Homosexuality - Unnatural relationship

Maharal(Be’er HaGola 6:2):…Concerning homosexuality, G‑d gave man normal sexual relations with a woman and this person has it with a male. There is no greater sin and negation of the perfection of man than this.

Rambam(Commentary to Sanhedrin 7:4): All those with whom sexual relations is prohibited, it is prohibited to be secluded with them – except with another male or an animal. That is because Jews are not suspected of homosexuality or bestiality. The reason for this is because the people are pure and they have no desire or lust for these two behaviors - which are outside the realm of nature.

Abuse - Mother in Chen case agrees to plea

JPost writes

A mother of eight from Jerusalem who is on trial for severely abusing her children signed a plea bargain on Sunday according to which she would turn state witness in return for only five years in prison.

The 38-year-old American-born woman, who was arrested and indicted last year in one of the worst child abuse cases ever uncovered in Israel's history, has remained in detention since her arrest.

The alleged ringleader in the abuse case, "Rabbi" Elior Chen, who fled the country after news of the case broke, is fighting an Israeli extradition request in a Brazilian court. According to the agreement announced on Sunday, the mother's testimony would likely provide incriminating facts which would help Israel solidify its extradition case.

In January, the extradition case took an unexpected turn when Brazil asked Israel for clarifications about its judicial authority in the West Bank settlement where the suspect lives.[...]

EJF - marriage to Ohr Somayach /RaP's comments

Recipients and Publicity comment to "EJF - Trojan horse proselytizing":

Horizons & Ohr Somayach in Phoenix, Arizona, get together for a party and the town joins in.

For the first time in a long time an infomercial obviously coming from Rabbi Tropper's sources does NOT mention the name "EJF" at all, altho there is an obvious hint to it, EJF is not mentioned explicitly, what's up?

And once again, since knowledge of the split between the Rabbi Tropper & Dr. Tom Kaplan duo from their former partner Guma Aguiar was blown wide open, the name Lillian Jean Kaplan Foundation is not mentioned (Guma still controls it), why is that?

Tom Kaplan himself is also keeping a low profile as his name hardly comes up publicly in association with Rabbi Tropper as it often did in the past when Kaplan-sponsored programs by both Horizons and EJF were written up. Why?

There are still a number of things to consider when reading the following:

What has brought about this new "marriage of convenience" bteween two bitter foes? since from the time Ohr Somayach and Rabbi Schiller let Rabbi Tropper go about 30 years ago, Tropper has never pulled his punches about his differences with Ohr Somyach and its relatively more moderate approach versus his steam-rollering of new recruits to become eovernight farbrente yeshivishe people, "more holy than the pope" [lehavdil] as the saying goes.

[see comments section of EJF - Trojan horse proselytizing] for rest

Abuse - A morning of chizuk/ Hikind

5TownsJewish Times

On Sunday, March 1, New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind of Brooklyn is scheduled to host a community-wide event entitled “A Morning of Chizuk” to show solidarity with victims of sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community and to provide information to concerned citizens. The program includes inspirational speeches and the recitation of Tehillim.

Addressing the audience will be Dr. Benzion Twerski; Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum, director of Iggud HaRabbanim; Shmelke Klein of Eitzah; and Rabbi Yerachmiel Milstein, executive vice-president of Project Chazon, among others. “We are all guilty of not doing more to address sexual abuse in our community,” Hikind said. “The time has come to ask forgiveness from the victims and to pray for continued strength from G-d to combat this issue. I urge the community to join in this unprecedented event.” A Morning of Chizuk will be held at the Boro Park Y, 4912 14th Avenue, at 11:00 a.m. Separate seating for men and women will be available.

In furtherance of Hikind’s mission to educate the public about sexual abuse in the Orthodox community, Hikind is dedicating two radio shows, on February 21 and 28, to interviewing sex-abuse victims from the Orthodox Jewish community. During the course of the shows, Hikind intends to announce that the multifaceted plan created by his task force to tackle sexual abuse is nearing completion. “We are putting the final touches on our plan to implement education, prevention, and intervention systems in homes, schools, camps, and the general community,” remarked Hikind. “Education and awareness are the only way to protect our children from predators.”

Hikind invites listeners to share their opinions by calling 718-436-1700. The Dov Hikind Show airs Saturday nights at 11:00 p.m. on WMCA 570 AM.

Chasam Sofer - Beracha on the Sun

חתם סופר (אורח חיים א:נו): וראיתי בס' שכה"ג שמקדם לא נהגו כלל בברכה זו כן משמע בתשו' משאת בנימין, אולי הוא מטעם הנ"ל, ומ"מ אחרי דנהיגי בה עלמא עפ"י הגאונים הנ"ל וגם הרי"ף מייתי להא דאביי בפשיטות ורמב"ם ורא"ש וטור וקבעו הרב"י בש"ע ממנו אין לזוז. ובאמת לא ידעתי מ"ט לא נהגו נשים לברך ברכה זו ג"כ ולא שייך הכא הטעם שכ' [מג"א רסי' תכ"ו] בברכת הירח שהנשים גורמים מיעוט הירח וזה לא שייך הכא, ומ"מ מה דנהיג נהיג ומה דלא נהיג הבו דלא לוסיף עלה, ועדיין צ"ע:

Conversion - fight over Israeli standards

Recipients and Publicity comment on your post "Conversion and the new government":

Israel to raise standards of conversion by increasing requirements. Conservative/Masorti leaders object and are joined by ultra-Modern Orthodox Rabbis Seth Farber, Marc Angel and Rabbi Haskel Lookstein (the latter had also opposed his own RCA and went to a national church service in honor of Obama) who worry more about conditions outside of Israel than realities of gentiles coming into the Jewish state. Note that article refers to the "stringent standards" of Chief Rabbinate avoiding use of the euphemism "universally standards" while a Reform rabbi worries that converts are asked "theological questions" (my, what should they be asked instead, how many Jewish actors or politicians they heard of?)

From The New York Jewish Week.com

"Fresh Rift Seen Over New Israeli Conversion Rules


Jerusalem — In a potentially divisive flare-up in the ongoing Who is a Jew struggle, Israel’s Interior Ministry is poised to institute new, stricter guidelines for diaspora converts wishing to immigrate to Israel, The Jewish Week has learned.

According to the new guidelines, spelled out in a two-page draft document in the works since 2005, potential converts from all religious streams seeking to make aliyah must study Judaism a minimum of 350 hours in “a recognized” Jewish community.

They must also spend a total of 18 months in the community where they are converting (at least nine months following the conversion), in order to prove their sincere commitment to Judaism.

Until now, the ministry has never dictated the number of hours a convert must study.

The 18-month requirement is six months longer than the ministry’s long-standing criterion, which the Supreme Court deemed illegal in 2005. [...]

Rav Sternbuch - An Urgent Appeal

American Weekly Hamodia 25th of February