Ultra-Orthodox Rabbis Begin To Question Their Own Insularity
Latest Scandal Prompts Self-Reflection and a Rare Apology
By Nathaniel Popper
A “wake-up call” is how a number of ultra-Orthodox Jewish leaders are describing the recent arrest of several New York-area rabbis on federal money laundering charges.
The clearest indication of the newly awakened state came at a public symposium on business ethics held in the middle of ultra-Orthodox Brooklyn just a few days after the arrests. Rabbi David Zwiebel, head of the main ultra-Orthodox umbrella organization, Agudath Israel, said that the event had not been on the schedule a week earlier. But the money laundering arrests reminded him and other leaders that the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, community was facing problems caused by the community’s famous insularity.
“There are a lot of benefits of insulating oneself from the broader culture around us, as we do,” Zweibel told the Forward. “But one of the costs of insularity is perhaps a lack of appreciation of the importance of compliance with secular law. That is a message that is important for people to hear.”
The July 23 arrests primarily hit members of the Syrian-Jewish community, some of whom are ultra-Orthodox and some who are not. But Haredi Jews outside the Syrian community were also arrested, and the broad nature of the arrests has clearly hit home. The July 28 event was hosted in the Boro Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, at the crossroads of many Haredi communities, and an overflow crowd of thousands packed the main building of the Vizhnitz community. The flier that went out to advertise the men-only event said it was “of utmost urgency that every individual in the community attend.”
Zweibel was not the only Haredi leader willing to assign some of the blame for the recent scandal on the Haredi culture. An editorial on the leading Haredi Web site, Voz Iz Neias, put the matter in strong terms. “The fault may partially lie with us and our system of education,” the editorial writer, Rabbi Yair Hoffman, wrote in his July 27 post.
During the event in Boro Park, the crowd was shocked when the Grand Rabbi of the Spinka sect, Naftali Tzvi Weisz, made a surprise appearance to deliver his own mea culpa. Weisz was arrested in 2007 in a separate money laundering case and this July pled guilty to the charges. Before heading off to his jail sentence, the rabbi gave an obviously emotional speech of contrition, first in Yiddish and then awkwardly-translated English.
“Unfortunately we have to admit in public that things happened that were not supposed to happen,” Weisz told the crowd. “We must have to express our wish that these matters will never happen — we have to commit that in the future this will never happen again.”
This willingness to express self-criticism has come as a surprise to some longtime watchers of the Haredi world. Asher Lopatin, a Modern Orthodox rabbi in Chicago, has been critical of that culture after past controversies involving Haredi community members, and each time he came to expect the same response.
“These guys would basically say, ‘The world is antisemitic, and we have to look out for our own interest,’” Lopatin told the Forward.
Now, though, Lopatin says he has seen a new self-reflection among a group of Haredi leaders who have begun to recognize that the ultra-Orthodox world may shoulder some of the blame for its problems.
“There’s a little bit of self-awareness that we have not seen before, and that’s exciting. I was expecting business as usual,” Lopatin said.
One reason given for the bout of introspection was the timing of the money laundering arrests during the nine days that precede Tisha B’Av — a holiday commemorating the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and other historical calamities. The days before Tisha B’Av are traditionally dedicated to contemplation and self-reflection.
But the arrests also come in the wake of a string of embarrassing controversies for the ultra-Orthodox. Several months after the arrest of the Spinka Grand Rabbi and other members of the Spinka community, the Haredi owners of the kosher meat company Agriprocessors were arrested for bank fraud and immigration violations after the company was the subject of a massive immigration raid.
More recently, the ultra-Orthodox world was rived by a series of riots in Jerusalem that pitted Haredi youth against the Israeli police. An entry on the Web site Cross-Currents, which features a number of Haredi writers, summed up the burgeoning sense of shame.
“It has been an awful week, and an awful few months, and that places a growing obligation on us to change the direction,” Daniel Feldman, a rabbi at Yeshiva University, wrote in his July 28 post.
Certainly, not all Haredi authorities have joined this chorus of self-criticism. Outside the event in Boro Park, an older gentleman handed out pamphlets that accused the government of antisemitism in the arrest of the rabbis last week: “Had this been done to any other group in America — Christian pastors, Black preachers, Muslim imams, Catholic bishops — there would have been a huge outcry: “Racial Profiling, Bigotry, Entrapment…”
The pamphlet was signed by the Committee for Truth and Fairness in Media, though the man handing them out declined to identify himself or other members of the committee. As he spoke about why the committee was necessary, a crowd gathered around and a young man yelled out, “This is a blood libel!” Another said, “There’s a pogrom going on here!”
Similar convictions have been expressed in the Israeli Haredi press.
Many observers of the Haredi world also say that during the Sabbath after the arrests, numerous Haredi rabbis placed much of the blame for the situation not on the behavior of the arrested men, but rather on the Jewish businessman who served as an informant for the government, Solomon Dwek. Harry Maryles, a Modern Orthodox blogger in Chicago who has been a frequent critic of the Haredi world, wrote that “those who continue to complain about [Dwek] and say nothing about these criminal rabbis once again show just how pervasive is the idea that what these rabbis did wasn’t all that bad. What WAS too bad is that they were caught.”
Hoffman, who wrote the Voz Iz Neias editorial, said that one of the main things that the Haredi world needs to change is an antagonistic relationship to the secular world that has formed over years of being treated as a scapegoat.
“We’ve got to re-conceive our relationship to the country we’re in,” Hoffman, a rabbi on Long Island, told the Forward. “This is a beautiful country. Its laws are proper laws that are designed to help its citizenry, and we’re not dealing with a situation where Jews are necessarily the underdog — a situation that at times can contribute to a mindset of, ‘Let’s not necessarily observe the law.’”
“People are starting to feel that this stuff is not right,” Lopatin added. “In the past, it was all about getting cheap meat and looking out for ourselves. I think it’s permeating the Haredi world that it’s not right to cheat the government.”
Contact Nathaniel Popper at popper@forward.com
Advertisements
Advertisements
The tragedies discussed herein, are manifold and there is no shortage of blame to go around. I personally as someone identifying as a Jew recognize that I share in the guilt of the accused, even if only to a part per million/ billion or trillion. This is because all Jews constitute one unique socio-cultural entity; the hallmark of which is mutual upholding and support. Just as it may be understood that the reason that the Third Temple has not appeared along with the Messiah, is the fault of every Jew who like myself, continues fails to live up to every iota of our spiritual (Halachically observant) potential. To do so is by its nature, predicated upon our choice to nullify our egos for the sake of the Highest Power, as we are willing and capable of doing. This editorial postural bias of the Forward itself, has a part to play that troubles me greatly, because it has been repeated so frequently that I may be spitting in the wind, by bringing it up here again. But here goes: The term "Ultra-Orthodox" is in my opinion , no less pejorative than any Yiddish use of the Jewish equivalent of the "N" word in English, Schwartza. It believe that it must if adequately understood feel rude, degrading and demeaning to the people being branded by the tone of voice accompanying the use of the term; even if it is said with a smiling face and a friendly manner, albeit, one that at best might be patronizing or in a post-colonialist sense, referring with noses of superiority up in the air to refer to all African-Americans as the have-not, underclass of inner city dwellers with inferior language, education, ethical values and refined morality; but who nonetheless, must be granted every civil right to address their legitimate historic grievances. Whenever I read, that we who affiliate and identify ourselves to the outside world, as being Haredim are yet again being referred to in the press or on the BBC as Ultra-Orthodox, especially when this is occurring by other non-Haredi Jews , I think to myself, that the author of the piece is just feeling too constrained by the requirement to write with adequate political correctness, and perhaps even ambivalent enough to feel a fleeting tinge of shame, to call what they really think of us, holier than thou, self-righteous Jewish Niggers to our face. Such writers seem to me to just be too woefully out of touch with the mindset of this special subset of their own people. Certainly, the choice to use the term “Ultra-Orthodox” to brand people is not adopted with either a staunch attitude of neutrality of complimentary praise in mind. This newspaper's editorial perspective helps we who aspire to be as conscientious in our fidelity to the law of Abraham and Moses as we can. This includes obeying the law of the land that we live in, so as to not bring disgrace down upon ourselves or our people. If an individual or a cluster of like minded individuals fail to consistently and flawlessly uphold the Torah perhaps by trespassing the "Law of the Land," which I am neither taking lightly the accusation that of all the foci of investigation targeting stings aimed especially at one particular group to the exclusion of all others ,was not a random accident; nor am I seeking to trivialize the gravity of the legal charges brought forth. All I am saying is that for the author to lump together in one article the crimes of many different individuals occurring at different times and places and unrelated to the story at hand, except by our sharing a faith system. It seems reminiscent of the sort of primitive and racially hostile coverage of a violent episode, where a black man stands accused, and listing for the reader's edification a short or long list of similar violent episodes committed by black men, who the individual accused only shared commonality by the color of the parties skin. Orthodox men should have known better, it is true; but the fact that their failure to do so if convicted, has provided having provided a field day or a Geshmaka (really full bodied) experience for all the non-Orthodox Jewish readers to gloat over the fact that some Haredim we accused of trespassing of major laws, was writ large as large as putting it up in 72 point type with the word “yippy” blinking in neon were that to be possible. Perhaps that bit of hyperbole seems extreme on my part, but no less so to my sensibilities, than the author and editorial tolerance and desirability needed to marginalize Haredim as sexist, fanatical hypocrites, by referring to us by the non-Orthodox equivalent of the "N" word : "Ultra-Orthodox.”
Dear Mr. Blatt,
I appreciate your comments, but must demure from your equivalence of "Ultra-Orthodox" to various racial slurs. Race is a difficult animal to define -- is it based on skin color, cultural affiliation, genealogy, etc. Most people, IMHO, who use racially biased language do so because the randomly assign negative attributes to others because of issues of birth and skin pigmentation. "Ultra-Orthodox" or "Charedi" are terms denoting cultural affiliation. People choose to join the UO community, people are born African American. Even those born into the Charedi community can change affiliation. Blacks, Hispanics, Caucasians, etc. cannot change the color of their skin. Being black has nothing to do with life decisions or personal character. Joining (passively or actively) the Charedi community is a personal choice. With that choice, comes consequences. Does one belong to a group whose leadership promotes living on welfare (for learning Torah), denigrates secular education which should enable legitimate financial opportunities, insults those who serve Am Yisrael in the military, ignores Jewish history, and promotes various shady dealings ? All these ideas come with the claim of representing authentic Torah; a conclusion which it seems to me, ignores one quarter of the Shulchan Aruch and an entire element of Torah tradition. To join this community, one has made a choice. You can't be upset that others take your decision seriously.
once one is on supranatural level of being, one need not answer to people existing on natural level. no law written by humans need apply to people whom 'god' chose to lead the very people writing laws for suprahumans an dhumans.
even nazis did not consider selves supranatural; they thought they were just superior to slavs and romas.
thus, nazis being a cut under talmoodishnss, cldn't or wldn't tolerate it. that was the history and now follows the mystory; followed by histories; followed by more mystories. tnx
Benjamin Blatt wrote,
"The term "Ultra-Orthodox" is in my opinion , no less pejorative than any Yiddish use of the Jewish equivalent of the "N" word in English, Schwartza."
With all due respect, we are in no mood for these victimy, fahfrumteh word games. Clean your own communal house, sir. It's a darned mess.
These criminals are not Jews they are Zionists! It is an insult to true Jews to call these criminals Jews. Jews believe that it is a sin to steal. Just because thieving Zionists steal, doesn’t mean Jews are thieves. It just means Zionists are thieves. It is Zionism that teaches it is OK to steal from the goy, not Judaism.
A rejoinder to Mr. Daniels: My issue with the use of the hateful and alienating term Ultra-Orthodox apparently, not only escaped you entirely, but seemed to give you license for continued Frum bashing. Please permit me to begin, by defying you to name one religious leader who has said in any public forum which may be verified, as you have asserted, as if it were true, as stating that it is best for the community to be "living on welfare (for learning Torah), denigrates secular education which should enable legitimate financial opportunities, insults those who serve Am Yisrael in the military, ignores Jewish history, and promotes various shady dealings ?" Now on one point I will have to agree that there are potentially great problems with accomplishing, without selling out one's soul. That is for a truly pious individual, which unavoidably is not at all an easily quantifiable quality, to be able to serve in the military under what appear to be current structures. Mind you I said challenging, but not impossible, for too many reasons to go into in this forum, as is the topic of historiography. As someone, who within my faith community may be placed on the far left, after all, I am reading and writing in The Forward, and as such, I do see the general value of a liberal arts and sciences education for the sake of the long term survival of the Jewish people, Al Pe Teva (within the context of the regular patterns of nature). No less than military life, a residential university experience again may be a rite of passage, that for some may well challenge the very substance and core strength of anyone whose value system and mores are not resolute within them; and therefore, this may not be desirable for everyone’s mental health, let alone religious integrity Notwithstanding, the possibility of discussion of differing ideas of people of good faith, your reaction to my point, validates my assertion, of the underlying contempt that the term Ultra-Orthodox connotes. Your confusion over the my use of the term “Schwartza,” understandable as it may be, as being meaningful only within a context of pure racism, serves your argument only, in that it points out your wish to be able to deny that, which as the recipient of your postured high and mighty finger wagging, is clearly negative. In no way undermines the force of my primary point. Outside of the simplistically literalist reading of the very ugly term "niggers of society," I am positing that there need be no necessity the relation of the melanin content of one's skin. Rather recognition that I am seeking to raise consciousness here over, is to the overtly negative, if not wholly hostile way in which a majority population looks down upon a minority group, who due to their own ignorance (i.e. out-of-touchness). The shame of association with (as the core rubric of any cultural self-hatred) those who believe differently and live differently in accordance with their beliefs, due to the reality of them being so culturally remote, then becomes license for the disparaging of the sub-group, as being deserving of marginalization and disparaged at every turn. The words Ultra-Orthodox go a great way to furthering the alienation, cultural divide and blindly ignorant hatred that allow comments like yours to surface. Correct me if I am misunderstanding the upshot of your comment: If one chooses to be loyal to the spiritual system of their parents or ancestors, then they have no reason to complain about being put down, by those like yourself, of the enlightened class of beings, who know how to, and consistently are able to, live far more morally upright lives. Thank you for validating my point.
Hey Rabbi Blatt,
If you think we are going to let the ULTRA Orthodox take the name of normative Orthodoxy (MODERN Orthodox) you can kiss that pipe dream goodbye. Not happening. ULTRA sounds nicer than "quiescent Jewish fundamentalists," and it's shorter!
"As someone, who within my faith community may be placed on the far left, after all, I am reading and writing in The Forward, and as such, I do see the general value of a liberal arts and sciences education "
Wow. That is the Far Left! In the ULTRA-Orthodox community. Yo
The irony of it all is, that many famous rabbis & their rabbinical courts, condone, use and promote outright false sexual abuse charges as well as slander: In divorce cases and in attacking other rabbis. The easiest allegation to make in America is an abuse allegation. No evidence necessary. No responsibility for a false allegation. -- This amounts to mesirah, the sin of delivering a Jew into the hands of a non-Jew. Betraying your own kind. ... Now, rabbis are being faced with meisrah themselves. Albeit, for an actual crime. ... They have reaped the fruits of their teachings.
For the record, for Rabbi Clive, above:
Many of the rabbis involved are NOT Zionists by any stretch of the imagination! So, you really can not call this the fault of Zionism.
As is well known among Jews & rabbis, especially those who are talking about this issue logically and rationally; these crimes were committed by people with a sense of "them and us". Either having been discriminated against or persecuted themselves or; brought up or; lived with people who were. Such people find it hard to discern between a communist Russian or Muslim Arabic Syrian government and; the US government. Especially, as is well known, there is pervasive anti-Semitism amongst government officials. Although, in the US, it is not condoned or legal or government policy. Just corrupt individuals taking advantage of their position.
I am proud of the self-reflection of these rabbis, however culpable. It's about time! Perhaps they need to consider not only the value of secular law but that all people deserve respect, and that the secular world has much to offer the Jewish community.
When those Jews who for many reasons beyond their control are accused of criminality (yes, in Brisbane a Chabad Rabbi told a small farbrengen that if you do not marry and have kids, you are a murderer), it amazes me that they are so lax on true criminality. When the extreme criminality of being a GLBTQ person is an excuse for you to be cut off from the community, we see the same Rabonim who spread hate against minorities, and accuse anyone with a feminist leaning, who happens to also be a women as a lesbian beggers belief. Yet, they will step up, break civil laws on education, and issue statements that reporting crimes to secular authorities as beyond treason, but against the Shulchan Aruch. If these people stopped issuing 'fatwahs' against those they percieve as outside the pale, - and that is the majority of the Jewish Population in their view - we could understand. When they take our money to support their racist, homophobic and not so subtle sexism beliefs under the guise of 'Torah True Education', we should not be surprised that their hypocrisy extends to financial dealings.
What we need for the 'haredi' community are educated leaders, who are open to dialogue and not acting as if the haskalah happened yesterday. The rest of us, who had such respect for those truly saintly Haredim who inspired us in our youth, are left with a bitter taste in our mouths. And wish they [those who claim to speak with the authority of HaShem] would put away their triumphalist fundamentalism, sit at the table and actually engage in a conversation with the Jewish People.
Maybe when this happens, we will begin to function as a whole people. It is not enough to issue 'Mea Culpa's', but to communicate and be receptive. We don't need to agree, but we need the humility to accept we might be wrong. Maybe these bearded kaftaned crims would not cause us such shame.
They laundered money in the name of antisemitisms. It should not be said that antisemitism has no purpose.
They laundered money in the name of antisemitisms. It should not be said that antisemitism has no purpose.
salient fact is whether to obey mosheic-talmudic laws or int'l and secular laws. on int'l level, 98% of 'jews' continuously violate or approbate violations of many int'l laws.
a 'jew' who obeys mosheic/judaic/talmudic law, will avoid to work for goyim; s/he'll try to serve or work for a 'jew' only.
most 'jews' torn bwtn what rabid rabbis and secular laws command them to do will opt for observance of mosheic laws whenever there is matter of interpretation or clashes btwn the two laws.
this is why some people abhor 'jewishness' and its laws.tnx
Dina d'malchute dina. Anyone who knowingly breaks the law is a criminal. No excuses. These people are not orthodox Jews, they are just dressed like orthodox Jews.They have transgressed the civil and religious law and committed a Chillul Hashem b'Farhesia.
"no law written by humans need apply to people whom 'god' chose to lead the very people writing laws for suprahumans an dhumans."
On the contrary, belief in God gives me a reason to obey laws since I am commanded too. Incidentally Christianity has similar obligations.
Without belief in God your "laws" no matter how much you like them, or how much I like them for that matter, are nothing more than dictates of OTHER people trying to restrict my freedom. Animals have no laws, and without God that is all we are. You can FORCE me to comply but that is just appeal to force. Only the Creator can and has given meaning to human government
My father used to say: the big beards are where they hide the sins under g.k.
The Haredi community has long held themselves above secular law, despite rulings in the Shulchan Orech (Code of Jewish Law) that discuss this very topic. Whether it is bypassing sales tax laws in Boro Park, ignoring health, fire and safety codes at the ex-Kutshers in the Catskills (leading to a major heating oil spill and creating a small environmental disaster), I have found the behavior of the Haredi community with regards to secular law, the secular world and the environment to be offensive. When Haredim scoff at secular laws and regulations, is it any wonder that the secular world takes such a dim view of Haredim?
When you have Haredim calling the arrest of the rabbis on money laundering and other charges a "blood libel" and a "pogrom", when you have them saying that any other group perpetrating these crimes would not be held accountable, can one help but be offended by such attitudes? When Haredi rabbis try to cover up incidents of sexual abuse in summer camps and yeshivos to protect the marriage prospects of the perpetrators, should one not be enraged? That attitude permeates the Haredi community, is encouraged and perpetuated by the educational system and parents.
To the gentleman who said "no law written by humans need apply to people whom 'god' chose to lead the very people writing laws for suprahumans and humans.": how ridiculous, especially since the Shulchan Aruch specifically discusses the issue of following secular law. It is precisely this attitude that gets Haredi Jews in trouble, time and time again. If you are going to have this attitude, then perhaps you should wait for Hashem to rescue you from the secular court system and jails.
I think it is an amazing step that the Haredi world held such a meeting regarding the need for change in their community, but it's just a first baby step. It will take years to undo the damaged attitude that pervades there with regards to the relationship between Haredim and the secular world. I truly hope this isn't the only step taken.
Dr "Rabbi" Blatt:
You don't like being called "ultra-Orthodox?"
Hey, if the gertel fits...
P.S. You can take your fatwa and shtick it where the sun never shines. And stop blaming others for your self-induced "victimization."
So what is more reprehensible, the alleged humans who consider themselves pious Jews, and who took part in these sickening criminal acts, or the lunatic zealots who attempt to fractionate the Jewish people by blaming the behaviors on the "Zionists". Oh, yes, Murder Inc. is still alive and well, albeit in a different form. A least Dutch Schultz did not advertise his religion. Chilul HaShem. Pray yourselves stupid, ye perpetrators of these acts, and ye fractionators of the Jewish people, you will still never partake in the World To Come, and you know it.
So what is more reprehensible, the alleged humans who consider themselves pious Jews, and who took part in these sickening criminal acts, or the lunatic zealots who attempt to fractionate the Jewish people by blaming the behaviors on the "Zionists". Oh, yes, Murder Inc. is still alive and well, albeit in a different form. A least Dutch Schultz did not advertise his religion. Chilul HaShem. Pray yourselves stupid, ye perpetrators of these acts, and ye fractionators of the Jewish people, you will still never partake in the World To Come, and you know it.
Sadly, I see a lot of anger, cynicism, and at times senseless hate in the comments above. This is such a pity, since we have just come through the three weeks, culminating in Tisha B'Av.
Jews are not immune to criminal activity and we are not incapable of sin. The Torah and oral law clearly outline crimes and the punishments thereof. The fact that crime is mentioned at all is a clear recognition that criminal activity happens. It is tragic when it does, but sadly it is reality.
Whatever sect of Judaism you belong to, whatever your stature in your community, whether you are secular or religious you have a Yetzer Horah, an evil inclination. This has to be put in its place by the Yetzer Tov, the inclination to do good. The Yetzer Horah is a fact of life and needs to be controlled. This is a lifelong process and is not easy or simple.
Moreover, the crimes of individuals--whether to the right or left, orthodox or otherwise, leaders or followers--simply reflect the lack of perfection of the individuals and of our community. They do not in any way tarnish the perfection of Judaism per se. Hashem is perfection. Judasim is perfection. People are simply not perfect. We strive for it, but we often fail.
The crimes that have been committed, have been committed. This is a tragedy for the entire Jewish community. It affects every single one of us. That formerly silent leaders have decided to come forward and apologize on behalf of the Jewish community is remarkable and a step in the right direction. It gives me hope that we as a Jewish community will now take further steps to clean house.
Regret is the first step of repentance, as outlined by Maimonides. There are five subsequent steps: one must renounce, confess, reconcile with the victim, make amends, and resolve not to sin again. I applaud the first steps of these leaders. I don't think it is fair to prejudge whether or not they will complete the process of atonement within their part of the Jewish community. As Jews we all bear part of this responsibility, by the way, and need to be active within our own part of the greater Jewish community to ensure that this never happens again.
As a Jewish community--insular or non-insular--we are charged with being a light to the nations. This is an incredible job and comes with incredible responsibility. As individuals and at times as a community we fall short. The task at hand is not to cast aspersions. Individuals must atone for their wrong doing and we must atone as a community for allowing something like this to happen. And most importantly, we need to pay attention to Maimonides' last step--making sure that this never happens again.
oshea, when one asserts that one believes his/her god exists, means that that person doesn'y know that good exists; s/he merely guesses that a 'god' exist. and i don't see anything wrong with guessing as long one is aware that one is musing/conteplating/wishing, etc.
if only all people believed in one 'god'; however there's at least three; neither tolerating not talking to one another.
and to make matters much worse, pious people 'know' also what their respective 'gods' are saying. and guess how? Why, it is all in quran, torah/talmud, and bible!
yet we can only learn thru five senses and one or more hunches. pious people do not learn thru five senses; hunches [gusses, what ifs]will sollely do.
and when sick they run to science and not to their almighy 'gods'. having been cured by medical knowledge; they, nevertheless praise an dthank their hunches largely or solely! go figure. tnx
Very interesting posts here! The bottom line is: people who always found a reason to hate religious Jews now have a new reason, we launder money! Certainly these are not the values that the Torah has bestowed upon us. The effects that these stories have, are truly devastating to the religious Jewish community. I'm happy to see the Spinka Rebbe at least admitting guilt in a public forum and hopefully that will send a message that we can't continue with business as usual. It is time for Jews from all walks of life to come together and show respect for one another instead of spewing hate about how sins are hiding in beards of other Jews.
When the ultra-Orthodox become as Menschlicher between Saturday evening and Friday afternoon as they purport to be between Friday evening and Saturday evening, and when they stop dictating how other less holier-than-thou Jews should live their lives, at that point I'll cease bashing the frumbags, as they will be frumbags no longer.
They are no different -- no better and no worse -- than the holier-than-thou Bible-thumping Christians who almost invariably find themselves doing the perp walk after they're caught with their grubby hands in the collection plate.
I was happy to read the introspection that said it is time for the haredim to stop being so insular and become part of the whole world. Insularity is much more harmful than any benefit one might receive from hiding in it. Judaism is strong and openness only makes it stronger. It can easily thrive in modernity in the world at large, and at the same time contribute to that world. And it has a lot of good to contribute. I hope to see all Jews practicing their Judaism as best they can, and not worrying that the world around them will harm them.
Top Ten Signs Your Rabbi was Recently Indicted
10 Suddenly takes on minhag to wear hat on face
9 Synagogue Charity Auction now includes "Kidney"
8 Unless you work in criminal defense, you ain't getting Shlishi
7 Rebbetzin is suddenly on Jdate
6 Afternoon Halacha Shiur now entitled: "Ankle Monitors on Shabbat"
5 Will be spending the rest of the summer "upstate"
4 Sermon comes in form of an Affadavit
3 Keeps tying everything to an obscure "Joseph in Jail" metaphor
2 Pretty sure he just referred to Bernie Madoff as "Shlita"
1 He's still wearing Black & White, only this time, it's all stripes
B. Blatt's intial comment and following rejoinders are written in a meandering style that I can only describe as "corpulently obfuscative", but that's not what's disturbing. After you cut through B. Blatt's futile attempt at sounding intellectual (you need a road map to find his argument within the forest of epistolary stretches and curves along which he drives us), you are left with a whiny, empty "calling us ULTRA orthodox is like you calling us Jiggers" - full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Most of B. Blatt's comments failed to address the fact that these despicable acts of the BlackHats who were caught "white-handed" with their gartels down, that they left a huge hole (as in Challal-Chillul) in a world that is supposed to be filled by Am Yisrael with God's presence, and that they brought a sense of collective shame to Klal Yisrael for the ACTS (and not, as some might have it, for having gotten caught). In fact it is precisely those very same disgraceful actions by the Blackhats, which B. Blatt appears to find less offensive, that the rest of us find most offensive.
B. Blatt, your arrested Blackhats may have gone through the entire Torah, Na"Ch, Minsha, Gemara, Tur, Sh. Aruch and all the Poskim from here to Shnipeshik, but NONE OF IT WENT THROUGH THEM. Do you remember that little snippet from the Gemara - Ma'asecha Yekarvucha U'Ma'asecha Yerachakucha - Your actions will will draw you closer and your actions will make you more distant? Each one of us makes that choice every day.
B. Blatt and I are in agreement about one thing: names are important. The rabbinic statement that Kishmo Ken Hu (His name is a reflection of who he is) is an expression of that sentiment. I therefore find it helpful to reflect on the fact that the notrikon (acronymic meaning) of B. Blatt's name in Hebrew " Bet - Bet - Lamed - Tet" is Bilbul Beytzim Lelo Tachlis (herein genteely translated as "Much Ado About Nothing" - an insubstantial acronym for the author of commentary without substance.
Hey! Get these women out of here! This is ultra-Orthodox business! No women!
now that euros and afro-asians have taken up talmudism and hebrew language, they are using someof hebrews on DV.
sorry, talmoodniks, i am least bit interested in hebrew. In any case, i'll just skip the posts containing hebrew [with which users of hebrew have no connection whatever, save the {cult}ishness]or parts of posts which use hebrew. and why? Solely to prove to us that they are descendants of the 12 tribes? forget it. It is a futile attempt at deceiving the goyim! tnx
Hey! Get these women out of here! This is ultra-Orthodox business! No women!
Hey! Get these women out of here! This is ultra-Orthodox business! No women!
Job 33 The Spirit of G-D made me (flesh) but the breath of the Almighty gives life. (spirit life)
Are we not told, we are made in the image of G-D? Man
Do to sin male and female was turned out, is this so?
Are we not to "Set G-D as a seal upon our hearts'? In the ancient world was not a seal to identify, authenticate and protect the contents of documents and vessels?
When we obey the word of G-D as it is written in Psalms 51....Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Note: G-D did not leave male or the female out. Is not the inward parts our hearts and minds that do only the will of G-D and put His name first in all we do? The hidden part, is were Truth lets us know Wisdom. Turth and Wisdom is only found in G-D. For there is no truth in mankind. Sin brings them death. Dust to dust and ashes to ashes but Spirit to spirit.
When we trun, and do the will of our G-D we are making a offering to G-D for our sins. We give over our will to do the will of our G-D on earth as it is in heaven. We then.....turn ....and are the mirror image of our G-D---Man. The inward parts are the law written on both sides, that were once given and broken.
It is written in Jeremiah 31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, ( day-s in every one's life time to turn from sin )that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD.
Note the diffrence in Jeremiah 31 to Psalm 51 . Jeremiah 31 it is written....But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel ( note Judah is not here, their in Ps. 51 giving hearts and minds freely to their G-D) ....After those day-s saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it isn their hearts; and will be their G-D, and they will be my people.
Jeremiah 31...it is written....How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man.
To summarize the ultra-Orthodox position above: "If you're going to be a goniff, be sure that you are smart enough not to get caught."
Genug shoyn!
Hershele, "far emmes"?
For those who needed to resort to personal attacks upon me I must wonder if you really are just conceding the very unpleasant truth that publications such as The Forward in its present incarnation are fostering and nurturing inter-Jewish hatred , no less so than Rabbi Meir Kahane did from the other side in the past. So much for tolerance, as long as it is for one’s own affiliations. Let me be clear on one other point: when a Jew commits a transgression of Law either sacred or civil, it is not a trivial matter. I am not for a moment white washing the Chilul Hashem committed by these individuals regardless of whether they are ultimately acquitted or not. Perhaps what is most news worthy is that as Haredi Jews who are known to be in general scrupulously law abiding, that these accused men, are the exception rather than the rule. Moreover, sadly if they are guilty, then they have not been acting, as Jews should. One could well say when they broke the law they were not at all acting Jewish, assuming that their actions were exclusively for personal gain with no mitigating factors, that would appeal to the hearts even of non-Jews. The virulent hostility that my comments triggered, however, prima fascia, highlight the blinding prejudice and hatred that is far more rampant in the non-Orthodox world to those who don't share their views, than they would prefer to admit. I posture myself as a liberal in that I listen carefully and try to understand perspectives on reality even if they sharply differ from the views to which I subscribe. One would think that with religious practices that are intended to block out the pernicious influences in the outside world that would challenge the devotion of the religiously faithful to the traditional way of living, that there might be some mitigating circumstances, to the apparent naivety or downright ignorance about the ways of the world on the part of the Haredi who are purposely living in insular worlds; but what is the excuse of the self-styled Maskilim (enlightened) cosmopolitan and secularly well educated Jews to speak and behave with so much out-of-touch ignorance as to what the beliefs and practices of these foreign to their sensibility, backwater, hillbilly Jewish cousins . Yes they generate shame rather than pride. My life began like this and only changed when I opened myself up the ideas and feelings that I hated in myself about being a Jew. As I dared to plumb the depths of my profound ignorance about the beliefs and practices of the classical models of Judaism; I ceased to fear and hate that which is different, and it personally enabled me to feel integral whole. I am not trying to preach or convert anyone, Viva la difference! All I am trying to get to is a live and let live attitude amongst my fellow readers here. It is hard enough to accomplish that with far too many non-Jews. All I am seeking is an open heart / open mind attitude to compassionate understanding for all Jews by all Jews. All I'm appealing for is seeing the actions of individuals as individuals, and not besmirching with invective everyone else who either by choice or by their rigorous upbringing, chooses to confound the secular notions of truth and reality by seeing things in a way that for those of us who throw our lot in with the Haredi world, the potential for a happier and more meaningful life. We may be accused at times of acting paternally condescending, but by contrast those who hurl the invective ULTRA-Orthodox appear to be disclosing no less ignorance, and no less narrow mindedness and no higher moral or ethical standard that their actions manifest, than those they wag their finger at. A Reconstructionist rabbi who offered to have me as his protégé close to thirty years ago, taught me: “Always remember, if I point one finger at you then I have three fingers pointing back at me.” This adage has made me very wary about attacking another for something that I may be no less guilty of doing, and therefore, I make whatever effort I can muster internally at a given moment, to abstain from judging another and although I know I have a quiet court room in my mind, and I see no choice for myself other than to leave the verdict to G-d. Whichever side in the culture war wishes to maintain the moral and ethical high ground, I believe that it will begin by recognizing how much we essentially share in common, and consequently display sincerely empathic respect in our discourse with one and other. We each help to construct the other's position in order to define our own. I have had occasion to reflect upon the choices that my life is predicated on; I suspect that no less questions of conscious underlie the thinking and motivation of my sharpest critics. I understand why some must hide behind pseudonyms, but if they could find their inner integrity, then perhaps they could allow them selves appear less like someone entering a bank with a ski mask on.
The use of the term "ultra-orthodox" is problematic. It is a term invented by a substantially liberal media to isolate and demonize a group. No Orthodox Jew I ever met claimed to belong to "ultra-orthodoxy". They use terms like Chariedi, Pius, fervently orthodox, traditional or Torah Jews. If you check your dictionary the appendage "ultra" does have highly negative connotations. Oddly, there are no "ultra'liberal" or "ultra-reform" or "ultra-secular" Jews. If everything exists on a spectrum, why would "ultra" only be applied to the very pious? Liberal Jews even give a pass to heretical Jews who are in reality Christians by calling them "messianic Jews" rather than apostate or heretic! Even they are not "ultra"! To make matters worse, several Orhtodox organizations petitioned various mainstream media to stop using the term and were refused. Why? I find it odd that African-Americans have successfully lobbied to end the use of the term Negro and even Black, Hispanics have lobbied for refusing the use of terms like "illegal alien" in favor of "undocumented worker" and are not demonized for doing so. Christians even use the term "pharisee" as defined as hypocritical people (based on their anti-semitism) and many Jews know we are all the recipients of our identity and legacy from that group. But continuing to use the term "ultra-orthodox" when the community itself does not use the term, want the term or need the term. We suffer from sinas chinim in perpetuating such intra-group name calling. As an observant Jew, I do not refer to Reform Jews as anything other than Reform Jew or just Jew. I do not even use terms like left wing or right wing. I do consider messianic Jews as apostates, a long established word, because they meet that definition - since they did convert out. Inventing and then socially sanctioning terms like "ultra-orthodox" do not help. If it is maintained, all you do is sanction the reaction of the Orthodox to use prejudicial terms like "ultra-liberal", "ultra-secular", "non-observant", "assimilated", or worse, "gentilized". That is not the path to achdut.
I find in every people, people holding them self up, proud and heads held up so high ,they can't see they have walked right in dun.
G-D is the G-D of All Mankind, mankind, are below, who is above and below belong to G-D. Who can say this, what people? The word Jew was given them by G-D. The word was used to call his holy children, not any other children,-------holy children,who walk with G-D in unity, and are the vessels for the law, the will or G-D goes before them in all they do night and day their hearts and minds burn with the desire for G-D. For the law is written on their inward parts, (hearts and minds) and the desire of truth has let them know wisdom in the hidden part. What nation or what people can say they have entered in? so why do you fight on who you think you are?
Mark what is written. G-D, desired to reveal to us His hidden plans, as it is written, "Behold, the LORD will do nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets" Amos. III,7. And the wise are greater than prophets, for on the prophets the holy spirit rest intermittently, but the wise He never leaves, as although they know what is above and what is below, thy keep it secret. There are many wise, but the Wisdom of G-D exceeds all. It is was not for the spirit in man, they would be like beast. So I ask you, are you Man, made in the mirror image of G-D or are you mankind and beast? Who does G-D of All That Is call you?
It is written.....Job 33...The Spirit of G-D made me,(flesh- below) but the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (spirit-above).
Name calling................please care what name, will G-D call you.
Mark this, It is written.....Jeremiah 31...behold, the day-s come, saith the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast. G-D wants UNITY! Mankind want war, control and free will to creat or worship the god of their making or thinking. It is written....every good gift comes from G-D. G-D gave us a free will, when we give that will over to do the will of G-D in our lives, we from below, give a free will offering to above.
It is written ...Jeremiah 32..."Iam the LORD, the G-D of all mankind. Is anything too hard for Me?
You do not have the idea, what is going on in communities of Boropark. All their business is doing thru cach, one person in a huge family has legal income and provide the rest of the family by umbrella. How person with legal income about $25,000 can carry two mortgages in total of $1,000,000. Satmars corrupted in the same way. It looks as everybody is involved in some sort of cheating the Goverment in Boro Park
Those who do not seek a new society marked by justice and righteousness.
Isaiah 31: The eyes of those who have sitht will not be closed, the minds of the rash wil have good judgment, and the tongues of stammerers will speak readily and distinctly.
Yes, my friend Marion, this is you. above
This is them below isaiah 31...A fool will no longer be called noble, no a villain said to be honorable. For a fool speak folly, and their minds plot iniquity: to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the LORD, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied and to deprive the thirsty of drink . The villaninies of villains are evil; they devise wicked devices to ruin the poor with lying words, even when the plea of the needy is right,
But those who are noble plan noble things, and by noble things they stand.
Yes my noble friend, I know.
I rather help, the noble, hold a light, so they can find the path and not fall into the pit.
When ‘dayanim’ and ‘rabbis’ use the Torah for their own power and commercial profit, this is the behaviour of a swine i.e. a Pig.
No other ‘rabbi’ will ever act against another ‘rabbi’ - even when he knows his colleague is clearly desecrating the Torah. Each rabbi is only worried about losing his own position.
Therefore, the ‘rabbi’ and ‘dayan’ will never effect justice. And he will never truly stand for the Torah or the Honour of Hashem. His pocket will always prevail.
The Torah must never be used for commercial gain and profit. Am Yisrael can only be lead by those who have the necessary love and respect of Hashem and the Torah.
1. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may use lies. They turn the innocent into the guilty, and the guilty, become the innocent. They will not hesitate to tell lies in the Synagogue.
2. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may steal. They steal and siphon off money for themselves, from the community and individuals.
3. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may shame a Jew in public, even repeatedly. This is one of the most vile acts of murder in Jewish law – and they know this.
4. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ will not hesitate to use Lashon Hara - the ‘Evil Tongue’ - to suit his own ends. Slander and gossip. This too, is one of the worst acts of murder in Jewish Law. Their slander is never challenged by the community, because they hold positions of power. And the slander may begin with the Rebbetzin herself.
5. The ‘dayanim’ and ‘rabbis’ worship idols and other gods. Their only god is Money. Especially the ‘Dayanim’ – the ‘Judges’ who sit on a Beit Din. They only care about their high incomes and retirement packages. They have little or no love for the Torah or Hashem.
In the case of Lubavitch/Chabad, all their rabbis are carrying out a form of Avodah Zarah – strange worship. They are using mediation and intercession. This is completely forbidden, and against the Torah. We are only allowed to pray to Hashem, directly ourselves.
6. When the NAME of Hashem has been taken in Vain – repeatedly - by reshaim, the ‘rabbi’ will turn a deaf ear and blind eye to the
CHILLUL HASHEM.
This is the abhorrent behaviour of a Pig.
This is an extremely severe and dangerous situation.
There is NO forgiveness for this evil sin and aveirah.
7. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may also offer large bribes, tell lies and bring False Witnesses – when he in fact has committed the crime. These are heinous acts of the most despicable kind. This is especially vile when the ‘dayan’ is sitting on a ‘Beit Din.’
8. The ‘rabbi’ may commit adultery. And when he gets divorced, he may spread slander about his own ex-wife, blackening her name – when in fact he was at fault.
9. The ‘dayan’ and ‘rabbi’ may also desecrate Shabbat – if it suits him. He will use physical violence to assault another Jew or Jewess at any time. This evil and venomous behaviour is 100% against the Torah.
The Swine Flu is common in PIGS.
This is a clear indication that it is the Dayanim – ‘Judges’ - and ‘Rabbis’ of today who are the PIGS and swines.
They twist and use the Torah for their own power and commercial benefit.
They are corrupt. And they are interested in only one thing:
MONEY.
Not the Torah.
The Forward welcomes reader comments in order to promote thoughtful discussion on issues of importance to the Jewish community. In the interest of maintaining a civil forum, the Forward requires that all commenters be appropriately respectful toward our writers, other commenters and the subjects of the articles. Vigorous debate and reasoned critique are welcome; name-calling and personal invective are not. While we generally do not seek to edit or actively moderate comments, the Forward reserves the right to remove comments for any reason.