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. [...]