Yom Ha'Zikoron! Holy Words from Maran Ovadia Yossef z"l

מפי מרן רבינו הקדוש רבי עובדיה יוסף זצ"ל,
חללי צבא ההגנה לישראל

היום הוא יום זכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל, והנה אנו מפרסמים דברים אלו (בתוספת נופך), שנאמרו מפי מרן רבינו הקדוש רבי עובדיה יוסף זצ"ל, בכינוס יום הזכרון לפני קרוב לארבעים שנה, ויפים הדברים להאמר גם עתה.
אמרו בגמרא (בבא בתרא י:), הרוגי "לוד", אין כל בריה יכולה לעמוד במחיצתם. ופירוש הרוגי לוד, הם האחים פפוס ולוליינוס, במעשה שהיה, שבתו (הבת של) של המלך נמצאה הרוגה, וחשדו הגויים שמישהו מישראל הרג אותה, וגזרו גזירה על כל העם, להשמיד להרוג ולאבד, ועמדו פפוס ולוליינוס, ופדו בנפשם את ישראל, שאמרו, אנחנו הרגנוה, והמלך הרג אותם לבדם, ונשארו כל ישראל לפליטה. ועליהם אמרו רבותיו, כי אין כל בריה יכולה לעמוד במחיצתם, לרוב גודל השכר שיש להם לעולם הבא.
אין ספק שדברים אלה כוחם יפה גם לגבי חללי צה"ל הקבורים בארץ ישראל, אשר חרפו נפשם במערכות ישראל על גאולתינו ועל פדות נפשינו, מנשרים קלו מאריות גברו, תהי נשמתם צרורה בצרור החיים.
עמנו למוד סבל ורווי דמעות, על נהרי נחלי דמי אחינו שנשפך כמים, לא שלותי ולא שקטתי ולא נחתי ויבא רוגז, ומאז חורבן בית קדשינו ותפארתינו, וגלות ישראל מעל אדמתו, נשפך דם ישראל כמים, אמרו לכו ונכחידם מגוי ולא יזכר שם ישראל עוד. ובת קול ממררת בבכי שלוש פעמים ביום ואומרת, "אוי לי שהחרבתי את ביתי ושרפתי את היכלי והגלתי את בני לבין אומות העולם". תמיד היינו מטרה לשנאת הגויים, שנאת עולם לעם עולם, שבכל דור ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותינו, כמה מאות קהלות נרצחו באכזריות במסעי הצלב והאינקויזיציה, והאחרון הכביד, בשואה האחרונה אשר נהרגו כששה מליון יהודים ובתוכם גדולי ישראל צדיקים יסודי עולם, ועד עתה, בפרעות שעושים כנגדינו שכינינו הערבים הפלשטינאים, הפוגעים לא אחת בחיילינו. וכבר אמרו במסכת ראש השנה (כג.), אוי להם לאומות העולם שאין להם תקנה.
ואמרו חז"ל (ילקוט שמעוני פרשת מטות), שכל אותם שנרצחו ביד אומות העולם הרשעים, הקדוש ברוך הוא טובל דמם על בגד שלובש עד שנעשה צבעו רווי דם, וכשיגיע יום הדין, אל קנא ונוקם מתעטף באותו הבגד, ורואה את כל גופות הנרצחים ביד בני עוולה, והיה צדק אזור מתניו, לעשות נקמה בגויים תוכחות בלאומים, לאסור מלכיהם בזיקים ונכבדיהם בכבלי ברזל, וכמו שנאמר "ידין בגויים מלא גויות".
יום הזכרון צריך לשמש לנו לא רק כיום אבל על אבדן חללינו, שקשה סילוקם של בחורים כחורבן בית המקדש, אלא גם יום חשבון נפש, עלינו להתאמץ לחזור למסורת אבותינו, לשוב לתורה ולמעשים טובים, ולחנך את בנינו לתורה, וכמאמר הכתוב, שובו אלי ואשובה אליכם. והרי כמה וכמה מהאובדים על קדושת ה' לא נהרגו ולא נרצחו אלא בכדי שימשיך עמינו להתקיים בתורתו, וכמה וכמה נהרגו ממש על קדושת ה', שלא רצו להמיר דתם, ואם כן בודאי שבמותם ציוו לנו החיים, חיי התורה, וכמאמרו של רבינו סעדיה גאון, כי אין אומתינו אומה אלא בתורתה.
זכותם של חללי צה"ל מגיני ארץ קדשינו יחד עם כל קדושי עם ישראל תעמוד לעד להגן אלף המגן על משפחותיהם, ויעמדו בתפילה לפני כסא כבודו על כל עם ישראל לבל נוסיף לדאבה עוד, וכמו שנאמר, לא יבא עוד שמשך וירחך לא יאסף כי ה' יהיה לך לאור עולם ושלמו ימי אבלך, ויקויים בנו מקרא שכתוב, ושמתי מקום לעמי לישראל, ונטעתיו ושכן תחתיו, ולא יוסיפו בני עולה לענותו כאשר בראשונה. וקראת ישועה חומותינו ושערנו תהלה, ותחזינה עינינו בבנין בית מקדשינו אהל בל יצען, בל יסע יתדותיו לנצח, וכל חבליו בל ינתקו, וכבר נאמר, כי יום נקם בלבי ושנת גאולי באה, מי יתן מציון ישועת ישראל בשוב ה' שבות עמו יגל יעקב ישמח ישראל. ואת רוח הטומאה יעביר מן הארץ ובא לציון גואל במהרה בימינו. אמן.

Rabbi Mendel Epstein found guilty!

Three Orthodox Jewish rabbis were convicted in New Jersey on Tuesday of conspiracy to commit kidnapping in a scheme to force men to grant divorces to their unhappy wives under Jewish law.

Two of the rabbis were convicted as well of attempted kidnapping in federal court in Trenton, New Jersey, according to the office of one of the defense attorneys.

The case before U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson hinged in part on the testimony of an undercover FBI agent who posed as an Orthodox Jewish wife seeking a divorce.

Orthodox Jewish women cannot get a divorce unless their husbands consent through a document known as a “get.”

Prosecutors said the rabbis operated a ring that kidnapped or tried to kidnap men and tortured them with beatings and stun guns until they agreed to divorce.

Rabbis Mendel Epstein, 68, Jay Goldstein, 60, and Binyamin Stimler, 38, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, according to the office of lawyer Aidan O’Connor, who represented Goldstein.

Goldstein and Stimler also were convicted of attempted kidnapping.

Epstein’s son, David, 39, was charged but found not guilty of conspiracy and kidnapping.

The jury began deliberating on April 15.

The ring operated from 2009 to 2013, prosecutors said.

Although a wife can skip seeking a get and settle for a civil divorce, the separation without the husband’s consent can result in her being cast out of family and social circles.

Experts say such kidnapping schemes are responses to so-called get abuse, in which husbands demand an unreasonably large share of the couple’s communal property before granting the divorce.

The convictions come about three months after 56-year-old Rabbi Martin Wolmark pleaded guilty in the same case to conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce to commit extortion.

Sentencing is set for July 15. Epstein, Goldstein and Stimler face up to life in prison.

The Miracle of The State of Israel & FDR

by Rabbi Benjamin Blech

This week we commemorate the 67th anniversary of the birth of the modern day state of Israel. This momentous event almost didn’t take place without very special divine intervention.

At the time almost no one knew the story. It was not until much later that the secret correspondence between Franklin Delano Roosevelt and the Saudi King surfaced. But now we know what transpired behind the scene that would surely have derailed recognition of Israel as a member state of the United Nations – and we can once again stand in awe of the mysterious ways in which G-d plays a role in directing the turning points of history.

I have just now become privileged to see copies of the original letters between Abdul Aziz bin Abdur Rahman al Faisal al Saud and the then president of the United States. It was in March 1945 that the Saudi King, aware of the imminent end of the Second World War, wrote to FDR of his fear that the Jewish remnant of the Holocaust might push for a return to their ancient homeland of Palestine. Saud was particularly concerned that there might be some American support for this on humanitarian grounds, especially in light of the revelations about the extent of Jewish suffering.

The Saudi King was undiplomatically direct in his opposition to this possibility:

“This right [of the Arabs] men now seek to destroy by injustice unparalleled and unequaled in history. Such is the right of the Arabs in Palestine which the spokesmen of Jewish Zionism wish to scorn and abolish by the use of various forms of lying propaganda, invented, concealed and employed by them throughout the world.… They are preparing to create a form of Nazi fascism within sight and hearing of the democracies and in the midst of the Arab countries as well as in their very heart and in the heart of the East which has proved itself loyal to the Allied cause in these critical times….. We state frankly and plainly that to help Zionism in Palestine not only means to endanger Palestine but all neighboring countries.”

Leaving aside the incredible reference to the Arab world having proven itself “loyal to the Allied cause” in spite of its powerful links to Hitler and the Nazis, the Saudi King seemed quite confident he would secure a positive response from FDR which would make the creation of a Jewish state impossible.

In fact he was not disappointed.

On April 5, FDR responded with an extremely warm note. In it he offered the king a firm commitment.

“Your Majesty will doubtless recall that on previous occasions I communicated to you that I would take no action in my capacity as chief of the executive branch of this government which might prove hostile to the Arab people.”

As long as he continued to serve as President, he made clear that the dream of the Jewish people of return to their homeland would not be fulfilled. Those were his words.

It was on April 12, a mere seven days after the date of FDR’s commitment to the Saudi King, that FDR passed away.

America mourned mightily at the death of their leader who had guided them through the previous years of horror. Jews, as grateful citizens of a land that had offered them so many blessings, were in the forefront of those overwhelmed by grief. We can now see divine fingerprints in the replacement of FDR with Harry S Truman, a man who previously enjoyed a friendly business relationship with a Jew and found himself in the unique position of being able to make possible the creation of the state of Israel which his predecessor pledged never to allow.

It seems miracles have always played a major role in the unparalleled story of a people returning to their homeland after a hiatus of close to 2000 years. But it was not only the miracles which allowed Israel to survive the attacks of its many enemies, far superior in number, in armaments, in wealth and in friends amongst the nations of the world. No rational historian, no realistic military analyst, no cogent political commentator could possibly have predicted that after 67 years of attempts at its annihilation, Israel still stands proud and tall, secure in its achievements and confident of its continued survival.

Israel’s development through its teenage years, its growth to maturity and its present day place in the world as a technological wonder all bear the signs of divine and miraculous assistance. However this year, now that we know the full story, let us add our recognition of the miracle which made possible Israel’s birth as well.

Mike Huckabee Calls Two-State Solution ‘the Nuttiest Thing I’ve Ever Heard’

Mike at the Kotel

Likely US presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said this past weekend that the widely accepted two-state solution for Israeli-Palestinian peace is a crazy idea and that the disputed West Bank territories already belong to Israel, Newsmax reported.

It’s “the nuttiest thing I’ve ever heard” the former Arkansas governor said, while addressing several hundred people at the Republican Leadership Summit in New Hampshire.

“One of those parties believes the other one should not exist,” added Huckabee. “Let’s quit pretending there is such a thing in that particular country. In the land of Judea and Samaria, there should not be a question as to whether or not that is going to belong to Israel - because it does belong to Israel.”

Speaking at the two-day event, Huckabee also said that he witnessed an Islamic State terrorist camp in Syria just two miles from where he stood during a recent visit to the Israeli Golan Heights. He added that he heard at least 10 rocket and shell explosions going off in Syria, Newsmax reported.

“We were safe where we were, and the reason we were was because Israel understands what it is to defend its borders and recognizes that it does have a right to defend itself and its people,” he explained, also noting that his first visit to Israel was 42 years ago.

Huckabee said President Obama’s failing policies in the Middle East have resulted in Israel allying itself with other nations in the region amid fears of a nuclear armed Iran. He told the crowd at the Summit, “Now, the Israelis are in a greater alliance with the Saudis, Jordanians, and Egyptians than they are with the United States - because those countries at least have the good sense to know you don’t trust the Iranians.”

“I pray our next president will have the good sense to know we don’t trust the Iranians, but we can trust our friends, the Israelis - and we can trust the leadership of other countries in the Middle East, who recognize that you cannot create peace when you chant ‘Death to America’ in the streets of your cities,” he added.

The Algemeiner

Petira Of HaGaon HaRav Aharon Lichtenstein ZT"L - Leading Dati Leumi Posek, Son In Law Of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik

HaGaon HaRav Dr. Aharon Lichtenstein ZT”L was niftar at the age of 81. The levaya will be held on Tuesday, 2 Iyar to permit family members to arrive in Eretz Yisrael. 

The rav was a leading authority in the dati leumi community around the world. While he was born in France, he was raised in the United States. He was a talmid of both HaRav Yitzchak Hutner Z”TL and Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik ZT”L, eventually becoming his son-in-law.

In 1970, Rabbi Yehuda Amital invited him to serve with him as head of Yeshivat Har Etzion in Alon Shvut, Rabbi Liechtenstein acceded to the request, and immigrated to Israel with his family in 1971, and has served as the Rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Amital along with until the death of the latter. He would not serve unless Rav Amital was co-rosh yeshiva alongside, another symbol of his absolute modesty.

Rabbi Dr. Liechtenstein received the Israel Prize for Torah literature and in English literature. He earned a BA and semicha at Yeshiva University and a PhD in English Literature at Harvard University, where he studied under Douglas Bush.

In 2006 he moved from Gush Etzion to Yerushalayim. At the end of the winter zman in 5771 he announced his retirement as rosh yeshiva, dedicating his time to his Torah study and writings.

In his words upon hearing of the petira, Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef stated,

הרב ליכטנשטיין שייך לשרידי דור דעה, של רבנים שידעו שאין להתפשר על קוצו של יו”ד בהלכה היהודית ובד בבד בתוך עמם הם ישבו.

He belonged to a generation of rabbonim who would not compromise one iota in halacha.

Rav Yosef added the petira of the rav represents a great loss for the Torah world, continuing that Rav Lichtenstein publicly came out to support the psak halacha of his father regarding the aliyah of the so-called Falashmurah, the immigrants from Ethiopia. Rav Yosef explains that while it did not directly impact the rav, he nevertheless felt the need to support the psak and assist.

The levaya will begin at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Gush Etzion on Tuesday morning 2 Iyar at 10:00 and continue to Har Menuchos.

Shock and Emptiness – Students Eulogize Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein

New York Times Accidentally Tells the Truth About the Palestinians

To read the New York Times, one would think that the situation in the Judea-Samaria (West Bank) region in 2015 is the same as it was in 1985 or 1975. 

Israel is “occupying the West Bank,” Palestinians are denied the right to vote, and Palestinian violence is inevitable because Israeli control makes them feel hopeless. That was more or less the theme of the Times‘ March 31 feature story on the situation in the territories today.

But every once in a while, a Times reporter  accidentally lets the cat out of the bag, and a discerning reader discovers that the truth is almost the exact opposite of what the Times is trying to convey.

Correspondent Diaa Hadid began her lengthy March 31 article on what was (for her) a hopeful note, pointing out that “the United States and Europe seem ever more ready to pressure Israel to end its occupation of the West Bank.”

Then, in the 12th paragraph, Hadid mentioned a fact that must have been confusing toTimes readers. The Palestinian Authority held “a presidential election in 2005,” she noted in passing.

Wait a minute. We thought that the Palestinians have all been disenfranchised by the Israeli “occupation.” We were told –by the Times and most of the international news media– that Israel is preventing the Palestinians from exercising their democratic right to vote. Now it turns out that the Palestinian Authority did have an election in 2005 –and the only reason they haven’t held another once since then is because, as Hadid wrote, PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas “has systematically snuffed out any challenges to his rule.”

In other words, it is the Palestinian Authority, not Israel, that is preventing Palestinian democracy. Interesting!

Then, another fascinating fact, this one in the 13th paragraph. A Palestinian critic of Abbas told the reporter, Ms. Hadid, that he “would only give the nickname Abu Mohammed, because he feared harassment by security forces.” She was referring, of course, to the Palestinian security forces. Remarkable! 

So it’s not the Israelis who are suppressing Palestinian dissidents and protesters–it’s the Palestinian Authority’s own security forces.

And if a reader managed to make it all the way down to paragraph 23, he would find Ms. Hadid mentioning that “Mr. Abbas was once praised for establishing security, cracking down on gunmen who terrorize Palestinian communities…” 

So it is Palestinian, not Israeli, “gunmen” who have been “terrorizing” the Palestinians. Who knew?

But the real kicker was in the 14th paragraph. “The Palestinian Authority,” Ms. Hadid reported –again, in passing– “governs Palestinian communities in the West Bank.”

How can that be? She had referred at the beginning of the article to “Israel’s occupation of the West Bank.” 

Now she is reporting the exact opposite–namely, that it is the Palestinian Authority, not Israel, which governs “Palestinian communities” there.

And she was right. Because although the Times and other supporters of the Palestinian cause are loathe to acknowledge it, Israel (under Yitzhak Rabin) in 1995 withdrew from the areas in Judea-Samaria where more than 95 percent of the Palestinians reside. 

The “occupation” ended twenty years ago. You can’t blame Israel for the way the PA mismanages the areas that it occupies.

By the 31st paragraph, however, Ms. Hadid managed to come full circle and find a way to blame Israel. Even though it is the Palestinian Authority that governs the Palestinians; even though the Palestinians do indeed vote, when the PA consents to hold elections; and even though it is the PA’s security forces that “terrorize” the Palestinians–nevertheless, it’s all Israel’s fault: “While many Palestinians acknowledge their system is broken” –a generous way of describing the situation– “they worry that it is being used as an excuse by Israel and other countries to allow their statehood hopes to wither.”

The truth is that the Palestinian Authority’s self-rule regime is already a state in every major respect but two: it does not have full control of its borders, and it does not have a full-fledged army. Not surprisingly, Israel is not anxious to have terrorists pouring across a PA-controlled border, or PA tanks and jet bombers a few miles from Tel Aviv.

So if Diaa Hadid and the New York Times want to make the case for supplying tanks to the PA, let them be open about it and say so–but please, stop pretending that the problem is some mythical Israeli “occupation.” It’s not 1985 any more.

Moshe Phillips is president and Benyamin Korn is chairman of the Religious Zionists of Philadelphia, and both are current candidates on the Religious Zionist slate (www.VoteTorah.org) in the World Zionist Congress elections.

Famed Guitarist Yossi Piamenta In Critical Condition Updated!

Famed Jewish guitarist and singer Yossi Piamenta is in critical condition, and family members are asking all to please be Mispallel for him. Yossi was diagnosed a year ago with a dreaded illness, which has R”L taken a turn for the worse the past few days. 

Yossi has been Misameach thousands upon thousands of Chasanim and Kallah’s at weddings in the past 35 years. His music has touched many of us, and many of his songs are played at weddings every night.

Never the one to say no, Yossi would always drop all he was doing and run to hospital or private home to cheer up those suffering from illness and disease. May his amazing acts of chesed he did quietly for so many years serve as Zechus for his Refuah Shelaima.

Please be Mispallel for Yosef ben Genia.

UPDATED

Musician Yosi Piamenta, one of the most beloved and veteran voices in the Jewish music scene, woke from a medically induced coma this past Friday night.

Piamenta, who is battling cancer, underwent surgery at Tel HaShomer Hospital in Israel on Thursday from which he had not woken by Friday morning. Prayers were said for him around the world.

Over the course of Friday night - the exact time was not provided- Piamenta woke to the joy of his family.

Speaking on Sunday with the Israeli COL website, the musician credited the many prayers on his behalf.

“After I woke up from the surgery, I heard that so many people from so many places were saying Tehillim and praying for me,” he said in a phone conversation.

“I simply don’t know how to thank all the people, that without me knowing and without me being there to thank them, are praying for me,” he said. “There is no question that the prayers helped my recovery and helped my healing. It is clear to me that all the blessings and prayers help me directly.”

Piamenta added, “I am grateful to everyone and wish blessings to each one who prayed for me. May Hashem repay them with all they need and fulfill their heart’s wishes for good.”

Piamenta, a guitar virtuoso, is known for his duos with his violinist brother Avi Piamenta. Playing rock and roll tunes, often infused with heavy rock licks and extended guitar solos, all while keeping true to his faith, has inspired many over the years.

His brother, Avi Piamenta, told COLlive that Yosi awoke late Friday night, and continued to gain strength as the day continued. “He will be staying in the hospital next few days to recuperate, and the doctors will determine when he will be released based on his condition,” he said.

The public is asked to continue praying for Yosef ben Genia for a full recovery.

Red Car in Monsey Trying to lure Children into car

This past Shabbos afternoon the driver in the red car, speaking fluent Yiddish, tried luring children into his car!

Parents Beware!!!

If you see this car .... call Police!

J Street Push Obama to Drop Support for Israel at UN During White House Parley

Yup ... these Self-hating Jewish Bastards told Obama to stop supporting Israel in the United Nations! 
Hard to believe but true!

Members of a group of Jewish supporters of the Democratic Party who met with President Barack Obama this week urged him to remove the long-standing American veto protection of Israel at the United Nations. 

The group, affiliated with the left-wing lobby group J Street, pledged to support the president within the Jewish community in the event of a Security Council resolution calling for the creation of a Palestinian State.

The exchange took place in the second of two meetings Obama held with American Jewish leaders to discuss the current negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, as well as other regional issues. 

According to a source who was in the room, one J Street supporter told the president that if he decided to back a Palestinian state resolution over Israeli objections, “let us know first, and we’ll do the legwork for you, in the community… so you’re not going to come in cold.” 

Among the J Street supporters who were part of the delegation meeting with Obama were Alexandra Stanton, Lou Susman and Victor Kovner.

The atmosphere at that second meeting was described as pleasant and cooperative, in marked contrast to the first meeting, described by one source as “ungiving, very stern and tense.”

The Algemeiner spoke to four individuals who attended the meetings, as well as one other who did not attend, but was extensively briefed on what was said. All of the sources declined to be named for this report, as they were not authorized by the Administration to speak on the record.

The discussions totaled approximately two hours and forty minutes and were likely the most significant ones between the two sides since the start of the Obama presidency. “For sure this was the most important” one prominent Jewish leader stated, “because it was about Iran.”

Regarding the first meeting, at which senior representatives of groups like the World Jewish Congress, the Conference of Presidents and the Anti-Defamation League were present, one source said the conversation was “difficult” and “depressing.” The source added that “nobody was breaking ground, they were at cross purposes.” An attendee who spoke with JTA described the gathering as “intense” and said, “There was an openheartedness, there were some deep reflections by the president.” Other participants who spoke with JTA used the term “therapeutic” to describe the tone of the talks.

The President joined the first meeting at 1:50 pm, about 5 minutes after it was opened by National Security Adviser Susan Rice, and spoke for about forty minutes before he took any questions. He reportedly discussed “everything in the world” including Israel and Iran. He left the meeting at about 3:00 pm.

In his opening remarks, Obama reiterated the sentiments he raised in an interview with New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, published on April 5th, in which he asserted that “It has been personally difficult for me to hear the sort of expressions that somehow we don’t have, this administration has not done everything it could to look out for Israel’s interest.”

One source told The Algemeiner that “the President acted as though he was very hurt that he has been so supportive of Israel and at this critical juncture finds that people are so critical of him for trying to keep Iran from having a nuclear bomb.” The President was at times anguished, participants told the JTA.

Obama addressed his relationship with Israel and recognized “the motivations of the Jewish community when they express concern” about the Iran deal “because of existential threats coming from [Iran's] Supreme Leader and others.”

In a report on Monday, shortly after the meetings took place, The Washington Post cited a participant who said, “The president talked about how deeply he feels about Israel and the Jewish people and antisemitism. It was not just about Iran. It was much, much deeper in terms of the president sharing with us how he felt.”

“It was very cordial, he had all our attention,” another participant told The Algemeiner. “He spoke from the heart.”

“In that part of the discussion, I think people around the table appreciated those comments,” yet another commented.

After the President’s introduction “there was ample opportunity for everybody to weigh in on a whole range of issues” one of the attendees said. “Anyone around the table who had something to say… the opportunity certainly was there.”

“The impression [President Obama] was left with was that many remain skeptical about Iranian intentions, not about the [White House's] intentions in trying to negotiate to end the program, we have differences about that,” one participant said.

Rabbi Marvin Hier, Founder and Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, told The Algemeiner that he raised two questions with the President. The first was about the silence of the P5+1 powers in the face of threats to annihilate Israel, and the second was about why Israel should be required to relinquish land to the Palestinians while Hamas remains in control of the Gaza Strip.

Hier referenced an upcoming presidential trip to Berlin to commemorate the victims of World War II, and asked in light of Iranian threats to destroy Israel, “what is the meaning of the memorial if we don’t take action when [something similar] occurs.”

One source quoted a “well known Jewish leader” as telling the President that “unfortunately we have learned the lesson that when people say they want to exterminate us, they tend to try it.”

“The language at the table was, ‘what about this? and what about that?’ and what about the issue of billions of dollars that will come into the hands of the Iranians when the sanctions regime is loosened, or ended, that they would then plow back into their terrorist activity or to other military related issues,” an attendee said. “What was being said was, here are our concerns, we are in the middle of this, and these concerns are going to continue, because we don’t feel quite comfortable with where we are now.”

In terms of the takeaway from the first meeting, one participant said, “I think [Obama] understands that people are upset, and that people have a different, a very urgent view of the Iranian threat” but added that the leaders in the room “would not have felt that he totally understood our concerns.”

“Many people walked in having questions and left having questions,” another said. “I don’t know that positions were necessarily changed around the table.”

The second meeting, which was largely stacked with Obama allies, “was very pleasant,” according to one of the guests. It was “all his friends,” the guest said. As well as J Street supporters, others present included Haim Saban, the Israeli-American entertainment mogul who has been critical of Obama’s Middle East policies, and Democratic donors associated with AIPAC, including past presidents Amy Friedkin and Howard Friedman

Obama presented himself as thinking “like an ultra-liberal Jew” and conveyed the “J Street mantra,” according to the source.

Although some pointed questions were asked, Obama faced far less resistance, and was even encouraged to take steps against Israel and remain steadfast in his approach to Iran negotiations.

According to the source, one “J Streeter” pushed Obama to remove the American veto protection of Israel at the UN in the event that a Security Council resolution called for the creation of a Palestinian State.

The individual “said if you decide to go against Israel at the UN, ‘let us know first, and we’ll do the legwork for you, in the community… so you’re not going to come in cold…’ and they pushed him to do it,” the participant told The Algemeiner. “Another major Jewish leader… not J Street, more centrist, but he wants to cosy up to Obama, says [regarding Iran] ‘you are doing the right thing, we are behind you 100 percent’.”

Obama said that despite his disagreements with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on a host of issues, “the countries are still working tightly together on security and military issues,” and “the fact that him and Bibi are not getting along is not hurting the relationship between the two countries.”

Obama was also asked if he would invite Netanyahu to visit the US in the near future. The President said he would not because “‘all Bibi will do is… go out there and publicly criticize me,’ so it will be awkward.” The President said “we’ll wait until July,” according to the source.

The President also criticized efforts in the Senate to assume a role in the negotiations through the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act, which unanimously passed review at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday and will now move to the full Senate for a vote.

The President expressed a “deep, deep resentment of Republicans in Congress…. and a feeling that Congress is out of bounds” in its actions on Iran, according to one of the sources.

The meetings with the Jewish groups were initiated as part of an extensive outreach effort by the Administration to win support for a framework nuclear agreement reached with Iranian negotiators in Switzerland last week. Critics of the deal say the White House has made far too many concessions in the talks. The agreement’s most vocal opponent, Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu, has said that it paves Iran’s path to nuclear armament and leaves Israel vulnerable. Israel has long called for the removal of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure as well as the cessation of uranium enrichment.

Just days before the meetings were held, a Gallup poll found that American Jews’ approval of President Obama has dropped 23 percentage points since 2009, and the gap between Jewish approval and general American approval of Obama—which has been marked by higher Jewish approval—is narrowing.

Chareidie Savages In Beit Shemesh Scream "NAZI" At Charedi Soldier on Holocaust Day

Time to stop these animals!

This is the fruits of the anti-Jewish Satmar/Brisk SHIT'ah!

Read some of the comments posted YWN:
First read "Geula's" crazy sick perverted comment!

geula says:

April 16, 2015 at 11:52 am

This chayal (although I completely disagree with protesting and insulting one) was very well aware what neighborhood he was in… He knew when he walked in there that he is going to get that. Big chances are that he walked in their to spite them… if thats the case then you get what you pay for.

Now read from "LBJ" the Chuchem from the Ma Nishtana

lbj says:

April 16, 2015 at 11:39 am

Tzioni Haganah Leyisrael represents kefirah.

Read an answer to LBJ from "Chardalnik"

Chardalnik says:

April 16, 2015 at 12:05 pm

LBJ – please read Sefer Devarim, Sefer Shmuel, Sefer Yehoshua again and also Rambams laws of Melachim. You might find that you are the one who is Cofer!!! Also read again books by Rabbi Avigdor Miller about how we need the army and how in Sefer Shmuel certain tribes are admonished for not training and arming themselves
The reason Hashem had to use the Secular Zionists to bring us back to Eretz Yisral is because we didnt heed the signs. The Vilna Gaon and the Chasam Sofer (amongst others) tried to get us back but again we didnt listen. Where is Vilna, Voloshin and Brisk today? Zionism is changing within itself and secular zionism is dying. Religious Zionism is thriving Baruch Hashem

From Dotty:

dotty says:

April 16, 2015 at 11:38 am

I am a jewish charedi yeshivish woman and all I can say is that I’m absolutely disgusted. If you don’t want to join the army then get a petur and don’t join how dare you call someone a nazi for being in the army. Where are these chuldrens mothers and fathers. I hope they are very ashamed of the chilul Hashem they made. There children have no middos at all. Have you ever taught your children who nazis are???? If you wanna call an boy in the idf and nazi then you should not live in Israel and be protected by them day and night. In fact they should be receiving so much respect from all of yisroel

Read from "aArmedJew"

ArmedJew says:

April 16, 2015 at 11:57 am

Our zaidi Avraham, Rebbe Akiva and his tens of thousands of talmidim, and the Chofetz Chaim all just tore kriyah at this bizayon. Those weren’t yidden yelling. Those weren’t the sounds of baalei bayshanus, rachmanus and chasadus…. those beings were klippos mamesh.

Monsey Yeshiva Bochur Riding Bicycle Struck By Hit And Run Vehicle - Taken To Westchester Hospital

A 15-year-old boy was injured while riding his bike to Yeshiva in Monsey, Thursday morning.

The boy was struck at the intersection of Myrtle and Maple Avenue at around 9:20AM.

Hatzolah of Rockland responded to the scene where he was treated and then transported to the Westchester Trauma Center.

If you have any information which can assist police, please contact the Spring Valley Department.Spring Valley Police are looking for a white Nissan Maxima which fled the scene. The attached photo is the actual vehicle being sought by police.