Jpost reports that the ADL has accused the large circulation Arab papers for anti-semitism. they have taken advantage of the swine flu scare to publish cartoons of the swine flu with anti-semitic themes.

The ADL website shows a number of them. the two I think are the "best" of the bunch are these:



Amazing that the Arab press would use the image of a pig to depict the Jew/Israeli, considering how a few years ago we had global riots when a cartoonist used the image of a pig to depict Mohammed. We were told then how sensitive they are and how offensive it is.
Two-faced swine is what they are.

Somewhere in Bet Shemesh is a 34 year old woman advertising in the local ad papers that she is willing to pay 15,000NIS for a shidduch. (source: News1)

I didn't see the original, so I do not have the woman's phone number to make recommendations, but I will look for it in the local ad books. If you think of anybody, let me know and we'll split the fee.

Hatzlacha to her.

Carol Friedman clearly has some hostility towards the local yeshiva. I am pretty sure slaughtering a cow was not the way to try to improve relations with the neighbors...


I have slaughtered plenty of stuff in backyards, but never a cow. the largest animal I shechted in a backyard (really it was a porch) was a sheep. But I must say - the fact that it is in a backyard does not make it cruel...

Lohud reports....

Neighbor Carol Friedman saw adults and teens from the school lead the cow from a brown van into the backyard shortly after 5 p.m. She did not see what happened in the yard, but another neighbor told her that the animal was tied to a tree and slaughtered with knives

"It's the most horrendous, barbaric thing I have ever heard of," she said. "I can't believe they would slaughter a cow in a backyard in a residential neighborhood."

The best part of the video is when she says, "That's too big to be a dog"

The Rabbinic Council of the Chief Rabbinate has decided to convene to discuss the current overtures being considered by the Israeli government towards the Vatican. The ownership of a number of sites important to Christians is being considered for transfer to the Vatican.

The Rabbinic Council put out a "psak" saying that it is forbidden to give any part of the Holy Land to the Vatican. They called upon the Prime Minister to cease any further discussion and consideration of the matter.

Rav Simcha Kook (Chief Rabbi of Rehovot and member of the Council) said that among the list are 19 locations throughout Judea and Samaria, along with 28 sites in Jerusalem. Transferring ownership to the Vatican will place Jewish control of Jerusalem in jeopardy. The claim that these sites were controlled after being conquered by the Crusaders 800 years ago is ridiculous, as we owned these sites 2000 years ago. Just because we recaptured them in 1967 does not mean we have to give up our authority.

(sources: ynet and INN)

It is amazing that this is even being considered, let alone seriously. Le's see the Vatican give back all the spoils they took from the Jews when they conquered Israel and the Temple, if they really think that this is how it works. The Holy Land was conquered by Rome many years ago. There is no need to let it happen again.

This is pretty cool.
With all the shifts in land topography, and the weather taking its toll, and all sorts of other natural phenomenon - and unnatural phenomenon such as construction, drilling, etc. the topography of planet earth is always changing.

Researchers have just discovered the oldest strip of land that is unchanged. And it is in Israel.

The Negev desert is the topography that has stayed the same for the longest, and is therefore currently the oldest strip of topography in the world. Happy Birthday - they say it is 1.8 million years old!

Very cool.

(source: FoxNews)

one of the interesting things about learning halacha is learning about something that you actually do. It is particularly interesting to learn a halacha and see you have been doing something wrong, or that what you thought was a halacha is really one of various minhagim, or what you thought was a minhag is a halacha, or even better - what you did not realize was a halacha (or minhag) at all, really is.

Last night in our halacha shiur we learned about a halacha that I did not previously know was a halacha.

It is very common by weddings for the officiating rabbi to crack some "rabbinic humor" under the chupa. The most common of these instances is when the guy whips out the wedding band and the rabbi looks at it. He then, often, asks the witnesses humorously to look at the ring and affirm that it is worth more than a pruta.

Depending on his tone and inflection during the request, considering how ridiculous the request usually is considering the ring usually costs in the range of $100, the whole place cracks up.

Until now I thought that was simply a touch of rabbinic humor used to lighten the tension perhaps. Last night we learned that no matter how obvious it is, the rabbi has to make sure the witnesses are aware it is worth more than a pruta - he is supposed to ask them if it is worth more, and they have to say yes to affirm it.

Live and learn!

An interesting conundrum has come up within Shas.

A directive has come out from Shas for the educational system within Shas, that all teachers in the system must have their hair completely covered. Not unusual for a haredi educational system. It even seems like their should be no need for such a directive. (source: mynet)

The issue seems to be focused on women who wear sheitels. Rav Ovadia Yosef has always rejected the sheitel as an acceptable method of hair covering and requires either hats or tichels.

What makes this especially interesting is that among the wives of the various Shas ministers themselves many wear sheitels against the opinion of Rav Ovadiah Yosef. The picture to the left is one taken from a recent trip made by the wives' of Shas ministers to the separation fence. Almost all of them are wearing sheitels.

Additionally, last year, ladaat.net reported on an important Sfardic Rosh Yeshiva who called out the deriliction of the Shas ministers wives' for not adhering to Rav Ovadiah Yosef on this issue. They, of all people, are meant to set the example of listening strictly to the rulings of Rav Yosef.

So Shas leaders do not live by this rule in their own houses, but they are now trying to force other people to...

(NOTE: I could care less what they wear, and Shas leadership should have the right to set whatever standard they want in their school system just like any school administrator has the right to set standards for his or her school. I don't like hypocrisy though.)

One of the shticks used by the various tzedaka organizations, specifically Kupat Ha'Ir among others, is to arrange special teffilos at different times of the year on behalf of the donors.

During the Omer and Shvuos time, they traditionally have advertised their offer to daven for you (the donor) at the grave of Rav Yonasan ben Uziel, a.k.a. Amuka, for 40 days straight. Davening at Amuka is known to be a segula for shidduchim, and that combined with the 40 day in a row segula is extremely potent, thus making it a ripe program for pulling in heavy donations.

This year presents a problem. While normally they get around the issue of how to send their minyan on Shabbos or yom tov by sendiong erev and motzei shabbos/YT, this year presents a unique problem. For Shvuos, this year, we have the unusual problem of having a "2 day yom tov". Shvuos is Friday, followed by Shabbos. That means they would have to miss a day and would not get the 40 days in a row.

Somebody was thinking out of the box, as they came up with a viable solution. They have decided to set up a tent outside of Amuka and equip it with a generator. So now, so that you can donate some money to them, they will have a minyan of people leave their homes and places and spend the 2 day yom tov camping out by Amuka so that they can daven for you 40 days in a row with no interruption!

Problem solved! I wonder how much they have to pay the 10 men to spend their shvuos and shabbos camping out there instead of spending it at home with their families...

A [sort of] Guest Post by Simon Synett

Rabbi Akiva had 12,000 pairs of students and they all died in one period because they didn't treat one-another with respect. In Hebrew shelo nahagu kavod ze-lazeh. (Yevamos 62b) The gemara continues that from that time, the entire world was desolate until Rabbi Akiva took on the five apprentices who would later become the leaders of their generation. Clearly then, Rabbi Akiva and his students were considered as the transmitters of Torah of their time, the greatest scholars and teachers.

Given that, it's hard for us to grapple with the idea that people of such stature would sink to such a low level of behaviour in their interpersonal relationships that they deserved to be killed off by the Angel of Death. It must have been some deep and pervasive character flaw that was so destructive that they simply weren't capable of transmitting Torah to the next generation. They had to be wiped out and Rabbi Akiva's legacy would be passed through a new set of students. Can we put a finger on what the problem was? More importantly, can we make sure we're not suffering from it?

The Chief Rabbinate has put out two interesting statements today.

1. the Chief Rabbinate put out a statement reminding everyone that while part of the tradition of Lag B'Omer is to make bonfires burning wood, all should remember that wood should not be taken from building sites or private property, but only from hefker. As well, care should be taken not to destroy trees, or parts thereof, as that would be destructive for no purpose and is prohibited.
As well, they warn about taking care of all safety issues, and not to harm the environment.


Funny that the Chief Rabbinate should need to warn about this.

2. Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar has issued a statement in response to the Swine Flu (or Mexican Flu if you prefer). According to Ladaat.net, Rabbi Amar has called upon everyone to accept this Thursday as a day of fasting and prayer. He quotes the gemara that says when there is illness by the pigs, they declared a fast day - because the digestive tracts of the swine are similar to that of humans. As well, when there is a plague in one place, they should fast in other places as well, as the plague can spread from one place to the other easily.

Rabbi Amar also warns us that we should all take care to follow all health instructions from the experts in order to prevent infection.

Ladaat.net is reporting that Ashdod is the front-line of a new "mehadrin bus" battle. Not the type of mehadrin fight we have become accustomed to with men in front and women in back of the bus, but a whole new issue.

Egged has decided to install in their buses in Ashdod special informational screens that will help the deaf passengers get necessary information. Egged has decided that the screens would not be used just for passing on info to passengers, but also to run advertising.

The local haredim are upset about the advertising, calling it secular coercion. They agree that the screens are a blessing in regards to the help provided to the deaf population, but the advertising, they claim, is completely unnecessary. There are screens used in buses in other cities with no advertising, and they say there is no need for it in Ashdod, and there is no need for the advertising revenue.

According to Ladaat, the haredi community has decided to boycott Egged in Ashdod and use the local "tender" services instead. As well, they will only use the taxi services when there is a sticker in the windshield saying the taxi is shomer shabbat and will charge no more than 4NIS per ride.

Consumer boycotts rarely work, but they have the right to do it. I am not sure why the advertising is "secular coercion - perhaps there are immodest images being displayed. It seems out of place for them to decide that Egged has no need for advertising revenue - how do they know how much it pulls in and how much Egged needs for whatever?

And lastly, to set the price for using taxis seems unfair and inappropriate. Perhaps it should depend on the distance being traveled. I would have thought that 4 NIS in Ashdod must be the normal price, but if it is being declared as part of the set of rules, that must not be the case, and they are trying to force the taxi drivers to lower their fares.

If the haredi consumer power gets them to lower their fares, more power to them! We all hate advertising and try to avoid it whenever possible (I know based on how few clicks the advertising on this site get.. :-) )

On the one hand it is simply consumer advocacy. On the other hand , I dislike it all the appearance of trying to take over and run things, especially in the name of religion, even though as consumers they have a right to make requests and see if their muscle flexing works.
If Egged does not cave, and the taxi drivers do not cave, then the local haredim will have to make a choice as they will see they do not have as much influence as they thought they did. If one or the other, or both, do cave, then it is simply consumer advocacy at its best/worst.

A recent debate in the local Bet Shemesh press has been the issue of the dead. That would be, where to bury them.

The local BS cemetery has been around for a long time. Since the beginning of Bet Shemesh. All local residents automatically get designated a plot upon death in the BS cemetery. if you want a specific plot, you have to pay extra, and that includes if you wish to reserve the spot next to your plot for your spouse, or if you want to be buried in a certain area, etc. if you don't want to take the chance of where you might be buried, you might purchase a plot in a different cemetery in the area of your choosing.

City Councilman Shmuel Greenberg (UTJ) recently proposed the concept of establishing either a separate section in the BS cemetery for those who are shomer shabbos, or establishing a new cemetery for shomrei shabbos.

Greenberg's proposal was not well received by all. It started a battle in the local press. Without dealing directly with the issue, David Louk, perhaps the most widely read columnist in Bet Shemesh who writes for the Tmura newspaper, wrote about how the haredi have come and divided the city and have now proposed a divisie proposal. now not only in life do we have to be seperate but also in death. He described how the haredim are the least unified of all people, with each sub-group requiring their own schools, styles of dress, etc. They come to a city that was unified and peaceful and have divided it in life and now try to divide us in death as well.

Another point I remember from the column was that until now none of the rabbonim of Bet Shemesh have ever found it necessary to work to designating seperate burial for shomrei shabbos, so what right does someone have to come to the city and push such an agenda where previous great rabbis did not deem it necessary. One more point was where will it end? Who will decide who is shomer shabbat [enough] and who is not? After shmirat shabbat, they will then find other ways to seperate even further....

Shmuel Peppenheim wrote a response this week in the Chadash (haredi) in which he spent something like 2000 words making just two points. 1. That the halacha mandates it. 2. "Unity" or "peace" is not the ultimate goal. Bringing honor to hashem's name is, and peace/unity is one method of acheiving that, but not the only method - sometimes disagreement is necessary as well.

The truth is that in this whole debate it is highly likely Greenberg is right and perhaps a seperate section should be designated for shomrei shabbos. the halacha and our tradion both mandate it. If you look in any of the large cities in Israel, there will be sections in the cemetary for shomrei shabbos (along with sometimes further distinctions as well). As well, I agree with Peppenheim that "unity" does not trump everything else. If something is being done just for the sake of unity, but is not correct, it should be corrected.

Is it absolutely necessary? Probably not. Does halacha absolutely require it? no. Does the halacha prefer it and mandate it? yes.

Perhaps Greenberg should have proposed it differently. Maybe he should have waited longer so as not to give the impression he is trying to immiediately turn the city around against the old-timers. Perhaps there are other ways he could have broached this subject. But at the end of the day there is room for this proposal, whether previous rabbis pushed it or not.

Rav Yisrael Rosen, the head of the Tzomet Insititute - a wonderful organization of Rabbis doing great work - has said that someone who does not return a phone call is deservant of death from Heaven.

The background is that during the days of Sefirat Ha'Omer, when we mourn the students of Rabbi Akiva who died because they did not treat each other with proper respect, this is a lesson we need to elarn. If someone leaves a message on your answering machine and you do not return the call, especially when you said "Leave a message after the beep!", you are treating them with a lack of respect, and we see from the story of Rabbi Akiva that the punishment for this is death from Heaven.

Rabbi Rosen also equates this with responding to sms and to emails, and even says anonymous emails (and I guess comments on blogs) should be responded too as well.

Rabbi Rosen points out the absurdity of the situation that nowadays, when forms of communication have become so abundant and easy, is when we have growing estrangement between people.

It looks like I have to figure out how to disable the voicemail on my phone!

(source: Ynet and Machon Tzomet)

A toss-up between:

1. The root of most of the problems before which Israel stands, is the loss of the Jewish identity... the challenge is to formulate a program of learning that obligates learning the core issues of Zionism so that every student will know why we are here and recognize the basic possessions of the Jewish Nation.

and

2. I think all students should also visit Judea and Samaria [and not just Jerusalem as EM Saar suggests]. Jerusalem is found in the national consensus. It is worthwhile for students to visit areas that are under debate, and by doing so will foster a love of the whole Land of Israel.

-----both quotes are from Likud MK Tzippi Hotoveli

Especially interesting is that these quotes (and others from other Likud MKs) are coming out of the Likud, and not just the more radical right wing parties. The Likud is going back to its roots.

If you remember the interview with MK Zoabi in which she made statements showing herself to be openly hostile to Israel, you might be interested to know that I have tried to do a bit of follow-up on the issue.

I filed a complaint with the Organization for Quality Government about how she can be allowed to serve as MK in Israel considering things she had said.

I just received the following response from them on this matter:
הנדון: קבלת פנייתך לתנועה למען איכות השלטון בישראל

בשם התנועה למען איכות השלטון בישראל הריני פונה אליך כדלקמן:

1. אנו מודים לך על פנייתך אלינו בעניין ח"כ חנין זועבי, אשר התקבלה במשרדי התנועה בתאריך 30/03/2009 וסומנה כתיק מס' פ-6514-09

2. בשלב זה פנייתך נבדקת ע"י המחלקה לפניות הציבור, לשם קביעה האם היא נופלת בגדר הנושאים בהם התנועה מטפלת, אנו נודיעך בהמשך האם נוכל לפעול בנושא. חשוב לציין כי בדיקה זו אורכת כחודש ימים, מתוך רצון להקדיש את מלוא תשומת הלב לכל פניה ופניה המגיעה למשרדי התנועה.

3. במידה ועולה במהלך חודש זה מידע חדש ו/או מעודכן יותר מזה שנשלח, ניתן לשלוח אותו למשרדי התנועה ולבקש לצרפו לתיק.

4. מענה לשאלות בנושא הפניה, במהלך חודש זה, יינתן בטלפון 02-5000073 בימי ראשון עד חמישי במשרדי התנועה בירושלים (יש לבקש לדבר עם רכז/ת פניות הציבור), בפנייתך יש לציין את מס' התיק.

5. אנו מודים לך שמצאת בתנועה כתובת ראויה לפנייתך.

בברכה,

דפנה טיש

רכזת פניות הציבור

Basically it says they have received the complaint and will look into it. It can take up to a month.

I wonder if anything will come of it....

Something I noticed, but don't understand how it came to be, is that in this years batch of media articles and pictures of Neturei Karta protests against the State of Israel, they were all about the group of Neturei Karta from Bet Shemesh (don't worry - there are still less than 100 including all their kids).

It used to be that they were centered in Jerusalem - Meah She'arim - and had smaller enclaves in other areas such as Bet Shemesh. Now it seems Bet Shemesh must have somehow become their main enclave.

I have no intention to link to any of those articles, to show any of their pictures or to relate to their protests in any way.

In light of that, I drove through RBS B right before Yom Ha'atzmaut and my wife needed to run into a store. While waiting in the car, I noticed the side street right where I was was named 'Mitzpe HaRash"ap'. I have no idea who the Rasha"p was or what the acronym of his name stands for, but I found that street and its location to be highly appropriate. Rasha"p, after all, also the acronym for "Reshut HaPalastinit" - The PLO. So right in the stronghold of the Neturei Karta, one of the local streets bears a name similar to that of the PLO. I thought that was a bit of irony worth sharing...


And on that note, I will share with you a story I heard recently about the Neturei Karta. Supposedly, if it is true, the Brisker Rav was talking with Rav Amram Blau, the head of NK, about a protest against the State for something or other.
The Brisker Rav supposedly asked Blau if he would have (or maybe if he did) hel such protests against the government in Russia.
Blau said no, as they would have been shot dead.
The Brisker Rav said that makes you a Zionist - you only protest in Israel because you are confident in the police's ability and gaurantee to guard over you. So you rely on their protection, and their freedom to protest, to protest. You are really a Zionist.