“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

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Unless convicted, voters should decide George Santos' fate

 



A newly elected congressman, the execrable George Santos, completely fabricated his resume. So much so that we cannot even be sure that George is his real name.

Not surprisingly, Democrats have jumped on the revelation and are calling for his resignation. Should he fail to comply, Democrats believe Republicans should vote to expel him.

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), the incoming vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, tweeted: "GOP Congressman-elect George Santos, who has now admitted his whopping lies, should resign. If he does not, then @GOPLeader should call for a vote to expel @Santos4Congress."

Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) whose accomplishments include sleeping with a Chinese spy and compromising America's national security, is demanding that Santos be banned from taking the oath of office: "[Santos] confessed to defrauding the voters of Long Island and his ENTIRE resume."

94% of antisemitic attacks in NYC were against Orthodox Jews and were perpetrated by other minorities

 

A new report from Americans Against Antisemitism (AAA) found that Orthodox Jews in New York City were the most frequent targets of antisemitism, representing nearly 100 percent of reported cases between 2018 and 2022.

The report by AAA found that Orthodox Jews, and specifically Hasidic Jews, were the victims in 94 percent of the 194 antisemitic incidents recorded in New York City between 2018 and 2022.

The study also found that 77 percent of the antisemitic attacks occurred in neighborhoods with mainly Orthodox populations. Nearly 25 percent of the assailants were teenagers.

Jason Greenblatt: Why is US tolerating discrimination against Jews on Har Habyis?

 

Former White House Special Envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt questioned US Ambassador to Israel's response to Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's visit to the Temple Mount on Tuesday in which the ambassador said that the Biden Administration condemns all actions which undermine the "status quo" on the Temple Mount.

"Like so many things about this conflict people say different things-“status quo”, “historical status quo”, “legal status quo” & people define these differently. The demands to maintain the so-called status is completely unhelpful & deepens the problem," Greenblatt wrote in a Twitter thread Wednesday.

He continued: "And if we want to use “historical status quo” let’s understand actual “history” and remember that Jews (of which I am a very proud one), had two Temples on the site and worshiped on this holy site for a very significant period of time, over the span of two Temple periods."

Greenblatt questioned why the current US administration endorses a policy which discriminates against Jews at the holiest site in Judaism. "In a world where people of good faith are attempting to fight against all sorts of discrimination (a good thing to be sure) why is the discrimination against Jews & Jewish prayer at the holiest site for Jews still demanded?"

"It never made sense to me that this wasn’t part of the “status quo.” That’s why in the peace plan we released it called for all religions to be allowed to pray at this site, which is holy to countless people around the world, and to end the discrimination against Jews at this site. To demand otherwise is completely dishonest. Let’s end the discrimination, once & for all," he said.

Greenblatt was responding to statements by Ambassador Nides to Axios reporter Barak Ravid shortly after Ben-Gvir’s visit, in which Nides protested any perceived changes to the status quo on the Temple Mount.

“To be very clear - we want to preserve status quo and actions that prevent that are unacceptable. We have been very clear in our conversations with the Israeli government on this issue,” Nides said.

Yated Neeman that supported Chaim Walder Calls Ben-Gvir’s Temple Mount ‘Unnecessary Provocation’

 

The Yated Neeman newspaper, that employed the late sexual pervert Chaim Walder, and then supported him when the crap hit the fan, issued a scathing criticism of National Security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir after he ascended the Har Habayis Tuesday morning. 

The newspaper charged Ben-Gvir with causing a provocation which could lead to the murder of Jews by bloodthirsty Arabs.

This newspaper that doesn't recognize the State of Israel, the only Jewish country in the world, and is against the IDF, has the sheer chutzpah to tell us, that it is a provocation for a Jew in a Jewish country, to go up to the Har Habayis. 

Mrs. Yated, .......Arabs don't need excuses to kill Jews! 

In 1929, when the Arabs went on a pogrom and raped, murdered Jews in Chevron the Chareidie extremists wrote that this was because a Jew blew the Shofar at the Kotel and claimed and still claim, the Arab propaganda lie, that Jews and Arabs lived in peace before then. It has since been proven time and again, that this pogrom was planned months before the incident at the Kotel. This lie is repeated by Satmar on a weekly basis in their Yiddish weeklies, Der Goy and Der Shturmer. 

Ben-Gvir in a tweet answered them:

 “Yated Neeman is against a state for the Jewish people and against secular people living here. Do you support that as well?”

Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva Want to keep the Frummies in the Stone Age Release Letter Opposing New Frum Streaming Platform

A letter has been issued by Lakewood’s leading Mechanchim and Menahelim, opposing a new online video device and platform, which has branded itself a viable option for frum families who are looking for kosher content.

The chinuch leaders, who represent a range of yeshivas, discourage people from using the “24Six” streaming platform and media playing devices, and say that without Rabbinic guidance “we are opening up an anarchist approach” toward what is acceptable. The letter was signed by the BMG Roshei Yeshiva as well.

24Six allows listeners to hear only pre-approved music and content from Jewish singers and entertainers. Its website says, “Have your values. And your music too. 24Six is the only vetted media streaming platform for Jewish families worldwide – with features that give you control.”

The letter, which does not call for an outright ban, points to several concerns, including “exposure to music and videos with content that often runs contrary to the values and ruach with which we bring up our children.”

It adds that the platform is “detrimental to healthy spiritual and emotional growth, as by nature it is a device that promotes constant distractions and an overdose of entertainment.”

The sharply-worded text says that a device which can download from the internet should “never be considered safe in the hands of a child” and that without the guidance of Daas Torah “we are opening up an anarchist approach towards what is or isn’t acceptable in KlalYisroel.”

The text notes that “there is no written Daas Torah backing” the assertion that the platform is a “completely kosher entertainment option.”

 

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

DemonRat lawmaker calls Israeli government a 'terrorist regime'

 

Face of Evil

A Massachusetts state lawmaker accused Israel of committing genocide and maintaining an apartheid regime.

Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, a Democrat representing Massachusetts’ 4th Essex district in the state’s House of Representatives, tweeted last Friday that the Biden administration should condemn Israel's new government as a “terrorist regime” dedicated to killing Palestinian Arabs.

“The US must acknowledge that the Israel administration is an apartheid run thuggery terrorist regime on a mission to kill Palestinians. Killing and land taking has nothing to do with anti-semitism. It is genocide.”

A day earlier, Belsito retweeted a post by Arab American Institute founder and frequent Israel-critic James Zogby, who blasted Israel’s new Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, over the basic lines of the new government.

“This is Netanyahu saying what his gov’t will do,” Zogby tweeted. “He crosses every red line of US declared policy.”

“Question: Will we do anything? Answer: Most likely we won’t. Instead White House & Congress will come up w/ lame excuses to delay taking action, as Netanyahu continues on his way.”

In another tweet earlier in December, Belsito lauded the Jordanian film Farha, which portrayed Israeli soldiers during the 1948 War of Independence as genocidal murderers.

“My family sat together to watch this film. The United States has ZERO understanding of what the Nakba is. The truth cannot be silenced. 1948 European British Zionists created a hell on earth. This movie is about visceral hate, ethnic cleansing, terrorism and apartheid. Farha.”

Israel should put an end to Palestinian diplomatic terror ... NOW!

 


With the approval of a United Nations General Assembly resolution requesting the International Court of Justice weigh in on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israeli “annexation” and the “legal status of the occupation”, Israel’s response has been underwhelming.

This is not just another largely meaningless UN resolution. It has the capacity to be the opening shot in a diplomatic war that could see serious ramifications and potentially lead to intense sanctions against Israel and some of its people.

This attack demands a robust and meaningful response from both the Israeli government as well as from Jewish leadership across the globe.

Firstly, because, as in any type of warfare, if you do not respond against the first wave of attack, you have lost your deterrence, and subsequent waves will be even more powerful.

The Palestinian Arabs will be emboldened by this decision which was loudly applauded by its leaders who have repeatedly enunciated their roadmap towards isolating Israel diplomatically and economically.

Finally we see Jewish Children Ascend the Har Habayis

 

What a beautiful sight! Kol Hakovoid!

Itamar Ben-Gvir visits the Har Habyis Sticking His Thumb into the eyes of Hamas

 


To all those who will comment that "Gedoiei Hador" prohibited the ascension to the Har Habyit, know that he has his own "Gedoilei Hador" that permit it. 
We wrote many times that the Rambam ascended the Har Habyis. The Me'eira, a Rishon, also permits it. As of 2022 we know exactly where one can go and where not.
If you were to argue, that those who permit it are "Yechidim" then I'll let you into a small secret, the entire VaYoel Moshe authored by  R' Yoel Teitelbaum z'l, follows the rulings of "yechidim"

The point is we cannot give sovereignty to the Arabs. 
We should all support those who go up "with tehara" and whose rabbanim permit and encourage going up. 
Kol Ha'Koved Itamar Ben-Gvir!

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir ascended the Temple Mount this morning (Tuesday) to mark the fast of the Tenth of Tevet. This is his first visit since the elections and it was coordinated with the Israeli Police.

Ben-Gvir arrived at the Temple Mount under heavy security that included his personal bodyguards and other police officers.

The minister said during his visit to the site: "Our government will not surrender to the threats of Hamas. The Temple Mount is the most important place for the people of Israel, and we maintain the freedom of movement for Muslims and Christians, but Jews will also visit the site. Those who make threats must be dealt with an iron hand."

Minister Ben-Gvir ascended the Mount despite reports Monday that he had agreed to push off his visit after meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

MK Gideon Sa'ar (National Unity) mocked Netanyahu over the request, tweeting Monday: "Could it be that the prime minister of a fully right-wing government is preventing a minister in his own government from ascending the Temple Mount because of Hamas threats, despite [the fact that Ben-Gvir] was going up regularly [to the Mount] when the government in power was, according to him, 'controlled by the Muslim Brotherhood'?"

Israeli security officials had warned the prime minister that Ben-Gvir's visit could lead to a major escalation with terrorist forces in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.

On Sunday, the Hamas terror organization threatened Israel in response to Ben-Gvir's planned visit.

"The extremist Ben-Gvir is trying to convince his voters that he is implementing his promises by breaking into Al-Aqsa (Mosque)," said Harun Nasser El-Din, the Hamas official responsible for the issue of Jerusalem.

"We hold the government of the occupation responsible for any escalation if there is damage to Al-Aqsa (Mosque) or to our people who are clinging to Jerusalem," the Hamas official added.

"We call on our people to protect Al-Aqsa (Mosque), and we are sure that our people will thwart all attempts to impose a new reality on Al-Aqsa (Mosque)."

Monday, January 2, 2023

What About Pope Benedict's Nazi Past?

 

Here is a link to a Reuters article in 2009 entitled: TIMELINE: Pope Benedict angers Jews

And below is an excerpt from a report by ABC News in 2013:

Joseph Ratzinger had joined the Hitler youth as a 14-year-old and went on to serve in the German military, as six million Jews were sent off to the death camps. Though Benedict was eventually exonerated and even embraced by Jews — he called the Holocaust a “dark time” in his life — his German past continued to haunt him.

“When he was elected pope a lot of alarm bells went off in the Jewish community,” said Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, who had a one-hour private audience with Benedict when he became pope. “First, it was about the Nazi aspect.”

The Wiesenthal Center launched an investigation into Benedict’s role in the Third Reich only to discover the Ratzingers came from a family of anti-Nazis, with no hint of antisemitism.

“The fact that he was in the Hitler youth — if you were a young child during the Third Reich and you didn’t go, you’d be condemned,” said Hier. “He didn’t volunteer. That’s not a blemish. We’ve done a bunch of research, and that should be very clear.”

But the role of the Catholic Church and most particularly the silence of Pope Pius XII, who served from 1939 to 1958, as millions went off to the gas chambers has dogged Benedict, despite being viewed as a friend by those who are Jewish.

Both Pope John Paul II and Benedict pushed for Pius to gain sainthood. In 2009, as Pius moved toward beatification, the Vatican issued a statement that the church was looking at his “Christian life” as a whole and not “the historical impact of all his operative decisions,” according to The New York Times.

Moving Pius toward sainthood “is in no way to be read as a hostile act towards the Jewish people, and it is to be hoped that it will not be considered as an obstacle on the path of dialogue between Judaism and the Catholic Church,” wrote the Rev. Federico Lombardi, a Vatican spokesman.

“Pope Pius XII didn’t care much about Jews. He was the pope of silence,” said Hier.

“They say [Pius] looked at Hitler as a mad man, and if he had opposed him publicly, it would have destroyed the Catholic Church. It was against everything the Christian Church stands for,” said Hier.

“In Auschwitz, ten to fifteen thousand people were gassed every day,” he said. “Priests and local parishes knew what was happening and the bishops reported to the Vatican.”

The Vatican has always denied that Pius ignored the plight of the Jews and Benedict said the Pius worked “secretly and silently” to help Jews.

In 2007, Jewish leaders criticized Benedict for lifting restrictions on the old form of Latin mass, which included prayers for Jews to “be delivered from their darkness” and converted to Catholicism.