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Haredi party likens Reform and Conservative converts to dogs with kippot
United Torah Judaism campaign clip suggests High Court, which recently recognized non-Orthodox conversions, would also accept canines as members of the tribe
United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox party, released an election campaign video Tuesday night that seemingly compares people who convert to Judaism through non-Orthodox denominations to dogs wearing kippot.
The video, published online, drew condemnation from opposition leader MK Yair Lapid, who said that with this message, UTJ had joined the ranks of anti-Semites who often compare Jews to dogs.
The campaign video was released after the High Court of Justice ruled earlier this week that Reform and Conservative conversions to Judaism conducted in Israel would be recognized for citizenship purposes. The decision, which dents the Orthodox monopoly on religion in Israel, was widely
In the video, a series of photos were shown featuring dogs wearing the traditional Jewish kippa on their heads and wrapped in a talit, or prayer shawl. The images were apparently drawn from so-called Bark Mitzvah events held by some US Reform and Conservative Jews for their pet dogs.
FYI, UTJ is the Agudah's alternate name in Israel & often hyphenated as UTJ-Agudah.
ReplyDeleteThere were calls yesterday for the city of Ramat Gan to redub a street named in honor of a Mexican diplomat who now faces rape & sex assault accusations.
ReplyDeleteIn 2019 the city dedicated Andres Roemer St to honor the diplomat’s contributions to the Jewish state. Roemer was fired as UNESCO ambassador for refusing to vote in favor of a 2016 resolution that denied Jewish ties to Jerusalem.
Over the past weeks accusations were made by 11 women that Roemer sexually assaulted them at his home after inviting them there for a work meeting, the Financial Times reports.
Avihu Ben-Moshe, Ramat Gan Councilman & comptroller committee Chair, wrote to Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen urging the street revert to its previous name, El Al St, Channel 12 reports.
“The past hours, I received complaints from men & women who live in the city about serious sexual harassment suspicions vs Andres Roemer, your good friend, after whom you were quick to name a street in our city,” he wrote.
“I ask you restore the former name of the street,” Ben-Moshe added. “Ramat Gan must not give any place a name, to a man suspected of crimes of serious sexual nature.”
Shama-Hacohen, who was Israel’s UNESCO ambassador during Roemer’s tenure at the UN cultural agency, proposed the name change to city council at the time.
In response, Ramat Gan municipality said the city “won't go a single day with a street named for a convicted criminal who harmed women,” but for the time being there are only accusations vs Roemer, which he denies.
“This is a very serious matter,” Ben-Moshe told Channel 12. “This street was wrongfully dedicated in his name & the decision at the time caused a big uproar.”
At least 3 women filed formal complaints, while several others posted accusations on social media.
After the street was named in 2019, Roemer left a letter & gift basket for every resident on the street.
Roemer, who is a lawyer, economist & playwright, is grandson of Viennese orchestra conductor Ernesto Roemer, who fled before World War II. A self-described “atheist Jew,” he grew up in Mexico City & previously served as Mexico’s consul-general in San Francisco.
In 2016 — 2 months after Roemer arrived at UNESCO — the envoy walked out during a vote on Jerusalem because he didn't want to follow the instructions from his capital to vote in favor of hurting Israel. He was later dismissed from his position.
Since then, the Mexican-Jewish diplomat met with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu & was honored by the American Sephardic Federation, Simon Wiesenthal Center & other Jewish groups for challenging the UN resolution.
Any word, bark or howl from Lawrence, NY, dray kop David Seidemann Esq.?
ReplyDeleteAltz the idiot's support of molester Dovid Weinberger, the blogger Dus Iz Neias refers to him as David "Woof Woof" Seidemann
Lost count of all the molesters that Cuomo was quick to call for their ouster!
ReplyDeleteThat DIN blogger was in yeshivos like Bobov & Chasan Sofer and has considerable yedios in lernen. The "Woof Woof" should not be taken as DIN being silly, as he speaks tzum zach. Kadmonim say that a known oynesh for noyef is to be attacked by a dog, a sort of reverse loi yecheratz.
ReplyDeleteAny hot tips on an effective dog repellent?
ReplyDeleteShalom, you'll be paying a small fortune for dedicated doggy stuff. If you're noheg like the shnit in Satmar who never shower outside erev Shabbos & erev Yomtov, no pooch will want to come near you!
ReplyDeleteRabbeinu Shalom could never possibly mean he's chashud. He is just on such a high madraiga like Chassidim Rishonim who don't want to be in the daled amot of tumat kelavim.
ReplyDeleteYechee Adonainu Moreinu veRabbeinu Shalom Tendler l'Olam vaEd!
So that's what Dayan Wosner's beis din meant about being in the dog house!
ReplyDeleteI did posken that molesters & enablers like Lanner-Butler should be tossed out of the OU. Adulterers & molesters outside OU confines however should get a free pass, especially when named Tendler!
ReplyDeleteHarry gets it! That's why as a Tendler cousin & Bryks mechuton, I named my yeshiva Madraigas haAdam!
ReplyDeleteHow did the rebbitzen allow menuvol Dovid Weinberger to move back to the 5 Towns? Isn't she ashamed? Even the menuvol has just enough shame that he can't look most of the locals in the face.
ReplyDeleteFirst I hear the latest on Weinberger...
ReplyDeleteAfter Weinberger's eidim's shul on the border of Monsey & Montvale, NJ, passed on hiring the menuvol as their Rav, and aliyah to Israel fell through, he was back & davening by the Sulitzer Rebbe on Beach 9th, who is the Sgt. Schultz of believing a Yid could be a molester
ReplyDeleteThe chairman of UTJ-Agudah today condemned language used by his fellow faction member describing women who go thru IDF conversion to Judaism.
ReplyDeleteInterviewed by Kan public broadcasting, Moshe Gafni was asked about comments by MK Yitzhak Pindrus, that women who convert with IDF’s Nativ program are “shiksas,” a pejorative term for non-Jewish women.
“I completely disagree with that & I told him this. He told me he took it back. He was at some event, a word slipped out that's inappropriate,” said Gafni.
“Pindrus’ phrasing was very unfortunate & I trust his word he recanted. He showed me it was published he recanted,” Gafni continued.
Yesterday, Pindrus apologized on tv for his use of “shiksa,” admitting it hadn't been appropriate.
“I apologize to those who converted according to halacha & were offended by what I said,” he told Channel 12.
However, Pindrus stood by his statement that IDF conversion is not religiously legitimate.
In his original comments he added: “If one marries her, the father needs to sit shiva, rend his garments & say Kaddish” over the lost son.
Gafni said while he condemns Pindrus’s choice of words, he stands by the position that ultra-Orthodox rabbis have the last say on conversions to Judaism.
“We need to discuss the facts & on the facts we're right; he shouldn’t bring up words like that, people might worry what we say's incorrect. What we say is correct,” said Gafni.
“Conversion to Judaism is not a national matter & not a civil matter; it’s not a topic one can just come over to make a ruling – especially not a court of those who don’t understand the matter at all,” he continued.
When asked by the interviewer if conversion to Judaism is a political matter, Gafni told the host, “It’s religious! Not political.”
Gafni excoriated the High Court ruling that requires recognizing non-Orthodox conversions to Judaism for citizenship.
The bombshell ruling dents ultra-Orthodox Rabbinical control over conversions. The decision came after the court urged the govt to legislate the issue for 15 years.
“It's the same High Court of Justice that scolds us politicians, lectures us we can't make dramatic decisions on the eve of elections – since it seems like we want to affect the elections – it tells us to postpone things,” Gafni said.
Israel is holding its 4th election in 2 years on March 23.
Gafni said even pressing issues were postponed due to elections at the court’s order. “There are things unequivocally in citizens’ favor, but we can’t make decisions on them. Suddenly, that same court makes a decision, tells us 15 years went by without a decision on conversions, so it makes a decision 3 weeks before elections.”