THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THESE DIFFICULT TIME
“Shark Tank” investor Daymond John is taking heat over a since-deleted tweet praising the remarks delivered by controversial religious leader Louis Farrakhan at DMX’s funeral on Sunday.
“What a powerful speech from Minister Louis Farrakhan for the #dmxfuneral,” John wrote on the social media site.
“His deep understanding of the Bible and respect for other people’s religions was truly inspiring. #RIPDMX,” the Brooklyn-born FUBU founder continued.
Commenters quickly called out John for his support of Farrakhan, pointing to his checkered past.
“Wait, what? He’s made dozens of anti-Semitic statements,” one user wrote.
Another Twitter commenter said: “Respect for other religions? He’s a vicious antisemite and seems proud of it.”
“This is absolutely sickening. Unreal,” said a third person.
Later Sunday, John deleted the post and sent out a follow-up statement in an attempt to clarify his comments.
“In regards to my tweet regarding DMXs funeral, my comments on Minister Farrakhan were only related to what I just witnessed tonight, unbeknownst to his prior stances,” John wrote.
“As someone who was fortunate enough to have a step dad of the Jewish faith, I do not condone and never would condone and anti Semitic, prejudice or any remarks of hatred,” he said.
In decades of public life, Farrakhan has attacked Jewish people as “satanic,” publicly questioned the Holocaust and condemned Judaism as a “dirty religion.”
On Sunday, Farrakhan spoke via video at DMX’s private funeral service, touching on the legendary rapper’s global influence.
“DMX is who he was and who he is, and the reason he has affected the people in the hip-hop genre and human beings across the globe is because he was genuine,” Farrakhan said.
THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THESE DIFFICULT TIME
It’s no secret that as Senate Majority Leader and senior senator from New York, Charles Schumer is a man whose time is not easy to pin down. But, putting down his trademark “flip phone” for a while, Senator Schumer made himself available, between votes and phone calls from senators, to present at a webinar held by Agudath Israel’s Yeshiva Services department on the topic of the funds and resources made available to Americans, and particularly relevant to the Orthodox Jewish community by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Nearly 150 people participated in the call. From stimulus checks, to security grants, to money for yeshivas, Senator Schumer explained the details of each of the programs, stressing how important it is that these programs be known and utilized. The Majority Leader also committed to continue working to ensure that federal and state guidelines make the funds as accessible as possible to yeshivas, shuls and other community charities.
Ms. Christina Coughlin, Assistant Commissioner of the New York State EducationDepartment, also joined the webinar to explain in detail what reimbursements and funds are available to nonpublic schools and yeshivas in New York State, and how the schools should proceed to get them. “We appreciate all the work that Assistant Commissioner Coughlin does for the yeshivos and other nonpublic schools on a regular basis and thank her for taking the time to address the schools and answer our questions,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Pinkus, director of Agudah’s Yeshiva Services.
Mr. Shlomo Werdiger, Chairman of Agudah’s Board of Trustees had warm words for the senator. “We thank Senator Schumer for taking time out of his busy schedule as Senate Majority Leader to join us and are extremely grateful to him for fighting for the interests of yeshivas and nonpublic schools, shuls and nonprofits.” Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Agudah’s Executive Vice President, who chaired the session, added, “What Senator Schumer did in moving this legislation forward and securing $2.75 billion dollars for non public schools was absolutely unprecedented and he deserves a world of credit.”
THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THESE DIFFICULT TIME
New information has been revealed about the shocking case of an English-speaking Chareidi family who integrated into the English-speaking Chareidi community in French Hill as well as the broader religious community in Jerusalem, and was revealed on Sunday to be Christian missionaries, B’Chadrei Chareidim reported.
The father, Michael, even learned in the past in the Kollel of the Mekubal HaRav Banyahu Shmueli, but following the intervention of anti-missionary figures, he was kicked out of the Kollel.
Meanwhile, Michael was born to a Christian family from New Jersey. His father, William Thomas Elk, who died in 2006, was a member of the Friendship Mennonite Church in Carneys Point, New Jersey. In the past, he taught Christianity in Seattle and presided at Christian weddings.
Currently, Michael works at a gym in Jerusalem that is affiliated with a Christian organization and has reportedly tried to spread Christianity there.
Michael was already investigated by anti-missionary figures six years ago and even admitted to being a missionary but promised to halt all his activities. Since his identity has been known to some for years, including the Yad L’Achim organization and the anti-missionary Beyneynu organization, it’s hard to understand how the family ended up successfully integrating into the community in French Hill but that’s exactly what happened.
Michael presented himself as a Kohen, wrote Tefillin and mezuzos and his children were accepted to Chareidi schools. The story began unraveling only in the past month or two, following the untimely death of the mother from cancer. The community rallied to the family’s side and raised tens of thousands of dollars for them.
The Beyneynu organization said that they have been investigating the case for a long time and were about to reveal the story in the next several days but meanwhile one of the children slipped at school and the whole story blew up.
The 13-year-old daughter of the family [whose Bas Mitzvah was made with community assistance while the mother was fighting cancer], recently told her friend at school that “Jesus accepts everyone. Even if you made a mistake, he’ll accept you.” The shocked classmate told her parents and they immediately began investigating and contacting those who know the family.
Shannon Nuszen of Beyneynu, who specializes in tracking missionaries who disguise themselves as Jews, said that their case has been known for years. In 2014, they discovered the family trying to be “mekareiv” Jews to Jesus on social media networks. They confronted the father, Michael and he admitted that he’s a missionary but he promised to halt all of his missionary activities. The organization continued to track him but one day completely lost track of him. Meanwhile, he and his family had moved to French Hill and begun integrating into the community.
Nuszen said that the children were partners in everything. They knew they were Christians and they played the game well but last week, as mentioned above, one of the girls mentioned Jesus by mistake.
Nuszen explained that before publicizing the story, they were obligated to ensure that all the facts were 100% correct. “We can’t inculpate an entire family of being missionaries without scrutinizing every detail first – it can cause damage to future generations. So we consulted with Rabbanim and askanim, we examined their roots, and we revealed the truth.”
She also said that “our information shows that there is no sign or proof that the family has Jewish roots. If Michael claims otherwise, he should prove it together with a permit from the Interior Ministry. We don’t have access to the computers of the Interior Ministry. They have no proof that they’re Jews while we have proof that they’re non-Jews.”
The mother, who was also proven to have no Jewish origins, passed away from cancer before Purim and was buried on Har HaMenuchos with a full Jewish funeral.
A statement from Beyneynu says that for more information, please contact Shannon Nuszen, Beyneynu- 058-405-3533 or shannon@beyneynu.com. Rav Avi Elbaz of French Hill is also involved in the case.
THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THESE DIFFICULT TIME
The Eidah HaChareidis published a letter on Friday against the nationalistic protests organized by Lehava, a Dati Leumi anti-assimilation organization, warning their followers not to join the protests under any circumstances.
On Motzei Shabbos, the Eidah, in an effort to calm the flaming tensions in the city, published the letter in Arabic to clarify that the protests were not “Chareidi.”
"With a trembling heart, we express our opposition and condemn the nationalists who tried to drag the Chareidi community into their protests and calls for revenge against Arab residents of Jerusalem,” the letter stated.
“By bringing their protests into Chareidi neighborhoods, they are putting the community at terrible risk. Who knows what can chalilah happen due to their irresponsible actions.”
“Oy to us from the Chillul Hashem if these provocations are thought to be connected to Yiryei Hashem and Shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos.”
“We call with all our heart for the calming of tensions and the quietening of the battle, of which the results cannot be imagined. And we declare and say that Chareidi Jewry has no connection to these protests and riots. The Jews who are faithful to the Torah believe that we were exiled from our land through the gezeirah of Hashem and distanced from our land.”
“And we call to yeshivah bochurim, to the parents of talmidim, and those in chinuch: Please ensure that no bochur or child be found at these protests. Guard yourselves in ruchniyus and gashmiyus from the negative influence of nationalists who are not seeking your benefit…they are partners to the uprooting of das and the tearing of the Torah into pieces.”
THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THESE DIFFICULT TIME
In the past two decades, life-threatening childhood food allergies have risen steadily, growing by about 4 percent per year to afflict 32 million Americans, according to research by Northwestern University, McKinsey & Company, and Food Allergy Research and Education, a nonprofit. Studies estimate that the costs borne by American families — for medical bills, buying special foods or forgoing full-time employment to care for a child with a food allergy — total $24.8 billion annually.
There are several strong theories to explain the uptick, says Jonathan Spergel, chief of the allergies department at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, but one stands out: In 2000, a small study suggested that if parents delayed the introduction of potentially allergenic foods, kids were less likely to develop those allergies.
THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THESE DIFFICULT TIME
Just hitching a ride.. pic.twitter.com/RwJHxBkGB1
— Buitengebieden (@buitengebieden_) April 24, 2021
THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THE
The wife had become deathly ill and ultimately passed away, which led the community to raise over $30,000. Local organizations had known what was going on for years in an attempt to monitor the situation and be sure he didn’t go to another community.
Once news got out, the father began deleting messages and blurring images from his Gentile Facebook account. It has since also become clear the non-Jewish Christian family had arrived to Israel with forged documentation.
סיפור מטורף. האיש הזה מסתובב בינינו בשכונת הגבעה הצרפתית. ילדיו לומדים במוסדות חרדים, מציג את עצמו כסופר סת"ם, כתב ספרי תורה ומזוזות ואף הזדהה ככהן ופדה ילדים. אשתו מתה לא מזמן מסרטן, הקהילה פתחה מגבית עבורו. לאחר תחקיר מעמיק של מספר עסקנים התברר: האיש ומשפחתו אינם יהודיים pic.twitter.com/wHG06LCYP4
— אבי רבינא Avi Ravina (@AviRabina) April 25, 2021
THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THE
THANKS SO MUCH,, IT MEANS THE WORLD TO US IN THE
