“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, September 15, 2022

Gov DeSantis in a brilliant move Flies “Illegal Immigrants” To Martha’s Vineyard

 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday flew two planes of immigrants to Martha’s Vineyard, escalating a tactic by Republican governors to draw attention to what they consider to be the Biden administration’s failed border policies.

Flights to the upscale island enclave in Massachusetts were part of an effort to “transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations,” said Taryn Fenske, DeSantis’ communications director.

While DeSantis’ office didn’t elaborate on their legal status, many migrants who cross the border illegally from Mexico are temporarily shielded from deportation after being freed by U.S. authorities to pursue asylum in immigration court — as allowed under U.S law and international treaty — or released on humanitarian parole.

Massachusetts’ Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, said he was in touch with local officials and that short-term shelter was being provided.

State Rep. Dylan Fernandes, who represents Martha’s Vineyard, tweeted: “Our island jumped into action putting together 50 beds, giving everyone a good meal, providing a play area for the children, making sure people have the healthcare and support they need. We are a community that comes together to support immigrants.”

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began busing thousands of migrants to Washington in April and recently added New York and Chicago as destinations. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has been busing migrants to Washington since May. Passengers must sign waivers that the free trips are voluntary.

DeSantis, who is mentioned as potential presidential candidate, appears to be taking the strategy to a new level by using planes and choosing Martha’s Vineyard, whose harbor towns that are home to about 15,000 people are far less prepared than New York or Washington for large influxes of migrants.

The move is likely to delight DeSantis’ supporters who deride Democrat-led, immigrant-friendly “sanctuary” cities and anger critics who say he is weaponizing migrants as pawns for political gain.

The Florida Legislature appropriated $12 million to transport “illegal immigrants” from the state consistent with federal law, Fenske said.

“States like Massachusetts, New York, and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as ‘sanctuary states’ and support for the Biden Administration’s open border policies,” Fenske said.

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

How the "Oiz Vehdar" Edition of the Ohr Hachyim twists and corrupts the words of the Or Hachayim Hakodosh

 


The Ohr Hachayim Hakadosh, R' Chaim ben Moshe ibn Attar, born in Sale Morocco in 1696 was niftar in 1743. He is known as the Or Hachaim after his popular commentary on the Torah.

He was considered the most prominent Rabbi of Morocco. He made aliyah in 1742 with his two wives and 30 talmidim. On July 7, 1743, less than a year after his arrival in Yerushalayim he suddenly died and was buried on Har Hazeisim.

Chassidim decided that the Ohr Hachayim Hakodosh was really a Chasid and adopted him, but this happened only after his demise.
The story is that the Baal Shem Tov was sitting at Shalosh Seudis Seudah and before anyone in the area could have found out about the Ohr Hachayim's passing, he exclaimed,
 "The light from the West has been extinguished!"

At any rate, Chassidim made it an obligation to learn Ohr Hachayim's commentary. And there isn't a Chassidishe Shul that doesn't have a shiur in the Ohr Hachayim. 

The Ohr Hachayim is not an easy read, as he writes very poetically and embeds pesukim from Tanach and sayings from all over the Talmud and Midrash in his commentary. One must be familiar with Tanach and the Talmud to decipher most of his commentary.

It was only natural that Chassidim would undertake the difficult task of writing a commentary to decipher and explain every line of the Ohr Hachayim's commentary to make it easier on those who were eager to learn this beautiful "peirish".

On or abouts 2007, Oiz Vehadar under the leadership of R' Yeshua Leifer of New Square, did just that and did a magnificent job and now any lay person wanting to enjoy the Ohr Hachayim's commentary and is fluent in Lashon Hakodesh can do so. Artscroll in 2017 translated it into English, but of course for those fluent in Loshon Hakodesh  using the Oiz Vehadar edition is a no brainer; and no comparison!

How Dan Goldman Kicked Chassidim in the "tuchis"

 

She Just Made Us All Dumber

 

Kamala Harris Takes Us All for Fools

 

Chassidim Recruit Yaakov Shapiro an Israel Hating Liar as Their Spokesman in Albany Because he is the only one who can speak English

 


 Rabbi Yaakov Shapiro has an Israel-Hating website called "Torah True Jews" which is neither "torah" nor "true"! It is dripping with such hate against Gedoilei Hador who don't or didn't agree with his anti-Zionist stance, that he must have taken it out of Der Shturmer. 

He wrote a book "The Empty Wagon" which has haskamos from rabbanim that couldn't even read English and is filled with half-truths and whole lies. 

This is the guy that they appointed as the "spokesman" for the Chassidim in Albany fighting the new curriculum imposed on yeshivois! They appointed him because apparently, he is the only guy who can speak the language.

Below are excerpts from an article written in 2018 by Rabbi Yair Hoffman reviewing his disgusting book.

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Shul in New York removes smoked salmon from kiddush citing 'environmental concerns'

 

A New York synagogue has announced it will no longer offer smoked salmon at its weekly kiddush lunches.

The Upper West Side synagogue, B’nai Jeshurun, is removing the beloved fish due to environmental concerns, Rabbi Shuli Passow, the director of community engagement, said.

Rabbi Passow posted an article on the synagogue’s website listing all the changes to Kiddush for the community.

This included telling members of the shul, whose individual membership dues range from $500 to $5000 depending on income, that the popular Ashkenazi delicacy will be “eliminated from the menu so we can do our part to reduce the environmental impact of pollution and overfishing”.

She added: “We know that for some this is a heretical move. We are here to support you as you process this change.”

Rabbi Passow also declared a war on waste. “The amount of food ordered each week will be monitored and adjusted to ensure that the meal is abundant but not wasteful.”

She urged members to “think about the amount of food you actually eat at Kiddush, and fill your plate accordingly”.

In addition, she said, “starting in a few weeks, leftover food will be picked up by Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, a food rescue organisation, and donated to those in need.”

Her online article The Return of the Community Kiddush, highlighted the relaunch of the post-services tradition, which was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the piece, Rabbi Passow also explained that, following consultation with synagogue members, other changes are planned, including smaller tables and chairs for younger people and ending the meal with a “song of gratitude.”

The rabbi wrote: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, we were forced to pause our communal meals - a central part of how we celebrate Shabbat. Painful as it was, this interruption was an opportunity to reimagine these gatherings.

“As we began to bring back kiddush - first with snacks on the 88th Street sidewalk, then with boxed lunches on the terrace, and most recently back on the sidewalk with light fare - we informally asked everyone for their thoughts on the various adaptations. In addition, we held twenty individual conversations, and offered ways for our community to share their thoughts through several technological platforms."

After outcry on social media from some Jews online, the synagogue issued another statement, softening their stance on salmon.

In a piece published earlier today the synagogue said:" The removal of lox from our standard Kiddush menu has led to several misunderstandings we wish to clarify.

"First, we inaccurately stated that consuming lox contributes to the overfishing of salmon. Most lox is, in fact, made from farmed Atlantic salmon. We thank those who brought this error to our attention, giving us the opportunity to correct our mistake.

"Second, some felt that we implied that eating lox is immoral or that BJ is completely boycotting lox or lox providers. These could not be farther from the truth. Moreover, should anyone sponsoring Kiddush wish to include lox in the menu, they are welcome to do so."


Charedi women not afraid to step outside the box — and onto the screen

(from left): Simi Hershkop, Ofra Shimoni, Nana Halperin, Esti Socolovski and Yael Silverman.



 

Most of Simi Hershkop’s family has no idea she is starring in a new Israeli TV series.

Neither her father nor her 11 siblings use social media or have access to the internet. And due to their strained relations, she did not tell them about the cameras that have been following her around for months as part of a new HOT docu-reality show about Haredi women.

“They don’t really have any internet access. Maybe some of them know, some of them don’t, but we haven’t spoken about it,” Hershkop, 27, told The Times of Israel last week. “I think most of them probably don’t know; they’re not part of that world. And we’re not so in touch… They had a hard time with the path I chose and I fully respect that.”

Her path keeps her firmly inside the Haredi world, wearing a wig and modest clothes, sending her son to an ultra-Orthodox school and of course observing Shabbat and keeping kosher.

But Hershkop – one of the five women starring in “Bnot Brak,” a new HOT series premiering Sunday evening – is not only the proud owner of a smartphone, but she also runs the popular DosCelebs Instagram account, which highlights the intersection of religion and pop culture to its more than 70,000 followers.

Rare quarter-shekel coin handed over to State of Israel

 

The other side of the coin, featuring plants with the letter "daled" in the middle, signifying the fourth year of the revolt, in which the coin was minted.

Following a transcontinental intelligence operation by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in New York, on Monday the US returned to Israel an extremely rare coin, the fourth of its kind known in the world, which was stolen and smuggled out of Israel years ago. It is a quarter-shekel coin made of silver, from the fourth year of the Jewish Great Revolt (66-73 CE).

The ceremony took place Monday at the office of the Manhattan District Attorney, in the presence of the director of the Israel Antiquities Authority Eli Eskozido, Consul General of Israel in New York Asaf Zamir, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and Homeland Security Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mike Alfoso.

Nope! This wasn't January 6