media driven by "reality TV" and other such meshugasen! Ignore them, they also have no credibility.

But Israel was still patient, while Hamas unleashed its wave of rocket attacks. Now many of the leaders of Hamas and the Palestinians are issuing a call for the Arabs and the world to "rise up" against the Jews, but all in vain. While immersed in their own fanatical Islamist ideology they have not noticed that the world around has changed radically in the last few years. Iraq and Syria do not exist as nations anymore. They have been sliced up by invasions and civil wars. Egypt's army overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood and put its leaders in jail. Egypt is now a de facto ally of Israel and wants to be rid of the Islamic fundamentalists occupying Gaza. The Jordanians will never dare do anything against Israel. Both Egypt and Jordan have "peace treaties" with Israel that are holding out. In Lebanon it is quiet for now, Hezbola already had its war with Israel and Iran is very far away. Libya's Gadafi after provoking a lifetime of troublemaking and spending on terror is now long gone. The new so-called "ISIS" with its so-called Caliphate Sunni movement is now a perfect foil and counterbalance to the Shiite Iranians who hate them. The Sunni and Shia are killing each other by the tens of thousands! The Gulf States that give Hamas support have no armies and have nothing but oil, same for Saudi Arabia, they are out to preserve the anachronistic monarchical House of Saud, period. The UN is a silly caricature of an organization that none takes seriously. Europe is broke, Germany has been too busy bailing out (read: corporate take over) the "PIIGS" countries ("Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain" -- all impotent and dead broke due to overspending and corruption). Hundreds of thousands of Arabs butcher each other to death in Iraq and Syria, Russia invades Ukraine and they kill each other without mercy, and the UN yawns! Israel decides to wake up and protect its citizens like a "normal" country should and must and the UN jolts up like a drunk from his terminal hangover. It's all a joke to them! Like a toothless weak old dog!

The leading European and Western powers Russia, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States have all basically expressed support for Israel's strong actions against the Gaza Islamist terrorists who if they had their way would launch terror and mayhem as they have all over Europe and in the US on 9/11 and frankly everyone is sick and tired of them and their antics and the dangers they pose. They are about to be defanged and they will have no choice in the procedure. There may be demonstrations on the streets by Arabs but that is not worth a heap of beans because they bullies and are like the boy who cried wolf one time too many. They cannot blow up people and buildings in the West and then expect to be heard when they are taught a lesson in kind. Like the kid who killed his parents and asks the judge for mercy because he is an "orphan"! What goes around comes around they say.

So coming back to the Three Weeks. While it is historically a very dangerous time for the Jewish people, yet in OUR times it is paradoxically a time of great opportunity because the wheels of history, the great Hashgocha guiding the world, is moving the Jewish people into position to build up the land even more, a huge kibbutz galuyos (ingathering of the exiles) in preparation for the imminent coming of Mashiach as all the rabbonim are saying now more than ever, the defeat of Amalek (the Chazal say that any nation that is the prime persecutor of the Jews is the 'Amalek' of that time, "am" plus "lak" = "the nation that 'hits' the Jewish people" = now it's Hamas and its supporters) and the inevitable building of the Third Bais HaMikdosh on the Har HaBayis, bimeheira beyameinu, Amen!

And thus, as the Oral Torah teaches, Tisha Be'Av will no longer be a day of mourning for the past but will be turned into a day of joy and celebration for the present and the future! Venahafoch hu, it will be turned around from a day of terror to a day of rejoicing over the defeat of the enemies of the Jews and the inevitable ultimate victory of Torah over all forms of darkness.

Chicago Beis Din's advisory against Meisel's Seminaries - still in effect

There has been some discussion regarding the apparent disparity between the advisory of the Chicago Beis Din and the announcement of the Israeli Beis Din. In particular are these seminaries to be avoided for the time being?

See Rabbi Yair Hoffman's  The seminary scandal and halacha

The Chicago Beis Din issued an advisory not to be associated with these seminaries  July 10, 2013.

"Based on the testimony and documents received by the Beis Din, including testimony by the claimants and by Elimelech Meisels, the Beis Din beleives that students in these seminaries are at risk of harm and it does not recommend that prospective students attend these seminaries at this time."

However the Israeli Beis Din on July 13, 2013 said  that the matter is fully under control  (my translation)

In light of the above facts, there is no reason to refrain from sending girls to study in these seminaries or that students already there shouldn't remain. It can be presumed that the well trained staff will continue doing their job in a professional manner and that they will properly educate their students.

Some have reconciled the two statements by saying that the Israeli Beis Din announcement came after that of the Chicago Beis Din and supercedes it. Which could be understood from the statement of the Chicago Beis Din itself.

"Because these institutions and Mr. Meisels are located in Israel andnot the United States, a distinguished Israeli beis din consisting of Rabbis Menachem Mendel Shafran, Chaim Malinowitz, and Tzvi Gartner has assumed responsiblity for this matter."

 However the following letter posted on Frum Follies clearly indicates that the advisory is still in effect for the time being and that there is apparently a difference of opinion between the two beis dins as to whether students should stay away from these seminaries for the time being.

Hebrew Theological College
7135 N. Carpenter Rd.
Skokie, IL 60077
Voice:
Fax: 847-745-0200

7/14/2014

Dear xxxxxx,

In response to the decision of the Chicago Special Beis Din regarding Pninim, Binas Bais Yaakov, Chedvas Bais Yaakov and Keser Chaya seminaries, HTC is currently reviewing the status of these programs with our college. Meanwhile, we request that you send us the signed IEP Participation Agreement (see attached) and $1,500 Program fee by the July 31, 2014 deadline if you have not yet done so. We will not deposit any checks or run any credit card payments unless we determine that our affiliation with these seminaries will continue for the 2014-15 school year. If your program fee has already been deposited, please be assured that if the decision is ultimately made to suspend our affiliation with these seminaries, we will fully refund your payment.

Further communication will be forthcoming as soon as information is available.

Rabbi Shmuel L. Schuman
Interim Chancellor
Hebrew Theological College