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Free The Hostages! Bring Them Home!

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Mar 29, 2021

Happy Passover from The Israel Philharmonic (video)











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Mar 26, 2021

Yonina- Eshet Chayil (video)







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IDF Chief Cantor Sings Vehi Sheamda (video)







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Mar 25, 2021

Kashering for Pesach - OU Kosher & Ambassador and Mrs. Friedman (video)







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The Eida HaChareidis has put out a notice regarding the chumra or hakpada that has become trendy over the past several years of abstaining after Pesach from consuming chametz that was sold over pesach. People who follow this custom insist on seeing on the packaging of the food item a notice that it is made from flour ground after Pesach.

As far as I know, the Eida Hachareidis is not strict about this and does not insist on food under its supervision to be produced from flour ground after Pesach (correct me if I am wrong). 



The notice says that some people are machmir on themselves to not purchase after Pesach chametz from flour that underwent a process of cleaning via a light stream of water before grinding.

The Eida says that some flour ground before pesach is ground dry, without undergoing that process using water. Such flour has the same exact status as flour ground after pesach.

I am not sure how helpful such a notice is. How is anybody supposed to know if a flour product is made from this flour or that flour, if ground before Pesach? Regardless, if there is a way to know, and if you are strict about this, the Eida says you can also eat from flour ground before Pesach if it was ground dry.





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Seder Night from Jerusalem: the seder with Mayor Moshe Lion (video)








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Avremi Roth and Menachem Brivtosky: Btzeis and Vhi She'Amda (video)











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The Maccabeats - Nirtzah: The Seder Finale - Passover (video)







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Beatdos Passover Medley (video)







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Six13 - The Red Sea Shanty: A Pirate Passover (video)






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Mar 24, 2021

Quote of the Day

The Prime Minister approached us requesting that we not respond to the campaign of Smotritch in the Haredi sector. They invested a lot of money campaigning to our voters, more than we invested in all these elections together, and they expect us to keep quiet? We gave the Prime Minister very clear responses that this is not acceptable

  -- Deputy Minister Uri Maklev (UTJ)

As always, they put their foot down to the Prime Minister only after the fact. 



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Tweet of the Day







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Picture of the Day





That is MK Betzalel Smotritch elbow deep in Pesach cleaning of his stove grates. The morning after a tough election in which he came out pretty well.

In his tweet posting these pictures Smotritch explained to the thousands of people calling him and sending messages of congratulations that he has not yet been able to answer or respond but because he is busy right now...

Pretty cool

Also, his wife was probably like, you might be some important Knesset member and head of party about to becoming a minister again but we have a stove that isn't going to clean itself....







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hefker wine

I saw this bottle of wine this morning:




the bottle was put outside and declared hefker, available for anyone to take. 

As I got closer, I assumed hefker but thought it strange that someone had old shmitta wine from 6 years ago now that needed to be made hefhker.

When I got close enough to the bottle, I saw that the original owner put a note on the bottle saying it is hefker with the explanation that there is nothing wrong with the wine but the bottle was near chametz.

ok

אוי לרשע ואוי לשכנו




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Kashrut Alert: Kirkland brand Granulated Garlic

The following important kashrut (for Pesach) alert was posted by Shemesh Online:

After a local Beit Shemesh resident noticed that the Kirkland Granulated Garlic that she had purchased in Osher Ad for Pesach did not have a KLP stamp on it, she called her children in the US and Canada. Both verified with the Kashrut Agencies there that Kirkland does a special Pesach run and that ONLY products with a KLP on them are indeed Kosher for Passover.


A representative from Shemesh Online called Osher Ad headquarters and they verified that there was a mistake and that the Kirkland Granulated Garlic should not have been on the shelves with the Pesach products. They are going to put up signs in the store.


If you have already began your Pesach cooking and have used the garlic, do not panic. The Magshgiach at the OU headquarters in New York, said that it is not Chametz and before Pesach you can rely on BItul (in case there is a minute amount of Chametz there) but it cannot be used on Peasch. In any case, each person should ask their own Rav for a Psak.


Do not use the Kirkland Granulated Garlic that does not have a KLP stamp on it on Pesach.



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Yaakov Shwekey - Hamalach (video)







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Mar 23, 2021

Almost over. Go Vote

less than an hour and a half to go. if you haven't voted yet, go exercise your democratic right, one of the few practical tools available to use to express our opinion, and go vote. At least you get to let the government and nation know what you want.

Go vote!


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so many mitzvas in Israel

There is a benefit to having elections so frequently. At least for some people.

If you are Haredi and vote for a Haredi party, you get so many more opportunities for fulfilling the mitzva of doing what the rabbis instruct you. If you are a Religious Zionist, no matter who you vote for it is an opportunity to get the mitzva of voting for the government of the State of Israel, being part of the mitzva of yishuv haaretz.

The dysfunctional government of the past couple of years has been very good for the religious public. Very supportive of creating opportunities for mitzvas.




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Millennial Rabbi X Activist

Millennial Rabbi and Rudy Rochman collaborate on a sit down interview podcast discussing a wide range of topics, bringing new ideas and relating it to the younger generation.






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Lenny Solomon Live (video)












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ELI LEVIN - Afikomen (Official Video)







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elections!

As polling stations are about to open, in just a couple of minutes, I pray and hope that whoever comes out of these as winner, if one does emerge, he will be wise and responsible and decent and work for the betterment of the nation. We don't know God's plans, but I am sure that whatever happens in these elections is what is meant to be best for the people of Israel. May the people choose wisely, and may the results be good.



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Mar 22, 2021

free public transportation

As is generally done for election day, the Electoral Board in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation has arranged free public transportation around the country on buses and trains to enable people to travel to their official polling station to vote, even if located far away.

Obviously they could go and pay for the bus, if they felt it important enough, but the electoral board feels it is important enough to take away that barrier - some people might feel it is not worth bothering paying the price to go vote.

The free transportation actually already began, tonight at 8pm and will be in effect until public transportation ends tomorrow night.

Not all intercity buses will be free for the day, but many will be, so check if the buses you need, or want, to take are included. You can call Egged customer service (*2800) to find out, or check the Egged website.

It seems the only route for which you will need to prove you live there and are going to vote is the Eilat bus route. If you try to take the bus to Eilat you will have to show your teudat zehut or drivers license showing you live there and that is where you are registered to vote.








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don't forget the salt water...

In previous years before Pesach we have seen stores selling the most banal of items that could easily be made at home with almost no effort - such as packages of 10 small pieces of bread for bedikat chametz. Such as hard boiled eggs. There was also packages of crumbs for the birds sold for Shabbos Shira. And pre-prepared salt water has been sold before as well.

The current version of pre-prepared salt water being sold is making the rounds right now.

 



It is pretty easy to make salt water. This isn't one of those things that should really have much of a market. Maybe if they were using mineral water it would at least be similar to people who buy bottled water rather than drinking from the tap. 

This year with the seder on Motzei Shabbos and the need to prepare the salt water in advance, this might be an easy solution, if not a bit expensive, to avoid forgetting to prepare it until it is too late.


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selling chametz for Jews around the world

COLLive is reporting that the Israeli Chief Rabbi Rav Dovid Lau was asked by the Rabbis of the Rabbinical Center of Europe to sell the chametz of all of the Jews of the Diaspora, even of the Jews who are not aware of it. Rabbi Lau agreed to do so and said he will put a clause in the contract of sale used by the Chief Rabbinate stating that the sale will apply to the chametz of all Jews.

This is interesting.

To put aside the more "minor" issues:
1. obviously the sale would need to take into account the dates - you don't want to buy back chametz for Jews in America while it is still Pesach for them, making them liable as owners of chametz on Pesach, nor would you want to sell the chametz of Australian Jews only after Pesach has begun for them already. So the sale dates need to be worked out if this is going to be done. Not a big deal, but something to take into account.
2. why ask the Israeli Chief Rabbi to do the sale - why not do it themselves? They are rabbis and perfectly qualified.
3. Why did they ask on behalf of all Jews of the Diaspora rather than just the Jews of Europe, the Jews under their domain? Is there no issue of jurisdiction of sorts? can a rabbi anywhere do something on behalf of Jews anywhere, without either side knowing each other or even knowing of each other's existence?

The bigger issue, I think, is the Chief Rabbi, or any Rabbi, selling chametz for other people without them knowing about it. I have heard shiurim on this topic in previous years and there are varying opinions as to whether or not this is a good idea, and even if it works or not. 

The main, or only, reason to allow it is to "save" the Jews from sinning unwittingly. This would be using the concept of zachin l'adam shelo bfanav" - זכין לאדם שלא בפניו - we can help bring merit to someone without their knowledge or explicit acquiescence. Jews can be assumed to not want to sin, and a Jew keeping his chametz would, could, only be out of ignorance. I can sell someone else's chametz because had he known he is supposed to he would really want to, and I am bringing him merit by doing so, as I am preventing him from sinning.

On the other hand, the arguments against allowing this include issues such as theft. By selling his chametz, if he should eat it on Pesach or sell it to a customer, he is basically stealing, unwittingly, from the non-Jew who bought it before Pesach. You might have saved him from violating the prohibition of chametz (though definitely not if he eats it), but you turned him into a thief. 

Other, maybe more minor, issues include whether you have the ability to sell someone's possessions without their knowledge or not, causing a possible double sale, and others.

I guess the Chief Rabbi feels it is ok, and maybe even a good idea. Again, I don't know why this group of European rabbis needed to involve the Chief Rabbi of Israel rather than doing it themselves, but ok. It seems kind of bold, to act on behalf of millions of Jews around the world who don't know or care or are interested or anything, but if anyone is in the position to be so bold, I guess it could be the Chief Rabbi of Israel.












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Behind the Bima: Special Guest - Sruli Besser (video)







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Arab Israelis: Would you have a Jewish roommate? (video)







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Can Joey Newcomb's Music Transform a Gritty Subway Station? - Mishpacha (video)







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Passover with Mayim Bialik | You Know How I Know? (video)







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The Passovr Weeknd - Passover Music Video 2021 (video)







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Mar 21, 2021

Bennett's latest stunt makes no sense

Tonight Naftali Bennett signed a document on national television. 

The document has two clauses on it. The first clause is that he, Bennett, will not sit in a Lapid government.

The second clause is one that he is using to challenge Netanyahu. Bennett's second clause is that Netanyahu will not establish a government based on the mandates of Mansour Abbas. Bennett challenged Netanyahu to sign the document.

I dont get it. 

For 3 months Bennett has been campaigning that he wont ban anybody, he'll sit with anybody Zionist, put everything aside and only deal with the post-Corona economy. 

Now, after positioning himself as kingmaker, he is throwing all that away, saying no to Lapid. 

This basically means Bennett has thrown away his strongest hand. He has no other moves left, unless he himself somehow brings in 20-25 mandates. As of right now, Bennett's only choice is sitting in the Opposition or with Netanyahu. Bennett just gave up his role as kingmaker, and I don't know why. Even if his intention all along was to eventually sit with Netanyahu after extracting the maximum possible, that would have been after the fact. Right now it is before the fact and Bennett seems to have given up his strongest hand. Unless he has something up his sleeve, or believes he is going to pull in a massive amount of mandates that no polls are seeing, this makes no sense.




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Gevalt!

I find it somewhat humorous how after a few months of campaigning, with the parties each trying to show how strong they are and successful they will be, suddenly days before the election they all change tactics to show how weak they are (and how strong the other party is).

The Likud has been saying all along that they see even up to 40 mandates. Suddenly tonight Netanyahu is talking about how the internal polls show the blocs are tied at 60 and anyone saying the Likud has attained over 61 is trying to turn Right voters complacent so they won't vote.

Bennett is saying Smotritch is up to 6 mandates according to internal polls, and Smotritch is denying it saying Bennett is trying to put his voters to sleep so they won't vote, as the party is already safely in. 

Meretz and Labor are fighting the same way over the numbers on that side, as are Yesh Atid and Kachol Lavan.

Saar isnt talking much and this doesn't seem relevant to him. All reports indicate they are free-falling. Saar is actually the opposite of the above - he is saying he is stronger than the reports indicate, as his voters are being intimidated by the Likud so they answer polls saying they are voting Likud. True or not I dont know, but he might be the only politician right now with an interest in appearing stronger than reality rather than weaker.

It is the last two days before the elections. This is the gevalt campaign.




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Facebook Status of the Day





don't blame me when your wife gets upset..



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get your korban pesach on

For the past several years, in the weeks leading up to Pesach I would see articles and advertisements, usually on the more Dati leaning websites I peruse, for joining a group to buy a portion of a korban pesach - "in case" we would be allowed at the last minute to go ahead with the korban.

I don't know how many people actually thought there was such a chance that at the last minute the Israeli government would allow the people to perform the korban pesach, but it felt like we were at least doing the little bit we could, and it gave people, at least me, a good feeling of trying.

But this year I haven't seen anything so far.

I finally got an sms from an organization selling portions for a korban pesach. the sms went straight to psam, but I check the spam folder every now and then so I saw it.

Interestingly, the event is being sold through a ticket-selling agency. And I dont think i have ever before seen them selling different sizes of kzayit - you can buy the kzayit of Rav Chaim Naeh, the kzayit of Chazon Ish, or you can buy a "nice portion" - however much that is, or you can buy "Pesach, Matza, and Maror", whatever that is.

So, if you have been looking for this opportunity before Pesach, so far this is the only one I have seen.

Bon Apetit




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Free Hagalat Keilim now in RBS

As always, except for last year because of the CoronaVirus lockdown for Pesach, Keren Lev Yisrael is running their free hagalat keilim right now. 

It just started for the day and will be running until 10pm tonight.

Bring whatever you got, whatever you need kashered. They have everything there except for a mikva. Bring you old dishes and silverware that need kashering, your new dishes or utensils that you might want to kasher, your silver items, your grates that need to be blowtorched. 

Whatever it might be, go get it done. they even have a cleaning station with energetic kids there to help you. 

Heck, you can even just bring your dishes there for the kids to wash and dont even kasher them! 

Just joking. Don't do that.

The Hagalat Keilim event is happening now at the bottom of Nahal Ayalon St in RBS, in the parking lot at the bottom of the park.










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Picture of the Day



Police officers set to secure the Balfour demonstrations last night as Shabbos was concluding use their masks as kippas to hear havdala...






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Quote of the Day

The first thing I will do as Finance Minister is cut the budgets for avreichim. The stipend for children given for all children beyond the fifth encourages childbirth and unemployment by the Bedouin in the South and by the Haredim. We need to change these trends.

  -- MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beyteynu)

it seems more and more as Lieberman suddenly keeps talking nasty about Haredim that he must be on the payroll of the Haredi parties, as my friend Ben W theorizes. His suddenly talking about them, when he's been quiet and unnoticed for so long, is suddenly giving them a lot of momentum. The Haredi parties seem to be the only one to gain from Lieberman talking.





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Headlines Podcast: 3/20/21 – Show 315 – Got the picture? – Shidduch pictures in halacha and Haskafah (audio)







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Jeremy Saltan Debate vs Meretz ex-MK Mossi Raz (Mar 16 2021) (video)








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Ask the Chief Rabbi (video)







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"Ask Me About My Orthodox Jewish Life" At NBC (video)

NBC recently removed a libelous anti-Orthodox episode from their show "Nurses," but until their writers, producers, and the rest of Hollywood meet Orthodox Jews and learn about our lives, these inaccurate and one dimensional portrayals will continue. To keep the conversation going a small (Covid-friendly) group of JITC staff and volunteers from across the different Orthodox communities assembled at 30 Rock to host a Livestream event answering questions about our lives. NBC - we're ready to talk when you are





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Reaching for the Stars | Daniel Chait (video)







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Mar 18, 2021

is Corona over?

After an entire year of going nowhere (except supermarket and work as little as possible out of the house)  and doing nothing, this week i went to two events -a  hachnasat sefer torah and a bar mitzva.

Does this mean that Corona is officially over?


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changes to Birkat Kohanim this Pesach

The news is reporting that a decision has been made for how the mass Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel will work this year.

Last year it was cancelled, sort of, due to COVID-19. That was the beginning of the pandemic and Pesach was under the most serious of all the lockdowns. In an effort to not actually cancel the event, the government permitted a minyan of 10 people with kohanim and their Birkat Kohanim was broadcast live on the Internet. Obviously the normal masses of thousands, tens of thousands, of people, were not able to participate with their actual presence at the Kotel.

This year, with restrictions progressively easing up due to falling Covid numbers and rising vaccination/recovery numbers, it has been decided to allow the Birkat Kohanim event to return, almost to its original format - with some adjustments.

In the past, the birkat kohanim event would be held on the first day of Chol Hamoed for non-Israelis. This year that would be on Tuesday. This year the event will be split into two events, one day after the other, so that people can go to one or the other. The Birkat Kohanim events will take place on both Monday and Tuesday mornings at the Kotel. I suspect the reason Monday was chosen is because this year there are no tourists here for the holiday (besides the people who live here "short term"), so the issue of allowing them to come on chag is minimized, along with them still having the option of Tuesday.

It should be noted that the Western Wall Heritage Center has requested of the public to not try to be present at both. if you go on Monday, do not go on Tuesday. The purpose of splitting it to two days is to space out the crowds.

The Chief Rabbis, Mayor of Jerusalem, and other dignitaries will be present at the event on both days
(source: Habim)





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there are guarantees, and there are guarantees!

Just a few days ago, the son of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Yitchak Shaul Kanievsky, said that his father, Rav Chaim, had said the whoever votes for, and helps in canvassing votes for, UTJ will merit a seat in Gan Eden, along with meriting to have good children and parnassah, and Rav Chaim concluded saying he is guarantor on all this.

Obviously a guarantee like this from Rav Chaim Kanievsky is going to make some waves and draw i some people who might not have previously considered voting UTJ.

Shas campaigned similarly back in 2006 with a promise from Rav Ovadiah Yosef.

It seems that not only are the Litvishe Haredim turning a bit more Hassidic, but now are also turning somewhat Sefardic. Maybe all distinctions are somewhat blending and soon there will be little difference between the different groups.

If it works, it works. You can't argue with results. UTJ, Degel Hatorah, is now putting out campaign videos of people (people who do not look like the typical UTJ voter) saying they are voting UTJ because of Rav Kanievsky's guarantee of gan eden.

I only hope that his guarantee is worth more than the recent guarantee of the Haredi parties that the rotation agreement between Gantz and Netanyahu would be fulfilled..




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Election panel, by Israeli Haredim (video)







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Dr Avishai Ben Chaim's report on 1st female Haredi minister, Omer Yankelevitch (video)







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street survey with Oded Menashe: who will you vote for, at Ben Yehuda in Jerusalem (video)








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Shlomi Shabbat: Hoshia Et Amecha (video)







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Mar 17, 2021

another Jewish Jordan?

Yahoo News has the story of  Ryan Turell, an Orthodox Jew learning and studying in Yeshiva University. 

Turell also plays on the YU basketball team. And he is a star.


Yahoo see him as possibly the next "Jewish Jordan". he also seems to be on track to be the first Orthodox Jewish player in the NBA down the road. They say he is that good. Check out the article for the details and descriptions.

First of all, I wish Ryan all the best and much success in his drive to the NBA. If he can make it that far, especially as an Orthodox Jew, more power to him.

Unfortunately I don't see it happening. Playing on Shabbos is too big a part in an NBA career. A star not play on Friday night or Saturday games? Unheard of. Amare Stoudamire recently succeeded in getting his team to let him not work on Shabbos, but he is no longer playing - he is some sort of bench coach, not a star player any longer. I just don't see how an NBA team, if he even gets that far, would allow a star player, or any player, to not play on Shabbos.

If he is really good enough to get to the NBA, it seems likely to me that somewhere along the way he will have to make a decision and give something up - either his NBA career or Shabbos observance. I hope he does figure out a way to make it work, but I see it as unlikely to happen.

Second, why does every Jewish kid good at playing basketball have to be dubbed a "Jewish Jordan"? Can't anyone come up with a new nickname? Maybe the Jewish Bryant or the Jewish Lebron? Maybe Rabbi Rebound or maybe something a little more creative. The Jewish Jordan name is so tired already.



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Supreme Court rules against continued travel restrictions

The news is reporting that the Supreme Court has decided against the continued restrictions limiting Israelis abroad from returning to Israel.

The Court has decided that the State cannot limit Israelis like this and the restrictions are unreasonable. The current guidelines and orders regarding travel are due to expire on Shabbos, and the Court said they cannot be automatically extended. If the State wishes to extend the orders, it will have to reconvene and make new decisions base don current facts and numbers, and not rely on the previous orders.

The Court also shot down the exceptions committee that meets to decide who, among the non-vaccinated and non-recuperated, is allowed to leave the country and who is not.

These orders are illegal, according to the Court.

As of Sunday, the skies will be open for Israelis, though not yet for non-citizens.

In the past I opposed the limitations on travel abroad for Israelis. It made no sense to me that Israel should stop people from leaving the country and traveling abroad. The other countries should decide if it wants to let Israelis, or any non-citizens, in to their country. Why should Israel prevent an Israeli from traveling in a different country? I understand not letting them back in to Israel after such travel, and I understand requiring quarantine, but as long as the potential traveler knows in advance (and in cases of emergency situations even without prior knowledge) what returning would entail, it should be up to the Israeli to decide if he or she wants to leave Israel under those conditions and travel in other countries (and it should be up tot he other countries to decide to let these people in or not). So it looks like the Court agrees with me.

The Court said the limitations on travel are hurting basic rights of people in a democratic country, and the long amounts of time of keeping these restrictions in place has failed to allow citizens the time to organize and do what they need without knowing when the restrictions will be lifted.

Another interesting point the Court made is that with Corona not expected to just disappear from our lives, we need to find a balance between the danger of letting in unknown mutations and variants of the disease and between the damage of hurting basic rights of citizens and residents. We need to find the balance that will allow some semblance of normal life alongside the virus, with proper management of the various risks.

The blocks continue to fall. Pretty much everything is opening up and will be almost fully open soon. Whether the government likes it or not. Hopefully it won't create a bad situation.




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Israelis sue Israel in International Criminal Court

it is not uncommon for complaints to be filed against Israel in the International Criminal Court, the ICC, in, and also known as, the Hague. 

Generally, though, these complaints are filed by foreign entities regarding Israel's alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity for Israel's supposed oppression of the Palestinians, for supposedly stealing land, for supposedly murdering or torturing innocent civilians, for supposedly apartheid behavior, and the like.

It is unusual for a complaint to be filed with the ICC against Israel by Israelis, and also unusual for it to be about issues other than those mentioned above. 

JPost is reporting that a group of Israelis opposed to the CoronaVirus vaccination, calling themselves Anshei Emet, has filed suit against Israel for their policies and administration of the vaccine. They claim it is a crime against humanity and in violation of the Nuremberg Code.

The violation supposedly happened when Israeli did not inform Israelis that they were taking part in a medical experiment. The State, they say, did not present alternatives for treating the Corona disease and concealed information about the vaccines.

From what I understand no investigation has been opened, nor have they committed to do so. As of now, all that has happened is the complaint has been filed and the ICC has acknowledged receipt of the complaint.

Sounds crazy that Israelis would complain internationally against Israel, but other organizations have complained about Israel before, whether in court or in the court of public opinion, such as Breaking the Silence among others. More so, it sounds crazy that they would do so for health care decisions made to help quell a pandemic and to protect the citizens and local populace. CoronaVirus and the vaccines have turned a lot of people to the extremes over the past year - extremes in all directions. People who are anti, people who are anti the vaccines, anti masks, anti pandemic, dont believe Corona exists, as well as people who are gung ho about the dangers, about the need for masks and distancing, about public health and safety, about promoting the vaccine, about pushing everyone to get vaccinated. The situation has gotten so extreme that it does not surprise me that people have filed a complaint. 

I suspect that the ICC will eventually reject it, or shut it as a non-issue. The pandemic was global, and all countries ran to get their people vaccinated, not just Israel. Israel just got to basically the front of the line and did it all faster, but not really any different than any other country.






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Bennett's real problem with elections

Bennett's problem, I think, is that he has no natural ideological base.

Almost every party in Israel has a natural base of voters - UTJ has the Litvishe and Hassidic Haredim, Shas has the Sefardic Haredim and the traditional Sefardim, Likud has the traditional and right wing/center liberals, Habayit Hayehudi no longer really exists but they used to have the National Religious, and Smotritch has a portion of that as well. Even Itamar Ben Gvir has his natural more extreme rightists base. On the Left it is a little less obvious, but they aren't ruling parties any longer. Labor was a founding party and has its center left base. Meretz has its extreme left base. Yesh Atid is a more center-left base of voters, perhaps usurping what Labor used to be. The Arab parties have the Arab populations.

What is Bennett? Who does Bennett appeal to? 

Bennett is a good candidate with good [and maybe some bad] ideas. But he has no base. He isn't Habayit Hayehudi representing the National Religious, as he left them, even though he wears a knitted kipa and is National Religious to some extent himself. he isn't Likud with a long term right wing base of voters. He is not Smotritch representing the "Chardal and more hard core "Settler" and NR communities. 


Bennett has no natural base of voters. People who vote for Bennett, for the most part, seem to be people whose base was one of the other parties but over time became disenfranchised with the party and failed to find another political home and maybe like his ideas.

The problem with that type of electorate is that they are subject to the last minute swings, the gevalt campaigns so to speak. All those voters who support Bennett for months who feel bad at the last minute that their natural party is struggling and worried. They get played on by the original party, their wagons get circled, they feel bad, and many of them at the last minute find a reason to go back to their own party, just "this one last time", to help. Because of Lieberman's hate or because of the threat to the right or because of  the need to protect Judaism, or other threats.

I think this is why Bennett can poll pretty well for months leading up to an election and then at the last minutes loses much of his support. 

And the same is true, for the most part of Gideon Saar, and Benny Gantz. Saar was taking mostly the disenfranchised Likudniks. But as time goes on and as the elections get closer, they are mostly going back to the Likud. Saar, as an independent party, has no natural base to lean on. Benny Gantz as well. He split from Yesh Atid and has no natural base to lean on. His recent supporters no longer see a need to support him, and maybe many of those originally were there as part of his union with Yesh Atid which disintegrated after the last elections and not there for him specifically.






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Deri and Shaked at Elections Conference of Channel 20 (video)

Deri:

Shaked:




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2 Netanyahu interviews (video)

Even though  PM Netanyahu only rarely gives interviews in Israel, and that is almost always only during election seasons (which isnt so rare anymore), he stays so on point repeating the same thing over and over again that I am starting to get tired of him. But here he is in 2 interviews from yesterday.







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Effie Hercky with Ittay Flescher and Benji Lovitt (video)








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cleaning the Kotel for Pesach (video)






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ThankYouHashem: From The Verge – A Musical Journey with Lipa Schmeltzer (Official Video)







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Mar 16, 2021

free money and 1st world problems

Minister of Interior Aryeh Deri put together a plan to assist people in financial need. After some initial hiccups it finally got worked out and the pay cards were sent out to recipients to be used in select stores to help them buy food and grocery items.

The program was funded to the tune of 700million shekels. According to the news, about 200,000 families around the country qualified to receive this support program. Each will receive a different amount loaded onto the card, dependent upon the specific financial situation plus number of family members and their ages.

According to Hamechadesh, residents in Bnei Braq who received the loaded card are upset as to what they discovered. Two issues seem to be upsetting people:

1. in the list of approved stores for using the card are included AM:PM and Tiv Taam. Bother stores are stores that sell treif food and/or are open on Shabbos. Additionally, some of the other stores included in the list are minimarkets that sell at higher prices.

2. They spoke to someone who received the card loaded with 1000nis, and on March 18 it is supposed to be reloaded with more money. The catch is that it will only be reloaded if the first grant of money is used up. So they are complaining about the need to spend 2400nis within just several days.

Regarding the stores, the person quoted in the article "was shocked" to discover that they were given the option of buying in stores that desecrate Shabbos and sell treif. Shocked!

Nobody is making anyone buy food in any specific store. They are given the option to. A "tender" was published and a slew of stores was on the right to sell groceries honoring this card. You don't want to buy in any specific store - don't. Go to a different store. Not only that but for the people of Bnei Braq to buy from AM:PM they would have to go to Tel Aviv to do their shopping. While anyone who chooses to certainly could, it seems like not such a big deal for people who aren't interested.

Deri's response was that it is a tender and those stores are among the many that won the rights. And, there are many non-Jews who received the cards as well and have no problem buying treif or in stores open on Shabbos.

Regarding the issue of how much they have to spend how fast - is that really a problem? Just go shopping twice. It is almost Pesach. It does not seem to me like it would be so difficult to use up all that money on Pesach groceries. As a matter of fact, I am pretty sure it could be really easy and soon they will be complaining that it was not enough money.

Poor people complaining about free money that could be spent in stores they don't go to anyway and that they are being given too much at the point of the year where spending is highest (right before Pesach) seems like "first world problems" to me.




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Marijuana banned in Lakewood

The State of New Jersey recently joined the movement and legalized marijuana.

YWN is reporting that rabbonim and roshei yeshiva in Lakewood have issued a "kol koreh", warning all yeshiva bochurim and baalei batim against the use, even occasional and recreational, or sale, even legal, of marijuana in Lakewood. 

Interestingly, the English translation adds the word "recreational" to the type of usage being banned, while the original in Hebrew says any type of usage whatsoever - that sounds like even medical usage should be banned, which does not really make sense. Maybe only recreational is what they meant to ban, but then the original Hebrew version is inaccurate.

So, if you are in Lakewood and want to use or sell marijuana, use it at your own risk. You might be chased out of the community or your kids thrown out of school for it.






The way it works though is that this ban is unlikely to succeed. People in Lakewood are as human as they are everywhere else. I am 100% sure there are already plenty of people in Lakewood using marijuana or its sub-products, with permission or not. Opening marijuana-based businesses might be more difficult as that is more public, but I am sure that with time that will happen as well, if it isn't already happening. it is just the way it is.




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Kashrus Alert on Soft Matza (not in Israel)

The cRc, the Chicago Rabbinical Council, sent out the following kashrus alert (via email and posted to the FB page):

A number of community members have approached the cRc about a brand of soft matzah recently advertised locally, in the Chicago area.
Please note, that for Ashkenazim, according to the predominant custom soft matzahs should not be used for Pesach (Halichot Shlomo, Hilchot Pesach 9:42, note 80).
At the same time, we recognize that while some Sefardic authorities legitimately permit and even promote its use for Sefardim, it is critical that the hechsher be of the highest standing.

To be clear, this alert is specifically for a situation in Chicago.  It might or might not apply anywhere else.

I am not going to argue about their position regarding soft matza. Most kashrus in the USA is "ashkenaz centric" as that is the majority of the consumers there. Soft matza is not common there, and Ashkenazim not eating soft matza on Pesach is definitely a valid opinion and position (not that they need my approval). There are however, plenty of rabbonim who allow it - I have personally asked rabbonim and been told it is fine to eat, and some add "even for the seder". The cRc opinion is definitely a valid one and I am fine with them saying that (again, they do not need my approval. I am just putting the issue aside).

What interests me more though is that I do not recall ever seeing a kashrus alert that does not mention the name of the product or hechsher they are warning about. Is every person out there supposed to be expected to know which product they are referring to? And this product specifically has to have a hechsher of the highest standing - but others do not? If you are careful to eat only high level hechsher foods, you will treat your soft matza like anything else and only buy one with a hechsher at that level. And if you do not require the highest of levels, why should you require it for this specific product?

As great as the cRc is, and they are, vague kashrus alerts are almost useless. 







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Quote of the Day

With 7 mandates we will not be able to stop the extortion and religious coercion, and with 6 mandates we cannot change the Nationality Law and protect the Supreme Court - and most importantly, with 6 mandates we cannot replace Netanyahu. I respect the parties in the bloc that have ideology, and if someone wants to vote for Meretz - he should vote for Meretz.

  -- MK Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid)

2 comments:

1. didn't Lapid himself just say the other day to stop talking in such extreme measures?

2. "parties with ideology" and then pointing to Meretz. This looks like a nice shot at Kachol Lavan (led by Benny Gantz), as being a party with no ideology and therefore not one he respects. He does have to be careful. If he knocks down Gantz too much and Gantz still somehow passes the threshold (as polls currently show him squeaking in), Gantz might not recommend Lapid for PM...




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Breaking News: Foreign students will be able to return after Pesach

Big news, hot off the press.

See the following announcement, regarding foreign students studying in Israel this. Many have been concerned that if they go back to the USA (or wherever) to be with their extended families for Pesach, they might not be allowed back into Israel after Pesach to continue their studies, as the airport has been only open for returning citizens. It seems arrangements have been made and returning students will be allowed to return. Obviously there are no 100% guarantees of anything, but if the current downward trend of CoronaVirus continues with the upward trend of the vaccinations, it is likely that this should work out well.

By the way, this means that families that wish to travel abroad with children who were not vaccinated (because they cannot be vaccinated at this point) nor got sick with, and recovered from, CoronaVirus, will not be able to travel, as they would not be allowed back in because of the children. Unless they want to come back to Israel and eave their children behind, of course.



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Quote of the Day

It has no place in our lives. This is not a society I want to live in. No place is given to such phenomena. The committee was not aware of the accusations when they decided to grant Meshi-Zahav the award. It turns out that people who you know are doing great things, there's something you do not know about them. It's scary. My anger is also on those who knew and kept quiet. You can not sit back

  -- Miriam Peretz

After the accusations against Meshi-Zahav, many said that his behavior was an open secret - well known issue that nobody spoke about. Peretz is saying that everyone who knew but kept it quiet are responsible, at least in part, for not putting an end to such behavior.. 






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MK Moshe Gafni at the [economic] forecast conference (video)







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street survey with Oded Menashe: who will you vote for? (video)







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Parliament Candidates Debate Netanyahu's Prime Ministerial Leadership (video)







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