New York Magazine - May 15, 2006
........“I too was molested by Rabbi Kolko,” he wrote, “both while a student in 7th and 8th grades and during those same summers whilst a camper in Camp Agudah. . . . He would insert his hands down the front of my pants and would begin to ‘search around,’ to say the least. At the same time he would pull me closer to himself, or would push himself forward against myself, sometimes even pushing me into the steering wheel, to the point that it hurt. Unfortunately I didn’t react or complain. I of course told my parents and tried on several times to explain to them what I was going through, but they didn’t want to believe me and my ‘stories,’ etc. So I just shut up and let the molestation and perversion continue. . . . I feel that it is about time that the wall of silence be torn down.”
A few months later, after getting dozens of similar comments and e-mails, UOJ listed Jeffrey Herman’s name and phone number. He says he hadn’t spoken with Herman—he’d just noticed him as a guest on The O’Reilly Factor, talking about a clergy sex-abuse case, and thought that anyone reading his site who wanted confidentiality might consider calling him. “The key for me,” UOJ says, “was that on his Website, Herman said that he had strategies for getting around the statute of limitations.”
UOJ posted Herman’s name and number. When Herman, in turn, sent an e-mail saying he’d be happy to speak with alleged victims confidentially, Framowitz saw the posting and called him. Herman, an observant Jew from Miami, has handled millions of dollars in sex-abuse claims against clergy and school systems, mainly against the Catholic Church. He says he was interested in working on Jewish cases for the same reasons he works on Catholic ones. “People say, ‘Oh, are you gonna go after a rabbi?’ ” he says. “That’s kind of a funny question to me. I see the kind of work I’m doing as protecting kids. Jewish kids are certainly as worth protecting as Catholic kids.”
On February 2, UOJ paid for a bulk mailing to Orthodox homes in Borough Park, Flatbush, Williamsburg, and Crown Heights that might be too observant to have access to the Internet. The mailing accused Kolko of molestation and Margulies of a cover-up and even included their phone numbers. That’s when UOJ says he started receiving threats—“We’re gonna get your family” and “We know who you are.” (Many of these e-mails have been forwarded to Herman.) People accused him of betraying his community and having an ax to grind against Kolko and Margulies. The Jewish Press ran an editorial blasting the mailing. A rival blog called End UOJ was created. But the most shocking responses came from those who believed that accusing Kolko of abuse—true or not—was worse than the abuse itself. “Certainly speaking evil of somebody, truth or otherwise, establishes the most severe of all wrongdoings,” one pseudonymous comment on UOJ reads—“far, far worse then [sic] ‘child sexual abuse,’ and the punishment far more severe.” The post goes on to claim that having sex with a child is punishable by 39 lashings “at the most,” whereas lashon hara is punishable by leprosy—“a far worse penalty.”
Now that there’s a lawsuit, UOJ feels vindicated. “Molestation is rampant,” he says. “It’s not a one-in-a-million case. There’s at least one in every school. And I’m going to go after them one at a time."..........
http://nymag.com/news/features/17010
*
Teen sex rap for principal of Bensonhurst private school
BY SIMONE WEICHSELBAUM
DAILY NEWS POLICE BUREAU
Monday, January 26th 2009, 12:46 AM
Two teenage boys told cops they endured years of sexual abuse at the hands of a Brooklyn high school principal who was arrested over the weekend, police said.
Emanuel Yegutkin, 30, was suspended Sunday from Elite High School, a private Jewish school in Bensonhurst with mainly Russian-American students.
Yegutkin forced a 17-year-old into lewd sex acts from the age of 7 to 14, cops said.
He subjected a 19-year-old to five years of fondling, beginning when the teen was 12, police said.
Neither child attended Elite, school officials said.
"This has nothing to do with the school," said Elite High School Headmaster Tzvi Koff. "But we have to protect our students. He no longer has access to the school building and he is not part of our institution anymore."
The disgraced educator - who also worked in upstate Gilboa as a lifeguard at Oorah summer camp last year - was charged with endangering the welfare of a child and sexually abusing children for more than a four-month period, according to a spokesman for the Brooklyn district attorney's office.
A message left at Yegutkin's Ocean Parkway home was not returned.
Oorah Camp Director Elisha Lewenstein said Yegutkin came highly recommended.
"We investigated him before we hired him and never had a complaint," Lewenstein said.
Yegutkin, a one-time rising star within the Orthodox Jewish community, lost a second prominent job yesterday: volunteer medic for the Flatbush Hatzoloh ambulance service.
"If anybody in Hatzoloh is accused of any criminal issue, we suspend them until the issue is cleared up," Hatzoloh spokesman Heshey Jacob said.
Yegutkin "suspended himself" when he was contacted yesterday, Jacob said.
Yegutkin's arrest is the latest blow to Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish community. Since October, at least four Orthodox Jewish men in the borough have been charged with sexually abusing children.
simonew@nydailynews.com
*
Emanuel Yegutkin was also employed at Oorah's summer camp as a lifeguard!
Via E-Mail From Eliyohu Mintz Of Oorah.
We are shocked and saddened by the unfortunate news about Emanuel Yegutkin, who was an employee of Oorah’s Boy Zone for the past two summers. During the time that Mr. Yegutkin worked at Boy Zone we received no reports of improper behavior or anything that would have raised even the slightest concern. We have not been informed by law enforcement officers of specific details or heard of allegations of any incidents in Boy Zone.
However, we take this matter extremely seriously and have offered our full cooperation to the authorities in their investigation of this matter. We wish to reiterate our zero tolerance policy with respect to behavior that may endanger children. Our first concern is, and always be, the safety of the children entrusted to our care.
UPDATED STATEMENT
Statement Issued by Elisha Lewenstein, Camp Director of Oorah
Lakewood, NJ, January 26, 2009-- Following is a statement issued by Elisha Lewenstein, camp director of Oorah, Inc., regarding news about one of its former volunteers:
"We are shocked and saddened to hear about the allegations involving Mr.Emanuel Yegutkin, who was one of 400 volunteer staffers at our Upstate New York camp. Our primary concern has always been, and remains, the safety and well being of the children entrusted to our care.
"Oorah has a zero tolerance policy when it comes to any improper or illegal behavior by staff. That is the way we have run our camp since it opened and that is the policy we will continue to abide by in the future.
"None of our children ever complained about the conduct of Mr. Yegutkin and we have no reason to believe that Mr. Yegutkin did anything improper while at our camp. Obviously, we hope that this remains to be the case through the course of the police investigation. "We will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement officials in their investigation.
"Since this is an ongoing investigation, we will reserve further comment until more facts about this case become available from law enforcement officials.
56 comments:
As someone who has been molested as a early teenager I would like to describe the molester. The ANIMAL was a first grade Rebbe for at least 20 Years at the time of the molestation. He wore a long rekkel and a up brim hat. Long peyos were tucked behind his ears. He had a nice beard rounding out his appearance. This dreck was the darling of the Yeshiva later being known as the Zeide figure of the Yeshiva. However 28 years ago he repeatedly molested me and you don't have to imagine what he did because he did it ALL. At the age of about 70 years old two 1st grade students of his made allegations against him. I heard about this and blew the whistle. This CHAYA was still at it. How many children has he affected over the years? Had I known that he would still have been at it for 25 years I would have destroyed him long ago, I always felt that I did not need to take any sort of revenge and that the RS"O would take care of him after he died and then I would dance on his grave.
He was subsequently fired immediately when there was only 6 weeks left to school. I unfortunately am guilty of letting him continue his despicable behavior with other children. Make no mistake that there were many children involved. No one stays quiet for 25 years when he has such a warped mind. To a ROITZAYACH like this, children are like Pringles. Once you pop you can't stop. If you saw this piece of garbage or had him as a rebbe you would never believe that a "TZADDIK" like this could ever be guilty of such horrible crimes against the most vulnerable amongst us. Rabboisai they are a cancer in our midst and hide so well . They can cover themselves with the greatest camouflage as a rebbe, askan, baal tzedakka, gabbai or the best neighbor you could have ever asked for. They are experts in finding the right kids for their twisted pleasures. They don't look like monsters or villains. They appear as the pillars of the community. Be scared. Be very scared.
I've been told that Emanuel Yegutkin spends parts of his summers at Oorah's Camp BoyZone, where he served as a lifeguard.
If anybody has information on the animal in the 5 Towns yeshiva contact UOJ.
im in the five towns area ,what is this animals name?
Torah U'Mesorah the world is watching.
Rabbi Moshe (Grand Wizard of Talent Assessment)Possick the world is watching.
Will they loudly and firmly DEMAND Yegutkin be terminated, or cover for him like Bryks.
If the Grand Wizard has no comment DEEP DOO-DOO will start flying. He controls his already tarnished destiny.
UOJ,
Please, please help us with the Akiva Kagen story in Ramat Bet Shemesh.
In addition to the school that hired him, Torat Eliyahu, the rabbis who protected him continue to walk around as if nothing happened.
Ramat Bet Shemesh is a perfect example of rabbanut gone wrong. For example there has been a push for "achdut" in our comunity...a novel and refreshing idea.
Who was chosen to be the guest speaker? Shlomo Perlstein who is known to be one of the greatest sowers of sinat chinam Ramat bet Shemesh has ever seen.
The rabbis who protected and continue to protect Kagen are: Elimelech Kornfeld, Chaim Malinowitz and Shmuel Eidensohn.
Even thought these three wouldn't take him into their new school (which incorporated the old Yishrei Lev) they know well what he has done and continue to protect him.
Taksha and Gottlieb of Torat Eliyahu have a lot of nerve forcing a molester on the student and parent body.
I hope it won't take another incident (chas v'shalom) to wake them up.
We are shocked and saddened by the unfortunate news about Emanuel Yegutkin, who was an employee of Oorah’s Boy Zone for the past two summers.
During the time that Mr. Yegutkin worked at Boy Zone we received no reports of improper behavior or anything that would have raised even the slightest concern. We have not been informed by law enforcement officers of specific details or heard of allegations of any incidents in Boy Zone.
However, we take this matter extremely seriously and have offered our full cooperation to the authorities in their investigation of this matter.
We wish to reiterate our zero tolerance policy with respect to behavior that may endanger children. Our first concern is, and always be, the safety of the children entrusted to our care.
E. Mintz
Hey Rabid,
What do you expect in Charedi Israel? Especially in Bet Shemesh which is a hotbed of religious lunatics.
I am familiar with Ramat Bet Shemesh as I have many relatives there.
If the community doesn't stand up soon to these goons you will all be living in a ghetto.
Kornfeld, Perlstein,Malinowitz, Goldstein, Davidovich, Zacharyish and Eidensohn are nothing but wolves in sheep clothing.
Look what they did to the TOV party in your recent elections.
It's the Jewish Talaban.
"If anybody in Hatzoloh is accused of any criminal issue, we suspend them until the issue is cleared up," Hatzoloh spokesman Heshey Jacob said.
WHen will Heshy live up to his word & fire convicted sex offender Steve Zakheim & his own son:
http://www.thevillager.com/villager_123/grandstmanagers.html
When Shalom Jacob, 37, a supervisor with Hatzolah, the Jewish volunteer ambulance service on the Lower East Side, was arrested on the evening of Aug. 29 for trying to force his way passed an Emergency Medical Service team into a Grand St. apartment to help an elderly distressed woman, it was the beginning of a high-profile brouhaha that echoed for a week.
Jacob, the son of Heshie Jacob, manager of the East River and Hillman co-ops on Grand St. and longtime friend of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, was brought in handcuffs to the Seventh Precinct, and before he left about three hours later, his father, Silver and a crowd of Jacob’s Grand St. supporters had gathered at the Pitt St. police station demanding his release. Deputy Chief Brian Conroy of Manhattan South Borough Command also came to the precinct in response to the incident.
It wasn’t until the following day that police served Shalom Jacob with a desk-appearance ticket for disorderly conduct.
Silver said later that he had suggested the summons be written and held at the precinct until a Wed. Aug. 31 meeting with police, Hatzolah and the Jacob father and son. However, the Wednesday meeting was cancelled. The speaker told reporters that he had not suggested that no violation at all should be issued.
But on Tuesday, Seventh Precinct members of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association — the police union — protested that Shalom Jacob had been released without a charge and that, when finally issued, the charge had been downgraded from obstructing government administration.
“Does this mean that anytime officers of the Seventh Precinct have to take enforcement action against anyone dressed in Hasidic clothes they are going to be overly scrutinized?” said Officer Aaron Jackson, the P.B.A. delegate at the Seventh Precinct. “They should be able to enforce the law impartially, not one way against some people and another way for everyone else.”
The elder Jacob then went to the Pitt St. station, along with a group of Grand St. neighbors including Morris Faitelewicz, a Community Board 3 vice chairperson and citywide coordinator/deputy inspector of the Police Department’s Auxiliary Police Support Emergency Services Rescue Unit.
Officers who declined to be identified said that instead of being held in a cell at the precinct, Shalom Jacob was held in a room usually reserved for juvenile suspects, with people constantly going in and out.
Notice how Rubashkin cover up artist Larry Gordon tries to downplay things and says the Agudah & yeshivos don't want to see anyone hurt.
http://www.5tjt.com/news/read.asp?Id=3685
The Abuse Issue
From The Editor's Desk
By Larry Gordon
Published on Friday, January 23, 2009
Attorney Elliot Pasik points to papers and extensive documentation on his conference-room table and expresses chagrin and concern that his aim to protect our children is moving so slowly. Mr. Pasik is of counsel to the law firm of Gerald P. Gross in Cedarhurst. Pasik says that the painful resistance and stonewalling that he has come up against has not lessened his determination to make it the law in New York State that students in private schools—including hundreds of yeshivas—are afforded the same protections from abuse as other schoolchildren.
With recent stories in the media of abuse and exploitation, dating back decades, Pasik is concerned that despite the repugnant nature of so many of these stories, little has been done to further protect over 100,000 yeshiva students over these many years. “The idea of fingerprinting employees and extensive background checks of employees who come in contact with children is extensive and increasing in many employment sectors.” he said. “But,” he points out, “for years there has been continued disinterest and even apprehension to introduce the system to the private-school sector, and that includes our yeshivas.”
It’s important to state that absolutely no one involved in this process wants to facilitate exposing children in our schools to any danger whatsoever. At the same time, however, there is this innate tendency not to upset the status quo, especially when the impression is widespread that the situation in our yeshivas is fine as it is now, with only a fractional number of incidents of this nature.
But then there are the forward-looking visionaries like Elliot Pasik and the group he has assembled—the Jewish Board of Advocates for Children (JBAC)—who do not see a reason why changes that would heighten the legal protections for our children should not be introduced. In its 2007–2008 legislative session, the New York State Senate introduced a bill by Senator Dean Skelos (S.4707-A) that would make fingerprinting mandatory for prospective employees of non-public schools. The Senate approved the bill on June 19, 2007 by a vote of 60–1. But the corresponding bill in the Assembly (A.8581-A), introduced by Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, has so far not been voted upon. Mr. Pasik says that some yeshiva principals have asked Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver to block the bill from reaching the Assembly floor.
“Many yeshivas are in the dark,” says Mr. Pasik, “And they are ignoring the problem.” He adds that he believes that while all this time is being spent staking out positions and indulging in political stonewalling, “we really don’t know how many children are being abused and having their lives ruined.”
Elliot Pasik says that this is a grassroots effort and that every individual concerned about these issues needs to reach out to their political representatives and ask why no legislation is being passed to further protect our children. Referring to the procedures adopted through law for the public-school sector, Mr. Pasik elucidates, in the JBAC position paper on the matter, that “The New York State Education Department has been fingerprinting all prospective public-school employees outside New York City since 2001. Statistics available from the department reveal that nearly 1,400 job applicants have been rejected because of their criminal history backgrounds.”
Fingerprinting and other forms of background checks are not intended to take any freedoms or liberties away from prospective employees. As Mr. Pasik points out in the position paper, “The common thread of the background check statutes and rules is that where vulnerable populations are involved, the workers need to be screened to ensure security. Fingerprinting and background checks have screened out many dangerous persons and have therefore prevented many crimes that would have been inflicted on children and other vulnerable people.”
In our community—and most likely in many other schools—the employee base is not as large as some public and even private educational institutions. The feeling is that the relationships with staff are personal and, more often than not, long term. No doubt that some school directors feel that introducing fingerprinting at this juncture would possibly send a signal that the yeshiva was looking for something specific or that they were trying to discover some kind of problem, whether or not this is actually the case.
Chances are that, despite whatever discomfort or resistance to the move exists, ultimately the law will be passed and enacted. New York City public-school employees have been fingerprinted since 1974. So, too, child-care workers, school-bus drivers, and nursing-home employees must all be fingerprinted.
Mr. Pasik indicates that his organization has called a conference to be held in Brooklyn sometime in February (the exact date will be announced shortly). The hope is to bring public awareness to the issue of background checks and fingerprinting for private-school employees. Rabbi Mark Dratch, chairman of the Rabbinical Council of America Task Force on Rabbinic Improprieties, indicates in the JBAC position paper that enhancing the safety of our children by doing background checks on employees is on solid halachic grounds.
Rabbi Dratch writes that the Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 427:8) states, “There is a positive commandment to remove any obstruction that can cause danger, to safeguard against it, and to be vigilant regarding it, as it is written: ‘Only be on your guard and protect your soul’ (Deut. 4:9). If one does not remove these obstacles and leaves those objects and situations that can cause harm, he nullifies this positive commandment and also violates the prohibition, ‘You should not bring blood upon your house’ (Deut. 22:8).”
On the issue of the concern about mesirah—of reporting fellow Jews to non-Jewish authorities—Rabbi Dratch writes, “Suffice it to say that according to the overwhelming majority of major decisors of our generation, this is not an issue, especially in matters of child abuse. Some of these authorities argue that in the case of public menace informing is mandatory; since the rate of recidivism in child abuse cases is high, a child molester is considered a public menace.”
Rabbi Dratch adds, “In a ruling of great significance for victims of abuse, the Rema writes: ‘A person who attacks others should be punished. If the Jewish authorities do not have the power to punish him, he must be punished by the civil authorities.’” According to this ruling, he says, the victim has the right to go to the civil authorities not just to prevent an attack, but to seek punishment and justice for an attack that has already taken place.
The JBAC paper also cites an opinion of Rav Shalom Yosef Elyashiv, who Rabbi Dratch says ruled that one may report a child abuser to government authorities in America if he is certain about the abuse. Others even maintain that the prohibitions of mesirah and of utilizing the secular court system do not apply to these situations at all.
The issue of fingerprinting and more comprehensive background checks for private-school employees contains within it a great deal of intrigue as well as controversy. The movement, to a great extent led by attorney Pasik and the Jewish Board of Advocates for Children, will most likely overcome the obstacles in its path and ultimately get legislation passed. For now, the Agudath Israel of America, the RCA, and the Orthodox Union are in favor of having the background check legislation passed and enacted. Those who are uncertain about their position on the issue are probably just uncertain or confused about its potential ramifications. Truly the only issue to consider is that the law will create a safer environment for children. There should be no other consideration.
Comments for Larry Gordon are welcome at editor@5tjt.com
http://www.kehilasmy.org/?page_id=158
The dean of Yegutkin's school is Yehuda Leib Braun who is heavily involved with this Russian shul on Ocean Ave that was co-founded by Belsky.
Was Yegutkin's molesting known and they asked Belsky for advice?
Thank God UOJ is starting to break through the silence of victims in our community. Victims are finally standing up to receive justice. We are not going like sheep to the slaughter. Our children's blood is not cheap.
Elite and OOrah did the commendable thing by firing the sick jerk. Elite High School obviously is motre moral than Torah Temimah. Oorah is obviously better than Agudah who saw no reason to comment about Kolko their former employee.
There may still be hope for Judaism UOJ style.
What's Boog going to do about Shelly Silver?
212-312-1420
518-455-3791
250 Broadway
Suite 2307
New York, NY 10007
http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=064&sh=con
Online Comment Form
“While I was deeply saddened to learn of the sex abuse allegations against Mr. Yegutkin, I was extremely heartened by the courage his alleged victims displayed in choosing to involve the authorities in this matter. Over the course of the last several months, I have been working with a taskforce comprised of prominent therapists, rabbis, and community leaders to tackle this burgeoning issue. Together, we are continuing our vital work to devise a comprehensive plan in the form of education and prevention which we expect will be implemented in our community schools later this year.
At this time, my thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Yegutkin’s alleged victims and their families. I hope other sex abuse victims who have not yet come forward to relay their stories of anguish and exploitation to law enforcement personnel will now be inspired to do so.”
In 2005, commentator Bill O'Reilly of the Fox News Channel lambasted Silver for blocking legislation that would mandate restrictions on child molesters after their sentences are finished (including possibly forcing them to become permanent residents in psychiatric wards). "He stopped legislation that would have tracked the most dangerous sex offenders with electronic devices, and that would have mandated that communities be notified of sex offenders," O'Reilly said. "Everyone should know that Sheldon Silver is blocking legislation that would protect children and be tougher on sex offenders. That's why we call this man the worst politician in office today."
In May, 2006, when legislators proposed a law to eliminate the state's 5-year statute of limitations on rape charges, Silver tied the legislation to a proposal to eliminate a 10-year statute on filing civil lawsuits. In the ensuing controversy, then gubernatorial candidate Elliot Spitzer sided against Silver saying "...the two should not be held hostage, one to the other."
A former top aide to Silver, J. Michael Boxley, has been accused of raping two women while he was working for the speaker. Silver was said to have assisted in failing to properly investigate the Crothers case and of tolerating a culture of sexual harassment in the Assembly. In 2006, Mr. Silver and the Assembly leadership agreed to pay $500,000 to settle a lawsuit regarding this matter.
"Democratic priorities" = kids getting raped in yeshivos
http://shellysilver.org/
Assemblyman Shelly Silver has worked hard to meet the needs of all of us who call Lower Manhattan home. And on issues from housing to education to health care, Shelly Silver's gotten results.
As Assembly Speaker, he's been our voice in Albany-standing up to the misguided Republican policies of Pataki and Bush, protecting Democratic priorities and the values we share. Whether it's an issue that affects more than 3 million school children all across the state or just one family here in our neighborhood, Shelly Silver is always there for us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_Silver
As the chief officer of one house of a state legislature known for its political inertia (the 2005 New York state budget was the first in 20 years to pass the Assembly on time), Silver has often been criticized as characteristic of the inside power structure of New York State government. During the administration of Governor George Pataki, Silver was criticized for participating in a "three men in a room" system of government in which Silver, the governor, and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno exercised nearly all control over government business in the state.
Silver has taken major contributions from the Dolan family, owners of Cablevision, the Knicks, the Rangers, and Madison Square Garden, and then personally brought a stop to the development of the West Side Stadium for the Jets, which Cablevision strongly opposed because it would pull revenue from Madison Square Garden.
At times, Silver has been criticized as being aloof. In 2000, an editorial written in response to the failed 2000 coup against his power in The Buffalo News attributed that aloofness to having too much power:
The problem–which also exists in the State Senate–can be boiled down to a single overarching issue: The Assembly speaker has too much power. He controls everything, from the legislation that can be voted on to how his normally docile members vote on it. He decides what the Assembly will accept in a state budget. He negotiates secretly with the other two leaders to hammer out important, expensive and far-reaching laws. And he ignores the wishes of less exalted lawmakers.
Silver has long been criticized for his employment with Weitz & Luxenberg, one of the state's larger litigation firms. This has led some to accuse Silver of having a conflict of interest, as he has consistently blocked medical malpractice and other tort reform in Albany. Weitz & Luxenberg insists that Silver's ties with the firm are "negligible" but Silver has refused to disclose the details of his employment or the salary he receives from the law firm.
It's comforting to see more victims willing to come forward and go to the police. We have no right to comment about or assume Mr. Yegutkin's guilt or innocence. The case is where it belongs, with the authorities. The school, the Hatzolah and the camp did the right thing in suspending him. The safety of the children is of the utmost importance. This is how all these abuse cases should be handled.
Well, I might get around eventually to dealing with Shelly Silver & molesters. I've got important stuff to do right now that gets high TV ratings like figuring out which Barbie Doll is going to replace Hillary Clinton.
WASHINGTON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department is expected to name Todd Stern, a senior White House official under former President Bill Clinton, as its climate change envoy, two people familiar with the decision said on Monday.
A kid recently came in to my wife's workplace to sell the Girl Scout cookies & candies. The mostly goyishe oylam complained that the quality of the stuff has really gone downhill over the years. Some varities were so bad they did not even consider them edible.
It looks like tough economic times are making companies inclined to cut corners which is a danger for kashrus too.
Sorry, here's the article about OU on Girl Scouts
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/us/25cookies.html
"Boo-Boo" Bruno Bye-Bye.
When is Shelly ("I don't Go to Cop Funerals")getting his?
BTW, somebody call an eye-doc to check on the Guv Dave ( I Be Da Bungler) Patterson's "good-eye" after he totally screwed up picking Hillary's replacement.
Makes you wonder how he ever was able to 'see' and successfully navigate himself over to that Motel on 96th Broadway to be with his Koochy-Koochy without tripping over his dingle.
NY'ers have Mazal: First it was Elliot (I keep My Socks On) Spitz-er and now this Behaimeh.
BTW, now that the Bim-Bam is closing down Gitmo where does he put Osama when he catches him?
No time to think about that as he has just announced that he is opening up direct dialogue with Ahmadjinjad.
Yes we can.
Change you can believe in.
"I won the election".
The "Sleeper".
The Bim-Bam Identity.
This CANNOT be true. I know the guy personally. One of the coolest and nicest guys I've met. This guy was one of the most helpful people in my school. Always willing to help anyone out with anything. I truely believe someone is setting him up
Posted by: M.Z | January 26, 2009 at 12:08 PM
This CANNOT be true. I know Yudi Kolko personally. One of the coolest and nicest guys I've met. This guy was one of the most helpful people in my school. Always willing to help anyone out with anything. I truly believe someone is setting him up.
Posted by: lipa margulies | January 26, 2009 at 12:25 PM
At no time did Rabbi Yegutkin have anything to do with our institution.
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Starbucks Corp on Monday said it has pulled all products containing peanut butter from its stores in the United States and Canada as a safety precaution.
The move came amid a U.S. salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter and peanut paste from the Peanut Corp of America's Blakely, Georgia processing facility. Seven deaths have been tied to the contamination, which has made hundreds of sick, according to U.S. health officials.
The coffee chain said its products are not affected by a massive recall of peanut butter products and that Peanut Corporation of America is not a Starbucks supplier.
Some of the pulled products include the company's protein plate, granola bars and peanut butter cookies.
Foreclosures rose 79 percent in 2007 and spiked another 81 percent in 2008, to a record 2.3 million households. "It wouldn't surprise me if we approach 3 million households in 2009," said Rick Sharga, senior vice president of RealtyTrac, which compiles foreclosure data. At the same time, hedge funds, which helped foment the boom, have started mailing in their own keys. If a fund suffers losses in a year, the managers can't start earning lucrative performance fees unless the fund returns above its high-water mark. Rather than soldier on, many operators have opted to simply fold, returning money to investors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/nyregion/26landlord.html
Rockrose Development Corporation markets itself as something of a cruise director, fostering a sense of fun and neighborhood spirit in its luxury rental buildings fitted with pools, barbecue grills and party rooms.
But one former tenant, David Griffiths, now thinks of the real estate developer as more akin to Big Brother.
Mr. Griffiths, an information technology consultant, and his wife, Katy — who is pregnant — had to move in November when Rockrose declined to renew their lease at its EastCoast waterfront development in Long Island City, Queens.
A Rockrose employee, he said, told him it was because he had posted critical comments about the building on the Internet.
Catholic school dean charged in grope of student
BY DORIAN BLOCK
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Thursday, January 22nd 2009
A dean at a Bronx all-boys Catholic school was arrested and placed on leave for allegedly unzipping a student's pants and groping the teen in his office.
James West, 55, the dean of discipline at Cardinal Hayes High School, was charged with forcible touching and sexual abuse after the alleged Jan. 13 incident. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment three days later and was released without bail pending a Feb. 10 court date.
According to court documents, a 19-year-old student said West, of
upstate Highland Mills, called him out of class and into his office
shortly after 1 p.m.
"'Come here,'" West allegedly said, coaxing the student to move
closer to his office chair.
West then unzipped the student's pants and reached into the teen's
underwear, groping the student's genitals before offering to perform oral sex, according to court documents.
"'I love you,'" West allegedly said. "'I won't tell anyone. I know you won't. I can take you some place where I can do more.'"
West did not immediately return calls for comment.
Joseph Zwilling, spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York, said West
was put on leave and a letter sent to parents.
"No other students have come forward indicating any similar
complaints," he said. "If any do, we would immediately contact the
district attorney's office."
The charges are the latest lobbed against leadership at Cardinal
Hayes. Last February, the school's principal was forced out for
keeping "inappropriate images" on his computer.
In 2003, a former Spanish teacher pleaded guilty to having sex with a 16-year-old student.With Alison Gendar
dblock@nydailynews. com
It was a slow day at the office, so........
The Agudah putzes decided to pick a fight with Deocratic leader Nancy Pelosi. Donors are wasting their money on these doofesses posturing for useless headlines.
*********************************
January 26, 2009
Dear Speaker Pelosi,
On behalf of Agudath Israel of America, I write to share dismay and sadness over the comments about birth control funding you made Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” program.
Viewing the funding of birth control as a fit and proper means of stimulating the economy – and by extension children as essentially burdens on the treasury – should be beneath a public servant, much less someone of your accomplishment and influence.
Agudath Israel represents a national constituency of Orthodox Jews. From our perspective, every human life is inherently precious, and carries with it the potential for greatness and holiness. To the best of my understanding, that perspective is by no means limited to the Jewish faith; it reflects the worldview of countless millions of Americans from all religious backgrounds.
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There is a reason, after all, why our nation’s tax policy favors children and the parents who undertake to raise them. America cares about and values its young. Framing our responsibilities to the youngest Americans as liabilities rather than privileges is a dismaying departure from that longstanding American ideal.
Respectfully, I urge you to repudiate your remarks about stimulating the economy by limiting life. I, and the many others in our community and the broader populace who hold you in high personal esteem, would like to believe you simply misspoke.
Rabbi David Zwiebel
Executive Vice President
Agudath Israel of America
THE HYPOCRISY OF THE AGUDAH:
January 26, 2009
Dear Speaker Pelosi,
On behalf of Agudath Israel of America, I write to share dismay and sadness over the comments about birth control funding you made Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” program.
Viewing the funding of birth control as a fit and proper means of stimulating the economy – and by extension children as essentially burdens on the treasury – should be beneath a public servant, much less someone of your accomplishment and influence.
Agudath Israel represents a national constituency of Orthodox Jews. From our perspective, every human life is inherently precious, and carries with it the potential for greatness and holiness. That's why we are vehemently opposed to any type of legislation that will protect these lives from sexual predators. To the best of my understanding, that perspective is by no means limited to the Jewish faith; it reflects the worldview of countless millions of Americans from all religious backgrounds.
There is a reason, after all, why our nation’s tax policy favors children and the parents who undertake to raise them. America cares about and values its young. Framing our responsibilities to the youngest Americans as liabilities rather than privileges is a dismaying departure from that longstanding American ideal.
Respectfully, I urge you to repudiate your remarks about stimulating the economy by limiting life. I, and the many others in our community and the broader populace who hold you in high personal esteem, would like to believe you simply misspoke. The same way we'd like to believe you misspoke when you codemned the mandatory reporting bill
Rabbi David Zwiebel
Executive Vice President
Agudath Israel of America
DENVER – Fallen evangelical pastor Ted Haggard says he had an "inappropriate relationship" with a young male church volunteer, but it did not involve physical contact.
Haggard's successor at Colorado Springs' New Life Church, Brady Boyd, has said evidence pointed to an "inappropriate, consensual sexual relationship" between Haggard and the man, who was in his early 20s.
Haggard said in a new statement Monday that he met with the young man two years ago, along with his wife and a representative of New Life Church. At that time, he asked the man's forgiveness for "our inappropriate relationship."
His statement says, "Although there was no physical contact, I have regretted my irresponsibile (sic) behavior."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/nyregion/27novello.html?hp=&pagewanted=print
January 27, 2009
Ex-Surgeon General Accused of Abusing Staff
By DANNY HAKIM
ALBANY — Gov. George E. Pataki’s appointment of Antonia C. Novello, a former United States surgeon general, as state health commissioner in 1999 was something of a coup for New York.
An appointee of President George H. W. Bush who was the first woman and first Hispanic to serve as surgeon general, Dr. Novello was praised even by the Clinton administration for her “vigor and talent” and promised to bring new attention to pediatric health.
But the New York State inspector general’s office says that she turned her staff at the Health Department into her personal chauffeurs, porters and shopping assistants during her seven-year tenure, and have referred a criminal case, including potential felony charges, to the Albany County district attorney.
A report from the office of Inspector General Joseph Fisch to be released Tuesday depicts Dr. Novello as preoccupied with shopping and routinely abusive of her authority over employees, ordering them to buy her groceries, pick up her dry cleaning and even water her houseplants.
On one occasion, Dr. Novello purchased a heavy statue of Buddha during a shopping excursion in Troy, N.Y., then required a Health Department security guard to move it into her apartment, and then a few days later move it to another spot in her home because she didn’t like how it looked, according to the report, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times. The guard told investigators that he often had to ask his teenage son to help him move her furniture around.
Dr. Novello also ordered a Medicaid fraud investigator in her department to drive her on trips to Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. On numerous occasions she had state workers drive her or her mother from the Albany area to Newark, roughly 300 miles round trip, to catch flights to Puerto Rico for personal business. When traveling between state offices in New York City and Albany, she liked to stop at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, N.Y., and she is also accused of using state workers to take her on excursions to three malls in the Albany area.
Security guards who acted as her drivers said in interviews with state investigators that she would embarrass and yell at them if they did not do things the way she wanted and expected them to be at her beck and call at all hours.
Dr. Novello declined to comment Monday. She has hired a top criminal defense lawyer in the capital, E. Stewart Jones, to handle the case.
“I don’t believe that anything she did was unjustified or unwarranted or calls for criminal prosecution,” Mr. Jones said Monday.
“The inspector general’s method of investigation and method of reporting leaves much to the imagination,” Mr. Jones added. “They aren’t held to the same standard of proof that’s required in a criminal investigation or a criminal trial. They tend to adopt hearsay as truth.”
Dr. Novello, now an executive at Disney’s Childrens Hospital in Orlando, Fla. has also declined to be interviewed by the inspector general.
Mr. Fisch has asked the district attorney, P. David Soares, to determine whether there are grounds to bring felony charges, including defrauding the government and offering a fFalse instrument for filing, against Dr. Novello. Mr. Fisch, in a statement, said Dr. Novello “shamelessly and blatantly exploited and abused her staff, adding a new dimension to the definition of ‘arrogance’ and ‘chutzpah.’ ”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/us/politics/27illinois.html?hp
January 27, 2009
As Trial Starts, Blagojevich Mounts Defense on TV
By MONICA DAVEY
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — It is not easy to upstage one’s own impeachment trial, but Rod R. Blagojevich, the embattled governor of Illinois, appeared on Monday to be doing just that.
As state senators began gathering in this downstate capital city of 116,000 to hear accusations of wrongdoing, overstepping and deal-making in Illinois’ first impeachment trial of a governor, Mr. Blagojevich was in New York to begin a day of national television interviews, aimed at reaching millions, in his own defense.
Mr. Blagojevich repeatedly said he was innocent of federal criminal accusations against him — including claims he tried to sell President Obama’s former Senate seat for money, a high-paying job or a cabinet position — and denounced the impeachment trial as unfair.
“When the whole story comes out, you’ll see that the effort was to work to have a senator who can best represent Illinois and one that can help us create jobs and provide health care,” Mr. Blagojevich said of the Senate seat on “Good Morning America.” In addition to many others already known to be among those Mr. Blagojevich had considered for the job, he said for the first time on Monday that he had, at one point, pondered asking Oprah Winfrey to take the post.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27peanuts.html
January 27, 2009
Peanut Plant Was Cited for Violations
By RONI CARYN RABIN
The plant in Georgia that produced peanut butter tainted by salmonella has a history of sanitation lapses and was cited repeatedly in 2006 and 2007 for having dirty surfaces and grease residue and dirt buildup throughout the plant, according to health inspection reports. Inspection reports from 2008 found the plant repeatedly in violation of cleanliness standards.
Inspections of the plant in Blakely, Ga., by the State Agriculture Department found areas of rust that could flake into food, gaps in warehouse doors large enough for rodents to get through, unmarked spray bottles and containers and numerous violations of other practices designed to prevent food contamination. The plant, owned by the Peanut Corporation of America of Lynchburg, Va., has been shut down.
A typical entry from an inspection report, dated Aug. 23, 2007, said: “The food-contact surfaces of re-work kettle in the butter room department were not properly cleaned and sanitized.” Additional entries noted: “The food-contact surfaces of the bulk oil roast transfer belt” in a particular room “were not properly cleaned and sanitized. The food-contact surfaces of pan without wheels in the blanching department were not properly cleaned and sanitized.”
A code violation in the same report observed “clean peanut butter buckets stored uncovered,” while another cited a “wiping cloth” to “cover crack on surge bin.” Tests on samples gathered on the day of that inspection were negative for salmonella.
The inspection reports were provided by Georgia officials in response to a request made by The New York Times under the state’s open-records act.
Two inspection reports from 2008 found the plant out of compliance with practices for making sure “food and non-food contact surfaces were cleanable, properly designed, constructed and used.”
The state performs the inspections on behalf of the Food and Drug Administration as part of a contractual agreement with the federal agency, officials said.
Representatives of the Peanut Corporation of America did not respond to requests for comment.
The salmonella outbreak has sickened almost 500 people around the country and is linked to seven deaths. More than 125 products containing peanut butter or peanut paste from the Georgia plant have been recalled.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/business/25bernie.html?pagewanted=print
“Some of the characteristics you see in psychopaths are lying, manipulation, the ability to deceive, feelings of grandiosity and callousness toward their victims,” says Gregg O. McCrary, a former special agent with the F.B.I. who spent years constructing criminal behavioral profiles.
Mr. McCrary cautions that he has never met Mr. Madoff, so he can’t make a diagnosis, but he says Mr. Madoff appears to share many of the destructive traits typically seen in a psychopath.
Madoff’s confidence reminds J. Reid Meloy, a forensic psychologist, of criminals he has studied.
“Typically, people with psychopathic personalities don’t fear getting caught,” explains Dr. Meloy, author of a 1988 textbook, “The Psychopathic Mind.” “They tend to be very narcissistic with a strong sense of entitlement.”
To some extent, analysts of criminal behavior say, defining Mr. Madoff is complicated by the wide variety of possible explanations for his scheme: a desire to accumulate vast wealth, a need to dominate others and a need to prove that he was smarter than everyone else. That was shown, they say, in an ability to dupe investors and regulators for years.
Like the former F.B.I. agent Mr. McCrary, Dr. Meloy cautions that he has not met Mr. Madoff and can’t make a clinical diagnosis. Nevertheless, he says individuals with psychopathic personalities tend to strongly believe that they’re special.
“They believe ‘I’m above the law,’ and they believe they cannot be caught,” Mr. Meloy says. “But the Achilles’ heel of the psychopath is his sense of impunity. That is, eventually, what will bring him down.”
He says it makes complete sense that Mr. Madoff would have courted regulators, even if he ran the risk of exposing his own actions by doing so.
“In a scheme like this, it’s very important to keep those who could threaten you very close to you,” Dr. Meloy explains. “You want to develop them as allies and shape how they go about their business and their attitudes toward you.”
INDEED, if it is shown that Mr. Madoff fooled regulators for decades, that would have been a “heady, intoxicating” experience and would have fueled a sense of entitlement and grandiosity, Mr. McCrary says.
And by reeling in people from the Jewish community, from charities, from public institutions and from prominent and relatively sophisticated investor networks worldwide, Mr. Madoff wreaked havoc on many lives.
That’s why Mr. McCrary says it’s not too far-fetched to compare Mr. Madoff to serial killers.
“With serial killers, they have control over the life or death of people,” Mr. McCrary explains. “They’re playing God. That’s the grandiosity coming through. The sense of being superior. Madoff is getting the same thing. He’s playing financial god, ruining these people and taking their money.”
Hypocrisy!
by David A. Harris
Executive Director
American Jewish Committee
January 26, 2009
Dear Ms. Trine Lilleng,
You were an unknown Norwegian diplomat till this month.
No longer.
As first secretary in the Norwegian Embassy in Saudi Arabia, you recently sent out an email on your office account in which you declared: "The grandchildren of Holocaust survivors from World War II are doing to the Palestinians exactly what was done to them by Nazi Germany."
Accompanying your text were photos, with an emphasis on children, seeking to juxtapose the Holocaust with the recent Israeli military operation in Gaza.
Clearly, you are miscast in your role as a diplomat, all the more so of a nation that has sought to play a mediating role in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
In fact, you're desperately in need of some education.
Let's begin with your current posting. You've been in Riyadh since 2007.
If you're so anguished by human rights violations, perhaps you could have begun by devoting some of your attention - and email blasts - to what surrounds you.
Or were your eyes diplomatically shut?
Have you failed to notice the many legal executions, including beheadings, going on in your assigned country?
Have you ignored the often abysmal treatment of foreign workers, many from Asia, who also happen to be disproportionately counted among the victims of Saudi capital punishment?
Have you neglected the gender apartheid that surrounds you? Did you ever look out of your car to notice that Saudi women are proscribed from driving, and that's hardly the worst of it?
Have you checked the skyline of Riyadh or Jeddah lately to count the number of church spires or other non-Muslim houses of worship?
Have you bothered to inquire about the fate of homosexuals?
Okay, you were AWOL on those issues. Maybe you just didn't want to offend your hosts by speaking the truth, or maybe you're suffering from that diplomatic disease known as "localitis" or "clientitis."
But surely a woman like you, with such capacity for empathy for those in far-away places, and especially for children in danger, couldn't remain silent about other human rights transgressions, could she?
After all, could an individual so deeply moved by the plight of Palestinians in Gaza remain silent about what a New York Times columnist earlier this month described as "hell on earth" - Zimbabwe? Could a person so anguished by the fate of Palestinian children stay mum about a country where a girl's life expectancy at birth is 34, much less than half that of her Norwegian counterpart, and where the health care sector has vaporized, all thanks to the one-man rule of Robert Mugabe?
Could such a dedicated humanist possibly avert her eyes from the deadliest conflict since the Second World War, which has killed over five million people, many of them children, in the Congo in the past decade - not to mention the documented and widespread use of torture, rape, and arbitrary detention?
An observer of such acute sensitivity could hardly hold her tongue while Afghan girls attempting to go to school have been doused with acid by those who wish to deny young women access to education, reminiscent of the five years of Taliban rule, could she?
In neighboring Pakistan, where you served in the Norwegian embassy for three years, the beleaguered human rights community must have been fortunate to have such an impassioned voice for all that's wrong in this failing state. Or was that voice, perhaps, on mute?
The children of Sderot, the Israeli town near the Gaza border, have been in desperate need of just such a spokesperson as you for the past eight years.
After all, their town has been in the crosshairs of literally thousands of missiles and mortars fired from Gaza. Those Israeli children live with all the signs of trauma, knowing that, with only 15 seconds warning, they could be hit at any time in their schools, their parks, or their beds. Yet, during my visit there last week, for some reason, those children and their parents had yet to hear you speak out for them. What a pity!
And the children of Iran could use your help as well. According to human rights groups, Iran has no compunction about executing children or those who were children when their crimes were allegedly committed.
Oh, and by the way, your compassionate help would also undoubtedly be welcomed by others under the gun in Iran, including women's rights activists, union organizers, student protesters, independent journalists, reformist politicians, and religious minorities. And let's not forget, once again, the children of Israel, who, according to the Iranian president, don't have a right to live.
But wait! A Google search about you reveals nothing, not a single word, regarding your views on Zimbabwe, Congo, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sderot, or Iran. Or, for that matter, Burma, Darfur, Syria. Shall I go on?
Only Israel, faced with those who wish to destroy it, manages to prompt your impassioned correspondence and righteous indignation. Why?
No less, your stunning lack of education extends beyond the contemporary world to 20th century history, specifically the Holocaust.
Your invocation of the Holocaust to describe what's taken place in Gaza is, frankly, nothing short of obscene.
Your claim that the grandchildren of the survivors are doing to the Palestinians exactly what was done to them goes beyond any norm of decency, much less honesty.
Approve or disapprove of the Israeli military operation, but there is no basis whatsoever for such a comparison.
When Israel entered Gaza in a war of self-defense in 1967, the population was 360,000. After Israel withdrew totally from Gaza in 2005, it was estimated at 1.4 million.
Would that the Jewish population under Nazi rule had quadrupled!
When Israel entered Gaza in 1967, life expectancy for women was 46. When it left Gaza, it was 73.
Shall we even bother to discuss life expectancy for Jews under Nazi occupation?
The Second World War in Europe lasted from September 1, 1939 to May 8, 1945 - 68 months in all. That means an average monthly extermination rate of nearly 90,000 Jews.
Compare that to the total number of victims in Gaza over three weeks - roughly guesstimated at more or less 1,000 - and recall that the majority were armed fighters committed to Israel's destruction, who used civilians, including children, as human shields, mosques as arms depots, and hospitals as sanctuaries.
Believe me, Ms. Lilleng, if the "grandchildren of the Holocaust survivors" had wanted to do exactly what the Nazis did to their grandparents, they would have unleashed their full air, land, and sea power. They would have thrown the Israel Defense Forces' ethical guidelines to the wind, kicked out the UN and Red Cross personnel on the ground, stopped humanitarian transports of food, fuel, and medicine, prevented media reporting, and left absolutely nothing - and no one - standing.
Unless, of course, they needed slave labor, in which case they would have carted off the able-bodied to work in Auschwitz replicas until they dropped. Or material for ghoulish medical experimentation, in which case, in the spirit of Mengele, they would have kept Palestinian twins alive temporarily.
But Israel didn't do any of these things. It's a peace-seeking democracy dedicated to the rule of law - unlike so many of the countries whose horrific sins you blithely choose to overlook.
What are we to make of your selective moral outrage and rank hypocrisy?
You ought to take a look in the mirror and ask yourself why Israel, and only Israel, makes your blood boil and leads you to speak out, even at the risk of grossly distorting both reality and history.
The answer, Ms. Lilleng, should be painfully obvious.
Municipal leaders: Kiryas Joel should submit plans to Orange County
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Chris McKenna
By Chris Mckenna
January 27, 2009
Times Herald-Record
KIRYAS JOEL — Several municipal leaders are pushing for the Village of Kiryas Joel to comply with a state law requiring that certain types of construction projects be reviewed in advance by county planners.
The group has drafted a proposed resolution for the Orange County Legislature, demanding that all municipalities in the county obey that planning mandate, and sent copies to the other towns, villages and cities for their support.
“It happens to be the rule of law, and being law-abiding people, we comply with that,” said Blooming Grove Supervisor Charles Bohan, one of four officials who signed a Jan. 20 cover letter that went out with the draft resolution.
Kiryas Joel has never submitted development plans to the county Planning Department for review, despite nearly constant construction of condominiums and other buildings to keep pace with the village’s rapid population growth.
Village Administrator Gedalye Szegedin didn’t respond to a request for comment Monday. When asked almost two years ago about the village’s refusal to give building plans, he said he feared “another level of government review” would delay projects and increase their cost. And Szegedin said he worried even more that the village’s critics would scrutinize those plans and try to impede development.
Under state law, all municipalities are supposed to send the local Planning Department any plans to build within 500 feet of another municipality, parkland, county or state road and certain other areas, so that planners can weigh the potential impact and issue recommendations.
But county Planning Commissioner David Church, who has pressed in vain for Kiryas Joel’s development plans, cautioned Monday that he still hasn’t learned if the village has a zoning law and Planning Board, without which it need not comply with the referral mandate.
“I’m not totally convinced they’re in noncompliance,” he said.
Kiryas Joel does indeed have a zoning law, filed with the state Department of State on July 21, 1977, shortly after the village was incorporated. The law was amended in 1978 and 1984.
cmckenna@th-record.com
From the Jerusalem Post--jpost.com
A 45-year-old pedophile will be indicted at a Petah Tivka Court on Wednesday over charges of repeated sexual attacks on three brothers.
The Petah Tikva Police's youth division received intelligence on the man's alleged acts on January 20, and sent officers to arrest the suspect.
Police say the man gained the trust of the brothers, who are aged nine, 11, and 15, and went on to carry out the "most severe offenses that appear in the law book" against them dozens of times.
The man is known to police due to previous offenses.
http://www.nytimes.com/
Obama Interview Signals New Tone in Relations With Islam
By ALAN COWELL 21 minutes ago
In an interview with an Arab TV broadcaster on Tuesday, President Obama told the Muslim world that “the Americans are not your enemy.”
Typical of the NY Times to leave out the fact that I'm an Arab.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_J._Mitchell
Because of his origin, he defined himself as American Arab.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/washington/28diplo.html?hp
WASHINGTON — President Obama has dispatched his special envoy, George J. Mitchell, to the Middle East, kicking off a diplomatic initiative that Mr. Obama pledged would be vigorous and sustained
http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1874180,00.html
It seems impossible that a handful of companies could put nearly 80,000 people out of work in a day. Caterpillar (CAT), Pfizer (PFE), Texas Instruments (TXN), Sprint (S), and Home Depot (HD) did most of the damage. What was not seen in the headlines was the thousands of smaller American firms which also fired people over the same 24-hours. Could 200,000 people across the economy have been put out of work in one day? Of course.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Housing might be in worse shape than we think.
There is probably even more excess housing inventory gumming up the market than current statistics indicate, thanks to a wave of foreclosures that has yet to hit the market.
The problem: Many foreclosed homes and other distressed properties that are now owned by banks have yet to be listed for sale. The volume of this so-called 'ghost inventory' could be substantial enough to depress already steeply falling prices when it does go on the market.
Imagine if protesters showed up at yeshivos harboring molesters & refused to leave.
http://www.newsday.com/business/ny-bzponz0127,0,4759767.story
The chief executive of investment firm Agape World Inc. was arrested Monday night on a mail fraud charge, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said, after federal authorities carted away a safe, boxes and several file cabinets from the firm's offices in Hauppauge and Queens.
Several sources close to the investigation said the case involves up to 1,500 investors who may have lost as much as $370 million through Agape World, which makes high-interest bridge loans, according to its Web site.
Click here for photos of the raid in Hauppauge
Company president Nicholas Cosmo surrendered to postal inspectors at the fraud unit's office in Hicksville at 7:15 p.m. with his lawyers, a few hours after federal authorities raided the business.
Questions about Agape World's business practices had been raised recently by investors who said the company did not return their investments and gave them confusing responses to questions about their money.
Worried investors turned up at the company's offices in Hauppauge and Queens yesterday but found empty offices and a federal raid in progress.
"I don't think I'm going to get my money back. I have no confidence," said Mark Restivo, who drove to Hauppauge yesterday from Orange County to learn about the status of his "six figures" investment.
Restivo said he wanted to talk to Cosmo and say: "Show me the money."
Investors said they were especially concerned because their problems began occurring immediately after the alleged Ponzi scheme involving Bernard Madoff came to light last month.
It was the second mass turnout of investors at the Hauppauge office in less than a week. Suffolk police were called Friday when investors refused to leave and, according to Cosmo, a physical altercation ensued. Cosmo was escorted out by police for his safety.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090127/NEWS/90127009/-1/SPORTS12
Judge grants bail for Rubashkin
Defense lawyers offered to have a private security firm use cameras and around-the-clock guards to confine Rubashkin to his Postville home. But Judge Reade did not require house arrest. She ordered that Rubashkin remain in Allamakee County unless he receives special permission to travel elsewhere. She also ordered that he have no contact with any potential witnesses in the case, and that he stay away from Agriprocessors.
Reade said she did not fault Magistrate Judge Jon Scoles, who earlier denied bail. She said Scoles did not have the chance to hear live testimony from witnesses supporting Rubashkin, as she did.
Rabbi David Zweibel, executive vice president of the Orthodox group Agudath Israel of America, testified by phone from his home in Brooklyn, N.Y. Zweibel was one of several national Jewish leaders who traveled to Dubuque earlier this month to meet with Rubashkin and pray with him. Zweibel told the judge today that he and other leaders put their reputations on the line by supporting Rubashkin’s request for bail. If Rubashkin fled, Zweibel said, it would give the community a black eye.
“I believe he would understand that he has a responsibility,” Zweibel said.
The prosecution’s flight-risk contentions included the fact that Rubashkin made a brief trip to Canada in late October, shortly before he was charged. Prosecutors speculated he might have been scouting out a possible escape route for himself and his family.
But a family friend, Joe Schochet of Toronto, testified by phone today that Rubashkin visited because Schochet was ill. He said even though Rubashkin knew he probably would be charged soon, he never mentioned the possibility of fleeing during the visit.
“He never talked about staying in Canada or going anywhere,” Schochet said, adding that Rubashkin could have easily caught a flight to Israel from the same airport terminal where he caught a flight home to Iowa.
Please keep this in the news so that Rabbi Baruch Manes gets a fair chance.
Lakewood tries to keep dissenters in line:
Here's the story:
http://hamercaz.com/hamercaz/site/news_item.php?id=3677
Here's the letter:
http://hamercaz.com/hamercaz/site/aoi_image.php?id=631&width=700
I am of the belief that Sholom Rubashkin is entitled to be released on bail. That in no way casts any light at all whether he will be convicted at trial for the allegations against him.
As an American citizen - and under the guidelines for bail - once he surrenders his passport, and is under electronic surveillance, he should be treated no differently than any other American citizen -under the bail guidelines - regardless of the crimes he may or may not be convicted of.
Yeah but what about running like a putz to protest in front of the Iowa jail while the OU & Agudah do nothing to help Rubashkin's victims that can't even feed their children or put them in warm shelter when it's 20 degrees below zero?
Dweeb-el, you have a point about the freezing weather. It's even colder up in Minnesota where temperatures of -40 have Shmarya shivering over his computer!
Hey Lakewood loser, if you want people to be treated with respect, why all the vile, disgusting attacks on websites & mailings?
Tell Eckstein to knock it off as it seems to have his fingerprints all over it.
No disagreement here regarding the confused priorities of Dweebel & Co.
(JTA) -- American businessman Morris Talansky has been offered partial immunity from the U.S Justice Department for his testimony in a corruption probe of Ehud Olmert.
The offer, communicated Sunday to Talansky through his Israeli attorneys, states that any testimony he gives in an Israeli courtroom cannot be used as direct evidence against him in the United States. But the Justice Department can use the testimony to pursue other leads in an investigation against Talansky.
Talansky is the key witness in an investigation against Israel's prime minister for allegedly accepting illegal funds in cash to pay for political campaigns and travel. Olmert's official resignation in September led to the national elections that will be held Feb. 10. Olmert remains in his post until a new prime minister is sworn in.
Talansky testified that he gave Olmert $150,000 in cash in envelopes delivered by third parties and did not receive anything in return.
Talansky last appeared in an Israeli courtroom seven months ago. Israel's Justice Ministry has asked Talansky's attorneys to set a date for his return to Israel to complete his testimony.
http://dwywnow.blogspot.com/
welcome to Down With Yeshiva World Now. the purpose of this blog is to show that which is obvious. mainly that yeshivaworld is unworthy of its name.
I've know Emmanuel personally for several years and this is all untrue. It's a scam and total retardation. Why would a man with two kids engage do such of a thing? It doesn't make sense if you put the picture together; A rising star in the Jewish community and a man with a very strong morals like Yegutkin would never do such abominable acts. He is innocent; and will remain innocent until proven guilty. The first act of sexual assault would have happened when Emmanuel was twenty three. At that time he was still in college or had just got out of college. These kids weren't even part of Elite high school; they were nobodies to to this man. He had no connection to them. The man couldn't hurt a fly let alone force kids into fondling. I trust this man and I would never think Emmanuel could ever go against his beliefs in the Torah. It goes against everything I know him for.It's absurd and the authorities should look further into this matter to prove his man's innocence. The fact is this man is being misjudged and mistreated for something he didn't even do!
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