Ultra-Orthodox rabbis in Israel are losing the Internet war

 Washington Post    Ultra-Orthodox rabbis have waged a battle in recent years to stop the Internet from infiltrating their insular communities.

Their efforts have included declarations that smartphones aren't kosher, conferences on the evils of the Internet and rabbinic edits demanding that the pious stop using WhatsApp.

But the rabbis, it seems, are losing the fight.

Research by Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has found that ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel use the Internet just as much as anyone else. And just like most others online, they gossip, consult with one another about life, discuss issues in their community and share their feelings on all manner of subjects.

In fact, the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim, even like to tweet, and Facebook pages are abundant. [...]

With the rabbis clearly losing the battle, there have been some creative solutions to at least control the phenomenon. For example, some rabbis now allow for the use of “kosher” smartphones, enabling access to email and online bank accounts but blocking or filtering “problematic” websites.

Educating chareidi women about breast cancer

Tablet Magazine   Black-and-white posters called pashkevilim are one of the main ways that Israel’s ultra-Orthodox—who shun TV, radio, and Internet—get their information. So, when Ruth Colian, a 34-year-old Haredi mother and law student, wanted to advise ultra-Orthodox women in conservative Jewish neighborhoods of Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, and Beit Shemesh to undergo routine breast cancer screenings, she made a poster. But she faced one big problem: She couldn’t use the words breast or cancer, or her posters would surely be ripped down.

Instead, the posters that Colian hung this winter—joining dozens of others encouraging modest dress, advertising Torah classes, and bearing the names of recently deceased community members—instructed the “dear woman” to “preserve your life,” and said that “there is a 90 percent rate of survival for early detection.” They also contained a phone number to call for more information.

Even without explicit language on them, the posters worked. Colian got hundreds of calls, many from women who said they had never gone for cancer screening because they had simply never heard of it in their sheltered communities. “I especially remember one sad phone call from a 42-year-old woman, who asked me, ‘What is a mammogram?’ ” Colian said. “To ask what is a mammogram at 42 years old is a very sad thing. It is a disaster. This is what I am trying to change, just the world around me.”[...]

“We see a meaningful change in attitudes toward screening,” said Anat Freund, a professor at Haifa University who has conducted research on ultra-Orthodox attitudes toward breast cancer and other medical conditions. “There is a lot more legitimization of breast cancer screening in the community.” The change comes as the ultra-Orthodox community has demonstrated more openness in other areas as well, including to higher education and the work force, Freund said, “but there are still lots of challenges and barriers.”[...]

Despite the rabbinical approval of mammography, doctors, ultra-Orthodox Jews, and others who have studied the issue say that the community’s tradition of modesty prevents discussion of the issue, so many women remain unaware of cancer screening.

“Breast is an immodest word, and cancer is ‘that disease,’ or ‘women’s disease,’ ” said Michoel Sorotzkin, an ultra-Orthodox rabbi and founder and chairman of the Hala clinic, which, although it serves all women, aims to make religious women more comfortable by taking steps like providing female doctors when requested and understanding that many patients may want to consult with rabbis before treatments.[...]

But rabbis are increasingly realizing that they must change this way of thinking.

“It seems that women today are in danger,” Moshe Sternbuch, vice president of the rabbinical court of Eidah HaHaredis, the leading ultra-Orthodox religious legal authority, wrote recently in a widely distributed rabbinical decree. “You should not rely on the biblical verse that God will protect, but rather be vigilant about check-ups.” In April, the ultra-Orthodox weekly Yated Neeman, a publication so concerned with modesty that it doesn’t print women’s names but instead uses only their first initials, printed Sternbuch’s statement. It was accompanied by statements from other rabbis emphasizing the previous psak on the issue, 15 years ago, stating that it is a religious obligation for women over 50 to get mammograms and other tests as needed.

“But this time the wording was much stronger,” said Sara Siemiatycki, the ultra-Orthodox founder and director of Bishvilaych, a women’s nonprofit health clinic founded to serve religious women in Jerusalem. Sorotzkin, at Hala, also said such a statement signals a change in attitude. “They see what’s happening,” he said. “Sometimes you need a collection of tragedies before taking action.”[...]

In another recent development, the Israel Cancer Association has been holdings meeting with ultra-Orthodox leaders on the topic of testing for mutations in the BRCA gene, which indicate a higher susceptibility for breast and ovarian cancers. It is estimated that one in every 40 people of Ashkenazi descent carry such a mutation. While the medical community in general is still formulating policies on whom should be tested and when, the issue is even more complex in the ultra-Orthodox sector. In addition to concerns about the impact of genetic testing on marriage prospects, there are also halakhic issues with how to treat women at higher risk of developing cancer, including the practice of preventative mastectomy and hysterectomy, Sorotzkin said.

“There is an increasing awareness that this is an important subject,” said Ephrat Levy-Lahad, director of the medical genetics institute at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, which is working with the cancer association to reach out to the ultra-Orthodox sector on the issue of genetic testing in connection to breast cancer. “You just have to do it in a way that’s open to their social and cultural environment.” [...]

Grossly out of place 33 story building to be built in the heart of Jerusalem

Haaretz

האדריכלים דניאל ליבסקינד ויגאל לוי מתכננים מגדל בגובה 165 מטרים על חורבות קולנוע עדן ברחוב אגריפס, בלב ההיסטורי של ירושלים. ההדמיות שהוצגו בכנס השבוע הכעיסו את האדריכלים בבירה. ועדת השימור המליצה אמש לא לאשר את הבניין

גובהו של המגדל יהיה 165 מטרים ו–33 קומותיו חורגות מ–24 הקומות שמותרות במסגרת תוכנית המתאר של ירושלים באזור מרכז העסקים הראשי, סביב רחוב יפו. לוי התעקש בדיון כי גובהו של הבניין — שיכלול שטחי מסחר, מלונאות ומגורים — אינו 165 מטרים אלא 118 מטרים, וכי הגובה הנוסף הוא חלל תחום בקורות ה"סוגרות" את הפירמידה. תוכנית המתאר של ירושלים מעולם לא אושרה רשמית, מה שמאפשר לגופי התכנון (העירייה או הוועדה המחוזית) להגביל יזמים מסוימים ולתת לאחרים זכויות רחבות.

תוכנית הבניין החדש הטרידה עד כדי כך את אדריכלי העיר ואת הסניף המקומי של עמותת האדריכלים, שהם החליטו לקיים את הכנס החריג בנוכחותו של ליבסקינד. לוי הפגין ביטחון בפרויקט, למרות הרחש בקהל, שהזדעזע לנוכח ההדמיות שהוצגו לו: "זה שידור חוזר מבחינתי", אמר לוי. "לפני 10–12 שנים הייתי בדיוק באותה סיטואציה, כי אני חתום על הגשר של קלטרווה בכניסה לעיר. גם אז הוא (קלטרווה) עמד מול קהל ודיבר על סמלים וכולם גיחכו וצחקו".

היזם של הבניין, שאינו אזרח ישראל, הוא פרוספר אמויאל. הוא ניסה להישאר עד כה אנונימי ואפילו בכנס כינה אותו ליבסקינד "היזם X". בכנס לא התקיים דיון של ממש. בעיקר עלו לבמה בזה אחר זה אדריכלים ומתכננים ונשאו נאומים מוכרים, בעוד בקהל נשמעות תלונות על המתכנן היהיר והזר שפלש לעיר הקודש ושזוכה להקלות מפליגות שהם — המקומיים — לא זוכים להן. ליבסקינד ענה להם כי בכל פרויקט שתיכנן הוא חרג מחוקי התכנון המקובלים למקום וכי כל פרויקט עורר מתחים. "אתיקה היא לבחון מחדש את החוקים", אמר בטון משכנע, ולא רק לפעול לפיהם בצורה אוטומטית, בבחינת "תנו לי את ה-24 קומות". לדבריו, "לא עשיתי את זה כי אני פריק של גובה (...) ואין לי ספק שזה יהיה בניין מהנה וטוב לעיר. גם ירושלים צריכה וואו".

Kedoshim; Do All Mitzvos Have Reasons? by Rabbi Shlomo Pollak

Rash"i in Kidoshim (19;19) teaches us, that although there are understandable reasons for most Mitzvos... Chukkim, HAVE NO REASONS.

The Ramban, modifies that, by explaining that we were not explicitily informed the reasons for Chukkim, but surely there is a reason, and it is part of Torah to work to uncover the reasons...

The Chinnuch (#159) in Parshas Shmini, seems to agree with the Ramban...

However, Rash"i in Sanhedrin (21b) seemingly in contradiction to his position in Chumash, agrees with those Reshonim, that even Chukkim have a reason??....

https://youtu.be/rsFfd6Wr_Bg

 

For questions or comments please email salmahshleima@gmail.com

FBI AGENTS SEIZE DOCUMENTS IN HUDSON VALLEY HASIDIC COMMUNITY

ABC 7

FBI agents conducted a raid Thursday in the Orange County community of Kiryas Joel.

They searched a yeshiva where a principal was caught on camera in what appeared to be some sort of intimate encounter with a student.

The FBI and other law enforcement agencies seized documents and computers from multiple locations in the Hasidic village, possibly as part of a child pornography investigation.

Authorities executed search warrants at the United Talmudical Academy, the yeshiva where a principal was caught on tape in close physical contact with young boys, though it is not known if the search warrants are related to the principal's activities. [...]

The UTA's board of directors says the child was sent to the office for behavioral issues and that, while disturbing, is not evidence of abuse.

No comment from investigators, but UTA and several yeshivas have been in the feds' sights for months.

In March, a series of raids in Ramapo were carried out amid questions whether federal money earmarked for technology was being misused.

As for the videos, many in the community are coming to the defense of the rabbi.

"He's been a very, very wonderful rabbi," said one woman. "No complaints on him, my husband even learned from him and he's a wonderful person. I think this whole thing is a fake."

The only comment from the FBI is that this is part of an ongoing investigation, and that there have been no arrests or charges filed as of yet.

United Talmudical Academy of Kiryas Joel put out a statement earlier this week saying that the behavior caught on tape does not constitute a "criminal assault."

"In these videos, the school principal is seen embracing the students who were sent to his office for behavioral issues," it read. "While this type of restraint may be unacceptable to some viewers, it in no way rises to the level of a criminal assault." [...]

Shhh: Haredim Use Internet as Much as Other Israelis

Haaretz

Ultra-Orthodox Jews go online to gossip, share views and let down their hair, but usually under fake names, a recent study shows.

Their rabbis don’t like it, but ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel surf the internet like mad, a recent study shows. Some use their home computers, but since Haredi schools prohibit internet connections in the households of their students – and most ultra-Orthodox families have children – the average Haredi accesses the web using a mobile device.

Of Israel’s population of nearly 8.5 million, 74 percent are Jews, 20.8 percent are Arab and 5.2 percent are “other.”

Haredim account for around 750,000 of Israel’s total Jewish population of 6.37 million. It’s the fastest-growing Jewish subgroup, increasing by about 5 percent a year, compared to 1.7 percent for the Jewish population as a whole.

While ultra-Orthodox Jews surf the internet a lot, they don’t do it openly, the study done at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev shows – and a lot of their attention span is given to hiding their own identity while trying to guess who other surfers from their community might be.

Internet had been broadly prohibited in the ultra-Orthodox world because of the potential for distraction from the holy life. But solutions like “kosher” smartphones were clearly unable to keep pace with innovation and the rabbis have all but given up on outright bans.

The upshot has been the proliferation of sites and content for the Haredi surfer, which is now acknowledged not only to exist, but to be very active. The Ben-Gurion University study, which set out to characterize the Haredi surfer, shows that Israel’s ultra-Orthodox are online as much as their less religiously observant peers. [...]

The conclusion is that the rabbis may have fought the internet revolution tooth and nail but it’s changing the way young ultra-Orthodox people live and opening them not only to new employment opportunities, but to new thoughts.

Where is Torah Justice for Frum Divorced Fathers?

Guest post by Menachem B.

"Do not pervert justice" (Leviticus 19:15). 

"The judge who perverts justice is called an unjust person, hateful and detested, doomed to destruction, and an abomination." (Rashi on Leviticus 19:15).

"Orthodox" Feminist activists often love to proclaim their support for alleged "Justice" and "Gender Equality" in regards to Jewish women.  

But the double standards and hypocrisy of the Orthodox Feminist activists are blatant. 

If one examines the marriage/divorce policies of these activists, it is clear they are not promoting halachic divorce practices or halachic justice. 

Rather the Orthodox Feminist activists are promoting blatant double standards of female power, privilege, and control over males. 

The double standards promoted by these activists are in fact major causes of the alleged "agunot crisis" that the Orthodox Feminist activists constantly protest! 

Here are some critical questions that need to be asked to the Orthodox Feminist activists:

1. ANTI-MALE PRENUPS: Why does the standard US Modern Orthodox prenup empower a Jewish wife to force a Jewish divorce on her husband for any reason using massive financial penalties, while Jewish husbands are not allowed any such option of forcing a Jewish divorce on their wives?

2. FEMALE GET REFUSAL ALLOWED: Why does the JOFA Guide to Jewish Divorce explicitly allow female Get refusal under some circumstances, while Get refusal by Jewish husbands is adamantly opposed by Orthodox Feminist activists who characterize it as evil, cruel, and unacceptable? 

3. FAKE SEIRUVIM AGAINST MEN: Why are alleged "seiruvim" against Jewish men constantly publicized on Orthodox Feminist websites (such as the ORA and Jewish Press sites), even when the husbands are in compliance with halacha? 

4. SEIRUVIM AGAINST WOMEN IGNORED: Why are valid seiruvim against Jewish women very rarely or else never publicized in the Orthodox Feminist media, even when the women have committed major violations of halacha? 

5. PROTESTS ONLY AGAINST MEN: Why are alleged male Get refusers (including men compliant with halacha) often subjected to protests, public shaming, sanctions, etc. by Orthodox Feminist activists (such as ORA), while female Get refusers, female halacha violators, female mosrim, and female parental alienators are almost never subjected to any protests, public shaming, or sanctions? 

6. ONLY HUSBANDS MUST CONCEDE: In typical divorce conflicts, why do the Orthodox Feminist "rabbis" and activists demand that the husband comply with his wife's demands, including demands for a Get, while almost never demanding that the wife reciprocate by respecting the husband's halachic rights, including respecting the husband's rights to parent his children?

7. EVERY WIFE AN INNOCENT AGUNAH: Why do Orthodox Feminist "rabbis", activists, and media often rush to label any woman in a divorce conflict as an innocent oppressed "agunah" worthy of public support, regardless of her halachic compliance, regardless of her halachic right to a Get, and regardless of any severe transgressions she committed against her husband?  

8. EVERY HUSBAND GUILTY: Why do Orthodox Feminist "rabbis", activists and media, when discussing divorce conflicts, often misrepresent halacha and facts to portray Jewish husbands as evil oppressors of their wives?

9. ANNULMENTS FOR WOMEN ONLY ALLOWED: Why do Orthodox Feminist "rabbis" and activists often extend full recognition to halachically invalid "marriage annulments" obtained by Jewish women, while usually refusing to recognize halachically valid heter meah rabbanim obtained by Jewish men?

10. CRUEL TREATMENT OF FATHERS IGNORED: Why do Orthodox Feminist "rabbis" and activists almost completely ignore the desperate plight of divorced Jewish fathers, many of whom are virtual agunim who have been alienated from or denied access to their children, or were financially crushed in non-Jewish courts, or were booted out of their homes on fake domestic violence charges? 

Its time to start focusing some significant efforts on restoring halachic justice and halachic rights for frum divorced fathers. 

Without halachic rights for Jewish men it may be impossible to preserve Jewish families and resolve the agunot-agunim problems.

Emor 76- Kiddush Hashem , Walls and Values by Allan Katz

Allan Katz

The parasha introduces us to the principles of Kiddush ha-Shem and Chilul ha-Shem in the verses –Lev. 22:32-33 Do not desecrate /profane my holy Name , rather that I should be sanctified among the children of Israel , I am Hashem , who sanctifies you. Who took you out of the land of Egypt to be a God unto you, I am Hashem.

לב וְלֹא תְחַלְּלוּ, אֶת-שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי, וְנִקְדַּשְׁתִּי, בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: אֲנִי יְהוָה, מְקַדִּשְׁכֶם. לג הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים: אֲנִי, יְהוָה

The demands of Kiddush ha-Shem - go beyond those of morality. It is not only a question of a behavior, being moral or not, but how the behavior reflects on and impacts on the reputation of a person , his family, school, community, nation and even God himself. By associating Himself with the children of Israel, firstly through Abraham who voluntarily began teaching and being an example of God's ways and then with the nation as whole by taking them out of the land of Egypt and making a covenant with them at Mount Sinai, the children of Israel became God's ambassadors and witnesses to the world. So God's standing in eyes of the world now depends on how God's ' chosen' people behave.

Many people in the community are disturbed by community leaders failing in this role, but also with religious people who don't act with integrity, decency, humility and compassion. It is sometimes out of a self-righteousness that they show contempt for people or are totally immersed in their own world of prayer and study to notice a person in need. The question is why are people failing in the role as ambassadors and being witnesses for God?

The verses in The Torah that speak about sanctifying or profaning the Name of God are proceeded by laws concerning offerings – waiting 7 days before bring an animal as an offering, not slaughtering the mother and child on the same day, and bringing the offering must be only to become closer to God and benefit from the atonement and good that the offering brings to the world.

כז שׁוֹר אוֹ-כֶשֶׂב אוֹ-עֵז כִּי יִוָּלֵד, וְהָיָה שִׁבְעַת יָמִים תַּחַת אִמּוֹ; וּמִיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי, וָהָלְאָה, יֵרָצֶה, לְקָרְבַּן אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה. כח וְשׁוֹר, אוֹ-ֶׂה--אֹתוֹ וְאֶת-בְּנוֹ, לֹא תִשְׁחֲטוּ בְּיוֹם אֶחָד. כט וְכִי-תִזְבְּחוּ זֶבַח-תּוֹדָה, לַיהוָה--לִרְצֹנְכֶם, תִּזְבָּחוּ

The Mesech Chochmah asks – what is the connection of these verses with the commandments to sanctify and not to desecrate God's name. He explains that in contrast to idolatry which is full of cruelty, harshness and retribution to the human soul – for eg human sacrifices and cutting, the Torah is full of compassion, clemency , kindness and sustains the world –וחסד ,מהוה ומחיה העולמים ... חמלה וחנינה . The Torah teaches how to be supportive and compassionate to people and also treat animals with compassion. If we eat meat or offer sacrifices -which is the ultimate destiny of an animal by becoming part of a refined human being - we should do so with as much compassion as possible ( although we cannot escape the pain of death ) and follow the laws mentioned above. If God cares about the soul of the animal surely He cares about us. We must bring sacrifices whole-heartedly, knowing that God has no benefit and only wants from us to do kindness and give expression to God's ways. But if we are forced to desecrate God's commandments and denigrate God's honor, we cannot live with this contradiction and need to give up our lives and sanctify God's Name . We must be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, and choose the eternal life close to God.

The role of God's ambassador is having a ' compassionate mindset ' , so what gets in the way of people? In a world where values of materialism, hedonism, sexual promiscuity and competition etc threaten a spiritual life of modesty , spirituality and community, it is quite understandable that communities build walls and fences to protect people from outside influences. However, there are many challenges and dangers to be faced. The problem (a) is that wall or fence creates limits and boundaries and not values. It is values underlying how one should interact with other people and society at large – with sensitivity and compassion and yet being faithful and authentic to one's Torah values that should create limits, boundaries and walls. (b) When we create a wall or a fence to exclude others we may end up treating people as if they don't count , not one of us , and then we objectify them. When we objectify people , being careful to avoid a chilul Hashem – a desecration of God's name and instead focus on being a kidddush Hashem, sanctifying God's name has no relevancy and then not on our agenda. This impacts negatively on peoples' personalities and character and leads to arrogance , self-righteousness and acting out of self-interest. Teachers, parents , rabbis etc fail to the lesson of the first book of Moses – Genesis which has little law in it and mostly stories of how the – forefathers interacted with people and society at large. The Netziv in his introduction to the Book of Genesis says that the Avot-forefathers were called ' ye'sharim= straight people ,honorable and decent people in their dealings with people who were even idolators, yet had a loving relationship with them and cared about their welfare

אבות היו ישרים בהליכות עולמים ....שהתנהגו עם אומות העולם, אפילו עובדי אלילים מכוערים; מכל מקום היו עִמם באהבה, וחשו לטובתם, באשר היא קיום הבריאה ...וחפץ בקיומם

. It was for this reason that the children of Heth said to Abraham – You are a prince of God in our midst – נשיא אלוקים אתה בתוכנו

(c )' Not counting people ' also impacts on informal learning and acquiring of wisdom which depends on being able to learn from all people and situations. איזה חכם הלומד מכל אדם This attitude cheapens the value of wisdom, chochmah and secular or general knowledge.

As parents and educators ' walls' protecting children from negative influences are important, but what guides behavior and interaction with people must be values and especially the example of the Avot- forefathers and we being role models that sanctify the name of God with a compassionate mindset and yet not compromising on the other Torah values.

Little Girl Lost: More than 600 people ignore lost child in TV experiment

Would you help this young girl or be afraid of being accused of being a pedophile or kidnapper?

Would you help a girl? (Social Experiment)

While it is important to talk about the halacha about whether you are allowed to call the police when you see find out about someone being abused - it is as least as important that you actually do something to protect the victim. Most people - even if they feel abuse is wrong and that it is permitted to call the authorities or even beat the assailant - will not intervene as can be seen from this video. WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?

It’s a Tough Job Market for the Young Without College Degrees

NY Times

For seniors graduating from the University of Michigan this month, employers have been lining up since the fall to offer interviews and boast of their companies’ benefits. Recruiters would ask when their competitors were coming, said Geni Harclerode, the university’s assistant director of employer development, and then they’d say: “Well, we want to come the week before.”[...]

The outlook for many high school graduates is more challenging, as Vynny Brown can attest. Now 20, he graduated two years ago from Waller High School in Texas, and has been working for nearly a year at Pappasito’s Cantina in Houston, part of a chain of Tex-Mex restaurants. He earns $7.25 an hour filling takeout orders or $2.13 an hour plus tips as a server, which rarely adds up to more than the minimum, he said. He would like to apply to be a manager, but those jobs require some college experience.

“That is something I don’t have,” said Mr. Brown, who says he cannot afford to go to college now.

“It’s the biggest struggle I’ve had.”

Most young workers have the same problem as Mr. Brown. Only 10 percent of 17- to 24-year-olds have a college or advanced degree, according to a new study by the Economic Policy Institute, although many more of them will eventually graduate.

And for young high school graduates, the unemployment rate is disturbingly high: 17.8 percent. Add in those who are underemployed, either because they would like a full-time job but can only find part-time work, or they are so discouraged that they’ve given up actively searching, and the share jumps to more than 33 percent.[...]

Identity In, Spirituality Out For Jewish Teens

Jewish Week   What do the Jewish members of Generation Z — the one right behind the millennials — want?

Not conventional “spiritual” practices, including synagogue attendance, it turns out. What they do want, according to a major report released last week by the New York-based Jewish Education Project, is to be better human beings.

The study, based on the views of 139 teens between the ages of 12 ½ and 17 and from four cities — Atlanta, Boston, Denver and Los Angeles — found that while Jewish teenagers take deep pride in their tribal Jewish identity, they are largely checking out of traditional kinds of Jewish engagement.[...]

ess Korn, 17, a Jewish teen from Forest Hills, said her experience at Sababa Surf Camp, a new immersive teen summer program that teaches teens how to surf while blending in Jewish themes and learning, did more to bolster her Jewish identity than going to synagogue with her family. (The camp, and other similar immersive summer programs aimed at teens, is funded in part by the JEP.) Though she grew up in an active Conservative household, “singing ‘MaTovu’ and then running into the ocean” did more to enforce her connection to Judaism than the Hebrew school classes she attended weekly since kindergarten, she said.

“Praying through meditation every morning reminded me of the Jewish aspect,” she said, adding that the surf instructors taught them to repeat the famous maxim from Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers, as they rode the waves: “For a righteous man can fall seven times and rise.”

The study also found that teens think of their Jewish identity as “cool,” thanks in large part to messaging from pop culture, said Bryfman.[...]

Trying to judge the success of programs by looking at fixed rituals, Bryfman argued, is flawed to begin with. 

“If ritualized synagogue life can’t adapt to that new reality, our community is going to be very challenged as these young people grow up.”

An Indian teen was raped by her father. Village elders had her whipped.

Washington Post

The teenage girl, dressed in pink, sits in the dirt before six community elders.

In a scene captured on a cellphone video, one of the men wags his finger angrily at her. He rages: This girl must be punished.

A villager ties her waist with rope, holding the other end, and lifts a tree branch into the air. She bows her head. The first lash comes, then another, then another. Ten in all. She lets out a wail.

Eventually the crowd starts murmuring, “Enough, enough,” although nobody moves to stop the beating. Finally, the man throws down his stick. It’s over.

She is 13 years old. Or maybe 15. Her family doesn’t know for sure. She has never set foot in a school and has spent most of her life doing chores at home, occasionally begging for food and performing in her father’s acrobatic show, for which she is given 20 rupees, about 30 cents.

Her crime? Being too scared to tell anyone her father raped her.[...]

Sube Singh Samain, a leader of an association of clan councils in the northern state of Haryana, said they serve a vital role in a county with an overburdened justice system and where legal cases can be costly. He said that village elders have banned the sale of meat, restricted cellphone use by youths and even prohibited loud music at weddings. (“The music is so bad the cows and bulls fall over and run away,” he said.) They also step in to smooth things between families, sometimes urging people to withdraw police complaints.

“We say, ‘Let’s not go to the courts; let’s resolve it,’ ” he said. “We encourage them to go back to the police if a [complaint] has already been filed and say, ‘I was not in a right state of mind; I want to take back my statement.’ ”[...]

Showdown looms over North Carolina's bathroom bill

Update: North Carolina counter-sues the Department of Justice

CNN

The United States and North Carolina tangled over transgender rights on Monday, with the Justice Department filing a civil rights lawsuit over the state's so-called bathroom bill and state officials defiantly filing suits against the federal directive to stop the implementation of the controversial legislation.

Also, a major player in North Carolina -- the state's public university system -- defied the governor and legislature and told the Justice Department on Monday it intends to act "in compliance with federal law" as it relates to House Bill 2, known as HB2.

The Justice Department seeks declaratory relief and threatens to curtail federal funding to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety and the University of North Carolina.


Update: New polls show that what American's think about this issue depends upon how the question is worded

Washington Post

This is one of those issues where it's easy to slice and dice the numbers to make your case that you are doing the popular thing. Americans' -- and particularly Republicans' -- support for bathroom bills might depend how you frame the question. As we saw in Houston in November, opponents of an LGBT non-discrimination ordinance overwhelmingly defeated it by framing the issue about bathrooms, specifically the predators who might exploit an open-door policy.

cnn

It's deadline day for North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory.

The U.S. Justice Department sent his office a letter Wednesday claiming that the state's controversial bathroom law is in violation of the Civil Rights Act.

They gave the Republican leader until the end of the business day Monday to respond with a solution to "remedy the situation."

The controversial law bans individuals from using public bathrooms that do not correspond to their biological sex.

McCrory says what he chooses to do at that deadline goes beyond the Tar Heel state -- it will affect the majority of Americans.

"This is no longer just a North Carolina issue," he said in a Fox News interview on Sunday. "This is a basic change of norms that we've used for decades throughout the United States of America and the Obama administration is now trying to change that norm -- again not just in North Carolina, but they're ordering this to every company in the United States of America -- starting tomorrow I assume, or Tuesday."

McCroy says he will respond by the deadline but he has not said how he will respond.

North Carolina could lose a lot of federal money if it fails to comply with the Justice Department -- potentially hundreds of millions of dollars for its universities alone.

The Justice Department also sent a letter to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors telling them that new law was in violation of federal law. They were given the same Monday deadline.

McCrory said Sunday that this action sets a precedent, with the federal government "now telling every university that accepts federal funding that boys who may think they're a girl can go into a girl's locker room or restroom or shower facility, and that begins I assume tomorrow." [...]