Wednesday's Headline
“I don’t speak because I have the power to speak; I speak because I don’t have the power to remain silent.” Rav Kook z"l
Thursday, July 1, 2021
Jewish Black diversity chief out after failing to mention Islamophobia in statement rejecting antisemitism
A Black Jewish diversity chief at a nonprofit group for children’s book authors resigned amid backlash after she neglected to specifically condemn Islamophobia in a statement denouncing antisemitism.
April Powers, chief equity and inclusion officer at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, issued a statement this month saying the organization denounces “all forms of hate, including antisemitism,” citing an uptick in crimes against Jewish people. Critics apparently took issue with Islamophobia not being specifically mentioned in the statement.
Ms. Powers apologized in a statement announcing her resignation Sunday, saying she “neglected to address the rise in Islamophobia, and deeply regret that omission.”
“As someone who is vehemently against Islamophobia and hate speech of any kind, I understand that intention is not impact and I am so sorry,” she wrote. “While this doesn’t fix the pain and disappointment that you feel by my mishandling of this moment, I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies and resignation from the SCBWI.”
Ms. Powers, who introduced herself as being Black and Jewish in a welcome video last June, explained in a postTuesday on her personal Facebook page that she was not fired or forced to resign from the nonprofit, Newsweek reported.
The organization’s executive director, Lin Oliver, issued a statement Sunday accepting Ms. Powers’ resignation and apologizing to “everyone in the Palestinian community who felt unrepresented, silenced or marginalized.”
“SCBWI acknowledges the pain our actions have caused to our Muslim and Palestinian members and hope that we can heal from this moment,” Ms. Oliver wrote.
Jewish Doctoral Candidate Who Wanted To Prove Justice System Was Racist Against Blacks Was Stabbed To Death By Black Man In Chicago
Anat Kimchi, a 31-year-old Israeli-born doctoral candidate and scholar at the University of Maryland, wrote a paper published in the Journal of Quantitative Criminology in 2019 attempting to prove America’s criminal justice system was racist against “young black offenders” and “black drug offenders.”
While visiting Chicago over the weekend, Kimchi was ambushed and stabbed in the back and neck while walking near a homeless encampment at 401 South Wacker at around 3:35 p.m. Police said witnesses told them the assailant was a homeless “slim black male with long dreadlocks who wore a red bandana and a blue tank top,” CWB Chicago reported.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Monday that police know the man who fatally stabbed her and are “scouring the various homeless encampments downtown” to find him.
While speaking with CBS 2 Chicago, Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown expressed bafflement that Kimchi would walk on such an “obscure route” which only leads to a freeway and an underpass with a homeless encampment.
Given her field, one can imagine she may have purposefully gone to the encampment to see first hand the horrible oppression that “white supremacist America” was subjecting these disadvantaged, underprivileged victims of white supremacy to due to no fault of their own.
Viznitz Yiddish Newspaper about Florida Tragedy...." I'ts only a couple of Chabad families.l"
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Loose translation of the circled sentences
"People originally thought that only a couple of Chabad families perished in the Florida Condos, yes indeed, it is a very big loss, and a terrible tragedy, but it's not something that one has to turn the entire world around."
Shul Sign in Yerushalyim about the Air conditioner
R' Pinye Korf Chabad Chasid Who Had His Beard Cut off by Satmar 38 years ago ...Passes On
Americans can pick their passport gender
Applicants for a US passport will now be able to choose whether they identify as male or female and won’t need medical certification if their choice differs from the gender listed on other documents like a birth certificate, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday.
Blinken also said that the Department will soon give applicants the option of describing themselves on their passport as “non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming,” though he added that change would take time to implement due to “extensive systems updates.”
According to Blinken, the moves are another step “toward ensuring the fair treatment of LGBTQI+ U.S. citizens, regardless of their gender or sex.” America’s top diplomat added that he was announcing the move “after considerable consultation with like-minded governments who have undertaken similar changes.”
The American Civil Liberties Union welcomed the move to add a third gender identification option.
“Improved access to accurate passports will have such a profound impact on the lives of trans, intersex, and non-binary folks across the country,” ACLU campaign strategist Arli Christian said in a statement. “Now people will be able to fill out a passport application and indicate M, F, or X — whichever is most appropriate for them.
Despite a hateful wave of anti-trans legislation this year, trans, non-binary, and intersex people know who we are and we need recognition of who we are — not permission,” Christian added. “Today’s action demonstrates an important first step in realizing a whole-of-government policy for accurate IDs.”
Wednesday’s announcement was the latest acknowledgment of the LGBTQ community by Blinken. In April, he authorized US diplomatic missions to fly the rainbow-colored Pride flag on the same pole as the American flag at embassies and consulates around the world. Last week, Blinken announced the State Department would fly the “Progress” flag — which incorporates a black, brown, light blue, pink and white chevron into the pride flag design — for the first time ever to mark Pride Month.
“We … value our continued engagement with the LGBTQI+ community, which will inform our approach and positions moving forward,” Blinken said. “With this action, I express our enduring commitment to the LGBTQI+ community today and moving forward.”
Omar Doubles Down ‘No Regrets’ About Anti-Israel Remarks, ‘Jews Aren’t Partners In Justice’ Schumer Quiet
Where is the "Shomer Yisrael" Cryi'n Schumer? .....
In an interview with CNN on Tuesday, host Jake Tapper confronted Dem. Rep. Ilhan Omar about her comments equating the US and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban and asked her if she regretted her comments.
Omar replied: “I don’t. I think it’s really important to think back to the point that I was trying to make. Obviously, I was addressing Secretary of State Blinken.”
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Aaron Sommer and his son, Nathaniel Charged With Manslaughter & Arson in Adult Home Fire in Spring Valley
Four people have been arrested, including two facing manslaughter charges, and two others face arrest warrants in connection with a fatal fire at a Rockland County home for elderly residents.
The arrests were announced on Tuesday, June 29 by Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Walsh during a press conference following a three-month investigation into the Tuesday, March 23, fire at Evergreen Court Home for Adults in Spring Valley.
The fire, which caused the building to partially collapse, killed Spring Valley Volunteer Firefighter Jared Lloyd as he was rescuing residents and a 79-year-old resident of the home.
"Today is the culmination of a multi-agency investigation that left no stone unturned," Walsh said. "I informed the Lloyd family today of the arrests made today. While we can't bring Jared back, today is a step in the right direction."
Those arrested for their actions that allegedly caused the fire include Aaron Sommer and his son, Nathaniel Sommer, who were both charged with:
Two counts of manslaughter
- Nine counts of assault
- Arson
- Two counts of reckless endangerment
Both men were arraigned and are being held at that the Rockland County Jail. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, July 2.
Also arrested were Spring Valley building inspectors Wayne Ballard and Raymond Canario who were both charged with filing false reports to the state in connection with fire inspections. They were officially charged with offering a false instrument of filing and falsifying business records.They were processed and released.
Walsh said arrest warrants were also issued for Denise Kerr of New York City and Manuel Lema of Pomona. Kerr is facing a charge of reckless endangerment, and Lema faces charges of criminal impersonation and obstructing governmental administration.
Walsh, who declined to answer any questions regarding the role each of those arrested played in the fire and deaths as to "not taint a grand jury," said his goal was to hold those arrested responsible for the fire and their actions.
Rockland County Executive Ed Day said: "The fact that these arrests came from many different facets of this situation says a lot about how comprehensive and in-depth this investigation has been along with the different aspects of accountability and criminality we are dealing with." Walsh said the investigation is ongoing.