M. Freund calls for outreach to bnei anusim

JPost

For Miquel Segura of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the journey home took more than 500 years. Last week, at a moving ceremony in Manhattan, the 65-year-old journalist and political commentator completed his return to the Jewish people, closing a circle dating back to the 14th century.

Segura is from the Chueta community, as descendants of Mallorcan Jews forcibly converted to Christianity more than five centuries ago are known.

Though the term is derogatory, with some historians suggesting it comes from the Catalan word for "pig," Segura has long worn it with unadorned pride [...]

Tropper - what's behind the silence?

[I had taken this down because it sounded like a plant but others claim it is from a perplexed person who wants this issue thoroughly discussed - therefore I am reposting it]

Dear Rabbi Eidensohn,

I heard from someone who is very close to Rabbi Tropper and who spoke to Rabbi Tropper recently that the person who authenticated the Gilad Shalit tapes told Rabbi Tropper that the tapes were "arts and crafts." Additionally, the woman involved was previously in some kind of relationship with Guma and was prepared to testify for Rabbi Tropper in the lawsuit, and that this may explain the mention of payment to lawyers on the tapes.

I personally don't think that explains the complete lack of public denial, which is damning and which, as far I can tell, serves no legal purpose. This person close to Rabbi Tropper obviously has strong reasons to want to believe in Rabbi Tropper's innocence. However, regardless of one's views of Rabbi Tropper's hashakofos, personality and ego, I do think it is important to allow for the possibility that things may not be entirely as they seem from the tapes

anonymous

P.S. Since you seem to sometimes post emails as they come in, as a courtesy to the person close to Rabbi Tropper, please don't post my name or email address. This is not an anonymous attempt to start spreading pro-Tropper rumors. I have no connection to Rabbi Tropper or his supposed attorney. In fact, I had one telephone conversation with Rabbi Tropper a few months ago and was far from impressed. I'm emailing you specifically because I think you have integrity, unlike the hordes of disenchanted Jewish bloggers who are looking for spikes in the traffic to their blogs.

Rav Sternbuch: Yosef & the art of forgetting

Rav Sternbuch: Chanukah - the Eternal Flame

Beseiged in Miami by Israeli schnorrers

Reuven writes:

I read your website, blog daily; I agree and disagree on a few issues. However a point I would like to bring across and get your response. I live in a frum community in Miami Florida, with many shuls and Jewish days’ schools. I get knocks on my doors daily even at 10 pm, people from Eretz Yisroel

They all have a sob story, how life is, and how its the American Jew who's going to bail them out, and must give needed funds now! Why is it this way? The Chutzpa, arrogant is more the word, and the disrespect they give when you give them a few dollars, they want a check!

You have a Medina called Israel which doesn't support big Frum Haimisher families and who's responsible?? They don't work, don't learn torah in kollel! They can't go into the Army, Hester programs are too Zionist for them, and so do what?? Ten percent of frum yidden belong in kollel, though who are serious about being the teacher, rabbonim, dayanim in the next generation, the rest need to get a job. To survive in today’s world you can go to a frum college, which I went to Touro College, without the distractions of the world, with 6 kids at home between 5-10 pm for 3 years after a days work. The Shulchan Urach clearly states, hilchous Talmud Torah to teach ones child a trade. Get a decent job support your family and do something meaningful in life! Being a professional shnorra isn't a profession, you are bogging down the true people in this world who need help from our fellow yidden!  When will the Haimsher, Frum, Charidim world wake up and earn a parnosha from Hashem like a mentch?

I would like to see some feed back from your blogger, thank you

European rabbis object to EJF move into Europe

JCcom

Two weeks ago, the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) passed a unanimous resolution at a meeting of its Standing Committee, in Moscow, objecting to EJF's attempts to establish itself in Europe.

It had "strong reservations" about the EJF's attempts to organise local conferences and activities by a new EJF office in Amsterdam were "not welcome".[...]

Haaretz:Tropper scandal embarrasses charedi system

Haaretz

It is hard to imagine a more embarrassing situation in which to find an exclusive ultra-Orthodox organization - a group that was a standard-bearer in the fight against "breaches in the wall of conversion" and "the penetration of complete gentiles into the vineyard of Israel."

These breaches pale into insignificance in comparison with the accusations against the man who heads the organization itself: according to the claims, Rabbi Leib Tropper of Rockland County abandoned the apparently stringent Halakhic standards of his Haredi organization and established a conversion process based on his most private impulses. [...]