Entries from August 2009

Friday, August 21st, 2009

US Jews protest Catholic document on salvation

“Major Jewish groups and rabbis from the three largest branches of American Judaism said Thursday that their relationship with Roman Catholic leaders is at risk because of a recent U.S. bishops’ statement on salvation. Jewish groups said they interpret the new document to mean that the bishops view interfaith dialogue as a chance to invite […]

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Cemetery burials latest flashpoint between Kiryas Joel’s feuding factions

” The bitter fight between rival factions of Satmar Hasidim took a dramatic turn Thursday when mourners hastily dedicated a new cemetery just outside Kiryas Joel to bury a 41-year-old man who died that morning. One side in the Satmar rift claims Kiryas Joel’s ruling faction refused to let Eziel Perlstein be buried in the […]

Friday, August 21st, 2009

Jerusalem Mayor Visits HaGaon HaRav S. Auerbach

“Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat visited the Shaare Chessed home of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita, accompanied by Deputy Mayor Yitzchak Pindrus and Chareidi Affairs Advisor Avraham Kroizer. Seeking to avoid a repeat of the rock attack against the mayor during his recent visit to the Kalever Rebbe Shlita, security this time around was far more […]

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Rav Elyashiv Paskens Not to Visit Kosel on Shabbos Because of Cameras

According to sources close to Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, the posek mhador has
ruled that that Yidden should not visit the Kosel on Shabbos due to security
cameras placed at the site, causing chillul Shabbos. The sources say that Rav
Elyashiv holds that Yidden may not walk in the Old City due to automatic shots
of passersby taken by […]

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Style: God In Everything

Hasidic Judaism summons images of wide-brim black hats, curling side-locks called payots and Polish noblemen. Of stern veneers and high-minded, ritualistic devotion to religious study. It probably doesn’t conjure up the Kolakowski household in the near West End.There are signs of a strict Hasidic lifestyle, albeit a cluttered one: religious texts piled high on the […]

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Thousands in Hebron for New Month Prayers

n estimated 20,000 Jews made their way to Hebron Wednesday to participate in evening prayers to greet the new month of Elul, which begins with sunset. The group includes several Hasidic leaders and Jewish visitors from the United States and France, Arutz-7 (Hebrew) reported. “Jewish support for Hebron and the land of Israel always has […]

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Rabbi Akiva Eiger Unmasks The Baal HaTurim’s Mystery Women

“Ki Yakum BiKirbicha Navi”; When there will be among you a False Navi who will tell you to worship Avodah Zara…This False Navi shall be put to death” The Baal Haturim states on the words,” BiKirbicha” - It is the same Gematria as “Zeh HaIshah” - “This is referring to the woman”. What’s the pshat […]

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Why doesn’t tzedaka have a blessing?

“Why doesn’t tzedaka have a blessing? The Rashbah writes that blessing on a mitzvah when more than one person is involved is inappropriate, because if the poor person refuses the tzedaka, the blessing would be taking G-d’s name in vain. Rebbe Mendel of Rimnov says that a blessing is appropriate when a person does a […]

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Tel Aviv August 8, 2009. :(

photo: DayLife.com

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

Beirut’s Synagogue Rises Again

photo:Beirut’s oldest synagogue will be renovated and reopened by 2010. (A Photographer in Lebanon / Flickr)
“Better than that: what remained of Lebanon’s 14,000 Jews (some reports put the figure at 22,000, back in the 1960s) managed to unite every faction in the country, including Israel-bashing Hezbollah, in support of a $1 million restoration effort […]

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Is KJ Chicken Treif? Satmar: Yes, Lakewood: No

Kiryas Yoel, New York – Lakewood, New Jersey: Kol Koreh Below. According to the Lakewood Mashgiach for KJ Poultry, Reb Ahran Kaneivsky, the chicken is Nevaila. According to Satmar they are doing Bedikos that are not required in America. Update: According to Lakewood:
A Rav from Lakewood visited the Bais Hashchita in Kiryas Yoel and found […]

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

Witness at John Demjanjuk trial whose last wish is to see justice

“Revenge, they say, is a dish best served cold. Kurt Gutmann — a German Jew who once served in the Black Watch — has waited for more than 60 years to see someone tried for the murder of his mother and brother in Nazi death camps. Now, at the age of 82 […]