39 Brooklyn yeshivos have been sued for not providing a useful secular education: Naftuli Moster of Yaffed says city is dragging its feet

Chaim Levin & report card - NY Times

Update: Just added a post dealing directly with the  Importance of secular studies

 update: added the original complaint
NY Times  A group representing parents and former students at ultra-Orthodox yeshivas accused the de Blasio administration on Wednesday of dragging its feet in investigating their schools, out of fear of alienating a constituency that the mayor has assiduously courted.

In July, 52 parents, former students and former teachers sent a letter to New York City’s Education Department saying that 39 yeshivas were violating state law by not providing students, particularly boys, an adequate education in secular subjects like English, math and science. The Education Department said then that it would conduct an investigation of the yeshivas, located in Brooklyn and Queens.

But on Wednesday, the group behind the letter held a news conference in front of City Hall to express its frustration with the lack of any apparent progress in the investigation.

“It’s eight months later, and there’s no sign of a serious investigation taking place,” Naftuli Moster, the leader of the group, Young Advocates for Fair Education, said. “In fact, all indications are that the D.O.E. is just stalling us. In the meantime, tens of thousands of boys — we estimate around 30,000 — are not getting a basic education.”

update

   Parent Doe v the State of New York 

The group’s lawyer, Norman Siegel, a longtime advocate for civil liberties, said he believed the reason the investigation was stalled was that city officials did not want to cross ultra-Orthodox leaders. [...]

Chaim Levin, 26, who attended the news conference, said that when he was a child, his yeshiva, Oholei Torah in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, offered no English education at all. He showed his third-grade report card, which listed marks in prayer, the study of Torah and Talmud, Hebrew spelling, penmanship, Yiddish and Jewish history. He said he was now in his second semester of college and was hoping to become a lawyer, but that he was dreading having to take a math class, because he had never learned algebra.[...]


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Yaffed

YAFFED is an advocacy group committed to improving educational curricula within ultra-Orthodox schools because we fervently believe that every child is entitled to a fair and equitable education. Our work involves raising awareness about the importance of general studies education, and encouraging the leadership of the ultra-Orthodox world to act responsibly in preparing their youth for economic sufficiency and for broad access to the resources of the modern world.

We encourage compliance with relevant state guidelines for education while maintaining respect for the primacy of Judaic studies and the unique cultural and religious values of the ultra-Orthodox community. Our mission is to ensure that all students receive the critical tools and skillsets needed for long-term personal growth and self-sufficient futures.

FBI probe finds NYPD traded services for Super Bowl tickets, luxe trips

 Rechnitz, Banks & Reichberg

 UPDATE: NY Times   Jona S. Rechnitz, the scion of a wealthy Los Angeles family, came to New York City about a decade ago to make his mark in real estate and philanthropy. A brash young man eager to fund philanthropic causes, he cultivated connections with the Police Department — posing with top officials, and once arranging for police bagpipes at a party — and became a fixture at fund-raising events for Mayor Bill de Blasio.

Jeremiah Reichberg came from the more cloistered world of Borough Park, Brooklyn, an Orthodox Jewish enclave where he was a familiar presence, even if his private life and business dealings were not well known. He ran a consulting firm, and hosted Mr. de Blasio to great fanfare at his home in 2014 for a fund-raising event.

Mr. Rechnitz and Mr. Reichberg became close, appearing together at public and private events, and serving on Mr. de Blasio’s inauguration committee — an honor bestowed on the famous, like the writer Junot Díaz and the actor Steve Buscemi, and on lavish givers. In recent weeks, they have become the fulcrum of a sprawling federal corruption investigation into the mayor’s fund-raising activities and the actions of police commanders.

The federal inquiry, which began in 2013, has laid bare the city’s nexus of political influence and campaign donations, dormant for a decade during the administration of the billionaire Michael R. Bloomberg, as well as the world of those men, like Mr. Rechnitz and Mr. Reichberg, who sidle up to police officials as a kind of informal currency. The two men — neither of whom has been charged with a crime — appeared to take great pride in the closeness with which they spoke to senior commanders, including Philip Banks III, formerly the third-highest ranking chief, who has come under scrutiny as part of the federal inquiry.

So far, four top police officials have been censured, and the inquiry has derailed what had been a high point for the mayor after the passage of his affordable housing plan last month.

On Monday, Mr. de Blasio faced repeated questions over his connections to Mr. Rechnitz and Mr. Reichberg and what they might have gained from funneling tens of thousands of dollars into the mayor’s advocacy efforts and campaign coffers. He said it would be the last time he answered questions about the men. [...]


NY Post  The gifts were lavish — Super Bowl tickets and vacations to China and London.

The favors were troubling — using NYPD cops to provide security for private cash and jewelry deliveries and police escorts for funerals and airport trips to transfer bodies to Israel.

New details emerged Tuesday in the FBI’s corruption investigation into the police department, including how deep-pocketed businessmen who were the original targets of the probe sought out high-ranking members who they knew could “get things done for them,” sources told The Post.

“They don’t go to police officers or detectives. They’re too far down the food chain,’’ a law enforcement source said of the politically connected businessmen.

“They go straight to the top: the [commanding officer], lieutenants and other top officials at the precinct,” the source added. “They get things done for them. All they need to do is make a call.”

The favors ranged from getting police escorts for their own business deliveries, to crowd control during Hasidic weddings, and even receiving special security when Torahs are moved, according to sources. [...]

The suspected corruption surfaced during a separate financial investigation into Mayor Bill de Blasio cronies Jona Rechnitz, an Upper West Side real estate powerhouse, and Jeremy Reichberg, a prominent figure in Borough Park, Brooklyn, the sources said.

Wiretaps on the two men raised red flags because there were so many phone calls to and from cops, sources said.

“When it’s replayed, it might not sound good,’’ a source said of the wiretaps, explaining that they involve one of the businessmen making requests and the cops saying they’ll take care of it, although it’s unclear if any criminal conduct occurred.[...]

Ben Brafman, Banks’ lawyer, said Tuesday, “It does not appear that Mr. Banks, either while employed by the New York City Police Department or after he retired, was involved in any intentional criminal conduct.”[...]

2,500 victims of binary options fraud to sue in London: Many of the scammers are alleged to have ties to Israel

Times of Israel

International lawyer Gabriele Giambrone last week sent a letter to Israel’s Justice Ministry informing it that his firm represents 2,500 clients allegedly defrauded by binary options and forex companies. Many of these companies operate from Israel, he wrote, and pleaded for Israel’s help in bringing them to justice. 

The Israeli regulatory and enforcement authorities have so far failed to take any action,” the London-based lawyer wrote in the April 5 letter, “despite the widespread knowledge of where these companies are based, which offices they are operating from and who are the individuals behind it. It appears that none of the regulators are interested, so investor protection falls down the chasm between the net.” 

In fact, as The Times of Israel reported last month, for almost a decade Israel has played host to the activity of an online trading industry, a great deal of it fraudulent, that has fleeced hundreds of millions of dollars, possibly billions, from hundreds of thousands of customers globally, while Israeli authorities have opted to look the other way. [...]

What happens if not just a handful of Arab clients, but thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands, realize they were defrauded by people calling from Israel?

“It’s certainly not good for Israel,” said Gadi Wolfsfeld, a professor of political communication and hasbara (public diplomacy) at IDC-Herzliya. However, he added, from a diplomatic point of view, most Jews and Arabs think whatever they think about the (Israeli-Arab) conflict and a single event will not change those views over the long term. [...]

For his part, Giambrone said that the fact that so much alleged fraud is being traced to Israeli individuals is “putting a bad light on Israeli industry worldwide.”

“Israel used to be known as the startup nation,” he said. “Now its reputation is being tainted by the fact that there are a number of crooks using Israeli IT ability to create very pretty fake websites, using SEO (search engine optimization) and Google to target victims into thinking they are doing legitimate trading.”

Giambrone said that aside from salaries, he believes much of the ill-gotten gains of fraudulent forex and binary options companies never enters Israel but is siphoned to offshore companies.

Mendel Epstein: Videos of evidence regarding torture to obtain Get

Crime Watch Daily

It's certainly not the first time that New York's been cursed by mob violence. But a current plague of beatdowns and intimidation is festering in a place you wouldn't expect: the orthodox Jewish community, a society that operates outside of the mainstream and lives by its own rules and laws.

One of those laws most controversial to outsiders? An orthodox woman can be granted a divorce only when her husband allows it. She has to convince him to sign a document called a "get" to release her from marital vows. A vindictive husband can use it to make life for his ex-wife miserable.

"Without a 'get,' she's a chained woman," said Robert Stahl, attorney for Rabbi Mendel Epstein. "She is not allowed in the orthodox community to date, to remarry. If she did, her children would be considered 'mamzers,' which means, basically, bastards."

Community pressure or a stern letter from a rabbi will usually get a husband to come around. When those tactics don't work, there are other solutions, and they come right out of the bloodiest books of the Old Testament.

It's called a "forced get," and it can range from simple scare tactics to heartless violence.

And there's one man who can arrange it all for you: Rabbi Mendel Epstein, a respected religious leader and advocate for women in Jewish courts. And he's more than happy to help a client whose sister has a deadbeat husband.

The good rabbi will provide another service, if you know what to ask for.

"You understand what we're talking about is some strategic planning, you know, using a nice word," Epstein says on a recording made by two undercover FBI agents.

First comes a formal sit-down in Epstein's office. But when Epstein talks about getting the divorce signed, he sounds less like a rabbi and more like a mob boss.

His "get" process is simple.

"I don't want to use secular terms, but what we're doing is basically kidnapping the guy for a couple of hours, beating him up and torturing him and then getting you the get," Epstein says on a recording.

"Now understand, you're lying with a plastic bag around your head, a minute ago you were standing like a normal person. That's fright," Epstein says on the recording. "For 80 percent of the guys, it's over right there. Now you do what we tell you, or it's gonna get worse."

At sentencing, Epstein tells the judge: "I guess I got caught up in my tough-guy image."

"Rabbi Epstein and his family are some of the most loyal, compassionate, smart, caring, community-minded individuals I have ever met," said attorney Robert Stahl. "He was coming from a position of what is good and what is right and what is noble and perhaps it went a little bit too far."

But prosecutors claim the rabbi earned his title as "The Prodfather."

V'higadeta L'bincha (Shemos 13:8): The Haggadah as a Tool for Educating Our Children?

I was discussing the mitzva of chinuch (education) on Shabbos. The statement was made that Pesach is the epitome of the process of chinuch where we are required to perpetuate the Mesorah regarding the redemption from Egypt. Everyone agreed that the verse of  V'higadeta L'bincha is a command to teach your children about the events of Egypt. That is why there is the discussion in the Hagadda about four sons - each of whom needs to be taught in a unique way with a sensitivity to his ability to grasp and digest what is being told him. Right?

See for example these words of Rav Mordechai Willig

Or these from Hamodia

However this is clearly not true according to my understanding of the Sefer Chinuch. 

Please look at the Chinuch  and explain how his explanation about the mitzva reflects that it is a concern with the father passing the mesora on to his children i.e. that the focus is on influencing the children.

ספר החינוך - מצוה כא

מצות סיפור יציאת מצרים:

לספר בענין יציאת מצרים בליל חמשה עשר בניסן כל אחד כפי צחות לשונו, ולהלל ולשבח השם יתברך על כל הנסים שעשה לנו שם, שנאמר [שמות י"ג, ח'] והגדת לבנך וגו'. וכבר פירשו הכמים דמצות הגדה זו היא בליל חמשה עשר בניסן בשעת אכילת מצה, ומה שאמר הכתרב לבנך, דלאו דוקא בנו, אלא אפילו עם כל בריה:

וענין המצוה, שיזכור הניסים והענינים שאירעו לאבותינו ביציאת מצרים, ואיך לקח האל יתברך נקמתינו מהן. ואפילו בינו לבין עצמו, אם אין שם אהרים, חייב להוציא הדברים בפיו כדי שיתעורר לבו בדבר, כי בדבור יתעורר הלב:

משרשי מצוה זו, מה שכתוב בקרבן הפסח. ואין מן התימה אם באו לנו מצוות רבות על זה, מצוות עשה ומצוות לא תעשה, כי הוא יסוד גדול ועמוד חזק בתורתנו ובאמונתנו. ועל כן אנו אומרים לעולם בברכותינו ובתפלותינו זכר ליציאת מצרים, לפי שהוא לנו אות ומופת גמור בחידוש העולם, וכי יש אלוה קדמון הפץ ויכול, פועל כל הנמצאות אל היש שהם עליו, ובידו לשנותם אל היש שיחפוץ בכל זמן מן הזמנים, כמו שעשה במצרים ששינה טבעי העולם בשבילנו, ועשה לנו אותות מחודשים גדולים ועצומים, הלא זה משתק כל כופר בחידוש העולם, ומקיים האמונה בידיעת השם יתברך, וכי השגהתו ויכלתו בכללים ובפרטים כולם:

He is one of Israel's top soldiers, but to his friends he is a traitor

Jewish Chronicle

Israel's highest-ranking Muslim soldier has described how he endeavours to make his service a source of pride to his father, despite many treating him as a traitor.

Growing up in the village of Reineh in the Galilee - where many believe he has betrayed Arab-Israelis - Major Alaa Waheeb said he never imagined he would be part of the Israeli Defence Forces, let alone go on to become its most-decorated Muslim. 

The major was speaking while in Britain for a tour of communities organised by the grassroots group Zionist Federation.

But the soldier, who has served as a platoon commander and was an operations officer in the Gaza brigade during the disengagement in 2005, could not even speak Hebrew until he was 18. [..]

He admitted that when he first joined the IDF, he was "very hesitant" about fighting Arabs, especially as people in his village would ask: "Are you going to kill and murder Arab people, because this is what the IDF is doing, isn't it?"

The major said he "understood where this question comes from, because these Arabs in Gaza and Lebanon are relatives of people who live in my village," but said that when it came down to it, "I had no special feelings.

"Those are my enemies as well. If someone is firing rockets from Gaza, they may be an Arab, but their rocket can hit my house as well.

"Slowly but surely I began to fall in love with the people in my unit. My life never felt like it was less important than their lives. We became brothers in arms. I am happy with that, because every moment of co-operation between Israeli-Arabs and Israeli Jews reduces the risk of war, and makes the chances for peace higher."[...]

For Orthodox Jews, a Different Kind of Prenup

Wall Street Journal

The halachic prenup—which dates back decades and has been championed by the Beth Din of America, the U.S.’s biggest rabbinical court—has gone mainstream in some circles as a mechanism to avoid the messy, sometimes abusive situations that advocates say can arise as divorce becomes more common in the Orthodox Jewish community.

The prenup serves to reduce the incidence of agunot, a Hebrew term for women who remain married against their will. Orthodox Jewish couples need to both civilly and religiously divorce, and only men have the power to grant the religious divorce, called a “get.”

A husband’s refusal to grant a get is part of a pattern often common in domestic-abuse situations because it is an assertion of power and control over his wife, with economic and social ramifications that are unique to Orthodox communities, said Orly Kusher, an attorney at Sanctuary for Families, a New York-based advocacy group for domestic-violence victims. She leads the group’s new legal-services program focused on agunot.

In situations where women are refused a get, Ms. Kusher said, they are often not allowed to participate in religious ceremonies, and can be denied access to shared finances and to children. The women are sometimes ostracized from the larger Orthodox community, she added, their reputations damaged and religiosity called into question.

“It can be tough on their children,” Ms. Kushner said, “because when they approach the age when they are getting married, they are seen as damaged goods.”

Over 15 years of serving domestic-abuse victims, Shoshannah Frydman, a social worker and clinical director of family violence and social services at New York’s Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, said she has seen an increasing number of Orthodox Jewish women coming to her agency seeking help and who are often unable to obtain a get. 

Most notable, she said, is the change in demographics. Years ago, her clients were in their 50s and 60s, with children who were also married. Now, she said, more of her clients are in their 20s and 30s, with one or two young children. “That is very significant because it means there is more awareness in the community,” Ms. Frydman said.

The drive toward more women seeking help, advocates and rabbis say, is partly a reaction to modern times. It used to be that communities were bound by geography, with limited mobility and strong rabbinical courts. Under those circumstances, a man refusing a get would be ostracized.

Now, to pressure a man withholding a get, people and organizations take to Twitter and Facebook, hold protests at his home or submit his name to a list published in the Jewish Press, an independent weekly newspaper.[...]

Rabbi Jeremy Stern, executive director of the Organization for the Resolution of Agunot, said his group is currently aiding about 70 women who have been working for years toward a get. Because of that, the organization has raised awareness about prenups and postnups at high schools, colleges and synagogues, even hosting postnup-signing parties. In the past 12 months, 125 prenups and postnups have been included in a registry, up from 48 from the previous 12 months, he said.

“We are very, very strong advocates of the Jewish prenuptial agreement,” said Rabbi Stern, “and we are looking to go out of business by standardizing its use.”

As Pennsylvania Confronts Clergy Sex Abuse, Victims and Lawmakers Act

NY Times

By the age of 12, Maureen Powers, the daughter of a professor at the local Roman Catholic university, played the organ in the magnificent hilltop Catholic basilica here and volunteered in the parish office. But, she said, she was hiding a secret: Her priest sexually abused her for two years, telling her it was for the purpose of “research.”

By her high school years, she felt so tied up in knots of betrayal and shame that she confided in a succession of priests. She said the first tried to take advantage of her sexually, the second suggested she comfort herself with a daily candy bar and the third told her to see a counselor. None of them reported the abuse to the authorities or mentioned that she could take that step.

So when a Pennsylvania grand jury revealed in a report in March that the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, which includes Loretto, engaged in an extensive cover-up of abuse by as many as 50 church officials, Ms. Powers, now 67, decided to finally report her case. She called the office of the state attorney general and recounted her story, including the name of her abuser, a prominent monsignor who was not listed in the grand jury report.

“I just felt like now, someone will believe me,” said Ms. Powers, who retired after 30 years in leadership positions at the Y.W.C.A. in Lancaster, Pa.

She was not alone. Ms. Powers was among more than 250 abuse survivors and tipsters who called a hotline set up by the Pennsylvania attorney general, Kathleen G. Kane. Twenty agents were needed to answer the phones, and a voice mailbox was set up to handle the overflow.

Nearly 15 years after Boston suffered through a clergy abuse scandal dramatized in the recent movie “Spotlight,” Pennsylvania is going through its own painful reckoning. From the State Capitol in Harrisburg to kitchens in railroad towns, people say they have been stunned to read evidence that priests they knew as pastors, teachers and confessors were secretly abusing children — findings the grand jury report called “staggering and sobering.” Victims are coming forward for the first time to family and friends, and alumni of parochial schools are pulling out their yearbooks, marveling at how smiling faces hid such pain.

Multiplying the outrage, the grand jury report supplied evidence that the police, district attorneys and judges in the Altoona and Johnstown area colluded with bishops in the cover-up, quashing the pleas of parents who tried to blow the whistle on priests who sexually abused children. Some of those officials are named in the report, and some still hold public office. [...]

The legislator leading the charge to extend the statute of limitations is State Representative Mark Rozzi, a Democrat from Berks County. Still boyish at 44, he is haunted by memories of being raped by a priest in middle school — a priest he later learned went on to sexually abuse some of his friends. He said he decided to run for office in 2013 after the second of those friends committed suicide. On Good Friday a year ago, a third friend also took his own life.

“If I had spoken up when I was 13 or 14, I probably could have saved a lot of my friends. I feel a lot of guilt,” Mr. Rozzi said. “I came here to do this.”

He did not speak about his abuse until he was 39, and since then he has not stopped. He ran for office campaigning to change the statute of limitations, which imposes deadlines on when victims can bring civil suits or prosecutors can press charges. Victims of child sexual abuse in Pennsylvania can file civil suits until they turn 30, and criminal cases until they are 50. [...]

"No-Brainer" For Orthodox Jewish Voters: Ted Cruz!! By, Rabbi Shloime Pollak

Guest Post [this post reflects only the view of Rabbi Pollak - will publish articles supporting other candidates as well]

Ted Cruz is simply the best- by far - on our top two issues: Israel’s security, and school choice.

We send politicians and "Shtadlanim" (special pleaders/lobbyists) to Washington and state capitals with the hope that they will advocate on our behalf. We hope they can lobby the powers-that-be, to be sensitive to our community's concerns......imagine having a President, that unapologetically advocates for our values......himself!!

Foreign Policy: Israel

The most concerning foreign policy issue to our community- and it's not even close- is the safety and security of our brothers and sisters, "the six million Jews" living in Eretz Yisrael.

Caroline Glick has publicly stated, that Israel has no greater friend than Senator Ted Cruz. That is an understatement. Senator Cruz has been defending and FIGHTING against Israel’s many mortal enemies for a very long time.

A Cruz Presidency would be the most pro-Israel presidency IN HISTORY. Do you think that this is an exaggeration? You won't, after you hear what happened, when newly elected Senator Ted Cruz was invited to give the keynote address at the Gala-dinner in Washington D.C....  

"In Defense of Christians"- is a non-profit group created to raise awareness of the plight of Christians in the middle east at the hands of Muslims. They invited the freshly elected, outspoken, and articulate Senator, to be their main speaker. As a devout Evangelical Christian, and a passionate voice for his Christian brethren the world over, Cruz was a perfect choice, and the Senator accepted. Cruz would later say, that he had been informed on the day of the dinner, that there will be Jew haters at the event...... Did he temper his remarks, or pander to the audience, like any politician would? NO!...

“Tonight”, began Cruz, “we are all united in defense of Christians. Tonight, we are all united in defense of JEWS." Boos began.... Did that stop the courageous LEADER? of course not!!... Two sentences later Ted Cruz announced in no uncertain terms, “Christians have no greater ally than Israel.” The boos resumed as did cries of “just stop it!!!"......

Calmly, the statesman paused collecting his thoughts, and without a hint of anger or trace of confrontation said, “If you will not stand with Israel and the Jewish people, then I will not stand with you. Good Night and G-d bless you.” Cruz, then, smiled, waved to crowd and walked off the stage!!!

Had Senator Cruz been just another "pro-Israel" politician, he would have rationalized, that the dinner was about an important issue, and simply refrained from mentioning the two words that drove those anti-Semitic bigots crazy [Jews and Israel] ...BUT NOT CRUZ! If you don't stand with the freedom loving Jews of Israel, Senator Cruz wants to have nothing to do with you!

Lest you think this was some publicity stunt, on behalf of the Senator to garner Jewish votes, consider the way this story was reported at the time (and is still reported as such, online) "Cruz Gets Booed Off Stage"!! It was treated as a great humiliation and failure on Cruz's part, and he wasn't given any credit in the media for being principled, and standing up for an ally- The State of Israel... But, WE must recognize that we truly have a one-of-a-kind friend, in Senator Ted Cruz.

In his short time in the Senate, Cruz led many efforts on Israel's behalf. He successfully led the effort to cancel Obama's anti-Semitic travel ban, during the Gaza war. He also shone a bright light on the plight of the three kidnapped Kedoshim by giving an impassioned speech on the floor of the senate next to a big picture of the three of them. Most critically, against the catastrophic Iranian "deal", there is not one person- Jew or Gentile- that has worked, advocated, campaigned, or argued as much as Cruz has...

As for promises for the future, Cruz has given his word- which has so far been as good as gold-to rip-up the Iranian "deal", and to move the US embassy to Jerusalem, on his FIRST day as President. He also intends to defund Universities that engage in BDS, and prosecute those engaged in illegal boycotts. Most importantly, for the first time since Oslo in the mid 90's, President Cruz will not impose on Israel a commitment to the failed "Two State Solution".

To put it in perspective, here are the current candidates for President-all self-proclaimed "Pro-Israel"- and where they stand relative to past Presidents’ relationship to Israel...

-Bernie Sanders & Hillary Clinton = Barak Obama......biased towards the "poor Hamas killers".

-Donald Trump = Bill Clinton......neutral, and evenhanded and very susceptible to bullying the more reasonable and peace loving side -Israel.

-Kasich (Rubio, mainline GOP) = George W. Bush......biased towards Israel, but easily distracted or overridden by other regional concerns.

-Ted Cruz= A class of his own......committed to the safety and viability of the State of Israel.

For those of you, considering supporting Trump, and ignoring his very troubling statements regarding Israel, because "Trump's daughter, and her family are Jewish, so Trump will certainlybe good towards Israel".... don't forget that Hillary's [ONLY] daughter is also married to a Jewish boy, and Senator Bernie Sanders is HIMSELF a Jew from Brooklyn!!!

Domestic Policy: School Choice

Our community is uniquely effected by the ongoing debate nationwide between the public school system, and empowering the parents to send their children to a school of their choosing. Senator Cruz's oft-repeated cry, that "school choice is the civil rights issue of this generation", can potentially SAVE - financially - our struggling families......

With public school absolutely off the table in the Orthodox community, every family is forced to pay tuition to educate our typically large families. In effect, we are all essentially being double taxed. We pay taxes to educate our neighbors' children in public schools, and then pay again, in the form of tuition, for our large families.

For years, we have understood, that if only every parent would receive a "voucher" to pay tuition to the school of their choice, almost everyone will be happy. Those of us inclined to send to private schools, would be able to do so in an affordable way. For the public in general, the free market would dramatically improve academic levels and equally as dramatic, drive down the cost.

A President Cruz, that is an ardent supporter of school choice, can help arguably the three most vulnerable among us; the Yungerleit/young families (haven't secured themselves financially), the large families (drowning in tuition bills), and the Yeshivas and their supporters (unable to recover all the tuition owed/ unable to cover the collection costs).

It is also important to realize that, free market principles are an integral part of Cruz’s worldview, he isn't "pandering" (telling a group of voters what they want to hear) to Orthodox Jewish voters. In fact, Ted Cruz, unlike Trump, DOES NOT pander. So when Donald Trump was promising Iowa farmers that he will force Americans to buy their corn for ethanol/gas, Ted Cruz did not tell that powerful interest what they wanted to hear. Senator Cruz also does not try to sound like something he is not. Trump cynically tries to fool the voters that he is a religious guy, and very pro-life, and then ends up embarrassing himself when his ignorance is exposed in public.

Why is this so important? Simple. When a politician is pandering to a specific group, even if hewas inclined to keep that promise, he would only be doing so, to curry favor from that group. The politician will easily change his mind, when a more powerful group with an opposing viewpoint, comes along, and the he wants to "pander" to them... (for example, in the case of school choice, the powerful teacher's union is dead-set against it). Ted isn't pandering, so his intentions won't be easily overridden. Couple that with his perfect record on keeping his word, and we are in business!

Cruz's unshakable support for Israel is also not a nod to the pro-Israel lobby. It flows from a firm belief in fairness and rule of law, and the commitment to friends and allies.

So, even if you don't feel like you are working for the federal government for three months a year, and you don't care for Ted Cruz’s 10% flat tax....and even if your insurance premiums didn't double under Obamacare (or you are on Medicare) ....and even if your deductibles didn’t skyrocket in the last few years.... Ted Cruz should still be your choice!

For the first time that any of us can remember, the Primaries in New York and New Jersey are consequential. Let us show our gratitude to Ted, for his unwavering support of the State of Israel. Cruz can, and B’ezras Hashem will, win this race. Let us do our “hishtadlus” to make it happen. Additionally, an outpouring of support from our community, will certainly shape the cost-benefit analysis for other politicians too, to be more positive towards Israel....

In your states primary, vote for Cruz like your life depends on it.... because your brothers' and sisters' probably does.

Important Shatnez announcement

Dear friend,

Hope all is well. 

I would like to share with you the details pertaining to the attached important Shatnez alert.

 

Recently, a woolen car coat with the brand name Baggio, was purchased at a popular Brooklyn retail store. Unbeknown to the customer, the car coat model # M23 contained linen taper reinforcements (shown below) thereby making it Shatnez. 

However, the content label attached to the coat stated clearly, "no linen inside". Additionally, he was advised by a close acquaintance that Shatnez testing on all Baggio garments is both superfluous and redundant as they are all "pre-checked". 

Nevertheless, being a cautious consumer, he did not rely on the information supplied by either the label or his close acquaintance. He brought his new woolen car coat to the Boro Park Shatnez Laboratory for testing. Rabbi Daniel Gurwitz, the director of the laboratory, discovered the linen reinforcements after a careful and thorough laboratory testing. Another car coat at the same retail store with the same model number, was subsequently found to contain the same type of Shatnez.

The Boro Park and Flatbush Shatnez Laboratories are therefore recalling all Baggio brand woolen car coats model #  M23 purchased from the Fall of 2014, including those that have already been tested. 

Unfortunately, this incident involving Baggio garments is part of a pattern.  Baggio woolen garments with content labels stating that they do not contain linen and sold by salespersons claiming they are pre-checked, have been found to contain Shatnez in the past. This has been documented with both men's and children's garments since 2004. Click here and here for links to Shatnez notices that addressed recent incidents of Shatnez in Baggio garments.

Regretfully, many garment consumers  continue to trust the Baggio label and faithfully rely on the assurances furnished by Baggio's salespersons. Consequently, a significant number of these seemingly negligent consumers unknowingly fall victim to actually donning Shatnez. Vaad L'Mishmeres Shatnez has spoken to the family of one of these Baggio victims.

Attached is a consumer alert regarding the current incident. You may also access it by clicking here. This alert does remind the consumer regarding the vital importance of having his woolen garments tested at a qualified Shatnez laboratory, regardless to what a label suggests. Please publicize, as you may be saving someone from wearing Shatnez.

If one has numerous untested Baggio and/or other woolen or linen garments, a Shatnez house call is strongly recommended. Please call Vaad L'Mishmeres Shatnez @ 1.877.4.SHATNEZ for more information.

Thank you very much,

Rabbi Moshe Bresler

Vaad L'Mishmeres Shatnez

1-877-4-SHATNEZ

R Shmuel Kaminetsky- welcomed with open arms by Rav Steinman and Rav Kaniefsky after publicly disowning the Kaminetsky-Greenblatt heter

It looks like Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky and his son have gotten away with the equivalent of halachic murder as well as the betrayal of Tamar Epstein and Adam Fleisher whom they encouraged to marry with a phony heter. The betrayal also extends to Rav Nota Greenblatt whom they persuaded to give the heter with a false psychiatric report and who now remains standing with the bag of smelly garbage and the contempt of rabbis around the world. Rav Shmuel is being viewed as a tzadik for his retraction - despite the fact that he has not apologized for the horrible slander against the first husband as well as the corruption of the halachic process. 

In short - the gedolim are sighing a sigh of relief after finding a modest fig leaf to welcome him back.

http://www.kikar.co.il/196270.html#

My rough translation:

Rav Kaminetsky has rejected the Heter and visited gedolim in Israel

The rosh yeshiva of Philadelphia recently announced that he was rejecting the Heter to annul a marriage and the woman is in fact still married to the first husband. Following this he visited today Rav Steinman and Rav Kaniefsky.

After a long time of turmoil and halachic discussion in Israel and the rest of the world concerning the bitul kiddushin in America - Rav Kaminetsky announced last week that he was retracting his support for the heter that he had given to annul the marriage. He said did this because he was accepting the psak of Rav Dovid Feinstein that the heter was worthless ...

Thus he joined the view of poskim and gedolim around the world that there was absolutely no validity to the heter. The most important ones being Rav Chaim Kaniefsky and Rav Moshe Sternbuch and Rav Malkiel Kotler who had written sharp words against the Heter.

As a consequence of his retraction in this matter he was able to have a private audience today in the homes of gedolim in Bnei Brak including Rav Kaniefsky, Rav Steinman and Rav Eidelstein

It should be noted that by relying on this heter it has created a terrible problem for the woman who remarried based on it because she is still married to the first husband. However all indications are that the woman is still remaining with her second husband - relying on the heter that had been given to her by Rav Nota Greenblatt  that the first marriage never existed - and he is still holding that the heter is valid.

הגר"ש קמינצקי חזר בו מההיתר וביקר אצל גדולי ישראל

ראש ישיבת פלדלפיה הגאון רבי שמואל קמינצק, הודיע לאחרונה כי הוא חוזר בו מההיתר להפקעת הקידושין וכי האישה אשת איש, בעקבות זאת ביקר היום אצל מרנן הגראי"ל והגר"ח (חדשות חרדים)

סערת ביטול הקידושין בארה"ב ממשיכה להסעיר את הציבור החרדי בארץ ובתפוצות. לאחר תקופה ארוכה של דין ודברים ומשא ומתן הלכתי ארוך, הודיע בשבוע שעבר הגאון הגדול הגר"ש קמינצקי ראש ישיבת פלדילפיה וממנהיגי היהדות החרדית באמריקה, כי הוא חוזר בו מההיתר שנתן לאשה לבטל את הקידושין וכי הוא סומך את ידו על פסק ההלכה של הגאון רבי דוד פיינשטיין הסובר כמו כלל גדולי ישראל שהקידושין תקפים והביטול לא חל.

במכתבו כותב הגר"ש קמינצקי "זה עתה קיבלתי פסק הבית דין בראשות הג"ר דוד פיינשטיין ובאתי בזה להודיע שוודאי כאשר הורו כן יקום וכמו שכתב אאמו"ר שליט"א וכבר מסרתי פסק הבי"ד לבעל הדבר שאין תוקף לביטול הקידושין כלל וכלל ולשומעים ינעם ותבוא אליהם ברכת טוב וה' יגדור פרצות עם ישראל.

בכך חוזר בו הגר"ש קמינצקי מהוראתו להתיר את ביטול קידושי בני הזוג ומצטרף לדעתם של כלל גדולי ישראל מהארץ ומהעולם, שטענו כי אין להפקיע קידושין ובראשם מרנן שר התורה הגר"ח קנייבסקי, הראב"ד הגר"מ שטרנבוך והגר"מ קוטלר שכתבו בלשונות חריפים כנגד ההיתר.

לאור ההסדר והחזרה בו מדבריו הגיע היום הגר"ש קמינצקי לביקור מיוחד בבתיהם של גדולי הדור בבני ברק וביניהם מרנן ראש הישיבה הגראי"ל שטיינמן,שר התורה הגר"ח קנייבסקי, והגרי"ג אדלשטיין.

יצויין, שעל סמך אותו היתר של ביטול הקידושין בשל בעיות נפשיות אצל הבעל התחתנה האשה  לאחרונה וכעת היא נשואה לבעל אחר.

האשה מסתמכת עדיין ככל הנראה על ההיתר שהעניק לה הפוסק רבי נתן גרינבלט, שהפקיע וביטל את הקידושין הראשונים ועדיין נשאר איתן בדעתו שכך היה עליו לעשות.

Shemini-Parah(chukat) 76 - The way we speak, P.M.I & CPS - collaborative problem solving by Allan Katz

  guest post by Allan Katz

The Parasha- Portion of Shemimi – Parah (Chukat) deals  with the Inauguration of the Tabernacle – Mishkan, the Dietary laws – kosher animals etc.  and the purification process using the Red heifer – Parah A'dumah . The features and characteristics that distinguish animals from plants is that they have mobility and eat  food. And what makes them kosher is that their  limbs are not designed for aggression – a cloven hoof and bringing up/ chewing  the cud as opposed to feet with claws or a full hoof  (kicking ) and a digestive system and teeth that serve predators and carnivorous animals well. What distinguishes man from the animal is sophisticated communication and speech. So a kosher man is not a man who puts into his mouth only kosher food, but a man who is also particular of what comes out of his mouth. The Midrash commentary on Parashat Chukat quotes Psalms 12 - the sayings of God are pure and gives examples from the Torah so man can learn to emulate God. Instead of describing animals that went into the ark as Tameih and impure, the Torah which usually concise and uses few words says that the not pure animals went into the ark, a more positive and finer expression than the negative description of ' impure ' animals. When the Torah in our parasha lists the non-kosher animals for e.g. the camel, it first describes the positive-kosher feature that it brings up its cud, and then afterwards says, but its hoof is not split encouraging us to talk firstly about the positive in people. The Midrash then says that the generation of King David suffered losses in battle because there were slanderers and people spoke ' lashon ha'rah. The generation of Ahab, despite being idolatrous, was victorious because they did not speak badly about one another. Speech and communication should make a positive contribution to people.

The way we speak impacts on our relationships with people and how we solve problems. The problem in our parasha was the dispute between Moses and Aaron concerning the sin offering goat for the Rosh Chodesh service. Two other goat sin offerings that were specific to the inauguration ceremony – the special offering of the tribal leader of Judah, Nachshon and one for the inauguration ritual for the Tabernacle were never to be brought again and were called kodshei sha'ah. The Rosh Chodesh goat offering would be brought at the beginning of each month was not specific to the inauguration ritual and was called kodshei olam   le'dorot. Moses instructed the priests – kohanim to eat the mincha offerings which were kodshei sha'ah and also the meat of the sin offerings. The question was - did this instruction include the sin offering of Rosh Chodesh, even though it was not specific to the ceremony and kodshei le'dorot.? The problem or Moses' unmet expectation was that the sin offering was not eaten but burned. Moses was extremely angry and criticized Aaron's sons (not Aaron himself, out of respect for Aaron) for not eating the sin offering. Aaron answers and gives an explanation which Moses accepts. The Sages say that Moses erred because he became angry and had it not been for his anger he would have been able to get a clear understanding of the concerns of the Kohanim and come to the conclusion that they had acted properly.

Edward de Bono's P.M.I tool helps us deal with situations when our  expectations are not met. In order to get a better understanding of what others are saying and be more creative and exploratory we should first look at the positives – the P, about their idea, statement or action. Then we can use our critical thinking skills and look for the Minuses, and then ask questions what will happen If... and make Interesting points or observations about the Idea. This is the same lesson which the Torah teaches, when it teaches us about the positive or kosher feature of the camel before mentioning the negative and non-kosher feature. It is very difficult to see the other's point of view and perspective if we are first use our critical thinking skills. Intelligent people are often non-creative and bad thinkers because they are only focused on criticizing the other position and defending theirs. When Moses heard Aaron's reasoning, he accepted it and did not try to defend his position.   Ross Greene's CPS – collaborative problem solving model suggests that a person with an  unmet expectation, whether a parent, teacher, peer etc. should in a non-emotive neutral way, just describe what he has seen and ask – what's up? So Moses could have just said – I have noticed that the goat offering of Rosh Chodesh has been burnt and not eaten, what's up? Aaron would then express his concern and perspective. The CPS model first focuses on the concerns and perspectives of the other person, student or child and then the  the care giver or teacher, parent etc. would put his concerns and perspective  on the table. Then the parties are invited to brain storm durable and realistic solutions that address both concerns and are mutually satisfactory.  Here we adopt a similar approach of Beit Hillel who first tried to understand the other party's perspective and learning before sharing their perspective and learning.

Moses was understandably angry, anxious and concerned about integrity and spiritual  perfection  of the tabernacle-mishkan.  The tragic death of Nadav and Avihu caused by them initiating the bringing of their own incense, an eish zarah, a foreign fire into the Holy of Holies was in sense a replay of the sin of the golden calf after the  receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. On the day of their death, Aaron and his other sons became 'onenim', mourners who may not perform mitzvoth including the temple service. Moses told Aron that as an exception to this  rule,  they were obligated to do the inauguration service. The test whether the erection of the Mishkan was successful and an  atonement for the sin of the Golden calf would be the Kohanim eating from the meat of the Rosh Chodesh sin offering (which was not part of the inauguration ritual) after the completion of the inaugural ritual. When Kohanim eat from God's table, it is an expression that God's presence resides in the Holy place and there is atonement for the people. Aaron answered that because they were special mourners, one'nim, they lacked the sanctity and holiness to affect atonement through their eating of the offerings and cause God's presence to reside in the mishkan –tabernacle. The deficiency was not in the mishkan, but in their person. As one'nim- mourners they lacked simcha – joy and sanctity which impacted negatively on their inner souls and beings and the ability to connect to God. They  therefore they could not eat from the sin offering of Rosh Chodesh as it was kodshei olam le'dorot and not specific to the inaugural ritual.

It is interesting to note that Aaron did not respond with a direct answer to Moses, but in a tentative way asked if it was proper for him as an Onen to eat from the Rosh Chodesh offering, and would God have approved of it?  The Telze Rov says that Aaron acted in the same way as a child should act. The child should bring a parent's attention to the Halacha-law written in the Torah by asking a question and not directly criticize a parent. The parent would come to his own conclusion and correct himself while his dignity remains intact.

We can learn from Aaron that the way we speak to parents is a respectable way to speak to all people including children. Communication and problem solving should be respectful and positive and focus on identifying the concerns of all and then brainstorming solutions that are mutually satisfactory.

Interruption of moderation warning: Will be in New York for next two weeks

I will be going to New York tomorrow for two weeks. Since Internet availability will be irregular my moderation might take longer than usual - particularly tomorrow.while I am travelling.

Kaminetsky-Greenblatt Heter: Rav Hillel David confirms that the Feinstein Beis Din was convened solely at the request and for the benefit of Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky - and not for any other reason

My brother just spoke Sunday night with Rav Hillel David regarding the Feinstein Beis Din and its ruling. My brother said I could write about what he told me was said - and added that it was important to note that Rav Hillel David was very open with him and very polite and respectful. 

Rav Hillel David was asked why after over a month of deliberations - no psak has been released to the public. He answered unambiguously that Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky had requested the ruling of the beis din regarding the Heter and that he was the sole person of concern. That what had been decided was not the business of the public. Therefore the psak was conveyed only to Rav Shmuel and his son.

My brother noted that the issue of the validity of the heter was in fact of public concern as are the associated issues as to whether Tamar is committing adultery and her future children will be mamzerim as many great poskim have already said.

Rav Hillel David repeated that the beis din was concerned only with the question that Rav Kaminetsky had raised as to whether they considered the heter valid. The beis din did in fact answer Rav Kaminetsky's question - and did not address the other issues. Because the mandate of the beis din was limited to Rav Kaminetsky's question - they did not deal with whether Tamar was an adulteress or whether she needed to separate from her husband. It was simply not their job. 

In short Rav Hillel David provided crushing confirmation of the worst conjectures concerning the Feinstein Beis Din. It showed an absolute lack of interest of the most pressing issues that this heter has raised regarding rabbinic corruption and the validity of annulling marriages. Thus instead of bringing closure to this scandal - it merely served as a ladder for Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky and his son to distance themselves from the heter. We thus have 3 major talmidei chachomim who failed to address the real needs of the Jewish people at this time. By ignoring the full ramifications of this scandal they have ended up participating in the cover up to just show that Rav Shmuel Kaminetsky is a tzadik who listens to Rav Dovid Feinstein. 

It seems that the Aguda has heaved a sigh of relief and feels that the issues have been properly resolved behind closed doors - and that it is time to forget and get on with life. 

But that is sheker and the matter has not been resolved nor will it be forgotten. This is a shameful episode that gets worse by the day. By Rav Dovid Feinstein's participating in this cover up, the Feinstein name has been besmirched