Harvard and Students Against Antisemitism Announce Settlement of Lawsuit

 https://www.harvard.edu/media-relations/2025/01/21/press-release-settlement-harvard-saa/#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20this%20settlement,Harvard%2C%20represented%20by%20new%20counsel.

Today, Plaintiff Students Against Antisemitism and Harvard University announced that they have reached an agreement to resolve Students Against Antisemitism’s claims against Harvard. As part of the settlement, Harvard has agreed to undertake important actions to combat antisemitism on its campus, building on measures it has implemented over the past year. This resolution aligns with Harvard’s commitment to combating antisemitism and ensuring that its Jewish and Israeli students are welcome and able to thrive on its campus and that complaints of discrimination and harassment against Jewish and Israeli students are treated in the same manner and with the same urgency as all protected groups.

https://x.com/ShabbosK/status/1881832732118151220?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

Shabbos Kestenbaum

@ShabbosK

OUR STATEMENT ON HARVARD’S SETTLEMENT TODAY. PLEASE READ AND SHARE. 

A year ago, I decided to sue Harvard over their blatant Civil Rights violations and normalization of antisemitism on campus. 

Although certain Jewish nonprofits discouraged us, we charted a new path forward for young American Jewry, and I’m delighted that there are now more than a dozen such cases filed by heroic Jewish students across the country.

I am deeply grateful for the 4 other plaintiffs at Harvard who decided to join me. Although I wish they weren’t anonymous, their bravery is commendable.

Harvard, rather than apologize or recognize antisemitism on our campus, filed two separate motions to dismiss our case with prejudice. They lost. We are the first case of its kind to go to trial. 

President Trump Freed Drug Offenders. Candidate Trump Wants To Kill Them.

 https://reason.com/2023/10/24/trump-who-freed-drug-offenders-also-wants-to-kill-them/

https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2025/01/white-drug-dealers-should-not-be.html?showComment=1737565514824#c5733017844764656108

In response to the above linked post 

Jacob SullumJanuary 22, 2025 at 7:05 PM

If you think that headline is an accurate description of my position, I invite you to check out what I have written about the war on drugs during the last three or four decades, which includes much discussion of its disparate racial impact. I have just completed a book, Beyond Control, that explores this theme at length. But maybe you were referring to Trump's attitude, which I agree is completely incoherent: https://reason.com/2023/10/24/trump-who-freed-drug-offenders-also-wants-to-kill-them/

The FIRST STEP Act signed by Trump eased drug sentencing. He's running away from that accomplishment in the 2024 election.

Elon Musk’s ‘Nazi’ salute sparks fury from Europe’s left wing

 https://www.politico.eu/article/elon-musk-salute-sparks-fury-from-europe-left-wing/

The salute immediately generated a viral and divided response, with online critics attacking Musk for the gesture and supporters minimizing its significance.

“I will start by talking about the response, or perhaps the lack of responses of the EU to Trump’s inauguration. It represents a threat to the whole of the European Union,” said French member of the European Parliament Manon Aubry, co-chair of The Left group, at a press conference Tuesday morning. “Let’s start by keeping things simple, I am sure everyone saw the Nazi salute, I select these words carefully, the Nazi salute of Elon Musk.”

In Germany, where Musk’s political backing for the far-right Alternative for Germany has already caused issues ahead of a snap election on Feb. 23, the government hit out over the controversial salute.

“I definitely don’t think highly of Elon Musk as a politician, from what we know so far. But such a gesture, given his already known proximity to right-wing populists in the fascist tradition, must worry every democrat,” said German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach from the center-left Social Democratic Party.

In Italy, popular journalist Roberto Saviano — famous for crusading against the mafia and, latterly, Italy’s right-wing government — rained down invective on the Tesla and SpaceX supremo.

Musk responds to backlash over gesture at Trump rally

 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy48v1x4dv4o

Andrea Stroppa, a confidant of Musk who has connected him with far-right Italian PM Giorgia Meloni, was reported by Italian media to have posted the clip of Musk with the caption: "Roman Empire is back starting from Roman salute".

The Roman salute was widely used in Italy by Benito Mussolini's Fascist Party, before later being adopted by Adolf Hitler in Germany.

Stroppa later deleted his post, Italian media said. He later posted that "that gesture, which some mistook for a Nazi salute, is simply Elon, who has autism, expressing his feelings by saying, 'I want to give my heart to you'".

The gesture comes as Musk's politics have increasingly shifted to the right. He has made recent statements in support of Germany's far-right AfD party and British anti-immigration party Reform UK.

Elon Musk’s Salute Sparks Criticism From Foreign Leaders And Democrats

 https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2025/01/21/elon-musks-salute-sparks-criticism-from-foreign-leaders-and-democrats/

During a speech at a Trump inaugural event Monday, Musk pounded his fist to his chest and extended his right arm into the air twice before saying, “My heart goes out to you.”

German chancellor Olaf Scholz—who last week slammed Musk’s support for European far-right parties—said at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday Musk has the right to free speech, but “what we do not accept is if this is supporting extreme right positions,” after a reporter asked Scholz about Musk’s gesture, though he did not directly address his gesture or clarify whether he felt it was a Nazi salute.

Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s minister of labor and social economy, announced she would quit X after “the entire world witnessed Elon Musk mimicking a Nazi salute during Donald Trump’s inauguration,” while German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach said in a tweet Musk’s gesture “must worry every democrat.”

Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a New York University professor who specializes in fascism, called Musk’s gesture “a Nazi salute - and a very belligerent one too.”

Violence for the sake of Trump is not a crime but a Virtue

 https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/people-are-violent-jan-6-rioters-trump-pardoned-rcna188545

After he won the presidential election, Donald Trump told Time magazine that he was still considering pardoning his supporters who were involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol but that he was particularly eyeing those who were charged with “non-violent” crimes.

“I’m going to do case-by-case, and if they were non-violent, I think they’ve been greatly punished,” he said.

Instead, on his first day in office, Trump went far broader, issuing pardons for most of the more than 1,500 people charged with crimes in the Jan. 6 attack. His actions have paved the way for the releases of numerous people found guilty of violent attacks.

President Donald Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht

 https://reason.com/2025/01/21/president-donald-trump-pardons-silk-road-founder-ross-ulbricht/

Silk Road's innovative mail order using bitcoin, combined with user reviews of sellers, imposed some real market discipline on dealers, kept buyers from the occasional dangers of physically obtaining drugs, and allowed people not violating others' lives and property to buy and sell drugs with less (but not zero) legal risk.

Because of all that, and the site's role in publicizing and popularizing the use of bitcoin as currency, Ulbricht was considered a martyr of sorts to many in the libertarian and bitcoin communities.

Trump says he pardoned founder of Silk Road criminal marketplace - Buying votes

 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/21/politics/silk-road-ross-ulbricht-pardon-trump/index.html

The government had alleged that Ulbricht, who donned the pseudonym “Dread Pirate Roberts,” a nod to the fictitious character in the film “The Princess Bride,” founded the site in 2011. The now-defunct marketplace allowed users to anonymously trade drugs and other illegal goods and services in near-total secrecy using bitcoin. According to the indictment, Silk Road acquired nearly a million registered users worldwide, about 30% of whom were based in the US.

Ulbricht had been convicted following a four-week jury trial. Preet Bharara, then the US attorney for the Southern District of New York, said at the time that “Ulbricht was a drug dealer and criminal profiteer who exploited people’s addictions and contributed to the deaths of at least six young people.”

Trump’s act of clemency makes good on a campaign promise. In May 2024, Trump pledged in remarks to the Libertarian Party’s national convention in Washington, DC, to commute Ulbricht’s sentence immediately upon taking office.

“If you vote for me, on Day 1 I will commute the sentence of Ross Ulbricht to a sentence of time served,” Trump said at the time. “He’s already served 11 years. We’re going to get him home.”

White drug dealers should not be punished for victimless crime between consenting adults Blacks or Mexicans should get death penalty

https://www.thefp.com/p/dont-free-ross-ulbricht-clemency-trump?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

 One of Ulbricht’s libertarian defenders, Reason senior editor Jacob Sullum, thinks he never should have been jailed, writing earlier this week: “no one should go to prison for facilitating peaceful transactions among consenting adults.

Republicans choke on defense of Trump's pardon of Jan. 6 rioters. Could it be shame?

Trump Pardons Ross Ulbricht After Urging Death Penalty For Drug Dealers

 https://www.newsweek.com/president-donald-trump-pardon-silk-road-founder-ross-ulbricht-drugs-libertarian-2018764

In a move that has sparked debate, President Donald Trump granted a full pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, who had been serving two life sentences plus 40 years for enabling the illegal trade of drugs and other illicit goods. People using his site traded in bitcoin to avoid detection.

Ulbricht, known by the pseudonym "Dread Pirate Roberts," operated Silk Road between 2011 and 2013, facilitating more than $200 million in transactions for illegal drugs, hacking services, and counterfeit documents. He was arrested in 2013 and convicted in 2015 of multiple charges, including conspiracy to distribute narcotics and money laundering. His website relied on the anonymity of the Tor network and the burgeoning cryptocurrency market to allow massive drug deals.

In November 2022, while announcing his candidacy for the 2024 presidential race, Trump called for the execution of drug dealers.

Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, he said that drug dealers were executed in China, Singapore and other countries, and it was the only option to tackle the drugs issue in the U.S.

Maaser Time

Igros Moshe (EH IV 26.4 page 55) Concerning the view of Chasam Sofer regarding Rabbi Akiva state that Loving others as yourself is a major principle of the Torah and mitzvos. He says it is specifically said in regard to this world. But we know that Rabbi Akiva also said that your life takes precedence of that of others?. This is truly astounding. It is clear that in regard to Torah learning, his learning takes precedent as is stated in Kiddushin (29b) that it takes priority in relation to one’s son so surely the Torah learning of others. That is how the Rambam rules. There is also a hierarchy for tzedaka. It is obvious that in Torah learning he takes precedent over others much more than in regards to tzedaka. Furthermore regarding tzedaka this is specifically that bread for him comes before that of others. But if he lacks meat while the other lacks bread, he sacrifices his meat so the other can have bread. Similarly he takes precedent if they are poor and he also is to receive meat. However in regards to Torah, it is clear that a person who knows one gemora or even many, his learning of other gemoras still takes priority over other’s learning even that which he already mastered. Also in regards to matters of this world there is no prohibition but rather it is optional if there is no actual danger to life. In contrast regarding Torah, it is prohibited to give the learning of others priority over himself. However I ruled that every Torah scholar, even though he needs it for himself and is a great scholar to devote some time to teach others, even if this if this distracts from his own Torah study. I brought a proof from the gemora about Rav Preida. who taught a student who had great difficukty understanding and required repeating each lesson 400 times. Obviously during that time it would have been more productive for his own learning. He received great reward for this in that he lived 400 years, and also his generation brought the merit to the future world. It would seem that doing this is prohibited since his learning is more important. It is reasonable to explain that this was the giving of a tenth of his time as maaser. Similarly he could add until a fifth. The amount requires additional thought. Regarding mitzvos, if he and the others need to fulfil a mitzva and it is possible for only one person to do the mitzva, obviously if he gives it to the others than he will end up transgressing the mitzva. Consequently I don’t understand the Chasam Sofer and this requires further thought. There is also the problem of two people dying of thirst and one has a bottle of water. Rabbi Akiva does not say that it needs to be given to save the other person or even shared and they both die. We see that Rabbi Akiva does not mean that they are all equal but rather he takes precedent to save himself.

At Trump inauguration event in Jerusalem, adulation meets undercurrent of unease

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/at-trump-inauguration-event-in-jerusalem-adulation-meets-undercurrent-of-unease/

But even among Trump’s most fervent fans, an undercurrent of unease could be detected. Lately Trump has focused his energies, when it comes to the region, on securing a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. That effort has caused consternation some on the Israeli right, including many of the Trump admirers who showed up Monday. Multiple attendees said they felt he rushed into the deal, in which Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners, some of them convicted murderers, for hostages held by Hamas.

“I felt a bit like he didn’t really care too much,” Cohn said. “What would have happened if he would have waited another week or two weeks? I want Hamas to be totally defeated and now it seems like they have the upper hand, and can unleash thousands of terrorists on Israel.”

Hamas emerges from Gaza’s tunnels, showing it never lost control

 https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/article-838225

Hamas has impressive control over every aspect of Gaza, from local media to hospitals and schools. It will galvanize all of this to help portray this as a victory for the group.

Hamas appears to be emerging from tunnels and rubble in Gaza to show that it never lost control of most of the area despite fifteen months of war. While Hamas suffered many blows from the IDF, it was able to recruit new members, and it even kept trucks and vans ready to return to the streets and show its presence.