More than 100 Charedi women trapped in religious marriages

 https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/more-than-100-charedi-women-trapped-in-religious-marriages/

 More than 100 Charedi women are trapped in religious marriages in the UK, Labour Peer Jon Mendelsohn has said.

A Herschel Walker candidacy is a total nightmare for Senate Republicans

'Two really weird little lies' went viral about Biden. CNN fact-checks them

Poll: Ron DeSantis approval rating sags as COVID-19 rages

 https://floridapolitics.com/archives/445635-poll-ron-desantis-approval-rating-sags-as-covid-19-rages/

 DeSantis drew just 44% of Florida voters saying they approve of the job he is doing, while 49% said they do not approve of his job performance. The rest were unsure.

 That is a huge swing from the job approval numbers DeSantis received in a Florida Chamber of Commerce poll in May. That  survey gave him a 55% approval for his job performance, with 40% not approving.

NY Jewish institutions hit with 150 child sex abuse lawsuits since 2019

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/ny-jewish-institutions-hit-with-150-child-sex-abuse-lawsuits-since-2019/

 At least 150 child sex abuse lawsuits were filed against Jewish institutions in New York over the past two years, under a special law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations barring old claims, according to an analysis of the New York court system by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky says go to police over sexual abuse incidents

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/kanievsky-says-go-to-police-over-sexual-abuse-incidents-678178

Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, the leading rabbi of the Ashkenazi non-hassidic ultra-Orthodox community, has stated that complaints over sexual abuse should be made to the police, in comments which have been released to the public by the rabbi’s advisors.

The comments were made three years ago but have only now been publicly disclosed in a video seen by The Jerusalem Post of the meeting in which the rabbi stated his position. Kanievsky previously stated in 2015 regarding a specific case that a victim could report his abuse to the police, but the new comments refer in general to all incidents of sexual abuse and the video of his ruling was officially approved for release by the rabbi’s advisers.

3 chareidim allegedly invented the story of the Sanhedria Murchevet satanic abuse ring - to make money for themsevles!

The satanic abuse ring of Sanhedria Murchevet has been revealed as a fraud. (As I  noted when Rav Yitzchok Berkowitz publicly revealed that there was a satanic sex abuse ring in Sanhedria Murchevet - it was highly unlikely.) Rav Berkowitz' declaration caused great concern and fear in the whole neighborhood . This is another example of the harm that the involvement of naive and uninformed people can cause - no matter how intelligent and sincere.

Today 3 chareidim were arrested for making up the story in order to raise money for their own pockets

=====================================

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/03/satanic-child-abuse-is-there-ring-of.html

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/03/sanhedria-murchevet-problematic.html

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/03/satanic-child-abuse-is-there-ring-of.html

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/08/satanic-child-abuse-hysteria-in-1980s.html

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/03/update-where-satanic-abuse-ring-panic.html

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/03/satanic-child-abuse-is-believed-by-anti.html

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-disturbing-postscript-to-sanhedria.html

http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2015/03/dangerous-false-rumors-flourish-when.html

update bhol - relationship to Nachlaot

ה"כת שלא הייתה": כך עבדה השיטה; ומה הקשר לתקיפות בנחלאות

לאחר מעצר 3 החשודים ב"המצאת כת נוצרית" והוצאת כספים במרמה מתושבים חרדים, "בחדרי חרדים" חושף לראשונה כיצד פעלה השיטה - שכנוע רבנים, התקנת מצלמות אבטחה וזריעת פאניקה. ומה הקשר לפרשת התקיפות בנחלאות • הסיפור המלא

לאחר למעלה משנתיים של חקירה מעמיקה, המשטרה הגיעה למסקנה כי ה"אגדה" בדבר קיומה של כת שהחברים בה מתעללים בילדים ומעבירים אותם על דתם לנצרות - אינה קיימת כלל.

הערב חושף "בחדרי חרדים" כיצד עבדה השיטה. על מנת להבין את הפרשה, הבה נחזור לאוגוסט 2011 אז התפוצצה פרשת התקיפות הגדולה ביותר שידעה מדינת ישראל. כתבי אישום הוגשו נגד שלושה חשודים בגין תקיפת והטרדת עשרות ילדים בגילאי 12-3 בשכונת נחלאות בירושלים.

גם לאחר החקירה והגשת כתבי האישום, בשכונה שררה אווירה מתוחה והתושבים טענו שהמשטרה פוסלת עדויות ומשחררת עצורים ועדיין ישנם אנשים מסוכנים המסתובבים בשכונה אשר פוגעים בילדים.

אחת מתושבות השכונה, אז בת 72, עליה סיפרו אגדות כי יש לה מרתפים עם חומרים מסיונריים, הוכתה באלימות קשה ובגין כך הוגש כתב אישום בין היתר נגד הרב משה שפירא ששלח את המכים. "צריך פשוט להכות אותה עד לאשפוז, וגם לא יהיה איכפת אם לא יהיה את מי לאשפז" הוקלט הרב אומר לאנשיו.

על רקע הפרשה שהסעירה את ירושלים ואת הקהילה חרדית, נמצא כר נוח לגריפת כספים. על פי חשד המשטרה, החלה ד' בפעילות ומסע שיכנועים ארוך ומאסיבי בו הצליחה לשכנע לא מעט מתושבי שכונת סנהדריה בעיר, כי ישנה "כת" הפועלת מטעם ארגונים נוצריים להמרת דתם של ילדים, חוטפת אותם למנזרים ואף מתעללת בהם.

ל"בחדרי חרדים" נודע כי תלמוד תורה חרדי מוכר קיבל פנייה מהחשודה כי מאחר וישנם אלמונים שעושים מעשים חמורים בשכונה היא מוכנה לתרום מספר בודד של מצלמות אבטחה שיותקנו ברחבי תלמוד התורה על מנת לעקוב אחר ה"פושעים". אלה השתכנעו והמצלמות הותקנו, אך הדבר גרם לפאניקה מוחלטת בקרב ההורים, שדרשו ממנהלי התלמוד תורה להשקיע בביטחון התלמידים. המנהלים נכנעו ללחץ ורכשו עוד עשרות מצלמות בעלויות כספיות גדולות - אולם דמויות חשודות לא נמצאו.

על רקע החשש הגדול של ההורים, על פי החשד, פנתה ד' לרבני השכונה וסיפרה להם על "המעשים החמורים" שמתבצעים בשכונה והשמועה עברה מפה לאוזן. ד' פנתה להורי ילדים ולהנהלת תלמוד התורה לגבי ילדים מסויימים שצריכים טיפול.

[...]

bhol

המציאו כת נוצרית והתעללות - וגייסו כסף

כשהם רוכבים על סיפורים שהמציאו, ניסו החשודים לגייס תרומות וכספים "לעזרה לילדים שנחטפו על ידי כת" מספר חשודים הציגו מצג שווא לפיו מאות ילדים נחטפו על ידי כת בשכונה חרדית בירושלים, עברו התעללות ואף המירו את דתם לנצרות - כל זאת במטרה לקבל כספים מתורמים וארגונים אותם על פי החשד לקחו לכיסם.  במשטרת ישראל מתנהלת חקירה, כאשר על פי החשד, מספר חשודים קיבלו במרמה כספים מתורמים בארץ ובחו"ל, ואף ניסו לקבל כספים מארגונים ממשלתיים, וזאת בטענה לקיומה לכאורה של כת שהחברים בה מתעללים בילדים וככל הנראה קשורה לנצרות.  החקירה הסמויה במשטרה החלה לפני כשנתיים בעקבות מידע שהתקבל לפיו בשכונת סנהדריה בירושלים ישנה כת שהחברים בה חוטפים ילדים בגילאי 4-10 כדי לפגוע ולהתעלל בהם וכן כדי להמיר את דתם לנצרות. על פי המידע שהתקבל, נפגעו כך מאות ילדים.  בחקירה עלה כי לא קיימת כת וכי החשודים הציגו מצג בפני אנשי הקהילה כי מדובר בכת נרחבת. מממצאי החקירה עולה כי במספר מקרים בודדים בהם עלה חשד לפגיעה בילדים הוכח כי אין קשר בין המקרים וכי אין קשר לכת.  אתמול עוכבו שלושה חשודים ובהם אישה, והם הובאו לחקירה במרחב ציון. החשודים נחקרו בחשד להתעללות בילדים וקבלת דבר במרמה.

Kikar haShabbat

המציאו כת שתוקפת ילדים, אספו כסף ונעצרו

המשטרה עצרה שלושה חרדים החשודים שאספו כספים ואף פנו לקבלת תקציבים במטרה לסייע בהתמודדות עם כת אותה בדו מדמיונם כשלטענתם היא פגעה במאות ילדים (משטרה)

הציגו מצג שווא לפיו מאות ילדים נחטפו ע"י 'כת', הותקפו פיזית ואולצו להמיר דתם במטרה לקבל כספים מתורמים וארגונים אותם עפ"י החשד לקחו לכיסם

במשטרת ישראל מתנהלת חקירה ע"פ החשד מספר חשודים חרדים קיבלו במרמה כספים מתורמים בארץ ובחו"ל, ואף ניסו לקבל כספים גם מארגונים ממשלתיים וזאת בטענה לקיומה לכאורה של כת שהחברים בה מתעללים בילדים וככל הנראה קשורה לנצרות.

החקירה הסמויה במשטרה החלה לפני כשנתיים בעקבות מידע שהתקבל לפיו בשכונת סנהדריה בירושלים ישנה כת שהחברים בה חוטפים ילדים בגילאי 4-10 כדי לפגוע בהם וכן כדי להמיר את דתם. ע"פי המידע שהתקבל נפגעו כך מאות ילדים.

בחקירה עלה כי לא קיימת כת וכי החשודים הציגו מצג בפני אנשי הקהילה כי מדובר בכת נרחבת. מממצאי החקירה עולה כי במספר מקרים בודדים בהם עלה חשד לפגיעה בילדים הוכח כי אין קשר בין המקרים וכי אין קשר לכת.

אתמול עוכבו 3 חשודים והובאו לחקירה במרחב ציון. החשודים נחקרו בחשד להתעללות בילדים וקבלת דבר במרמה.

And English translation appeared on the website of Jewish Community Watch

Jewish Community Watch

Using fictitious stories they created, the suspects fraudulently raised funds to help “save children kidnapped and abused by a cult

Several suspects have been accused of creating a fictitious story stating that hundreds of children have been abducted by a cult in a Chareidi neighborhood in Jerusalem, abused, and even converted to Christianity- all in order to scam fund from donors and organizations that they are alleged to have pocketed.

Israeli police have been conducting a lengthy investigation and alleged that that the suspects received fraudulant funds from donors in Israel and abroad, as well as trying to get governmental funding, using the claim of an existence of a sect of child molesters, possibly connected to Christianity.

The undercover investigation by the police began two years ago in the wake of information received that there was a cult active in the Sanhedria neighborhood in Jerusalem that was kidnapping children ages 4-10 to harm and abuse them and to convert them to Christianity. According to the information received, hundreds of children had been affected.

The investigation revealed no evidence of the widespread cult that the suspects presented to the community. The findings of the investigation indicate that the number of individual cases of abused and injured children which raised suspicion had no relationship to a cult.

Yesterday the police detained three suspects, including a woman. They were brought in for questioning on suspicion of child abuse and fraud.

At the conclusion of the investigation yesterday, which involved the prosecutions office and social services (revacha), two of the suspects, a man and a woman, were arrested and brought before the Jerusalem court which released them on condition of house arrest until 16/08/16

In addition, the court imposed a gag order on defense counsel regarding the details of the suspects.

Rabbi brothers suspected of sex abuse at their Jerusalem yeshiva

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/rabbi-brothers-suspected-of-sex-abuse-at-their-jerusalem-yeshiva/

 An ultra-Orthodox rabbinical court has found that two brothers who head a Jerusalem yeshiva have for years allegedly sexually assaulted their high school and post-high school students.

In a Friday ruling, the panel of five prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbis said that brothers Yitzhak and Moshe Tufik present a “serious threat” to students and advised that no students should enroll at their Be’er Yehuda yeshiva, located in the Sanhedria neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Yitzhak is dean of the upper yeshiva and Moshe is dean of the high school yeshiva, which is well-known in the Sephardic ultra-Orthodox community.

Sexual abuse by two rabbinic brothers suspected at Be’er Yehuda Yeshiva in Jerusalem

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/jerusalem-rabbis-investigated-for-indecent-acts-on-yeshiva-students-678032

A special rabbinical court convened by five prominent haredi (ultra-Orthodox) rabbis has ruled that two brothers who are deans of a prominent yeshiva in Jerusalem sexually abused their students for years, and have forbidden parents from sending their sons to the institution.

The court said that “severe and obscene transgressions” had been committed by Rabbi Yitzhak Tufik, dean of the Be’er Yehudah Yeshiva in the Sanhedria neighborhood of Jerusalem, and his brother, Rabbi Moshe Tufik, dean of the Be’er Yehudah “yeshiva ketana” for high-school pupils.

What’s the Truth about . . . Checking Tefillin?

 https://jewishaction.com/religion/jewish-law/whats-truth-checking-tefillin/

 Fact: The halachah is that tefillin that have been checked and found to be kosher and are then used regularly are not required to be rechecked. Nonetheless, as a stringency, various customs have arisen regarding how often they should be checked.

 

I was told that Rav Moshe never checked his tefillin but his family took them and had them checked anyway

דם החרדים הופקר, בגלל כסף // ישי כהן

 https://www.kikar.co.il/399840.html

 ראש שירותי בריאות הציבור, ד"ר שרון אלרועי פרייס, חשפה בריאיון הבלעדי ל'כיכר' את האמת שהממשלה ביקשה להסתיר; החרדים הופקרו, המדינה אחראית לתחלואה במגזר

COVID more likely to cause serious side effects than vaccine

 https://www.jpost.com/health-science/serious-adverse-events-more-likely-from-covid-vs-covid-vaccine-study-677731

 Individuals who take the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine may suffer from four out of up to 25 clinically relevant side effects: myocarditis, swelling of the lymph nodes, appendicitis and herpes zoster, according to a new Israeli-American study.

In contrast, high rates of multiple serious adverse events were associated with coronavirus infection among unvaccinated patients, including a greatly increased risk of developing myocarditis, pericarditis, arrhythmias, heart attacks, strokes, pulmonary embolism, deep-vein thrombosis or acute kidney damage, the study indicated.

Jewish prayers held discreetly at contested Jerusalem shrine

 https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1jecfqzt

 Jewish prayers at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, were once unthinkable. But they have quietly become the new norm in recent years, flying in the face of longstanding convention, straining a delicate status quo and raising fears that they could trigger a new wave of violence in the Middle East.

Israeli rabbis ask pope to clarify remarks on Jewish law

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/chief-rabbinate-protests-to-vatican-over-popes-remarks-on-torah/

 “In his homily, the pope presents the Christian faith as not just superseding the Torah; but asserts that the latter no longer gives life, implying that Jewish religious practice in the present era is rendered obsolete,” Arusi reportedly wrote in the letter. “This is in effect part and parcel of the ‘teaching of contempt’ towards Jews and Judaism that we had thought had been fully repudiated by the Church.”

Florida is the only state where more people are dying of COVID now than ever before. What went wrong?

 https://news.yahoo.com/florida-is-the-only-state-where-more-people-are-dying-of-covid-now-than-ever-before-what-went-wrong-090001893.html

 A few months ago, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Republican of Florida, declared his hands-off approach to COVID-19 “a tremendous success.” Politico announced that he had “won the pandemic.”

But then came the hypercontagious Delta variant, which continues to hit Florida harder than anywhere else in the country.

The result? DeSantis just added another, less flattering distinction to his résumé. When COVID first surged across the Sun Belt last summer, the average number of Floridians dying of the disease every 24 hours peaked at 185, according to the New York Times’s state-by-state COVID database. The same was true over the winter.

HEALING THE FRAGMENTED SELVES OF TRAUMA - Dr. Janina Fisher -An approach to dealing with off the derech individuals

מרן פוסק הדור הגר"מ שטרנבוך בשיעור כללי בהיכל הישיבה לאחר שחרורו מבית החולים: "אני מברך שהחיינו", (צילום רפאל שוורץ), מצורף סרטון‎‎

התרגשות בעולם התורה: שיעור פתיחה (מאוחר) מזקן הפוסקים הגאון רבי משה שטרנבוך בהיכל ישיבתו בבית שמש לאחר שחרורו מבית החולים. מקורביו מבקשים מהציבור להמשיך להתפלל להמשך חיזוק בריאותו של מרן משה בן דבורה

לאחר שבתחילת זמן אלול היה זקן הפוסקים מרן הגר"מ שטרנבוך שליט"א מאושפז בבית החולים הדסה עין כרם, הגיע אמש (ג) למסור את ה'שיעור כללי' הראשון לזמן אלול, כשבתחילת דבריו פתח ובירך "שהחיינו" .

בדבריו הנרגשים אף עודד את תלמידיו לכתוב חידושי תורה או סיכומי סוגיות, וביקש מהבחורים הוותיקים לסייע לבחורים החדשים, הציבור נקרא להמשיך ולהעתיר בתפילה למען המשך חיזוק בריאותו.

עם הגעתו להיכל הישיבה לפני פתיחת השיעור כללי בסוגיית 'עדות שאי אתה יכול להזימה' במסכת מכות, פתח זקן הפוסקים בברכת שהחיינו בלי שם ומלכות: "אני מברך שהחיינו וקיימנו והגיענו לזמן הזה על מה שזיכני השי"ת לראות אתכם לאחר שלושים יום שלא ראינו זה את זה, ובמיוחד על מה שזיכני השי"ת לבוא למסור השיעור בהיכל הישיבה.

לאחר מכן עורר בדברי מוסר על חודש אלול וסיפר על אוירת חודש אלול מצעירותו: "בשנים עברו היה פחד נורא בחודש אלול, יהודים פשוטים פחדו בחודש אלול. אמי ע"ה סיפרה לי שבמינץ היה השמש מעורר את הציבור בכל בוקר בימי חודש אלול בניגון הקורא "שטייט אוף צו עבודת הבורא" - "קומו לעבודת הבורא", ואנשים אכן באו השכם לבתי כנסיות ולמדו מוסר ותורה, והרגישו את האויר של חודש אלול ברחוב".

בדבריו אף הוסיף וביקש מהבחורים הוותיקים בישיבה לקרב את החדשים: "באו הרבה בחורים חדשים לישיבה, והזמן גרמא לקיים מצווה מיוחדת – לקרב את הבחורים החדשים. זהו מצווה קלה שאינה כרוכה בקושי ועמל רב, ומאידך זהו מצווה רבתית שעל ידי זה בונה האדם נפשות.

כמו כן ביקש מהבחורים לכתוב חידושי תורה או לסכם בכתב את השיעורים הנאמרים בישיבה: "בישיבה אצלינו מעריכים ומעודדים מאוד את כתיבת השיעורים, כי על ידי כתיבת השיעור מוסיף כל אחד בהסברת הדברים, ועי"ז הוא נחשב כמחדש חידושי תורה, וכמו שכתבו הספרים ש'חידושי תורה' אין הכוונה דווקא לומר "דבר החדש", אלא לבאר ולהטעים הדברים ולפרשם,  וזוכה עי"ז לסגולות הנפלאות שנאמרו בזוה"ק על חידושי תורה.

"וכבר אמרנו פעם שכל שיעור נחשב רק כ"חצי שיעור", ומשום שהשיעור מצד עצמו אין מעלתו שלימה כל זמן שאין הבחורים מסבירים הדברים היטב ומלבנים את הדברים, ורק על ידי מלאכת הבחורים נשלם מלאכת השיעור, וכל מי ששותף לליבון הדברים הרי הוא שותף בשיעור ונחשב כמחדש חידושי תורה על ידי שנוטל חלק בהסברת הדברים.

"ועל הכל יש לזכור שה"לחם" זהו הגמרא רש"י ותוס', וחידושי תורה באו להוסיף לאחר ידיעת הגמרא, אבל צריך לשים דגש גדול על לימוד ושינון דפי גמרא רש"י ותוס'.

COVID: Almost 10,000 cases for 2nd day in a row, serious patients plateau

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/coronavirus-in-israel-9891-new-cases-second-day-in-a-row-nearing-10k-677664

Also on Wednesday, Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman said he is strongly against imposing additional coronavirus restrictions.

“We need to stop talking about new limitations and let the economy work,” he told a press briefing.

“When we look at the morbidity situation, the numbers have stabilized and there is reason for optimism,” Liberman said. “New restrictions were imposed in recent days, and we’ll have to wait another ten days to know if they are working or not.”

Therefore, there is no need to add restrictions on large gatherings or for public pools and outdoor restaurant seating.

Liberman: No more restrictions, let the economy work

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/312433

 Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman spoke to reporters Wednesday and suggested that Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz stop pushing for further restrictions that would harm Israel's economy.

"The coefficient of infection is going down, so we need to stop talking about the new restrictions and let the economy work," Liberman said, expressing opposition to the business owners' demand for compensation for the green pass restrictions: "Go to Superland and restaurants - everything is full."

Top rabbi says unvaccinated teachers not welcome in Haredi schools

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-rabbi-says-unvaccinated-teachers-not-welcome-in-haredi-schools/

Israel’s inoculation campaign has received a significant boost in the ultra-Orthodox sector, with one of the country’s top rabbis declaring that unvaccinated teachers aren’t welcome in his community.

Chaim Kanievsky is the leader of a large section of the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox community, and his relationship with authorities during the pandemic has been complicated. For example, at times he okayed the opening of schools in violation of national rules.

But he has now unequivocally thrown his weight behind the government’s vaccination push, telling coronavirus czar Salman Zarka late Tuesday that he wants principals to suspend teachers who aren’t vaccinated.

Lack of LGBT teaching threatens Stamford Hill school's expansion plans

 https://www.thejc.com/community/community-news/lack-of-lgbt-teaching-threatens-stamford-hill-school-s-expansion-plans-1.519785

 Ofsted will not recommend that a Stamford Hill primary be allowed to increase its age range because it will not talk about LGBT people to pupils. 

Talmud Torah London, an independent boys’ primary, is rated good by Ofsted and has previously received permission from the authorities to expand its numbers. 

The school, whose new headmaster is Eli Spitzer, wants approval to add classes for secondary age pupils of 12 and 13. 

But Ofsted says it would be unlikely to meet independent school standards on equality as leaders had confirmed since the inspection that the school had “no intention of ever referencing those who identity as lesbian, gay and transgender” as part of personal, social and health education or relationships education.

Rav Belsky - Original AZ was mother earth?

Rav Belsky in his book on alternative medicine states  that "the original AZ was the worship of 'Mother Earth' The mother in the following represents the earth." He cites AZ 43a as his source. 

However I can't find any sources that says this means something other than Eve. Does anyone know where he got this understanding?

 Avoda Zara (43a)The Sages interpret this verse as referring to the heavenly constellations, which indicates that it is prohibited to form only these figures, but it is not prohibited to form a figure of a dragon.Rather, the Gemara concludes, it is obvious that this halakha is referring to a case where one finds a vessel with the figure of a dragon, and this is as we learned in the mishna: In the case of one who finds vessels, and upon them is a figure of the sun, a figure of the moon, or a figure of a dragon, he must take them and cast them into the Dead Sea.The Gemara asks about the lack of consistency between the clauses of Rav Sheshet’s statement: Can it be that the first clause and the last clause are referring to a case where one finds vessels with the specified figures, and the middle clause is referring to a case where one forms these figures?Abaye said: Indeed, the first clause and the last clause are referring to cases where one finds vessels with figures, and the middle clause is referring to a case where one forms figures.Rava said: The entire statement of Rav Sheshet is referring to a case where one finds vessels with these figures, and the middle clause is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda. As it is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Yehuda adds to the list of forbidden figures even a figure of a nursing woman and Sar Apis. The figure of a nursing woman is worshipped as it symbolizes Eve, who nurses the entire world. The figure of Sar Apis is worshipped as it symbolizes Joseph, who ruled over [sar] and appeased [mefis] the entire world by distributing food during the seven years of famine (see Genesis, chapter 41). But the figure of Sar Apis is forbidden only when it is holding a dry measure and measuring with it; and the figure of a nursing woman is forbidden only when she is holding a child and nursing it. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Above all, some of the material I came across makes overt references to the most ancient form of avodah zarah: the reverential worship of “Mother Earth.” The Gemara in Avodah Zarah (43a) states that the original avodah zarah was the worship of “Mother Earth,” and the original graven image () was the form of a mother nursing a child.16 The mother represented the earth and the child represented the human race, whose task is to gain its mother’s favor. This is how worship of the earth as a deity developed. Eventually it came to be called by different names, the most well-known being the mother-child cult,
note 16 is the Meiri  which does say such an explanation

בית הבחירה (מאירי) מסכת עבודה זרה דף מב עמוד ב
מצא בהם צורת פרצופין בפרצוף אדם אסור כר' יהודה ודאי לעבודה נעשה ואף על פי שאין בידם כלום שלא נאמר דין אחיזה אלא בצלם עצמו ודוקא בבולט ושאר פרצופין מותרין שאין דרכם בכך ויש חולקין להקל בפרצוף אדם אא"כ דמות מיניקה ויונק בידה על שם חוה או צורת שד ומודד תבואה על שם יוסף ויראה לי שמ"מ אף על פי שתחלת עבודתם בכך היתה מ"מ נתפשט מנהגם אח"כ בכל פרצוף שבאדם והכל אסור וכמו שנאמר בבריתא בסתם כל הפרצופות מותרות חוץ מפרצוף אדם:

Belsky, Rabbi Yisroel. Rav Belsky on Alternative Medicine . The Judaica Press, Inc. Kindle Edition.

“The Ways of the Emorite”

 https://outorah.org/p/20491/

 The Beit Yosef (YD 178) explains in the name of the SeMaG, that the cryptic expression "the ways of the Emorite" comprises two distinct prohibitions. One is the prohibition against sorcery, which was apparently widespread among the Emorites; the other is the general prohibition for Jews to gratuitously imitate other nations, as commanded in the verse "And don't walk in their ways" (Vayikra 18:3).

Rep. Kinzinger On CNN: Evacuating American Citizens & Allies from Afghanistan, Facing Consequences

For Jewish veterans of Afghanistan, feelings of relief and betrayal

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/for-jewish-veterans-of-afghanistan-feelings-of-relief-and-betrayal/

 He compared the Afghanistan war to watching someone terminally ill die slowly over the course of nineteen and a half years.

“The last couple days have been a very ugly death, but you just knew it was coming, and it’s been a very bad illness for nineteen and a half years,” Zager said.

“It’s almost like you’re relieved that it’s over

Shma causes demons to run away

 Turim (Devarim (06:04) The verse of Shma Yisroel begins with the letter shin and ends with the letter Dalet because the shedim (demons) run away when someone says this verse with deep intent (kavana)

Avoda Zara Parameters

קונטרס ד' אחד ושמו אחד) by yadmoshe

Introduction to the Igros Moshe

https://www.sefaria.org/Care_of_the_Critically_Ill%2C_Responsa_of_Rav_Moshe_Feinstein%2C_Introduction?lang=en This volume contains in large measure the responsa I have written to those requesting my halachic opinions. It might well have been appropriate not to answer them definitively (halachah le-ma'aseh), since so many Torah luminaries, great in knowledge of Torah and in piety, refused to issue definitive halachic rulings because of the warning recorded in tractate Sotah [22a]. [There it states that] Rav Abba, in the name of Rav Huna, stated, "Many has she destroyed—this refers to a scholar who has not reached the status of posek, but nonetheless issues halachic rulings." It should be noted [in contradistinction], however, that [the following] is also written, "And mighty are those she killed," which is interpreted as referring to a Torah scholar who is worthy of acting as a posek but refuses to do so [Sotah 44a–b]. It was for this reason that the sons of Rav Akiva Eiger noted, in their preface to their father's responsa, that he felt duty-bound to respond to requests for his halachic opinions lest he violate the second dictum and be counted among those who were guilty of not issuing halachic rulings even though they had attained the requisite knowledge. Those who refrain from issuing halachic rulings do so because one must rule with absolute accuracy, as in the days of Rav, Rav Huna, and Rav Abba. But every generation has a different standard for "attaining the level of a posek." Since decisors of equal standing with those of earlier generations are not available today, we [in our own time] are duty-bound to issue halachic rulings to our generation, as stated by Rav Akiva Eiger. [Despite this need, the prospective posek] must surely fear the danger of ruling incorrectly. For this reason many [great Torah scholars] refrained from [issuing rulings], Rav Akiva Eiger's strictures notwithstanding. Rav Akiva Eiger was sensitive to the obligation to issue his halachic rulings despite his many concerns [regarding the dangers of halachic decision-making], but as a Torah giant he took his own measure and decided to assume the mantle of a posek. It follows, therefore, that those of minor accomplishments, such as I, who lack both Torah knowledge and wisdom, should refrain from issuing halachic rulings. [Furthermore, even if I do so,] I should certainly not publish them and thus issue rulings for the entire world. However, in my humble opinion, [the scholars of earlier generations,] despite their inferiority when compared to the Torah scholars of [still] earlier generations, and, therefore, their concern lest they rule in error—an error known to Hashem—did not refrain from assuming the obligation to do so. The Torah instructs us, "It is not in heaven" [Deuteronomy 30:12]. Each posek must rule as he sees fit, after meticulous study and analysis of all the relevant texts and prior rulings, to the best of his ability, fully cognizant of the heavy responsibility he has assumed in applying Hashem's Torah to the life of the Jew. If, after all his efforts, his ruling does not concur with that known to Hashem, he may take comfort in the statement of our sages: "Both these and those are the words of our Living Lord" [Eruvin 13a]. If he makes his decision with due diligence, he will be rewarded for his efforts even though he has not divined the real truth. This principle can be adduced from a discussion in tractate Shabbos [130a regarding the dispute as to whether preparations for milah, such as preparing the surgical knife and other implements, may take place on the Sabbath, since the mitzvah of circumcision takes precedence over the Sabbath laws]. Rav Yitzchok said there was a town in Israel whose inhabitants accepted the ruling of Rav Eliezer that preparatory acts [machshirei milah] may be performed on the Sabbath—and Hashem rewarded them greatly. [Indeed,] when the [Roman] emperor's edict prohibiting milah was promulgated, this town was spared. [And yet,] in truth, [the townspeople] were wrong. The halachah which rejects R. Eliezer's opinion prohibits these acts of transgression. [Moreover, such violations] incur the death penalty when performed intentionally and a sin offering if done unwittingly. [The townspeople] were rewarded, nonetheless, because R. Eliezer arrived at his decision after due diligence. So it is with all disputes in the Talmud or later responsa. As long as no final conclusion is reached in the Talmud, each posek may rule in accordance with his own understanding, [and his rulings are authoritative] in his own town even if [others] rule in a contrary manner. All poskim receive a divine reward for their efforts even though only one of them is correct. Most certainly, we still find significant variations in laws and customs concerning very important Torah laws, as between those who follow the Rambam and R. Yosef Karo and those who follow the rulings of the Tosafists and the Rema. [But] both are the "words of our living Hashem" even though Hashem knows that only one is correct. The Talmud [Sanhedrin 6a–b] is aware of the great responsibility judges bear in applying Torah laws to the daily life of the Jew. Some may think, "Who needs all this anguish?" [i.e., If I err, I will be punished by Hashem, as Rashi explains]. The Talmud reassures [those with such concerns] that a judge may rule as he sees fit [for his intent is to reach a conclusion that is righteous and true to Torah precepts, as Rashi explains]. The same insight may be applied to the Talmud [Menachos 29b]. Rav taught that when Moshe Rabbenu went up to Heaven to receive the Torah, he noticed that Hashem was "adding crowns [i.e., the tagin] to the Torah letters." "Master of the Universe," Moshe asked, "what prevents You [from giving the Torah without the crowns]?" In other words, as Rashi explains, why are You bothering to add these embellishments to the Torah script? This explanation does not adequately explain the expression used, "What prevents You?", nor does it fit Hashem's answer, "There is a man named Akiva ben Yosef, who in the future will derive multitudes of halachos from every pen stroke I add in these crowns." I believe that the interpretation I am suggesting here corresponds exactly to the text. Hashem made the very letters of the Torah sovereign. That is, the Torah scholar may use his judgment to compare and contrast, and thus may rule in accord with the majority opinion as to the meaning of the Torah's sovereign words despite the possibility that his conclusions do not conform to the truth as understood by Hashem. The Holy One gave the Torah to Israel so that they would act in accordance with the written and oral traditions from Sinai as they understood them. No additional explanations will ever come from Sinai, for "[the Torah] is not in Heaven." Hashem's intent was always to acquiesce to the sages' understanding of the Torah's precepts. This is how I interpret the Talmudic passage in Menachos, which states that Hashem placed crowns on the letters of the Torah. Hashem gave them sovereignty, independent of His own definition of absolute truth. This explanation also elucidates the frequently occurring expression "The Torah says," for we rule in accordance with what "The Torah says." This makes it clear why [both positions in] a dispute between Shammai and Hillel should be viewed as [reflecting] the "words of a living Hashem" despite the fact that they are in opposition to each other [Eruvin 13a]. Moshe's question is now understandable. "What prevents You," he asked, from declaring that there is only one true interpretation and, therefore, from promulgating the Divine Laws in such detail as to allow for no dispute as to their intent? Why make the words of the Torah sovereign [and independent of Your intent]? Hashem's response defined the halachic process. The Torah is infinite in its impact on man and society. Hashem intended for sages like Rebbe Akiva to expound the Torah and thus expand its scope from the limited body of written and oral law to the vast expanse of Torah without boundaries or limits [Eruvin 21b]. When a decisor arrives at a pesak after prodigious effort to the best of his ability, and in full cognizance—due to his awe of Hashem—of the great responsibility he bears, it is truly the right ruling. Thus, the Torah scholars of our generation must be classified as having "attained the status of a posek," and are obligated to issue halachic decisions which have the force of "true halachah." The warning recorded in the Talmud [Bava Metzia 33a], that "errors committed unwittingly by a talmid chacham are to be considered willful transgressions," refers to one who did not make an adequate effort to clarify the relevant laws. This is the understanding of Rashi and Rabbenu Yona [Avos 4:12]. Failure to meticulously review all facets of the halachah before issuing a ruling counts as a intentional transgression, though the error may very well have been unwitting. Errors that could have been avoided by more diligent preparation are to be viewed as intentional transgressions, since the possibility of error is always present [and the decisor has the responsibility to guard against it]. I assumed the responsibility of responding to those who seek my halachic counsel [only] after I had clarified the halachah with much effort. In addition, I have recorded the reasoning for my rulings so that everyone may review my rationale. In doing this I assume the role of a teacher rather than that of a posek. The Talmud [Brochos 4a], noting that David HaMelech personally examined abortuses to determine the halachic status of the mother, teaches an important lesson. David HaMelech could have asked other great scholars to rule on these matters, but he did not, because it is forbidden to refuse to do a mitzvah [i.e., rule on a halachic matter] even if another person can act in one's place. That is why I answered every question addressed to me. In doing so, I also fulfilled a filial duty by giving pleasure to my father, my teacher, the Gaon, זצ"ל, who expressed both the hope and the certainty that many would come to ask my halachic guidance, whether orally or by written communication, and that Hashem would assist me in answering correctly. Indeed, I am thankful to Hashem for His help in permitting me to do so until now, and I pray that He will continue to assist me to accurately understand the teachings of our sages, and to issue rulings that are true to the halachah without error. I ask this blessing also for my children and grandchildren, and for all my descendants and students as well as for all Torah scholars. I decided to print my responsa because I only clarify and elucidate the halachah. Other Torah scholars can analyze my reasoning and decide whether they concur with my opinions. As anyone can see, I did not blindly rely on others, not even on the great decisors who preceded me, but critically reviewed and decided for myself what the correct ruling should be, as Rav Akiva Eiger taught us to do. I ask all who study my rulings likewise to critically analyze my writings. In doing so they will become aware of the halachic process, thereby learning to reach a halachic conclusion, and I will be rewarded for having taught this method. May Hashem grant all of us the gift of being able to study and teach all the days of our lives, and thus to merit the rewards of the final redemption, when Moshiach ben David comes to rebuild our Temple, and the world is filled with knowledge of Hashem

Trump tries to have it both ways, bashing Biden for Afghanistan deal he locked in

Withdrawing From Afghanistan May Be The One Thing Biden And Trump Agree On

 https://www.npr.org/2021/08/18/1028607717/strange-bedfellows-indeed-the-trump-biden-consensus-on-afghanistan

 So intense was Trump's intention to withdraw that he persisted even after the 2020 election. According to a report published by Axios in May, Trump signed a memo in November that would have withdrawn all U.S. troops by mid-January (just five days before his term was to end). His top national security team, civilian and military, persuaded him not to issue the order but to leave the withdrawal date at May 1.

 Trump has since said none of the current mayhem in Kabul would be happening if he were still president. Researchers will need to ascertain how many exit visas for Afghans had already been arranged before Trump left office, or what sort of procedures he might have had in place for Americans and Afghans wishing to leave. But lacking such evidence, and given Trump's timetable and concessions made to the Taliban, it is easier to imagine the current situation happening that much sooner.

Trump in fact had complained at his June 26 rally in Ohio that the Biden administration was dragging its feet and ought to get out faster.

MAGA Cowed Trump on Afghanistan

 https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2021/08/maga-cowed-trump-on-afghanistan/619843/

 The about-face is a reminder that although Trump holds a few core values (racism, anti-immigration, protectionism), he is otherwise ideologically flexible. His insight in 2016 was to endorse views widely held by Republican voters but rejected by other GOP politicians as deplorable, politically unwise, or both. But Trump sometimes misreads his supporters—and when he does, he often moves quickly to get back in line.

Dovid was the father of Asmodai?

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asmodeus

   According to the Kabbalah and the school of Shlomo ibn Aderet, Asmodeus is a cambion born as the result of a union between Agrat bat Mahlat, a succubus, and King David.^[44]

What I Learned While Eavesdropping on the Taliban

/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/08/what-i-learned-while-eavesdropping-on-the-taliban/619807/

 It didn’t matter that they were unarmored men, with 30-year-old guns, fighting against gunships, fighter jets, helicopters, and a far-better-equipped ground team. It also didn’t matter that 100 of them died that day. Through all that noise, the sounds of bombs and bullets exploding behind them, their fellow fighters being killed, the Taliban kept their spirits high, kept encouraging one another, kept insisting that not only were they winning, but that they’d get us again—even better—next time.

They told me how they planned to keep killing Americans. They told me the details of these plans: what weapons they would use, where they would do it, how many they hoped to murder. Often, they told me these things while doing the killing. They told me that, God willing, the world would be made in their image. And they told me what so many others refused to hear, but what I finally understood: Afghanistan is ours.

 

 

Israeli chief rabbi calls to exhume wife of missionary who pretended to be a Jew

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-chief-rabbi-calls-to-exhume-wife-of-missionary-who-pretended-to-be-a-jew/

 The man, who was not named, told Israeli media that he had been born Jewish and joined Jews for Jesus, a movement that Jews generally do not recognize as belonging to Judaism. But he had since returned to Orthodox Judaism, he said.

But his late wife was not Jewish and should not be buried at a Jewish cemetery, the chief rabbi’s office said, because that would be unfair to the Jews buried around her and their relatives, who believed they were buried along with their coreligionists, as is customary in traditional Judaism.

“All efforts must be done to move her to a non-Jewish plot,” Altman wrote in June. “If that’s impossible, a fence should be put around the grave.”

Timeline of U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan

 https://www.factcheck.org/2021/08/timeline-of-u-s-withdrawal-from-afghanistan/

 And the Trump administration kept to the pact, reducing U.S. troop levels from about 13,000 to 2,500, even though the Taliban continued to attack Afghan government forces and welcomed al-Qaeda terrorists into the Taliban leadership.

Trump Hopes No One Remembers He Pushed for a Full Afghanistan Withdrawal in June

 https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/08/donald-trump-joe-biden-afghanistan

 Weirdly, Trump did not note in his statement that less than two months ago, he was bragging about how he started the Afghanistan-withdrawal process and claiming the Biden administration was powerless to stop it.

Why do conservatives view CNN as a very liberal biased news source?

 https://www.quora.com/Why-do-conservatives-view-CNN-as-a-very-liberal-biased-news-source

 But today, creating drama to foment a reaction is a good business plan. People who want similar things need to hate each other for no apparent reason other than the label of being right or left.

The media machine needs you divided. They understand the power of a united democracy that’s utterly uninterested in stupid articles disguising themselves as legitimate news stories.

This is funny and sad to me.

Because both sides are fairly equally barking only when they believe it serves the interests of their advertisers.

Nobody who works at CNN or Fox actually cares if you read their stuff. They care that you come back.

They care that you’re instigated. They care that they instigated something in you.

The thing with the internet is that if something becomes bad on either side, they can just delete their ‘news’ story. Say, a lot of people start to hate CNN for something they posted? It’s gone. Fox News posted something that got a massive negative reaction? Poof.

They lie. They both lie.

‘You’re crazy, a heretic’: Senior Haredi rabbi kicks out anti-vaxxer student

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/youre-crazy-senior-ultra-orthodox-rabbi-kicks-out-anti-vaxxer-student/

Leading ultra-Orthodox rabbi Ben Zion Mutzafi kicked out a man attending his lecture on Sunday evening due to the man’s opposition to the COVID-19 vaccine.

In video footage of the incident published Tuesday by Haredi news site Kikar HaShabbat, the rabbi can be seen repeatedly calling the man “crazy” and “evil.” He later said he stood behind those descriptions.

After the anti-vaxxer started loudly voicing his opinions against the vaccine, Mutzafi, who ordered all his followers to get the vaccine earlier this year, was seen shouting: “More than 6,500 people died, stop making things up. Go, get out of here, you’re crazy.”

The Soul of the Matter

 https://mishpacha.com/the-soul-of-the-matter/

 “In actuality,” says Rav Leuchter, “Nefesh HaChaim was only printed after Rav Chaim’s passing by his son, Reb Itzele, and he chose to omit those parts of his father’s manuscript that opposed chassidus, out of respect for the Tzemach Tzedek, with whom he worked in partnership for the benefit of Eastern European Jewry. That’s why, after Sha’ar Gimmel and before Sha’ar Daled, there are eight chapters that seem to be hanging in the middle and are not numbered. Apparently, these were originally part of a separate sha’ar, and Reb Itzele Volozhiner omitted parts of it.”

Ex-defense secretary: Trump's push to get US troops out of Afghanistan possibly 'undermined' deal with Taliban

 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/17/politics/mark-esper-donald-trump-taliban-afghanistan-cnntv/index.html

 But, Esper told CNN's Christiane Amanpour, "my concern was that President Trump, by continuing to want to withdraw American forces out of Afghanistan, undermined the agreement, which is why in the fall when he was calling for a return of US forces by Christmas, I objected and formally wrote a letter to him, a memo based on recommendations from the military chain of command and my senior civilian leadership that we not go further -- that we not reduce below 4,500 troops unless and until conditions were met by the Taliban."

Why are US troops pulling out of Afghanistan now?

As US Withdraws from Afghanistan, Refugees Must Be Evacuated Immediately: A Closer Look

Safed rabbi jailed for multiple counts of sexual assault to get early release

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/safed-rabbi-jailed-for-multiple-counts-of-sexual-assault-to-get-early-release/

 A prison release committee on Tuesday decided to allow the early release of a well-known rabbi and yeshiva head from the northern city of Safed, who was jailed for committing a slew of sexual crimes against eight women, including multiple counts of sexual assault.

Rabbi Ezra Sheinberg was convicted in 2018 as part of a plea deal over a series of crimes committed against women who came to him for advice and counseling. He was sentenced to 7.5 years.

Following a lengthy discussion on Tuesday, after he served two-thirds of his sentence, a release committee decided to shorten his prison term

How Apple's plan to combat child abuse backfired on it

 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/08/17/tech/apple-child-safety-tools-backfire/index.html

 In early August, Apple (AAPL) announced a major new program designed to help combat child exploitation and promote safety, issues the tech community has increasingly embraced. It was a presentation big on intent but light on the details.

What followed — outraged tweets, critical headlines and an outcry for more information — put the tech giant on defense just weeks ahead of the next iPhone launch, its biggest event of the year. It was a rare PR miscalculation for a company known for its meticulous PR efforts.

The technology at the center of the criticism is a tool that will start checking iOS devices and iCloud photos for child abuse imagery, along with a new opt-in feature that will warn minors and their parents if incoming or sent image attachments in iMessage are sexually explicit and, if so, blur them.

The Soviet War in Afghanistan, 1979 - 1989

 https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/08/the-soviet-war-in-afghanistan-1979-1989/100786/

 Nearly twenty-five years ago, the Soviet Union pulled its last troops out of Afghanistan, ending more than nine years of direct involvement and occupation. The USSR entered neighboring Afghanistan in 1979, attempting to shore up the newly-established pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. In short order, nearly 100,000 Soviet soldiers took control of major cities and highways. Rebellion was swift and broad, and the Soviets dealt harshly with the Mujahideen rebels and those who supported them, leveling entire villages to deny safe havens to their enemy. Foreign support propped up the diverse group of rebels, pouring in from Iran, Pakistan, China, and the United States. In the brutal nine-year conflict, an estimated one million civilians were killed, as well as 90,000 Mujahideen fighters, 18,000 Afghan troops, and 14,500 Soviet soldiers. Civil war raged after the withdrawal, setting the stage for the Taliban's takeover of the country in 1996. As NATO troops move toward their final withdrawal this year, Afghans worry about what will come next, and Russian involvement in neighboring Ukraine's rebellion has the world's attention, it is worth looking back at the Soviet-Afghan conflict that ended a quarter-century ago. Today's entry is part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan.

The Failure to Understand the True Mission Doomed Us To Defeat in Afghanistan

 https://time.com/6090758/why-america-lost-afghanistan/

 There are few items of bipartisan consensus in the United States. Here is one—the leaders of both political parties decided it was time to leave Afghanistan and to lose the 20 year war with the Taliban. The only dispute that now remains is whether the Trump administration, which had committed to withdrawal by this past May, would have directed the retreat more competently than Biden, who now faces one of the most humiliating debacles in American history.

As Afghan army routed, officials say Pentagon vastly overestimated its power

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-afghan-army-routed-officials-say-pentagon-vastly-overestimated-its-power/

For months, Pentagon officials have insisted on what they said was the numerical advantage held by the Afghan forces — supposedly with 300,000 men in the army and the police — over the Taliban, estimated to number some 70,000.

 But those army numbers were greatly inflated, according to the Combating Terrorism Center at the prestigious US Military Academy at West Point, New York.

As of July 2020, by its own estimate, the 300,000 included only 185,000 army troops or special operations forces under Defense Ministry control, with police and other security personnel making up the rest.

And barely 60% of the Afghan army troops were trained fighters, the West Point analysts said.

A Year Into Normalization Deal, Israel's Hope for Geopolitical Change Fades

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-a-year-into-normalization-deal-israel-s-hope-for-geopolitical-change-fades-1.10120788 

The agreement itself was dramatic and impressive. It may have been the Trump administration’s only major diplomatic achievement in the region, and it was certainly one of the high points of Israel’s foreign policy during Netanyahu’s 12 years in office. When Morocco and Sudan later joined the normalization agreements it added even more feathers in his cap.

Nevertheless, their strategic regional impact has been limited. Israeli defense sources say the main achievements of peace with the UAE have been economic and technological. As Netanyahu hoped, Emirati sheikhs have demonstrated great interest in making large investments in Israel.

Biden in an impossible bind as Afghanistan blame game begins

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/aug/14/joe-biden-afghanistan-crisis-blame-game

The war in Afghanistan will rank alongside Vietnam as one of America’s great modern failures of strategy and execution, Rothkopf added. “The bulk of the responsibility for that failure lies with past administrations and with the leadership in Kabul (and to some extent with Taliban enablers beyond the country’s borders). Biden is doing what is right and what must be done. It is time to turn the page.”

Trump pretends he's a credible critic of Biden's Afghanistan policy

 https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-pretends-he-s-credible-critic-biden-s-afghanistan-policy-n1276900

 Three weeks ago, Trump held a rally in Ohio and took credit for the U.S. exit. "I started the process," he boasted. "All the troops are coming back home. They couldn’t stop the process. 21 years is enough. Don’t we think? 21 years. [The Biden administration] couldn’t stop the process. They wanted to, but it was very tough to stop the process."

Assessment: Arson caused massive forest fire in Jerusalem hills

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/311781

 A senior firefighter in the fire department stated on Sunday evening that the fire had broken out as a result of a deliberate act of arson and added that the investigation into the incident is only in its infancy.

Biden Delivers on Trump’s Afghan Exit as

 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-12/biden-delivers-on-trump-s-afghan-exit-as-taliban-surges-to-power

Donald Trump made the politically popular pledge to bring U.S. troops home from the nation’s longest war. Now Joe Biden is delivering on the promise -- and reaping growing criticism over the grim results that are unfolding in Afghanistan.

Judge refuses to toss out Dominion defamation suits against Powell, Giuliani and Lindell

 https://www.politico.com/news/2021/08/11/judge-dominion-defamation-suits-powell-504000

The three defendants’ arguments found little resonance with Nichols, a Trump appointee who seemed disdainful of their conduct and of suggestions that their statements were within the bounds of freewheeling political debate.

Back to School

Eye on statute of limitations, alleged victim of US youth group leader speaks up

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/eye-on-statute-of-limitations-alleged-victim-of-us-youth-group-leader-speaks-up/

Rabbi Jordan Soffer demands USY, the Conservative movement’s youth branch, explain why it turned blind eye to abuser for years, later allowed his employment as a synagogue director

Trump calls police officer who killed Capitol rioter Ashli Babbitt a murderer: 'We know who he is'

 https://news.yahoo.com/trump-calls-police-officer-killed-202125447.html

 He and Republicans in Congress like Rep. Paul Gosar have sought to turn Babbitt into a martyr, saying she was unjustly killed and wrongly targeted by law enforcement. GOP lawmakers have cited her death to say that the insurrection wasn't as serious as it appeared and she didn't pose a threat.

FDA expected to authorize COVID vaccine booster shots this week

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/fda-expected-to-authorize-covid-vaccine-booster-shots-this-week-676486

 The Food and Drug Administration is slated to amend the emergency use authorizations for the Pfizer and the Moderna Covid-19 vaccines Thursday to allow immunocompromised people to get a third dose, NBC News reported. The announcement is expected within the next 48 hours, but the timing could move, according to multiple sources.  The Biden administration is anticipated to put out a Covid-19 vaccine booster strategy for all vaccinated Americans in September. 

On July 12, Israel began to offer a booster shot for people with a severely weakened immune system. Preliminary results from research conducted by the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus in Petah Tikva and Clalit Health Services has shown that administering a third coronavirus vaccine shot to immunocompromised patients significantly increases their ability to produce antibodies.

Reform movement probing itself over history of bungling sex abuse allegations

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/reform-movement-probing-itself-over-history-of-bungling-sex-abuse-allegations/

 She said many of the roughly 600 rabbis in her network have observed for decades how survivors who complained through official channels were often ignored or dismissed. She believes they would be treated differently if they come forward now to participate in the investigations.

What Exactly Is Andrew Cuomo Guilty Of?

 https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/cuomo-michael-tracey

 Among the “less overtly sexual” behavior cited in the report as being unlawfully “gender-based” was Cuomo’s apparent habit of “allowing senior staff members to sit on his lap at official functions” and “lying down with his head on the lap of staff members who are women.” This, the report alleges on page 148, was a key component of the overall “hostile work environment.”

 But parsed out elsewhere in the report—evidently causing it to be missed by frenetic pundits—is the revelation that “none” of the staff involved in the lap-sitting activity “reported feeling uncomfortable with this behavior.”

In fact, the report’s authors concede, “a number of witnesses we spoke to informed us that all of this behavior led to a sense among staff members in the Executive Chamber that personal attention from the Governor, even if flirtatious … was not only normal, but to be valued.” This would seem to be exculpatory information of a kind—but a search across Google and Twitter suggests it’s been omitted almost entirely from the ensuing press coverage. Instead, these exculpatory testaments were somehow reconfigured by the report’s authors as evidence of Cuomo’s guilt. In the rush to axe Cuomo, media accounts appear to have wholly glossed over this discrepancy.

Rav Sternbuch

 

Cuomo is a mini-Trump – it's always been obvious to anyone paying attention

 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/feb/13/andrew-cuomo-mini-trump-new-york-coronavirus

It has always been obvious to anyone paying attention that Cuomo is a mini-Trump. He has the same appetite for authoritarianism as the former president: during the pandemic he has drawn scrutiny for cancelling special elections, issuing executive orders and consolidating power. Like Trump he has nothing but disdain for his detractors, particularly if they happen to be more qualified than he is. The New York Times recently reported that nine top New York health officials have resigned during the pandemic, with many of them telling the Times that Cuomo had asked them to match their health guidance to his decisions. But who needs experts, eh? Not the all-knowing Cuomo. “When I say ‘experts’ in air quotes, it sounds like I’m saying I don’t really trust the experts,” Cuomo said of pandemic policies in a recent news conference. “Because I don’t.”