Thursday, November 6, 2014
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Schlesinger Twins: Beth asks that you send an email to Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky
Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky is the director of the International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries and Vice-Chairman of Merkos L’lnyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Rabbi Kotlarsky travels the globe establishing Jewish centers for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, becoming known as “Judaism’s Globe Trotter”. In many countries he is the public face of Chabad, visiting heads of state and opening new Chabad centers worldwide.
Here is a video of Rabbi Kotlarsky speaking at this annual conference in 2012. He quotes a previous Lubavitcher Rebbe in the his address saying “no matter how engrossed we may be, in whatever it may be, we may never fail to hear the cry of a child”. We can only hope he hears the cries of Samuel and Benjamin Schlesinger in Vienna.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Russian monument to Steve Jobs taken down after Apple CEO Cook says he is gay
A Russian monument to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has been taken down, after Apple CEO Tim Cook’s announcement last week that he is gay.
The monument, which is in the shape of an oversize iPhone, was located on a university campus in St. Petersburg, one of the more liberal cities in Russia, until its removal Friday.
It was put there in 2013 under the initiative of Maxim Dolgopolov, head of the holding company ZEFS, known in English as the Western European Financial Union, which cited Cook’s revelations about his sexuality in a Bloomberg Businessweek article last Thursday as the reason the company decided to remove the statue.
“Russian legislation prohibits propaganda of homosexuality and other sexual perversions among minors,” ZEFS wrote in a statement published on the Web site of Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy. “After Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly called for sodomy, the monument was dismantled pursuant to Russian federal law on the protection of children from information that promotes the denial of traditional family values.” [...]
Sunday, November 2, 2014
International Conference on The Jewish Community Confronts Violence & Abuse
I will be giving two 15 minutes presentations at the "International Conference on the Jewish Community confronts Violence and Abuse" which takes place December 1- December 3 in Jerusalem at the Ramada Hotel. Schedule is still tentative
Monday December 1, in session 3 between 4:30-6 on "The Rabbinic Role in Confronting Abuse" I will talk about:
The critical role of halacha and piety in incorrectly reducing commonsense and the sensitivity to abuse and victims
Tuesday December 2, in the session 4 between 5:30-7 on "Legal Dilemmas Involving Domestic Violence & Divorce", I will talk about:
The halachic problems of using Internet and public protests to free Agunos. The conflict between contemporary values of Get on demand and the halacha that a Get not given freely by the husband is invalid as a Get Me'usa
In Torrent of Rapes in Britain, an Uncomfortable Focus on Race and Ethnicity
NY Times ROCHDALE, England — Shabir Ahmed, a delivery driver for two takeout places, did not have to go looking for young girls. Runaways and rebelious teenagers would show up at the restaurants, often hungry and cold. He slipped them free drinks and chicken tikka masala. “Call me Daddy,” he would say.
But soon, Mr. Ahmed, a father of four, would demand payback. In a room above one of the restaurants, according to testimony and evidence in later legal proceedings against him, he would play a pornographic DVD and pass around shots of vodka. Then, on a floor mattress with crumpled blue sheets and kitchen smells wafting from below, he raped them, and later forced them into sex with co-workers and friends, too.
The girls were too scared of him to talk. And when they did, no one believed them. Once, a 15-year-old got so drunk and upset that she smashed a glass counter. Mr. Ahmed and his colleagues did not hesitate to call the police. After she was released, she was coerced into sex four or five times a week, sometimes with half a dozen men at a time, in apartments and taxis around Rochdale, a town in northwest England near Manchester. [...]
The recent revelations that at least 1,400 teenage and preteenage girls had been sexually exploited
over 16 years by so-called grooming gangs in another northern English
city, Rotherham, stunned the nation because of the sheer scale of the
abuse. And it put an uncomfortable spotlight on issues of race, religion
and ethnicity in an increasingly multicultural nation: Nearly all of
the rape suspects are Pakistani men, and nearly all of the victims are
white. [...]
In a country already fiercely debating issues of immigration and
national identity, the cases have prompted anti-Muslim demonstrations by
far-right groups and some soul-searching generally. Why do
British-Pakistani men figure so prominently? Were they deliberately
targeting white girls and staying away from their own community? Did
police and local officials turn a blind eye for fear of being accused of
racism, losing votes among immigrant groups or stoking the kinds of
tensions that have unleashed periodic rioting in other British towns? [...]
A
powerful culture of shame and honor surrounding premarital sex,
including rape, among some Asian Muslims, may also have skewed the
victim statistics. Honor and shame certainly proved an effective tool
when Mr. Shabir blackmailed his Asian victim into silence during a
decade of regular abuse. “You are damaged goods,” he would tell her,
threatening to force her into marriage if she spoke up, Mr. Afzal
recalled. Asian victims of sexual abuse are three times less likely to
come forward than white victims, he said, citing Home Office data.
“They fear not just their rapists,” said Shaista Gohir, chairwoman of the Muslim Women’s Network U.K.
“They fear their own community and their own family: They fear honor
crime, forced marriage and being shunned and ostracized for bringing
shame to their family.” [...]
A natural fix for ADHD
NY Times ATTENTION
deficit hyperactivity disorder is now the most prevalent psychiatric
illness of young people in America, affecting 11 percent of them at some
point between the ages of 4 and 17. The rates of both diagnosis and
treatment have increased so much in the past decade that you may wonder
whether something that affects so many people can really be a disease.
And
for a good reason. Recent neuroscience research shows that people with
A.D.H.D. are actually hard-wired for novelty-seeking — a trait that had,
until relatively recently, a distinct evolutionary advantage. Compared
with the rest of us, they have sluggish and underfed brain reward
circuits, so much of everyday life feels routine and understimulating.
To
compensate, they are drawn to new and exciting experiences and get
famously impatient and restless with the regimented structure that
characterizes our modern world. In short, people with A.D.H.D. may not
have a disease, so much as a set of behavioral traits that don’t match
the expectations of our contemporary culture.
From
the standpoint of teachers, parents and the world at large, the problem
with people with A.D.H.D. looks like a lack of focus and attention and
impulsive behavior. But if you have the “illness,” the real problem is
that, to your brain, the world that you live in essentially feels not
very interesting.[...]
I think another social factor that, in part, may be driving the
“epidemic” of A.D.H.D. has gone unnoticed: the increasingly stark
contrast between the regimented and demanding school environment and the
highly stimulating digital world, where young people spend their time
outside school. Digital life, with its vivid gaming and exciting social
media, is a world of immediate gratification where practically any
desire or fantasy can be realized in the blink of an eye. By comparison,
school would seem even duller to a novelty-seeking kid living in the
early 21st century than in previous decades, and the comparatively
boring school environment might accentuate students’ inattentive
behavior, making their teachers more likely to see it and driving up the
number of diagnoses. [...]
Circle, Arrow, Spiral - Orthodoxy and Feminism - Reflections on an excellent book regarding
Guest post by Mrs. Rachel Eidensohn (my daughter-in-law)
Review sent to the author Miriam Kosman
As a 12th – 14th grade teacher, I was grateful to
receive a methodical work which organizes together various ideas we tend to
talk about randomly on a "need to respond" basis. I am a teacher, supervisor
and adviser specializing in learning disabled teens from high school years through
adulthood – Including marriage.
In the course of my job, I meet "women rights" issues in various
circumstances: Parental conflicts in the student's families, pre-marriage
courses, haskafa lessons, Tanach lessons and last but not least – Married
students contacting me for consultation.
In my view, one of the most important things I do is instilling in the
students the knowledge and feeling, that being a "Doormat" is NOT one
of the characteristics of a Jewish woman. You will not find me teaching
students "לוותר למען השלום". It is important for me
to note that I have taught techniques to do this to Mechanchos of seminary ages
in mainstream frum schools – such as the סמינר החדש.
With the growing divorce rate in the background, my approach is highly accepted
and appreciated.
The circle, arrow and spiral paradigm are a beautiful way to present the זכר/נקבה
forces, which was new to me.
The idea brought in Devorah Heshlis's "The moons lost light", is
a "must" for the frum intellectually minded women in this generation.
Knowing that the changing status of women is an ideal happening towards the
Geula, and not a perversion in Yiddishkiet enables the Jewish women of modern
times to feel "whole" and not "perverse". I first came
across it in Rachel Arbos's book "מאישה לאשה·", and was looking for more sources about it ever since. B"h
I will get the book. I fell deeply indebted to you for introducing it to me.
The practical ramifications of understanding the nature of man/woman
relationships are one of the most notable resources in the book. For example:
Understanding the problematic results of taking away the natural
responsibilities of the "man of the family" – unmotivated and
irresponsible "grown ups".
I found book two an artful and refreshing harmony, explaining the Mitsvos
in a logically satisfying way, without the apologetic tone which is so common
in explanations of this nature. It is a pleasure reading an explanation which
is not based on "The women is really better then the man" paradigm.
I realize your book is intended to be a מלכתחילה
viewpoint of healthy Hashkafa, and not an apology to sins of (the frum) society.
Nevertheless, as an observer of various unhealthy women relevant situations, I
feel the lack of a few points of interest:
1. In page 272 it
is stated that "as a community, we have the obligation to use all of our
resources to alleviate their pain, within the context of halacha". This is
the only place in the book which mentions the need of changes in society,
within the right context of hashkafa, of course . It is important that the
reader should know that in a lot of areas, the treatment of women is not a
ramification of Jewish hashkafa but ramifications of shortcomings in the
application of Jewish law.
2. Presenting the
changes in practical Jewish law (הלכה)
in accordance to the shift towards the woman's position before חטא אדם הראשון
would enrich the book.
3. Last but not
least: As a life and marriage skills teacher, I keenly feel the absence of stressing
that just as any other person, it is a woman's job to make sure her needs are
respected, regardless of the "other side". Of course, a smart women
"presents her case" in a womanly, haskkafa accommodating way.
Nevertheless, after reading your book, a reader might get the (wrong)
impression that if a female is misused in any way, she should realize it is not
the way of Torah to treat her like that, but aside of asking society for
support she can't do anything about it. This is a harmful message.
In other words, while you do provides tools for clarifying
what a Jewish woman is - nonetheless at the same time you are unfortunately
conveying the negative message that women can at most change the way they
understand their roles - but that they have no right to ask for changes when
Jewish society fails to deal with woman in the correct Torah manner. A counter
message would give the book a balance towards perfection.
Thank you for giving us a
beautiful, well based foundation in Jewish thought.
==========================
DT's response to the book Disclaimer I received a review copy
My reaction to the book is twofold. My response to the book is the reaction I have to Maharal/Rav
Moshe Shapiro's views in general - which form the source of most of the author's ideas. Brilliant intellectual exercises
but largely irrelevant to the real world. So while I would strongly recommend the book as a source for articulating a Jewish understanding of gender roles I was very disappointed for what it didn't contain. In other words it is good for teachers and kiruv workers but is largely useless for people like myself who want an understanding - not just an explanation. For example I was hoping
to see some discussion of the change in the divorce laws through
the last 2000 years - with an explanation of female role vs male
role. She just says that Aguna is a difficult issue.
In short while I did see the beauty behind her male/female concept, I was primarily concerned by the latter 3 points that my daughter-in-law raised. I didn't see any evidence of her ideas pushing to a goal or ideal nor the use of them to explain women in real life. The focus was "these are principles but not people." It comes across as apologetics rather than a means of adjustment of the role of women as society changes. The principles are best used to justify the status quo rather than self-actualization or creating environments for spiritual and psychological growth.
p.s. I didn't read the whole thing. I sampled the material and kept coming up with the same impression so I stopped.
In short while I did see the beauty behind her male/female concept, I was primarily concerned by the latter 3 points that my daughter-in-law raised. I didn't see any evidence of her ideas pushing to a goal or ideal nor the use of them to explain women in real life. The focus was "these are principles but not people." It comes across as apologetics rather than a means of adjustment of the role of women as society changes. The principles are best used to justify the status quo rather than self-actualization or creating environments for spiritual and psychological growth.
p.s. I didn't read the whole thing. I sampled the material and kept coming up with the same impression so I stopped.
Yale's poor handling of faculty sexual harrassment case
NY Times A sexual harassment case that has been unfolding without public notice for nearly five years within the Yale
School of Medicine has roiled the institution and led to new
allegations that the university is insensitive to instances of
harassment against women.
The
case involves a former head of cardiology who professed his love to a
young Italian researcher at the school and sought to intervene in her
relationship with a fellow cardiologist under his supervision.
A
university committee recommended that he be permanently removed from
his position, but the provost reduced that penalty to an 18-month
suspension.
After
that decision, The New York Times obtained extensive documents related
to the case and interviewed 18 faculty members who expressed anger at
how it had been handled, with no public acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
After The Times contacted Yale last week, the university announced that
the former cardiology chief, Dr. Michael Simons, “had decided” not to
return to his post.
The
case involving faculty at one of the nation’s leading medical schools
comes as dozens of colleges are under scrutiny by the federal government
for their handling of sexual misconduct allegations against students.
Schlesinger Twins: "Justice" in Vienna
Times of Israel [see also NY Times for background] An Austrian official’s letter is threatening to undermine the central pillar of a controversial court decision that found a Jewish journalist guilty of defrauding the government
On Sept. 9, senior state attorney Martin Windisch wrote that the government “makes no claims” against Stephan Templ, who was sentenced in April to three years in jail for cheating Austria out of half the value of a sanatorium confiscated by the Nazis from one of Templ’s relatives. In May, the Austrian Supreme Court upheld the ruling but reduced Templ’s sentence to one year.
The court found that Templ had defrauded Austria by failing in his 2006 restitution application to mention his mother’s estranged sister, who would have been entitled to half the $1.4 million his mother received when she sold the property.
Templ rejected the allegation, but when he asked government officials where he should return the money, Windisch wrote to Templ’s attorney, “The republic makes no claims against your client in connection with the conduct of your client.”
Templ’s attorney, the renowned human rights lawyer Robert Amsterdam, has petitioned prosecutors to have the case declared a mistrial.
“This statement basically voids the ruling,” Amsterdam told JTA. [...]
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Does ‘Village of Secrets’ Falsify French Rescue During the Holocaust?
Tablet Magazine The dust jacket of the upcoming American edition of Village of Secrets,
a new book by British author Caroline Moorehead—recently short-listed
for the Samuel Johnson Prize, the richest and most prestigious award for
nonfiction in the United Kingdom—claims that the book “sets the record
straight” about what happened in and around the French village of Le
Chambon-sur-Lignon during the Nazi occupation. Village of Secrets was recently published in the U.K. and in Canada, receiving rave reviews and making appearances on best-seller lists. (It was published in the United States by HarperCollins this week.) Publishers Weekly hailed it as “deeply researched” and “the definitive account” of the rescue effort, while Kirkus Reviews
has praised the author’s “knowledge of the people, the area and the
history,” saying that it made the book “one of the most engrossing
survival stories of World War II.” [...]
Moorehead concedes, as part of her concluding statement, that the pastor of Le Chambon and his family deserve “much honor” for the rescue effort. But, she quickly adds, no more than “all the modest Catholics, Protestants, atheists and agnostics” who joined in. [...]
That there are indeed tensions on the plateau
becomes obvious to anybody who visits there and discusses local
history. It is certainly true that many Jews did indeed find shelter
here and there throughout the small Protestant enclave. (My parents
themselves rented a room in a hamlet on the outskirts of Le Chambon.)
There may well have been a few atheists and agnostics too on what was
then known as the Protestant mountain, and it is possible that some of
them may have joined in the rescue effort—though they have not been
identified as yet by Moorehead or anybody else. And yes, some Catholics
in the area were also admirably active in rescue; Moorehead specifically
cites just one such rescuer, Marguerite Roussel—whose existence the
author happens to have learned about from the very film she attacks.
But to equate Catholic, atheist, and agnostic efforts with the role
of pastor André Trocmé and the role of the other Protestant pastors of
the area and the role of the French Protestant population as a whole is
to deny what virtually every single Jew who went through there then
would tell you: That this was fundamentally a Huguenot undertaking,
centered in Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, and deriving much of its initial
momentum and energy from the pastors of Le Chambon, André Trocmé and
Édouard Theis—and their historic call to resist through the “weapons of
the spirit. [,,,]
Of course, Moorehead is entitled to disagree
with me as well as with virtually all the people who experienced that
time in Le Chambon. Unfortunately, she does so in a book that is riddled
with mistakes and distortions ranging from the relatively trivial to
the major for a book with claims to historical scholarship by an author
who allegedly drew on “unprecedented access” to unspecified “newly
opened archives in France, Britain, and Germany.” Even the photograph on
the cover of the book, under the title Village of Secrets, is not of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon! The stand-in is the tiny village of Borée, miles away. [...]
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