Chassidishe Meshigner who converted to Islam charged with threatening Jews

 A New Jersey man who co-founded a radical Islamic website has pleaded guilty to using the Internet to make threats against Jewish groups.

Yousef Mohamid al-Khattab, 45, of Atlantic City started the now-defunct Revolution Muslim website in 2007 with partner Jesse Curtis Morton.

Al-Khattab, who converted from Judaism and was previously known as Joseph Cohen, is the third person connected with Revolution Muslim to be convicted in federal court in Alexandria.

Morton and another man, Zachary Chesser, admitted using the site to deliver thinly veiled threats against the creators of the "South Park" television show for perceived insults to the prophet Muhammad.

Al-Khattab's guilty plea, announced today, does not mention the "South Park" threats. In court documents, al-Khattab admits encouraging readers to take unspecified action against Jewish leaders.

In some postings, he provided names and addresses of Jewish leaders and synagogues and urged Muslims angered by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to "deal with them directly at their homes."

In another posting he praised Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan for "13 knockouts," a reference to the 13 people Hasan shot and killed in the 2009 attacks.

Al-Khattab faces up to five years in prison at a sentencing scheduled for Feb. 7. His lawyer, Alan Yamamoto, said it is not yet clear what length of term will be recommended under the federal sentencing guidelines.

Machlokas between Litvishe "Gedolei Yisroel" intensifies; Students and kollel guys thrown out of yeshivas that supported Rav Auerbach shlita

The widening split in the litvish Torah community, is reality, and a most unpleasant and worrisome one. In line with the reported decision of HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, many avreichim in kollelim are indeed being compelled to sign a document requesting mechila and pledging future allegiance to gedolei yisrael in Bnei Brak. It has been reported that Rav Avraham Rubinstein’s Kollel Nachlas Moshe is compelling avreichim to sign, as is the kollel of HaGaon HaRav Sholom Ber Sorotzkin and others. According to Kol Berama Radio reports as many as “hundreds” of avreichim may have already been ousted from their beis medrash. Chareidi radio stations are chock full of interviews, presenting spokespersons from both sides, Bnei Brak and Yerushalayim. The situation is not a heartwarming one. The escalating machlokes is evident in many areas, including the chareidi print media. What is clear is that on the grassroots level, talmidim of Rav Shteinman and Rav Kanievsky Shlita along with talmidim of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita are being compelled to select sides. A division is being placed in the machane at this critical time when enemies of Torah Jewry are working tenaciously to stamp out limud Torah in Eretz HaKodesh. While many or most avreichim may be signing there are many who are refusing, adhering to the instructions of their rav, HaGaon Rav Auerbach. A growing number of lomdei Torah are rapidly finding themselves outside the beis medrash and the division is becoming increasingly evident. The Torah HaKadosha, once the uniting force is now being used to divide, all “L’Shem Shomayim”. On the front page of the Yerushalmi faction-affiliated HaPeles is a clear message from Rav Auerbach. “Don’t sign!” The notice adds that a sum of money has already been contributed to serve as a base for a fund to assist avreichim who are ousted, YWN-ISRAEL has spoken with rabbonim and individuals on both sides and some seem to posit that gedolei yisrael shlita are being “manipulated by the powerbrokers that have access to them”. Once again, YWN-ISRAEL is not going there. Others posit that even if this is the case, gedolim shlita must be responsible and their words cannot be discarded by attributing it to askanim and powerbrokers. At this stage it is difficult to predict where this will end. What is clear however is that many bnei torah are confused, concerned and worried as they realize their home, the beis medrash, may now be off limits to them because they remain committed to the instructions of their mora d’asra. Some rabbonim posit that what is really worrisome is that the division will weaken the chareidi tzibur and this will become apparent in the real battle, the battle to induct bnei torah into the IDF and to compel mosdos to accept secular subjects in the curriculum. And on a final note, HaGaon Rav Auerbach is quoted in Thursday’s (27 Cheshvan) HaPeles once again instructing bnei torah not to cooperate with IDF induction officials in any way whatsoever – not to report to induction centers and not to fill out any forms. HaGaon HaRav Shteinman Shlita feels one should report and fill out the basic form requesting identification information and a signature. In directly related matters, Education Minister Shai Piron announced that the ministry will cut funding to any institution that discriminates due to one’s political affiliation. In essence, from a political perspective one can easily argue that Piron is correct since the machlokes surrounds those who voted Bnei Torah instead of Degel. Whatever the case, the minister’s decision will lead to cutting the little funding that remains. from the beis medrash roster and now find themselves without a source of parnasa. Such avreichim are instructed to phone for assistance. The notice is signed by “HaRav Chaim Katz in the name of the Vaad Roshei Yeshivos”.

Mendel Tewel arrested for sexual abuse, Video

• Married rabbi, 30, arrested at Jewish youth centre in Beverly Hills for 'sexually molesting boys' in New York.

•  Menachem Tewel, 30, also known as Mendel Tevel, was arrested at the JEM Community Center on S. Santa Monica Boulevard, in Los Angeles, California He is suspected of abusing four boys between 1995 and 2004 The incidents happened in Brooklyn where he lived and at a sleep-away camp in Pennsylvania.

•  One alleged victim says Tevel performed oral sex on him several times in his car when he was 14 Another claims Tevel spanked his naked body with a ping-pong bat multiple times.

•  Tevel is married to Bracha, the daughter of JEM's director, Rabbi Hertzel Illulian Tevel is facing extradition to New York.

 A rabbi accused of sexually abusing boys in New York was arrested Tuesday afternoon at a Jewish community center in Beverly Hills, California. 
Menachem Tewel, 30, also known as Mendel Tevel, was handcuffed and led away from the JEM Community Center at 9930 S. Santa Monica Boulevard, at around 1.30pm, where he was working a youth worker. He is suspected of abusing four boys between 1995 and 2004 on two counts of criminal sexual acts and one count of sexual abuse. 

Tevel is accused of carrying out two of the acts in Brooklyn and two at Machane Menachem, a since-closed Chabad-Lubavitch sleepaway camp in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania, where Tevel worked in 2001.
 He also worked as a mentor at the now-closed Shterns Yeshiva in upstate New York, according to the Jewish Journal. All of the boys are now adults, including one who says Tevel performed oral sex on him several times in his car when Tevel was 22 and the alleged victim was 14, according to the New York Post. 

The rabbi moved to Los Angeles and had recently been working at the JEM Center, a Jewish youth community center in Beverly Hills. 

The JEM Center’s director, Rabbi Hertzel Illulian, is Tevel’s father-in-law. Illulian’s daughter, Bracha, married Tevel in 2012, according to the Jo ‘No child, no parent, no one has alleged anything against the JEM Center,’

JEM Community Center in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, where he was working as a youth worker

 Dana Cole, an attorney for the JEM Center, told reporters in Los Angeles. ‘This involves activities that occurred several years ago in New York City.’ 

Wife: Tevel is married to Bracha, pictured, the daughter of his boss at JEM, Rabbi Hertzel Illulian, director of the centre
Jewish Community Watch, an organization that focuses on child abuse prevention, said it alerted local rabbis about the allegations against Tevel in August. 

The Journal had reported that four men said they had been victims of Tevel when they were minors, ranging from ages 6 to 14 at the time of the alleged abuse. They claimed Tevel performed acts that included spanking on bare skin, to sexually suggestive rubbing.

 One alleged victim, now 25, told the Journal that Tevel’s abuse might have begun at a very early age. The 25-year-old, who did not wish to be named, said when he was 6 or 7 years old, his family lived near Tevel’s family in Brooklyn. He said Tevel, then 11 or 12 years old, would go to the basement of his home multiple times per week with him, lock the door, tie him down, remove some or all of his clothing, and whip him. ‘I had just a T-shirt on and socks,’ he told the Journal. ‘Of course, pants and any sort of underwear, that was gone.’ 
The alleged victim, who was raised an observant Jew, said he has since attended therapy for years after that. 
Another man, 21, said he was about 9 years old and Tevel was about 18, when he was a first-time camper at Machane Menachem. One day, he alleged, Tevel brought him into a sports equipment room. As another person watched the door, the 21-year-old man claimed, Tevel bent him over his lap and smacked him on the rear with a pingpong paddle. He then pulled down his bathing suit and continued smacking him. Tevel will be extradited to New York, according to police.

Frummies in Israel upset that new law will prohibit marriage for under 18 year olds

Israel will now be like most of the Western world in which the legal marital age for boys and girls will be 18-years-old.

 After a long battle, the Knesset committee approved legislation that increase the legal marriage age from 17 to 18-years-old. Hundreds of underage marriages are reportedly taking place in Israel each year, mostly involving young women. 

The Knesset's Constitution, and Law and Justice committees approved the bill to raise the age of marriage. This bill, which was proposed by Meretz Chairwoman Zahava Gal-On, Yariv Levin of Likud and other Knesset members, was first proposed in 2004.

 The bill has been stalled in the Knesset mainly due to opposition from ultra-Orthodox Jewish groups. The new law sets the minimum marriage age to 18, but allows the courts to approve younger people to get married in special circumstances, such as being beneficial to the children. 

However, the court will have to hear from the youngsters themselves, and under no circumstances can they approve marriages for those under 16-years-old. 
“Rabbinical courts should be authorized to approve younger people to get married and not just the civil courts," deputy Uri Maklev of the United Torah Judaism party said. “Some families traditionally marry young. It will be a mistake not to allow them to do so.This is a violation of their civil rights," Maklev added.

 "Today the Knesset has sent an important public message that it seeks to safeguard the rights of minors, and not just abandon them to their fates,” Zehava Gal-On said. 

"The main victims of these marriages are girls," Gal -On also said. “Some parents marry them by force or under great pressure in the view that a woman's place is in the home and that her be-all and end-all is to raising children. We want girls and women to marry willingly, and with the full understanding of the repercussions of getting married and raising a family," she added.

Polish Catholics murdered 1,600 jews in 1941 in the city of Jedwabne, says new film "Aftermath"

Maciej Stuhr stars in the film

On July 10, 1941, half the residents of Jedwabne, a Polish village 85 miles northeast of Warsaw, murdered the other half. 

The mob, led by the mayor, were Catholics; their 1,600 victims were Jewish, slaughtered over several nightmarish hours with bats, knives, rifles and other improvised weapons. Those who survived the massacre were then rounded up in a barn donated by a local farmer, which was then set ablaze. A plaque erected at the site blamed Nazis for the massacre, but, in fact, Nazis had only authorized it. Locals walked by the plaque for half a century, knowing the truth, but saying nothing.

Jedwabne's terrible secrets were at last laid bare in Neighbors, an explosive account of the massacre by Princeton University historian Jan T. Gross. That 2001 book shattered carefully held myths, promulgated by Communist leaders, that Poles were only victims of World War II, not perpetrators. (Poles -- who unlike many European countries never officially collaborated with the Nazis -- lost close to 6 million citizens to the Nazis, or about 17 percent of the population. Just over half of those were Jewish.)

Now, 12 years later, comes Aftermath -- premiering stateside Nov. 1.
It's a film inspired by Jedwabne that has forced the country to once again face certain unthinkable aspects of its past. Since its October 2012 premiere at the Warsaw Film Festival, the movie has been a lightning rod. Major news outlets have dismissed it as anti-Polish propaganda, its non-Jewish star Maciej Stuhr has been the target of vicious anti-Semitic attacks, and its producer says he has been blacklisted by the country's national film council.

That producer, Dariusz Jablonski, was first approached with the script in 2004 by Wladyslaw Pasikowski, an established director of action movies. Pasikowski's script takes place entirely in present-day Poland, and follows two brothers as they uncover what befell the Jews living in their small town, where anti-Jewish attitudes persist. Pasikowski, who is not Jewish, wrote the script after reading Neighbors, which left him feeling helpless, angry and like an unwitting accomplice to an institutionalized cover-up.

"But a book is nothing compared to the power of a feature film," says Jablonski, who was instantly gripped by the power and efficiency of Pasikowski's storytelling. His first step was to bring the project to the Polish Film Institute, an office founded in 2005 and dedicated to nurturing films that celebrate Polish culture. 

The fund found the taboo project "anti-Polish," Jablonski says, not because the claims made in it were deemed untrue, but because it chose to overlook acts of Polish heroism and compassion shown toward Jews during the war. 

In other words, Aftermath was not a Polish Schindler's List. Jablonski adds that PFI also objected to the image of the present-day village, inhabited by anti-Jewish thugs and locals who conspired to keep the truth literally buried. "They said this wasn't the truth about Poland, but unfortunately, I didn't agree," Jablonski says. "I know these kind of villages; I know these kind of people."

(Jerzy Bart, the institute's deputy director for economic, organizational and legal issues, remembers it differently. Bart says PFI found the topic of the film "very important," and points to Pawel Pawlikowski's Ida, which this year has won awards at film festivals in Toronto, Warsaw and London, as another example of a difficult film about Poland during the Holocaust that was funded by the institute.)

Undaunted, the team spent the next seven years getting the script in the hands of anyone -- politicians, actors, producers, investors -- who might help them get it made. 

While opposition among nationalists mounted, the project found vocal support, too, most visibly within the centrist press. The groundswell eventually led the Polish Film Institute to reverse its decision. Jablonski then scoured Europe, securing backers in Russia, Slovakia and the Netherlands, each of whom contributed 10 percent of production costs. With the full budget finally in place, the call went out to an A-list production team of Polish nationals who had expressed interest over the years -- including production designer Allan Starski, an Oscar winner for Schindler's List, and cinematographer Pawel Edelman, who shot The Ghostwriter and The Pianist for Roman Polanski.

Stuhr, the son of famed Polish actor Jerzy Stuhr, was best-known for his comedic work prior to Aftermath. He'd been a fan of the project since first reading the script in 2004, and when filming began seven years later, he was the perfect age to play younger brother Jozef, who sets the plot in motion by retrieving Jewish gravestones used by villagers as paving stones and erecting a makeshift cemetery on his father's land.
 


While he never seriously feared for his safety, Stuhr says the nationwide controversy that swirled around the film's premiere was a trying time for him. 
"They were calling for me to get a one-way ticket out of Poland immediately," Stuhr recalls. "The right-wing journalists were ruthless about me." 

Jablonski read the climate as far more threatening: "I realized then that he was in physical danger. So many web pages with our pictures, saying, 'These people need to be hanged.' " He says he was particularly disturbed by an issue of Wprost, a mainstream news magazine, which provocatively splayed Stuhr's photo on its cover along with anti-Semitic graffiti and the headline, "Lynched at his own request."  
Inside, an editorial entitled, "Stuhr, You Jew!" detailed the wave of racist backlash that the actor had faced. While it didn't endorse the anti-Semitic sentiments, the piece ultimately sided against the star: "He has become a symbol of simplicity and manipulating history for commercial gain," wrote its author, Magdalena Rigamonti.
"What was written inside the magazine was worse [than the cover], a load of lies," Stuhr says. "The reviewer wrote that it was the end of my career." Stuhr, whose work in Aftermath earned him the Polish Film Award for best actor, says Rigamonti's prediction hasn't yet come to pass: "I'm still very busy with work. The Polish film community has given me a lot of support, and I think I've scored plenty of points here."

Jablonski, on the other hand, says he still feels the effects of the backlash, particularly from the Polish Film Institute, which he says is seeking a full repayment of their funds. 
PFI counters that Jablonski violated the terms of their agreement by attaching foreign producers without their approval, and has prohibited him from applying for further funding for the next three years. Both parties are in the process of settling their differences in court.
  
"The producer...broke the terms of the agreement for co-financing the production of the film...and has failed to account for the public funds received from the Polish Film Institute," Bart says. "This left the Polish Film Institute no choice but to withdraw from the agreement with Apple Film Production Ltd. and to submit the case to court."
Presented by Menemsha Films,   Aftermath premieres in New York on Nov. 1, and in Los Angeles on Nov. 15.

Rav Shmuel Auerbach urges students to defy Rav Kanievsky and remain learning in Yeshivos

For those who find it difficult to believe that in Bnei Brak there is an effort to compel followers of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita to pledge allegiance to gedolim shlita in the Torah city, they can simply read the words of Rav Auerbach in his response to his talmidim.
On page 3 of the Tuesday 25 Cheshvan 5774 edition of HaPeles, affiliated with the Bnei Torah party, Rav Auerbach sends a clear message to “bnei yeshivos and avreichim in kollel”.
“Continue your daily seder limud and feeling of spiritual elevation without compromising in the slightest on your principles and your right to remain loyal to our passionate derech.” These are the words heard from the gadol hador when avreichim visited him in his home on Monday, seeking advice as how to respond to current events.
The rosh yeshiva instructs talmidim to cling to their limudim and not permit any interruption in their daily seder. HaPeles reports the avreichim who met with the rav expressed their pain over ongoing efforts to create machlokes and divide and while they expected things to return to their norm following the elections, it does not appear this is taking place.
The rav stated that without a doubt it remains crucial to enhance the shalom between bnei torah and all who view themselves as Yirei Hashem, and above all, “one must continue with one’s limudim and distance oneself from distractions of any nature”.
The avreichim however were seeking instruction and asked how to react to efforts to use force against them in the beis medrash if and when they refuse to leave. “The lomdim will be immersed in their limudim as always and those who disturb them will shoulder the responsibility” Rav Auerbach is quoted as saying. “We are not changing in the slightest and we are not abandoning the benches of the beis medrash. We must hope this is all a rumor and false fears, and just like no one ever tried to oust lomdim from their place of limud, or demand that they act contrary to their believes and principles, we hope this will be the case here too.”
When asked about the reports that avreichim will be compelled to sign a declaration asking mechila and affirm their loyalty, Rav Auerbach reportedly stated “no one has such a right. No mosdos chinuch may make such a demand from anyone. Bnei Torah cannot be compelled to live contrary to their beliefs, following the path of our rabbonim passionately and no one should sign such a document. One must always act with Kovod Hatorah towards gedolei yisrael and there is no contradiction between the two.”

Gerer Rebbi bans yeshiva students from eating soy based products because it can lead to gay sex??

Gerer Rebbi

By: Shifra Unger Yourjewishnews

The Hasidic yeshiva of Gur, has banned students from eating any soy based product out of fear that it might cause an increase in gay sexual activity, according to a report in the Haredi World.

Officials at the yeshiva and the boys school ordered students to stay away from any food containing soy because even eating a soy based product just once a week can cause unwanted arousal.

Officials at the school believe that soy based products contain harmful hormones that damage the spirituality of students by accelerating sexual maturity.

Doctors however said that there is no evidence that soy based products accelerate puberty or accelerate hyper sexual activity in young adults.

Debbie Tambor finally at peace

Rav Chaim Kanievsky calls on Kollim & Yeshivas to throw out those who voted for the Bnei Torah Party! Gedoilei Yisroel of today!

A major machlokes is brewing in Bnei Brak after HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita called to oust the avreichim who did not adhere to the words of HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita, voting for the Bnei Torah party which is headed by the Godol Hador Rav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita. Rav Kanievsky is adamant in his decision, unwilling to tolerate the brazen attitude of those who ignored the gadol hador and voted for the other gadol hador. However, leading roshei yeshivos in the Degel Hatorah camp are opposed, seeking to receive a pardon for the avreichim for these roshei yeshiva feel ousting them is far too harsh a move, adding it is a matter of דיני נפשות. Since Rav Chaim announced his position on erev Shabbos Chayei Sarah 5774, leading roshei yeshiva have been pleading their case. This list includes Rav Baruch Weisbeker (Rosh Yeshivas Matisyahu), Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch (Rosh Yeshivas Slobodka), Rav Yehoshua Eichenstein (Rosh Yeshivas Yad Aaron), and Rav Yigal Rozen. Kikar Shabbat reports these roshei yeshiva and others will be meeting in Rav Shteinman’s home today in the hope of reversing the decision.

Monsey residents asked to sign petition to keep Convicted child rapist Moshe Turner in Jail!

Please SIGN PETITION

To give Moishe Turner the Mass Molester

The Maximum jail time allowed by law

http://tinyurl.com/k7rhf77