Tuesday, December 24, 2024

The Truth from Someone Who Lives There

How many people think the following narrative (excerpted from Rationalist Judaism) about Gaza – both past and present - is exactly right? That it is the true story to the exclusion of the narrative of the ‘Blame Israel first’ crowd’?

Before 10/7, Gaza had options and possibilities to address the economic, humanitarian, and political hardships and problems. Gaza had even shopping malls, sprawling beaches, vibrant communities, art centers, restaurants, and food everywhere, and a functional infrastructure that provided enough for people to survive and, in some cases, even thrive.

Hamas deliberately threw all of that away and destroyed the people of Gaza with no way out and no exit plan. Every single member of Hamas’s leadership must be tried and convicted of crimes against the Palestinian people; they must be delegitimized, shamed, and held accountable for high treason against Palestinian interests and, importantly, for cowardly behavior like fighting in civilian clothes and hiding among women and children in tents, schools, and hospitals…

Here is an uncomfortable fact that many don’t want to acknowledge: Hamas actively worked to prevent Palestinian civilians in northern Gaza from evacuating to the south. When the first evacuation order was given last October, Hamas’s spokespersons and leaders explicitly and repeatedly told people to stay and not to leave because the Israelis were not really going to attack. Then they said that the “resistance” is more than capable of repelling an Israeli onslaught and to rest assured. Then they said that leaving and heading down south would be akin to treason because Islamic warfare doctrine prohibits fleeing when facing an enemy on the battlefield, which in effect meant that Hamas viewed the entirety of the civilian population as combatant participants in its suicidal resistance project following the October 7th attack.

Hamas didn’t want to be lonely as they faced the Israeli military and wanted to bring down as many Palestinian civilians with them as they could - again, counting on mass suffering as a way to delegitimize Israel and high casualties which generate high pressure on the Israeli government to ultimately stop the war. Now that this nefarious calculus has failed miserably and the Palestinian civilian population in northern Gaza is paying an unimaginably high price, Hamas isn't exactly adjusting course either. The group is despicably and ruthlessly exploiting the civilian deaths that their actions caused and brought upon to keep the focus on Israel and avoid the reckoning that Hamas will inevitably face when the war is brought to an end.

How true. I have said many of the same things myself. What makes this narrative so compelling is the following comment by Rabbi Slifkin about the person who stated it :

Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib. Ahmed is a Palestinian who grew up in Gaza, and lost numerous relatives in an IDF bombing, as well as suffering personal injury. He has deep criticisms of the IDF. He claims that their bombing is deliberately excessive. He issues lots of accusations against Israel.

Alkhatib recognized the truth and had the courage to say what that truth is. I only wish that some of my own co-religionists would recognize it instead of going out of their way to see it in the knee jerk fashion the media and Israel’s critics usually do. 

There is a lot more truth exposed by Alkhatib at RationalistJudaism which can and should be read there. All of which has  been instinctively recognized by Israel’s supporters in congress. Who strongly say virtually the same thing when asked. Whether it is a Democrat like John Fetterman or a Republican like Marco Rubio. Only antisemites (whether overt or in the closet) whose minds are closed to the reality cited by Alkhatib keep insisting that the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of Israel. We know who they are. I’m not going to mention any names. Their voices are constantly heard on the mainstream media that generally sees it their way too.

Now some of the anti Israel propaganda is couched in terms of blaming Netanyahu for everything. While there is a lot of hate for the Israeli prime minister - even among some Israeli patriots, I think in many cases focusing the blame on Netanyahu is form of deniability about the antisemitism that actually motivates them. They aren’t blaming Israel. Just their ‘renegade’ leader (As though he took over by force and wasn’t democratically elected).  That makes it easy for them to say they aren’t antisemitic or anti-Israel.

The truth is that the war in Gaza  would not have been conducted much differently had someone else been prime minister. Sure, there may have been some differences. Maybe the war would have ended by now. Or maybe not. Maybe the hostages would have been freed by now. Or maybe not. But anyone that thinks any other Israeli leader would have held back from bombing Hamas targets because civilians were there is clueless about why those civilians were there and  Israel’s absolute moral right – even obligation - to defend their people in the only way possible under the circumstances they were given.

Whether one loves him or hates him, this isn’t about Netanyahu. It is about Israel’s right to exist and defend itself under the most impossible of conditions 

On a completely different but tangential subject I was surprised to read the following news story about the world’s largest Arab newsgathering organization, Al Jazeera, from a most unlikely source, the PA (Palestinian Authority):

The Fatah movement has announced that it is prohibiting Al Jazeera from operating within areas of Judea and Samaria controlled by the Palestinian Authority, accusing the network of “spreading conflicts and inciting,” according to Walla! The decision was made amidst ongoing violence in Jenin, where Palestinian Authority security forces are engaged in clashes with terrorists linked to the Islamic Jihad. Palestinian Arab sources reported that the ban applies to Al Jazeera’s activities in Jenin, Tubias, Shechem, Tulkarm, Qalqilya, and Salfit.

For about three weeks, Palestinian Arab security forces have been battling armed terrorists in Jenin. Fatah holds Al Jazeera responsible for exacerbating tensions and supporting armed groups, including Hamas. “We have decided to ban the entry of Al Jazeera, and we urge the public to avoid engaging with this channel in any way,” a Fatah statement quoted by Walla! said. “Al Jazeera plays a dangerous role in Palestine. It spreads hatred and incites civil war. Al Jazeera sides with lawbreakers and tries to portray them as heroes fighting the occupation.”

How ironic! When Israel banned Al Jazeera they were accused of censorship. The PA has  now justified Israel’s expulsion of Al Jazeera. Will the PA get the same treatment?

In my view neither Israel or the PA should be criticized. When a news organization is party to a conflict then they cannot be trusted to report the facts.

Bearing this latest revelation in mind, CBS should no longer allow Imtiaz Tiab - a ‘journalist’ they hired from Al Jazeera to be their chief correspondent from the Middle East. The continued use of this reporter will clearly show the inherent anti Israel bias of the network which should be exposed to the world - and discredited by objective journalists worldwide.

Plain and simple.

Monday, December 23, 2024

Number 5

There will be no new post today. Only this time it is because my wife and I will be in Lakewood attending the Bris of our newest great-grandson. My time will be divided between traveling there and back and the Bris itself.

This is my fifth great-grandchild and the first American born. How blessed I am to have the Zechus (merit) to have reached such milestones in my life. 

At 78 years of age I am blessed in so many ways. I have inherited a great set of genes, I exercise (my mind and my body) every day, and I don't overeat. All of which keeps me in excellent physical and mental shape. (Although my actual diet leaves a lot to be desired - still 2 out of 3 ain't too bad.) And I am able to put food on my table. All thanks to God's good graces. I am so grateful to Him for my good fortune and that of my wife.

We will God willing be back in Chicago this evening, New posts will resume on Tuesday.

Sunday, December 22, 2024

Devout Jewish Heroes? Or Rodfim?

Torched mosque on the West Bank (JTA)
This is not OK. Revenge attacks against mosques on the West Bank do not solve anything. All they do is reinforce world animosity towards Israel.  And even worse, acts like this stoke Muslim hatred of us which could easily lead to levels of violence against us will make October 7th  look like a picnic in July.

These revenge attacks are nothing new. They have been going on long before the events of October 7th.  Since then Palestinians have increased acts of violence against Israel. To which Israel has responded  with increased military actions in West Bank towns like Jenin, hotbeds of Palestinian terrorism. That of course makes life pretty miserable for the Palestinians living in those towns. And that alone has generated even more European condemnation of Israel than before October 7th.

The war in Gaza alone increased European condemnation. These revenge attacks just pile on to the of the condemnation of Israel and its leaders that has been ongoing for over 50 years. Torching a mosque on the West Bank just adds a lot of gasoline onto an already raging fire for which Israel gets the lion’s share of the blame. 

Even after the brutal massacre of Jews on October 7th sympathy for  Jewish people of Israel was immediately accompanied by a comment from the titular head of the nations of world with a comment along the lines of, ‘The massacre did not happen in a vacuum!’ These revenge attacks justify such comments in the minds of the antisemitic nations that form the majority of the United Nations.

A JTA story this morning reports the following:

Israeli authorities are investigating after a mosque in the northern West Bank town of Marda was torched and graffitied with Hebrew slogans.

No one was injured in the incident.

Footage from the scene appeared to show burn marks and Hebrew graffiti featuring a Star of David and reading “revenge” and “burn the mosque, build the temple.” Israel’s police and Shin Bet security service have opened an investigation and have not yet made any arrests.

Palestinian leaders accused settlers of the vandalism, and Israeli media are also reporting that Jewish Israelis are suspected of perpetrating the attack.

I hope this does lead to arrests. And that if found guilty the ‘book’ is thrown at them. And that it makes headlines all over the world.

It gives me no pleasure to see devout looking Jews that very likely fought valiantly for the IDF (in many cases risking  their lives in dangerous assignments) treated like this. These are Jews that often sport huge Kipot and have longer Peyos than Satmar Chasidim. They are usually quite devout in every other way. Often having familes with lots of children.  

And still these are the people I think should have the ‘book’ thrown at them. The Chilul HaShem of frum Jews being exposed as terrorists cannot be overstated. 

But even with all that, they cannot be considered anything less than Rodfim! Because by destroying a Muslim house of worship (which is not even classified as Avodah Zara) they stoke Muslim outrage worldwide and thereby increase danger to every single Jew in the world. Not to mention endangering any support we get from nations that are even friendly to the Jewish state. Like the US.

That must be stopped. These people must be made to realize just how dangerous their acts of terror are to the Jewish people. And the only way that can be done is by finding them, prosecuting them and punishing them to the fullest extent of the law in the most public way possible. Israel needs to make an example out of them so that anyone else thinking of doing something like this again think twice before attempting lest they end up the same way.

Israel must crack down on the Jews living in those areas. They must impress upon them how serious Israel takes actions like thee and the consequences they will face if the try. Because the more things like this happen, the worse it will be for the Jewish people in Israel and worldwide.

Friday, December 20, 2024

No New Post Today

 Due to unforeseen circumstances which were beyond my control, I will be involved in a personal matter for a good part of the day. I will therefore not have enough time to write a new post. 

Please be assured that this has nothing to do with my health or the health of my family. We are all fine. Be assured as well that this matter does not involve anything dangerous or God forbid illegal. It is just a matter that requires my immediate attention.

With that, I bid everyone a Good Shabbos.

Thursday, December 19, 2024

American Jews and Christmas

White Christmas composer, Irving Berlin
A lot of my close friends hate this time of year. Which might be understandable if one is an observant Jew who is proud of his heritage and remembers what Christianity has done to our people over the course of Jewish history. Everything we see and hear right about now - says Christmas.

For people like me who love this great country – for all the kindness it bestows upon our people, it is quite understandable that when a Christian religious theme takes hold of the populace – it takes away a bit from that warm sense of acceptance we otherwise feel all year round.

Honestly, I used to feel a little less American at this time of year. I felt a bit betrayed that a country that does not have an official religion suddenly becomes Christian - even if not officially.

But is that really true? I don’t think it is. Which is why I am not as upset as I used to be. That’s because Christmas in America has been almost completely sanitized of all religious meaning. Although one occasionally sees a nativity scene displayed, it is by far overwhelmed by gaudy displays of decorated trees and homes lit up with all kinds of different displays that have no religious meaning at all. No where is the secularization of Christmas better expressed than in the music one hears all over the place this time of year. If you read the lyrics to the most popular Christmas songs, it has nothing to do with the religious aspect of the holiday.

I have been told (I did not see the Teshuva myself) that R’ Moshe Feinstein actually holds that one is permitted to listen to Christmas music if it contains no religious content (Although he does frown on the practice.)

I would suggest that the reason Christmas is such a popular time of year is not because of its religious context. But because it has become a euphemism for family time. What Americans are really celebrating is the warm and fuzzy feeling of being with family at this time of year. The religious aspect of the day has just about vanished. Why does America celebrate it at all? Because the vast majority of Americans are Christians. They were surely indoctrinated about its religious significance but now see it primarily as a day to be with close family

One of the things that contributed to the secularization is the music. Which was in large part written by Jewish composers. Who although secular - were still Jewish enough not to write songs with religious Christian content. This is in part what Dr. Yvette Alt Miller discusses in a recent article:

Why are so many of the most beloved Christmas songs Jewish creations?

Dutch Jewish composer Stephen Emmer (who’s written his own Christmas song, Sleep for England) posits that: “It is in the DNA of Jews to write melancholy music, and also to ingratiate themselves in a world in which they are outsiders, at a time of the year when people are feeling especially patriotic and rooted in the idea of home.”

For many of the Jewish composers mentioned below, it seems that writing Christmas music was a way of fitting into a non-Jewish American idea. They didn’t write about Jesus or religious aspects of the holiday. Instead, their songs invoke an idealized American life that was denied to them and their families.

So yes, Jewish composers contributed mightily to the secularization of Christmas. And Americans lapped it up. To this very day these songs are played 24/7  round the clock by some radio stations - starting from about Thanksgiving all the way through December 25th. While some songs are laden with religious content, the vast majority of them are not.

So at this time of year we should not feel the slightest bit upset by all the public celebration over Christmas - a holiday that has lost almost all religious meaning. At least as far as the public is concerned.  So that even as a proud Jew fully aware of the persecution of our people at the hands of  Christianity over the course of Jewish history, I nonetheless remain a proud American, too. Even now during this - the Christmas season.

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Fulfillment as a Jewish Woman

Australia’s first Orthodox women’s Torah reading group 35 years ago
Whenever one of those freezing, blizzardy days typical of Chicago winters comes along on a Shabbos, just before I am about to leave the house to walk to Shul, my wife will jokingly sing, ‘Shelo Asani Ish, SheLo Asani Ish”. Which is a humorous but half serious reversal of the Bracha said every day by men, Shelo Asani Isha – thanking God for not making them a woman. Obviously, women do not have to go to Shul.

I have never fully understood why we have to thank God for not being a woman. It implies that it is better to be a man than a woman. Even though one has no choice about which sex they were born. There are a lot of explanations for this Bracha. (Which are beyond the scope of this post.) For me, none of them were fully satisfying. But since it is rabbinically mandated by Halacha, I say it every day.

If one is a 21st century version of a feminist (where full equality for both men and women in every area of life is the current ethos) this Bracha (recited only by men) must be even more troubling.

However, just because I don’t fully understand the implication of this Bracha, that doesn’t mean I think we have to make up female Jewish equity in other ways. Quite the contrary. Judaism is primarily a religion of obligation. Not rights that might bring equity.  While rights are certainly a basic function of Jewish law as it pertains to man’s obligation to his fellow man (Bein Adam L’Chavero), our primary obligation is to serve God. (Our obligation to our fellow man comes under that rubric as well.)

I cannot claim to be a feminist under the current definition. I am what might be called an old-fashioned feminist that believes in full equality in the workplace and mutual respect between the sexes. But when it comes to religious practices, I am a traditionalist. I believe that men and women have the obligation to fulfill the roles defined for them by Jewish law and the tradition of our ancestors.  Altering tradition for purposes of equality is not a Jewish value.

This is nothing new. I’ve said it all before. But I bring it up now because of an article by a woman who identifies as an Orthodox feminist. 

Viva Hammer would not be singing Shelo Asani Ish. She seems to find fulfillment as a Jew mostly by performing acts required only of men. In a tone of what almost seems like jealousy here is some of what she opined in her article:

Even before I could walk, my father had taken me to shul, where I watched men’s prayer coming together so effortlessly, so naturally. Every day, twice a day, a boy waits for his chance to lead, while his sister waits at home. Every day, a boy attends to the performance, ready for the moment when the baton passes to him.

She then proceeds to talk glowingly about how as an adult, she found fulfillment by doing the very same things she saw as a young girl - men do . And became involved with forming a Woman’s Tefillah Group wherein women have a quasi-minyan and do all the things they see men do. A questionable enterprise fraught with Halachic obstacles which - even if overcome - is certainly untraditional.

This was so important to her that she found a way to defy her Holocaust survivor father’s plea not to do it. The Halachic requirement of Kibud Av didn’t seem to mean as much to her as did being fulfilled by breaking the glass ceiling of tradition.

Ms. Hammer also described the reaction to this feminist innovation from  2 Orthodox rabbis:

(A) Hasid who ministered at the shul further down the road and a modern Orthodox graduate of Yeshiva University (each) called and spat abuse at me for several hours. Their irrationality, rudeness, heavy-handedness and inappropriateness made them sound like one bully voice.

I wasn’t there. So, I don’t know exactly what was said. But if her description is accurate, their reaction was wrong. One can express disapproval without ‘irrationality, rudeness, heavy-handedness and inappropriateness’. Nonetheless I agree with their opposition to feminist innovations that veer so strongly away from tradition.

It is troubling that an Orthodox Jewish woman can’t find fulfillment in her role as a woman. God created us both – man and woman - each with our own purpose. 

I know talking about motherhood isn’t fashionable and often brings howls of laughter and derision. But that glorious role is something that a man can never hope to achieve. Even if he decides to violate Halacha and ‘changes’ his sex.

Raising children properly begins in the home and that is orchestrated by the mother.

Properly executing Hilchos Niddah (often referred to as the laws of family purity) is an obligation that only woman can do.  These are obligations. A woman reading from a Torah in a female quasi-minyan’ is not.

Now-a-days a woman also contributes to the family income. This is even truer in the Charedi world where it is likely that a woman provides the bulk of it. And yet women tend to be paid less than men for doing the same thing. That is something that I would strongly support feminists fighting for. But seeking fulfillment in men’s modalities is surely not what God has in mind for His female creations.  It is a fool’s errand to think that God values a woman performing a man’s ’Mitzvah more than He values a woman performing her own. 

I don’t know of a single woman (who does not identity as a feminist) that would have the slightest interest in a Women’s Tefillah Group. I’m not even sure one exists here in Chicago. If it does, it must be at a minuscule level. That it exists at all is a testament to the power and influence of the culture in which we live. 

Most of the women my wife and I both know are Jewishly fulfilled by performing the Mitzvah obligations required of both sexes plus the obligations and traditions that are exclusively their domain. And are surely happy to sing Shelo Asani Ish.  

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Wives of Soldiers for the Sanctity of the Camp

There is something incongruous about a group calling themselves ‘Wives of Soldiers for the Sanctity of the Camp’ supporting recent comments made by former Sephardi chief rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef. Who said the following:

(Even) young charedim who do not study in yeshivas should avoid joining the army.

Incongruous for obvious reasons. Their husbands do serve. Why is it OK – even admirable for their husbands to serve but not Charedim... even those that do not study full time in Yeshivos?

Although the do try to explain their opposition, it does not explain why their husbands still serve. Either they are doing the right thing by serving or they are not. And if not, why are they still there? Why are they not protesting?

Here is how organization founder, Efrat Lupo put it:

(We) often encounter situations where senior IDF officials choose to promote agendas and values that harm the spirit of the IDF and its sanctity as the army of the Jewish people. 

The Wives of Soldiers for Sanctity in the Camp have complained on several occasions in recent months that males and female soldiers were forced to sleep in the same compound, which seriously compromised the sanctity of those who wish to refrain from mixing of the genders in the battlefield.

And yet they still serve. That’s because they understand that despite the compromising situations that they occasionally must put up with there is an overriding  reason to serve. Which was also articulated by Mrs. Lupo:

“Our commitment to the success of the IDF and the commandment of ‘Assisting Israel in times of distress’ is unquestionable. As wives of soldiers who have served hundreds of days in reserves since the beginning of the war, while we must manage our homes both practically and spiritually, we call on anyone who can contribute their part in the IDF to do

They explained that the IDF must provide appropriate solutions and frameworks for Charedim who wish to enlist and stop promoting progressive agendas that weaken the spirit of the soldiers. It’s not that they are wrong about such goals. But that they expressed them in the context of support of Rabbi Yosef’s call for Charedi exemptions, seems to be a contradiction to their own beliefs.

Even as I believe that Charedi religious standards should be accommodated, I’m not sure they aren’t already by a variety of IDF units that cater to Charedim. And yet it appears there is still opposition by Charedi leaders even to that. 

I assume that’s because the IDF sometimes falls short. But that is not a reason to reject service. It is a reason make sure that the IDF fixes it. I am told that in most cases the IDF brass in charge of these units  is willing to do just that. And only fell short in the first place for the lack of knowing fully what those needs are.

Even if one accepts the charge that religious recruits have a greater chance of being disabused of their religious lifestyle in the regular IDF, that would certainly not be the case in any of the Charedi units. If there aren’t enough of them, then indeed, the IDF must increase their number – if only to make it easier for Charedim to serve without them having to worry about their spirituality suffering.

Furthermore – as I have said numerous times, IDF recruits from religious backgrounds (regardless if Charedi or Dati Leumi) that go OTD were probably half way there before they ever joined. That Rabbi Yosef’s own brothers went OTD in the IDF is probably for the same reason. Just because one is raised in a devoutly religious home does not mean they always fully embraced those values. Besides there have been countless religious Jews that have served in the regular IDF without compromising anything.

Sanctity? What about the sanctity of saving Jewish lives? Should that not be a lot more important than  not always having the Eida HaCharedis Hechsher available for all their meals?

I don’t know. But it seems to me that instead of agreeing with Rabbi Yosef that Charedim shouldn’t serve, it would have been a lot better for them to say they should serve but the IDF needs to do more to accommodate their needs. Not exactly sure why in a time of war - they feel OK about their husbands putting themselves at risk while Charedim deserve to sit it out.

Monday, December 16, 2024

The Consequences of Speaking Truth to Power

There is a lengthy Makor Rishon article (translated from the Hebrew on Rationalist Judaism) about an interview with three Charedi rabbis in Israel. These were no ordinary run of the mill rabbis:

All three grew up in well-known aristocratic families, studied in the "Ivy League" of Lithuanian yeshivos, and to this day study in kollelim and teach in yeshivos.

What they said was quite revealing about the nature of that community and what they personally think about it. None of this was shocking to me. What is special about this, however, is the stature of the people saying it. What did they say? Consider for example the following comment by one of those rabbis:

We have a synagogue here in the neighborhood whose large part of the congregation is very modern Haredim. I will describe a typical 'balebat' (householder) like this: He has two phones – one a smartphone without filtering, and one kosher so he can talk to the Rebbe in Talmud-Torah; he can't remember the last time he opened a sefer; if you try to talk to him in a study session, you will discover that he is quite an ‘am ha’aretz’…

And yet these same Charedim will argue that Rabbi Bezalel Cohen founder of a Charedi high school whose Hashkafa is not an exact clone of  the standard Charedi Hashkfa is a total heretic. 

This kind of indoctrination does not change lightly. The harder anyone tries to change it, the more resistance there will be. Multiply that by tens of thousands of young people. Which is constantly reinforced by the influences of  their teachers and mentors. How does one even begin to change a mentality of those that do not quite make the grade and still believe in the party line? According to one of the interviewees) they rationalize it:

"They say to themselves, 'I have an evil inclination, I don't meet the standard, but my way to connect with my grandfather and my father is to adhere to the 'pure view.' I personally don't study, but by opposing conscription and core studies, I connect with the greats of the generation and strengthen them. This is my contribution ."

What about the actual war? Don’t they feel anything about the ultimate sacrifices being made on their behalf? Here is the reality. (Which was recently corroborated by Rabbi Uri Deutsch at the Agudah convention):

"Why should they feel it? This is happening far away, beyond the mountains of darkness," replies Rabbi Shlomo. "You don't know anyone and it has nothing to do with you at all. You hear rumors here and there when people are killed, but it has no relevance to everyday life. It's not a matter of public awareness, and explanations won't help at all. The average Lithuanian Haredi doesn't know what citizenship is and what civic duties are. As far as he is concerned, he's not a citizen.

As noted in the article, they are quite high on themselves for doing nothing but sitting in the Beis HaMedrash. When it come to getting married they are placed on pedestals where they can select or reject the many Shidduch offerings thrown at their feet.  The system turns them into people who lack any life skills, and yet their self esteem is through the roof  having been indoctrinated to believe they are the ‘crown of creation’.

This description of their own community was pretty harsh. At first I felt that these 3 rabbis had some sort of chip on their shoulder. I don’t recall any internal criticism like it. On the other hand, I have spoken to Avreichim in Kollelim over the years and now that I think about it, it has a ring of truth to it. Even though their criticism was not to the same enormous extent.

I hate to throw cold water on a revelation that should stimulate desperately needed change. But this interview will not change anything. Certainly not from the top down. But not even from the bottom up. There will be no groundswell rebellion that will see significant Charedi enlistment. The indoctrination is too deeply imbedded into their brains. The repercussions of ‘speaking the truth to power’ in this community is real and the consequences too devastating. 

That’s why these there rabbis from prominent families remained anonymous. Had they revealed their identities they would have been toast. Branded as heretics who have left the pristine path of Torah laid out for them by the ancestors and teachers. Fakers who don’t belong in Kollel and should certainly not be teaching children. 

The only way one can make it in that world even as ‘children of royalty’ is by toeing the line completely. And there can be no revolution without young leaders like this coming out of the closet. A lot of them. Enough to make a critical mass of respected rabbis in Kollel need to stand up and say, ‘The emperor has no clothes’. I don’t believe that there are enough people like that to make a difference. Because even if they agree - the consequences of coming out are too severe for them and their families. 

Sunday, December 15, 2024

Insanity is Not a Solution

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Probably neither would be the right response. Because the issues being addressed are serious and real. And yet the method by which the Charedi world tries to solve this problem is laughable. It’s kind of like the popular definition of insanity. Which is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

This issue is the devastating effects of technology. By now it is not only the Charedi world that sees this. The entire world does. It is no longer our issue alone as religious Jews. It is an issue plaguing the entire world. Although the focus of concern might be different I think it is fair to say that the all challenges technology pose are real for everyone. Whether it involves accessing porn; addiction to social media, or the ease and frequency of young people being bullied. And that just scratches the surface. Especially with the advances made recently by AI (Artificial Intelligence) with the potential to defraud even the most intelligent people. 

These are all legitimate concerns that need to be dealt with in the most effective way possible. Which in my view ought to involve a collaborative effort of every community in the world. Especially a community like ours where technology is so easily available and so widespread.

The Charedi community keeps doubling down on avoiding all technology as the best solution. I have always felt that this was the wrong approach because of the obvious many benefits that technology provides. Some of which are increasingly becoming necessities in order to function in the 21st century. Technology that seem to be advancing at an exponential level making it even more essential.

Perhaps a better reason to not rely on bans is that they don’t work. Mishlei (9:17)  tells us Mayim Genuvim Yimtaku - stolen waters are sweet. The more things are banned the more people will be want them and to find ways to have them. 

There may be a lot of people that will heed a ban. But there will be a lot of people that won’t. Some overtly and some secretly. This is already happening. Many Charedim (Chasidim included) have 2 phones. A kosher phone that cannot access the internet which they use in public. And one that can which they keep secret and use when no one is looking. 

That will not change no matter how harsh they might make penalties for those caught with technology. Or how much more invasive their ways of finding violators are. What they might get instead is the potential for an increase in the number of Charedim going OTD. In immense proportion. Is this the result they are looking for? 

The latest gathering about the dangers of technology and what to do about it was just held by Vizhnitz in Bnei Brak. As noted in VIN:

Thousands of people gathered at the Vizhnitz Beis Midrash in Bnei Brak on Motzaei Shabbos to strengthen their resolve to totally shun all items associated with internet technology. The rally, an annual event in recent years, was led by Rabbi Tzvi Moshe Zilberberg, the head of the Nahalas Yaakov group in Jerusalem.

The crowd included members of all denominations, including Chasidim, Lithuanian and Religious Zionist participants. Tens of buses from all over the country were hired to bring people to the rally. The speeches were in Yiddish but with simultaneous translation to headphones without use of internet.

Rabbi Zilberberg emphasized that more boundaries need to be set in Torah schools regarding the protection from technology. Rabbi Tzvi Meir shared that he receives thousands of letters requesting advice on how to be more careful with technology.

In his speech, Rabbi Tzvi Meir Zilberberg stressed that nothing helps, no filter or screening; the only solution is complete abstinence from technology.

That Chasidim like those of Vizhnitz shun the modern world is not a secret. Their way of life is the most isolated of all Orthodox segments. Their lives are more structured and their way of life is almost exclusively determined by their Chasidic Rebbe. Their contact with the outside world is on an as needed’ basis. Meaning that if that is the only way they can make a living, they may. Or if for example they need medical care not available in house’, they can seek it on the outside. So Vizhnitz may think they have a better shot at banning it all. But it hasn't worked yet and it won’t work now. And it certainly won’t work in the less isolated communities represented at that event.

I know they have good intentions. The tragic examples they spoke about were real and they want to prevent it from ever again. What they don’t realize is that the rest of the world agrees with them. But they are smart enough to know that banning all technology from the world will not work and in any case a total ban would be as ridiculous as banning telephones - if not more so.

This doesn't mean things cannot be done to improve the situation. Including an actual ban on bringing smart phones to school through high school. Or legislating against social media companies allowing access to anyone under a certain age (say... 18?). Although that will surely not solve all the problems, it will solve some of them. Point being that rather than making rules that won’t work even communities as isolated as Vizhnitz, they ought to try and work with the rest of the world that cares about these issues too. Because doubling down on something that has never worked is literally insane.

Friday, December 13, 2024

Rabbis: You Must Apologize

Image for illustration purposes only (Jerusalam Post)

I get it. It’s hard to believe the worst about people you know that have done so much for so many people. People that are icons – role models for all of us to emulate. People who were happily married to loving wives (or husbands) and have children that adore them. People who inspire others to emulate their good works. People that in just about every way lead exemplary lives with reputations that extend well beyond their immediate environment. There are in fact few people that can measure up to standards like these.

So when they are accused of heinous crimes, to say that the family, friends, and people they worked with are incredulous would be an understatement

But what if the accused admits to the crimes in court and are about to be sentenced for them, should the people who knew them best, or the  many people that benefitted from his generosity, try and advocate for leniency in his sentencing?

In fact, should a person even be judged by his worst moment? Should they not be judged by the totality of who they are and what they have done in their lives? Should we not weigh that against a couple of bad deeds and advocate for a commensurate degree of leniency in sentencing?

This is not a theoretical question. It happened very recently. In a general sense, the answer is not so simple. One might fairly argue that it depends on the crimes. There may be some areas where the answer is yes. And some grey areas where the answer is unclear. But there is one area in which the answer is abundantly clear . Absolutely not! Which is when the crimes involved sex abuse. Especially of minors.

So that even if  a sex abuser regrets what he did, the damage was done and it was severe, Nothing they can say or do will change that. There in no amount of good deeds one has done for family, friends, and community that can outweigh the ruination of a single life.

None of this is knew. I've said it all before. But it seems that there are well intended religious and community leaders that have not gotten the message. At least when it comes to one of their own.

Rabbi Zvi Gluck, founder and CEO of Amudim, lays this all out in plain English as follows:

Recently, it came to light that more than a dozen letters were written several years ago by rabbis, heads of major organizations, community leaders and physicians on behalf of a person who readily admitted that he was guilty of sexually abusing two minors on multiple occasions.

These eloquent petitions for judicial mercy explained how this individual was an enormous ba’al tzedakah who leaped at the opportunity to help others, and how he has shown remorse for his actions, and suffered the loss of his livelihood, his communal standing, and even his wife.  

But those pronouncements of sterling character and hardship are an outrage in the face of the unspeakable pain that they caused. The hard truth is that having prominent individuals extolling the virtues of a sexual predator can be triggering for any victim of sexual abuse, creating tsunamis of betrayal and isolation as their personal trauma is rekindled. And to make matters worse, they see our rabbis and leaders making the inexplicable decision to defend the monsters who prey on the vulnerable, instead of championing the rights of those who have been victimized.  

Sadly, I saw that reality playing out in front of my own eyes over the last few days. Within 24 hours of these letters being publicized, I heard from two victims of childhood sexual abuse. Both were completely distraught to discover people who are looked up to in our circles praising a pedophile’s character and advocating for him and his family.

Both felt abandoned and shattered by communal leaders pledging their allegiance to anommunity  admitted child molester. And both found themselves questioning the very foundations of their existence, with these letters completely destroying their faith in our rabbonim…

What makes this message particularly significant is that Rabbi Gluck identifies as Charedi and is highly respected in the wider Charedi community. That means that a lot more Charedim are listening to messages like this. A message that was constantly on the tongues of survivors and their advocates. But in the not so distant past went unheeded. Especially in Charedi circles. In the past, often the effects of abuse on survivors were downplayed by community rabbis and leaders who felt it more important to protect the reputations of the abuser’s families. That has changed up to a point. But as the above mentioned letters indicated it has not changed enough. As Rabbi Gluck says

We need to show support for those who have been horribly violated, not those who have perpetrated those deviant crimes. Doing anything less than that, whether knowingly or unknowingly, is the equivalent of plunging a knife into the heart of those who have been abused, retraumatizing them.

Finally, I respectfully turn to our rabanim, community leaders, organizational heads, and physicians with a personal message. I know you all lead extraordinarily busy lives, but blindly affixing your name to the cause du jour without taking the time to fully assess all the facts at hand can have devastating consequences that can undermine you, as well as innocent individuals. With that in mind, I humbly implore you to follow Rabbi Weinberger’s example (see link) and publicly apologize for your actions. This is your opportunity to do the right thing and restore faith in our community and our values.