Child & Domestic Abuse - Volumes I & II & III

Both volumes are now available by means of the links on below. They should also be available soon on Amazon (which has free shipping for orders of $25 or more). Volume III costs $13

To order from my e-store

Volume I 


Volume II 

Volume III 

To order either volume directly from Amazon

Volumes I & II ------------Amazon---------------------------

Volume III Compact Practical Guide

In preparation for the presentation I am giving Lag B'Omer at the White Institute conference on abuse in the Orthodox community and in response to those who  just want to know the basic halachic parameters of abuse in an inexpensive volume - I have just published a compact practical guide to abuse. This contains the text of Volume I including the Synopsis of Rav Sternbuch's views and the Practical Guide and my essays. However it does not contain the  important essays contributed by  rabbis, psychologists, and lawyers which fully describe the nuances of the psychological and legal issues. I also included the teshuvos of contemporary gedolim from Volume II dealing with abuse and calling the police or social agencies - both the translation and Hebrew source. However it doesn't include the many texts describing important associated issues. Thus I have selected 150 pages of the basic core material from the 800 pages published in Volumes I & II. This compact guide can serve as a stand alone source book or as an introduction/review of Volume I and II. Currently it is only available from the Amazon Createspace store (click link to order) - but should be available on Amazon  in another week. Volumes I & II are currently available from Amazon

-------------------------------
Let me reiterate the cautions printed in Volume I


CAUTION – EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
The subject matter of this book is one that is inherently upsetting and unpleasant. Consequently much consideration was given to what to describe and what type of language to use. It is typical in the Orthodox community that these things are not talked about and or euphemisms are used (Pesachim 3a). Even the word “sexual” is rarely used. The Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:8) in fact asserts that is why Hebrew is called the holy language [The Ramban (Shemos 30:13) disagrees]. Most of the material in this book is in fact presented in a neutral manner and the word “abuse” is typically used to describe the issue under discussion. However there are discussion which are more graphic and language which is more explicit. Some of this is simply the translation of classic sources such as the Talmud or Rambam (See for example Commentary on Mishna Sanhedrin 7:4). Hebrew is less shocking then English.

However it is impossible to adequately explain how to protect children without explaining what the danger is. Euphemisms are appropriate when the reality is known but someone wants to allude to it rather then use lurid details. In fact much about abuse is not imaginable by the average person and therefore the danger and horror can only be conveyed by more explicit language and detail. Much of the psychological damage is the result of abuse by those who are known and trusted by the victim. This betrayal must be described to be properly understood.

One of my early supporters backed out when he saw some of the essays. He said, “I thought that you would simply say abuse happens and it is bad and therefore we need to protect our children. I thought you were writing a book that the typical Beis Yakov graduate or Chassidic mother can read.” Hopefully they will in fact read this book – despite it being an unpleasant experience - for the sake of their children. Therefore if you do not want to deal with these types of descriptions and language – don’t read this book – or at least be prepared to skip or skim some of the material. This also means that one needs to be careful who will read it.

This concern is not so simple however. I once mentioned to the Noviminsker Rebbe that Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky had stated that children should be educated about sexual matters at the age of 16. His reply was, “It is too late for children today (this was 25 years ago). Even some 8 year olds know more than I do.”

Difference between Volume I and Volume II


Main Divisions of the two volumes of this book

The book is composed of five different types of material in two volumes.

Content of Volumes I and II
This book is divided into two volumes – each of which is a complete work and yet they clearly supplement each other. Volume II deals with the classic Jewish sources that are relevant to define and understand the issue of abuse, obligations to help one another, sexuality and saving others from harm – as well as the nature of rabbinical authority. It includes the responsa from the major poskim on these issues.  This material is presented in a systematic conceptual framework for ease of locating and recalling the material. There is a separate listing of the core sources arranged according to author for easy access. These sources are all translated into English but the original Hebrew text is also presented. Volume I is thus a summary of Volume II while Volume I serves as a commentary and explanation of the meaning of the material in volume II. This second volume is essential for understanding the Halachic dynamics of the complex demands that the issue of abuse produces and anyone who wants to understand these issues properly needs to study these sources very carefully.

Volume I

1. Overview & summary survey the major issues of abuse as well providing a concise summary of practical concerns. It includes an Introduction, Practical Guide, Protocols of Orthodox Organizations for dealing with abuse and a Synopsis of the halachic and psychological issues that was reviewed and annotated by Rav Sternbuch. It also has chapters describing a number of actual abuse cases - including those written by survivors of abuse. 

2. The Essays provide in depth analysis of a variety topics by experts (rabbis, psychotherapists and lawyers) who share their knowledge and experience on critical issues.

Volume II

3. Translated Sources arranged by Topic is a comprehensive collection of Jewish legal sources that are organized according to topic for quick access on the major issues. These texts concern the need to protect the individual as well as his right to protect himself. It contains many texts related to child and domestic abuse, rabbinic authority, the relationship between Jewish and secular law and authority, and the Jewish view of sexuality and deviance. It is indispensable for those who wish to learn and understand the original legal sources. It also serves as a convenient and accessible reference for rabbis who wish to review and refresh their understanding. Lawyers, community leaders and psychologists will also find it useful to understand the parameters of legitimate response when developing strategies to deal with the problem. The third section presents the accepted mainstream views on the topic – including the authoritative writings of the major contemporary authorities.

4. Rabbinic Sources section is comprised of more complete citations of the material cited in the book. They are arranged by name rather than by topic. They are presented here for convenience of those who remember the author of the citation but not the section where the citation is quoted. It is also valuable because often only a part of the material was mentioned in the book.

5. Original Hebrew texts are provided in endnotes to the translation.
      

Reb Moshe:Translation of seforim including Igros Moshe & making halacha seforim with psakim without sources & reasons

Igros Moshe (Y. D. 4:38:5): … There is no prohibition to translate even Mishna and Halacha. However, the most important thing is that the translator must be fully aware of his responsibility and that even a small error can cause a major problem for those studying the translation… Surely, those who translate from Hebrew to another language have to be concerned about error and therefore it is best to refrain from translation…. In conclusion, I would advise not to be involved in studying from translated works and it is best to learn in the original language and this will to lead greater success.

Igros Moshe(Y. D. 4:38:6): … but concerning the writings of more recent sages whose works are not so well known, it is necessary to bring their reasoning for two reasons. 1) In order that their words should not be ridiculed when they are misunderstood. The reader of the translation might not attempt to obtain the original work to try to understand it. 2) Those reading the translation might not assume that the author had an intelligent reason for what he said. Therefore, if the author’s words are brought without explanation the reader might simply reject them.

Igros Moshe(Y.D. 3:91):... I heard that someone is making a sefer in English which consists of the halachic decisions from my Igros Moshe. This is prohibited even if the translation is done properly. That is because there is no one today who is able to make [a new Shulchan Aruch] in which the halacha is stated without providing explanation and sources. I have already been asked for permission to do this by others. I replied that I do not give permssion to do such a thing. The reason is that the halacha might not be stated accurately. There are many possibilities for error in such a scheme as well as errors that such a project could cause which is even worse. Even if the teshuvos are translated, this is still a major problem in that it presents these halachic decisions to the masses who are not Torah scholars and they will generalize incorrectly from them. Therefore I categorically object to doing this project.

Rav Sternbuch: Finding one's spouse

Obama - dealing with the election reversals

Time Magazine

"We make a grave mistake if we believe that tonight these results are somehow an embrace of the Republican Party," said Florida's newly elected Senator, Marco Rubio, who set the tone for this election cycle by chasing the incumbent governor, Charlie Crist, out of the Republican primary earlier this year. "What they are is a second chance." It was smart politics from a smart young politician — a sharp contrast to the smug certainty of Newt Gingrich's Republican revolution of 1994 and also a welcome relief from the witless thuggery that marked this campaign season. Given the country's distress, Rubio's humility seemed the best possible response. As the evening progressed, though, and more Republicans stood at their victory podiums expressing the very same sentiment, it began to seem more of a talking point than a genuine belief. "This is not a time for celebration," concluded Ohio's John Boehner. "This is a time to roll up our sleeves."

And then Boehner did something entirely unexpected and palpably real: he cried. "I've spent my whole life chasing the American Dream," he began but could not continue. He tried several more times to tell his life story — from the impoverished son of a tavern owner, with 11 brothers and sisters, working dismal jobs to get through college — but broke down each time. It was a rare moment. It gave emotional heft and validity to the Republican victory. It suggested that Boehner might be different, wiser and more reasonable, this time.[...]

Big Brother wants to know about your Internet purchases

Time Magazine

In the old days, when you trekked to a store to buy a book or magazine with cash, there was no permanent record of the purchase. But in the Internet age, with every book, magazine and DVD just a few clicks (and a credit card number) away, virtually anything you buy online is recorded — and sellers often keep the information permanently (or sell it to third parties). That's bad enough, but what if the government tried to get its hands on that personal data? In fact, the state of North Carolina has been trying to do just that. It's been on a disturbing campaign to force Amazon.com to give it detailed records on which First Amendment–protected products its residents have bought online. Last week, a federal court said no in an important win for online-privacy rights — but more remains to be done.

The court case stems from a war over sales taxes between North Carolina and Amazon. The North Carolina tax department says Amazon failed to collect sales taxes on about 50 million transactions with North Carolinians between 2003 and early 2010. As part of a tax audit, North Carolina asked the e-commerce giant to provide, for that time period, "all information for all sales to customers with a North Carolina shipping address." [...]

Obama as an anti-colonialist

Forbes

Barack Obama is the most antibusiness president in a generation, perhaps in American history. Thanks to him the era of big government is back. Obama runs up taxpayer debt not in the billions but in the trillions. He has expanded the federal government's control over home mortgages, investment banking, health care, autos and energy. The Weekly Standard summarizes Obama's approach as omnipotence at home, impotence abroad.

The President's actions are so bizarre that they mystify his critics and supporters alike. Consider this headline from the Aug. 18, 2009 issue of the Wall Street Journal: "Obama Underwrites Offshore Drilling." Did you read that correctly? You did. The Administration supports offshore drilling--but drilling off the shores of Brazil. With Obama's backing, the U.S. Export-Import Bank offered $2 billion in loans and guarantees to Brazil's state-owned oil company Petrobras to finance exploration in the Santos Basin near Rio de Janeiro--not so the oil ends up in the U.S. He is funding Brazilian exploration so that the oil can stay in Brazil.

More strange behavior: Obama's June 15, 2010 speech in response to the Gulf oil spill focused not on cleanup strategies but rather on the fact that Americans "consume more than 20% of the world's oil but have less than 2% of the world's resources." Obama railed on about "America's century-long addiction to fossil fuels." What does any of this have to do with the oil spill? Would the calamity have been less of a problem if America consumed a mere 10% of the world's resources? [...]

Volume II is almost finished. Relationship between Vol I & II

Just received approval from Amazon for Volume II. I just have to examine the proof copy which should arrive at the end of the week and approve it - and then they will make it available for sale - probably Monday or Tuesday. Have no idea why Volume I has not been approved but should receive information today. The following is a description of the relationship between volumes. Both will be available through links on my blog or by going directly to Amazon. Each paperback volume is being sold for $25. There is no hardcover version.

Main Divisions of the two volumes of this book

The book is composed of five different types of material in two volumes.

Content of Volumes I and II
This book is divided into two volumes – each of which is a complete work and yet they clearly supplement each other. Volume II deals with the classic Jewish sources that are relevant to define and understand the issue of abuse, obligations to help one another, sexuality and saving others from harm – as well as the nature of rabbinical authority. It includes the responsa from the major poskim on these issues.  This material is presented in a systematic conceptual framework for ease of locating and recalling the material. There is a separate listing of the core sources arranged according to author for easy access. These sources are all translated into English but the original Hebrew text is also presented. Volume I is thus a summary of Volume II while Volume I serves as a commentary and explanation of the meaning of the material in volume II. This second volume is essential for understanding the Halachic dynamics of the complex demands that the issue of abuse produces and anyone who wants to understand these issues properly needs to study these sources very carefully.

Volume I

1. Overview & summary survey the major issues of abuse as well providing a concise summary of practical concerns. It includes an Introduction, Practical Guide, Protocols of Orthodox Organizations for dealing with abuse and a Synopsis of the halachic and psychological issues that was reviewed and annotated by Rav Sternbuch. It also has chapters describing a number of actual abuse cases - including those written by survivors of abuse. 

2. The Essays provide in depth analysis of a variety topics by experts (rabbis, psychotherapists and lawyers) who share their knowledge and experience on critical issues.

Volume II

3. Translated Sources arranged by Topic is a comprehensive collection of Jewish legal sources that are organized according to topic for quick access on the major issues. These texts concern the need to protect the individual as well as his right to protect himself. It contains many texts related to child and domestic abuse, rabbinic authority, the relationship between Jewish and secular law and authority, and the Jewish view of sexuality and deviance. It is indispensable for those who wish to learn and understand the original legal sources. It also serves as a convenient and accessible reference for rabbis who wish to review and refresh their understanding. Lawyers, community leaders and psychologists will also find it useful to understand the parameters of legitimate response when developing strategies to deal with the problem. The third section presents the accepted mainstream views on the topic – including the authoritative writings of the major contemporary authorities.

        4. Rabbinic Sources section is comprised of more complete citations of the material cited in the book. They are arranged by name rather than by topic. They are presented here for convenience of those who remember the author of the citation but not the section where the citation is quoted. It is also valuable because often only a part of the material was mentioned in the book.

5. Original Hebrew texts are provided in endnotes to the translation.
      

Child & Domestic Abuse Volume II

I just submitted volume II to Amazon. This is the the Chapter listings.
Still awaiting approval of formatting changes to Volume I

Rav Moshe Feinstein: Sitting next to women on buses

Igros Moshe (E.H. 2:14): Nevertheless concerning other women even if they are married and nida and non-Jews – everyone agrees that there is no prohibition to come into contact with them since it is not done in a sexual arousing manner (derech chiba). Therefore there is no reason to be concerned about contact with women. Consequently there is no need to refrain from traveling on subways and buses to go to work when they are very crowded and it is not possible to avoid contact with women. That is because contact without intent for pleasure that results from the inevitable crowding and pushing is not done in a licentious manner (derech chiba)…. Similarly there is no prohibition for this reason to sit next to a woman when there is no other place available. That is because this is also not done for the sake of pleasure (derech chiba)…. However if it is known that this will bring about lustful thoughts then he should refrain from traveling in these circumstances if it isn’t necessary. But if he needs to travel on the buses and subways because of his work then it would be permitted even if it brings about lustful thoughts. He needs to fight against these thoughts by distracting himself and thinking about words of Torah as the Rambam (Issurei Bi’ah 21:19) advises. He can rely on this to allow him travel to work.  However if he knows that he has a lustful nature and these circumstances will cause him to be sexual aroused – then it is prohibited even if he needs to travel on the buses and subways for his job. But G-d forbid that a person should be that way. This is a result of idleness as it states in Kesubos (49) concerning a woman but it applies also to a man. Consequently he needs to be involved in Torah study and work and not be that way.

Seeing the Natural World With a Physicist’s Lens

New York Times

If you've ever stumbled your way through a newly darkened movie theater, unable to distinguish an armrest from a splayed leg or a draped coat from a child's head, you may well question some of the design features of the human visual system. Sure, we can see lots of colors during the day, but turn down the lights and, well, did you know that a large bucket of popcorn can accommodate an entire woman's shoe without tipping over?

Yet for all these apparent flaws, the basic building blocks of human eyesight turn out to be practically perfect. Scientists have learned that the fundamental units of vision, the photoreceptor cells that carpet the retinal tissue of the eye and respond to light, are not just good or great or phabulous at their job. They are not merely exceptionally impressive by the standards of biology, with whatever slop and wiggle room the animate category implies. Photoreceptors operate at the outermost boundary allowed by the laws of physics, which means they are as good as they can be, period. Each one is designed to detect and respond to single photons of light — the smallest possible packages in which light comes wrapped. [...]

Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science

Atlantic

In 2001, rumors were circulating in Greek hospitals that surgery residents, eager to rack up scalpel time, were falsely diagnosing hapless Albanian immigrants with appendicitis. At the University of Ioannina medical school’s teaching hospital, a newly minted doctor named Athina Tatsioni was discussing the rumors with colleagues when a professor who had overheard asked her if she’d like to try to prove whether they were true—he seemed to be almost daring her. She accepted the challenge and, with the professor’s and other colleagues’ help, eventually produced a formal study showing that, for whatever reason, the appendices removed from patients with Albanian names in six Greek hospitals were more than three times as likely to be perfectly healthy as those removed from patients with Greek names. “It was hard to find a journal willing to publish it, but we did,” recalls Tatsioni. “I also discovered that I really liked research.” Good thing, because the study had actually been a sort of audition. The professor, it turned out, had been putting together a team of exceptionally brash and curious young clinicians and Ph.D.s to join him in tackling an unusual and controversial agenda.

Introduction to Volume II of Child & Domestic Abuse

Volume I is a contemporary overview and summary of the topic of abuse. However it was derived and developed from more basic sources which were not directly concerned with the modern concept of abuse. These derivations were not relevant when presenting the "bottom line" and thus were either just alluded to or not mentioned at all. However these basic sources also need to be studied. Thus Volume II is an encyclopedia of these classic Rabbinic sources (translations as well as the original Hebrew) related to the topic abuse. The material is arranged conceptually according to topic and subtopic. Thus material which on the surface might not appear related – is grouped together by its underlying conceptual relationship to abuse.

This material needs to be carefully studied and understood to be able to   deal properly with the complexity of the issue of abuse and the  interaction of halacha, psychology and secular law. Merely knowing the  conclusions, without understanding where they come from makes it  difficult to deal with different situations or more complex ones.

However this conceptual organization is not simply an efficient means of   finding a particular Talmudic citation or verse in the Torah for the purpose of study. The framework in which I have placed these sources is important for another reason. The title headings and subheadings are there to suggest what use might be made of these ideas.

While the Torah clearly says not to harm others, it also says that it is necessary to do something to prevent harm from happening. This conceptual framework shows that not only is it explicit that Judaism requires that harm not be done to anyone, and that it should be prevented – there is another lesion to be learned. Because the Torah is so concerned about the issue of harm and prevention, actions are also required to ensure that measures intended to protect from harm – are in fact working! In other words, one does not fulfill his full Torah obligation just by keeping the mitzva of not harming (e.g., not hitting) or the mitzva of preventing harm (e.g., putting up a guard rail on your roof). The Torah not only requires that one try and anticipate the consequences of actions and provide preventative measures – but also requires one to monitor whether these measures work to protect the members of society. There is a need to obtain feedback as to how well the safeguards are working in reality and to act on this feedback. That has been the missing factor in much of the discussion of abuse up until recently.

Thus we have four critical elements – not to harm, take measures to prevent harm to others, monitor whether these preventative measures are actually working and modify accordingly. Another things which is apparent from these sources – there is no exclusive responsibility for rabbis and community leaders to monitor whether the preventative measures work and to suggest corrections. It is obligatory for every single individual to see what can be done to make society safe for everyone.

Scientific heresy - Life experiences of grandparents can affect offspring

Newsweek

Michael Skinner has just uttered an astounding sentence, but by now he is so used to slaying scientific dogma that his listener has to interrupt and ask if he realizes what he just said. Which was this: “We just published a paper last month confirming epigenetic changes in sperm which are carried forward transgenerationally. This confirms that these changes can become permanently programmed.”

OK, so it’s not bumper-sticker-ready. But if Skinner, a molecular biologist at Washington State University, were as proficient with soundbites as he is with mass spectrometry, he might have explained it this way: the life experiences of grandparents and even great-grandparents alter their eggs and sperm so indelibly that the change is passed on to their children, grandchildren, and beyond. It’s called transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: the phenomenon in which something in the environment alters the health not only of the individual exposed to it, but also of that individual’s descendants. [...]

Danger in believing in Science and danger in not believing in it

New York Times

Will sprinters one day break the sound barrier? Do Olympic athletes win more medals if they wear red? And can a simple formula predict happiness?

While those questions may sound absurd, various studies have found a way to prove them true through statistical manipulation of numbers and data. The tendency of academics, politicians and pundits to generate such numerical falsehoods from data — and the tendency of the public to believe the results — is a phenomenon cleverly explored in the new book “Proofiness: The Dark Arts of Mathematical Deception,” by Charles Seife.

Mr. Seife, a writer and professor of journalism at New York University, makes a compelling case that numbers have a unique hold on the human mind, and that we are routinely bamboozled by phony data, bogus statistics and bad math. I recently spoke with Mr. Seife, whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Economist and elsewhere, about the role that proofiness plays in health and medical research. Here’s our conversation.[...]

Newsweek

This column is about science education, but teachers and curriculum designers should click away now rather than risk apoplexy. Instead of making the usual boring plea for more resources for K–12 science (or, as it is now trendily called, STEM, for science, technology, engineering, and math), I hereby make the heretical argument that it is time to stop cramming kids’ heads with the Krebs cycle, Ohm’s law, and the myriad other facts that constitute today’s science curricula. Instead, what we need to teach is the ability to detect Bad Science—BS, if you will.

The reason we do science in the first place is so that “our own atomized experiences and prejudices” don’t mislead us, as Ben Goldacre of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine puts it in his new book, Bad Science: Quacks, Hacks, and Big Pharma Flacks. Understanding what counts as evidence should therefore trump memorizing the structural formulas for alkanes.

“People can be wrong in so many ways,” Goldacre told me—and by “people,” he includes scientists. All too many put too much credence in observational studies, in which people who happen to behave one way (eating a lot of olive oil, drinking in moderation) have one health outcome, while people who choose to behave the opposite way have a different health outcome. [...]

Black death & its role in the Middle East

New York Times

The great waves of plague that twice devastated Europe and changed the course of history had their origins in China, a team of medical geneticists reported Sunday, as did a third plague outbreak that struck less harmfully in the 19th century.

And in separate research, a team of biologists reported conclusively this month that the causative agent of the most deadly plague, the Black Death, was the bacterium known as Yersinia pestis. This agent had always been the favored cause, but a vigorous minority of biologists and historians have argued the Black Death differed from modern cases of plague studied in India, and therefore must have had a different cause.

The Black Death began in Europe in 1347 and carried off an estimated 30 percent or more of the population of Europe. For centuries the epidemic continued to strike every 10 years or so, its last major outbreak being the Great Plague of London from 1665 to 1666. The disease is spread by rats and transmitted to people by fleas or, in some cases, directly by breathing. [...]

PA upset over UNRWA official’s remark on refugees

JPost


The Palestinian Authority is extremely disappointed with a senior UNRWA official who recently said that Palestinian refugees should acknowledge that they will almost certainly not be returning to Israel, officials said last week.

Andrew Whitley, outgoing director of the United Nations Refugee and Works Agency's New York office, was quoted earlier this month as saying, "If one doesn't start a discussion soon with the refugees for them to consider what their own future might be – for them to start debating their own role in the societies where they are rather than being left in a state of limbo where they are helpless but preserve rather the cruel illusions that perhaps they will return one day to their homes – then we are storing up trouble for ourselves." [...]

Martin Gilbert - corrective history of Jewish-Islam "coexistence"

Jerusalem Post

Under Muslim rule, Jews have been a ‘protected’ group, but have nonetheless endured intolerable suffering.
 
Martin Gilbert’s In Ishmael’s House is a good corrective to all the ink that has been spilled to fabricate and deny history relating to the supposed coexistence between Jews and Muslims under Muslim rule. British-born Gilbert, a biographer of Winston Churchill and prolific writer on the Jews and the Holocaust, has only rarely directed his lens on the Jews who lived under Islam.

The subject has generally been left to Jewish Orientalists who, in the second half of the 19th and first half of the 20th century, wrote about the wondrous tolerance that Islam showed Jews in contrast to the brutality meted out to them in Russia and Europe.[...]

Child & Domestic Abuse Book - Almost there

The book is finished. Files need some technical corrections to pass
Amazon's test which should be next week.

The book is being published in two volumes. The second volume consists
of the halachic material (and Hebrew sources) that is the basis for the
conclusions presented in Volume I.

Rav Sternbuch: Considering others

4-Year-Old Can Be Sued, Judge Rules in Bike Case

New York Times

Citing cases dating back as far as 1928, a judge has ruled that a young girl accused of running down an elderly woman while racing a bicycle with training wheels on a Manhattan sidewalk two years ago can be sued for negligence.
The ruling by the judge, Justice Paul Wooten of State Supreme Court in Manhattan, did not find that the girl was liable, but merely permitted a lawsuit brought against her, another boy and their parents to move forward.
The suit that Justice Wooten allowed to proceed claims that in April 2009, Juliet Breitman and Jacob Kohn, who were both 4, were racing their bicycles, under the supervision of their mothers, Dana Breitman and Rachel Kohn, on the sidewalk of a building on East 52nd Street. At some point in the race, they struck an 87-year-old woman named Claire Menagh, who was walking in front of the building and, according to the complaint, was “seriously and severely injured,” suffering a hip fracture that required surgery. She died three weeks later. [...]

Breaking the Silence: Review by Jewish Star

Jewish Star

Has the Jewish community finally come to terms with sexual abuse? That is the question raised by the publication of a controversial new book, “Breaking the Silence: Sexual Abuse in the Jewish Community.” It is the first extensive treatment of sexual abuse among Jews aimed at a religious audience, and it faces the explosive topic head on — from advice on contacting police to filing abuse reports to halachic arguments about why reporting molesters is in keeping with Jewish law.

The editors, Dr. David Pelcovitz, the Straus Professor of Psychology and Education at the Azrieli Graduate School of Yeshiva University, and David Mandel, the CEO of Ohel, the largest Jewish social service agency, have no doubt about the book’s importance.

Eternal Jewish Family is now Tiferes Bais Yisrael of One Jewish Family

Eternal Jewish Family is now Tiferes Bais Yisrael and is holding a conference in Newark, New Jersey in December.

They state:The Role of Tiferes Bais Yisrael

           

                Well over half of all Jews worldwide choose to intermarry, yet some of these couples eventually decide to raise Jewish families.

                Proper guidance is crucial when a non-Jewish spouse sincerely seeks a halachic conversion.

                To assure full acceptance into any Jewish educational system or community throughout the world, including Israel, the conversion must adhere to the requirements and standards of Jewish law, as established by recognized Torah authorities.

                   

                TBY assists intermarried couples who display a sincere and strong commitment to live a Jewish lifestyle, in accordance with Torah and halacha.

                In this situation, the Jewish spouse is becoming a fully observant Jew while the non-Jewish partner is committed to become a sincere and fully observant convert.

           

Science Research- Dr. Hauser of Harvard - fraud or errors of judgment

New York Times

The still unresolved case of Marc Hauser, the researcher accused by Harvard of scientific misconduct, points to the painful slowness of the government-university procedure for resolving such charges. It also underscores the difficulty of defining error in a field like animal cognition where inconsistent results are common.

The case is unusual because Dr. Hauser is such a prominent researcher in his field, and is known to a wider audience through his writings on morality. There seemed little doubt of the seriousness of the case when Harvard announced on Aug. 20 that he had been found solely responsible for eight counts of scientific misconduct.

But last month two former colleagues, Bert Vaux and Jeffrey Watumull, both now at the University of Cambridge in England, wrote in the Harvard Crimson of Dr. Hauser’s “unimpeachable scientific integrity” and charged that his critics were “scholars known to be virulently opposed to his research program.” [...]

Obama claims political woes are result of neurological problem

JPost

In an increasingly desperate attempt to develop a narrative for their coming collapse, the Democrats have indulged themselves in what for half a century they’ve habitually attributed to the American Right – the paranoid style in American politics. The talk is of dark conspiracies – secret money, foreign influence, big corporations, with Karl Rove and, yes, Ed Gillespie lurking ominously behind the scenes. The only thing missing is the Halliburton-Cheney angle.

But after trotting out some of these with a noticeable lack of success, President Barack Obama has come up with something new, something less common, something more befitting his stature and intellect. He’s now offering a scientific, indeed neurological, explanation for his current political troubles. The electorate apparently is deranged by its anxieties and fears to the point where it can’t think straight. Part of the reason “facts and science and argument does not seem to be winning the day all the time,” he explained to a Massachusetts audience, “is because we’re hardwired not to always think clearly when we’re scared. And the country is scared.” Opening a whole new branch of cognitive science – liberal psychology – Obama has discovered a new principle: The fearful brain is hardwired to act befuddled, i.e., vote Republican. [...]

Defriending electonically on Facebook

New York Times

ENDING a friendship takes many forms: an ugly confrontation, a polite “I don’t think this is working out,” or just the fade-out with not returning phone calls or responding to e-mail.

Or it can be a simple click on your Facebook page.

As many know, it’s called “defriending,” a term that the New Oxford American Dictionary formally acknowledged this summer. But can technology mitigate the complicated emotions that are associated with a failed friendship? Maybe not.

What is a Jewish State?

New York Times

The more stridently Israel insists on Palestinian recognition of it as the nation-state of the Jewish people, the more adamantly the Palestinian leadership seems to refuse.

As a result, some senior Israeli officials are beginning to question the wisdom of the policy of their prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who has made recognition of the legitimacy of the Jewish nation-state a prerequisite for any final agreement with the Palestinians.

More recently, Mr. Netanyahu offered it as a quid pro quo for a temporary extension of a moratorium on building in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Nascent Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have stalled since the moratorium expired last month.

Abuse Book - Sending it to Amazon by Wednesday for printing

There are more twists and dead ends in this journey then in the 5 other books I have published. I decided not to produce an ebook. I discovered that removing copy protection from an ebook is very simple and that there are hundreds of sites on the internet that describe the process.

While I am aware of the issue of DRM and music - I think this would be different because of the subject of the book. I am concerned that it would become viral amongst those who are more concerned with the problem then finding a constructive solution.

Therefore I am left with the path of publishing on demand. I am just finishing editing the last essay which I got yesterday. Then some basic formatting and just need to approve a prototype and that's it. The cover took another reitieration. Hopefully this is the final version. I will be publishing it in two volumes - the essays and the halachic sources in Hebrew and English.

R' Avi Shafran on Mendelsoh, Science & Slikin Affair

On the Main Line


http://onthemainline.blogspot.com/2010/10/interview-with-rabbi-avi-shafran-about.html

Here's a guest post consisting of a very interesting interview with Rabbi Avi Shafran conducted by Baruch Pelta. Below is the interview transcript. I will post another post shortly which will give some of the background info regarding the Mendelssohn article published in the Jewish Observer nearly 25 years ago, which may or may not be known to readers - but see this post for some of that background, as well as links to the relevant articles.[...]

Yisroel Meir Bricksman

Kikar HaShabbat

סיפור גירושי בריסקמן-שכטר מסתבך: עסקנים הפועלים בארה"ב בענייני עגונות, שהצליחו בשבוע האחרון להוציא גט מישראל בריסקמן, נעצרו באשמת חטיפה והכאה.


מדובר בבני זוג מוכרים מליקווד - ר´ דוד ווקס ואשתו. כזכור, בתחילת השבוע חשף "כיכר השבת" כי סיפור העיגון בפרשת בריסקמן-שכטר הסתיים, והאשה קיבלה את גטה בארה"ב בעקבות מעורבותם של חברי "מאפיה" מקומיים.


כעת אנו מביאים, לראשונה, את פרטי הסיפור המלא
....

Audiotape of the Chicago JBAC Event this past Sunday

Chicago
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Yisroel Bryskman assaulted in Lakewood

APP.COM

LAKEWOOD — A local couple were arrested after police say they kidnapped a man and beat him before dropping him off in New York. David Wax, 48, and Judy Wax, 46, both of Somerset Avenue, here, were charged with kidnapping. David Wax was also charged with criminal restraint, luring, aggravated assault, theft and robbery, and Judy Wax was charged with conspiracy.

Sometime after 9 p.m. Saturday, David and Judy Wax handcuffed Yisrael Bryskman, 36, and moved him into a room at their home on Somerset Avenue before beating him and ordering him to call his family and demand money, according to Lt. William Addison.

Bryskman, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was staying in Lakewood, and was seeking employment with the Waxes when they assaulted him, said Addison. [...]

Petition supporting Rabi Elon

YNET

Some 300 former students of Rabbi Mordechai Elon, who has been accused  of sexually harassing his underlings, have signed a petition in his favor. The young men say they have never been abused or harassed by the rabbi.


Rabbi Elon is being charged with sexually abusing and committing indecent acts on underage students who sought his advice. The Takana forum, which has been accused of protecting Elon, announced recently that it would soon release the details of the allegations against him.


The forum says it has documents signed by the rabbi, in which he admits to the allegations and accepts sanctions imposed on him by the members – including a prohibition to meet with students.[...]

CAUTION – EXPLICIT CONTENT & LANGUAGE

The following has been inserted at the beginning of the book

The subject matter of this book is one that is inherently upsetting and unpleasant. Consequently much consideration was given to what to describe and what type of language to use. It is typical in the Orthodox community that these things are not talked about and when they are talked about euphemisms are typically used (Pesachim 3a). Even the word "sexual" is rarely used. The Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:8) in fact asserts that is why Hebrew is called the holy language. [The Ramban (Shemos 30:13) disputes this view however]. Most of the material in this book is in fact presented in a neutral manner and the word "abuse" is typically used to describe the issue under discussion. However there are discussions which are more graphic and language which is more explicit. Some of this is simply the translation of classic sources such as the Talmud or Rambam (See for example Commentary on Mishna Sanhedrin 7:4). In Hebrew the descriptions are much more modest and acceptable and the terms are not explicit as they are in English i.e., they are not as shocking.

However it is impossible to adequately educate parents and educators as to how to protect children without explaining what the danger is. Euphemisms are appropriate when the reality is known but someone wants to allude to it rather then use lurid details. In fact much of what goes on is not known by the average person and therefore the horror can only be conveyed by more explicit language and detail. Much of the psychological damage is the result of abuse by those who are known and trusted by the victim. This betrayal must be described to be properly understood.

One of my early supporters backed out when he saw some of the essays. He said, " I thought that you would simply say abuse happens and is bad and therefore we need to protect our children. I thought you were writing a book that the typical Beis Yaakov graduate or Chassidic mother can read." Hopefully they will in fact read this book – despite it being an unpleasant experience - for the sake of their children

Therefore if you do not want to deal with these types of descriptions and language – don't read this book – or at least be prepared to skip or skim some of the material. This also means that one needs to be careful who will read it.

This concern is not so simple however. I once mentioned to the Noviminsker Rebbe that Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky had stated that children should be educated about sexual matters at the age of 16. His reply was, "It is too late for children today (this was 25 years ago). Even some 8 year olds know more than I do."

Court in UAE says beating wife, child OK if no marks are left

CNN

A court in the United Arab Emirates says a man is permitted under Islamic law to physically discipline his wife and children as long as he leaves no marks and has tried other methods of punishment, the country's top court ruled.

The ruling came in the case of a man who slapped his wife and slapped and kicked his 23-year-old daughter, the document said. [...]

Dead Sea Scrolls to be put online

CNN

In an ambitious application of 21st century technology to a first century wonder, the Israel Antiquities Authority and internet search giant Google announced a plan Tuesday to digitize the Dead Sea Scrolls and make the entire collection available to the public online.

The authority's general director, Shuka Dorfman, called the project a milestone that will enhance the field of biblical studies and people's understanding of Judaism and early Christianity.

"We have succeeded in recruiting the best minds and technological means to preserve this unrivaled cultural heritage treasure, which belongs to all of us, so that the public with a click of the mouse will be able to access history in its fullest glamour"

Made up of 30,000 fragments from 900 manuscripts, the Dead Sea Scrolls are considered by many historians to be one of the most important archaeological finds ever made.

The ancient manuscripts, made of leather, papyrus and copper, were first discovered in 1947 by a nomadic shepherd in a cave near the Dead Sea. In the years that followed, more scroll fragments were located. [...]

Child & Domestic Abuse - paperback version

This is the tentative cover for the paper back version. If you look
carefully you will see that the back cover is one of the pages of the
Synopsis that was heavily edited by Rav Sternbuch. The front cover may
still end up being the original one - however I just don't have access
to photoshop right now.

Certain European communities in grave danger

YNET

The European Jewish Congress (EJC) said Thursday that certain Jewish communities in Europe are in grave danger after a recent wave of  anti-Semitism, some of it  officially sanctioned.

Recently, the organization said, a respected and government-funded Catholic school, the College of the Sacred Heart, in Antwerp, hosted a 'Palestine Day', which was replete with anti-Semitic references and activities for youngsters. One stall at the event was titled "Throw the soldiers into the sea" where children were invited to throw replicas of  Jewish and Israeli soldiers into two large tanks, EJC said. [...]

Jewish Comic Novelist wins Man Booker Prize

New York Times

A funny thing happened when Howard Jacobson won the Man Booker Prize last Tuesday. Instead of the traditional audience reaction — euphoria from the winner's entourage, anemic clapping underpinned by envy and bitterness from everyone else — the announcement, over dinner at the Guildhall here, was greeted by loud, sustained applause. A smattering of people who were not even related to Mr. Jacobson stood and cheered.

"I think it's that I'm someone who's been around for a long time," Mr. Jacobson, exhausted but excited, said in an interview two days after. "There was also the feeling that, 'Thank God an old man's won it.' " (He is 68).

The winning book, "The Finkler Question," is Mr. Jacobson's 11th novel; it was published in the United States as a paperback original by Bloomsbury on the same day that the prize was announced. It is an unusual Booker choice, both because it delves into the heart of the British Jewish experience, something that few contemporary British novels try to do, and because it is, on its surface at least, so ebulliently comic. It tells the story of three friends, two Jewish and one, Julian Treslove, who longs to be. [...]

Part III Saga of publishing Abuse Book - End Game

After being rejected by the frum book stores. I looked into ebooks. I rejected that path because I failed to produce an error free ePub file.

Plan B was to publish through a publish on demand service. But that would cost more than I could sell the book. However I discovered that Amazon has a very reasonably service Createspace which produces books at an affordable price. The only downside is that it only produces paperback. Similarly I discovered that Amazon's ebook division e.g., Kindle readily converted my files into Kindle books and it is also reasonably priced.

So if all goes well I will be producing an ebook version of my book this week and a paper back version in the next week or two.

The kindle ebook will consist of the basic issues and halachic concerns, the 25 essays as well as the Synopsis which was reviewed and annotated by Rav Sternbuch. It will also have a concise 25 point practical guide. About 260 pages of the original book. I plan to sell it for $9.99 .

The detailed halachic discussions will be published in a separate volume. A third volume will include the Hebrew footnotes as well translations of the major sources in the literature arranged by author each for $9.99 a book. This arrangement also allows easier navigation in the ebook format as well as allowing flexibility in buying as much as you want.

These will be accessible on the Amazon website. I will also have links from my blog. The paperback sold on Amazon is eligible for free shipping in USA when the total reaches $25. I plan to sell it slightly discounted on my Amazon estore.

I am not sure whether or not to publish the paperback in 2 or 3 volumes. I also haven't decided on the pricing - but the volume with the essays will definitely not be above $25. I am just not certain whether to include the halachic discussions with the Hebrew footnotes or to include it with the essays.

The ultimate toy - the iPhone

New York Times

THE bedroom door opened and a light went on, signaling an end to nap time. The toddler, tousle-haired and sleepy-eyed, clambered to a wobbly stand in his crib. He smiled, reached out to his father, and uttered what is fast becoming the cry of his generation: “iPhone!”THE bedroom door opened and a light went on, signaling an end to nap time. The toddler, tousle-haired and sleepy-eyed, clambered to a wobbly stand in his crib. He smiled, reached out to his father, and uttered what is fast becoming the cry of his generation: “iPhone!”

The iPhone has revolutionized telecommunications. It has also become the most effective tool in human history to mollify a fussy toddler, much to the delight of parents reveling in their newfound freedom to have a conversation in a restaurant or roam the supermarket aisles in peace. But just as adults have a hard time putting down their iPhones, so the device is now the Toy of Choice — akin to a treasured stuffed animal — for many 1-, 2- and 3-year-olds. It’s a phenomenon that is attracting the attention and concern of some childhood development specialists.[...]

Germany chancellor criticizes multicultural approach to Islam

YNET

German Chancellor Angela Merkel announced Saturday that the multicultural model for integration in Germany has "miserably failed." For the first time, Merkel expressed a clear position in an ongoing debate over the integration of immigrants – especially Muslims – into German society, stressing that the current situation must be changed.

According to Merkel, immigrants should be required to integrate in society, by committing to learn the German language – and not only be allowed to do so voluntarily, as has been the policy up until now. [...]

Rav Sternbuch: Acting out of love

Rav Sternbuch:Getting started

An End to Israel’s Invisibility

New York Times

NEARLY 63 years after the United Nations recognized the right of the Jewish people to independence in their homeland — and more than 62 years since Israel's creation — the Palestinians are still denying the Jewish nature of the state. "Israel can name itself whatever it wants," said the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, while, according to the newspaper Haaretz, his chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, said that the Palestinian Authority will never recognize Israel as the Jewish state. Back in 1948, opposition to the legitimacy of a Jewish state ignited a war. Today it threatens peace.

Mr. Abbas and Mr. Erekat were responding to the call by the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for the Palestinians to recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, enabling his government to consider extending the moratorium on West Bank construction. "Such a step by the Palestinian Authority would be a confidence-building measure," Mr. Netanyahu explained, noting that Israel was not demanding recognition as a prerequisite for direct talks. It would "open a new horizon of hope as well as trust among broad parts of the Israeli public."[...]

Thoughts about sinning are worse than doing the sin

Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:8): It is a well‑known saying of our Sages (Yoma 29a) that the thoughts about sinning are more harmful than the sin itself.” I have a very good explanation of this. When a person transgresses or is disobedient it is typically because of accidents or physical lusts that are characteristic of his animal nature. However the power of thought is his most elevated aspect and is actually an aspect of the human essence. Therefore a person who sins in thought sins by means of his most elevated aspect. There is no comparison of the severity of sin of someone who wrongly causes a foolish slave to work as he who wrongly causes a distinguished free man to do the work of a slave…Therefore this gift of thought which G‑d gave to us in order to perfect ourselves and to learn and to teach must not be used in doing that which is the most degrading and disgraceful aspect of ourselves. We must not imitate the songs and stories of the foolish lustful nations of the world which are suitable for them but not for us - the kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Shemos 19:6). Therefore all those who utilize the faculty of thought or speech in matters which are disgraceful to us, or who thinks more than necessary about drinking or sexual relations or who gets involved in singing about these lowly things – is taking and utilizing divine gifts in rebellion against G‑d and His commandments.

9th volume of Igros Moshe to be published soon

The Jewish Star

A new volume of the halachic responsa and letters of HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l will see the light of day thanks to his grandchildren.

The Belarus-born gadol hador, the greatest Torah leader of his generation, was 91 when he passed away on Ta’anis Esther in 1986. Rav Moshe’s reputation as the foremost posek, halachic decisor, and a beloved leader, radiated from the Lower East Side of Manhattan where he led Mesivta Tiferes Jerusalem for half a century while answering an unending stream of halachic questions from all over the world. Many of his decisions were published in a seven-volume collection of halachic responsa titled “Igros Moshe,” the “Answers of Moshe.” He resolved questions on an almost unimaginable array of subjects, from business and ethical disputes to complex medical issues and matters of life and death. One of Rav Moshe’s most famous opinions, still discussed at length today, permitted consumption of non-cholov yisroel milk, unsupervised during the milking process — though only in the United States.[...]

Part II The continuing saga of trying to produce the Abuse book

Yesterday I reported my decision to publish my book as an ebook because  of the refusal of the traditional stores to carry it. However that too has turned into a dead end. After about 10 hours of unsuccessfully trying to convert my files into errorless ePUb files I have simply given up. On the surface the process is very simple. A word document is fed into a conversion program. 5 minutes later it produce an ePub formatted file. That file must be checked with ePubcheck to make sure that it has no errors. If there are any errors Barnes and Noble will not publish it. However since I have not succeeded in producing errorless files that is simply the end of that alternative. I am not so upset about this as ebooks are very difficult to navigate for large and complex books such as mine. Also most people would prefer to have a physical book.

Fortunately I discovered what seems to be a viable alternative - publishing on demand with Createspace (an Amazon company). They store your files and produce one book at a time and ship it anywhere in the world. The production cost is lower than other publishing on demand companies and it is very easy to do. They collect sales tax and there is an option of listing it on Amazon. The only downside is that they only produce softcover works.

 I will be sending them the finished files next week - then they will produce a proof copy which I need to review and approve and then I am in business.

Because of their lower cost I will probably be selling the book at $25 or less. They also offer the service of selling the books to me  at cost amd shipping them to anyone I wish - so that I can sell it to any store which is brave enough to carry it. In essence they have eliminated the need for a distributor or middleman.

The only issue which I am still wrestling with is that of some of the descriptions and language used in the book. One suggestion is simply to place a warning on those chapters which would make some people blush or get sick. On the other hand that is the nature of the beast and too many people are naive and are ignorant of  what abuse is. They imagine some wild eyed psychotic monster attacking their child while he/she is walking down the wrong street late at night. David Morris has recently written about the issue of grooming. He has given me permission for that post to be included in my book. Others argue that any descriptions which upset people will sink the book so why sacrifice the whole project for the sake of realism? That is a good question which I am still wrestling with.

Pledge of allegiance is American idea

YNET

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stressed Thursday that "we did not invent the idea of pledging allegiance to the state," in response to criticism leveled at the Citizenship Act amendment.
Asked during a visit to Berlin of the essence of the amendment, which requires non-Jewish aspiring citizens to pledge allegiance to the State of Israel as a "Jewish and democratic" state, Lieberman pointed to the American pledge of allegiance. He noted that the Yisrael Beiteinu party is "willing to adopt the American law word for word."[...]

The publishing of my Child & Domestic Abuse book will be in a few days

Problem

My book is almost finished. I am just waiting for one final essay to be finished. However I have run into a major roadblock. I contacted three distributors/book sellers regarding the book. The first one said simply, "I can't have a book on abuse in my store." The second one said, "Of course I'll distribute the book. It is an important work that is needed by our community. However I don't know a single store that I supply that would take it." The third one said, "The book is important but I can't have a book which is so explicit in description and language. I need a book that any beis yaakov graduate would be comfortable with , a book that any chassidic woman would allow in her home. You need to just say there is an abuse problem and here are the solutions to prevent it - just don't describe what abuse is or use terms such as oral sex, sodomy or incest." LOL

Therefore the problem is how to produce and distribute a book that will be acceptable to the mainstream Orthodox stores. How do I produce a safe enough book which conveys the nature of abuse to those who have no idea of what it entails without describing what it is? Aside from the concerns with content the distributors  were also very concerned that the book would be banned and that they might suffer financially - but they all agreed that I have no way of protecting against this.

Solution
However I have a solution. The book will be initially released as an ebook from Barnes and Noble. This uses the ePub format which is readable on all computers as well as most ebook readers (Kindle is a major problem however.). The Nook free software works also on cell phones. It will also be copy protected (DRM) This produces some significant problems regarding format i.e., the pages are smaller and so navigating is a formidable problem. Formatting is limited and Hebrew can't be displayed. However it can have internal links in the text and so the Table of Contents (12 pages in book format) will provide hyperlinks to the relevant sections. The Nook software not only allows reading the ebook on many different devices but allows you to lend it to others for a 14 day period.

 Once I have a finished version I will also sell it through Amazon for the Kindle. If the ebook version is acceptable to the public then I will see about publishing it either as (publish on demand) or for the stores.

There is also a major advantage to this approach - aside from the fact that I don't need a store or pay for printing (for Barnes & Noble but not Amzaon) - I can update and correct the book free and purchasers can download the latest edition free (This is true only for Barnes & Noble but not Amazon). There is obviously no physical book so there is no problem that your mechutan might see that you are reading a book on abuse or your children might ask what child abuse is. So it won't produce problems for shidduchim.

The ebook of Child and Domestic Abuse hopefully will be available in a few days.

Long Recovery Looks Like Recession

New York Times

This is not what a recovery is supposed to look like.

In Atlanta, the Bank of America tower, the tallest in the Southeast, is nearly a fifth vacant, and bank officials just wrestled a rent cut from the developer. In Cherry Hill, N.J., 10 percent of the houses on the market are so-called short sales, in which sellers ask for less than they owe lenders. And in Arizona, in sun-blasted desert subdivisions, owners speak of hours cut, jobs lost and meals at soup kitchens.

Less than a month before November elections, the United States is mired in a grim New Normal that could last for years. That has policy makers, particularly the Federal Reserve, considering a range of ever more extreme measures, as noted in the minutes of its last meeting, released Tuesday. Call it recession or recovery, for tens of millions of Americans, there’s little difference. [...]