Charedi Leadership Declares Moral Bankruptcy in the wake of the Walder Tragedy

 

First a note from DIN:
Walder did not commit murder because he was shamed by journalists or Rabbis Silman & Rabbi Eliyahu.

 It was on Sunday that the news broke that the police were investigating the allegations.
Why all of a sudden did he decide to murder himself- only after there was a threat of real consequences? 

Because he could live under the shadow of mere suspicion. There would still be support from fans who would have been hopeful that the accusations were false. His books wouldn't have been banned but at the worst remain in sequestered limbo. And while there would be no career, there would be no jail time. (Consider how a deal was made for another predator to avoid police involvement.)

All that changed on Sunday. It was the police investigation, not the rabbis or the press.

Now from The Rationalist Judaism Blog

As is well known, recently the immensely popular Israeli charedi author, Chaim Walder, was exposed by two extremely responsible journalists as having taken advantage of at least two women. Subsequently, it emerged that Walder - head of the Center for Child and Family in Bnei Brak - had taken advantage of his status to assault many women, girls and boys. A Beit Din in Safed led by Rav Shmuel Eliyahu heard testimony from twenty-two people - victims, rabbis and therapists - about a pattern of assault which had been going on for twenty-five years. And, if you know anything about such things, it's obvious that for every victim who testifies, there are countless more who prefer to remain silent. Walder himself heatedly denied all the allegations, but the overwhelming weight of testimony from such a wide range of people (along with recordings of Walder himself admitting to adultery) made it perfectly clear that he was guilty. He emerged as a horrific serial predator, ruining countless lives.

Now, every community has its monsters. Religious Zionism had its Motti Elon, Centrist/ Modern Orthodoxy had its Baruch Lanner, the US had its Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby, the UK had its Jimmy Saville. There's nothing indicting of the charedi community for it, too, to have its share of such predators. And initially, the response was encouraging. Eichlers announced that they would no longer be selling his books. Yated Neeman, for which Walder had written a column for many years, immediately dropped him. Radio Kol Chai, on which Walder had a regular show, also dropped him.

And then Walder shot himself. And suddenly, everything changed. 

The charedi websites Kikar Shabbos and Bechadrei Charedim posted obituaries for Walder which praised him glowingly. Yated Ne'eman ran a prominent obituary which instead of stating Shem Resha'im Yirkav, stated Zecher Tzaddik Livracha!

But it gets even worse.

At Walder's funeral, a hesped was delivered by the head of the immensely respected organization Ezer MiTziyon.

Another hesped was delivered by no less a person than the mayor of Bnei Brak.

At the shiva house, the mourners were honored with a visit by none other than the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rav David Lau. (Yes, the family are also victims - but he didn't honor the other victims with a visit!)

But it gets even worse.

Rav Gershon Edelstein - one of the most respected rabbinic leaders in the Litvishe charedi world - issued a statement that all the people involved in making statements and issuing condemnations of Walder are guilty of publicly shaming him, and said that this is a worse crime than forbidden relations.

But it gets even worse.  

Rav Edelstein further declared that all these people forced him to commit suicide, and are therefore also guilty of murder.

The message to all victims of sexual abuse in the charedi community, and to all those trying to help them, is clear. Shut Up. The predator may be hurting people, but it's much worse to shame him, and you could even end up being guilty of murdering an important, respected member of the community.

The message to predators is also clear. We've Got Your Back. It's already very difficult for any victim of abuse to speak up, and we will try to make it as difficult as possible.

The charedi leadership has declared itself to be utterly, terribly, morally bankrupt. If you are in any way associated with that community, then you either publicly protest it, or you are effectively complicit.

 

Tutu the vicious antisemite drops dead

 

At a time when the statues of good people who had done bad things are being torn down, the world must reckon with the mixed legacy of Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, even in the immediate aftermath of his death.

 He did much good in fighting apartheid but he also has long history of ugly hatred toward the Jewish people, the Jewish religion and the Jewish state. He not only believed in anti-Semitism, he actively promoted and legitimated Jew hatred among his many followers and admirers around the world. 

Tutu minimized the suffering of those killed in the Holocaust. He has attacked the “Jewish” — not Israeli — “lobby” as too “powerful” and “scary.” He has invoked classic anti-Semitic stereotypes and tropes about Jewish “arrogance,” “power” and “money.” He has characterized Jews a “peculiar people,” and has accused “the Jews” of causing many of the world’s problems.

 Tutu’s good deeds should not shield him from accountability for his long history of anti-Jewish bigotry. Let the record speak for itself, so that history may judge Tutu on the basis of his own words — words that he has often repeated and that others repeat, because Tutu is a role model for so many people around the world. 

Here are some of Tutu’s hateful words, carefully documented in a petition by prominent South Africans to terminate him as a “patron” of the two South African Holocaust Centers, because he used his status with these fine institutions as legitimization for his anti-Jewish rhetoric. 

I have publicized Tutu’s evil words in the past, but they warrant republication now that he is being lionized all over the world. 

He minimized the suffering of those murdered in the Holocaust by asserting that “the gas chambers” made for “a neater death” than did Apartheid. 

He complained of “the Jewish Monopoly of the Holocaust,” and demanded that its victims must “forgive the Nazis for the Holocaust,” while refusing to forgive the “Jewish people” for “persecute[ing] others.” 

Tutu asserted that Zionism has “very many parallels with racism,” thus echoing the notorious and discredited “Zionism equals racism” resolution passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations and subsequently rescinded.

Rabbi JJ Jacobson and Rabbi Eisenman Speak Out against the Dead Walder Pandering to Rapists Must Stop Now!

 

רב יעקבסאן בעניני דיומא pic.twitter.com/kRNv4rqS7C

— Hasidic_3 (@Hasidic_3) December 29, 2021

From Rabbi Eisenman, Rav of Ahavas Israel in Passaic:

CHAIM WALDER.....

(Chaim Waldler)

I could have ignored it, as most are.I could have sensationalized it as some are.

I could blame it on the people who asked me my opinion.However, all of that would not be truthful.

As a person who has had the painful experiences of crying with victims of sexual abuse for two and half decades, I have decided I cannot remain silent.

I CANNOT BE SILENT when I think of a beloved friend who was brought up in the heart of a Chassidic community and is now an avowed atheist.

When I am contacted by women who were violated and are now emotionally scarred, I cannot be silent.

And when I see people I used to respect downplaying, minimizing, and –worst of all blaming the victims, I cannot be silent.

There is no code of silence when someone is screaming in pain.

When one is silent, they are engaging in complacency and complicity.

Victim Speaks ...in a poem

Rav Shmuel Eliyahu Explains his Psak Against Chaim Walder

 

The following Teshuva was posted on the Facebook page of Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, explaining his Bais Din’s psak against Chaim Walder:

Question: How was the Bais Din allowed to establish Chaim Walder’s guilt without hearing directly from the accused? Especially since they paskened (with certainty) that he was guilty?

1. The Halacha requires us as Rabbanim to act against people who defile Bais Yisrael. This involvement is not done with conventional parameters of Bais Din and we are not required to accept testimony before the defendant. Even more so when he regularly threatened women and they feared him.
2. Despite this, we checked, investigated and questioned thoroughly. Witnesses testified that he committed adultery with married women for many years and they were forced to divorce because they were prohibited from their husbands. We saw rulings from other Batei Din about these issues and supported the findings with additional unanimous evidence. In addition, we heard recordings in his own voice that attest to serious immoral acts, and we found him guilty without a doubt.
3. Although it was clear to him that he was destroying homes, and causing Jewish families to be hurt and become tamei, he continued this behavior without stopping for a moment. We heard testimonies about 22 women and girls whom he assaulted, and there is no doubt that these cases are just a small fraction of the evil that he did.
4. The Torah teaches us to treat Walder’s actions iwith the same severity as if it was murder. “For as a man will stand up against another man and murder him so is this thing.” Such acts bring anger upon Klal Yisrael, evil decrees, and prevent our prayers from being heard.
5. According to Halacha we are allowed to publicly lash him, threaten him, and humiliate him. We may remove him from being a shliach tzibbur and stop him from teaching Jewish children. In addition to many other things that are not customary today.
6. We don’t do these things [nowadays], but we are still obligated to stop him. If we don’t warn the public about his actions and he continues, the blame will be on us, chalilah. Due to the great responsibility on us to stop this [behavior] from happening in the future, we were forced to stop these abominations.
7. We called upon Walder to take upon himself a path of teshuva. We sent people to convince him to repent, in order to prevent a huge Chilul Hashem when his actions became public. Instead of repenting, he chose to threaten us through his messengers, just as they tried to threaten Rav Yehuda Silman shlit”a who paskened that people to remove Walder’s books from their homes. It’s a pity that he doesn’t (didn’t) surrender and follow a path of teshuva.

Support Victims Of Abuse ...

 

(By Zvi Gluck)

Seven and a half  years ago, we created Amudim with a mission: to give a voice to the victims of sexual abuse and eradicate stigmas so that those who had been victimized could get the help they needed to heal. Baruch Hashem, we have come so far since we first opened our doors, which is what makes recent events so troubling.

Several weeks ago news broke regarding an influential member of our community, with dire accusations. The story has come to a shocking end with the accused taking his own life.

Walder scandal has traumatized Charedi society

 

Scene at Petah Tikva cemetery where Chaim Walder was found dead

The former chief rabbi of the Israel Police said Israel’s haredi sector has been traumatized by the scandal surrounding haredi publicist and radio personality Chaim Walder and his subsequent suicide.

Rabbi Asher Melamed, former rabbi of the Israel Police who currently serves as director of the Israeli Protection Center, spoke with Ishay Shnerb on Galei Tzahal Tuesday, a day after Walder was found dead at his son’s grave at a Petah Tikva cemetery in an apparent suicide.

“The scandal created a trauma in the haredi sector; not just among the victims. Many mothers read their kids Walder’s books before putting them to bed. Three generations have raised their kids on what he wrote.”

“There is an inclination to deny [the allegations], because we can’t handle it.”

“When [the scandal] revolves around a person with such influence and power, like Walder, people are liable not to believe [the claims]. And what is the price of silence? It creates an endless chain of victims. Now, after the fact, we’re hearing that people in the community knew about this 20 years ago, including rabbis.”

Walder, 53, was best known for his series of children’s books, Children Talk About Themselves.

He hosted a radio show on Radio Kol Hai, and penned a regular column in the Yated Ne’eman newspaper.

Prior to his suicide, Walder faced accusations of sexual misconduct and abuse, including a report by Ha’aretz which cited the claims of 22 alleged victims, including underage boys and girls.

A special rabbinical court summoned Walder earlier this month to appear for a hearing into the matter.

Walder had denied the accusations, and in a suicide note, reiterated his claims of innocence, challenging the rabbis leading the public shaming efforts against him to a “Torah trial in heaven.”

Amazing remastered video of Los Angeles from 1930s shows city full of life - with the same old traffic

 

The Campaign to Make "the monster Walder" a "Tzaddik" Has begun in Ernest Convincing Rav Rabbi Gershon Edelstein

 

Rav Edelstein was nowhere to be found when just a year ago a young girl from his kehila jumped off the roof after being sexually abused by her teacher. There isn't a word from R' Edelstein about the torment and torture of the victims.

It's all over folks! Unless the victims embarrass and shame themselves in identifying themselves and approach R' Edelstein and tell them their stories! 

Monsters like Walder will continue to flourish and the victims destroyed if this continues.

I am sitting on a story about Belz in Yerushalayim that will make your hair fall out. I cannot post it because of the libel laws, but the perp continues to molest his victims and the victims are being thrown out of the moisdois if they say one word. Two Hebrew Chareidie blogs have been threatened if they expose the culprit. 

A senior haredi rabbi lashed out Tuesday against a rabbinic campaign to shame children’s author and radio personality Chaim Walder, saying the efforts had led to Walder’s suicide and were tantamount to murder.

Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, dean of the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak and spiritual leader of the United Torah Judaism’s Degel Hatorah faction, was quoted in a letter written to haredi educators Tuesday responding to Walder’s suicide in a Petah Tikva cemetery Monday, amid allegations of sexual misconduct.

“It is totally obvious that the great pressure on him is what led him to mental illness and forced him to commit suicide.”

In the letter, Rabbi Edelstein urged haredi school teachers to refrain from weighing in on the Walder scandal.

“Even if there is a teacher who thinks that he has an opinion in the matter, etc., it is imperative to only tell the children the Torah perspective, and to warn how dangerous it is to publicly humiliate someone, and to tell them that bad people smeared him everywhere to the point that he was too embarrassed to show his face in public, causing him to become mentally unwell to the point that he killed himself.”

Walder, 53, was best known for his series of children’s books, Children Talk About Themselves.

He hosted a radio show on Radio Kol Hai, and penned a regular column in the Yated Ne’eman newspaper.

Prior to his suicide, Walder faced accusations of sexual misconduct and abuse, including a report by Ha’aretz which cited the claims of 22 alleged victims, including underage boys and girls.

A special rabbinical court summoned Walder earlier this month to appear for a hearing into the matter.

Walder had denied the accusations, and in a suicide note, reiterated his claims of innocence, challenging the rabbis leading the public shaming efforts against him to a “Torah trial in heaven.”

Mota Frank Continues to defend Sexual predators and Writes "Fake Suicide" note

In this fake "suicide note" that Motta Frank put on his facebook page, Walder apologizes for his crimes. 

I smell a rat and I'm now thinking that maybe Motta Frank himself is hiding

something...anyone know?

 *אנשים מספרים על עצמם - הסיפור האחרון*

שלום, קוראים לי חיים ולדר. בן 53.

סופר ואיש חינוך.

כתבתי מעל 80 ספרים,

אלפי סיפורים ועכשיו אני כאן לספר את הסיפור שלי.

ברגעים אלו קוברים אותי. את הגופה שלי.

אבל קברו אותי ואת הנשמה שלי כבר לפני כחודשיים ב 12 בנבומבר,

היום בו פורסם התחקיר הראשון בהארץ. התחקיר ש "זיעזע" את העולם החרדי,

היום חודשיים אחרי אני מת לגמרי.

אז מאיפה להתחיל?

האם פשעתי? כן.

האם חטאתי? כן.

האם כל מה שנאמר עלי נכון? לא ולא.

במהלך חיי ניסו לסחוט אותי מספר פעמים כשראו שאני חזק ואיתן עם האמת שלי שיחררו.

ידעתי שהם מחכים לי בפינה. תבינו אין איש ציבור בלי קופת שרצים. אין איש ציבור שלא עוברים לידו מקרים והזדמנויות

. וכבר נאמר "יצר לב האדם רע מנעוריו" נפלתי לצערי ולא פעם ואין אפוטרפורס לעריות. אני מצטער ומבקש סליחה ומחילה מהקורבנות.

 סליחה מהציבור החרדי שבגדתי בו. סליחה ממך הקורא החרדי הממוצע שהצלחתי לגעת בך ולרגש אותך בסיפורים מהחיים 

ועכשיו אכזבתי אותך שלא הכל ורוד בחיים. סליחה מהמשפחה שלי. אל תנסו לשפוט אותי. לא מאחל לכם להיות במקומי. 

רבים ישאלו את עצמם אבל למה להתאבד? תבינו דבר אחד שאתם במעמד מסויים ושהוא נלקח בבת אחת. אין לכם מה לחפש

 בעולם הזה יותר. מכאן הדרך למטה קצרה. ומאז מות בני צביקי יש לי משאלת מוות. אוהב את כולם. תודה לחזקי חברי הקרוב שהבטיח לפרסם את ההודעה הזאת לאחר מותי. היו שלום. מבטיח לכם שממני זה הסיפור האחרון. *חיים ולדר*

The Monster Walder Writes Sucide Note defending Himself to His Bitter End

He summons the rabbis to "beis din shel maalah," but not the women who accused him.

 That seems like he knows they’re telling the truth about what he did but is upset at how the verdict came out when he feels that it should have been different.
He urges people not to give up on his books, but his books are now haunted by a suicide. The “You can get through anything life throws at you” message is now lost.

This was a narcissistic taunt, one last selfish manipulation, from a monster pretending to be a man. And No, it couldn’t have been “settled quietly, behind the scenes.” We tried this as a community. It doesn’t work. It doesn’t get abusers to stop and it doesn’t protect children. It usually results in people being monsters for 25 years straight.

Walder writes:

“I have gone to summon Yehuda Silman and Shmuel Eliyahu to a Din Torah in heaven. I have come to the conclusion that in the world of lies I have no chance of proving my innocence. I am dealing with horrific lies covered in anonymity, without any possibility of proving that they have no factual basis.

“I have reached the extreme limit of human suffering which is possible. They insulted me about the things which I was best at and which I dedicated my life to- supporting and protecting children.

“I am grateful to all those who believed in me: May you be blessed! To all those who didn’t I say that even if you have given up on me, do not give up on my books. Every line, word and letter of them was written from a genuine desire to do good, to be helpful, to improve, to strengthen, to help, to contribute, to build and to repair the world! I never wrote without first having a desire to bring good to the world and its inhabitants.

“I am thankful to the Creator of the World for my loving and supportive family who are my entire world, and for the mission which was placed in my hands – talent, inspiration and the ability to contribute to the world. Hashem gave and Hashem took away, may Hashem’s name be blessed.”

Chaim Walder

Court Heard 22 Accusations of Sexual Assault by Chaim Walder

Since the "Yeshiva World" Blog is totally ignoring the story, and not even mentioning that Walder is dead, I am posting more info as it comes in.

I am getting a kick out of those who are screaming "there is no police report" "its not in court" ignoring the fact that Chareidim are not allowed to go to police and not allowed to go to secular courts. The victims are all chareidie! Even in the US the Agudah wrote that victims must first go to their rabbi before reporting to police!

 Therapists, rabbinical court judges, rabbis and professionals described alleged cases of forced sexual relations and sexual harassment of women, girls and boys who had come to Walder for treatment

Aaron Rabinowitz - Dec. 26, 2021 10:09pm Israel Time [2:09pm US CST]

The rabbinical court in Safed said Sunday that it had heard 22 testimonies describing sexual assault by the celebrity Haredi author Chaim Walder, considerably expanding on the initial report first reported by Haaretz in November.

The court, headed by Shmuel Eliyahu, the chief rabbi of Safed and a leader in dealing with cases of sexual assault in the ultra-Orthodox community, presented the evidence to a number of senior religious court judges a few days ago.

The evidence brought before the rabbinical court included many more allegations against Walder than appeared in the Haaretz expose  which reported three women’s allegations that Walder sexually assaulted them, in two cases when they were minors. In addition to hearing testimony from the alleged victims themselves, the court was also given taped conversations involving Walder and documents, Haaretz has learned. The testimony was cross-referenced with evidence and correspondence that supported the alleged victims’ allegations.

In addition, the rabbinical court spoke with therapists, rabbinical court judges, rabbis and professionals who testified about other men and women they allege were victimized by Walder. They described alleged cases of forced sexual relations and sexual harassment of women, girls and boys who had come to him for treatment, with the earliest accounts going back 25 years ago and the most recent ones occurring six months ago. A good many of the assaults were said to have been carried out in Walder’s book storeroom in Bnei Brak, as well as in his office, his car and in hotels.

Chareidie News Blogs Don't Disclose that Walder Killed himself or that he raped Men & Women

 So it didn't take long for Chareidim to whitewash rape and molestation! The typical "yoilie" who gets his news from these blogs will never know that there are sexual predators that will target his children and maybe even his wife.

Soon the roaches will come out to defend him. Even in death he refused to give his victims closure. 

The chareidim are probably thinking "What good is it to talk about this now that he is dead and cannot harm anyone anymore" But that is flawed thinking and will lead to thousands of people to leave frumkeit. 

While I am typing these words, three Roshei Yeshiva are sitting in jail for molesting their students and no one is saying a word. In Israel they won't disclose the names or the yeshivas that they worked in, because of the severe "loshon hara" laws. It is important to publicize Walder's crimes so that that the other Roshei Yeshiva know that when word does go out it will be severe!

Meanwhile I am waiting for the bastards to come out of their caves to defend this menuval!

Walder Speaks ... ""Listen to me, if this [affair] is publicized I will shoot myself" then Kills Himself

 

Haredi author and educator Chaim Walder was found dead in a cemetery near his son's grave on Monday, in what is suspected to have been suicide. Walder was facing multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault of minors since a Haaretz expose last month.

Walder was a well-known author of children and young adults books in the ultra-Orthodox world, with his series Kids Speak (in Hebrew - Yeladim Mesaprim Al Atzmam) selling over two million copies in communities across Israel and the Diaspora. The first book in the series became one of the top five best-selling books in Israel of all time.

He was accused of raping minors and young adults, all of whom he met in his line of work as a therapist and children's author. In November of this year, two anonymous women spoke to Haaretz and shared their accounts of their experiences with Walder, and a third anonymous account from a 20-year-old woman was also shared. 

Rav Shmuel Fuerst Calls Out $30K Tuitions For Seminary In Israel "Time to stop it"

 

n a speech delivered at the Agudah Midwest Convention in Chicago, HaRav Shmuel Fuerst, Dayan of Agudath Israel of Illinois, called out seminaries for charging exorbitant tuition, thereby placing unbearable strains on frum families.

“The cost today [for girl’s seminaries] is about $25,000 to $30,000. Now with the weakening dollar, they have an excuse to hike it even more,” Rabbi Fuerst said.

Rabbi Fuerst called for not-for-profit seminaries to be opened in Chicago so that relief could be provided to families crushed by high seminary tuition and resultant debt.

“It’s time we stop the seminaries in Eretz Yisroel [from taking] advantage of us,” Rabbi Feurst said. “Many of our families sent to Eretz Yisroel and paid $30,000 because they have no breira – they have no choice.”

“And these $30,000 is $30,000 that many families don’t have. We must stop it. And if we do it here in Chicago, I guarantee you that different parts of the country will follow us.”

State of Emergency Declared In Israel After Bird Flu Hits The Galil; Egg Shortage Expected

 

The Ministry of Agriculture’s Veterinary Service of Israel has declared a state of emergency after discovering a second outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in chicken coops in the Galil near the town of Margaliot. This is the second outbreak in less than a week in the Galil promoting the state of emergency.

Due to the outbreak near Margaliot, 320,000 hens were killed. During the earlier outbreak, 244,000 hens were killed.

According to the Veterinary Service, the affected chicken coops have been isolated and the sale and processing of the eggs from those coops have been stopped at the sorting station. The Ministry also announced that they have begun to examine all nearby coops for the disease.

According to the Ministry, there is now an expected shortage of 14 million eggs per month over the next few months. The Ministry has instructed that tariffs on imported eggs should be adjusted in order to compensate for the expected shortage of domestic eggs.

Making the problem worse, is that Israel is a gateway on the migration trail for hundreds of thousands of birds traveling south toward Africa. The  Agriculture Ministry has issued instructions to farmers in order to keep their birds separate from wild birds and hopefully stop the spread of the Bird flu and prevent it from infecting the human population of the country. The public has been instructed to only buy eggs from regulated stores and farms, and make sure that all eggs have a seal of inspection. The public is being warned further to fully cook all poultry and eggs.

Ami's Headline "Israel vs Kiruv" Is An Unmitigated Lie

 

Many years ago when I was in High School, we would call headlines like these "Yellow Journalism," today it's known as "Fake News."

Yitzy "The Frank" Frankfurter, who is the editor and publisher of  Ami Magazine will jump on any story that denigrates the State of Israel. Why?

He wants Satmar to like him. 

The Frank's father was a Sigether, a staunch follower of The Sigether Rebbe, Reb Moshe Teitelbaum aka The Beirach Moshe, who subsequently became the Satmar Rebbe after the passing of his uncle R' Yoel Teitelbaum. 

The Sigether was a closet Zionist and married off his eldest son, R' Aaron the present Satmar Rebbe of Kiryas Yoel, to the Viznitzer Rebbe's daughter, an act of betrayal to the Satmar "SHIT'ah, that despised Viznitz for supporting the "Medina." R' Yoel never forgave him .

 But G-d had other plans, when R' Yoel Teitelbaum went to meet his Maker, without leaving any living children, the natural person to inherit was his closest relative who was none other than the Sigether, his nephew.

Alan Dershowitz: Kim Potter’s Conviction Carries ‘Dangerous Implications’

 

The conviction of former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter in the death of Daunte Wright was a “double injustice with dangerous implications for policing in America,” especially considering the judge in the case denied her release on bail, Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz says in an opinion piece Friday. 

“Officer Potter, a decorated policewoman with more than two decades of service, simply did not commit a crime,” Dershowitz writes in his column, published in The Hill. 

“Under American law, honest mistakes are not crimes — even if they result in tragic deaths.” 

Potter, a former suburban Minneapolis police officer, said she confused her handgun for her Taser when she killed Wright during a traffic stop. She will be sentenced in February after a jury convicted her Thursday on two counts of manslaughter. First-degree manslaughter, the most serious charge against Potter, carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. 

“An elderly driver accidentally putting a foot on the gas instead of the brake and killing a child is not necessarily a crime,” Dershowitz argued. “It becomes a crime only if the action was reckless, involving a conscious decision to engage in conduct which the defendant knows poses a high risk of serious injury or death.” But, he said, there is no evidence that Potter had consciously decided to fire her service weapon and not her Taser, and there was not sufficient evidence demonstrating her conscious decision to tase Wright was a criminal act. 

“Wright had an outstanding warrant for an armed crime, and his conscious decision to resist arrest and get back in his car constituted a direct threat to the life of Potter’s fellow officer and others,” said Dershowitz. “She was right to tase him, but she made a mistake by firing the wrong weapon.” He said that it was “even worse” that the judge denied Potter bail. “There is a substantial likelihood that Potter’s conviction will be reversed by an appellate court,” he said. “Potter is not a flight risk nor a danger to the community. The judge’s decision to throw her into prison seems lawless and calculated to appease the public lust for holding police accountable, even in cases where the fact and the law do not justify imprisonment.” 

Potter was sent to the state women’s prison in Shakopee after the verdicts were announced, reports ABC News. State Department of Corrections spokesperson Nicholas Kimball, a spokesman with the state Department of Corrections, said in many high-profile cases, people are transferred directly to the state prison to await sentencing. 

Her hearing is in February.

Breaking Israel's Charedi autonomy via kosher phones - interview with Yoaz Hendel

 

It was a video that spread like wildfire on Israeli haredi corners of the Internet – ironically since it’s a video featuring haredi rabbis who don’t want their flock exposed to the Internet.

On November 30, Communications Minister Yoaz Hendel (New Hope) sat in his office, across from senior rabbis from the hassidic, Lithuanian and Sephardi haredi communities, such as the Vizhnitzer Rebbe, Mir Yeshiva head Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel (II), Shas Torah Sages Council member Rabbi Reuven Elbaz, Yeshivat Porat Yosef head Rabbi Moshe Tzedaka and others.

The first thing that may strike someone familiar with meetings between politicians and haredi rabbis is how different this scene looks from the usual scenario, in which the politicians make their way to the home courts of the rabbis. They sit at the rabbis’ tables, with floor-to-ceiling cases of holy books covering the walls of the room. They wear a black kippah and show deference.

Instead, Hendel was at the head of the table, and the rabbis were his guests at the Communications Ministry. In addition, Hendel is an observant Jew, who keeps Shabbat and kosher but chooses not to wear a kippah on weekdays, and in his meeting with the rabbis, he was bareheaded as usual.

And rather than ask the rabbis for their advice or their blessing, Hendel addressed them like equals.

Ephraim Rom a 22 Year old missing since Monday found dead near Amirim

 

Just prior to Shabbat, searchers who had been looking since Monday for 22-year-old Efraim Nachum Rom from Jerusalem found his body near Moshav Amirim in the Upper Galilee.

Rom, who had studied at the Knesset Yisrael-Hadera yeshiva, had been visiting the tomb of Rashbi last weekend and on Monday called his mother and told her that he wanted to check a new yeshiva in Yavniel which could suit him. His mother asked him to return to Jerusalem to discuss the matter with her. He said that he did not have money to return and that the weather was very stormy but added that he would try to make it back. From this point the family did not hear from him and, fearing the worst, contacted police to search for him.

Mnay volunteers participated in the efforts to find him, including yeshiva students from around the country who scoured the region near Meron where he had last been seen. On Friday police succeeded in locating him near Moshav Amirim, which is a few miles south of Meron. Unfortunately he was not alive by the time he was found and apparently had fallen from height. Police said there was no suspicion of foul play.

Efraim Z’l was the son of Rabbi Ze’ev Rom and the grandson of Rabbi Yona Rom, the rabbi of the Makor Baruch and Kerem neighborhoods in Jerusalem who recently passed away. The Rom family is a famous and illustrious Jerusalem family who are descended from the brother of the Gra. His mother is the daughter of Rabbi Bentzion Brodianski, one of the heads of the Kol Torah yeshiva and the son of Rabbi Efraim Brodianski, one of the editors of the Talmudic Encyclopedia.

Zera Shimshon Parshas Shmos

 

Russians sing Shma at a Talent Show

 

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A post shared by Rabbi Lawrence Hajioff (@rabbilawrence)

Mota Frank Defends Berland The Admitted Rapist & Thief and a suspect in two murders

 

Israeli Bochur Missing in North

 

A search is underway for a yeshiva bochur from Jerusalem, who has been missing since Monday and is believed to be in northern Israel. The man’s family has been unable to reach him for days, and they fear the worst.

On Wednesday the police requested the public’s help. The missing 22 year old, Ephraim, was last seen near Kever Rashbi in Meron, now the primary search location.

According to the young man’s mother, she last spoke with him by phone on Monday when he told her that he had met a man at a ‘Hachnosas Orchim’ who recommended a Yeshiva at the Moshav of Yavniel which was “really worth coming to.” The worried mother asked him to come home so they could discuss it.

“He told me that he had no more travel money, and it was really stormy and very difficult to return [in such bad weather],” the mother said. She added, “Still, he asked me to find out the bus schedule [to get back to] Jerusalem.”

According to the bochur’s mother, after getting wet from the pouring rain, he took off his hat and suit, but “unfortunately, when he took off his suit, he accidentally left his cell phone as well.” (Presumably in his suit pocket.)

After trying to call him dozens of times with no answer, the family decided on Tuesday morning to go to Meron.

The family fears that he may be in danger, possibly after wandering into a desolate area and getting lost. Ephraim is about 6 feet tall, thin build, light complexion, he wears glasses and has a short beard

The family is requesting to daven for Ephraim Nachum ben Leah.

Rep. Scanlon "The Defund Police" Advocate Gets Carjacked by gunpoint

 

Read the article... not one word that she was in the forefront of defunding police!

Five teenagers were charged Thursday after the vehicle stolen at gunpoint in Philadelphia from U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon was found in neighboring Delaware, police said.

Scanlon’s blue Acura MDX was located Wednesday night in Newark, Delaware, about 45 miles (74 kilometers) from Philadelphia, Delaware State Police said. The five were apprehended as they tried to flee, police said.

Scanlon, a Democrat, was walking to her parked vehicle after a meeting in the city’s FDR Park shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday when two armed men demanded her keys, police said. She handed them over, and one drove off in the car while the other followed in a dark sport utility vehicle, police said.

Scanlon was physically unharmed, said her spokesperson, Lauren Cox. Several personal and work items were also taken with the vehicle, police said.

The investigation determined a 19-year-old man was involved in the armed carjacking in Philadelphia, police said. He was turned over to the FBI.

A 14-year-old female and three males, ages 13, 15, and 16, were each charged with receiving stolen property. The 15-year-old was also charged with resisting arrest and criminal mischief. Their names were not released because they are juveniles.

All the juveniles were released to their parents or guardians, while the 15-year-old was taken to a detention center, police said.

All the suspects are from Wilmington, Delaware.

Scanlon, whose district includes portions of south Philadelphia and neighboring Delaware County, was among elected officials meeting to discuss constituent concerns around ongoing development plans for the park, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Scanlon’s office said she expressed gratitude to city police for their quick response and to her local police department and the Sergeant at Arms in Washington for working with Philadelphia police “to ensure her continued safety.”

Mayor Jim Kenney said he was “appalled to learn of this violent crime” against the congresswoman, whom he described as his friend and colleague.

“My thoughts are with her during what I’m sure is a traumatic time,” he said in a Twitter post.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in our city, and sadly that hasn’t always been the case this year,” Kenney said. “It’s disheartening and infuriating that criminals feel emboldened to commit such a reckless crime in the middle of the day in what should be a place of peace—one of our city’s parks.”

Ezra Friedlander Now Hanging Around With the Republican Inna Vernikov

We are old enough to remember when Ezra wrote in the Jewish News blogs urging Heimishe Yidden to not switch parties and stay with the DemonRats, because "Republicans have no chance in New York City,"  but Inna proved Ezra wrong and won in a landslide over her DemonRat opponent.

Now like a "Chamer-Izel" he is following her around!

 

Profoundly grateful to have been in the right place at the right time to help @hatzalah on this lifesaving effort…https://t.co/h7MRNaRJzH pic.twitter.com/GMbM0FUH7z

— Inna Vernikov (@InnaVernikov) December 22, 2021