Over 2 Million people visit Kotel over the Yamim Tovim

 

Over the month of Tishrei, which features the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur as well as the festival of Sukkot, hundreds of thousands of people participated in the central selichot services (penitential prayers) at the Western Wall. Hundreds of thousands more visited Jerusalem and the Western Wall during Sukkot in commemoration of the pilgrimage during Tempe times and participated in the traditional Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessing) and in the Torah scroll dedication and Simchat Beit Hashoeva in commemoration of the Hakhel ceremony that takes place once every seven years.

On the eve of Hoshana Rabba (Sunday), tens of thousands came to the Western Wall as well as on Simchat Torah and on the night following it for Hakafot Shniyot at the Western Wall Plaza. This second round of dancing, with dozens Torah scrolls at the Western Wall Plaza, has become a yearly tradition at the site.

In total, two million people came to visit the Western Wall over the month of Tishrei.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation stated that it "notes with satisfaction that this holiday period was uplifting and exciting. It is deeply appreciative of the tireless efforts of its devoted employees of the foundation, the security forces, and the Israel Police who made it possible for 2 million people to safely come to the Western Wall during these past two months."

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, noted that the masses who came to the Western Wall are evidence of its power as a unifying site, something expressed by the wonderful unity displayed during this period at the Western Wall. It is a moving testament to our history, hope, and to our nation’s faith in its heritage.

Australia 'quietly' drops recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel

 

The Guardian reports that Australia "has quietly dropped its recognition of the west part of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel" despite the decision adopted by Scott Morrison’s government after the American embassy was moved to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.

According to the report, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade deleted two sentences from the official website. “Consistent with this longstanding policy, in December 2018, Australia recognized West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, being the seat of the Knesset and many of the institutions of the Israeli government", the site stated, “Australia looks forward to moving its embassy to West Jerusalem when practical, in support of, and after the final status determination of, a two-state solution.”

The website was updated following a question submitted by The Guardian Australia regarding the matter.

A spokesman at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said to The Guardian: “The Australian government continues to consider the final status of Jerusalem as a matter to be resolved as part of any peace negotiations.”

Kumzitz with Rav Hillel Palai

 

Did the Liska Rebbe Have a Minyan When "Singing Kaddish" While Sitting?

 

Singing the Kadish in Bais Liska on Chal Hamoed! pic.twitter.com/43yi64dY3C

— Ezra Friedlander (@EzraFriedlander) October 14, 2022

No hope for America ... Watch this meshiginar

 

This person uses ghost/ghostself pronouns because gender feels like a ghost pic.twitter.com/mUdqMVbKXl

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) October 13, 2022

IDF female Soldier Abused by Mob of Chareidim in Beit Shemesh Speaks Out

We blogged about this disgusting episode last week, but it has now made national news.

 A female IDF soldier was attacked with curses and stones in the Yehuda Hanasi neighborhood in Beit Shemesh.

In a conversation with Kan News, the soldier recounted the moments of horror in the incident that happened on Wednesday. "I was standing at the station, before the bus arrived there were some haredim who cursed and threatened me. When the bus arrived they threatened the driver that they would burn his bus if he took me on," she said.

The soldier, who stopped to change bus lines on her way to her base, told journalist Carmela Menashe how the incident soon developed into a violent riot, when a mob chased her, cursed her and threw things at her: "I moved away and started walking, and they chased me. Suddenly, hundreds of children, boys and adults started coming out of the houses, shouting at me 'shiksa' and throwing stones and cans at me. I felt surrounded and helpless."

At one point she met three girls and begged them to help her escape: "I asked three girls I saw there to help me and they told me we'll hide you." The girls led her to their home where they hid her when the crowd was closing in on the house and trying to break the lock of the apartment. The soldier called the police and after a while the police arrived in an undercover car, and not in a police car, for fear of another flare-up and the fear of the family that was guarding her that they might be thought of as collaborators

The soldier was dressed in a skirt given to her by the girls of the house and taken out of the place, but even after that, the disturbances and the confrontations with the police continued for some time. "The crowds stood outside and the police made a way. While leaving, the haredim snatched the policeman's radio and threw it to the crowd standing outside. It was shocking. The whole incident lasted from ten o'clock at night until early morning," said the soldier, who was injured by the objects thrown at her. "If it wasn't for the family that hid me, I don't know how it would have ended," she said.

The police said: "The police were called to the scene and rescued the female soldier while the force was also under attack. Beit Shemesh police officers arrested two suspects red-handed who were throwing stones. The investigation to locate all those involved continues.'

The spokeswoman of the Beit Shemesh municipality said: 

"Mayor Dr. Aliza strongly condemns the attack on the female soldier and views the case very seriously. "The mayor spoke with the female soldier personally and strengthened her. She also spoke with the police chief of Beit Shemesh and asked, as expected, to investigate the incident to the end and to act with the full extent of the law. The mayor of Beit Shemesh, Dr. Aliza Bloch, emphasizes that on the days of 'you shall be joyous on your holidays', when tens of thousands celebrate at the cultural events in the city, this unusual event is certainly not evidenced by the atmosphere in the city and calls on everyone not to give space in the conversation to extreme acts."

Animated Succos Songs

 

B'chag Ha' Matzois ... Hilarious

 

בחג המצות pic.twitter.com/eXIKAvYL9i

— Hasidic (@hasidic_1) October 13, 2022

When the Satmar Rebbe R' Yoel z"l Was Ready to Join and be the Leader of the Agudah in Yerushalyim

 

by Menachem Keren-Kratz reprinted from the Academia Blog 

  Betraying the Family’s Mesorah For a Rabbinical Position in Jerusalem

In 1932 Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld (1848-1932), chief rabbi of the Charedi community Va’ad Ha-ir Ha-ashkenazi (later known as Ha-edah Ha-Charedit) of Jerusalem, was on his deathbed.

 The community’s political leader, Rabbi Moshe Bloy (1885-1946), traveled abroad to seek a suitable replacement for the charismatic and revered rabbi. After considering several options, he declared Rabbi Yosef Zvi Dushinsky (1867-1948) of Chust to be the most suitable candidate. Later that year Rabbi Dushinsky was summoned to Jerusalem to meet the heads of Va’ad Ha-ir Ha-ashkenazi prior to their final decision. During his visit Rabbi Sonnenfeld passed away, and Rabbi Dushinsky was immediately offered the position.

Reform Jewish Ambassador Nides to Israel Boasts: "I Work Every Day to Eliminate Jewish Settlements" May He Rot in Hell!

 

US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Richard Nides, September 11, 2022. Ambassador Tom Nides told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency in an exclusive interview last Friday he was enamored with Prime Minister Yair Lapid for “his brave comments on the importance of the two-state solution” in Lapid’s recent speech before the United Nations General Assembly. “We are under no illusions here that I will be standing in the Rose Garden receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for getting the two-state solution, but it’s important that we create the conditions on the ground for a two-state solution,” Nides said, adding: “And that includes helping the Palestinian people.” And, naturally, while helping those nice “Palestinian people,” Nides reiterated the Biden administration’s policy on Jewish communities on the same lands, saying, “We do not support settlement growth. Period. I work every day behind the scenes, with the Israelis, to try and eliminate, slow down, or avoid that.” He defended his right to meddle in Israel’s affairs, saying, “We can’t dictate to them what they can or can’t do, but I can put as much pressure as I can to make sure they understand our position.” The ambassador also defended Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez’s right to warn Benjamin Netanyahu that should he include Ben-Gvir in his future government it would damage Israel’s relations with the US. Nides stressed that he “won’t get involved in the politics of Israel before an election,” but insisted that American politicians have the right to voice their opinions on anything and anyone. “We are free to articulate our anxieties or concerns vis-a-vis making sure that the values that we state are played out here in Israel as well as we believe they should be,” Nides said. Otzma Yehudit, MK Itamar Ben Gvir appeared on Channel 13 News and Ynet and accused Prime Minister Yair Lapid of enlisting US officials to prevent Ben Gvir’s inclusion in the next government. He insisted that this is a dangerous precedent when a prime minister invites the Americans to interfere in the elections in Israel. He also invited Lapid to file a defamation suit against him – Ben Gvir is ready to drop his Knesset immunity. On Tuesday, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Ca), a pro-Israel good guy, urged Israeli politicians to “ostracize” Ben-Gvir, declaring that Ben-Gvir’s “outrageous views run contrary to Israel’s core principles of a democratic and Jewish state.” Sherman insisted that “these extremists undermine Israel’s interests and the US-Israel relationship, which I and my colleagues have worked to strengthen.” Of course, I would be astonished if Menendez or Sherman were familiar with Ben Gvir’s political agenda before the calls from Lapid’s people. Finally, another takeaway from Nide’s JTA interview, to set us straight both about the ambassador and the news outlet: “Nides, who grew up in Minnesota as a liberal Reform Jew and went to synagogue only during the High Holidays, is a firm believer in equality at the Western Wall in Jerusalem,” writes JTA’s Jotam Confino. He quotes the ambassador who declares: “I have no tolerance for anyone being hurt or attacked for doing what they believe is their religious belief at the Western Wall. Both on the Orthodox and Reform sides, and for women and men. I think everyone should use this religious site for their own spirituality.” Go to the interview and plug in the words “Temple Mount.” I did, looking to see if Nides feels similarly about the religious rights of Jews, 20 meters or so above the Kotel. Nothing. Nada. Gurnisht. Crickets. Folks, we once had a friend in the US embassy. We no longer do.

Terrorist in Yerushalayim Blows Off His Hand and Foot... Now even the Virgins Don't Want Him

 

Julia Haart Joins the Satmar Rebbe Brothers in endorsing Hochul

 

Black Lives Matter

 

BLACK LIVES MATTER 🤷🏾‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/RkFXsgDGR1

— Lavern Spicer 🇺🇸 (@lavern_spicer) October 12, 2022

AOC Called Out by a Constituent on her blatant hypocrisy

 

This is fire. I’ve been waiting for someone to call AOC out on blatant hypocrisy. No, I don’t want to date her. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/eGGK7DUJkW

— heidi briones (@HeidiBriones) October 13, 2022

Kanye West on anti-Semitic comments: I’m ‘happy’ I ‘crossed the line’

 

Kanye West isn’t letting it go.

Speaking to Page Six as he left the screening of Candace Owen’s new documentary on Wednesday night, West addressed all of the brands that have dropped him since his most recent social media rants, including Adidas and JP Morgan Chase.

“Hey, if you call somebody out for bad business, that means you’re being anti-Semitic. I feel happy to have crossed the line of that idea so we can speak openly about things like getting canceled by a bank,” he told our photographers, before calling himself “the richest black man in American history.”

West, 45, continued talking about JP Morgan Chase specifically but was interrupted when a truck drove by. He then decided to “speak at a different time.”

Earlier today, Owens herself revealed that JP Morgan Chase had given West until November to find a new bank institution to hold his multibillion-dollar company Yeezy.

“I was told there was no official reason given, but they sent this letter as well to confirm that he has until late November to find another place for the Yeezy empire to bank,” she tweeted along with a photo of the notice.

The letter read, “Dear Ye, We are sending this letter to confirm our recent discussion with [redacted name] that JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (The Bank) has decided to end its banking relation with Yeezy LLC and its affiliated entities.”

JP Morgan Chase dropping West comes after he made several anti-Semitic comments over the weekend.

On Instagram, he shared a screenshot of a text conversation with Diddy, where he told him, “This ain’t a game. Ima use you as an example to show the Jewish people that told you to call me that no one can threaten or influence me.”

He was locked out of his account shortly after.

West then moved on to Twitter where he proceeded to post, “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”

He was locked out of that account as well.

Last week, Adidas announced that their partnership with West was “under review” following the rapper’s “White Lives Matter” shirt scandal.

“After repeated efforts to privately resolve the situation, we have taken the decision to place the partnership under review,” the company announced in a statement Thursday, per CNBC.

“We will continue to co-manage the current product during this period.”

West, 45, replied to the statement on Instagram, writing, “F–K ADIDAS I AM ADIDAS ADIDAS RAPED AND STOLE MY DESIGNS.”

Back in August, West began to speak out against the brand regarding his frustrations with the company, who allegedly made decisions about their collaboration without his consent.

State Orders City To Enforce Secular Education Starting With the Tzelemer Yeshiva

 

New York State’s commissioner of education has ordered the city to work with a yeshiva in Williamsburg on a plan for improving its secular education.

The decision, issued last week by commissioner Betty Rosa, is a response to a lawsuit brought by Beatrice Webber, a formerly Hasidic mother of 10 who now heads Yaffed, the leading advocacy group pressing for improvements in secular learning at haredi Orthodox private schools.

Rosa’s decision was first reported by the New York Times, which said the ruling represents “the first time that the state has taken action against a Hasidic boys’ school” and “could be a harbinger of significantly tougher oversight of Hasidic schools.”

If You Don’t Support Zeldin, Quit Complaining About the Jew-Hating

 

There are some elections that one can at least make the argument “s/he is going to win anyway we may as well be on his/her good side.” This isn’t one of them. No matter how much support the frum community will give Hochul she won’t do anything in return anyway. She already has the track record to prove it.  

Plus it isn’t so clear that Hochul is going to win. For the past few elections the polls have consistently heavily underestimated the support the Republican candidates actually have.  No one dreamed that Pataki would win either. Some people ended up losing out big time for supporting Cuomo over him because they thought Cuomo would win anyway. When Pataki won he did not consider those people his natural allies he otherwise would have considered them

An open letter from a reader

If you are crazy enough to support Kathy Hochul, or you’re even on the fence about which candidate to support in the governor’s race, you have no right to complain about the assault against yeshivas in New York state.

By supporting leftist politicians who are out to harm the Jewish community, YOU are part of the problem .

If you are not fully invested in Lee Zeldin, or if you align with the Democrat party, you have no right to complain about the rash of brutal antisemitic hate crimes.

It’s time for Jews to wake up and realize that Democrats in New York do not represent our values. They have dangerous policies, they have destroyed what used to be a state that was relatively safe, and friendly to Jews.

Democrats are not friends of the Jewish community.

When Askanim Tuchis-Lekk the "Satmar-Shiksa Mistress" Hochul and Invite Her Into the Succah

Watch Ezra smile like a "chulent bundel" 

Agreed! @ChaninaSperlin expressing warm sentiments about the @GovKathyHochul Jewish Liaision @JakeAAdler @evawyner and on the campaign side @YLefkowitz! Thank u all! pic.twitter.com/P6RrurdBOL

— Ezra Friedlander (@EzraFriedlander) October 13, 2022

Jerusalem Mafia Looking for Temporary Workers

 The ad really reads that a "Jerusalem Bakery is looking for workers" but Google translates it as "mafia" 

Whatever Happened to Philip Drelich Who Murdered His Pregnant Wife and a Diamond Dealer?

 

Philip Drelich, an inmate at Green Haven Correctional Facility in upstate New York, blows the shofar during the Jewish month of Elul

He was released on February 29, 2016 even though he was sentenced to serve  two consecutive life sentences for murder! 

I am very familiar with this story, because I lived in Monsey in the 70's, and Philip would come to visit his parents from time to time; his parents owned a bakery called "Pinkey's" on Kennedy Blvd off Route 59. I knew his parents very well, they were the nicest people and they davened at the Community Synagogue on Carlton off Maple Avenue. The Rabbi of that Shul was Rabbi Moshe Tendler z"l (this fact became very crucial in the story). 

On the Friday night following the horrendous stabbing of his pregnant wife, Miriam, Philip davened at the Stanislover Shul on Maple Avenue, and quietly said kaddish for her without any emotion. I remember that there was a detective in a car outside the shul making sure he didn't disappear, he was already being questioned in the disappearance of Martin Paretzky 71, a diamond dealer.

Philip Drelich, was born in 1950 and raised in Brooklyn and attended Yeshiva Chaim Berlin receiving good grades. His father was a WW2 veteran. Sometime in 1975, he met Miriam Lea Ziskind, and they subsequently married and had 2 children.