So this week's New York jewish Week chronicles the fall-out over Matisyahu's revelation that he "no longer identifies" with "the Lubavitch sect" of Chassidus. The revelation, to quote the Jewish Week, "lit up" the Orthodox blogosphere.

Well I wouldn't call the frum blogosphere "lit up" but there is definitely spirited dialogue.

Rabbi Levi Brackman -- a rabbi who I have continuously held in extremely high esteem since I began reading his (often the sole) frum perspectives on YNet -- voices his regret for ever having backed Matis:

His lyrics no longer really reflect deep Jewish spirituality and his behavior on stage is becoming increasingly secular. Now that he has publicly distanced himself from Chabad/Lubavitch I am admitting that I was wrong to ever promote Matisyahu. It is my hope that he keeps his faith and does not go off the deep end and thus take others with him.

It makes it even worse when you hear how irresponsibly he speaks. We don't want our kids listening to Jay Z and sipping wine to relax. Thats not how a frum yid should act....I think Shluchim might need to reconsider how involved they get with him or his shows. I think we have to worry about what he could still say or do...

I really hope that Matisyahu does well. Both phy$ically and spiritually. I hope and wish him well, but I'm officially OFF the Matisyahu fan club train...because of his comments and his attitude. He may be doing a lot of good for the non religious world and maybe even the goyish world. But for the Frum world I'm afraid that he can only do harm.

Perhaps there's a kabbalistic term for the emotional source of all these blog posts. Perhaps we could call it "Olam ha'Overreaction." As Yossi B (future hiphop stage name?) writes on his blog ChaBlog-Lubavitch, Matisyahu is being misunderstood and overly criticized, and Yossi blasts Rav Brackman's equating Matisyahu with a "secular Jewish" musician saying:

You know, [you're] right. Bob Dylan and Matisyahu are pretty much the same. One barely licked the edge of Torah his entire life, and one says Chitas and Davens every day, but no, your right he is like every other secular Jewish singer. Matisyahu is not made for your little kids in your house, and I hope you don’t have a problem with your teenage ones listening to him because that’s just… odd.

...I think you need to ask yourself who is the good Jew in this situation. No disrespect intended.

I think this is symptomatic of a breakdown in understanding between those religious Jews who were raised religious (FFB) and ba'alei tshuva/converts. For FFB Jews, much of this soul-searching process does not happen -- my father was Yekkish (German Jew), my grandfather was a Yekke, I went to Yekkishe yeshivos, I pray at a Yekkishe shul, so I'll be Yekkish until the Next World. The most dramatic paradigm shift is for girls who get married, when they switch from "minhag X" to "minhag Y". Those of us who are religious by choice, however, have no such pre-fab outlooks, we are constantly re-evaluating, constantly re-examining ourselves and seeing whether or not we feel "at home" anymore.

Continue reading "King Without A Crown (or a Yellow Flag)" »

Posted by Y-Love at 04:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)

"For these things I cry; my eye, my eye runs down with water; because the Comforter is far from me...my children are desolate, because the enemy hath prevailed." -- Lamentations 1:16

Has the enemy prevailed?

Has the f-your-neighbor-f-the-poor attitude of secular right-wing culture done so much damage?

TwinCities.com reported today about one Minnesota (Conservative) Rabbi who has "stirred up controversy" by backing the tzedek hechsher, the Conservative Jewish movement's justice certification:

A dozen years ago, Rabbi Morris Allen stood before his congregation in this Twin Cities suburb to announce a program called Chew by Choice.

In the past year, however, Allen has extended his concern with kosher standards from adherence to religious ritual to commitment to social justice.

His drive to create a "hechsher tzedek," a justice certification, on the basis of how kosher food companies treat their workers, has brought him into intense conflict with the Orthodox authorities who traditionally have dominated the certification process.

Last month, the hechsher tzedek received formal endorsement from the Rabbinical Assembly, the national association of Conservative rabbis. In voting to support Allen's initiative with an unspecified amount of "volunteer and financial support," the assembly invoked a verse from Deuteronomy declaring, "You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a fellow countryman or a stranger."

While the catalyst for Allen's action was a series of articles in the Forward weekly newspaper about accusations that workers at a large kosher slaughterhouse in Iowa are exploited, the resulting conflict has far wider import...By religious tradition and in some cases state law as well, kosher certification generally rests with Orthodox boards. The Orthodox Union, the largest force in certification, oversees more than half the kosher items in circulation. So the entrance of the Conservative movement into the field represents a challenge to the Orthodox authorities not only on ethical grounds but also on market share.

From R' Chaim Ozer Grodzienski to the Chofetz Chaim to today's Orthodox leaders, the idea of "interdenominational cooperation" within the various Jewish "denominations" is largely eschewed at worst, and severely curtailed at best. With the possible exception of anti-missionary campaigns, there is virtually no issue regarding Jewish observance that will get the "denominations" -- which range in belief from "personal autonomy" and "decide your own laws" to "do not depart from your ancestors' ways in the slightest" -- to "agree upon." And indeed, this was a primary if not the main issue when when the Jewish Press ran the article in January:

In December 2006, a call came from outside the sphere of Orthodox kosher certifiers for a tsedek heckscher or justice certification that would ensure that kosher food producers “have met a set of standards that determine the social responsibility of kosher food producers, particularly in the area of worker rights.”

The [Orthodox Rabbinical Organization] views the suggestion as an attempt by those outside the observant community to infiltrate and dilute the existing framework of kashrus certifications.

These things need to be addressed by the haredi communities themselves.

Prefacing everything with the caveat from Rav Weiner:

Addressing the issue at a meeting of rabbis in Flatbush was Rabbi Moshe Y. Weiner, rabbinic administrator of the Kosher Information and Service of Boro Park and Flatbush. Rabbi Weiner stressed that a kashrus certification could not (and must not) be awarded to a food-producing establishment that does not meet all of its required civic and legal obligations.

Without the necessary municipal and other mandatory permits on full display as mandated, no kashrus certification could be valid, stressed Rabbi Weiner.

Would we buy free porn for masturbatory teenagers? Would we offer "free fill-up on premium for all getaway cars"? Obviously not. We do not give people additional sins or "beef up" people's already-being-committed sins.

While external, nebulous "standards" derived from "verses in Deuteronomy" do originate from "alien impositions" as the Jewish Press Op-Ed piece stated (apparently), my fear is that we could create an environment where, for the food service industry, the entire Choshen Mishpat, the entire body of Jewish civil and labor laws, is effectively relegated to irrelevance and impertinence.

And here's why the "velt" or "the system" is not at fault:

The universally highly-regarded HaEdah HaCharedis Kashrus Beis Din in Jerusalem as well as Rabbi Shmuel Wosner, author of Shevet Levi and leading posek, have been alerted to the suspicious machinations of those attempting to impose the so-called hekhsher tzedek.

It is my opinion that the Orthodox community should be the most vocal in trying to rid all theft and oppression from its communities, to shake off the dust of theft which covers so many of us, like the Talmud says. Every crumb of chometz/leaven must be removed from our homes before Passover, and this leaven, we are taught represents our own Evil Inclinations which try to tempt us to sin. Will we allow this huge breadbasket of materialism-driven pooh-poohing of gezeilah and oshek while punctiliously checking freezers?

Where are we?

I pray that only the truth of halacha comes out of this interplay, and more importantly, I hope that G-d's Will -- for all people, and all paychecks, involved -- gets done.

If we can get food lelo chashash tevel orlah u'shvi'is, we should be able to get food lelo chashash gezel, oshek v'ribbis. Ha'meivinim yavinu v'yaskilu.

Posted by Y-Love at 04:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

One of my friends from MySpace.com told his father about my previous article, where I detailed an email I received, signed by two prominent rabbis, about how Crest toothpaste may be made with ingredients derived from pork fat.

His father went -- not to his phone, but directly to a Crest employee at a recent "Hygiene Extravaganza". Well that Crest employee went apparently to Bill Landrigan, of Procter & Gamble's Professional & Scientific Relations department. Here is P&G/Crest's newest official response:

Continue reading "Joint KOSHER and HALAL Products Update: Crest Toothpaste and Pork Fat" »

Posted by Y-Love at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sometimes I feel like a lone voice denouncing racism in the charedi world. Many of the same households in which people are ejected from Shabbos tables or have their conversations quickly cut short at even the mention of a non-Jewish song lyric or mythological deity will pooh-pooh some of the most virulent racist language.

And, when derogatory terms for non-Jews like "shaiggitz" and "shiksa" began to fall out of vogue, "shvartzer" remained and still is acceptable language in some circles.

Indeed, I even have myself witness words like "shvartzer" (or "spic") nonchalantly "just slip out" of the mouths of even people close to me derogatorily -- something which would never happen with, say, the F word.

So a post as brilliant as Chabakuk Elisha's on A Simple Jew stands out among its peers in the JBlogosphere. In a place where there are no leaders, Mr. Elisha is trying to lead.

His six paragraphs give us an insight into his feelings about this overlooked problem:

Disdain for people and belief systems that oppose Yiddishkeit (Judaism) I can understand, but the old-fashioned, peasant-like, uncivilized and coarse commonly accepted hatred and speech regarding other races can be more than just disgusting.

Obviously, not everyone is this way, but it is prevalent enough that it is tolerated by even those that do not share the view. I've heard the ugliest terms and opinions about other races in all kinds of places, and 99% of the time nobody objects...

I have had the sit-down meeting with each of my older children when they have uttered a disgustingly racist word or idea – heard in school from classmates or even teachers or faculty members; they didn't even realize there was anything wrong with it. I sit down with them and we discuss it...

Mr. Elisha's post concludes with his hopeful attitude and realism:

I must clarify that "heimishe" racism isn't about violence; I've never heard someone express a desire to take up any action, even if they themselves were materially damaged in some way. And other than the occasional individual caught in the commission a crime (in which case, Hashem yerachem), it's not common to hear anyone express a desire that any violent action be taken up – nevertheless, the hatred is there.

So, while I know I can't change the guy that told me he wouldn't call them "nig..rs" if they didn't act like it," and I can't change the guy that told me he wishes, "they were wiped of the face of the Earth" – I have wasted enough time debating these morons – and I realize that the 20 year old Klausenberger camp counselor that teaches the bunk a song with the line about slapping the goy in the face...isn't going to change into a better person, I can continue to speak with my children and complain to administrators, and maybe sometimes it'll make a difference.

I can't change the overall attitudes; I know, but in my area of influence, I can still try.

The latter is building our exile.

Posted by Y-Love at 03:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education (PEJE) released findings today on Jewish day school alumni. "This survey validates what we have long seen anecdotally across the country, which is that Jewish day schools are effectively preparing students for college, while ensuring they will carry a solid grounding in Judaism," said Rabbi Joshua Elkin, executive director of PEJE.

Some of the topline findings of the study:

JUST SAYING NO: Former Jewish day school students are more resistant to social pressures that lead to binge drinking and other risky behaviors than their public and private school peers.

-- BURSTING THE SOCIAL BUBBLE: Jewish high school alumni develop diverse social networks that extend well beyond their day school connections. Only a small minority (11%) indicated that most of their friends continue to be those they met in high school.

-- SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE: Students who attended Jewish day school for at least six years are more likely to become involved in socially responsible activities, such as community volunteerism and advocacy, than their public and private school peers.

Ho-hum. Another day, another case for religious education.

Posted by Y-Love at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In my previous post, I vented what I was feeling inside regarding what I felt to be an unfair double standard placed on Orthodox Jews. We are supposed to compromise our beliefs and observances to be more "modern", more "with it", more "accommodating", and, quite often, if we dare say words like "must" or "supposed to", we're accused of being overbearing sticks-in-the-mud.

One commenter said, as a result of reading my post, "I didn't know that (perfect faith) was a prerequisite to not being treated like (crap)." Reactions like this always lead me to scream the same anguished yelp, "Why don't people realize that I'm not advocating this?"

Who would advocate people being treated like crap. "Not giving someone an aliya" is not a blanket permission to treat someone like crap, all I was implying that, by not giving a Conservative rabbi an aliya, the person wouldn't necessarily be halachically in the wrong. For treating someone like crap, however, someone would be halachically in the wrong.

The Shabbos guest should politely decline, the aliya can easily be passed off to the rabbi's son/brother/gabbai. There is no reason necessarily for a halacha-based difficulty to turn into an interpersonal issue. And this is beautifully demonstrated by today's In the Trenches blog on the JPost site. First Mr. David Harris brings up the Rav Mordechai Eliyahu quote. Then:

And in the second incident, Micky Boyden, a Reform rabbi who moved to Israel and lost a son serving in the army in Lebanon, had his invitation to chant (k)El Moleh Rahamim at the local commemoration for Israel’s war dead rescinded by the local council in Hod Hasharon after some...threatened to disrupt the solemn ceremony because he is Reform.

Forgive me, but are we nuts? An ordained rabbi leaves Britain and moves to Israel with his family. His son makes the ultimate sacrifice for his adopted nation. And yet local officials...deny him the opportunity to lead a prayer at a public event in connection with Memorial Day.

The previous post referred to simple actions like not giving an aliya. Here is someone not being refused a religious honor, but the congregation being told, "if you give this guy this honor, we're going to bring the ruckus."

There is a big difference between the two, and I hope that such a distinction is readily apparent.

Posted by Y-Love at 01:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You have wearied the Lord with your words, and you say, "How have we wearied [Him]?"-By your saying, "Every evildoer is good in the Lord's sight, and He desires them," or, "Where is the God of judgment?" - Malachi 2:17

While I am the first to admit that there are lamentable shortcomings in the Orthodox World, and the bitter lack of ahavas Yisra'el not being the least of them, some things are just not justified and only serve as fodder for anti-charedi prejudice. Haredi Jews are the one group of Jews, it seems, that it is always kosher to diss in any and all forums, and the one group that people seem loath to defend. Once someone raises the banner of Torah, they apparently lower the banner of their own dignity.

Jonathan Schorsch, an instructor of Jewish Studies at Columbia University, graced the pages of the Jerusalem Post today with a piece so melodramatic it seems to seek to evoke pathos with the same efficacy as syrup of ipecac. Putting non-Orthodox clergy squarely into the "victim" category, Schorsch's article is symptomatic of the same anti-haredi spin I hear far too often in Jewish media:

Why many Jews might feel the Orthodox do hate them

By JONATHAN SCHORSCH

I vividly recall sitting in a shiur years back at a synagogue one Shabbat afternoon. The rabbi, a man from Iran who got his ordination at Yeshiva University, followed a digression that led him to proclaim, to shout, really, that it would be better to be a Christian than a Conservative or Reform Jew. He cited as support Rabbi Moshe Feinstein's teshuva that an Orthodox air conditioner repairman may not enter a Conservative or Reform synagogue even if only to repair the equipment. It is forbidden, went the logic, to enter a place where one knows a priori that there is no kedusha.

REMEMBER one motz'ei Shabbat when I heard a lecture by the head of a very liberal Orthodox organization. He insisted throughout on the importance of not drawing lines between Jews. Afterward, during the informal conversation some audience members had struck up with him, it turned out that some lines were, indeed, critical. He said, for instance, that a Conservative rabbi should not be given an aliya at an Orthodox synagogue.

Why? I asked.

Because one cannot be sure that when he says the blessing (no mention was made of women rabbis) that he has in mind the same idea of God. Astounding narishkeyt! Does anyone really believe that the Baba Sali and Yosef Soloveitchik held the same idea of God?!

The JTS, the main seminary for Conservative Judaism, contains on its website guidelines for how to introduce highschoolers to the Documentary Hypothesis, an intellectual theory that the Torah, G-d forbid, had multiple human authors, none of whom were a Divine Entity. In other words, this institution is teaching that four guys, who lived at various times, wrote the Torah, and not G-d(Rachmana litzlan). This, in the eyes of Maimonides (whose 13 affirmations of faith are repeated in various forms in synagogues throughout the world) and according to at least one Talmudic opinion, constitutes heresy, kefirah. It renders he who holds this belief a kofer, a denier of the Divinity of the Torah.

To say that "not giving rabbi X an aliya" is an action equatable with anti-Semitism, racism, or any other sociological division is preposterous. This is an action, essentially, which has nothing to do with "denominational lines", it is simply a statement of faith. The bottom line is that the Orthodox rabbi was calling up people to read from a holy, G-d-given text, whereas the Conservative rabbi may see himself as being called up to hear words from a text written by four ancient Israelites.

A non-Orthodox rabbi once told me that what he liked about Judaism is that there were no "loyalty oaths", that one could believe whatever they wanted and it still be "Judaism". One could see how such a viewpoint would not jibe well with those who see the Talmud as being Divine, halacha/Jewish Law as being Divinely guided, or those who see the Hebrew Scriptures as a Divine text.

The Torah Jew says, "I believe with perfect faith that the Torah given to Moses is the same one in our hands", this man believed that Moses may or may not have ever existed (ch"v).

What Schorsch is in effect saying is that the exhortations of the Code of Jewish Law, of the Talmud, of Maimonides should be "bent" or (chalilah) "done away with" when it comes to belief (update - Ed.). He would like for belief in the Torah to be optional to be called up to read from the Torah (update). Schorsch takes offense at the mention of "behavioral observance" -- i.e., that one's behaviors are in line with halacha -- but how else should his Shabbos guest's parents, the "prominent Orthodox rabbi" and (most likely) his rebbitzen, have framed the distiction?

His actions were in line with halacha, but his heart may or may not have been, so the parents of his Shabbos guest (update - Ed.) tried to gauge this fact. Perhaps a better choice of words (not perhaps, I'm sure it was) was in order, but his host wanted to ask: "Do you believe as we believe, that G-d wrote the Torah, that the Torah is from Heaven, that Moses was the prophet of all Israel, that the Messiah will one day come, that the Holy Temple will be rebuilt?"

To this, Schorsch took offense. This, in my opinion, has nothing to do with Orthodox Jews or Orthodoxy.

His problem is not with Avi Shafran. It seems that he is placing unfair double standards on Orthodox Jews -- if some Jews (update) see Jewish Law as being this flexi-code as malleable as liquid cellophane, surely the Orthodox Jew I'm staying with must! Surely these "principles of faith" aren't "set in stone"! -- and when his standards prove to be unjust, we see articles like this.

Those who are more advanced in Torah would do well to withhold their condemnation and condescension from those who are still taking their first steps in it or even have yet to take any toward it.

But let's make no mistake -- to the Torah Jew, some things are Torah beliefs and some things aren't. And the twain are not going to meet any time soon.

Posted by Y-Love at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

And David said to Gad; "I am exceedingly distressed; let us fall now into the hand of the L-rd; for His mercies are great; but into the hand of man let me not fall." -- 2 Shmuel 24:14

Rarely do I ever criticize or rant about anything in the charedi velt. I am unabashedly pro-charedi and pro-Torah almost to a fault. I consider my conversion to Judaism -- Orthodox, no, ultra-Orthodox Judaism -- to be the best decision I ever made, and my grandmother told me on her deathbed that she agreed. I never regret leaving my family and everything seven years ago to come to the shtetl in which I now live, I know that Torah -- as redacted by Chaza"l and practicalized in the Shulchan Aruch -- is the manifestation of the word of the Living G-d, the Creator Himself, in ink on parchment/laser toner on paper.

Which is why this kashrus thing keeps getting to me.

A person who calls out Reb Yankel in shul for not checking into the origin of his bottled water is often praised for his scrupulous observance of the laws of yayin nesech or other contaminant which could work its way into the water. Were the same person to stand up and call someone out for insulting someone, or spreading lies about someone -- both of which could, in certain circumstances, exclude someone from the entire Next World, they have "ba'al teshuva-itis", or are "frumyaks" or some other semi-insulting term for someone who, oh, takes these commandments to heart.

Things like mistreatment of workers, "shady" business deals ("fraud" b'la'az), manipulation of government resources -- these things not only raise anti-Semitism from non-Jews, but also make it impossible to turn Jews on (or back on) to Judaism. How can I tell you to let G-d into your life by following the laws that no one else takes seriously? Those are supposed to be the religious people! How can the yeshiva say "listen to the words of Rabbi X" when Rabbi X's gabbai is printing up newsletters with all sorts of BS in the name of Rabbi X? Or Rabbi X's words aren't even written down? Or no one listens to Rabbi X?

And this hurts, because I love the Torah. In this particular situation, no one's even discussing the Torah behind the issue.

So this is my contribution to the radicalization of religion.

I would love to see a Shulchan Aruch taken from block to block and all of these places with labor violations and unsafe environments and abuse being labeled for what they are, and I want to see the actual Torah Law win out. I want to see Choshen Mishpat given equal airtime as halachos of Shabbos, and words like shvartzer and shiksa treated as badly as Hebrew National hot dogs. I envision a world where learning about one's development as a Jew is given more time than one spends taking a dump, where Talmud is learned as if it is more than a collection of quotes from Roshei Yeshiva, and where one's connection to G-d is not measured by the number of microns in their water filter or number of lumens in their lettuce-checking lightbox. I want to see, once and for all, the bridge between "what's written" and "what's done", and making them into two different categories is what allows for 99.9% of the problems inside and with the religious communities.

As it is taught, the Jewish people must improve ourselves and unite before any time of redemption is supposed to happen. (And for what happens to those who aren't down, see makkas choshech.) The King won't sit on a broken chair, and if I have to bring new-school harbatzah or whatever is necessary to be the f**king krazy glue for whatever part of the nation I merit to bring together then so be it.

F**k the bullsh*t, the Nation which received the Torah should expect no less than Divinity in their lives. We can't let Judaism get treated like a Lexus in the Bronx:

Stolen by some dudes from a ghetto and chopped up. Ha'meivinim yavinu v'yaskilu.

Posted by Y-Love at 02:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

The Jewish Exponent today ran the story of a new "Tzedek Hechsher" that's being debated by the Conservative Movement:

Jewish law clearly has a lot to say, of course, about ritual slaughter, and the proper preparation of kosher meat and poultry. There's also plenty in the Torah and Talmud that focuses on employer-employee relationships, and the ethics of how to treat workers.

Except for a few historical cases where rabbinical authorities tried to link the two issues, generally, they've been considered sperate spheres.

But a newly formed commission created by the Conservative movement is calling attention to conditions faced by workers at kosher-meat plants. The Commission of Inquiry is weighing whether or not to call for a "Tsedek Hekhsher," combining the Hebrew word for justice with the traditional term for kosher certification.

The initiative would create a process to certify that kosher meat and chicken were prepared in an environment where workers are paid fairly and on time, treated with dignity and receive adequate safety training.

"I believe that we, as Jews, when it comes to the food we are obligated to eat, should make sure it is produced in a way that meets the necessary standards of Jewish law and Jewish values," stated Morris Allen, a Minnesota rabbi who's chairing the commission established by the Rabbinical Assembly and United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

And where are those of us who do believe that G-d wrote the Torah?

Continue reading "A Rallying Call To Kashrus, or, My Orthodox Brethren, Where Are We?" »

Posted by Y-Love at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

I love advertising. I consider it an art form. I love marketing.

I have never worked in these fields, but this is where my passion lies. I love watching people as they get on the bus, which digital appliances they clutch and which they let drop while fumbling for a Metrocard, which brand names they have plastered over themselves, etc. I love logos. I love slogans, jingles, all those little pieces of corporate mind control designed to make us "buy, buy, buy!". It's applied art.

I also deplore the public displays of pornography which pass as advertising. Calvin Klein should still be repenting over that teen girl's crotch he plastered in view of millions of Manhattanites. There is no reason -- especially considering it actually damages ad recall -- for sex to be used the way it is in advertising. From girls' eating disorders to suicides, adver-porn has been pointed to as "the reason" many horrible things "happened".
These past few days in Ashkelon, YNet news reports, a (presumably charedi) group of people has been vandalizing smutty billboards. The immodestly dressed women present an offensive eyesore to them and they want to have a life free of such filth:

Signs featuring pictures of models have been vandalized in the city of Ashkelon in recent days. The city's residents believe that haredi groups were responsible for covering the signs with generous amounts of paint.

The signs' franchiser, Yossi Pertok, was furious over the incident.

Pertok, like many other residents, believes that strictly Orthodox groups offended by the pictures were behind the act.

"I told the municipality that if this phenomenon does not stop we will have a fanatic city," he said.

Religious groups in the city said that they had nothing to do with the sign destruction. Amram Ben David, a city council member on behalf of the National Religious Party, denied involvement and said that he did not support violence.

"Nonetheless, I plan to deal with the issue using the most legal means, and there are quite a lot of ways to do so. I am referring to removing all those signs of abomination in our city. The situation is getting worse and the religious public is not the only one complaining about it, but also the secular public."

But here's my problem with this: do you know what percentage of Jews in Ashkelon are charedi Orthodox? 0.1%! It's a majority secular city, with a growing Torah population, but still majority secular. I'm on fire for Torah too, but you can't expect but so much when you're constituting 0.1% of the population.

OK, so the representatives in Ashkelon are religious. But the people aren't. You can't just GET 100,000 people to return to G-d by throwing paint on billboards. And no doubt, this hampers the efforts of outreach organizations -- who wants to be like guys who throw paint on billboards? In Jerusalem, you have the "black belt", neighborhood after neighborhood of rows and rows of G-d-praising religious Jews, consisting of almost 30% of the population of the city. (And maybe up to 65%.) In Brooklyn, you have 60+% Orthodoxy. Places like this, one could understand the claim of "get that filth out of my neighborhood."

But when you're 0.1% of the population, your task is different. You can't go about the task of preservation. When you have a city where 80% of the population is foreign born (and you know that means a lot of Russians and other immigrants from Europe) maybe you might want to start with "shalom" and not "get that filth out of my face". Outreach not closing out.

According to the charedi survey, there is no charedi neighborhood in Ashkelon. Maybe that should be a priority -- a bloc of real estate sort of dictates "we make the rules here". But surely this was a faux pas by any measurement.

Judaism is a religion with a long, beautiful tradition, and the history of the Jewish Nation was begun by no less than the Creator Himself; to make someone think all Judaism is is a bunch of guys who throw paint is a horrible travesty. And, really, it's just like Rabbi Ga'on says: we are all going to have to one day, face G-d at the end of 120 years and give an accounting for our souls.

What do these people expect to hear in Heaven: "You damaged the property of this hardworking advertising executive, but good job at keeping your 0.1% of the population a small minority with no outreach! Great color, and praiseworthy is your brushstroke!"?

Think of the big picture, rabotai!

Posted by Y-Love at 01:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just blaze!

Is the phrase "bong hits" offensive? That's the question which is about to appear in the Supreme Court.

Good thing it was a religious organization which used it. Instead of, oh, Cypress Hill or something.

Then it might be, you know, offensive.

Posted by Y-Love at 01:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

This article on CrownHeights.Info makes me want to cry in light of an email I received not too long ago.

A young man in California said that he was Jewish, and was becoming more interested in Judaism. Of course, I'm always eager to help someone on their path towards G-d (as opposed to away from Him) , so I emailed him back. He asked me two strange questions:

One, could one "be a religious Jew" even if they didn't accept the Lubavitcher Rebbe as the Messiah, and two, where could one go to become religious if they didn't.

I was flabbergasted. How could it have gotten to this point -- that this young man thought that the only way to be a religious Jew would be to accept this man as Messiah? I wrote to him adamantly that he should seek a mainstream Orthodox yeshiva and detach himself from whichever Chaba"d house he was associating with -- whichever shaliach was running the place was obviously doing more harm than good in his life.

And now we have this.

Continue reading "About the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Of Blessed MEMORY" »

Posted by Y-Love at 01:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

I felt it necessary to repost this piece, from my very good friend Amira. Amira has been a friend of mine via MySpace for several months now, and I think her voice as a strong hijabi muslimah in the face of adversity is always a positive addition.

She's also a convert to Islam, and her piece accents many of the commonalities converts experience upon taking on our new lifestyles:

What Makes Me Different From Converts to Islam.

I'm in one of my moods right now so I'm going to just let it flow. What makes me different from a lot of converts to Islam is a lot of things. Before I begin, I still believe in Allah subahana wa tala, Prophet Muhammad salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam, I mean everything that has to do with the real Islam. I'm still a believer.

When I 1st converted to Islam, I was in a bit of shock because I didn't know if I did that right thing because the day I converted I wasn't in my right mind. A few days later I was just confused and not knowing what I did. I'll tell you one thing. I didn't become someone I'm not like most of "YOU" converts do. I'm still aware of the issues that the world faces.

For example, other religions out in this world, different people, gays,lesbians, transgender( not saying to agree with them but they are still human beings), politics, or anything else us converts knew about growing up and living here in the US or parts of Europe. Why do you act stupid and close minded to things that you have been exposed to since growing up and act ignorant once you accept Islam?

Why are you trying to be someone your not? I'm sick of people like you. Once you accept Islam, everyone around you who isn't Muslim is a "Kaffir", you start being ignorant, you act like your stuff doesn't stink, and everything is "haram" why don't you take a look in the mirror and realize you are acting a fool! The thing about me is I'm not being ignorant about things I was exposed to growing up. I care for human beings who have been violated no matter what their religion is.

The difference between you and I. I help people who are non Muslim and Muslim. That is something you can't stand about me. Look, there are many people in the world who aren't Muslim that need help. Stop acting ignorant and open your mind to people of different faith. Did you ever wonder that maybe helping a non Muslim is a good chance to give Dawah and maybe opening that persons heart to accept Islam? I'm sure you wouldn't give the non Muslim a chance to feel that way. You know what? I would do that and I'll continue to do that and also help my brothers and sisters in Islam.

Another thing about me, I take the chance in school and to tell people around me that Islam is a peaceful religion. I tell men and woman about womens rights in Islam. I tell them that these so called "Islamic Countries" aren't following the real Islam and are making their own man made laws up but adding just a touch of Islamic Laws to make it seem fair. I don't see any of you doing that and I don't expect you to anytime soon. Muslims are always complaining about "Non Muslims" corrupting society and so on. Please, at least Christians and Jews act like human beings inside their place of worship.

They aren't always in a rush to do things and have manners. Instead of worrying about them we need to worry about religion and stop stressing over them! We have faults and the thing about Muslims, we are always judging other Muslims over their race. That is a bunch of crap and you know it. I've never seen Christians or Jews do that. If they do that, I'm not aware of it because they don't keep on like we do.

Anyways, that is all I can say right now and if don't like what I said. I don't really care because I'm my own person and you don't know anything about me.

Salaam'alaikum
Amira

I'm sure All-h is very pleased with Amira and the muslimah she's turning out to be, and the kaffir that she turned out not to be. I think her words are quite relevant, no matter what religion one converted to or from.

Posted by Y-Love at 05:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBacks (0)

The controversial Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, of TLC "Shalom In The Home" fame (as well as from works like Kosher Sex, his magnum opus on Jewish love and marriage) wrote an article in the Jewish Press last week which could not possibly be more relevant.

His article, "The 'S' Word Has No Place in a Religious Jew's Vocabulary" is perhaps one of the most powerful condemnations of the word 'shvartzer' that I have seen to date:

Last week I delivered a sermon based on the Torah portion of the week and which compared Moses, the great Jewish redeemer, with Abraham Lincoln, the martyred American emancipator. When I finished, I was approached by an acquaintance who happens to be an Orthodox Jewish engineer. He seemed, up until that time, to be devout, educated, and sophisticated. But what he told me was sacrilegious, ignorant, and primitive.

This gentleman maintained that Lincoln was no hero, seeing as he had freed a people who were the descendants of Ham, the son of Noah, who was cursed for humiliating his father. “Ham’s children are black, and are condemned by God to eternal slavery,” he said. “There was even a rebbe in Poland who predicted that Abraham Lincoln would be shot for liberating a people against God’s wishes.”

I looked this man in the eye and said to him, “I’m confused. Judaism believes that every man is judged according to his actions. Now you are telling me that every black person in the world is cursed for something an ancestor did millennia ago. We Jews don’t believe in Original Sin, and we don’t believe in vertical accountability. So how can you tell me something so abominably racist like the fact that blacks are cursed?”

He responded that I was denying scripture. I told him that his views were repugnant to everything Judaism stood for in terms of the equality of all mankind. And on an angry note, our mini-debate ended.

I would not even mention this unhappy episode if I had not, at times, heard similar sentiments expressed by others purporting to be religious.

Rabbi Boteach -- whose views on all issues I can not say I uniformly agree with -- continues:

Continue reading "Rabbi Calls To Stop Using Racist Term "Shvartzer", Calls Term "Heretical", "Reprehensible"" »

Posted by Y-Love at 05:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

"Theres a war coming down between my brothers and I...
I don't want no war going down, going down tonight ... - Operation Ivy, "Unity"

The Kvetcher, a "modern Orthodox" blogger I have historically held in quite high esteem (and still do, as his blog reads like a "what to do" list in a writing seminar, his style of writing IS "the right way to write") wrote an inflammatory piece entitled "Maskilim vs. Haredim" where he - via his hat-tip to the illustrious Avakesh - juxtaposes the irreligious "Enlightenment" movement of 18th-19th century Europe with today's modern Orthodox. He says:

There are many frum Jews who are maskilim, in the sense that the values of Haskala are their values. We must remember that while Chareidi ideology barely survived, the Haskalah won. Haskalah had a right wing, fully Orthodox G-d fearing scholars who would never compromise one iota of religious observance. That is who we are now - right wing maskilim. We speak English, dress in the modern fashion and study secular subjects, at least through high school....

...just as a connection to Judaism was transmitted by our ancestors, so was a connection to the Haskalah. But as we enter haredi life, the maskil is also educated. Even if the haredim assiduously avoid teaching us important general skills we would most appreciate, they still teach us the nonsense we learn to despise...

And, then to add insult to patch in punim:

And if the haredi kiruvniks want war with us, which apparently they do, who are we to say no? It’s going to feel like 1897. All over again.

I don't want a war. But were one to be fought, let's not be so haughty as to assume anything:

Continue reading "The Wisdom In 80s Punk Rock" »

Posted by Y-Love at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

An excerpt from a story I shared on a thread on Yeshivat MySpace:

A particular family I am very close with in Brooklyn lived next door to this old non-frum lady and her husband (who passed away, lving her alone in the house eventually). They once tried to reach out to this lady and her husband. The husband tells the story of why he's not frum.

Once he tried to go to Yom Kippur when he was little. He was very proud of himself, having gotten all ready for shul by himself after school. He had on a dress shirt and tie &c... but no jacket or hat.

The gabbai told him that he could not daven in the shul as he was not dressed appropriately, and his father, seeing the gabbai about to throw his son out, goes to his son and says, "Are you giving the gabbai trouble? Go home and put on some proper clothes!"

His heart sank, and until the day he died, he did not keep one Shabbos or go into a shul again for a high holiday.

Do gabbaim at shuls like that REALLY think they are doing k'lal Yisra'el a service by requiring a DRESS CODE to talk to G-d? And, we know, things like jackets and hats &c are chumros, whereas prayer is a MITZVA and you're not supposed to stop Jews from DOING MITZVOS! (isn't that supposed to be basic to 99.9% of Jews?)

Posted by Y-Love at 01:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Were the indefatigable DovBear not observant, I would probably have looked askance at his recent rant blog, and maybe even accused him of being prejudiced against Chassidim. DovBear, however, is an Orthodox blogger who I think, like me, would like to see the en masse return of the Jewish populace to the ideals and way of life of the Torah it holds dear.

In his reprise of his article "Why Does DovBear rant?" he makes a stark statement:

It means that a certain old, and very good style of Orthodox Judaism has been murdered; yet another victim of the Eastern European Jewish tsunami.

Continue reading "A DovBear Rant That Deserves Repetition and Clarification" »

Posted by Y-Love at 02:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

From the frum news source Vos Iz Neias:

Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, writes and receives an average of no less than 3,000 cellphone text (SMS) messages a month. Almost all are questions of halacha, to which Aviner responds in short, permitted or forbidden, without giving the reason.

The questions vary: Is it permissible to prepare tehina on Shabbat? Only if it is watery, Aviner responds.

‪Can I have physical contact with my three-year-old niece? Up to age nine is the answer.

Can one steal from an Arab, who probably stole one's merchandise? No, stealing from a thief is prohibited.

Ultra-Orthodox rabbis prohibit the use of SMS even for secular purposes.

Perhaps the SMS also reaches neshamos -- souls -- unreachable by "normal" means.

Posted by Y-Love at 01:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)