August 11, 2008 (Section 2) (continued from Section 1)
Editor – Joel Katz
Religion and State in Israel is not affiliated with any organization or movement.
US Reform launches a new Israel 'family experience'
By Haviv Rettig, www.jpost.com August 8, 2008
"Reform Family Experience: Move Beyond the Tour Bus"
According to Rabbi Andrew Davids, executive director of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA), the trip is part of a four-year-old initiative to strengthen the Reform connection to Israel.
"We believe Reform Jewish life has a set of values that can contribute to the Zionist dream," he says, particularly in Israel's grappling with social issues such as growing economic disparities and the difficulties faced by new immigrants.
Paula Edelstein, who serves as co-chair of the Immigration and Absorption Committee of the Jewish Agency and is a representative of the Reform movement on the agency's Zionist Executive, agrees.
"Over the years we've seen a new leadership in the Reform movement, people who lived here [in Israel]," she notes.
Now, she says, "there is a real commitment in the movement to exposing [Reform Jews] to the possibility of aliya."
Local haredi boycott on supermarket chain
By Neta Sela, www.ynetnews.com August 10, 2008
Following an announcement made to the entire Shabbat-keeping public to ban all businesses owned by businessman Dudi Weissman, haredi rabbis are now beginning to institute local boycotts.
…All of Ashdod’s ultra-Orthodox rabbis signed the notice which stated that the entire population should avoid buying products from this business group and especially from the Alon company which runs AM:PM, the Dor Alon petrol company, and the Blue Square, Shefa Shuk and Mega supermarkets.
State saves NIS 19 billion due to cut in child allowances since 2002
By Shahar Ilan, www.haaretz.com August 10, 2008
The cost of going back to the situation before the Halpert law would be around NIS 2.3 billion.
Shas presents restoring the cuts as an effort on behalf of all of Israel's children. But a study by Michal Ophir of the NII published last year reveals that all communities where there are a high number of families of five children or more are Bedouin or ultra-Orthodox.
These include ultra-Orthodox Beitar Illit, where 42.5 percent of families have five or more children; the Bedouin town of Rahat, where the figure is 40.5 percent, the Arab community of Arara, with 47.4 percent of families in that category, and the ultra-Orthodox Modi'in Illit, with 34 percent of families with five or more children.
By Daniel Eidensohn, www.DaatTorah.blogspot.com August 8, 2008
[Please note that the translations posted are copyrighted material by Daniel Eidensohn]
Important Announcement to Landlords and Sellers
[Translation of flier]
“As everyone knows a committee has been established in Beitar under the auspices of the rabbinical authorities to supervise the quality of life in our community and to monitor all events in the city in order to maintain its holiness.
We know that there are families who rent out their apartments without our approval and as a result undesirable families move into our community.
We are putting everyone on notice that these landlords and sellers must be revealed and publicized as disobeying the rabbis of the city. Furthermore all the expenses for canceling the contract or lease is their sole responsibility.”
[Translation of flier]
“Do you know about a spiritual hazard?
Please put our special number 580-0777 in your cell phone and any problematic occurrences that you are aware of should be reported immediately to us - 24 hours a day.”
Issue 9, August 18, 2008 The Jerusalem Report
The actions of a small group of religious zealots have caused tremors in the tranquil homes and gardens of the upmarket suburb of Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Tel Aviv University Jewish history professor David Assaf:
Mainstream ultra-Orthodox silence in Beit Shemesh over zealot aggression, he says, may be part of a wider strategy on that group to "flush out the modern Orthodox like they did in Har Nof," an ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem suburb largely cleansed of moderate Orthodox and secular residents
Last year, Nofei Aviv resident Ra'anan co-founded with Catriel Lev and others an Action Committee Against Violence in Beit Shemesh.
"The purpose of the rally was to protest against mainstream ultra-Orthodox silence against the violence."
'Modesty policeman' arrested on suspicion of beating woman
Highlighting what may be a growing trend in fanaticism, a 28-year-old resident of Jerusalem's Ramot neighborhood has been arrested for attacking a woman as part of his activity in the "tznius patrol" or modesty police.
Elhanan Buzaglo appeared in Jerusalem District Court on Sunday to answer charges stemming from a June 2008 home invasion in which a young woman was reportedly beaten by a group of ultra-Orthodox young men.
The woman had apparently been seen in the company of married men from the community.
Details of the investigation, which began a month and a half ago, reveal that members of the tznius patrol entered the woman's home and demanded that she move out, telling her that residents of the neighborhood had complained about her.
After the woman refused to do so, Buzaglo and two other men from the patrol allegedly attacked her. In addition, a third member of the patrol is suspected of stealing two cell phones from the woman's apartment during the fray.
Ultra-Orthodox 'Modesty Guard' suspected in beating of J'lem woman
By Haaretz Staff and Channel 10 www.haaretz.com August 7, 2008
Click here for VIDEO (interview with victim)
Charish Marked as the Next Chareidi City
By Yechiel Spira, www.theyeshivaworld.com August 11, 2008
Charish residents are planning to fight a government decision to build 10,000 units for the chareidi sector in their municipality, marked to become the next major chareidi city.
Residents are angered over what they view as a unilateral decision of the Housing Ministry, one that does not consider their way of life or future plans.
Housing Minister Ze’ev Boim is working closely with UTJ MK Rabbi Meir Porush, and they hope to soon begin selling the first 3,000 units. Charish is located near Nachal Iron (Wadi Ara), in proximity to Highway 6 (Yitzchak Rabin Highway).
Excellence Nessuah wins ultra-Orthodox Badatz approval for five mutual funds
By Nati Toker, www.haaretz.com August 6, 2008
Investment house Excellence Nessuah has received a stamp of approval from the ultra-Orthodox Badatz organization for five of its mutual funds that invest according to Jewish law.
Excellence Nessuah is the first investment house to receive approval from Badatz's committee for regulating investments and finance. Excellence now plans to launch a broad marketing campaign targeting the haredi community.
By Rabbi Jerome Epstein www.jta.org Opinion August 7, 2008
Rabbi Jerome M. Epstein is executive vice-president of The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the association of Conservative congregations in North America
In bringing the rest of the Ethiopian Jewish community waiting in misery in Gondar to rejoin their immediate families and the rest of the Jewish world in Israel, we are doing God’s work. It is a tragic irony that we must be reminded to do that work.
Major phase of Ethiopian aliyah ends, but advocates push for more
For now, it’s not clear when Israel will begin reviewing the 1,400 petitioners for their eligibility to make aliyah. And though Israeli officials have no obligation to bring the remainder of the 8,700 people said to be left in Gondar, advocates insist they will not give up their fight.
Falash Mura masquerading as Jews
By Danny Adeno Abebe, www.jta.org Opinion August 7, 2008
Danny Adeno Abebe, a journalist for Israel's daily Yedioth Ahronoth, made aliyah to Israel in Operation Moses in 1984
There is no greater tragedy than bringing people to Israel whose connection to Judaism is merely incidental at best, and at worst are non-Jews taking advantage of the ignorance of American Jews to better their lives.
Bringing masses of Christian Ethiopians to Israel impugns our Jewishness.
Aliyah from Ethiopia must continue
Barbara Ribakove Gordon is the founder and executive director of the North American Conference on Ethiopian Jewry
Israel has announced the end of the Ethiopian aliyah five times, but always has been overruled by the better angels of history, conscience and Zionism.
But Israel was born to be a haven for Jews, including the Ethiopians, and the gates will open again.
It will be Diaspora Jewry’s job to keep them alive in the meantime.
Last official airlift of Ethiopian Jews lands in Tel Aviv
IBA News www.jpost.com August 10, 2008
'Last' Falash Mura arrive, group slams gov't for leaving behind thousands of Jews
By Haviv Rettig, www.jpost.com August 6, 2008
65 Falashmura families arrive in Israel; quota filled
By Yael Branovsky, www.ynetnews.com August 5, 2008
Minor presence of Jewish Agency in Ethiopia may signal Falashmura aliyah
By Anshel Pfeffer, www.haaretz.com August 6, 2008
The Jewish Agency has left a skeleton infrastructure in Ethiopia, even though the mass immigration of Falashmura has been halted - which means it could start bringing in large groups again.
Despite the reports in yesterday's newspapers, the 61 Falashmura who arrived yesterday from Addis Ababa were not the last immigrants from Ethiopia, but merely the last large group to arrive in Israel under the 2003 cabinet resolution setting immigration criteria for the Falashmura.
Conservative Movement Tisha b’Av Appeal for Ethiopians
By Stewart Ain, www.thejewishweek.com August 6, 2008
In an unprecedented emergency appeal, the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism is calling upon its congregants to donate money to help the 8,700 Ethiopians of Jewish descent, or Falash Mura, who are going hungry there now that all food programs have ended.
The UJC had been providing $68,000 a month for food programs in Ethiopia until funding ran out June 30
Edah Haredit promotes 'anti-donor' card
By Matthew Wagner, www.jpost.com August 6, 2008
In the coming days, the Edah Haredit, an umbrella organization for some of the most zealous ultra-Orthodox rabbis, will launch a campaign against organ transplants.
What some religious circles see as a mitzva to save the life of an organ recipient, the Edah Haredit sees as murder.
"Our rabbis believe that removing a person's vital organs before pulmonary failure, even after brain death, is tantamount to manslaughter," said Shmuel Poppenheim, a spokesman for the Edah.
A membership card called "The Card of Life" will be distributed to Edah Haredit followers, and is to be carried at all times. The card contains a declaration that the holder refuses to donate any organs.
Poppenheim said the card included a stipulation that any questions regarding the determination of the death of the cardholder must be decided by Edah rabbis.
By Matthew Wagner, www.jpost.com August 6, 2008
Orthodox Jews who commit traffic violations or who smoke are just as ineligible to serve as witnesses in rabbinical courts or in Jewish weddings as pork-eating, Shabbat-desecrating secular Jews, according to a leading religious Zionist rabbi.
Anyone who blatantly and intentionally commits traffic violations, thus endangering human lives, is also purposely transgressing Halacha, says Hacohen.
In a halachic opinion made public ahead of a conference on road safety, Rabbi Re'em Hacohen, head of the Hesder Yeshiva in Otniel, near Hebron, said that reckless drivers and smokers show a callous disregard for human life - whether their own or others - and are therefore considered invalid witnesses.
"Anyone who blatantly and intentionally commits traffic violations, thus endangering human lives, is also purposely transgressing Halacha (Jewish law)," said Hacohen in a telephone interview with The Jerusalem Post, "and this disqualifies him to serve as a witness."
Hacohen said that smoking also constituted disregard for human life.
Tzohar rabbis say ‘no’ to sperm donations to single women
By Kobi Nahshoni, www.ynetnews.com August 7, 2008
Last year, Ynet reported on Petah Tikva Hesder Yeshiva Rabbi Yuval Sherlow’s ruling that allowed single women 37 and older to bring children into the world and claimed that the child’s welfare should not be considered.
In light of the public stir caused by this ruling, Rabbi Sherlow committed to consult with his rabbi [colleagues] before announcing similar rulings in the future.
In an unprecedented attack on this phenomenon, Rabbi Rabinowitz added that “bringing an orphaned child into the world is an unimaginable act.
Rabbis offer professional sexual, marital advice
By Nissan Strauchler, www.ynetnews.com August 6, 2008
“The objective is to provide rabbis with information that is beyond the Halachic aspect,” said Rabbi Daniel Nikritin, who was trained to conduct couples' workshops.
Israeli Food Company: We won't sell produce grown by Arabs
By Amiram Cohen, www.haaretz.com August 4, 2008
Israeli produce marketing company Otzar Ha'aretz announced on Monday that it will not market produce grown by Arab farmers, and will from now on only sell only Jewish-grown products.
The company, which has been marketing fruits and vegetables to the ultra-Orthodox community during the shmita (sabbatical) year, announced that it will continue to operate once the year is over in effort to "support Jewish agriculture in Israel."
A new 770 building goes up in Zichron Yaakov
www.shturem.net August 7, 2008
A new building replica of 770 is being erected in the northern town of Zichron Yaakov.
The Chabad shaliach in Zichron Yaakov, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Freiman said this is a dream come true. He said he has been dreaming about it for 3 years and recently building went into high gear and the chanukas habayis is expected to take place Chai Elul.
August 11, 2008 (Section 2) (continued from Section 1)
Editor – Joel Katz
Religion and State in Israel is not affiliated with any organization or movement.
