Mir Yerushalyim To Open New Branch In Beit Shemesh

 In a major development for the Torah world and the growing chareidi community in Beit Shemesh, a massive five-dunam plot of land has officially been allocated for a new branch of Mir Yeshiva in the Ramat Beit Shemesh Hey 2 (Neve Shamir) neighborhood.

The new makom Torah will operate under the leadership of the Rosh HaYeshiva HaGaon HaRav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, continuing the remarkable expansion of the Mir, today recognized as the largest yeshiva in the world.

The allocation was finalized following an extensive approval process and reportedly received strong support from Shmuel Greenberg, who has made the strengthening of mosdos haTorah a major priority in the city’s development.

The move is being viewed as another historic milestone in the continued growth of the Mir empire, which began in Yerushalayim’s Beis Yisroel neighborhood and later expanded to major branches including Mir Brachfeld in Modi’in Illit and the Mir yeshiva ketanah in Ramat Shlomo.

The establishment of a Mir branch in Ramat Beit Shemesh Hey is also being seen as a powerful sign of the neighborhood’s emergence as a major Torah center. Residents and askanim expressed excitement over the arrival of hundreds of bnei Torah who will bring the unique atmosphere and hasmadah associated with the famed Mirrer olam hayeshivos to the rapidly developing area.

At this stage, hanhalas hayeshiva is preparing for the initial planning phase of what is expected to become a major new Torah campus that will accommodate the yeshiva’s continued growth and expanding demand in the burgeoning Ir HaTorah of Beit Shemesh.

IDF Successfully Drafted 360 Chareidim This Week Despite Opposition From Leading Rabbonim

 

The Dam is finally cracking, as more and more Charedim want to be a part of the state and realizing that they are being led by a bunch of ancient disconnected clueless leaders who are being fed lies and propaganda by their handlers! 

They don't want to be resented by the rest of Klall Yisrael, and want to contribute to the welfare of their own families and the State! This is our State, the home of the majority of the Jewish people, and they are recognizing that what they were told in their Yeshivas is not sustainable and was never the way Klall Yisrael functioned! 

Reading Tanach, you will see every leader had an army! 

?האחיכם יבאו למלחמה ואתם תשבו פה

The IDF drafted approximately 360 Chareidi men this week, the military announced, marking progress in its efforts to integrate Chareidim into compulsory military service despite staunch opposition from rabbanim and roshei yeshiva.

Of the recruits, 231 joined combat roles including the Chashmonaim Brigade, the Netzach Yehuda Battalion, and the Paratroopers Brigade. Another 131 were assigned to combat support positions, including fighter jet technician units. The IDF expects more Chareidi conscripts to arrive over the coming two weeks as part of the same draft cohort.

The push comes as the IDF says it faces acute manpower shortages. Some 80,000 Chareidi men aged 18-24 remain eligible for service but have not enlisted. The IDF says it urgently needs 12,000 recruits — primarily combat troops — to sustain operations across multiple fronts.

“We are drafting more Chareidi soldiers out of operational necessity,” the military insisted.

The IDF has expanded infrastructure to accommodate Chareidi service members, implementing new protocols that allow them to maintain religious observance while serving. However, Chareidi leaders say the new frameworks for Chareidi soldiers are woefully inadequate. ‘

R' Shimon ben Yochi Refuses to protect family of 6 "idiots" from a Rocky Cliff After Attempting To Reach Meron From Tzfat, Zionists Have to do it

It seems that R" Shimon ben Yochai doesn't want the fires, and instead wants Jews to abide by the Zionists safety regulations. First there was an enormous tragedy where Jews murdered other Jews  and now there was at least 10 near misses.

The government was worried that Hezbollah would target Meron, and I don't even want to think what would have happened if this occurred. 

Again, Charedim by-in-large are a reckless community  and refuse to abide by safety standards because its issued by Zionists, but when they wind up in a hole and cannot get out, whom do they call? The Zionists! 

These children need to be put up for adoption, they will be much better off, the grandmother needs to be rushed to an asylum !

 Late on Tuesday night, a complex and dramatic rescue operation by volunteers from the “Galil-Carmel” rescue unit of the Israel Police came to an end. 

Six family members, a grandmother and her five grandchildren, aged 10 to 15 from Tzfat, who had attempted to reach the Lag BaOmer celebrations in Meron on foot, lost their way and found themselves trapped on a dangerous cliff.

The incident began in the early evening, when the grandmother called the police emergency center. She reported that the family was lost in the field, stuck on a cliff with no ability to continue walking. Despite a strict ban on accessing Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai’s tomb, the family tried to make their way from Tzfat to Meron through rough terrain. Rain in the area made the slopes especially slippery and dangerous, leaving the group stranded on the western slope of the Nahal Amud stream.

Upon receiving the call, a command post was set up at the Kfar Shamai parking area. The unit’s search teams raced against time, with one team scanning the terrain and using sirens until they established voice contact with the trapped family. The operation was carried out in close cooperation with inspectors from the Nature and Parks Authority and volunteers from United Hatzalah. A drone operated by United Hatzalah located the group on the cliff and illuminated their position for rescuers. In the first stage, a flashlight and thermal blankets were dropped from the air to prevent hypothermia among the children.

Due to the difficult terrain and slippery rocks, the unit’s rope rescue team (climbing, rappelling, and rescue) was deployed. The rescuers built a complex rope system, through which the family members were safely extracted one by one out of the streambed. After a medical check by the unit’s paramedic, the family was evacuated home safe and sound.

It is worth noting that this was the second consecutive day of operations for the “Galil-Carmel” rescue unit in the Meron area, after they had also been engaged the previous day in rescuing hikers and worshippers in the region.

The rescue unit stated:

 “We reiterate that access to the Meron area is strictly prohibited. The combination of challenging terrain and unpredictable weather can end in disaster. Our volunteers worked long hours in the rain, using specialized rope systems to bring the grandmother and her grandchildren home safely.”

Jonathan Pollard launches bid for Knesset

 

I met with Jonathan Pollard a couple of months ago, and my wife and I had an hour discussion with him in Yeushlayim, and found him to be extremely intelligent, honest and would make a great spokesperson for Israel from the Knesset.

For those who say that Pollard is a criminal and that he sold secrets to Israel for money, I say so what?? 

At the end of the day, he gave those secrets to Israel, not an enemy of the USA!

Israel for political reasons abandoned him.

For those who accuse him of treating his first wife, Anne, badly, that is not true. According to an interview to The Times of Israel on Nov 20, 2015, she says that she has no idea why Jonathan divorced her. We don't know why he divorced her and he never gave her closure, but why is that an issue in his campaign?? 

We are not electing a pope!

If we start scrutinizing the Knesset members you will be left with a handful of honest, clean background people. 

What is interesting to note is that those criticizing Pollard because of his background also hate members of the Knesset  who phenomenal backgrounds like Ben-Gvir and Smotrich! 

Jonathan Pollard, who was held for 30 years in a U.S. prison for espionage on behalf of Israel, intends to run in the upcoming Knesset elections.

'The country was abandoned on October 7th just as I was'

In an interview with i24NEWS he says the idea took shape after the October 7th massacre.

 Which party did he join and what is his criticism of the current actors on the right of the political map?

The Jewish American 'Conception' ('conseptziya') VS. the Israeli konseptziya

 

The world has read extensively about the flawed Israeli 'conseptziya' (understanding of reality) that paved the way for the October 7 surprise attack. Far less has been written about a simultaneous breakdown occurring within American Jewry. While one relates to the horrors of kinetic warfare, the other concerns the true position and stability of the Diaspora.

For decades, American Jews operated under their own flawed 'conseptziya,' regarding their status in society-assumptions that have been exposed by the surge of Jew-Hatred since October 7. In both cases this misdiagnosis of reality led to huge lapses in judgement and planning.

President Trump Urges Jews to observe Shabbos to Honor U.S. 250th Anniversary....

 

President Trump has called on American Jews to observe a national Shabbos from sundown May 15 to nightfall May 16 in recognition of the nation’s 250 years of independence and the community’s contributions to America.

Trump made the suggestion Monday during his proclamation for Jewish American Heritage Month.

"Fake Rav" Seidenfeld from Monsey issues Fake Siruv Against Rav Mordechai Willig !

Who is this Seidenfeld who pretends to be a Rav? I lived in Monsey for over 30 years and never heard of this Bais Din? The chutzpa to issue a "siruv" to Rav Willig! 

A Monsey beis din has placed Rav Mordechai Willig - Av Beis Din of the Beis Din of America - in nidui.

The declaration, dated 8 Tammuz 5785, was issued on the letterhead of Beis Din Tzedek Mishpat Hatorah at 207 Bates Drive, Monsey, and calls on the public to distance themselves from him.

Rav Willig is one of the senior dayanim of the most established beis din in North America - the body that has issued seruvim against Gett refusers for decades.

The community deserves public answers from this Gett abuse-enabling “Dayan” named Seidenfeld on Bates in Monsey.

 

Baal Teshuva Lunatic Traveled from the USA to Israel so he "Can spit on Tziyonim"

 

This raving sicko says that he lived in the USA but came to Israel so that he can spit into the face of Tzyoinim! He adds that he became a "Baal Teshuva" after witnessing a Hafgana! 

But what I'm surprised is that there are adults all around them looking like normal people who are listening to this meshiginar and have no reactions! 

And he is saying this with children around him! 

Is it any wonder that Chardeim are splitting away from these sickos?

Toms River Rabbis Want Our Teenagers Who are a bit Off to eat at MacDonalds! They don't Want them in Kosher Restaurants!

This story out of Toms River is simply unbelievable. A group of rabbanim are upset that teenagers are hanging out at Smash House, a kosher restaurant.

I know these rabbanim personally, and until now I had tremendous respect for them — but this is sheer madness.

Where exactly do they expect these kids to go? Would they prefer the teens hang out in treif places instead?

And if the concern is that their own children might be influenced, there are literally hundreds of other kosher restaurants in Lakewood where they can take their kids. No one is forcing them to go to Smash House.

I can’t help but wonder: If it were their own children or grandchildren, would these rabbanim still think it’s better for teens to end up in non‑kosher environments rather than in a supervised, kosher restaurant?

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Ray of Hope ...... She Refused to Stay Silent About Abuse

 

"Disconnected" Litvishe Roshei Yeshiva Running Scared as their Followers Wake Up and Enlist

As I’ve been writing over the past two weeks, there is a noticeable shift taking place in the thinking and hashkafah of many within the Charedi community. More and more people are recognizing that they cannot remain separate from the rest of the Jewish people, and that this separation is creating real resentment.

We all live in this country, and every individual has a responsibility to be part of Klal Yisrael and not to be poretz geder.

Many are beginning to realize that their elderly spiritual leaders are, in their view, increasingly out of touch — disconnected from the realities unfolding around them — and that these leaders are often influenced by handlers who filter what they see and hear.

We are at war, yet when speaking to a typical Charedi individual, you might not sense it. Some openly say that this is not “their war,” a statement that echoes language historically used by those hostile to the Jewish people.

At long last, some within the community are waking up. There is a small but genuine ray of hope that people are beginning to see the larger picture and reassess long‑held assumptions.

 An emergency gathering attended by dozens of Lithuanian-haredi yeshiva deans was held Sunday to warn against what they described as a "grave spiritual danger" posed by the enlistment of haredim into army frameworks tailored for the haredi public.

Central to the gathering was the reading of a sharply-worded letter from leading rabbis opposing military enlistment, even in frameworks that claim to accommodate religious observance and allow soldiers to maintain their haredi lifestyle. In the signatories' opinion, these arrangements "regrettably do not endure over time despite promises and commitments."

Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch wrote: "It has unfortunately come to my attention that, as part of efforts to enlist Torah students, various tracks have been established and given names such as ‘Kodkod’ and others, and recently additional enlistment tracks have been added in the south, in Netivot and Be’er Sheva."

"And it is certain that all of these tracks are an integral part of the army, and one who goes there hands himself over to the control and authority of the military rulership, and becomes a full soldier in every respect, and it is similar to joining the army, which has no permissible aspect at all."

The letter also included remarks by yeshiva dean Rabbi Dov Lando, who warned: "Anyone who, G-d forbid, joins these tracks or similar, should know that beyond the personal tragedy that he brings upon himself and his household, others may, G-d forbid, be drawn after him, and his sin would be great to bear."

However within the Chasidic-haredi community: In groups such as Belz, Sanz, Karlin, and others, married working men are permitted to participate in supervised military initiatives.

Charedi Recruits Enlist In Combat Units: Netzah Yehuda, Chashmonaim, Chetz, Avnet And Negev ...Despite Gedoilim Writing Kol Koras!

 

Finally, it seems that parts of the Charedi world are beginning to recognize that they are being led by “gedolim” and roshei yeshiva who, in the view of many, are increasingly disconnected from the broader reality of Klal Yisrael — including large segments of their own Charedi communities.

October 7 changed everything. Many Charedim saw, in real time, that their leadership had painted itself into a corner with no clear way out. The long‑standing opposition to army service and to yeshivos that offer vocational training is becoming harder to defend, and it is isolating the community from the rest of Israel’s Jewish population.

Some observers believe that unless Torah leaders such as Rav Landau and Rav Hirsch open their eyes and begin to compromise, the Charedi community may face a serious internal split. In many ways, that process has already begun.

Rav Landau and Rav Hirsch are not fully aligned. Rav Hirsch, with his American background, is seen by some as more aware of the need for yeshiva students to acquire a trade, and he has expressed the view that those who are not learning full‑time should enlist. Yet he continues to sign strong kol kora declarations against the IDF — likely, as some suggest, due to intense pressure from factions within the community who prefer to maintain the status quo, allowing others to work and serve while they do neither.

A special enlistment day for the charedi sector was held on Sunday at the IDF Induction Center  in Tel Hashomer. Young charedi men arrived at the recruitment office to integrate into meaningful service in the Israel Defense Forces, with an emphasis on combat units and frameworks adapted to their religious lifestyle.

The recruits were assigned to a variety of units, including the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, the Hashmonaim Brigade, the “Hetz” platoon in the Paratroopers Brigade, the “Avnet” platoon in the Israel Border Police and the Negev platoon in the Israeli Air Force.

One of the central focuses is the Hashmonaim Brigade, the first charedi brigade in the IDF, which operated during the war in the Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria sectors. Recently, its forces completed raids in western Lebanon.

The brigade runs an independent training base that includes squad commander courses, combat medic training, and technological tracks such as drone operation. In recent weeks, it also completed its first officer training cycle tailored for Haredi soldiers.

A notable feature of this enlistment day is that many recruits arrived after a long preparation process in pre-military academies run by the Netzah Yehuda Association.
Among the academies attended by the recruits are “Nitzotz Be’emunah,” “Derech Emunah,” “Tiferet HaArazim,” “Yadav Emunah,” “Batzavta,” and the chasidic preparatory program “Beit David.” Over the past year, students in these programs underwent training focused on strengthening values, building personal identity, and mental preparation for the challenges of combat service.

Israel’s Chief Rabbi Rabbi David Yosef Warns Against Lag Baomer Pilgrimage to Mount Meron

 

What the article below doesn't mention is that right now there are around 20,000 chareidim in Meron, who came last week and are staying there in tents etc.

This is what I have been writing all along, Charedim are reckless! Safety regulations mean nothing to them, should Hezbollah start launching missiles at Meron, there could be c"v thousands of casualties, and who will they blame? The Zionists! 

Rabbi David Yosef issued a sharp warning ahead of Lag BaOmer, urging the public not to travel to Mount Meron in defiance of security restrictions.

Speaking amid heightened concerns in northern Israel, Yosef said attempts to reach the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai despite official guidance are not acts of religious devotion but violations of core Torah principles.

“The Torah commands that a person should live by the commandments, not die because of them,” Yosef said, rejecting claims that such travel constitutes mesirut nefesh, or self-sacrifice.

He cautioned against relying on faith alone in dangerous conditions, saying individuals must not place themselves at risk while assuming divine protection. Yosef added that when security authorities unanimously determine there is danger, Jewish law requires adhering to their instructions.

Drawing a comparison to established religious rulings, he noted that a person instructed by a doctor to eat on Yom Kippur must do so, underscoring that preserving life overrides other obligations.

Yosef also warned of the risks posed by large crowds gathering under unsafe conditions, including the potential for panic and trampling.

He called on the public to avoid traveling to the site under current circumstances, saying those who value their lives should stay away.

American Agunah Receives Get In Israel After Court Seizes Husband’s Israeli Assets

  L., who had been denied a religious divorce for three years, received her long-awaited get in recent days after heavy financial sanctions were imposed on her recalcitrant husband, who lives abroad but owns property in Israel, according to a Ynet report.

The couple, who lived together for more than a decade in the United States, separated in 2023. Since then, L. had tried unsuccessfully to obtain a get. Despite proceedings she pursued in rabbinical courts in the U.S., and despite a ruling requiring the husband to grant the get, he continued to refuse, declaring he would never give it.

L. turned to Yad La’isha, which represents agunot and women denied a get, for help in securing the divorce. After learning that the husband owned real estate in Israel, attorney Tehila Cohen, who represented L. on behalf of Yad La’isha, petitioned the Haifa Rabbinical Court to impose liens on his properties and bank accounts in Israel.

After the court granted the request and the husband was notified of the liens, the parties agreed to arbitration in the U.S. Despite a ruling in the case, the husband continued to impede the proceedings.

In response, Cohen and the Agunot Department of the rabbinical courts moved to renew proceedings against him, including a ruling in Israel obligating him to grant the get and the transfer of his seized assets into receivership.

Once he realized he could lose his property in Israel, the financial pressure had its effect. Just days before a hearing scheduled to advance the proceedings against him, the husband unexpectedly appeared at the rabbinical court and agreed to grant the long-awaited get.

“Once again, we have seen the enormous leverage financial sanctions can provide against men who refuse to grant a get, even when they do not live in Israel,” Cohen said. “Thankfully, L. received the long-awaited get thanks to the dedicated cooperation of the Agunot Department and the Haifa Rabbinical Court, and she can now continue her life as a free woman. We will continue working for the freedom and independence of every chained woman in Israel and abroad.”

The back story of the Relationship of Rebbe Akiva and Bar Kochba!

 

 Just seven miles from my home in Beit Shemesh lies Churvat Itri — חורבת עתרי, a fascinating archaeological site.

Among its remains are the ruins of a Jewish village from the Second Beis HaMikdash period — including a shul and several mikva’ot.

But what makes this site especially remarkable is that it contains underground hideouts from the Bar Kochba revolt. Many such hideouts have been discovered across the region, but this one is practically in my backyard.

And that leads to a bigger question:

What exactly was the relationship between Bar Kochba and Rabbi Akiva?

First let's talk about Bar-Kochba!

In the early 1960s, archaeologist Yigal Yadin uncovered a collection of 14 letters written during the Bar Kochba revolt (132–136 CE). Some were in Hebrew, some in Aramaic, and some in Greek. Alongside them were about 70 documents belonging to a woman named Babatha, which together provide a vivid picture of the period.

Interestingly, these letters refer to Bar Kochba as בר כוסבה — Bar Kosva, which seems to have been his actual name. Those who learned Sanhedrin 93b will recall that Chazal call him Bar Koziva, meaning “the false one.” more on that later.

From the letters, we see that Bar Kochba was a strong, disciplined leader and a capable administrator. His authority was widely accepted. On the coins he minted, he even referred to himself as “Nasi Yisrael.”

It’s also clear that not all Jewish communities joined the revolt. The Galilee abstained, and so did the people of Tekoa. In fact, three of Bar Kochba’s letters threaten Tekoa’s commanders, demanding they force the local men to enlist — a dynamic that feels surprisingly familiar.

Let's talk about Rebbe Akiva

The Rambam writes in Hilchos Melachim that Rabbi Akiva was second only to Moshe Rabbeinu in Torah greatness. The Gemara in Menachos 29 even describes Moshe Rabbeinu marveling at Rabbi Akiva’s brilliance.

"You have a person like him and you choose to give the Torah through me?"

Rabbi Akiva began learning Torah at age 40, rose to become the Rosh Yeshiva of thousands, and ultimately gave his life al kiddush Hashem under Roman persecution. His neshama was so bound to Torah that any anonymous Mishnah is attributed to him.

But Rabbi Akiva was not only a giant in Torah. The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 11:3) writes that Rabbi Akiva was

נושא כליו של בר כוכבא — literally, “the arms‑bearer of Bar Kochba.”

He believed that Bar Kochba fulfilled the pasuk “דרך כוכב מיעקב” — a star will emerge from Yaakov. Hence the name Bar Kochba, “son of the star.”

The Rambam writes:

שֶׁהֲרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא חָכָם גָּדוֹל מֵחַכְמֵי מִשְׁנָה הָיָה. וְהוּא הָיָה נוֹשֵׂא כֵּלָיו שֶׁל בֶּן כּוֹזִיבָא הַמֶּלֶךְ. וְהוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְדִמָּה הוּא וְכָל חַכְמֵי דּוֹרוֹ שֶׁהוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. עַד שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג בַּעֲוֹנוֹת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג נוֹדַע לָהֶם שֶׁאֵינוֹ. וְלֹא שָׁאֲלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ חֲכָמִים לֹא אוֹת וְלֹא מוֹפֵת.

Rebbe Akiva thought and held the view that Bar Kochba was Moshiach!

Correcting a Common Misconception

Many secular historians — and this has also seeped into the frum world — try to separate Bar Kochba’s fighters from Rabbi Akiva and his students. They claim the soldiers were not Torah‑observant or connected to the spiritual leadership of the time.

This is simply not true.

The letters discovered by Yadin show soldiers concerned about kashrus, shatnez, and halachic observance. Rabbi Akiva’s talmidim were holy, devoted Torah scholars — and they supported the national struggle for independence.

Anyone who claims Rabbi Akiva fought Roman decrees on Torah study while being disconnected from the national uprising idea is contradicting the Rambam himself. Rabbi Akiva was actively involved in the revolt. He believed in Bar Kochba. He believed in Jewish sovereignty. He believed in the possibility of redemption.

A Lesson for Today

Bar Kochba was not known for his piety or spiritual refinement. Many rabbis of the time opposed Rabbi Akiva’s support for him. They argued — much like some do today — that the army was too secular, that Bar Kochba didn’t meet their standards, that he wasn’t “one of them.”

Rabbi Akiva saw something different. He saw Bar Kochba’s mesiras nefesh for Am Yisrael. He saw a leader capable of uniting warriors and inspiring a national revival. And that is why he believed Bar Kochba could be Moshiach — despite the opposition.

The Rambam teaches that the only reason we know Bar Kochba was not Moshiach is because he died, and not because he wasn't spiritual. Rabbi Akiva knew good and well who Bar Kochba was, he was no one's fool and yet he supported him.

Moshiach will not die; he will succeed.  

Lag B'Omer celebration in Meron - canceled: Police close the mountain, set up checkpoints and warn extremists

 

The Israel Police officially announces the cancellation of the Rashbi celebration on Lag B'Omer in Meron, and the deployment of police forces alongside increased alert on all roads leading to Meron - including in the forests • Entry to Meron will be allowed only to residents of the community or registered guests • The police warn that it will adopt zero tolerance for violence against police officers 

Police forces, Border Police fighters and Traffic Division officers have been deployed since the end of the week on all roads leading to the settlement of Meron and the surrounding areas. The forces will prevent the entry of vehicles and pedestrians until May 6, 2026, when entry will be permitted only to residents of the community or to those staying in a pre-registered B&B.

Extensive roadblocking starting today

As of today, 03 May 2026, a number of main arteries have been closed to traffic: Route 89 at Ein Zeitim Square, Route 866 at the Parod Junction, Route 89 at the Gush Halav (Jish) Junction, and Route 89 at the Safsufa Junction.

Starting Monday, 04.05.26, at 06:00, until Wednesday, 06.05.26, at 06:00, additional routes will be completely blocked. For those coming from the direction of Elifelet, Route 89 will be blocked in Elifelet, Safed Square and Ein Zeitim Square. For those coming from the area of Route 85 (Hananya), Hananya Junction will be blocked to Route 866, Parod Junction and Shamai Junction in the direction of Meron.

For those coming from the direction of Hiram to Meron, Route 89 will be blocked at the Hiram Junction, at the Gush Halav (Jish) Junction and the Regional Council Junction, as well as Route 886 from Dalton in the direction of Ein Zeitim and Route 866 from Dalton to Gush Halav Square.

What's Up with Modiin Illit: Another Sexual Assault ! Released prisoner arrested on suspicion of brutal assault of a minor in a synagogue

 

A former prisoner developed a halachic dialogue with a minor in a shul in Modi'in Illit. After he gained his trust, he brutally attacked him in the bathroom!

The detention of a suspect in the aggravated assault of a minor in Modi'in Illit was extended in court until tomorrow, after a prosecutor's statement of intention to file an indictment and a request for his detention until the end of the proceedings was filed against him.

The suspect, a resident of the city who had been arrested in the past on suspicion of other assaults, violated the conditions of this parole, which included a ban on entering any shuls.

According to the report, the attack took place several weeks ago during Shabbos morning, when the suspect and the victim were in the shul. 

Immediately upon receiving the attack details from the minor's parents, investigators from the Modiin Illit station began investigating the case, while testimony was taken before professionals due to the victim's young age.

The findings of the investigation reveal a particularly disturbing picture. It is suspected that during that Shabbat – before, during, and after the morning prayers – the suspect, a former prisoner, developed a dialogue with the minor on halachic matters. Thus, slowly, he gained the boy's trust and later attacked him in a toilet cubicle near the synagogue.

Among other things, apart from the serious criminal act, the suspect violated the conditions of his parole, which included a prohibition on entering the shul, conditions and restrictions of which he was well aware. It should be noted that the suspect was arrested in the past on suspicion of similar assaults, which raises serious concerns among law enforcement officials.

About a week and a half ago, during a detective activity by a youth division from the Modi'in Illit station and with the assistance of the Inspector of the Tzur Unit of the IPS, the suspect was located and arrested for police interrogation. His detention was extended at the request of interrogators from the Family Division from time to time, and during his interrogation period, evidence, testimonies and findings were formulated in connection with his actions.

Nachum Yisrael Eber found murdered in Colombia was looking for new bride after his marriage to teenager failed

 The Brooklyn Orthodox man brutally murdered in Colombia was reeling from the end of his one-month marriage to a teen bride — and was desperately looking for a new love when he was killed.

The body of Nachum Israel Eber was found dismembered inside a bloody wardrobe that was dumped on a street in Bogota on Sunday.

Yosef Matheron, a Colombian man who befriended Eber and helped translate for him, told The Post how Eber had met his 18-year-old wife before the brief union unraveled in January.

Eber, 51, a member of the Boro Park Belz Hasidic community, went to South America to search for a bride after divorcing his first wife five or six years ago. They shared four kids and two grandchildren.

Eber searched far and wide for a new bride, working with matchmakers in New York and Ukraine, before setting his sights on Colombia, his best friend said.

The divorcee was drawn to the country because he knew a rabbi from his community who would travel there and help descendants of Spanish Inquisition exiles convert to Judaism.

“He mentioned that he was exploring the possibility of meeting someone to marry, and eventually he made a match,” Matheron said.

Eber met the much younger woman in Barranquilla and thought she was 20 years old, the pal said.

Matheron said he spent a lot of time with the pair, and he would often accompany them on dates to get ice cream.

“They were a religious couple, a very wholesome couple,” he said, “He didn’t drink alcohol, he didn’t use drugs, he was a religious man.”

The two were married in a ceremony in Barranquilla, and a dinner celebrating the union was held in Bogota, he said.

But it turns out his new in-laws lied about their daughter’s age — she was really 18, and was getting cold feet.

“The young woman eventually broke up with him, though mostly because she told him she didn’t feel ready — she felt she was too young and believed she had rushed into taking that step. But it was never something she was forced to do,” Matheron said of the marriage.

He told Eber, who was depressed after the January split, to go home to the Big Apple and recover.

But Eber was determined to stay in Colombia until he found a wife.

“It’s very hard to live alone in our community. Everyone lives with their families and has children in the house,” his friend from Brooklyn said.

Bad luck seemed to follow the “high-strung, nervous” Eber, Matheron said.

“I decided to stop traveling with Nachum, as I had already encountered several security issues. I was being robbed frequently in the places we stayed, though I couldn’t figure out why,” he said.

Eber may have made himself a target for a “paseo millionairo” attack — where robbers stalk a potential victim for days — by doing things foreigners shouldn’t, like walking around with his cell phone in his hand, Matheron theorized.

“I’d tell him: ‘Nachum, this isn’t New York.’ He would start speaking Yiddish, Hebrew, and English right out in the open. He drew attention to himself, because of his distinctive attire and the various languages ​​he spoke,” he said.

The murder victim was described by his friend as a loving father and grandfather who would do anything for his family.

“During COVID he traveled to Cleveland and took care of his sick father for 100 days straight, that’s the kind of person he was,” his friend said.

Eber’s Brooklyn friend spoke to him April 21, the last day he was seen alive, and said Eber was optimistic.

His body was found Wednesday, and local police are investigating.

“He came to Colombia to find a wife, then, his dreams went cold,” Eber’s Brooklyn friend said.