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Saturday, July 01, 2006

"UOJ - Please Listen. The abuse of power, molestation, and cover-up that you know about does not allow you to rest peacefully....."

A Sophisticated Reader Writes And UOJ Responds.

I'd like to comment on the many opinions being offered whether the good that UOJ has accomplished is being "offset" by the bad.

UOJ - please listen. I can tell from some of your recent comments that you really care. The abuse of power, molestation, and cover-up that you know about does not allow you to rest peacefully. You have been very successful in changing our culture to some degree over the last months. Suddenly, a topic that was never spoken about is on the tips of our tongues. Yeshivas are wary of you. The organizations are on the lookout. The climate is right for change.

As you successfully point out the hypocrisy and evil in our midst, you and many other commenters should make a strong effort to:

1. Use appropriate language instead of the lexicon now used.

2. Attack only those that truly deserve to be attacked - the abusers of power and the molesters. The potshots taken at rabbonim, rabbayim, or even laymen that we have seen on this blog is not appropriate and needs to be curtailed.

3. Stop ridiculing anyone (including this commenter) who calls for a more civil discourse. I believe that most of us are parents. We would be the first to instruct our children that two wrongs do not make a right. We can't justify the feeling of gossip, frivolity and laxity that this blog is identified with on the basis that we are taking up a higher cause - especially when we can accomplish the same thing without resorting to these tactics.

Let's fight the issue of molestation in a strong, take-no-prisoners type of way, but keep foul language, off color, and insulting remarks out of the dialogue. I believe that as you call for a higher level of Judaism - a yearning for the holy religion that it once was - it is a critical error to allow and foster this type of dialogue which decreases individual holiness. As a group, the effect is contagious and more devastating.

UOJ, I respectfully ask you and your readers to think before you respond with knee jerk reactions. Please consider my words which are heartfelt.

I must specifically comment on Rav Elchonon Wasserman. Despite your strong feelings about the decision that Rav Elchonon made, going after him so harshly has left a bad taste in many people's mouths. Now, you have said that we should not read your blog if we don't like your opinions. You are missing the point which is that we like what you are doing. You are important to us. We would like to visit your blog which is the only vehicle where we can have an open discussion about abuse. However, we respect certain boundaries that you have crossed. It is very simple for you to tell us to leave the blog, but you would lose many interested and loyal supporters. Please reconsider your adamant position on certain Gedolim that you have severely criticized.

Regarding R' Elchanan, perhaps your point could have been that people aren't perfect and that you believe that his advice was wrong and that even Rav Elchonon may have realized this. You could extend that further with the Art Scroll type biographies where Gedolim are superhuman and explain why you believe that is dangerous. But the manner that you attacked him, conveys a message that G-D forbids R' Elchanan is in the same category as a Margulies. This is unequivocally wrong. As mentioned, the blog should criticize and publicize the real abusers - not Gedolim or laymen that make mistakes or are imperfect in one way or another.

To the readers:

It is time to get involved. Following the blog and making clever comments is not very difficult. Meanwhile, UOJ is fighting a one man battle. Are you ready to advocate for the independent board that UOJ has spoken about? Would you dare challenge your Yeshiva if an issue of abuse came up? It is easy to feel comfortable on this blog with UOJ as your super hero. It is convenient to wait for UOJ to "take down" the next molester, but where are the parents? You need to get involved in real life. I believe that UOJ has been saying that of late, but I haven't seen any responses. I'd like to see readers respond by name - no more hiding behind anonymous - and offer to support a parent advocacy group.

Let's continuously examine and reexamine our motives. It is easy to insult those who critique this blog, it is much more difficult to absorb good advice even if it is coming from those that you disagree with.

Let's clean up this blog so that it can be a place that we would be proud to take our children to visit. Let's support UOJ by becoming involved parents. Let's move forward by continuing with the positive aspects of this blog while filtering out the negative aspects that we know in our heart of hearts has no place in our very important dialogue.

UOJ RESPONDS:

The pain that all thinking people feel as well as the outrage, is expressed by myself and thousands of readers of this blog. Going through literally thousands of comments and e-mails per week, I am able to put up only a fraction of the comments and read only some of the e-mails. The one time I took off comment moderation as a test, there were 1030 comments until I started moderating again. Unprecedented in Blog history; Jewish or otherwise.

You do make some excellent points and your sincerity has captured the attention of my non-UOJ persona.

I am guilty...guilty of letting it take years for me to transform my mild mannered personality into the "wild-man" UOJ. I'm watching this Jim Jones like behavior for years while trying gently to make a difference by attending board meetings, writing essays, donating large sums of money, all with the proper intent to get a system in the yeshivas and Rabbanut that is guided by the beauty of our Torah. Not a system governed by individual needs, not beautiful edifices, not ostentatious dinners and conventions...simply a system run by yirei Hashem with no other interest than the needs of the klal first, foremost and only!

Instead, we have a system that is corrupt from the mail-room person up to the decision-makers, and everyone in between. How did we get here? Where did this disease of abuse of power and utter corruption come from? Are we students of our holy Torah or are we just a bunch of people dressed in dark clothing, hats, wigs, and tzitzis? (some fools wear more than one pair at a time)

The answer my friends, is the pass we gave to our rabbis that are no more than mortal humans. They have the same temptations that all of us have, and many of them, not all, fall victim to their humanity. They steal, they cheat, they are corrupt. You know why? There is no system of checks and balances that all humanity requires. They are the rabbis/gedolim...who is going to keep them in check?

We have erred. We have turned our rabbis into Gods..they are not, not at all. They are influenced and corrupted by money and power just as we are. We are scrutinized by our peers, they get a pass.

Therefore the trembling anger I have displayed towards R' Elchonon Wasserman. He was a Torah giant; but he was not God, just a mere human, fallible just like any other human. Was he brilliant in Torah? Absolutely! Therefore what exactly? A student wants to escape Nazi Germany...and he writes him back to stay put? Pikuach nefesh replaces a personal theory or opinion that "Y.U.", R' Yitzckok Elchonon in those days, is more dangerous to his talmidim than Hitler? Rabbi Gedalya Schorr and Mike Tress obtain hundreds of visas for his talmidim and he tells them, NO THANKS!?

I was sitting at the hospital bed several years ago of a true "tzaddik gamur"; he was nebach at the end of his life. He was at one of the meetings where his family hosted a reception to honor R' Elchonon in the late 1930's. I was holding his frail, trembling hand as he described to me what transpired after that meeting. The host and the hostess threw themselves at the feet of R' Elchonon in the living room, sobbing and begging uncontrollably...pleading with him NOT to go back to Europe, and to bring his talmidim to the United States.

R' Elchonon was trance-like...he wouldn't budge. "HE KNEW WHAT HASHEM WANTED!" He in fact played God...thousands died against the wishes of Hashem, which commanded us to violate Yom Kippur, Shabbos, Kashrut...do everything one must do to save a single life! For everyone's information, what Art Scroll will NOT tell you, is that Rav Yitzchok Scheiner, the present Rosh Hayeshiva of Kaminetz in Israel, was a talmid of Y.U. at that time. Not too shabby a black hatter I might comment. He was right up there on the infamous list of fools banning Noson Slifkin's works.

So my passion is, in my opinion, well-founded, rooted in common sense and Torah inspired fact. No Chassidic rebbe or any rabbi has Godly powers, they are mere mortals. Remember we are Jews NOT Christians; there are NO intemediaries in our religion. WE have a direct line to God, not one bit less than a person who is wearing eighty pairs of tzitzis, fur hats, round hats, square hats, velvet ones, silk jackets, white Kabbalah coats or any of the cult-like dress that we have succumbed to like children lost in a store full of toys and costumes.

We have let the Pied-Pipers flute us into a generation of meaningless rituals and chumras that are nothing more than the works of dangerous and foolish power grabbers.
Some rabbis do this intentionally, and some are led to this madness by a circle of their leidegayers; people who are human parasites..eating off the flesh of the naive and trusting. When I met with R' Shteinman, to find out that he knew nothing of a virus called herpes, only for him to categorize the New York Dept.of Health as Goyim out to destroy Judaism, I knew this gedolim thing has to go.

When R' Shmuel Kaminetzky responded in the Kolko matter, that we MUST assume Kolko did t'shuva if a recent victim, that was not victimized in the last few months, did NOT come forward, I knew that it was a mitzva to come out with the heavy artillery; lawsuits, secular media, private investigators, the D.A....and anything else I can think of to bring to light the cesspool of leaders that we have selected to guide us through difficult times. When Aaron Twerski disgraces the very essence of our intellect by calling Lipa Margulies an honorable man...there is no stopping me!

So I am upset to the point of being a " crazy person" and every other adjective my detractors can think of. But my accounting will be given to Hashem, not some earthly human; and whenever that day comes, I will go proudly, knowing full well my intentions were pure; no money, plaques, chicken dinners, or any other human reward. I do not want to sully any reward I may or may not get from my Creator.

There will be more...much, much more; this Thursday I will go public with the next yeshiva cover-up and their in-house molester. I will not stop until we have an abuse-free yeshiva system and that includes their enablers.

I will let God judge me and my language; after all, I am human and have shortcomings. I'm willing to take that chance.

316 comments:

1 – 200 of 316   Newer›   Newest»
Anonymous said...

Clap Clap Clap. I give you a standing ovation.

Anonymous said...

"When Aaron Twerski disgraces the very essence of our intellect by calling Lipa Margulies an honorable man...there is no stopping me!"

Pro-Fresser Twerpski should go down in history for that atrocious quote.

Anonymous said...

way to go, uo.

But, while project PROTECT is in the news, what the folks in the maie room on up need to know is that you are watching them.

Your comments are incisive, well intentioned. But, in all fairness to Rabbi E. Wasserman, who wanted to be a perfect korban, why abuse the memory of a kadosh for underestimateing Hitler?

Otherwise, keep up the good work. Bravo.

Anonymous said...

Keep up your holy work.
Don't stop until Klall Yisroel is rid of those rabbis who have been abusing all of us with their chumras and kissing the behinds of our criminals.

Anonymous said...

Very fitting that UOJ would employ a moshol from the Pied Piper of Hamelin, Germany. According the Brothers Grimm version of events, the Piper in 1284 put children at risk over money.

The contemporary cryptographer Hans Dobbertin, unearths earlier versions of the legend that are even more sinister.

Anonymous said...

mmm. what do the torah codes say?

and so it shall be... said...

Kol Hakavod. For what it's worth, I salute, support, and stand with you. Proudly.

Anonymous said...

A 21 gun salute for UOJ is in order.

Anonymous said...

Reb Shmuel Kaminetzky says that we have to assume that kolko did teshuva ?? I thought that if someone commits a sin against his fellow man he has to ask mechila from that person as well !!!

No Reb Shmuel. Yidi Kolko or any child molester can do teshuva if he ate chalav stam or didn't bentch with a hat on his head. Not child molestation !!!!

Anonymous said...

UOJ,
Can I give you a kvittel to read? You are a holy man,tzaddik.
I need some daas torah.
Where should I send my daughter to seminary?
Which yehiva should I send my son? Is it ok to play baseball with my kids?
Should my kids be in the same class as kids from non b'nei torah homes?
Oh great god of daas torah, I worship you.

Anonymous said...

UOJ for Man of the Decade.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know of an alleged molester in Yeshiva of Spring Valley?

Anonymous said...

OUJ You write that come this Thursday, you will out the next yeshiva and offender. Does that mean "Gottesman" (whoever that Gottesman guy is) refuses to take any action, or is unable to take any action? Why would you think that Gottesman has any influence over any school? Do you know this Gottesman? Does Gottesman even care to get involved? Does Gottesman have what to hide himself?

Please enlighten us, UOJ.

Anonymous said...

A group of us are forming a Yeshiva Parents and Friends Association. Our agenda is making our schools safer, better, affordable.

I wrote an article about the tuition problem in the Jewish Press of January 11, 2006 entitled, "Resolving the Yeshiva Tuition Crisis". Go to www.jewishpress.com, click onto Front Page Essay, and you will find it. The article proposes a few solutions to the problem, and advocates a Parents Association. I gave my email address at the end of the article, and numerous people have contacted me.

I've also been active in attempting to rid our schools of the abuse problem, which includes successfully lobbying the NY State Legislature for a bill allowing our yeshivas to fingerprint its employees, and conduct national criminal background checks. This bill just passed, as reported in this week's Jewish Week.

I and others have numerous good ideas to make things better - to lower our tuition, to rid ourselves of the abuse problem, to improve our secular studies, etc.

Please contact me at the email address below.

Elliot B. Pasik
Attorney at Law
Long Beach, New York
efpasik@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Why are you dragging R' Reuven into this?

Anonymous said...

UOJ,
Who is Shlomo Gottesman that you elected to e-mail to in the previous post?

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Shlomo Gottesman is my gofer. I asked him to make certain that the yeshivas involved get the message.

He has no power, he is the official TU lackey.

I have an insider at TU who tells me that Gottesman did NOT pass my e-mail along to the yeshivas until I posted it on the blog. Rasha!

Anonymous said...

uoj chosid;

You forgot one question, so I'll post it for you:

Can I go bowling with my wife at least once a month without incurring the wrath of Sekula of YTV?

Anonymous said...

When UOJ takes a shot at moysdos making chicken dinners to kiss the butts of askonim, that's crossing the line.

We have enough trouble with the Feds investigating us for ripping off consumers.

http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/newscontent.php3?artid=12662

Anonymous said...

There may be more than one Rabbi Shlomo Gottesman. The editor of "Yeshurun" goes by that name. There's also someone by that name who gives a shiur at the O.Z. shul on the Upper West Side.

http://chareidi.shemayisrael.com/CHK66features2.htm

He is skilled as an official reader out loud of questions.

http://www.jewishpress.com/page.do/12811/%3Ci%3EMy%3C%2Fi%3E_Machberes.html

He gets to play co-chairman with George Weinberger at halacha confabs.

http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=9479

He seems to have once tried & failed to get a yeshiva off the ground.

Anonymous said...

We must be careful, uoj, who we label a rosho.

One shlomo gottesman was in an Israeli yeshiva with a molesting rosh yeshiva. He wouldn't protect anyone protecting anyone.

If you're going to label people as evil on the internet, it would be politic to avoid identity confusion.

Anonymous said...

Can't a man get any respect?

UOJ announces I'm his shick yingel and all of a sudden I go from being a nobody to everyone clamoring to know who I am. This is scary. Whoever UOJ touches turns to dreck.

Anonymous said...

Gottesman,

Take it from a guy who was born with the name Yaakov Cohen. When you play around with the safety of Yiddishe kinder, "no respect" is least of your problems.

Anonymous said...

I can't take this crap. I thought it was smooth sailing going into retirement, but I can't get much rest following all these posts on UOJ. Does the city and UOJ ever sleep?

I wish UOJ and Pasik would just go away. This is major bushos for me.

Anonymous said...

That's nothing Fishman. Try answering the high volume of calls coming in to blast us and especially Avi Shafran over that fraudulent op-ed. It's more than any underpaid gal at a haymishe organization can take.

Anonymous said...

That's because when UOJ talks, people listen.

Anonymous said...

UOJ you never replied directly to the Sophisticated Readers comments.
Will it change or stay as is ?

Anonymous said...

Der Rebbe Reb UOJ,
I have a tzura. We live in Lakewood and I am in Kollel. Boruch Hashem,my ezer kenegdoi has a well paying job in Manhattan and boruch Hashem I am able to stay in learning. We have 8 kinderlech k'neine hora. I think my wife is having a crisis in emuna and bitachon. She says she is oisgemitchet from the travelling and of taking care of the tirah kinderlach. This is not such a problem, she only takes care of them before she goes to work and when she comes home.During the day, this nice Hispanic lady name Juanita (sounds like Yonit)with good hashkofos takes care of the teyrah neshomellach. She is very religious.
Anyways, back to my tzura. My rebbetzin said that she wants me to get a job. I told her that I thought she wanted to marry a ben torah and I thought that she was a bas torah. I also told her that she can't fargin that I get a nap every afternoon. She must be a very jealous person. She complains that I don't get out of bed until 8:30 and that she has to be up at 5:30. I told her she should be more organized and she has to work on her middos and that she has to go to more shiurrim. Her emuna and bitochon needs some shoring up. Is my marriage a mekach toas? Should I be megaresh her?
What does Daas Torah say?

Anonymous said...

Oy vey! A letz is making fun of Lakewood kollel with a parody.

You poser!

Anonymous said...

uoj chosid, speak to scheinberg-no penetration=no more kids-stay in kollel until your wife gets sick.
she is only a kali for your needs. who cares what she wants.

Anonymous said...

The women who are n'shei chayil are tsidkaniyos, even if you don't approve of their arrangements.

They are taught in Bais Yaakov schools etc. that this is their main avoidah, avoidah.

Adam l'amel yulad.

Uoj was born to write essays and checks.

Frum women have no time to write. It's not your world, just like Chassidishe communities have the right to teach, preach and live as they wish.

Get a life. His wife isn't complaining. They'll manage.

Anonymous said...

There was once a jerk whose shver lost his money. He told his wife that "full support" means exactly that, so he forced her to take a job with at least 3 hours daily of commute time. That was a major tumult. You should have heard all the noise in dormitory over that.

Anonymous said...

Nate Klein,
What am I posing for?

Anonymous said...

Wasn't there a Philly talmid in Lakewood who committed suicide because he had a lot of choyvess?

Anonymous said...

daas torah,
Did I chas v'sholom say that I care what my wife wants? I want to know what daas torah wants. Should I be megaresh her? Do I have another eitzah? She is so baalbatish, am I am so disappointed.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
The women who are n'shei chayil are tsidkaniyos, even if you don't approve of their arrangements.

They are taught in Bais Yaakov schools etc. that this is their main avoidah, avoidah.

Adam l'amel yulad.

Uoj was born to write essays and checks.

Frum women have no time to write. It's not your world, just like Chassidishe communities have the right to teach, preach and live as they wish.

Get a life. His wife isn't complaining. They'll manage.

_______________________________

Thie above is a parody. I think. I hope.

Anonymous said...

uoj chosid,
keep taking your naps. me thinks you are getting up too early. after all all bnei torah need a lot of rest. if she continues to give you a hard time get a pilegesh. these bais yaakov girls are bad news, no more mesiras nefesh from them.

Anonymous said...

There was also that idiot whose shver promised him $100,000. Except he changed his mind after sheva brochos when he found out the yungerman was a good for nothing batlan and am haaretz. The yungerman was mazmin his shver to a din Torah. Someone confronted the yungerman and asked him if he knew a single blatt in Shas. The answer was no. When the yungerman even admitted he didn't even know how many parshiyos there are in the Torah, he dropped the din Torah.

Anonymous said...

daas torah,
I think you are my new rebbe. UOJ doesn't answer me.
I want to take my daily nap but my bais yaakov/apikores wife is not letting me. She want me to get... gulp..a ... job.
What do I tell her? How do I stop this insanity?

Anonymous said...

Reverand Moon,

We don't care what some cultist jerk has to say, especially when you are best buddies with Leib Pinter's mechutan.

http://www.trueloveking.net/Fruits%20of%20True%20Love/Chapter07/html/07_192.html

Besides, the real Moonies are on 16th Ave in Boro Park.

Anonymous said...

Uoj chossid,
do what i always do. i use a bochurs bed in the dorm. are you nuts, half the kolel does that.

Anonymous said...

Diss iz a big, big problem. Ever since I vas coming from Schveitz. I vas seeing deez batlonishe yungerleit in bochurim's beds. Especially in da rrrooms ver dey have lots of reading material like Jewish Press and NY Post.

Anonymous said...

Daas Torah,
You are starting to worry me. I know how & where to take a nap.
You are not giving me daas torah for my problem.
The machsheifa wants me to leave kollel. Hashem Yerchem. I heard that there are no naps in the tumenah work velt.

I think I will have to go find daas torah, somewhere else.

Anonymous said...

Mi keamchoh yisroel, a nation that can assemble hundreds of thousands of people to complete the cycle of the daily daf.

Mi keamchoh yisroel, who can distribute tens of thousands of dollars every Thursday night to families in need.

Mi keamchoh yisroel, who can spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually on kosher food.

Mi keamchoh yisroel, who can assemble miyonim in any city in the US, and worldwide.

Mi keamchoh yisroel, who spends hundreds of millions of dollars on Passover vacations, while paying less than their fair share of yeshivah tuition.

Mi keamchoh yisroel, whose leaders urge vigilance when drinking tap water, while ignoring the battered wives, the abused children and the drug addicts among us.

Mi keamchoh yisroel, who can worry about the source of human hair wigs, while refusing to implement safeguards in our yeshivah system designed to prosecute sex offenders, regardless of religion.

Mi keamchoh yisroel, who can't guarantee the safety of its most valuable assets, its children, from sexual abuse in its yeshivos -while every other child in any other school system enjoys safeguards that put the best interests of children first.

Mi keamchoh yisroel indeed.

Anonymous said...

Do yeshivos actually allow families who spend 50 large for a Florida Pesach to not pay full tuition?

Anonymous said...

Alexis de Tocqueville, a Frenchman who observed the United States in the early decades of its existence, famously said, "In a democracy, the people get the government they deserve."

He surely did not mean that as a compliment. What he was getting at, I believe, is that when people don't get involved, don't ask their leaders tough questions, don't demand their leaders be accountable to them, but instead let themselves be led around by any demagogue who comes around, then their leaders will be second rate (at best), corrupt, self-serving, and prone to pointing at scapegoats rather than actually deal with problems.

We, too, have gotten the leaders we deserved. For how many years have we put up with incompetent educators because they had families (and beards) and we didn't want them to lack parnosoh? Never mind that our children, our familes were the ones being short changed.

For how many years have we put up with ganovim who steal 6 days a week - from the government, from their partners, from their customers - and get maftir on the 7th because they give money to mosdos to help defray our costs? Never mind that giving stolen money to a yeshiva or tzedakah is money laundering, and that we have turned genayvah from a chayt into a mitzvah, and ganovim from resha'im into tzadikim.

For how many years have we put up with Rabbonim who tell us that "such and such person" isn't frum because they don't wear the right color hat (or a hat at all) or the wrong shirt, or because they rely on a heter from Rav Moshe Feinstein to eat Haagen Daaz or milk that doesn't turn sour after 3 days in the refrigerator, or because they (gasp) own a television set? Never mind that these people are Shomer Shabbos, keep Kosher, send their kids to Yeshivah, give tzedakah.

By accepting all the baloney in frum society, the hypocrisy, the keeping up with the Joneses (and Schwatzes), the equation of outward religiosity with religion, of outward frumkeit with being frum - by valuing with our actions (if not with our mouths) money and status and reputation over being a simple mensch, we have allowed Rabbonim to rise to positions of authority who also value money and status and reputation. Should we truly be surprised?

I don't mean to excuse those Rabbonim who cannot wrap their heads around the reality that some people who are called "Rabbi" are resha'im. Anyone who doesn't rise like Pinchas to grab a proverbial spear and smite the resha'im who prey on children should be ashamed of themselves. And anyone who apologizes for the resha'im who prey on our children can never be excused.

But if some (Or most. Or all) of the leadership of the Agudah and other organizations are so obtuse and wrong-headed, how come we didn't notice before? How come we weren't outraged before? How come we didn't do something before? If our leaders are blind, then why have they been allowed to lead?

Like anyone in any democracy, we have choices. We can vote with our wallets, refusing to financially support any mossad of any Rav who doesn't come out clearly and unambiguously for mandatory finger-printing of rebbeim. We can vote with our children, taking them out of any yeshivah that doesn't reform, creating new yeshivos if necessary. We can vote with our bodies, refusing to daven in the shul of any Rav who doesn't yell and scream and hock every Shabbos before mussaf about saving our children. We can vote by following Rabbonim who command our respect with their actions, not with their rhetoric and certainly not with the length of their beards.

Or we can vote with our inertia. And let the drek float to the top.

If our leaders won't lead, then perhaps they'll at least follow. Change doesn't have to come from the top. It can come from the bottom too.

Joels W. said...

I say we start a movement for Haredi revisionism. Let's tell the true stories.

Anonymous said...

UOJ,

I hope you take precautions for your safety, the evil power that be knows that you can destroy them and they might try to hurt you.

I pray for your safety

Anonymous said...

I agree with UOJ that most of the gedolim of our generation are bums. I used to think that the gedolim of previous generations were better.

We all taught that the chofetz Choyim wan an angel among monkeys. Then one day I read on frumteens.com that the chofetz Choyim called Rav Kook “Kook Shmok” and referred to Jewish Communists as descendants of Amalek. If true, then the corruption of gedolim started much earlier.

I do have a book which I received for my bar-mitzva , “A Tzaddik in Our Time”

(http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0873061306/sr=8-2/qid=1151832400/ref=sr_1_2/002-8234298-2001657?ie=UTF8).

I was told by the Israeli side of my family which is not Charedi that the book is true and actually does not do justice to this holy man.

So maybe there is hope.

Anonymous said...

I was so turned off by Rabbi Reuven Feinstein endorsing a Passover hotel. Keep in mind he was not giving hashgacha, he was endorsing the hotel along those lines: “ I am spending Passover in hotel X, so you should do the same”

What’s next ? Gedolim endorse Landau Candies, “I suck Landau candies, should not you?”

Anonymous said...

That sum of 50 grand to Florida doesn't include air fare, car rentals etc

Anonymous said...

Then there are the people who go to private villas for Pesach overseas that cost between 50 to 100 grand a person. Some of them lie and tell everyone they were at a Florida hotel.

Anonymous said...

Mi keamchoh yisroel, which has people such as UOJ willing to do battle with institutionalized corruption at the highest level?

Mi keamchoh yisroel, which has people such as UOJ willing to expose our Pseudo-Leaders and Cover-Up-Gedolim who pontificate but do nothing except protect their own asses?

Look around us and see. We are a great nation. We are deserving of great leaders, not charlatans.

Anonymous said...

What about the absurd cost of going to the "in" bungalow colony to keep up with the Kleins, Weisses and Schwartzes? How many of these people make excuses not to pay tuition and shift the burden to everyone else?

Anonymous said...

You mean keeping up with Kolko at Regency. But that doesn't necessarily include getting beaten up at a bris milah.

Anonymous said...

disillusionist, You got it all wrong. The Chofetz Chaim never said it. That commment is attributed to someone else.

Anonymous said...

Yankel;

You're on target. BTW, Was Alexis de Tocqueville Jewish? Don't think so, in which case Shafran will dismiss his comments as treif.

Here is a recent "Can You Top This" to add to your list of frumkeit/krumkeit.
A Flatbush ultra-Chareidi Rov recently married off a child and had a Mechitza placed straight down the middle of the Chupah aisle, separating the Women and Men. This is Yiddishkeit? Did our Fathers and Zaidys do this? Nope.

Yankel; With a very few exceptions, you can take our current "Gedolim" and Das Toirah and toss them.

How many weeks left to the Shabbos Shuva Droshos?

Anonymous said...

Boog,

Just returned from a week away and I have a lot of catching up to do.

Who is this wacko Rov? If you don't want to publicize it email me: grossblogger@yahoo.com

Regards

Anonymous said...

Reliable sources have informed me that a baby in Boro Park is criticially ill after infection as a result of Metzitzah B'Peh. It has been kept hush-hush. Frightening to think of how many cases are unreported. The ignorance in the community is sickening and for people to claim "victory" after the "agreement" with the NYS Health Commissioner was reached is just beyond words. There's no question this bitch is in Satmar's pockets. Am I the only one outraged?

Anonymous said...

Nope, I'm with you Gross. If you read recent Press accounts you'll note that Tom Frieden has serious issues with the agreement and voiced them to State health Commish Novella.

Several infectious disease experts also voiced doubts that mouth rinsing by the Mohel immediately prior to MBP is effective.

The agreement effectuated by Novella does not protect babies and is a political kowtow to the Charedei voting bloc.

Gross, If you know who this family is, make a report to the NYC Dept of Health; ATTN: Tom Frieden.

In answer to your question regarding my earlier post above, his initials are A.S.

Anonymous said...

FailedMessiah has picked up the story as well

http://failedmessiah.typepad.com/failed_messiahcom/2006/07/another_circumc.html

Anonymous said...

To the one that knows about a baby that is sick due to metzitza Bippeh
If you indeed have reliable info then you are Mechuyav Mid -Orysa to tell the authorities.
If you dont feel comfy about his then tell UOJ or Rabbi Moshe Tendler .
I am sure they can handle this case .
Please DO NOT hesitate . This is a matter of Pikuach nefesh as the parents of this child are probably afraid to look for medical help for fear of retribution from thier kehilla.

Anonymous said...

uoj,
respect rabonim and u will be more respected...once u make light of "big names" u r made light of..
getting rid of mollesters is a good thing..embarassing gedolim and good ppl is a verrrrry bad thing

Anonymous said...

Gross:

Re: the baby ill as a result of metzitzah b'peh

In view of all the information that is currently available about the dangers of metzitzah b'peh, it seems to me that the mohel is guilty of, at this point, second degree reckless assault, New York Penal Law Section 120.05(4) and he'd better hope that the child does not die, chas v'shalom, because then he'd be guilty of reckless manslaughter.

This being the case, if this has indeed occurred, the time has come to challenge that jerk of a DA in Brooklyn to investigate and bring charges in these cases.


That, I suspect, will be the only way this extremely dangerous practice will stop. Oh, I forgot. The charedim are responsible for the jerk's reelection last year.

Ronnie Schreiber said...

Since the esteemable Mr. gross raised the subject of Metzitzah B'Peh, I have to say that I'm a little mystified at the controversy, mostly because the mohel the my family has used doesn't perform MPB and I understood it to be a minhag practiced only by a minority of a minority, some chasidim. But then, we follow the minhagim of my mother's family who are Litvaks.

[Editor's note, much of the following is from an article on MBP by Shlomo Sprecher - I've edited it some, but don't accuse me of plagiarism since I readily admit that it was mostly written by Dr. Sprecher]
Sefer HaBrit is by R. Moshe Bunim Pirutinsky, a prominent NYC mohel who studied at the Chafetz Chayim Yeshiva in Radin, Poland as well as Mir (in Europe and Shanghai). The haskamot in the preface have been called "remarkable" in terms of the status of the rabbis who have endorsed this sefer: Rabbis C. Shmulevitz, Y. Hutner, Y. Ruderman, M. M. Zaks, M. Gifter, M. Feinstein and S. Kotler. And these aren't just "my good talmid R. Ploni told me that the author is a yiras shamayim" haskamot. R. Pirutinsky cites R. Shlomo HaKohen of Vilna, Rabbi Y. Y. Rabinowitz, the Chief Rabbi of Poneviez, Rabbi Eliyahu Klatzkin, Chief Rabbi of Mariampol and later Lublin as all allowing metzitzah other than by direct oral contact - e.g. with a dressing, sponge or tube.

R. Pirutinsky quotes R. Chaim Berlin: “I wonder at your efforts to gather rabbinic opinions approving the new method of meẓiẓah via a tube, since does one need to permit the permitted and to proclaim pure that which is pure? Nowhere is it recorded in Ḥazal that meẓiẓah needs to be performed exclusively by oral suction. Nevertheless, one should not change the old practice of oral suction except when there is any possibility of any danger.”

Rabbi Elyakim Shapiro, the Chief Rabbi of Grodno, writes,
“I remember when I was young that there were many unfortunate episodes caused by MBP from one with an unclean mouth. To substitute direct oral suction by utilization of a tube is clear to us to be totally permitted without any hesitations.”

Other authorities cited by R. Pirutinsky as permitting a substitute for MBP (utilizing either a tube or manual pressure) include the author of the ‘Arukh ha-Shulḥan, the author of the Divrei Malkiel, Rabbi Dovid Friedman of Karlin, and Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. Rabbi Pirutinsky then contributes additional information: “It is well-known that ... Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik, the Chief Rabbi of Brisk, summoned the Mohelim of his community and instructed them to cease performing MBP. Many other Gedolim have corroborated this information. So too, I have heard from
the holy Gaon, Rav Aaron Kotler, who said to me, ‘I have always seen Gedolim who have stopped the practice of
MBP. However, I will not stop you if you choose to perform MBP.’”

Finally, Rabbi Pirutinsky cites the Ḥazon ‘Ish as consenting to serve as sandek even when MBP was not performed.


[End of material drawn from Dr. Sprecher's article - the following opinion is my own, not Dr. Sprecher's]

R. Chaim Berlin's comment "since does one need to permit the permitted and to proclaim pure that which is pure?" sounds so out of place in today's frum velt worried about meaningly chumrahs.

The failure of today's Litvishe "gedolim" and roshei yeshiva to speak out on what is the authentic Litvishe mesora concerning MBP, and their efforts to circle the wagons with Satmar and the other MBP fanatics, might be disappointing, but that would mean that expect better of them.

Ronnie Schreiber said...

gross,

"ignorance in the community"?

I was talking with a frummie lady about the "shidduch problem" and she insisted that it was all due to a surplus of females, as if the 50.0001/49.9999 female/male ratio is going to result in any kind of significant bubble in a cohort the size of 19-22 y/o frum Jews. No amount of showing her the actual statistics about infant mortality in males etc. would change her mind.

gross, my cyber friend, it isn't just ignorance, it's studied ignorance. People choosing to believe illusions because to admit the truth is to admit that all is not perfect in FrumWorld (tm).

Anonymous said...

UOJ,

I don't know who you are, or much else about you. All I know is what I see on your blog, from what you say (and alot of what you don't say), and from the comments that you allow to be posted. What I perceive is rather paradoxical, and thus, intriguing.

You clearly are on the right path regarding the pedophile issue. Although it can be argued in the annals of Halacha that a lot of what you put out there may not be permissible, it is unfortunately quite well documented that those that are supposed to be figuring out what can and can't halachically be said and/or done about the issue (as a whole and as relates to each specific case) are not stepping up to the plate, and thus a radical "war" must be waged to reverse the decades-long mess we yidden have gotten ourselves into. You certainly are waging such a war, and hopefully it will ultimately be an effective one (to some degree it already has been effective, but the goals are more long term than what we have seen so far).

Along the way, many other issues come up, and in some cases your strong opinions dominate the discussion. Some of them I find distressing, more because I want to respect you because of the good you are doing and find your views incompatible than because I strongly disagree with you. What also bothers me is that to accomplish anything in the arena of battling sexual abuse in the Yeshiva does not at all require the airing of these other controversial opinions, and yet you insist on venting about these other issues, which takes away from the value of what you can accomplish and are accompishing.

Let me be a little more specific. You seem to have a problem with "this Godol thing", maintaining that it "has to go." However, regardless of how many examples of Godol breakdown and failure you can cite, we nevertheless have always had Gedolim, and we have been instructed by our Torah to have and follow Gedolim in every generation ("v'el hachachochim asher yihiyu bayamim haheim").

You decry the fact that R' A L Shteinman stated that the NY Board of Health are "goyim out to hurt the Jews" or something like that, when he doesn't even know what herpes is. Why is this a problem? You think that if he knew what herpes is he would realize that they are really trying to help the yidden in NY? Isn't it possible that a holy man like him (even I, a real cynic, felt kedusha in his presence) can perceive the emmes without ever hearing of herpes? Honestly, do you, who knows what herpes is, think the NY Board of Health is trying to help klal yisroel? And anyway, of all the EY Gedolim, R Shteinman is the most forward about the issues of the day (in fact just when he began to be looked to for guidance, when R Shach faded away, he presented an opinion about frum yidden vis-a-vis "civillian army service" which caused his immediate "dethroning" by the kanaishe velt in EY), so wouldn't we want him to guide us rather than those of the more narrowminded variety?

You yell and scream about R Scheinberg's multiple tzitzis (now unfortunately he has minimal relevance, because of some accusations against him), as if he is a nut case and not a learned, wise man. What happened to "hizoher migachalasan shel talmidei chachomim"? As far as the accusations being made in the lawsuits, I wasn't there, and you weren't there, so who knows what was really said, if anything? Yelling about Scheinberg will not in any way enhance your cause, and it certainly will not evoke a clarifying response from his camp.

You accuse R Elchanan Wasserman of retzicha, etc. Were you around in the mid-to-late 30s, so that you could have a sense of what was believed and what was known about the yet-to-occur Holocaust? Aren't you afraid of the talmud muvhak of the Chofetz Chaim? How does denigrating him lend value to your cause?

Your comment section reads like the Tonight Show monologue. Admittedly, many of the lines are funny, but isn't the whole thing grossly misplaced, when the business you set out to do is of a rather somber nature? (I know you recently sort of responded to this to someone else who emailed you, but "der kashe is besser fun der teretz").

So I find you intriguing. But I also find that I am afraid that ultimately you may fail at the task at hand, because you bring upon yourself so much stigma, making it difficult if not impossible for the more fair-minded among us to rally with and behind you.

If you decide to post any of this, I do not mind (so long as you don't quote anything out of context), but please leave out any identifying factors relating to me.

Ronnie Schreiber said...

Ouch, I apologize for such poor editing.

MBP

the mohel that my family uses

meaningless

but that would mean that I expect better of them.

Ronnie Schreiber said...

Anonymous,

The reason why UOJ cannot restrict himself to the issue of molesting teachers is that the abuse and coverup is symptomatic of a systemic rot in the frum community.

As far as R. Wasserman is concerned, do you consider him a kadosh because he went back to lead his students in their hour of travail? Why? Were you around in the mid-to-late 30s, so that you could have a sense of what was believed and what was known about the yet-to-occur Holocaust? If you are willing to give R. Wasserman credit for being a knowing martyr, you can't say he didn't know what was going on.

UOJ's point is not that R. Wasserman was a rasha, God forbid, but that he was a human and made at least one really bad mistake that led to his students' deaths. There were visas available, but all of his da'as Torah led him to one of only two conclusions that I can see: 1. That the Nazis were not a serious danger or 2. Dying in Europe was better than living in America.

Ronnie Schreiber said...

BTW, Anonymous, Jews have always laughed about serious subjects. It's one way we have kept somewhat sane over these centuries.

If UOJ and his blog was as sober as a judge, it wouldn't have gotten the attention it needed to get.

Anonymous said...

Re: kadosh status. If you have ever read the description of his martyrdom, you would understand why.

Some believers rely exclusively on bitachon, others, upon themselves.

I wasn't there and will not sit in judgement. As you suggest, many Jews of that generation refused emigration because of perceived threats to Yiddishkeit in America. My grandparents lost many relatives and arrived here in the twenties due to specific circumstances beyond their control. They expressed the view many times that if fate hadn't forced them here early, they would certainly have chosen to stay in Europe whatever that meant.

Hindsight is always 20/20.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Anonymous,

The reason why UOJ cannot restrict himself to the issue of molesting teachers is that the abuse and coverup is symptomatic of a systemic rot in the frum community.

As far as R. Wasserman is concerned, do you consider him a kadosh because he went back to lead his students in their hour of travail? Why? Were you around in the mid-to-late 30s, so that you could have a sense of what was believed and what was known about the yet-to-occur Holocaust? If you are willing to give R. Wasserman credit for being a knowing martyr, you can't say he didn't know what was going on.

UOJ's point is not that R. Wasserman was a rasha, God forbid, but that he was a human and made at least one really bad mistake that led to his students' deaths. There were visas available, but all of his da'as Torah led him to one of only two conclusions that I can see: 1. That the Nazis were not a serious danger or 2. Dying in Europe was better than living in America.

-----------------------------------

Editor and Anon,

The Editor expressed my sentiments in both above comments. I do NOT doubt that R' Elchonon was in fact a holy man...but a "man" he was not more.

My information however is from people who lived in that era was that R' Elchonon made his decision on what he DID know; that the Nazis were marching through Europe intent on killing ALL the Jews. He made that abominable decision based on knowledge NOT Ignorance.

R' Shteinman is as well a holy man...lehibadel l'chaim..., but he has NO knowledge at all what he signed on to regarding MBP. History will not judge him kindly.

Pinchos Scheinberg may have Torah knowledge, but he is a rasha gamur and a sick weirdo. Anyone that can distort our Torah the way he did should and will rot in Hell. I hope soon!

Ronnie Schreiber said...

Yes, hindsight is 20/20. Rav Wasserman made a mistake, that is clear. And yes, I've read the Artscroll version of his final days. It's a sanitized hagiography, like almost all of Artscroll biographies.

Anonymous said...

Pinchos Scheinberg may have Torah knowledge, but he is a rasha gamur and a sick weirdo. Anyone that can distort our Torah the way he did should and will rot in Hell. I hope soon!
-----------------------------------
UOJ, it's not like you to mince words. C'mon, tell us what you really think about R.P.S.

BTW, thanks for the hat tip.

To the critics of UOJ and his supporters: You say that UOJ is guilty of Lashon HaRa, for which there supposedly is no tshuva. Do you have any idea how perniciously dangerous the idea is that you cannot do tshuva? The Nefesh HaChayim says that simply the mindset of doing an aveirah will predispose a person to committing another aveirah. As you gleefully tell people that you consider to be insufficiently frum that they have no chance of redemption, understand that you are encouraging them to do aveirahs.

If we have problems in our lives, the frum world is quick to point the finger. If our kids are "at risk" or go "off the derech", it's our fault, not the teachers and rebbes who spend more time with our kids than we do. If we have a problem in our lives it's our fault for not learning enough or not being frum enough or for having internet accesss or a television, but never because modern frumkeit refuses to give guidance on how to make yourself a better person. If you never acknowledge any fault, you can't give guidance on how to rectify. I'm a menuval, a tzadik can only teach me if he shows me how he went from being a menuval to a tzadik.

I don't want my grandchildren to be frummies, I want them to be Jews.

Anonymous said...

Editor:

I think "FrumWorld" has been operating too long without a bobbin or an oil squirt (wink wink)!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Boog:
As I am certain you agree, Frieden’s intentions were and are unquestionably noble. Anyone who thinks (or claims to think) otherwise is an idiot. He has bent over backwards to treat with kid gloves and cater to the stubborn whims of the orthodox community. The effectiveness that “mouth rinsing” has on the prevention of bacterial and/or viral transmittance in an instance of MBP can be refuted with a ninth-grade-level knowledge of biology - let alone an expert. Novello is more than a Charedi brown-noser; there is no doubt in my mind that the reason for her implicit $upport lie$ deeper than vote$. From what I understand it’s the Governor who decides on the NYS Health Commissioner anyway.

I don’t know who the family is (read more about my source on Shmarya’s blog) but rest assured, if I did there would be immediate “hell to pay."

Re: A.S., figures…he’s a Talibaner wacko!

Anonymous said...

To the well-intentioned anonymous:

You make good points but this is the third edition (twice before hacked) of UOJ's blog. This molestation issue is just icing on a big fat cake of corruption that UOJ and Co. has been eating away at for a little more than a year. Might I suggest you (re)read the mission statement.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

One person with an "ear" in the Health Dept. tells me that an associate of Frieden threw his hands up in the air at a closed door meeting and said " they want to infect their kids to death...let em...!

Anonymous said...

Editor:

Correction - "bobbin-change"

Ronnie Schreiber said...

One person with an "ear" in the Health Dept. tells me that an associate of Frieden threw his hands up in the air at a closed door meeting and said " they want to infect their kids to death...let em...!

See! Proof the Health Dept. are a bunch of sonei Yisrael who want Jewish kids to die!

[Sniff, sniff. Smell that, frummies? It's called sarcasm.]

Ronnie Schreiber said...

I'm trying to think if I've ever been at a brit milah where the mohel did MBP. Perhaps, but certainly never when I've been close enough to see the mohel work.

BTW, how many fathers of sons are here? Anybody else besides me do the actual cut? The mitzvah is on the father, when my nephew was born, my brother asked Rabbi Shail Zechariash if, once R.Z. set up the clamp, he could do the cut himself. Rabbi Z obliged and at my son's bris I also was, baruch hashem, able to bring my son into the brit myself. My cousin also did the cut on most of his sons, I believe.

Two things. Sharp enough for surgery or shaving, and all that stuff about dam milah is true. Lot's of blood.

Anonymous said...

mr. editor, sir.

If you are relying upon artscroll biographies, shame on you.

you would have more authority if you read primary sources in their original languages.

I forgot. You're just an editor.

Anonymous said...

It's not that UOJ is comparable to The Tonight Show. It's more like we strive to be as humorous and witty as UOJ's blog.

Anonymous said...

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885908986&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
A Jerusalem yeshiva teacher was under arrest Monday for allegedly sexually molesting teenage students in a city yeshiva, police said.

The 48-year-old suspect was apprehended late Sunday after a 20-year-old former yeshiva student issued a complaint with police that the teacher had repeatedly sexually abused him during his bar mitzvah lessons seven years ago.

Anonymous said...

What does the average yeshivishe joe do? MPB or no MPB?

Anonymous said...

Gross:

It is true that UOJ has been dealing with all sorts of corruption, but I believe that molestation makes all the other issues pale in comparison. I guess that I am just playig semantics with your calling it, "icing on the cake." It is THE CAKE.

By the way, a careful reading of the mission statement, does not resolve the issues brought up by the well-intentioned anonymous.

The mission statement simply provides insight into UOJ's ideals, goals, and purpose - something that the well-intentioned anonymous never took issue with. In fact, he lauded UOJ's good work.

Anonymous said...

Which Sprecher is that writing in Hakira? The one who Davens by Scheinerman or the one who gave the shiur by Nosson Dovid "the plagiarist" Rabinowich?

Anonymous said...

R' Mottel Orbach's name has been popping up frequently in the MBP debate with some commenters calling him "a nobody."

I happen to not agree with him on this one, but does anyone know the fine details of his shita? If he deems it must be performed - but by the baby's father - it would seem that there is much less risk, if any, of transmitting a disease.

R' Mottel happens to be a major talmid chochom who learned by R' Berel Soloveitchik. His basic complaint against the Agudah may have arisen over bris milah, but the underlying message of Zweibel et al, baal habatim, who hijack the leadership of Klal Yisroel is right on target.

R' Mottel is owed much credit for being the first non-RCA figure to publicly lambast sex pervert Mordechai Tendler before it was fashionable. He took heat for issuing strong condemnations and telling women to stay the hell away from him. He seems like someone who is capable of jumpstarting the movement to get pedophiles out of yeshivos. I think we stand much more to gain by reaching out to him for help than to add him to the list of rabbonishe punching bags.

Anonymous said...

http://jewishworker.blogspot.com/2006/07/jewish-observer-banned-edited.html

This Thug that signed thhis ban must be exposed to.
He is not a rosh yeshiva or manhig but a Kanoi that has been thrown out of telz in clevland years ago and settled in Monsey.
HE is known to be a thug and has a hand full of goons as followers.

Anonymous said...

If he deems it must be performed - but by the baby's father - it would seem that there is much less risk, if any, of transmitting a disease.

Ridiculous!

Ronnie Schreiber said...

Correction - "bobbin-change"

Great analogy Gross. The way sewing machines have worked since Isaac Singer made a fortune off of Elias Howe's invention is the needle pierces the fabric and puts the top thread through, the "rotating hook" is synchronized with the needle and passes the bobbin thread past the needle, engaging the top thread and creating the stitch, which is tightened as the needle goes back up, the take up arm tightens the thread and the process starts again for the next stitch.

If you don't have a bobbin, or forget to change it when the bobbin thread runs out, you don't get a stitch. Sometimes, you might get what appears to be beautiful embroidery on the top surface but it's an illusion. There is nothing anchoring the decorative thread.

FrumWorld (tm) is a mile wide and an inch deep. There's nothing anchoring most of the fluff on the surface.

Note to Anonymous:

If you are relying upon artscroll biographies, shame on you.

I apologize for giving the impression that I would ever rely on Artscroll to be accurate. As I said, they are sanitized hagiographies.

you would have more authority if you read primary sources in their original languages.

My preferred method of research actually. Depending on the language of course. Could you provide some citations for original sources. I'll check if they are available online or in a local library.

I make no claims to being a Jewish scholar or historian, just another Yid with an opinion. I try to be intellectually honest and I'd like to believe that I can change my opinion based on new evidence.

The accounts of Rabbi Wasserman's last days are indeed awesome. He was a great man operating, often, on a very spiritually pure plane. He was also a man. He had an opportunity to save himself and his students and he decided to act otherwise. While I stand in awe of the kedoshim who faced certain death with emunah, Rav Wasserman was offered yeshiva facilities in NYC and visas for his students at a time when the threat was already quite clear, and death was not yet certain. If the threat wasn't clear, why did people beg and plead with R.E.W. not to return to Europe?

Sheesh.

Frummies constantly are trying to make saints out of their icons, insisting that no tzadik ever made a mistake. I remember a ma'amar (and no, I can't remember the Gemara citation, so sue me) that says that the difference between sin and tshuvah is as thin as a thread, simply a matter of a change in direction. I also recall learning that the more righteous a person is, the greater a yetzer hara they have to overcome.

If you ask a frummie, the only bad thing any important Jew ever did was Miriam speaking Loshon HaRa. Avraham didn't risk Sarah's rape twice. David didn't send a man to his certain death so he could have his beautiful widow. Da'as Torah and Da'as Chachamim are always right, and when they've been wrong we just don't talk about it - that would be Loshon HaRa or worse.

In a book about Jewish partisans, perhaps the Bielsky brothers, there was an account of how the partisans would deliver food to Jews living in the forests and how one very pious Jew died of starvation right before liberation because he would not eat treif. I'm sorry but that pious Jew made a bad mistake and I'm not willing to believe that eating treif might have killed him as one rabbi tried to explain to me.

Religious Jews make mistakes just like everyone else.

Anonymous said...

I'm told that if Kolko doesn't get reinstated in YTT, he's looking into a new career as a mohel. He just has to figure out a way to not get beaten up by any one of the hundreds of his victims.

Anonymous said...

Gross,

What percentage of the population carries an orally transmittable form of Herpes? Is there any reliable test that the baby's father could take to see wether or not he is infected?

Anonymous said...

What's the halacha? Since Kolko will undoubtably be mechaven for something other than bris milah, is it still valid? I just need a pashut answer. Nothing philosophical from Moshe Tendler.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone notice how R' Shlomo Zalman was afraid to say anything about MBP lest Satmar unterveltniks throw bricks through his windows? How do you rein in on these savages who have harrassed everyone from R' Moshe Feinstein ztl on down? They didn't even listen to Rabbeinee Yoel.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like more proof that Hungarian-Roumanian Khazars don't shtam from Yidden. Is there any historical data that shows MBP was also some ancient pagan ritual?

Anonymous said...

You guys had better stop making fun of my buddies at Artscroll and the Agudah. I'm warning you. Otherwise I will run around to all the gedolim and lie to them about MBP and get them to sign a letter like I did with Slifkin.

Anonymous said...

Zushe;

Those magyars are some of the cavemen Rabbi Lamm referred to.

Anonymous said...

Is it true that Lakewood is considering doing away with the Takanat Rabbeinu Gershom, because it's just too hard to make a living on one wife's income?

Anonymous said...

If I would have known about Kolko in the good ol' days, I definitely would have had him blowing a horn for my band.

Anonymous said...

Johnny would have loved to do a skit on the Scheinberg psak. I could just see Johnny with 80 pairs of tzitis, beard, hat, coat dry humping Margo as Margo is counting the gelt from the dinner. That would a been a hoot.

Also Johnny doing a mock bet din...beards and all discussing "vat eez penetration?"

Saturday Night Live...go for it... Home Run!

Anonymous said...

Is there anyone out there that hasn't yet been impersonated on this blog?

Anonymous said...

I guess I haven't been impersonated yet. What do you have to do to get UOJ's attention?

Anonymous said...

Michael Broyde Report,

Why is there practically nothing posted on your blog?

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Irving,

You want attention? Simple, refer to gangster Margulies as a "man of honor."

Anonymous said...

Kolko and Twerski should immediately resign. It is the "honorable" thing to do for this country, this klal.

Anonymous said...

Who is this Margo character that everyone is overwhelming the Hofstra switchboard about?

Anonymous said...

aaron from Los angeles said...
Is it true that Lakewood is considering doing away with the Takanat Rabbeinu Gershom, because it's just too hard to make a living on one wife's income?
--------------------------------
The KCL are the ones that are kosherizing this very old takana, but Yudel Shain thinks its a bad idea

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
http://jewishworker.blogspot.com/2006/07/jewish-observer-banned-edited.html

This Thug that signed this ban must be exposed too.
He is not a Rosh Yeshiva or Manhig but a Kanoi that has been thrown out of telz in clevland years ago and settled in Monsey.
I have my doubts if he even has Semicha.
HE is known to be a thug and has a hand full of goons as followers.
*********************************
It is people like Bloch that have to be stopped, because this is how the Chareidim get new Gedolim, simply by signing bans.
Bloch is a no- body who wants respect and wants to make noise, so that he can b ecome accepted as a future Gadol.
We must stop this narishkiet before it gets out of hand.
Btw Bloch is a BIG follower of Rabbi Rosenblum which of course is no surprise, and Bloch is the one that forced Lander to stop plans on making a branch of TOURO COLLEGE in The Monsey area.
Lander backed down because of these threats.
Both Blochh and Rosinblum are thugs and have thugs working for them.

Anonymous said...

For the benefit of a shaygitz like me, can somone please define the word Kanoi? Thanks!

Anonymous said...

UOJ,
can we get a small hint as to what will hit the fan this thursday?
aLSO,
What ever happened with the yob/mandel case ??

Anonymous said...

What's the genuine Brooklyn view on Tendler, both senior and junior? Don't hold anything back. What do you see from eer hakoidesh on these two?

Anonymous said...

Hey Zush;

Why mess around with Takona Rabbeinu Gershom? Much easier to line up and set up a stable of pelagshim.

Have your cake and eat it, too.

Anonymous said...

I read an older posting about Iggud Harabbanim / Hershel Kurzrock. According to a friend in the beis din industry, Rabbi Kurzrock has slipped into senility and is the perfect tool for the Three Musketeers running that corrupt ship. Mendel Epstein, Gershon Tennenbaum and Yaakov Klass. Gangsters of the world unite!

Anonymous said...

Why can't all you characters post your addresses? This blog is a goldmine of who to shnorr from. You are all obligated to support any Israeli with a meshugass to buy a luxury apartment when their daughter gets married. So says me.

Anonymous said...

Eretz Yisrueldikke Shnorrer, you have to cut me for 40% of your shnorring. If it vasn't for me, this blog vouldn't even exist.

Anonymous said...

Simple Son:

Kanoi = Zealot (crazy fundamentalist)

Anonymous said...

Yeshiva teacher suspected of abuse
By ETGAR LEFKOVITS
Jerusalem Post
July 3, 2006
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885908986&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

A Jerusalem yeshiva teacher was arrested for allegedly sexually
molesting teenage students in a city yeshiva, police said on Monday.

The 48-year-old suspect was apprehended late Sunday after a 20-year-old
former yeshiva student complained to police that the teacher had
repeatedly sexually abused him during his bar mitzvah lessons seven years
ago.

The suspect confessed to the allegations against him, and even admitted
to sexually abusing other 12-15-year-old male pupils as well, Jerusalem
Police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said.

During his interrogation, the teacher said that he committed the acts
because he was "hot-blooded" and "not calm," the police said.

The suspected sexual predator was remanded in custody for four days by
the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court ahead of his indictment.

A court gag order bars publication of the suspect's name and that of
the Talmud Torah yeshiva he teaches at.

Police were trying to locate the teacher's other young victims.

Anonymous said...

why was the name and school name gag ordered?

Anonymous said...

"Dovid Pfeffer said...

Which Sprecher is that writing in Hakira? The one who Davens by Scheinerman or the one who gave the shiur by Nosson Dovid "the plagiarist" Rabinowich?"

No one who davens by Scheinerman [sic] would write an article like the one Dr. Sprecher wrote for Hakirah--an article marked by that much depth, insight, and commitment to overturning 'sacred cows' of the contemporary Charedi community cannot have come from a shul such as that. As far as I know, Dr. Sprecher has never given a shiur by R' Rabinowich.

Ronnie Schreiber said...

Frummies are busy on the JPost site right now denying that there is a problem and accusing the JPost of negatively focusing on Chareidim.

Ronnie Schreiber said...

BTW, I wonder if the victim in the Jerusalem case was inspired by David Framowitz and the publicity UOJ has given to the issue.

Anonymous said...

UOJ WRITES

Pinchos Scheinberg may have Torah knowledge, but he is a rasha gamur and a sick weirdo. Anyone that can distort our Torah the way he did should and will rot in Hell. I hope soon!

------------------------

To all you guys with heads screwed srewed on screwy,

I'D RATHER BE IN RABBI SCHEINBERG'S "HELL" THEN IN UOJ'S "HEAVEN."

Anonymous said...

By the way how come noone ever mentions my brother's name Leibi/Lawrence.
he has the right credentials
[1] married to a Reiss
[2] largest medicaid fraud in NYS history
[3] Hungarian/Khazar

Anonymous said...

One more thing, I really know that the Roshei Yeshivas and rabbonm are full of ..... Even though I am a total ignoramus, vulgar and a boorish loudmouth, they fawn over me as if I'm Montefiore,Rothschild and Jesus all rolled into one. If I would tell them that I lost all my money, I would be proclaimed the shtodt meshuggeneh and I wouldn't be able to draw flies.
They worship at the alter of the $.

Anonymous said...

UOJ WRITES

Pinchos Scheinberg may have Torah knowledge, but he is a rasha gamur and a sick weirdo. Anyone that can distort our Torah the way he did should and will rot in Hell. I hope soon!

UOJ is a sick man and an embarassment to frum society. Lest you think, I speak for myself, I asked the opinion of those who daven in my morning minyan (typical Flatbush shul) and those in my bungalow colony (again typical Flatbush with a smattering of Five Towns, Queens, B.P). About 60 in total

a) About 20-25 never heard of him. They are doing constructive things with their life and keeping busy.

b) Another 20-25 heard of him, but hate him passionately (I consider myself in this category)for ruining lives by allowing allegations to be printed on this ragsheet without corraborating the truth. Included in this category are those who hate his guts for being mivazeh talmidei chachamim (halo misanecha hashem esnah). What is especially infuriating is his cowardice and inability to take personal responsibility.

c) About 10 of them read this ragsheet and have no opinion about the guy. They do like the gossip and the lashon haro here (Lowlifes, in my opinion).

d) 2 People admitted openly to me that they hold of what he is doing. I might add that both are frustrated and bitter. One has serious parnossah problem; the other is all upset about losing a din torah. They claim that they post here to support UOJ. I assume that most of his supporters are losers like that who are bitter and resentful and rather than turning it into something constructive are connecting to the the king of the moshav leitzim.

While I will wait for G-d to give him what he deserves, I pray for a meeting ASAP. Kein yoivdu kol oyvecha.

Anonymous said...

Yankel, as a long time uoj reader, i nominate your last post for an award as definitely among the top 3 opinions I've read. It is so, so, sick that the rabbis can't denounce child abuse.

Anonymous said...

UOJ WRITES

Pinchos Scheinberg may have Torah knowledge, but he is a rasha gamur and a sick weirdo. Anyone that can distort our Torah the way he did should and will rot in Hell. I hope soon!

UOJ is a sick man and an embarassment to frum society. Lest you think, I speak for myself, I asked the opinion of those who daven in my morning minyan (typical Flatbush shul) and those in my bungalow colony (again typical Flatbush with a smattering of Five Towns, Queens, B.P). About 60 in total

a) About 20-25 never heard of him. They are doing constructive things with their life and keeping busy.

b) Another 20-25 heard of him, but hate him passionately (I consider myself in this category)for ruining lives by allowing allegations to be printed on this ragsheet without corraborating the truth. Included in this category are those who hate his guts for being mivazeh talmidei chachamim (halo misanecha hashem esnah). What is especially infuriating is his cowardice and inability to take personal responsibility.

c) About 10 of them read this ragsheet and have no opinion about the guy. They do like the gossip and the lashon haro here (Lowlifes, in my opinion).

d) 2 People admitted openly to me that they hold of what he is doing. I might add that both are frustrated and bitter. One has serious parnossah problem; the other is all upset about losing a din torah. They claim that they post here to support UOJ. I assume that most of his supporters are losers like that who are bitter and resentful and rather than turning it into something constructive are connecting to the the king of the moshav leitzim.

While I will wait for G-d to give him what he deserves, I pray for a meeting ASAP. Kein yoivdu kol oyvecha.

Anonymous said...

Hershey Friedman is days late and many dollars too short. His brother Lawrence was already mentioned here a while ago.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Tuvyah/Anonymous,

Thanks for putting up your brilliant statistical analysis. You sent this work of genius in many times under different names.

You and your bungalow friends can line up and kiss my rear end. What have you guys done recently for the klal? Built a new house on Bedford Av? Steal some Medicaid money recently? Play softball on Sunday?

Come on...whose got the nicest bungalow...I mean summer home in your place?

Hey bungalow putz...take a hike, I hope you don't come begging to help you when you find out your kid's rebbe has been poking him in the basement.

Anonymous said...

uoj has done flatbush and every bungalow colony a great service. He also has the nicest house. So there.

oivecha? He's one of the good guys.

You can help him by buying one of those new luxury condominiums soon going up on Ocean Parkway.

I'll take two with a view.

Anonymous said...

Hey Tuvya,

People who visit the blog are "lowlives" and "bitter"?

Your rant imparts the impression that you couldn't care less about abuse victims and that you're the one with a pitchfork stuck up your tuchess. I bet you have a real shmucky look on your face that would seem to indicate a high degree of anal retention.

Anonymous said...

Hershey & Lawrence Friedman, you'd better leave my sister out of this!

Anonymous said...

How much do you want to bet that Tuvya's bungalow neighbors are:

A) At Regency and Silver Lake. Kolko, Margo and their entourage of tush-kissers

B) Some other Hungarian colony like Luxor or Twin Bridges where the parents of YTT talmidim are furious at UOJ for making them find a new yeshiva that they can feel choshuv sending their kids.

C) Next to a chassidish colony where Aron Twerski goes. Twerski goes to the other colony's minyanim and darshans to them like a bigshot.

Anonymous said...

Another 20-25 heard of him, but hate him passionately (I consider myself in this category)for ruining lives by allowing allegations to be printed on this ragsheet without corraborating the truth.
--------

Give examples please.

Anonymous said...

Yeah Hershey Friedman, blah blah blah. Montreal is a sick place. Besides Brooklyn, it might be the only city that's mostly Hungarian. Although I won't complain about the Agudah kissing peoples' butts.

Anonymous said...

Tuvya blasts UOJ for maintaining anonymity?

I do have my suspicions that Tuvya is full of crap and never conducted his unscientific survey, but if he did, his bungalow neighbors that read this page should identify him, as he believes you shouldn't say something without affixing your name to it.

Anonymous said...

What to do if an adult has a strong sexual attraction to young girls (12-16 range).

Anonymous said...

Hey Tuvyah;

I suppose that Mondrowitz, Leizerowitz, Kolko, Lanner, Bryks are figments of a Hollywood Screenwriters active imagination and that David Framowitz came back to Brooklyn from Israel in search of a lucrative Book Deal.

Go play with your neighbor's wife, you wuss.

Anonymous said...

is heshy friedman the famous heshy from boro park?

Anonymous said...

"Hey bungalow putz...take a hike, I hope you don't come begging to help you when you find out your kid's rebbe has been poking him in the basement. "


There you go again..not addressing the real issue. No one is against you for exposing molestation practices. What people dont like is the moshav leitzim that you created here.

Fact: Your audience consists of 3 separate groups a) lowlifes who like juicy gossip; b) losers who are just frustrated about life and are looking to bring others down to share their sorry misfortune; c) The few remaining modern orthodox in frum neighborhoods who are glad to malign Rabbonim and other aspects of the "chareidi" way of life.

Fact: You are mivazeh talmidei chachamim here. It is said about such people "ain lohem chelek l'olam habah".

Fact: You print and allow others to print unsubstantiated allegations here, which is both a violation of hilchos loshan hora and common human decency. Any idiot can print whatever he wants about any person who he has a gripe with and bring him down. That is a ragsheet.

Fact: If you wouldnt be such an moron and stick to the real issues (real molestors), you would have a reputation out there which goes beyond a cynic, a scoffer, and a mivazeh talmidei chachamim.

Anonymous said...

I laud your entry of July 1. Being myself in a 'Jewish' business together w/my husband, we see more than our share of unsavory dealings w/Rabbanim. Sorrowfully, on the whole the conservative rabbis are not only more pleasant to deal with, they are STRAIGHT. But that chillul hashem is a totally different can of worms. Last week I posted a comment referring to the issue of only one alleged (thus far) victim has come forward. If I did not know PERSONALLY, I would never infer a stain on his character. More victims must come forward.

Anonymous said...

tuvyah dear u obviously don't know diddly squat about "Hilchos Loshon Horah".

Here is a quick primer on the applicable laws pertaining to the matters at hand here. If u don't agree, take me on in this forum. But beware, I'm quoting a recent halacha tshuva on these specific issues that has been endorsed by nearly a dozen prominent poskim, so u dont stand a chance, ignorant Am'Haaretz:

According to the Chafetz Chayim in his vital sefer Shmiros Halashon (klal 4 halacha 7-8,7:65) it is permitted and even obligatory to record and and even a mitzvah to publicize the information contained herein.

As far as Halacha is concerned (see actual T’shuvah for elaboration), in a case where a Rabbi has a rumor that doesn’t stop ... (this rumor has been ongoing for multiple years - a la Kolko, Leizerowitz the Gerorist etc. ShR'Y) we do not need any witnesses to remove them.

There are many Responsa in regard to having witnesses testify, without the defendant being present. The Ramah has already ruled (Choshen Mishpat) that testimony taken without the defendant present is halachicly correct, especially in a case where the defendant has a history of intimidating witnesses. (a la Margo & the Gererists)

Rumors that have not stopped (Kalay D'lo Pasak V'Sanu shomaneha):

In cases such as these where rumors about the individuals have been ongoing for years, the Ramah has already ruled that even if one individual of his congregation protests his behavior, this would be sufficient reason to remove this Rabbi from his position ... based on a rumor only! See also the Chasam Sofer (ibid)

Even in the case where the Rabbi claims that he is like a Chazzan, where the Shulchan Aruch says that based on one rumor one cannot be removed from his position, in this case even the Shulchan Aruch would agree that they should be removed since there are many people in the Congregations that have protested the despicable behavior.

The Aruch Hashulchan (Yoreh Dayah 119) writes a rule for all to know, that the Halacha requires thier removal even if the rumor never reached a Beis Din!

The Bais Yosef in the name of the R"ash and Rabbeinu Yeruchum rule this way even if the rumor stopped !!

One may surmise from the Rambam’s ruling (source) that even in a case where we do not have clear kosher witnesses, (i.e. lack of mature victims or 2 witnessess of 1 ocurence) but where we have some basis of fact, and a rumor that doesn’t stop that he has violated immoral prohibitions, one has an obligation to humiliate him in public! All of this without any witnesses testifying!

The Rambam therefore states regarding a person like this: (Sanhedrin chapter 24): "The Congregation should taunt the one that is transgressing the Torah prohibition of arayos--immoral relations and, in addition, whoever hears about his evil behavior must embarrass him even in front of his own children"

All Rabbis Have a Clear Obligation to Publicly Ostracize Him:

Rashi in Tractate Megillah 25b states that if there are rumors that one is an Adulterer, one may embarrass him!

Rabbis that are quiet and do not chastise this individual cause HASHEM’S Name to be profaned.


It is therefore an obligation on our Rabbinic leaders to do whatever is in their power to ostracize them and separate them from the congregation (i.e. No F--kfest parties on 7-11 heralding Leizerowitz's departure) . This Halacha is brought down by the Rif and this is the Halacha (Yoreh Dayah 334:42)!

The Chofetz Chayim (klal 7:65) rules emphatically that if an individual is a known rasha, for just an example, he is known to have had immoral relations (and is involved in Yichud repeatedly, etc.), one is allowed to listen and speak about this individual!


The Bais Yosef (Choshen Mishpat 34 in the name of the R"osh) rules that one who has been accused of illicit relationships is prohibited from ever being a witness. (Ramah 25, Niddah 49b, Tur Shulchan Aruch Choshen Mishpat Siman 7:69)

Mind boggling that Tzitzis Scheinberg, Belsky, YOB and Gur Inc. either don't know these halachos or cover for them because of skeletons in thier own closet.

UOJ, Keep up the cause of the children and G-d will guide u to success.

Anonymous said...

Tuvyah;

You are a phony, through and through.

No one is forcing you to come here and read.

Fact is if not for this Blog, koko would still be molesting kids.

Anonymous said...

Is anybody doing something concrete in defense of the B family that seems to be going it alone and sadly fealing the heat of the typical character bashing employed by molesters and the accompanied enablers?

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Rabbis are concerned about people getting off on baby pictures... rebbes poking kids in the ass, I guess is not something we have to concern ourselves with. No, it just doesn't exist.

UOJ




Piety blurs the female face in haredi catalogues
By MATTHEW WAGNER

You can never be too pious when you are among the believers. Feldheim Publishers, a publishing house that caters to Orthodox Jews, discovered this when the English edition of the haredi newspaper Hamodia censored its book catalogue this weekend.

Hamodia insisted that Feldheim blur female faces appearing on pictures of its book covers, including cartoon caricatures, before agreeing to distribute Feldheim's catalogue as a supplement in its weekend edition.

Books published by Targum Press that appeared in the same catalogue were also blurred.

Hamodia also removed two books from the catalogue, one dealing with female adolescence called The Wonder of Becoming You and another on dating called The Magic Touch.

Feldheim and Targum censor themselves according to their own religious sensibilities. This apparently was not enough to meet Hamodia's more stringent standards.

Aryeh Frankel, head of public relations at haredi advertising agency Gal BSD - the BSD stands for bsiata dshamaya, Aramaic for "with God's help" - said the difference in approach among Feldheim, Targum and Hamodia reflected the difference between American and Israeli haredim.

"American haredim are usually more liberal than Israelis," he said.

Ya'acov Feldheim, owner of Feldheim Publishers, told The Jerusalem Post that Hamodia's censorship was "legitimate."

"Maybe people at Hamodia somehow balance the horrible immodesty that we see on our streets," said Feldheim. "For me, women walking around half naked is a million times worse than being a little over stringent."

One of the books, The Bamboo Cradle, a story about a Chinese girl abandoned on a train and adopted by a Jewish university professor who converts her to Judaism, has two pictures of the girl, one as a young woman, which was blurred, and one as a baby, which was not.

But Gal BSD's Frankel said that pictures of baby girls are prohibited in both Hamodia, which is owned by Gerrer hassidim and connected to the Agudat Yisrael party, and Yated Ne'eman, controlled by the Lithuanian Degel Hatorah party. Agudat Yisrael and Degel Hatorah together form United Torah Judaism.

"About three years ago both papers disqualified an ad for Kimberly diapers that featured a four-month-old female infant," said Frankel.

Frankel said that even the most liberal Israeli haredi newspapers such as Kav Itonut, a chain of local weeklies owned by Aharon Kurnik and edited by Avi Rosen, did not publish pictures of women.

"But the haredi press is split on pictures of baby girls," he said.

Dudi Zilbershlag, publisher of the haredi weekly Bekehila and a Sert-Viznitz hassid, said Hamodia was even stricter than Yated Ne'eman regarding pictures of baby girls.

"It's something that was instituted by the current rebbe [Yankel Aryeh Alter]," said Zilbershlag.

Pictures of infant girls appear in Bekehila.

"The Zohar says that a female pure of sin does not arouse forbidden thoughts," said Zilbershlag.

Anonymous said...

Hershey Friedman with an R is a macher from Montreal. Heshy Friedman is a divorced guy and baal chesed who used to live on Bobov Promenade but moved to East 3rd St. His new mansion doubles as a homeless shelter / soup kitchen of sorts for all kinds of nebichdik older singles and even bag ladies from 13th Ave. Has anyone approached Heshy about dealing with molesters? He is the type, like UOJ, who would put his actions and money where his mouth is.

Jewish Survivors said...

This is just another example of how sex offenders get away with their crimes. They go from one community to another. Please help spread the word about the following call to action:

URGENT CALL TO ACTION: Rabbi Mordecai Tendler Scheduled to Speak in Har Nof, Jerusalem
http://jewishsurvivors.blogspot.com/2006/07/urgent-call-to-action-rabbi-mordecai.html

"According to the Chafetz Chayim in his vital sefer Shmiros Halashon (klal 4 halacha 7-8,7:65) it is permitted and even obligatory to record and and even a mitzvah--good deed to publicize the information contained herein:"

Moshe Siegel is organizing a lecture by Rabbi Mordecai Tendler. There is a call to action to have the following lecture cancelled.

Topic: “Halachik Considerations of Financial Expenditures”
(Tzedaka vs. Household)

Where: Rechov Agassi 32 (Room #7 – 1 flight up), Har Nof, Jerusalem, Israel

When: Thursday, July 6, 2006 - 6:45 pm
Shiur starts at 6:45 pm followed by Maariv at 8:15 pm.

Contact : Moshe Siegal siegel36@bezeqint.net

Considering the decree created and signed by Rabbi Wosner (head of the Shevet Levi rabbinical court) and the rabbis in Monsey, NY (December, 2005); The Awareness Center, Inc. is asking everyone to contact Moshe Siegel ( siegel36@bezeqint.net) and make him aware of the following information:

Background information on Rabbi Mordecai Tendler


"A Wide Spectrum of Prominent New York Rabbanim Conclude and Present Herein Their Joint Halachic View that Mordecai Tendler is Unfit to Serve in the Capacity of Rav."
Committee for Rabbinic Integrity


Please read the following excerpts . . .


1) "It is forbidden to ask for Mordecai Tendler for advice on Jewish law.

2) This Rabbi can no longer officiate at divorces, weddings, batei dinim, etc...

3) No one is obligated to give him any respect such as standing up for him, etc.

4) He can no longer be a Rav or Rabbi or Dayan amongst the Jewish People!

5) One should never allow their wives or daughters to go to his classes or to go to him at all including counseling... and all his rulings are null and void!

6) " it is our opinion that one must not seek any advice in any area including Shalom Bayis, and certainly not in any Halachic matters pertaining to Divorce, Marriage or Conversions!"

To comply with the decree of the rabbunim of Monsey, The Awareness Center, Inc. is requesting that all rabbis from Har Nof and Beit Shemesh for thier help in stopping Rabbi Mordecai Tendler from teaching in their neighborhood.

We are also asking If someone could comply a list of rabbis in Har Nof and Beit Shemesh and forward it to: Vicki Polin OR go to newhempsteadnews.blogspot.com and post comments on the blog with the information.

Go to the url above to see the entire decree.

Anonymous said...

Leib Tropper you fool, what's wrong with you? Pinter stole from everyone by raising our taxes. It's not like the Treasury can just absorb 100s of millions in genaivos. that's besides giving treif food to schoolkids through the lunch program and more recently looting the accounts of Olympia Mortgage who had frum customers.

Anonymous said...

Tuvya most certainly is a phoney. It's not like Kolko grabbing little private parts is the only problem that has to be dealt with. Don't forget that other kinds of corrupt sickos like Pinter are itching to find any way to stop all the exposure on this website.

Anonymous said...

Who is this Moshe Siegal and how is he connected to Tendler?

Anonymous said...

It's pretty obvious what Tuvya's agenda is but he is one hell of a piss poor strategist if there ever was one.

Anonymous said...

RE: Article by Matthew Wagner on Hamodia blurring pictures of infant girls.
_____________________________________

Now I understand why Leizerowitz, the Menahel of the Gerrer Mesifta in Boro Park had to get his rocks off by molesting boys in his dormotory.

What a bunch of super-sickos.

Anonymous said...

To the one who commented about Heshy from E 3rd:

He has visited this blog before and made some noise, exhibiting the typical brand of Flatbush idiocy. He's a nobody.

Anonymous said...

Hey Dick,
Just curious, you know Kolko?

Anonymous said...

How sick is this?

Leizerowitz pokes his shmekel up teenage Gerrer Mesifta bochurim in the Gerrer Mesifta and Gur gives him a Gala Sendoff Farewell Party this July 11th at Ateres on The Chaya. Not a word, not a peep, no accountability about the evil this sick Mother F--ker bastard Leizerowitz has perpretrated.

But Ger's Hamodia and Degel's Yated get their Kapotes in a snit over infant girls pictures appearing in their newspapers, because Chas V'Sholom, who knows what might happen. A Bochur, Father, or even a Zaide might grab his Eiver and be Shichvas Zerah L'Vatoleh. (Masturbation for you Amoratzim).

This is Judaism?

Anonymous said...

"The Zohar says that a female pure of sin does not arouse impure thoughts."

What about male children in yeshivas. Do they arouse impure thoughts, are do the rebbes that molest them do it "Lshem Shamayim"?

Anonymous said...

How does Moishe Pippik know that Heshy Friedman has posted here if he never identified himself?

Anonymous said...

Baal Pe'or. Ever heard of that. Thats what they r practicing today.

Anonymous said...

THE NEW GERRER ANTHEM:



LET YOUR BALLS HANG LOW……

LET THEM WOBBLE TO AND FRO.



AND YOUR DICK STAND AT ATTENTION….

WE ARE LEIZEROWITZ’S MENCHIN!!!!





Thanx. (I’m bowing to the applause now.)

Anonymous said...

Yitzy Gornish:

Heshy has posted before under the moniker "Heshy's House." Now you know.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

LEIZEROWITZ UPDATE!!!!!

HE RAN OFF TO CANADA, ONE OF HIS VICTIMS HAS GONE FOR HELP!!!!

ANY INFORMATION WILL BE HELD CONFIDENTIAL!!!!!

PLEASE DON"T BE AFRAID!!!! COME FORWARD!

Paul Mendlowitz said...

MONDROWITZ VICTIMS PLEASE COME FORWARD,YOU MAY REMAIN ANONYMOUS...WE MUST EXPOSE THE CORRUPTION THAT HAS PERMITTED ABUSERS TO ROAM FREELY FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL AND FROM PLACE TO PLACE.

WE NEED YOUR ANONYMOUS TESTIMONY TO BE INCLUDED IN ANOTHER MAJOR EXPOSE COMING OUT IN THE SECULAR MEDIA IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS!

PLEASE!!!!

Anonymous said...

Leizerowitz in Canada!!

Send an ALERT To Thornhill and Bathurst Jews.

So this is what has become of Gur Chassidus?!

Anonymous said...

Get Robert Kolker on the PHONE.

LEIZEROWITZ IN CANADA!

Anonymous said...

MY COMMENTS TO YANKEL ARE IN BOLD.

As to your specific criticisms, you seem to focus on three things.

First, that OUJ "ruins lives" by posting uncorroborated allegations. Yes, if he is wrong then innocent people will have lost their reputations. But what if you're wrong? Then innocent children may suffer unimaginable torment for the rest of their lives. Which is the greater risk? Is there any doubt at all?

THAT DOES JUSTIFY MAKING SURE THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE TEACHING CHILDREN UNTIL THE SMOKE IS CLEARED (WE CALL IT ADMINSTRATIVE LEAVE). HOWEVER, THAT DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE IDIOT SHOOTING OFF HIS MOUTH AT ANY PERSON WHO MIGHT BE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT PERSON OR ANY ONE WHO DARED MAKE A COMMENT THAT MIGHT INSINUATE HE IS NOT GUILTY. WHILE ME MUST TAKE PRECAUATIONS IN CASES OF POSSIBLE RISK, FINAL DECISIONS ARE MADE IN A COURT OF LAW AND NOT BY SOME JERKS DECISION.

Second, that he is mevazeh talmidei chachomim. Well, that is certainly true. He freely admits it. And a number of people who read this blog and support him don't particularly like it.

SO THEY SHOULDNT SUPPORT HIM.

But I would ask you whether anyone who cannot bring himself to unequivocally condemn abuse, at least in the abstract, can be considered a talmid chochom. Whether they are talmidim or not, I cannot say, but they certainly are not chachomim. Eizehu Chochom? Haro'eh es hanolad. And what has been born from the lack of forthright discussion of this problem, what has been born from the lack of public condemnation of sexual abuse, what has been born from cover-ups and excuses has been more abuse. And any chochom should have seen that coming. Is that a reason to bash them? I honestly don't know - but I'm inclined to believe that if a simple menschlechkeit hasn't worked so far, maybe a little booshah wouldn't hurt.



THAT IS ABSOLUTE GARBAGE. PERIOD. NO ONE IS PRO-ABUSE. EVERYONE IS AGAINST IT. IT IS SICK AND PERVERSE. AND THIS IS THE ONE POINT THAT I AGREE WITH THE IDIOT. MORE COULD HAVE BEEN DONE! MORE SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE! THAT BEING SAID... A TALMID CHOCHOM IS A TALMID CHOCHOM. ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY KLAL YISROEL. JUST BECAUSE A FEW JERKS HERE HAVE DECIDED THAT EVERYONE HAS TO DO AS THEY SEE IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE BASIC FACTS. SPEAKING THE WAY HE DID ABOUT TALMIDEI CHACHOMIM WILL EARN HIM GEHENNOM. PERIOD. LOOK IN SHAAR SHLISHI OF RABBEINU YONAH'S SHARREI TSHUVA WHERE HE DISCUSSES THE CONCEPT OF DVAR HASHEM BAZAH.

YOUR SICK COMMENTS ABOVE ARE REMINISENT OF WHAT RASHI SAYS IN BECHUKOSAI ABOUT THOSE WHO BEGIN DEVIATING FROM WHAT IS PROPER.

And third, that OUJ doesn't take "responsibility" for his actions. I can only assume that you refer to his anonymity. An odd accusation coming from someone who just posted anonymously.

I HAVE POSTED AS TUVYA,

But why should he expose his identity. He would only set himself up for grief. He makes no claim to be a gadol. Or poseik. Or anything other than an outraged citizen.

I AGREE WITH YOU THAT HE IS A NOBODY. YET HE TAKES RESPONSIBLITIY TO DECIDE ON MATTERS THAT AFFECT KLAL YISROEL. FOR EXAMPLE, THE MORON DECIDES THAT TO FURTHER HIS CAUSE, HE WILL GET AN ARTICLE INTO THE PRESS...SO HE CALLS KOLKER WHO ENDS UP DOING ALOT MORE DAMAGE BY STATING (UNSUBSTANTIATED) THAT IS AN ISSUE WITH THE FRUM LIFESTYLE (REPRESSION AND OTHER GARBAGE). NO ONE ASKED HIM FOR ANY FAVORS. DONT MAKE DECISIONS FOR KLAL YISROEL. HE HAS NOT RABBINIC BACKING BECAUSE HE IS A NOBODY AND A LOSER.

As to your poll, perhaps you should conduct a new one. Ask the fellows in your minyan and your bungalow colony if they, as parents, would want to be notified if an allegation of sexual abuse was made against their sons' rebbe. Ask them if they would want that rebbe put on leave while the complaint was investigated. Or, ask them if they would prefer that such a person remain free to possibly target their own children.

HE IS GOOD FOR THAT AND HE SHOULD STICK TO THAT ISSUE. BUT DONT A) BE MIVAZEH TALMIDIE CHACHAMIM; B) MAINTAIN A RAGSHEET WHERE ANYONE CAN SAY WHATEVER THE HELL THEY WANT ABOUT ANYBODY ANONOMOUSLY AND GET AWAY WITH IT; C) BECOME A MAGNET FOR THE LOWLIFES, LOSERS, AND MODERN ORTHODOX TO ENGAGE IN THIS MOSHAV LEITZIM.

And then ask them if they would be upset if the hanhalah of their sons' yeshivah covered it up years ago, and then their sons were molested. And ask them why they're not upset now. Ask yourself that question.

SEE ABOVE

Anonymous said...

good riddance to this one sick pervert i was a student in leizerowitzs school the gerer mesivta on 16th ave i was bear hugged on numerous ocassions i sat onhis lap twice for a few minutes i dont want to reveal to much but he is one sick person that cant be between yong bucherim when he was confronted about this incident awhile later he tells me no it cant be you were dreaming i tell him no i sat in your lap he tells me maybe ipulled you and you fell into my lap but you got up right away since when is 4 min. on one ocassion right away here is a list of some people in ger that threaten victims of this sick yid and who back this perv. kagan meir 718-256-7758 rubinsten zvi 718-436-7144 spira s.d. 718-851-8832

Anonymous said...

The Gur types in Toronto hang out by the Agudah near Wilson.

Anonymous said...

It's well known that Heshy Friedman uses screen names for dating or event purposes like Heshy's House or Milionaire but there's no proof that he posted here. It's probably another impersonation. What else is new?

Anonymous said...

Recently during his shiur at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath, Rabbi Yisroel Belsky stated that he always backed Yidi Kolko and will continue to do so in the future. Rabbi Yisroel Belsky supported his position based on never hearing allegations of Yidi Kolko penetrating anyone with his penis. Therefore he said Yid Kolko should not be considered a pedophile, and permitted back to his class at YTT.

Anonymous said...

"HE HAS NOT RABBINIC BACKING BECAUSE HE IS A NOBODY AND A LOSER."

Take a good look at yourself TUVYA.

AND STOP TYPING IN UPPER CASE - IT'S RUDE !

You happen to be right about some of the comments here, but your basic thrust shows you are out out lunch.

The regular channels didn't work, forcing UOJ to take radical action.

Anonymous said...

I knew you can't trust a Gerrorist as far as you can throw one - if you can.

Anonymous said...

We take umbrage with Tuvya "Einstein" lumping the Modern Orthodox with lowlifes, losers and moshav letzem.

Tuvya...we are the original Jews, we were around long before you and your guys decided to distort the Torah and Mesorah with ridiculous laws and proclamations.

UOJ is not a God nor does he proclaim to be one; he claims to be a regular guy that decided to take on a holy mission of saving children from sexual abuse.

Unfortunately, you and your ilk have set up a system that permits and encourages abusers and their enablers to be infested in the yeshiva system without fear of exposure or termination.

We at the RCA are proud readers of UOJ and support his efforts unequivocally.

RCA

Paul Mendlowitz said...

We are requesting that the person who knows where Leizerowitz is in Toronto to post that information.
Thanks,
UOJ

Anonymous said...

Let Belsky focus on the Fed supoenas against AgriProcessors, International Glatt, and Meal Mart for investigating possible price collusion and anti-trust violations.

Anonymous said...

I am the rov of the Agudah Toronto shul where Leizerowitz might show up. Don't expect me to do anything because my Gerrer mispalelim like Sambo Klein that are built like NFL linebackers might eat me for breakfast.

Anonymous said...

No sign yet of Leizerowitz in the Boat Shul.

Anonymous said...

No sign here either at 770 Chabad Gate in Thornhill. If we see Leizerowitz we'll be the first to let UOJ know.

Anonymous said...

Hey Yossel Tabak,

Do you own the bungalow colony that's polluted with Yudi Kolko?

Anonymous said...

Kolko should get the Yoshke treatment with rusty nails for how he abused his position of authority as gym teacher 40 years ago.

Anonymous said...

where in the secular media shall we expect the next expose?

Anonymous said...

All clear at the Satmar shtiebel. No sign of Leizerowitz here either.

Don't expect the Metro Toronto Police to do much either. They are so lackadaisical that they let the Bobov Toronto abusers escape while they took their jolly time investigating.

Anonymous said...

Tuvya is right. Finally a voice of reason.

By the way, UOJ, you really should talk about where abuse and molestation occurs most often--in families! Look at 5 years of posts by frum teenagers on this website.

http://frumteens.com/topic.php?whichpage=1&pagesize=15&forum_title=Deep+Trouble&topic_title=Rape%2FAbuse%2FMolestation&forum_id=3&topic_id=348

Anonymous said...

Tuvya;

Continue to dissect and fiddle with this UOJ sugya from as many different angles and vantage points as you wish. Insure that we all speak to each other in Oxfordian English over tea.

The fact is that your approach is guaranteed to maintain the status quo to the great detriment of the Klal. This is clear and has been clearly demonstrated.

If not for UOJ's intervention the gerer mesifta would still be open and Leizerowitz would still be plying his trade. The mesifta was shut down and leizerowitz dismissed and now on the run in Toronto. Would convening your august Botei Din have accomplished this? Based on past events, the answer is a resounding NO.

The fact is that the Enablers of these Retzichas; Agudah, Torah Umesorah, Ohel, YASSER (margo) KOACH see civility as a weakness to be exploited to the hilt. And exploit it, they do.

UOJ's means justify the ends. Strong measures and words are necessary. The significant positive results of the past few months are your proof.

Your attitude, approach, and point of view are exactly the same as that of the Bryks (Winnipeg) Kehilla which IMO was instrumental in and led to the suicide of Daniel Levin. Keep this in mind the next time you're formulating your response to this Blog.

Anonymous said...

rca, victor?

uoj may well have been a member of the rca.

He's ahead of the rca.

He could run for Governor, or special assistant to the Governor, or anything else a special assistant to the Governor with DD plates is entitled to.

He is entitled.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Leizerowitz will try to hid out in that old favorite haven for chasidish criminals, Tosh Town north of Montreal.

Anonymous said...

Yankel,

You are one of the few sane voices on this ugly site so I will continue to respond. If this blog was yours, I, along with many others, would gladly support your efforts. I agree with you wholeheartedly that the problem needs to be addressed and it is a horrible horrible problem. For various reasons, I know alot more than I should about this sad topic.

That being said, as important as this issue is, HE is not the person to discuss it. He has "paseled" himself. He has done far more damage for the cause and for klal yisroel in general than any good that has come out of it. Klal Yisroel exists because of talmidei chachomim. When he spews venom, when he speaks out against talmidei chachomim, when he attempts to attack them, he has attacked our very foundation and absolutely nothing positive can come out of this sick person.

Yankel, just ask around. Does he have any respectable person in real life supporting him. If it is so important what he is doing and his cause is so just, wouldn’t someone "real" back him. But noone has. ZERO. His only fans are the unholy trinity here (losers, lowlifes, and modern orthodox). Even ask those people who he himself praises (e.g., Yitzchok Mitnick, Rav Dovid Cohen) what they think of him. They will all tell you that he is scum who has done more damage to klal yisrael than the good that has come out of this.

I agree with you that something should have been done at T.T. If he would have done something while watching his big mouth and without allowing this to be used as a ragsheet, it would have been wonderful. If he would have used an assertive and respectful tone like yours, he could have accomplished the same and more. But accomplishment means to put someone on adminstrative leave and not ruin them. The court case has not begun. Anyone can make allegations. Let us wait and see what happens. For this buffoon to attack all well meaning (yes, well meaning) individuals and talmidei chachamim who just don’t fit his agenda is going far beyond the “molestation” issue and is unexcusable.

The saddest part of it all is that he is poisoning your soul. Good people like you (I assume) start believing him. The damage creeps in slowly and is insidious. By allowing any sicko to write what he wants (this Rabbi said Kolko should be reinstated...this Rabbi is a gonnif and also a molestor), he is ruining people. And his stuff is all allegations. Nothing confirmed and nothing investigated. Just take me for an example. I post about my bungalow colony survey so the idiot accuses me of a) doing nothing for the klal; b) building a new house on Bedford Ave.; c) stealing some Medicaid money; d) playing softball on Sunday; e) owning a fancy summer home. All are way off the mark without a shred of evidence, but who would expect better from that sicko.

While I have no hope of him changing…he is a rasha and will get his due, I pray that other good people will be able to begin to see things clearly for what they are.

Tuvya

Anonymous said...

The story around Lakewood is that some kid went to press charges on against Leizerovitch, but when entering the building the metal detector found a gun in his pocket so he was thrown into jail.

Leizerovitch got wind of the happenings so he flew off to Switzerland.

Yesh din v'yesh Dayan!

Anonymous said...

AND I HAVE A BRIDGE TO SELL U. A 15 YEAR OLD KID WITH A GUN IN HIS POCKET?!?!

Anonymous said...

Tuvya,

You're right on the money. In Judaism, the ends do NOT justify the means -- the Man Upstairs takes care of the ends when the Torah does not give us the halachic means to do so. Chazal call this concept "harbeh shluchim LaMakom." Yet, rishaim are punished (since they have the wrong intent) even if they are ultimately doing the will of Hashem.

And Tuvya, everyone knows that you can and must speak lashon hara l'toeles. But do you know that the Chofetz Chaim REQUIRES the speaker, in such situations, to remove all vestiges of malice or personal pique, otherwise it falls back into the geder of lashon hara and is asur again? Meaning, that it can't be said. So again, who will do the will of Hashem? And again, harbeh shluchim LaMakom.

Anonymous said...

Rabbi Hershel Schachter asked me to post his support for UOJ. He said that UOJ has caused more good that anyone can imagine, and that his cause is just.

A talmid of Rav Schachter

Anonymous said...

Go Tuvya Go!

UOJ has met his match.

Anonymous said...

Tuvia;

Finally a sensible, intelligent and well meaning voice in this decadent and destructive (nonetheless addictively interesting) blog. We all realize that UOJ is probably a bitter man with no social life to speak of that found an issue (a very very crucial issue) and has made it his agenda. But let us not forget that the Unorthodox Jew blog did not start out dealing with the issue at hand, it started out looking to bring down the Gedolim and everything the true Torah life stands for and all who stand for it. Let us appreciate the fact that just because he is dealing with an important issue that does not make him relevant whatsoever.
If Osama bin Laden were to stand up for Breast Cancer Awareness and raise millions of dollars, that would not make him a hero, that’s not to say the cause is not a good cause. We should realize that when a lonely fellow who the extent of their social life is a chat room should not be reckoned with on issues of great importance.

Anonymous said...

If Osama bin Laden were to stand up for Breast Cancer Awareness and raise millions of dollars, that would not make him a hero

Perhaps, but if the American Cancer Society was ignoring breast cancer entirely and OBL single handedly accomplished what they hadn't (and what they purposely ignored) then yes, that might be heroic. Tuvya, what the hell have you done??

--------------------------------------
Re: Frumteens

Sicker than sick. I read some of the link and I almost vomited when a teen who admitted to having been a victim of molestation, declared that she (or he) feels sorry for the perpetrator because he must have a strong Yetzer Hora. The "Moderator" just let that slide...

--------------------------------------

Re: Mitnick

He's a putz that treads on dangerous ground. I remember when the youth-at-risk scam was just getting started and Mitnick had a contest with some of the young boys that went something like this: If you refrain from masturbating for a specific period of time you are awarded a prize!

Ronnie Schreiber said...

Tuvya,

You so vividly exemplify how frummies practice Ahavat Yisrael. "Losers", "Lowlifes", and worst of all "Modern Orthodox". It's interesting how you frummies love to put down other Jews whom they feel do not meet their high standards of frumkeit. I'm trying to find the "lowlife exemption" to the mitzvah of Ahavat Yisrael but I cannot find it. You being such a monumental Jewish scholar, perhaps you could point me to it.

If I say that NYC is no more decadent than Rome or Ur, frummies will insist that today's depravity exceeds past perversions so involvement in the secular world is that much more spiritually dangerous now than in the past. Rome may have publicly executed women by having them mounted by a stallion but that pales in terms of depraved behavior when compared to a 13 year old yeshiva bochur with an email account. How such pious holy Jews are so familiar with the depths of today's depravity remains a mystery but they insist that this generation is the most depraved ever. Yeridos HaDoros they say.

Taking them at their word, if I say, "Hmmmm. Yeridot HaDorot? So that means that our leaders, the gedolim of today, are puny compared to earlier generations, right?", and Tuvias across the globe get apoplectic at how "mevazeh" I am to today's chachamim.

Tuvia, you are more interested in being frum than being Jewish.

Signed,

Bitter, lowlife loser.

PS. Tuvia, us bitter lowlife losers need role models to do tshuvah. Perhaps you can share with us how you have used Torah to overcome sin, bad behavior or a character flaw.

Ronnie Schreiber said...

A bit OT, but appropriate for the day.

My rabbi taught me that Hakarat HaTov (or as he puts it, Hakoros HaTov) is the most fundamental of mitzvot. There are a few minutes left before midnight so let me take the opportunity to thank our Founding Fathers and the Creator who endowed them with inspiration and insight to create a society that recognizes the essential humanity of us all.

As a guy from Texas put it, liberty is not America's gift to the world but rather God's gift to mankind.

Of course, today's 'gedolim' would never sign off on the First Amendment. You can't put a blog in cherem or bankrupt its author by banning it.

Anonymous said...

Hey what about all the girls that get molested by yeshiva guys? I was raped by one of the "great" men you mentioned on this site's brother but his mother was killed in a car accident and his niece is divorced because her husband raped her so I can't hold a grudge. I guess abuse has a patern.

Thank you for publishing this blog I thing the important thing to do is not to focus on the abuse but what can be done to help people become stronger and healthier people. Maybe we should send them back to kindergarten and make them watch Barney videos they can do what they want with a barney blow up doll but leave holy pure Jewish souls alone. They are the reason I am afraid to have children and stay single for that reason even though I have been proposed to over 11 times.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

PEOPLE IN TORONTO ARE URGED TO GO TO THE POLICE!
LEIZEROWITZ IS HIDING AT WAISBROD!




Waisbrod, Avrum

416-785-9737

work: 416-661-7781

122 barse street

toronto Ontario M5M 4L4

Ronnie Schreiber said...

UOJ,

Ever notice how they never tell me how to change bad behavior? They can't cite a single frum Jew who has done tshuvah. Is that because frum Jews never behave badly? Or because frum Jews never change their behavior for the better? Or maybe, just maybe, it's because frummies don't really believe in the concept of tshuvah. They'd rather see people punished so they, the frummies, can feel that they are the holy ones. And the rest of us, because we unconciously regard frummies as authentic Jews, absorb that attitude as well. I see that here in some of the comments by erstwhile UOJ supporters about Jews who have acted badly. Who's to say that some of the felons mentioned here haven't done real tshuvah?

Frummies also don't believe in dan l'chaf zechut. Oh sure, for a prominent school rebbe accused of something heinous they will use pretzel logic to attack the accusers, but for a blogger driven to distraction by those who have made puny the biggest thing in the universe they will know exactly the parameters by which the Chafetz Chayim allegedly permits them to destroy his life. There is no dan l'chaf zechut from Tuvia for UOJ.

Anonymous said...

uoj is not a rasha, even if he thought you played ball on Sundays.

He wished you could have a big house on Bedford Avenue. He is a very nice guy, charming, gracious, without pretense. He isn't, however, an idiot. You can pasul him all you want, as can any of the greats (are there really any?) in Flatbush, but to think houses are cleaned through quiet diplomacy is unrealistic. He is our watchdog, our pet, uoj. He's not been trained to roll over and play dead. He isn't seeking kavod for himself. He's damaging others with his mouth, with this blog, it is true, and if he is a rosho, then so am I. But, truth is on his side even if you don't appreciate what he says about certain "gedoilim."

A court case will reveal the truth; without uoj, this would never have happened. And worse, he has other issues on his agenda: fraud, corruption, dishonesty, some imagined, perhaps, some almost certainly real. These are public funds, public trust. Who protects the public, R' D.C. or "hevel pihem shel tinnokois shel Bais Rabban?"

Cut him some slack. Hevel piv has merit too.

Paul Mendlowitz said...

Protest the house and the shul:

Toronto Shteeble of Ger:
3389 Bathurst street

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