Also in>thislssue: 111y1:lw • xnp K:l:l • riiJyri Ii oi~pw • I11jjj. ilii il11:lY • xyiy)J K:l:l • i!~lllJ Ii KlJ1l • I1:l!V. 111i11il • x111:l K:l:l • 1up ivin Ii i!j10 II p:l11iy. t:Pn:lt • pi1i!JO • i!llln II i!Yl:l II oinon • I11j)J • I11)Jjl II i!J!Vil !VKi II THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021-6615 is published monthly except July and August by the Agudath Israel of America, 84 William Street, New York, N.Y. 10038. Second class postage paid in New York, N. Y. Subscription $24.00 per 4 year; two years, $44.00; three years, $60.00. Outside of the United States (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $12.00 surcharge per year. 4 Single copy $3.50; foreign $4.50. A Shocking Act of Violence- POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Tracing Its Sources, Absorbing Its Lessons Jewish Observer, 84 William Street, N.Y., N.Y. Rabbi Elya Svei, N"\?>?'1!1 10038. Tel: 212-797-9000, Fax: 212-269-2843. Printed in the U.S.A. 8
RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, EDITOR Surprising Settings, Yearning Souls Nissan Wolpin EDITORIAL SOARD DR. ERNST L. BODENHEIMER Chairman 12 International Law: RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS JOSEPH FRIEDENSON A New Front in the Campaign to Protect Torah Values RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN Moishe Zvi Reicher MANAGEMENT BOARD 21 AVI FISHOF NAFTOLI HIRSCH Remembering Dr. Isaac Lewin 7"r ISAAC KIRZNER Joseph Friedenson RABBI SHLOMO LESIN ARTHUR MARX 23 NACHUM STEIN Outrage in Ashkelon RABBI YOSEF C. GOLDING Yonason Rosenblum Suslna$$ Managor 29 Published by Agudath Israel of America The Shatnes Story RABBI MOSHE SHERER Baruch Shubert PRESIDENT 31 POSTSCRIPT SOLE U.S. ffiAOE DISTRIBUTOR EUROPEAN REPRESENTATIVE Feldhelm Publishers M. T. Bibel man Religious Zionism Receives a "Dear John" Letter 200 Airport Exetutive Park Grosvenor Works Spring valley, N.Y. 10977 Mount Pleasant Hill 33 SECOND LoOKS London ES 9NE. ENGLAND ISRAEll DISTRIBUTOR AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR The Berya Principle-How to Make the Most of a Disaster Nechemla Rosen1ter11 Gold's Book & Gitt co. Kiryat Telshe Stone, 108A 36 William Street 34 BOOKS IN REVIEW 0.N. Harel Yehuda, ISRAEl Balaclava 31B3. Vic., AUSTRALIA Make Me, Don't Break Me, reviewed by Rabbi Labish Becker THE JEWISH OBSERVER does not assume responsibility for the Kashrus Full Circle, reviewed by Tehilla Weisberg of any product, publication, or service POETRY advertised in its pages ©Copyright 1996 33 How Do You Live'?, by Rabbi W. 39 Poverty of the Senses, by Rivka Schmelczer JANUARY 1996 VOLUMEXXVllJ/NO. 10 36 LEITERS TO THE EDITOR AShocking Act of Violence Tracing Its
for such protection. Sources, How, though, _- -<-;:4t is one zocheh to ,,,, such protection? Its The Vilna Maggid cites a Midrash that points out that Yehoshua was cho Lessons sen to fight Amalek be- cause, as a descendant of gree we too have fallen short of what the one (Yosef) who said, "! fear An analysis ofthe recent is expected of us. Hashem," he was the perfect nemesis events in Eretz Yisroel that for the nation (Amalek) that "does not TO BE MERCIFUL HUMAN fear Hashem." rocked the world, based on an BEINGS Normally, when one faces an en address by Rabbi Elga Svei emy, the Maggidexplatned, one tries e early Zionists decided that to discover the nature of his weap N"V'7V. Rosh Hayeshiva of hey had had enough of the omy, so as to counter it with some the Yeshiva ofPhiladelphia, T:passive. refined Golus Jew thtng stronger. StnceAmalek's power who, as they saw it, could be Jed like lay tn its Jack of fear of Heaven, its member ofthe Moetzes sheep to the slaughter; they, instead, lack of any scruples, and its willing Gedolei Ha Torah (Council of would create a new Jew, one capable ness to employ whatever means were of truly dealtng with his enemies with at its disposal to destroy Kial Yisroei Torah Sages) ofAgudath strength. How do we relate to this without inhibition or restraint, it Israel ofAmerica, delivered at goal? might be assumed that, to fight such The Ohr Hachaim explains the an enemy, one may also resort to the recent national Conven seemingly redundant phrase whatever means are deemed neces "v'nosan lecha rachamim tion ofAgudath Israel. v'richamcha-and He will give you sary, without any hesitation. mercy and bestow mercy on you" But the Torah says otherwise, A e anger and invective that was used by the Torah in its command to Jew must always be one who "fears imed by liberal Jews at the destroy an ir hanidachas, a Jewish Hashem"; that is the only way in 11ntire Orthodox world in the city in Eretz Yisroel that embraced which he can emerge victortous. wake of the assassination of Prime idolatry. The Ohr Hachaim explains When a Jew, chalila, becomes vio that the very act of killing others Mtnister Yitzchak Rabtn. by an iden would naturally create an inherent lent and cruel simply because he is tifiably Orthodox young man, was as cruelty, a callousness toward human fighting an enemy who is violent and relentless as it was illogical. These life in the killers, even if they are act cruel; when he is not guided by the accusers potnted with disdatn to our ing in accord with a command of the Torah's directives but by those of a claim that an educational system de Torah. Chazal note, "When one has secular movement; when he goes be void ofTorah values is bankrupt, and mercy on creatures, Hashem has yond the bounds of what the Torah in response accuse us of having mercy on him." In normal circum permits tn fighting a cruel and sadis stances one would expect that G-d raised the likes of Goldstein and would not deal mercifully with those tic enemy, and employs their cal Amir. who destroy an ir hanidachas. Thus, loused tactics-as has been widely It is obvious that their accusations Hashem assures them that He will reported about Ylgal Amir's excessive do no have a gratn of truth tc them. provide them with special Divine pro violence toward Palestinians as a But our recognition is not enough. We tection to shield them from that natu member of the Israeli army's "Golani have a responsibility to take careful ral desensitization to the holiness in Brigade"-then Hashem's special herent to a human life. When a Jew is note of what did indeed nurture that explicitly commanded to resort to vio protection is denied him, and he him act of violence and to see to what de- lence for a holy purpose, he can hope self becomes desensitized to violence.
4 The Jewish Observer. January 1996 Let us not forget that the Zionist lie? One might suggest several possi sorely lacking in the only element credo of worship of brute strength as bilities. First-we should focus on the truly relevant to such a vital topic: the a viable tactic for the New Jew served midda of azus (the character trait of Torah's directive. The majority of as the root for "Kahaneism." The fol- boldness). Gedolei Yisroel have expressed the 0 lowers of Kahane likewise arrogated The Gemora associates K1al Yisroel opinion that it is, if unfortunate, nev to create a Jewish defense posture by with azus. On the one hand, Rabbi ertheless permissible to give up parts training young Jews to protect their Meir sees brazenness as a negative of the Land for hatzolas nefashos. brethren wherever they are found by trait, and we Jews require Torah to saving lives. They do not, however. relying on brute strength, so that neutralize it. On the other hand, have confidence in the current "Never Again" will Jews suffer perse Tanna d'vei Rabbi Yishmael views government's policies in terms of cution-an approach utterly anti azus as a positive attribute that safeguarding the populace's seculity. thetical to Torah. For without G-d's makes Jewry, endowed with this The persistence of a political debate Divine protection, we are vulnerable strength. a worthy recipient ofTorah on a halachic issue demonstrates a to the worst mistreatment imagin (Beitza 25b). In a similar manner, lack of that obstinacy. that determi able. It was those movements that Rabbi Yehuda ben Teima (Avos V:23) nation, thatis demanded of aJewre were the root cause of acts like those exhorts a person to be "az (bold) as a gardingTorah-based values. of Dr. Goldstein. who gunned down a leopard," giving azus a positive spin; At the same time. azus panim-the number of Arab worshippers two yet in the statement that follows, he external coarseness that is the very years ago in Hebron, and Yigal Amir. relegates" az panim (a brazen person) antithesis of the defining Jewish Mr. Rabin's murderer. The attitudes to Gehinom" How do we reconcile the characteristics of being rachmanim, that fostered their actions are totally two seemingly contradictory ap- baishanim v'gomlei chassadim (mer- alien to Torah. LESSONS TO BE LEARNED If we stand accused of something of which we are not hen an unusual event guilty, we must take that imputation as a Divine strikes the Jewish people, W it is a call for us to engage charge to strive for greater perfection, for more in introspection. If Hashem has al lowed such a chillul Hashem to take exacting standards in that very area where we are place. wherein we are accused of an act of murder, and the Torah is held unjustly faulted. Where, then, do our weaknesses lie? responsible for such acts, we must view it as a demand that we realize- and respond te>--<;omething we are proaches? ciful. modest. and chalitable)-must lacking. something that we are doing According to Rabbi Elya Lopian, a be reined in by Torah. If we see that wrong. Jew can-and must-use his inborn certain segments of our community Clearly. those who have blamed trait of boldness for service to are lacking in eidelkeit-refined be Mr. Rabin's murder on the Orthodox Hashem !fhe does not. it becomes a havior-then that would sadly indi are driven by hatred. a deep resent destructive force in his personality. cate that there must be a correspond ment of those whose connection to So, while azus-"brazenness"-is ing lack of proper commitment to To the lifeblood of the Jewish people is usually judged by Chazal to be an rah on our part. For our weakness in stronger than their own. But all the unhealthy midda, there is a type of Torah study is what permits the shal same, we are taught by the Gemora azus, an inner azus, that is not only low azus of brazenness to fester. that in the future, Nimrod will testify good, but an essential trait of the Jew to Avraham Avinu's emuna and ish people, one that qualified them for DEGREES OF MURDER tzidkus, and Lavan to Yaakov's com receiving the Torah. It may well be mitment to emes, to truth. Their that we are lacking in that boldness. eyond azus, our community is worst. most hateful enemies! But that determination that is requisite being accused of murder. when one is all he should be, even his for receiving the Torah and that is BWhat message to us lies in most spiteful enemies are forced to strengthened through learning To this? We are reminded of the martyr acknowledge that truth. rah. When it is not properly directed, dom of Rabbi Yishmael. Whenhewas If we stand accused of something it degenerates to its negative form. about to be killed by the Romans, he of which we are not guilty. we must We can place this shortcoming accepted his fate, as decreed by the take that imputation as a Divine tlrmly in the context of the situation Ribbono Shel Olam. Yet he wondered charge to strive for greater perfection, in Eretz YisroeL People have been in aloud to Rabbi Shimon why he was for more exacting standards in that volved in intense discussions about being led away to be executed to very area where we are unjustly the permissibility of trading land for gether with common murderers. faulted. peace. Many are drawn into the What could he possibly have in com Where, then, do our weaknesses heated debate. but their opinions are mon with them? Rabbi Shimon sug-
The Jewish Observer. January 1996 5 gested, "Did you ever postpone the Without a sufficiently strong con decision ofa shei'elaasked by a per nection to Torah, though, our Divine son in search of a psak?" The Alterwas conveying protection from taking the life of an Rabbi Yishmael indeed recalled other is severely compromised. We such a case, where he had made a the concept that if one must thus understand that the widow wait for a decision until he fin does not feel pain upon charges hurled against us are in fact ished putting on his shoes. Rabbi a mandate to us to intensify our com Yishmael was pacified, for he ac the death of another, he mitment to live in accordance with cepted that causing of pain to others Torah and to increase our study of had been judged, for someone of his lacks true appreciation Torah. level of sancti1y, to be akin to murder. Perhaps the Torah communi1y is of the importance of life, OUTREACH: THE KEY being vilified for complici1y in Yigal Amir's act of murder because the To of the meaning of a e should not think that rah forbids other types of "murder" those who malign us are beyond the obvious one, and, at some tzellem Elokim. W beyond being convinced of level, our own shortcomings-<:onsid their error. Take note: Before de ering our status as Torah Jews-are stroying Sodom and Amorah, G-d in somehow included in one of those An incident is told regarding the great formed Avraham Avinu of His plan. more subtle expressions of blood Mussar personality. the Alter of Kelm, The reason for this: "For I have cher shed. This surely calls for further self Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv. As a rule, the ished him because he commands his examination.... Perhaps we are being Alter was very pale-except on children and his household after him held accountable for not being greater Shabbos, when the kedusha of the day that they keep the way of Hashem to rachmonim, more sensitive brought color to his cheeks. On one par do tzeddaka and justice" (Bereishes baishanim, more magnanimous ticu1arShabbos, he was extremely pale, IS, 19). The lesson that He had gomlei chassadim. visibly troubled-something highly un wished to impart to Avraham was usualfor him. Asked what was sadden that-as he was to learn in his at CARING FOR OUR LIVES ing him he replied that he had heard tempts to save Sodom-the presence that on Erev Shabbos the town pharma of ten tzaddikim can save a city. rder becomes an option to cist, anon-observantJew. had.died. True, this had no relevance to people who lack the requi And then the Alter added an odd, Sodom, for it did not possess ten M ite concern for human life. chilling thought: "Anyone who is not tzaddiktm But it would be important pained by the pharmacist's death could for future occasions: Ten tzaddikim just as well have killed him!" can inspire thetr ci1y's inhabitants to The Alter was conveying the con teshuva. cept that if one does not feel pain Now, had Sodom been home to ten upon the death of another, he lacks tzaddiktm they could well have been true appreciation of the importance of there for years without effecting a life, of the meaning of a tzetlem mass teshuva. But that does not Elokim. mark the ci1y for oblivion. As long as The Gemora (Pesachim 49b) notes ten tzaddikim live there, and as long that it is improper, even unsafe, to as they truly try to reach their fellow 49161.'lth Ave., 8'klyn, N.Y. 11219 travel together with an am ha'aretz (718) 854-2911 citizens, there is hope for the ci1y (unlearned Jew) because "if he cares even for Sodom. not about his own life, he will surely In the contemporary scene, we not care about another's." our community-must serve as the In what way does an am ha'aretz TAPES PROM ten tzaddikimwho can tum the world manifest his indifference to his own around. We must exert our influ RABBI AVIGDOR MlltER life?-Because he does not study To Aayonc Wlshblg To Bay ence-even on the very people who Tapes Whether Oao T- Or rah, which is the very essence of a malign us. They are not beyond hope. ~ c... Ozder l'lom Jew's life! Thus, having no And, for certain, our efforts can bear S.Y.K rachmonus (mercy) on his own life, no fruit in regard to their children. The P.O.R 190797 focus on what the true meaning of his Brooklyn, N.Y. 11219 Midrash on Toldos points out that A! $2.60 Per tape life is, he is liable to be indifferent to when Yitzchak sensed the fragrance Please Make Check Payable someone else's life. of Gan Eden in Yaakov's clothing to S.Y.K It is obvious, then, that having true (b'godim), there was a reference to the If you wish to obtain a list of Jewish sensitivi1y to life calls for be the tapes please send a self possibili1y that even the bogdim. the addressed envelope to the ing involved in Torah. The stronger traitors of the Jewish people, can be above address. our connection to Torah, the greater brought to kedusha. value we place on our lives. Yak.um lsh Tzeroros. the nephew L----~--· ---~ 6 The Jewish Observer. January 1996 the conidors of temporal power. The People have been involved in intense discussions political leaders of Israel do not rule over the Land. We must recognize about the permissibility of trading land for peace. that Eretz Yisroel's only owner is Hashem. He and He alone deter Many are drawn into the heated debate, but their mines who will live there and under what circumstances. "[It is a] Land opinions are sorely lacking in the only element truly that the eyes ofHashemElokechaare always upon it, from the beginning of relevant to such a vital topic: the Torah's directive. the year until the year's end" (Devarim 11, 12). And if He has de creed that we are unworthy of parts ofYosie ben Yo'ezer Ish Tzereida, was yeshivas that have emanated from of the Land, that decree must have riding a horse on Shabbos, and he the anti-religious press both here an impact on us on a spiritual level; encountered his uncle as he too was and in Israel-a threat that has al being led astride a horse-to be we must try to understand why such hanged by the Romans. Said Yakum ready been carried out to a degree- a terrible edict has been rendered to his uncle, "Look at the horse that we must realize that this obligates us against us. After all. until now we my master provides for me, and look all the more, for now we must provide had the zechus to control all of Eretz at the horse your Master has given even more support for Torah mosdos. YisroeL and now that we are losing you." . .. . This in itself may be a salutary parts, it could be viewed in terms of Replied Rabbi Yos1e, If His tum of events. Until now, our Torah antagonizers are so (favored), how the Land rejecting us. much moreso those who please Him?" institutions have been dependant on These are times of high risk. We "But who pleases Him more than appreciable funding contributed from need the protection of the merit ofour you?" asked Yakum. non-religious sources. It is well sacred ancestors. Recently some "If such [suffering is in store] for lmown that the Vilna Gaonremarked have had the audacity to desecrate those who please Him, how much that when a child learns Torah in a the kevorim of Chaslunonaim. Who moreso for those who anger Him!" sejerthat was published with monies said Rabbi Yosie. !mows what the implications of such The words penetrated Yak.um like that were borrowed on terms that in acts may be! Why don't we react with the venom of an adder. He left the volved payment of ribbis-usury. alarm and outrage? A few months scene and inflicted the four types of which is prohibited by the Torah-the ago. the government was prepared to capital punishment on himself. child will suffer limitations in his give away Kever Rochel until we pro On his way to the gallows, Yosie achievements. He will fail to retain his ben Yo'ezer slipped into a trance and tested. Why do we remain passive learning. now? envisioned his nephew's bier afloat If before him. "It seems to me," he said, we are forced to undertake the The past few years have seen "that he precedes me to Gan Eden." full support ofour own mosdos, to re scores of thousands of foreign non Midrash Yalkut, Toldos 115. place funds withheld by erstwhile Jews being brought to Israel as Jews, secular philanthropists. the result altering the very image of our Land, Yakum ben Tzeroros intended to can only be beneficial, realizing even taunt his saintly uncle on his road to while laws are being passed, trading stronger hatzlacha, producing even away its very soul. We cannot fully martyrdom-not your most likely greater b 'nei Torah than in the past. candidate for teshuva And yet he was fathom the effect such rejection of deeply affected by Rabbi Yosie's few kedusha can have on our rights to live THE TRUE BAALHABAYIS-AND in the entirety of Eretz Y'tsroeL 1bis is well-targeted words. [See Sichos THE PATH TO GE'UIA Mussar. Rabbi Chaim Shmulevitz, certainly cause for deep concern on Maamor32, 5731.] our part. e live in very difficult times. We must strengthen ourselves in We must become a positive influ To fully appreciate the ence on those very people who are all aspects of kedusht>-personally, W events we are witnessing, communally. and nationally. All trag slandering us, and certainly on their we cannot interpret them with con edies, in a deep sense. serve as les children. Of particular importance in ventional understanding, but must this effort is our support of those in sons, prompting us to improve our ass1'me a Torah perspective instead. selves. Understood as such, provid stitutions, both in America and in If the current government decides to Eretz YisroeL ing we respond in kind. they are part that are dedicated to relinquish control over parts of Eretz bringing young Jews closer to our of the path to our Ge'ula. may it ar YisroeL the decision was not made in mesorah. rive quickly, in our days. •
. . RESPONDING TO A THREAT A Committee· has been formed for . le we take strong excep shidduchim for Russian Ba'alei Tshuva. ·· . on to the calls to withhold Info. (718) 692""0079 . . ... unds from Orthodox . > . . ·.. . ·. . ·.
The Jewish Obseroer. January 1996 7 Nissan Wolpin
\-',, < -;:>':-'
,~S~[()~~i~~al at Federations' ...... >•/ " ;;;\;: t::1·*,-~ff'.OfW NO .'I'lME FOR the hearts of these people are than marked the first time that. .. [represen BUSINEss AS USU.l\L are their activities, and we would be tati~.,.. ofJ Jewish,<.¢ommunal organi remiss if we do not take note of that zatio'hs across.·North America fo possibility. cused. 0!1-.... experlencing-and not just assirriilation an3.intermar' talking a~ut-tp.e stuff that inspires Jewish c\j:!/-tinult;y. N agee look rates.. with c.. on... desperationtin .... u.e·········t··· o.··.. mo·ti· ht. for SOME POSITIVE NOTES Four Jilstituj:¢s. l!ilch containing some kind of iridication fhat ofuers several w&f~shaps and panel discus share our concern, and ~t to do he Federations have taken on sions, we~J~ted to "the 4,000 gen something about the perilous situa their responsibility toward in eral assembly ·delegates,... [at one of suring Continuity with gusto. the four on] Jewish identity and con tion. To us, the goals are cleitr and so T: tinuity, G.A. organizers expected are the steps essential to realizing and have been directing special about 600 participants.... Although these goals. In fact, they almost grants toward projects that to them enrolment was closed at 850, at least sound like cliches. would seem to further this goal. l,000 crowded into overflowing ball The Nitzchiyus ofK!hl Yisroel-its rooms to sing, to dance and to pray status as the Eternal People- 8 The Jewish Obseroer, January 1996 mission as one of teaching "our chil Jewish Women's Project of the JCC termarried couples, touring prime dren Torah, not just to know Torah, on the Upper West Side: spots of the religions of both members nor even to teach Torah, but to be To- •Training Outreach Professionals of the marriage; and an Israeli tour rah .... " Rabbi Eric Yoffie, who will fully for Working with the Intermarried re tailored especially for gay couples. take over as president of the UAHC ceived a grant of $50, 000; These programs may represent, at when Schindler retires... made it clear • Solomon Schechter (conserva best, a good way of inspiring contin that the movement's leadership is tive) High School of New York's pro ued support for Israel from Jews who catching up with its constituency, gram, "Along the Continuum ofCon have nebach gone over the edge in which for the last few years has been tinuity," was recipient of$48,750. terms of abandoning a life dedicated evincing a hunger for greater Jewish literacy and religious connection. •Other "Continuity" grants. from to Jewish values, but they hardly "The urgent need of the hour is a the Jewish Agency, seem like buying spell out a formula for long-range spiritual intensification of major pro into a formula for failure----sort of like Continuity of the Jewish people. portions," said Yoffie. hedging against defeat by investing in • As for the spirituality that in "Reform Jews are coming home. the opposing team. Two examples: formed the UAHC proceedings in At We are coming home to G-d, because special tours to Israel designed for in- lanta, one should not suspect that the G-d... chose us and thrust distinctive ness upon us. "We are coming home to Torah, because it is the very essence of our being, and because we see as our first duty and greatest joy the teaching of those sacred texts that bind us to a shared faith and a shared way of life," he said. Chosen-ness. Torah as the es sence of Jewish existence--these are ····ay;·~iilll The Jewish Observer, January 1996 9 Reform movement traded in Cincin A TREK THROUGH THE nati for Sinai. According to the JTA DESERT... TOWARD SINAI story, Shabbat dinners were offered to Obviously, one rekida delegates, but many well-heeled bviously, one rekidadoes not couples from the biennial were seen does not a chassid a chassid make. Nor does malting reservations for dinner that OSchindler's call for allegiance night at local non-kosher restaurants. make. Nor does to Torah by any means signal a rush At the same time, the Judaica ex to teshuva. Yet one would do well to hibit closed Friday afternoon ... but Schindler's call for accept the pronouncements cited reopened at 3:30 Saturday afternoon, above as evidence of deep. if undevel· hours before the end of the Sab allegiance to Torah by oped stirrings amongst these Jews, bath-yet not without protest from indicators of a genuine thirst for conventioneers! any means signal a rush something of greater substance than •Another marginally positive note: to the pale apologies for Judaism that the convention dealt for the first time teshuva. have been standard fare for so much with the Reform self-deception of ac of American Jewry for so many years. cepting children of mixed marriages We must take these signals seriously. (including those where the father is Until now, outreach efforts toward the sole Jewish partner, which ren most deliberately defiant anti-Torah our brethren who are distant from ders the offspring a non-Jew) as full public act in decades, the 4, 000 del Yiddishkeit were cognizant of formi· fledged Jews, as Jong as the younger egates of this convention witnessed dable barriers. The non-Orthodox generation studies in the Temple's the marriage of Israeli kibbutz'nik have openly rejected the divinity of Hebrew school-sometimes in tan Yair Cohen-a kohein-with his bride Torah, the binding nature of its dem with enrollment in a church Ruth, a divorcee. Their marriage, mitzvos, and all supra-rational as· school! The convention debated this sanctioned by Reform, is forbidden by pects of Judaism. Kiruv often focuses glaring inconsistency, some speakers Torah Jaw, and could not take place on the emotional impact of Jewish indicating that the problem may be in Israel, where civil statutes conform experiences, on the strength of quite common. "Rabbis and educa to halacha in matters of marriage and Jewry's historical continuity, or on tors around the country are dealing divorce. As a gesture of protest the textual "proofs" of the divinity of with children who are questioning against the rule of halacha, the Torah. The spiritual has often been one G-d, who are asking, 'What about couple was flown in to Atlanta, to be avoided until later stages in the the Trinity?' " said Harris Gilbert, married by a Reform clergyman. As novice's growth in Y"tddishkeit chairman of his Westfield, NJ, an added bonus, Minister of the Ab· Yet there always has been a spiri· temple's outreach committee. Ulti sorption, Yair Tzaban, who oversees tual thirst among Jews, and it is at mately the convention rejected the matters of personal identity of new our peril that we ignore it. Rabbi practice-but (on the negative side) o!im to Israel, also flew to Atlanta to David Gottleib, a leading figure in only by a narrow margin, in effect add his blessings to this high-profile Kiruv, currently on the faculty of Ye leaving the final decision in each defiance of halacha ... So much for shiva Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem, Temple's hands. Reform's embrace of Torah as our tells the following incident from the • And then, what might well be the national essence. year 1979, which he describes as Not just a cheese, a tradition... / ' Haolam, the most trusted name in Cholov Yisroel Kosher Cheese. A ':t• . reputation earned through 25 years of scn.1pulous devotion to quality ; ., and kashruth. With 12 delicious varieties. Haolam, a tradition you·u enjoy keeping. AU Haolam aieese products are malk in the U.S.A. under the strict rabbinical supervision of: 1he RabbiMU of ll'lul A.uth Jalmnm Cbolov Yisroel Wulll-.. • lkl .. 111 .. f'fY IO The Jewish Observer. January 1996 typical: copyojMes111as Yesharim'' withEngllsh A boy wlw hadjoined the Indian cult customarily eager "Good Shabbos." He translation. He pulled it out and said, Hari Krishna came into our home. He strode by Zev and Devora, into the living "This! I discovered this book last Sunday was born, raised and educated in Balti room, complaining, "You've been great in the Jewtsh library, and you never more. He said to me, "My father is Jew hosts, but now I've discovered that you shared it with me!" ish and I want him to become interested keep the bestjor yourselves." There are many Randys out there, in spiritual things. He can't accept my "What are you talking about?" asked thirsting for spirituality, perhaps cult, so I want to see whether there is Zev, his mind quickly leaping from fro even ready to submit to some of the anything worthwhile in Judaism for zen desserts that were saved for discipline required for personal him Tell me, does Judaism believe in a Shalash Seudos to his seminary-gradu growth. Dare we continue to hold soul? Do you believe in an after-life?" ate daughter whojust became engaged back from leading them in explora "Of course," I answered. "How could to a Lakewoodfellow. tion of The Path of the Just? • you not know that?" "What have we keptfrom you?" "Well, in our Reform Temple they Randy was searching the book she!f ""Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto's classic ethical never told us about that." lined wall until he spotted a weU-wom text, ThePathoftheJust. And then came the clincher: "I see by your dress and your home that you be lieve in the Torah and are living by its commandments; are there any others Wee you?" That such a question can be asked in Baltimore, a city that boasts one of the world's greatyeshivos and a strong Or thodox community is tragic. JO,June'Bl,p.7 We have every reason to believe that in these days of Ikvesa deMeshicha, when the footfalls of Moshiach echo down the corridor of history, the sacred sparks that lie dormant within every Jew are waiting to be fanned into a bright flame oflove of Hashem Many of our hesitations ofold simply have no validity. We pos sess an incredible, enviable spiritual ity, and our fellow Jews out there rec ognize it. Our dedication to Torah, our per sonal excitement in mitzva perfor mance, our own yearning for close ness to our Creator can take flight on the wings of our unquestioning, non judgmentalAhavas Yisroet and enter the hearts of our searching brothers and sisters, regardless of their formal affiliation-or total non-affiliation. They may be more ready, more recep tive for a spiritual awakening than we ever thought. Randy', a frequent guest of the Frankels', seemed to be responding to the wannth oftheirShabbos table, and genuinely enjoyed his occasional Chumash-and-Rashi sessions withZev Frankel. One Frtday evening, Randy en tered the welcoming open door of the Frankels' home, hardly muttering his 'Not the real name The Jewish Observer. January 1996 11 Moishe Zvi Reicher FUNCTIONING UNDER 'IWO and even conflict, in those ctrcum New York, is exceptionally well rep LEGAL SYSTEMS stances in which the two systems im resented. But there is in fact a fourth pose obligations which do not coin level-the international level-which Torah observant Jews, we cide, but rather which pull in differ has emerged in recent years as an are often reminded that we ent, and perhaps even opposite, di extremely important element in the ve simultaneously in two le rections. process outlined above. gal systems. When such tensions do arise from The simple reality is that interna On the one hand, we are governed time to time, we who live in demo tional law is constantly being created, by the secular law of the country in cratic, pluralistic societies, have be a considerable amount of it under the which we reside, and are subject to come accustomed to having repre auspices of the United Nations. Much the requirements and obligations it sentations made on our behalf to the of that international law imposes di imposes upon us in a range of areas appropriate secular authorities, with rect obligations on individual nations of our lives. At the same time, though. a view to having our sensitivities re such as the United States, and many we are at all times also subject to the spected, and our religious needs ac of those obligations in tum translate all-encompassing way oflife which is commodated within the wider secu themselves into legislation and court mapped out for us by the Torah, and lar system. After all, observant Jews decisions at the domestic level. Such expressed in the halacha, which are no less entitled than any other legislation and court decisions carry guides us in every facet of our exist group in society to have their inter within them a powerful potential to ence, both civil as well as ritual. ests represented and respected. affect, in a very direct way, our daily The duality in the requirements As a result, we regularly read and lives as Jews, and therefore the inter imposed upon us by the two legal sys hear about representations being ests of the organized Torah commu tems contains within it the seeds of made to legislators to shape law nity as a whole. difficulties. for there is no inherent which is being created, or to initiate A typical pattern has emerged in reason why the two systems should law which advances our interests; to the evolution of individual areas of necessarily coincide in the demands cases being argued in court, in an ef law. Someone-often an organiza which they make of us. And that im fort to influence the interpretation tion or group with a particular ideol mediately creates scope for tension, and application of the law; and to ogy, and a strategy for its implemen submissions being presented to bu tation- works through receptive Moishe Zvt Relcber has recently been appointed reaucrats, and others who implement member countries of the United Na as the Representative of Agudath Israel World Or - the law, with the object of having it tions to have an item designed to fur - ganizatlon to the United Nations. For many years, implemented in our favor. ther their objects placed on the he was active in Jewish communal affairs in Melbourne, Australia, in particular as Pre'>ident of agenda of either the United Nations Kollel Beth Hatalmud, affiliated with the Lakewood THE FOURTH LEGAL LEVEL General Assembly or one of the other Yeshiva. and he was at the forefront of efforts to INTERNATIONAL LAW organs or bodies affiliated with the safeguard Jewish interests in the areas of autop UN. Generally, the aim of the exer sies, shechita and gittin and civil divorce. He now cise is to secure the conferral of lives in Brooklyn, where he practices as a legal con t goes without saying that, at the sultant, Bais Din counsel and arbitrator, and federal, state and city levels of "rights" on a particular group in so teaches international law at the University of Penn I government, the Torah commu ciety. The United Nations body in sylvania Law School. nity in this country, particularly in question will debate the item, pass a 12 The Jewish Obseroer, January J 996 resolution of a general nature, couched in terms of rather vague and unobjectionable principles, en The duality in the requirements imposed upon us by the dorsing the rights intended to be conferred; and it will then go on to two legal systems-the secular and ha/acha-contains call for the convening of an interna tional conference to prepare a de within it the seeds of difficulties, for there is no inherent tailed treaty or convention to en reason why the two systems should necessarily coincide shrine and elaborate upon the gen eral principles, and convert them in the demands which they make of us. And that into specific, binding obligations. The international conference will immediately creates scope for tension. meet, and attending nations, having prepared their positions in advance, will work hard over however many sessions it takes. with the result that significant measure. is already the tion and other types of education a draft convention will emerge. 1his status quo. The obverse of that, how which will help achieve this aim and, in particular, by the revision of text~ convention will be opened for signa ever, is that the Torah community is in the far more difficult position of books and school programmes and ture, and, over time, will secure suffi the adaptation of teaching methods." cient ratifications to come into force. having to argue to reverse, or at least When that happens, its provisions ameliorate, the effects of what has al IMPLICATIONS OF THE WOMEN'S create the binding obligations on par ready been accepted, both at the in CONVENTION: ties which are referred to above. ternational level as well as in govern Thus, if the United States is a party ment. to such an international instrument. An excellent example of the diffi The Integrity of the Bais Yaakov it will have obligated itself to give ef culties which can flow from the cre Curriculum fect to its terms, and usually that en ation of international law in this tails the enactment by Congress of fashion is an international conven t does not take too much imagina federal legislation, which in turn tion which was adopted by the tion to sense the implications means that all of us are potentially United Nations General Assembly in I lurking in these words. What, for affected. 1979, the Convention on the Elimi instance, does it mean to speak of nation of all Forms of Discrimina "access to the same curricula"? Does TOO LATE IN THE SCENARIO tion Against Women ("the Women's it mean that Bais Yaakovs would be Convention"). The object of the forced to teach their girls Gemora? Or at emerges from this sce Women's Convention, as its title im Yoreh De'ah? Or that. under the re nario is that, although the plies, is to ensure equality of treat quirement of "encouraging coeduca W effects may only be felt by ment for women in several spheres tion," yeshivas would have to admit the Torah community in the United of life. such as education and em girls? Would "access to ... the same ex States at the end of the process, ployment. But an examination of aminations" require women's semi when there is activity on Capitol Hlll some of its provisions reveals ideas naries to offer examinations in Yoreh and laws are being passed, it is quite which give the Torah community De'ah, perhaps as part of a formal clear that the real beginnings of that cause for concern. semicha program? And would kin process in fact take place long before The Women's Convention consists dergarten and elementary school then. Indeed, the die might already ofboth specific as well as general pro books have to be rewritten to elimi be substantially cast well before a visions. Among the specific provi nate the "stereotyped concept" of particular issue arrives in Congress. sions is Article 10, dealing with edu women as homemakers? Does that The result of that, of course, is thatit cation: "sterotyped concept" extend to mat "States Parties shall take all appro is substantially more difficult to ters such as who bentches licht on make successful representations at priate measures to eliminate dis crimination against women in order Friday night and who makes that relatively late stage, once the full to ensure to them equal rights with Kiddush? weight of international obligations is men in the field of education and in The answer is, that every one of bearing down. particular to ensure, on the basis of these interpretations of Article I 0 is Put another way, groups that have equality of men and women: open. on a fair reading of what it says. successfully traversed the process, "(b) Access to the same curricula, Thus, ifthe United States were to be and succeeded in having their the same examinations land] teaching staff with qualifications of the same come a party to the Women's Conven "rights" recognized in this fashion, standard.... tion, it would thereby be undertaking are in an infinitely stronger position "(c) The elimination of any stereo~ to the other parties to pass laws to than if they were starting from typed concept of the roles of men and give effect to its terms, including Ar scratch. By then, they are merely in a women at all levels and in all forms of ticle 10. position of defending that which, in education by encouraging coeduca- The Jewish Observer, January 1996 13 "Equality" in Emplyment when one adds to the specific provi the Women's Convention notes that sions in the Women's Convention the States Parties are: n the area of employment, too, the prescriptions of a more general na "Aware that a change in the tradi tional role of men as well as the role Women's Convention contains im ture. The Convention is replete with phrases such as "equality of rights," of women in society is needed to I portant obligations, including the achieve full equality between men and following, in Article 11: and others to like effect. which are women". "l States Parties shall take all ap readily open to interpretations ad And Article 5 contains the general propriate measures to eliminate dis verse to Torah values and prescrip obligation on States to "take all ap crimination against women in the tions. Equality means many things propriate measures: field of employment in order to en to many people, and numerous prac "(a) To modify the soeial and cul sure, on the basis of equality of men tices in the daily lives of observant tural patterns of conduct of men and and women, the same rights. in par Jews may be interpreted by an out women, with a view to achieving the ticular: side observer, looking at them elimination of prejudices and custom (b) The right to the same employ ary and all other practices which are ment opportunities, including the ap through the lenses of late twentieth century social movements and mo based on the idea of superiority of ei plication of the same criteria for selec ther of the sexes or on stereotyped tion in matters of employment." res, and unfamiliar with, and insen roles for men and women." Similar questions arise here as in sitive to, the halachic and hashkafic These general provisions serve to relation to education. In fact, Article framework within which they take highlight the problem. While there is 11 may, in certain respects, supple place, as being discriminatory in na much that is positive in the Women's ment and reinforce Article I 0 in the ture. Convention, and although in many sphere of education, by requiring situations it may well not pose any women to have the same opportunity Social and Cultural Implications difficulties, nevertheless there lie as men to be employed to teach, say, within its Articles profound implica Gemora. Quite conceivably, too, equal aliy, two other general provi tions. Read literally-and there are employmenat opportunities could be ons bear mention to complete many groups in the wider community interpreted to extend to employment FEthe picture and convey the full that are only too happy to do so-it as rabbis and other religious officers. flavor of what is intended. One para envisions a fundamental reordering And the difficulties are compounded graph of the introductory Preamble to of the way soeiety looks at the nature and roles of men and women, and their interaction with each other. As such, it contains the ammunition with which to launch a major assault on the practices of a religion which holds firm views on these matters views which may not be consonant with "modern" notions. TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON: THE AUSTRALIAN PRECEDENT e Women's Convention came nto force in 1981. and well over 130 countries are now parties. Interestingly. though, the United States is not one of them, but there is a possibility of it becoming so; the Convention is on the agenda for consideration by the Senate. which is constitutionally required to give its approval before the US be comes bound by its terms. The experience of my own country, Australia, is instructive in highlight ing the direction which events could take in the United States in relation to the Women's Convention. Austra lia became a party to the Convention in 1983, and a year later. in 1984, implemented its obligations thereun der by enacting the federal Sex Dis- 14 The Jewish Observer. January 1996 elimination Act. Fortunately, though, cepted by the Government, but if it is. the United Nations and other forums the legislation contatned express ex it could open up very serious prob on the international stage. ceptions, exempting certain religious lems for Torah-observant schools and activities, including employment in other institutions. ASUBTLE, YET SERIOUS education and the ordination of min The lesson that emerges from the PROCESS isters of religion, from its operation. Australian experience in this regard But in 1994, to mark the tenth an is quite salutary. The problems arise e the formation of inter niversary of its passage, the federal in the mid-1990s. But their origins lie ational law may well have Government commissioned a reView way back in the 1970s, some 20 years du-ect consequences for the of the operation of the Sex Discrimi ago, when the idea for the Women's Torah world, as demonstrated above, nation Act by the Australian Law Re Convention was first being developed. there is in fact a much subtler. yet no form Commission. Among the com And although the consequences may less serious. process taking place at ments and suggestions made in the manifest themselves in a yeshiva in a the international level: the United Na Commission's report was the recom distant corner of the earth. in the tions has become an important locus mendation that the religious exemp suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, this of moral influence in our community. tions be revoked. So far. that is a result of events that took place in Every society contains within it recomendation has not been ac- the conference rooms and corridors of myriad sources of influence on the THE COMMUTER'S CHAVRUSAH™ Tun1 yourcon11n11tc time into lean1i11g ti111c. You'll explore f;1sci11.1ti11g Im fa.chic issues in the PAR SHA /;lfest sc1ics of tapes fron1 Rabbi Fraud's popular u1eekly shiuri111. Join hint as he exan1ines the progression q_fhah1chafr0111 the Cluanash through poski111 to current resporzsa. E;zch t.1pe PERCEPTIONS concludt'S urifh hashkilfa Hnd ethical applications related to that parsha. EVClJ' full sefer Hearing the Timeless Message of Tora/J ordered conies in a convenient albu1n. It's <1finegiftfor.1friend. rel;1tive, or yourself. P;zrsha Perceptions, a a11upil.1tio11 qf the inspim Stt'MOS SERIES 8 timml hashkafi1 sections ofhis already avaii1ble ~ 356 Sh'mos Turning ;111 Offcnlfer()ver to the Secular Authorities shiuri111.fro1n Series 4, Sand G, nmkes Rabbi 0 357 Va'ryra Birclzas llarnotzi F'rand's keen insights •lccessible to evel)1011e. i:) 358 Bo Mezz11z;1h-What ls a Door? r',[lch pal'S/ta discussion hrtngs you into hamwny 0 359 B'shalach 1\1;1king Ice Ou Shabbos with the co111i11g Shabbos an1f helps enrich your 0 360 Yisro Dalis and St'1111cs: Is Ihcre An Avodah Z.1rah Problem? Shabbos table with tlwughl provoking concepts. 0 361 Mishpatlm Ba11kn1ptcy SH'MOS SERIES 2 0 362 T'rumah 171e Mechitza-How High? 1 0 1050 Sh'mos O 1056 T'rumah Q 363 Titzaveh 11ze "Mazik" ()n J urin1 r;:i 364 Ki Sisa 171e Mefacha ofMenmchek 0 1051 Va'eyra r;:i 10 5 7 Titzaveh 0 3 6 5 Vayakhel/Plkudei 'flu Melacila ofTearing 0 1052 Bo 0 1058 Ki Sisa r;:i J 053 B'shalach 0 1059 Vayakhel/ '7 PER TAPE/'60 PER SET 0 1054 Yisro Pikudei 0 Please send me the entire series for '60 (a savings of '10) O 1055 Mishpatim '7 PER TAPE/'60 PER SET O Please send me the Naml' entire series for '60 (Save $10) Addn·ss ___·-·· -···-----·-· City/Stat('/Zip Make eheckp,yableto Yaif'Yecbiel Institute, :p,o, Box 5~1, Owings Mills, Mllryland 21117-0Sil • 4~0;358·0416' U.S,Funds only, dtaVi'll on U.S. bank. Ov~as orders w:illb.e·billed.for additional shipping charge.s.. ··'\.;{ The Jewish Observer. January 1996 15 norms and mores which make up the One is the office of the Presidency feet of that filtered down through the moral and ethical fablic of that soci of the United States which, ever since general Amelican scene, so that di ety. These range from the immediate the incumbency of George Washing vorce became, if not quite respect and personal. at one end, to the na ton, has had associated with it an able, at least considerably less stig tional at the other. Examples of the aura which evokes feelings of respect. matized than it had been in the past. former are our parents. our teachers, if not outrtght awe, in many circles in A second example is the Supreme our Rabbonim, certain of our mends, society. The words and actions of the Court, which has a venerable air and so on. All exert an influence on President therefore have the potential about it, and that in tum earlies with the way we think and feel and behave. to mould our values in significant it considerable moral suasion. So, At the national level, by contrast. ways. Thus, when Ronald Reagan when the Court decided RoevWade in are major institutions which, by virtue was elected President in 1980, he 1973, it was not merely a case of de of the prestige associated with them, forced a reassessment of the common ciding that abortion was legal in cer also shape the way we look at things. wisdom, which had prevailed until tain circumstances. The decision Two examples from the American then, that a divorced candidate was caused social reverberations which scene will serve to illustrate the point. unelectable to the office. And the ef- were quite revolutionary. inasmuch as it changed the way society looked at the whole issue of abortion. As re cently as the 1950s, and even into the tumultuous 1960s, abortion was by and large a taboo topic, only to be dis cussed furtively and in hushed tones. CAMPAGUDAH It was, to adopt an evocative Yiddish term, a shandeh. And although the 1960s did much to break down the barrters, and shift the boundalies of TORONTO proprtety in so many respects, includ ing the area of abortion, the Supreme Court's decision gave it the implima .... Staff members from the finest tur ofrespectability. The Court's frank Yeshivas and seminaries and open treatment of the subject con ..- Excellent learning program tlibuted significantly to converting ..- Middos Toves, Derech Eretz and abortion into a legitimate subject of Tefillos stressed everyday discussion. And the effect of ..,.. Mishnayos Baal Peh and Bifnim that, in turn, was to erode society's Contests sense of moral disapproval. .- Stimulating Masmidim program ..,.. Modern, spacious and air Anti.Judaic Agenda conditioned facilities ..,.. Our sprawling sports facilities ikewise, at the international include: 4 baseball fields, level. a similar process has indoor and outdoor hockey L been taking place, particularly arenas, 2 volley ball courts, under the auspices of the United Na football and soccer fields, indoor tions. The UN, and valious bodies and outdoor basketball courts affftliated with it, are regularly orga ..,.. Amazing aquatic activities at our nizing conferences and meetings on 700 foot private beach and a wide valiety of subjects, and many waterfront, including: groups around the world have be • Canoeing and Rowboating come particularly adept at using • Motor-Boating those occasions as platforms from • Pedal Boating which to advance their own agendas •Water-skiing and promote their own values. Many • Banana Boating of those values are quite inimical to ,... White Water Rafting down the halacha and Torah hashkafa. Yet Madawaska Rapids those groups are succeeding in re ..- Water Parks markable fashion, and via the United er Overnight hikes to Algonquin Nations. in setting the agenda and Provincial Park shaping the outcome of discus And of course: sions-particularly on social issues • The Unparalleled Agudah Toronto Ruach which often lie at the heart of the moral tenor of society. 16 The Jewish Observer, January 1996 which accord with the Torah's con ception of the nature offamilial rela If the United States is a party to such an international tionships, and the respective roles of instrument, it will have obligated itself to give effect to men, women and children within them. It does not take much reflection its terms, and usually that entails the enactment by to discern the potentially serious strains which these discussions are Congress of federal legislation, which in turn means capable of placing on Jewish commu nities already faced with the advent of that all of us are potentially affected. social forces from the outside seeping in to erode Torah values. Two factors are usually to be found come yet another locus of moral in PLATFORM FOR ACTION: at the center of this process, In the first fluence in society. AGREEMENT ON THE place, the conferences and meetings An excellent recent example of this UNACCEPTABLE often pass resolutions and declara process at work is the United Nations tions. And although those resolutions Fourth World Conference on Women, e Beijing Women's Conference and declarations are not in any sense which was held in Beijing, China. in ulminated in agreement on a binding (apart from the Security Coun September 1995. It was attended by Platform for Action," a mani cil, no United Nations organ or body delegates from 189 nations, as well as festo setting out guiding principles has the power to pass resolutions several tl1ousand representatives of designed to be used to influence de which bind anyone), they may carry Non-Governmental Organizarions bate and legislative action at the na great moral weight, and are potentially from around the world. tional level. Although '!be New York very influential. Apart from anything On the one hand, the Conference Times. for instance, was quick to else, the mere fact that resolutions and considered such important social is point out that "the platform carries declarations have been passed is then sues as violence against women, fe no force of law," nevertheless it went exploited by those whose interests they male infanticide and other forms of on to note that "women's advocates serve; they are pointed to as evidence abuse and injustice suffered by in many nations can invoke its influ of the acceptance of the ideas which women. At the same time, though, ence in making arguments to legis they enshrine, and are then used as the Conference also discussed the latures to enact laws protecting springboards for the next step in the role of women in modern society, women's lights," meaning, of course, chain of events which leads to ever their relationships with men and with what the Conference defined as greater acceptance of those ideas. e.g. their families; indeed, the very nature women's rights. the preparation of an international and role of the family in society. With In other words, precisely the sort treaty or convention, the terms of out going into the details of the ideas of process described above has taken which will be binding. In short, the that were expressed, suffice it to say place. And in the meantime, a consid resolutions and declarations develop a that the views that gained the most erable amount of publicity was gen life of their own. attention in the media were not those erated along the way for a host of no- Normalizing the Deviant r------beyond that, though, some 1 Just ;r:ru ;unJJ $.?,;;.9 the conferences and meet gs generate a considerable : Imagine.. ;;;~·d;rc amount of media attention, and the consequent publicity confers an ex tremely high profile on the views which are there expressed. That means that the general public is bom barded by the views themselves, as Just ask these 9th-12th Grade-""""'-'-""""- well as the key phrases used to ex Ateret B.Y B.Y, Ashdod B.Y. Baltimore press them, and all of these are B.Y. Boro Park B.Y. Los Angeles B.Y. Monsey steadily ingrained in the psyche. The B.Y. Montreal B.Y. R.S.R. Hirsch B.Y. Spring Valley result is that these views become B.Y. Toronto ll.Y. Yerushalayim Bobov Bnos Zion "norma1" after a while and, once Machon B.Y. Prospect Bnos Leah Tomar Devorah Y.O.B. again, the threshold of moral disap 'IN71!1'1 Y-,N :J.j1J/'1 proval is lowered. 7M E~ - 7M tk n,::1. fJUrt! A Warm, Haimishe, Secure Atmosphere in Magnificent Yad Binyamin In this fashion, the level of interna jlt,J,tmt@iif)gfU•t:t.j tional law, especially as it is shaped Direded by Rabbi Sholom & Mrs. Chaya Ginzberg through the United Nations, has be- I • I ' ' . ' I The Jewish Observer. January 1996 17 ~---·-- ·------.,,,,. !ions which were being promoted, as ' mm> nH1!rl> ~ Tidt1 Nl well as the catch phrases used to de The Women's T;>n 1)):1 note them. Even if these were not ac i1r.J?'e> ~ 'C"M cepted into the Platform for Action on Convention is replete '"l .,., ~ l:l this occasion, the Conference suc ceeded in gaining currency for them, tl'DI!) 'lll'n 1'"tW with phrases such as and therefore, at the same time, a certain measure of credibility. And we "equality of rights", and can be confident that efforts will con DIGEST OF MEFORSHIM tinue to have them accepted, and that others to like effect, the Women's Conference will be 't1ip? ,n::J 't1ip? quoted and pointed to with regular which are readily open ?·ir1 ,yo?x ?xir.itu l";;,;;r.i ity, and generally used as a plateau Available at from which to make further advances to interpretations LEKUTEI for the groups promoting them. This is seen, to take but one in adverse to Torah values c1o Yitzchok Rosenberg stance, in discussions about respect 10 West 47th Street, Room 503 and prescriptions. New York. NY 10036 for the family. Generally, the family (Z12) 719·1717 has been relegated to a position of in significance in the Platform for Action. Equality means many 20 Volumes on Torah, Perek, Thus, it is treated cursorily as only one things to many people, Medrash, MegUos and Talmud. of many responsibilities in a woman's Proceeds of sales distributed life. And at times it is painted in nega and numerous practices among Yeshivos and used for tive, unpleasant terms, for example as reprinting of volumes o•H·of-print the venue for acts of v1olence against in the daily lives of PRICE: $8.00 PER VOWME women. But although counter pres Pirkei A vos available sure was ultimately applied to ensure observant Jews may be a brief statement that 'The family is interpreted by an outside observer, as being discriminatory. the basic unit of society and as such should be strengthened," attempts were made at Beijing to speak of re spect for ''families"--plural. On the surface, there may not ap pear to be any significance in the switch from the singular-"the fam ily," using the definitive article---to the plural. But an examination of all the important human rights conventions and declarations over the last half centuiy reveals countless references to "the family." Why, then, the subtle shift? The answer is that this was an attempt at a fundamental redifinltion of what constitutes a family. By speaking of"families," and calling for respect for all of them, it was hoped to convey that there are in fact many legitimate models of what qualifies as a family. The concept it sought to es tablish is apt to describe not only situations in which a man and a woman live together in a marital union, but also where they do so 18 The Jewish Observer, January 1996 without marriage, or where the people cohabiting are of the same 'T"O:l gender: all circumstances qualify Importance of "'MAZEL-TOV" Are you, or is someone you kno\'f, equally for the appellation "family." Agudath Israel In physically handicapped and looking for a shidduch? The immediate effect of that would volvement in the U.N. Our organization is strongly endorsed by Gedohm. be to devalue the traditional notion of FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: a family, by relegating it to no more An JnteNiew with Prof. Reicher 718-437 ·0281 • 10 A.M. - 10 P.M. than one of several different models. nternational law is constan~ly be Although the proponents of the ing created under the auspices of phrase "respect for families" were not Ithe United Nations. explained successful in this respect. something Professor Reicher, and much of that very similar was achieved by them. law can impose direa obligations on After affirming the family as the ba indivldual nations. some of them sic unit of society and calltng for it to eventually translating themselves be strengthened, the Platform for Ac into legislation at the domestic level. tion goes on to proclaim that "[iJt is "As a result," he pointed out, "discus entitled to receive comprehensive sions at, and decisions made by, the protection and support." But then the United Nations can affect the inter next sentence proceeds to define ests of the Torah world. Hence the what is meant by "the family": "Jn dif importance that Agudath Israel, as ferent cultural, political and social an advocate for that world. be rep systems, various forms of the family resented in the halls of the U.N. and, exist." So the implication is clear. all if need be, heard in the process of the different forms which the family the formation of international law." takes deserve respect and strength The United Nations also regularly ening, and are entitled to comprehen organizes meetings and conferences sive protection and support. on a wide variety of subjects. Profes Jn the world of diplomacy, an old sor Reicher continued, conclaves adage goes, words are bullets. In this that are often used by various case, a seemingly innocuous shift in The Yitti Leibel groups to advance their particular ~ wording in fact carries with it poten platforms and values. Since some of HELPLINE tially far-reaching implications. In the those platforms and values may be meantime. however, inroads have No Pr~blem is Too Big••• inimical to the interests of Torah and been made. in the sense that there is No Problem is Too Small... Kial Yisroel, it becomes particularly far greater consciousness now than C'.J ls there some terrible thing happening in important for Orthodox Jewry to before the Beijing conference of the your family' thit you are afraid or have a "voice" in the U.N. that can ashamed to tell anyone? approach to defining the family which play a role in helping inftuence the was promoted there, and various LJ Are you a teenage or y6ung adult having Organizations agenda - especially problems that are too difficult for you people in public life as well as in the on social issues that "have impact on to handle?? media are increasingly given to refer the moral tenor of society and there CJ Are yo11 single or married and ring to respect for families. The shift fore affect us a11:· experiencing persona] or inter~personaJ in thinking, and with it expression, conflicts?? A third area in which Agudath Is has already commenced. Cl Are you confronted with a situation that rael World Organizations U.N. pres requires you to find a:n objective liStener? ence plays an important role is the o summarize, then, the inter some of the 1brah community~'I highly forum thereby provided it for effec · national arena has, on the one skiUed therapists are availablelotalk fq you tive communication with representa on the phone, With to'lal anonymity. hand, become an important fo T tives of countries throughout the 11 () ll R S rum for the creation of laws and legal world, as well as with other non Monday • Friday (Day) 8:00AM. 12:00 Noon notions which ultimately may affect us Monday· Friday (Eve.) governmental organizations and in 8:00PM • IJ:00PM very direclly at the personal level. At the Sunday 9:00AM "12:00 Noon stitutions. Agudath Israel, through its same time, though, it has become an 9:00PM • ll:OOPM representative, is able to communi extremely significant venue for mould cate with every member-nation on a Dial (718) HELP·NOW (435-7669) ing societal values that affect us by wide range of subjects, whether on In Chicago, call 1·800·HELP·023 shaping, consciously or otherwise, the In behalf of individuals or groups need New Jersey, call 1·908·363·1010 way people think and look at things, ing help, or on larger issues of con This month's service oftbe help line has been dedicated by: and eventually the way they speak and cern to the Torah world. Mr and Mrs. Erwin Weinberg act. In both respects, it therefore mer of Riverdale, NY, its the concern and attention of the To Prepared by Rabbi Avi Shafran. Director of Public Affairs of Agudath Israel ofAmerica and Dr. and Mrs. Michael Weinberg rah community, alongside the na of Dayton, OH. tional, state and city arenas. • L'zecher nishmas "Our Loved Ones" The Jewish Observer, January 1996 19 ------, Convention Tapes Order Form QUANlTri TOTAL I PLENARY SESSIONS THURSDAY AFTERNOON THE JEWISH FAMILY: Overview: Rabbi Avrohom Pam Men's session: Rabbi Shmuel I)ishon, Rabbi Yisroel Miller Women's session: Rabbi Yisroel Reisman, Rebbetzin Zahava Braunstein - 2 tapes $12.00 $__ --~~-~=~ THURSDAY EVENING THE FAMILY OF JEWS, Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetzky, Rabbi Yaakov Perlow {Novominsker Rebbe), --.. ~abbi Yisroe~_Rokowsky, Rabbi Yiss?cher Frand - 2 tapes _____ $12.00___ _ $ __ MOTZOEI SHABBOS - KEYNOTE SESSION Rabbi Chaskel Besser, David Schick, Rabbi Elya Svei, Rabbi Elya Fisher, Rabbi Moshe Sherer, Rab~i Ma~tisyohu -~olomon, Rab~i Nac~man ~ulman - 2 tapes $12.00 $ __ SUNDAY MORNING SHEHAKOL BORO LICHVODO, THE JEW AS A VEHICLE FOR KAVOD SHOMAYIM Overview: Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Horowitz (Bostoner Rebbe) $12.00 $ __ ~abbi C~aim Dov Kell:,r, l)r. ~aron Twersky- 2 tapes ·-----·----· ENTIRE SET OF PLENARY SESSIONS - 8 tap" $40.00 $__ STUDY GROUP IN JEWISH HISTORY THE SPANISH EXILE THROUGH WORLD WAR I Rabbi Shlomo Rotenberg - 2 tapes $12.00 $ __ THE PROVIDENTIAL TRANSMISSION OF HALACHA Rabbi Lipa Geldwerth - I tape $7.50 $ __ THE RISE AND FALL OF JEWISH NATIONALISM Rabbi Joseph Elias - 2 tapes $12.00 $ __ ENTIRE SET OF STUDY GROUP IN JEWISH HISTORY - 5 tape; $25.00 $_ STUDY GROUP IN KIROV THE UNIQUENESS OF THE HEBREW LANGUAGE ___!:~bbi Sh.aya C?.hen - I tape $7.50 $ __ THE TORAH'S PROPHECIES AS THEY AFFECT _'!~E CHOSi::N NATION: Joseph Glatstein, Esq. - .. 1 tape______$7_._5_0__ $ __ _ S_UBLIME SHABB()S, Rabb; Shoyo Cohen-: I tape____ $7.50 ____$ __ WHAT TO SAY AND WHAT NOT TO SAY TO A NON~PRACTICING JEW: Dr. Barry Brenner~ I tape $7.50 $__ HOWTOTRULYENJOYLIFE• R,bb; Lobd L,mm- I tape $7.50 $__ --~------~----- ENTl RE SET OF STUDY GROUP IN KIRUV - 5 tape; $25.00 $ __ ENTIRE SET OF PLENARY SESSIONS.j.!Jip AND STUDY GROUPS 18 tape; "1n_:- $80.00 $ Shipping and handling {per order-· regardless ofnumber oftapes ordered) $4.00 TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED (All ,,J,,, muu be P"Pa;d) $ __ - PLEASE PRINT II.LL INFORMll.TION CLEll.RLY - NAME ___·--···------... ---..·------···--··---·--··--··--·------ ADDRESS __ ,,., ___·--···· .. --··--.·---.... --"---·"-.---·----·" ---···--.. ··----·----·- CITY/STll.TEIZIP ·--···---··--·--.... ----·---·--··-----.. ---···--···------·--- TELEPHONE: 011.YC !------···.. ---.. ·-----.. - E.VEN!Nllj ) ----··--·--··----·- · Enclosed is my check Charge my VISA/MASTERCARD (Minimum $50 or.Ur for credit card charges) A~~~'B~i[TT I I ! j I I I I \ I I I I I F-XPIRAbl~ rUlJ"-r-~~:::i~ Signature ... Date _ I __ !_ For foreign ordrr>, payment mwt be made in US. dolf1m, either by rherk drawn mi a bank in 1he U.S.A. orb;• Visa or MasterCard. PLEASE MAIL TO: Agudath brae! ofAmerica I Conve11tion Tapes I 84 William St. I New York, NY 10038 (or /Or i-redit card order_< of$50 or more ca/l 212197-9000 ext. 41) ------~ Mr. Joseph Friedenson Arriving here in 1941, he joined in the heroic rescue work of the e passing of Dr. Isaac Lewin awaken American Jews' awareness his past summer has left a void Agudath Israel World and conscience to the horrors in Eu U n Orthodox Jewish a.skanus rope. Hundreds of documents in the (activism and public service). Movement and became Agudah archives testify to his major Dr. Lewin was the scion of a lead wartime role in Hatzalah ing Jewish family in Poland. His fa a vital member of the After the war. Dr. Lewin was ther was Rabbi Ahron Lewin ':n. the among the first American officials to Reisher Rav, a posek (authority in Vaad Hatzalah. visit the DP (displaced persons) halacha) and mechaber seforim (au camps. He and co-workers inter thor of scholarly texts), who was a vened significantly with the United leading figure in Agudath Israel of Po of the Agudath Israel World Move Nations Relief and Rehabilition Asso land between the wars. Dr. Lewin ment and became a vital member of ciation and the Joint Distribution himself studied law in the early '30' s the Vaad Hatzalah, serving as liaison Committee to supply the DP's with ko and settled in Lodz, a Polish metropo to the Polish government-in-exile in sher food and the religious necessities lis. where he soon became a member London and its representatives in they craved, such as Siddumn tejlllin. of the city council. With great cour Washington and New York. and so on. He was also instrumental age Dr. Lewin represented Jewish in in many cases in easing bureaucratic terests in that veritable snakepit of At the Forefront ofHatzalah restrictions to entry into the United anti-Semitism. His legal skills and Efforts States. He wrote affectingly of his vis considerable literary talents were put its and told the stories of the people he to use on the national level as well, in ontact man with both the met in two volumes, Clrurban Europe defense of shechita against the "hu ernbuchs in Switzerland and After the Clrurban manitarians" who were determined to Afd the Polish ambassador, ban it. Dr. Lewin was the first to get the POST-WAR ACTIVITIES With the outbreak of World War II, tragic news of the deportations from Dr. Lewin managed to escape with his Warsaw and the rest of Poland to the e fourth Knessia Gedolah family to Vilna and then. via Japan, death camps. Reb Yaakov Rosen ernational Congress) of to America. Arriving here in 1941. he heim promptly informed the State M dath Israel (the first after joined Moreinu Reb Yaakov Department of the mass slaughters World War II) in Jerusalem. Dr. Lewin Rosenheim in the heroic rescue work (although the State Department sup was elected chairman of the Ameri pressed the reports for a long time). can section of the World Vaad Mr, Friedenson Is the founding editor of Dos Yi.ddishe Vort, Agudath Israel ofAmerica's Yiddish~ For three years, Dr. Lewin wrote and Hapoel. He served in that capacity language monthly journal of thought and opinion. published tirelessly in an effort to with distinction for almost thirty The Jewish Observer, January 1996 21 l)r. Lewin with Moreinu Yaakov Rosenheim Dr. Lewin with children in DP camp years. Once again he became in volved in the shechita-wars, author ing the definitive seferon the subject in collaboration with Rabbi Yechiel Aryeh Munk. He was chairman of the Announcing a new learining cycle fori New York State Commission on Kashrus, one of the Orthodox advi sors to the Joint. and a participant in the conferences on German repara tions. He was elected to the Pre sidium of the Agudath Israel World Organization. A Halacha - Smicha pFOg.am for Dr. Lewin served for many years as Bais - Medrash Bachu.im in Monlreal the representative of the World Agudah Organization to the UN. His main focus was on promoting a dec laration opposing religious discrimi nation, for which Dr. Lewin later re A unique 2-3 year program dedicated to the in deplh ceived an award from the UN. But Dr. Lewin also quietly used his UN con stud of Halacha culminatin in Smicha tacts to help individuals, the most fa mous being the Skulener Rebbe-fi nally released from prison and per mitted to leave Romania (along with his extended family of"adopted" chil dren) in 1959. Another of Dr. Lewin's projects was the restoration of Jew ish cemeteries in Poland, which had been desecrated during the war. Dr. Lewin was principal of a Ye shiva University's high school for girls in Manhattan for many years. In ad dition, he translated and published a collection of the writings of Rabbi Yaakov Rosenheim; edited Eila Ezkara, several volumes of biogra phies of Torah luminaries murdered in the great Churban; and authored twenty-odd books in Hebrew, Yid dish, and English. His outstanding askanus work spanning close to 70 years, combined with his aristocratic bearing, made him a respected figure in all Jewish circles. He shall be sorely missed. • 22 The Jewish Observer. January 1 996 Yonason Rosenblwn aders of these pages are long rica, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran were attracted to Ashkelon by the city's amiliar with the concept of threatened in the '50s with the loss of cleanliness, affordable housing, and ulturkampj-the confronta their Histadrut cards - which in access to the greater Tel Aviv job tion between State and Religion-as those days was tantamount to being market. it applies in Israel. That both the na threatened with imminent starvation Despite the dedicated efforts of a tional government and municipali - if they sent their children to reli number of individuals in Ashkelon's ties in Israel frequently act in ways gious schools (see "Kulturkampf in religious community to spread inimical to the interests and sensi the Holy Land: 1948-1991," JO, Oc Yiddishkeit among the Russian tivities of Orthodox Jews is hardly tober, 1991). Nevertheless, we find it speaking immigrants, efforts in this news. Nor is it news that the domi difficult to believe that such heavy direction have generally not been too nant political parties use their con handed tactics would be employed successful. Though at one time sixty trol over the educational system and today. At the very least, we expect children of Russian-speaking parents the communications networks to ad officialdom to be embarrassed to still were enrolled in the local Chinuch vance their own ideology-an ideol have to resort to such strong-armed Atzmai school, by last year that num ogy hardly favorable to traditional tactics to thwart the growth of the re ber had dwindled to fifteen. The two Jewish values. ligious population after forty years of religious school systems in the city What is harder for most Amertcan heavy doses of Zionist ideology. compete with each other in enacting Orthodox Jews to believe is that poli But even the most plausible as increasingly rtgorous standards for ticians and bureaucrats consciously sumptions must sometimes yield to admission. These standards inevita discrtminate against Orthodox Jews the facts, and the attempts of the city bly exclude children from Russian and institutions in ways meant to ofAshkelon to demolish an Orthodox speaking homes since there are very deny the Orthodox population access school serving one hundred and few such homes in which the parents to the "free" marketplace of ideas. We eighty children from the former Soviet are religious. In addition, the Rus have a hard time imagining govern Union this past Ereu Succos must sian-speaking children lack the back ment officials looking at themselves give pause to any who assume that ground to integrate successfully in in the mirror, for instance, and vow overt discrtmination against Ortho the religious studies in the local reli ing to use any and all means at thetr doxy is past history in Israel. gious schools. disposal to prevent another Orthodox Recognizing the large untapped po school from opening. I. BACKGROUND tential for outreach activities in True, it is well-documented that Ashkelon, SHUVU/Return - the new immigrants from Northern Af- shkelon is today one of!srael's United Fund for the Education of Rus astest growing cities. Since sian Immigrant Children in Israel Yonason Rosenblum, who lives in Jerusalem, is a he massive immigration from {founded by a group of dedicated Jay regular contributor to JO. He is the author and translatorofmanyworks. including, most recently, the Soviet Union began in 1987, leaders in response to a call to action They C,alledI-Iiin Mike. published by ArtScroll. nearly 20,000 immigrants have been delivered by Rabbi Avrohom Pam The Jewish Observer, January 1996 23 ~"V"n> at the National Convention of ll, THE SCHOOL OPENS Agudath Israel of America, in Novem One hundred and eighty ber '90 - see Abraham Biderman's e new SHUVU center proved articles on the subject in JO: Feb. '91 n immediate success, and children began their and Oct. '91) decidedlastyeartomake T:ver the summer the center a major effort in Ashkelon. A religious hosted a day camp that drew 200 studies in September, couple, originally from Kiev, was hired Russian-speaking children. Based to do fulHime outreach work, and on the success of the night activities filling the six-room SHUVU entered into negotiations with and the summer camp, as well as Alex Kaufman, the Vice-Mayor in years of experience developing spe building to capacity. Of charge of educational affairs, for a cially tailored programs for children suitable site for its activities. of Russian-speaking immigrants, these children, only forty Eventually an agreement was SHUVU began to consider the possi reached between the city and SHUVU bility of using the six-room building had been previously under which the city would furnish for a school in the upcoming year. SHUVU with an abandoned struc Once the decision was made to open enrolled in religious ture, then being used by drug deal a school that would provide students ers, in return for SHUVU's renovaUng with two hours of limudei kodesh in schools. Yet in SHUVU's the building. Over $60,000 was the morning and an extended school success lay the seeds of raised by SHUVU from contributors day, the necessary papers were filed in the United States for the renova through Chinuch Atzmai with the all its future trouble. Uons, and last Pesach the SHUVU Minister of EducaUon, and Michoel center opened with officials from the Gutterman, director of SHUVU's ac city in attendance. tivities in Israel, contacted Vice At the time the contract between Mayor Kaufman. with whom he had its future trouble. SHUVU and the Ashkelon municipal originally arranged for the building, Principals of the secular schools in ity was signed, there was no discus and informed him of SHUVU's inten which the children in the SHUVU sion of the building's use as a school, tion to open a school. sponsored school had been enrolled since SHUVU was not then contem The initial registration for the began to call the municipality to com plaUng opening up a special school school far exceeded anything antici plain about the loss of students to the for children from Russian-speaking pated by SHUVU. One hundred and new religious school. That brought homes in Ashkelon. SHUVU's con eighty children began their studies in Moshe Yannai, head of the munici tract with the city, however. described September, filling the six-room build pality's education department, into the purposes for which the Jewish ing to capacity. Of these children, the issue. A city bureaucrat for over Educational Center was to be used in only forty had been previously en thirty years, Yannai possesses a de the broadest possible language, i.e. rolled in religious schools. Yet in gree of power in the Ashkelon City for "edl1cational activities." SHUVU's success lay the seeds of all Hall far in excess of that indicated by his relatively modest title. Yannai took up the cause of the secular school principals with a vengeance. Create a Priceless Zebus ID. THE CITY RESPONDS for yourself or a loved one. e first salvo in Yannai's efforts o rid Ashkelon of the SHUVU 11chool was not Jong in coming. On September 17, 1995, SHUVU re ceived a letter from the city attorney advising it that it was in breach of contract with the city by opening a school in the Jewish Educational Center. SHUVU's attorney replied that the contractual language had been deliberately drafted to allow for the broadest possible range of edu cational activities, and that there was therefore no breach. There, except for THI: CHOfETZ CHAIM HERi fAGE IOUNDATION a few informal efforts at mediation, matters basically stood until Erev Succos. One American rabbi who 24 The Jewish Observer, January 1996 broached the subject of the school at but not defeated. He called vacation did not leave the Soviet Union for Is a meeting with Ashkelon mayor ing city workers to the municipal rael in order to be told where we can Benny Vaknin was told, as soon as building during Chol Hamoed and send our children to school." Vaknin recognized what school was had them call the parents of everyone Recognizing that it had acted being discussed, "We don't want of the students registered in the without any legal authorization in those Chareidim" SHUVU school. Parents were threat demolishing the two classrooms, the Nothing in the relatively calm skir ened that they were subject to fines city also began to retroactively but mishing up to that point could have and even imprisonment if they did tress its legal case in advance of its prepared SHUVU for what took place not immediately return their children upcoming court hearing. A local fire on Erev Succos. There was no school to their previous schools. Despite the official was ordered to file a report of that morning, but one of the teachers threats, not one parent withdrew his fire hazards in the already half de happened to be working in her class child from the SHUVU school. At a molished SHUVU building. room when suddenly city workers en parents' meeting, one of the parents Ashkelon municipal regulations re tered the school and started remov spoke for the group when he said, "We quire that prior to any demolition of ing all the desks and other furniture from within. When she rushed out side, she found in front of the build ing a bulldozer and Moshe Yannai di recting the eity workers. The teacher called Rabbi Shmuel Meiberg, a long-time activist in the Russian community. who rushed six fun-filled weeks of down to the school. Rabbi Yosef excitement and history in a Torah Chaim Blau, the rabbi of Ashkelon, also hunied to the scene. By the time environment. they anived, the bulldozer had de • Visiting the tl'11J11pn mmpn stroyed one and a half rooms of the • Meeting our ti''?i;l building. Rabbi Meiberg demanded • Hiking e Sports that Yannai produce some authoriza tion for the demolition, but Yannai •Camping replied that he needed no authoriza • Snorkeling tion. (As it turned out, neither the •Tubing mayor or the city attorney had any • Banana Boating plior knowledge of what Yannai in e Parasailing tended to do, though the mayor sub sequently attempted to defend his ac ... and more! tions.) Only when Rabbis Meiberg and Blau lay down directly in front of Camp Eshel Avrohom offers a the bulldozer and refused to move did unique touring experience for Bnei they succeed in forcing Yannai to halt Torah that combines a sightseeing the demolition for the time being. As he left the scene, Yannai vowed to be experience staffed by licensed back the first day of Chol Hamoed to guides with an intensive learning complete the demolition. program featuring prominent o>:iinn On Motza'ei Yam Tov, SHUVU's at and guest tl'i1l1'11l from renowned torney hastily prepared a request for 8 a temporary restraining order against At Eshel Avrohom further demolition. The attorney and ® SHUVU's Michael Gutterman We Make You Feel At Home In Eretz Yisroel! rousted a local judge from his sleep at 3:00 a.m. in the morning to insure that the restraining order be signed before Yannai returned the next morning. As soon as they had the or der in hand, they hastened to the school where a minyan was arranged to insure that the bulldozer crew did not destroy the rest of the school be *Note: First 10 Registrants Will Receive An Additional $1 00 Off Early Bird Price fore anyone could stop them. Yannai was temporarily thwarted The Jewish Observer, January 1996 25 any existing stJucture detailed plans mainstream of national life that it is describing the demolitfon site must virtually unheard of for a member of At a parents' meeting, be filed and approved by the munici that community to hold a prominent pality. No such plans had ever been public position or to have influential one of the parents spoke filed. The city therefore contracted a contacts outside that community. private engineering firm to draw up The only power the community for the group when he the necessary plans, and again or wields is when its representatives dered them backdated. Fortunately hold the balance of power in the said, 'We did not leave one of the engineers working on the Knesset because of the vagaries of plans was parent of a child in the Israel's multi-party system. Since the Soviet Union for school. He alerted SHUVU to what Ashkelon mayor Benny Vaknin was the city was attempting to do, thus elected as an independent and there Israel in order to be told thwarting that particular ploy. is no signillcant Orthodox population in Ashkelon, he had little to fear from where we can send our IV. AN UNEXPECTED FIRESTORM Chareidi political power. What Ashkelon had not counted children to school." f SHUVU had been unprepared on was that SHUVU is exclusively for the bulldozer, then the city of funded by American donors. And not man Avraham Biderman met for I Ashkelon was equally surprised surprisingly, those donors were not hours with Rabbi Moshe Sherer, by the international hue and cry keen on having their largesse turned president of Agudath Israel of raised by its demolition of the school. into a pile of rubble. Over Succos and America, in the latter's succah, and Until then, the city was apparently in succeeding weeks, the city received after Yorn Tov they wrote or phoned a under the impression that SHUVU an unprecedented number of faxes host of prominent legislators, includ was a local organization connected to from overseas protesting its actions. ing Congressman Benjamin Gilman. one of the Israeli Chareidi parties. As Eventually the city changed its fax head of the House Foreign Affairs such, the city had little to fear from number to avoid being inundated Committee, Senator Joseph SHUVU. In Israel, the Chareidi com with protests. Lieberman, and Congressman munity exists so far outside the Even on Yorn Tov, SHUVU chair- Charles Schumer, as well as Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Director of the Presidents of Major Jewish Organiza This.hotel and forPesach only tions. The legislators and Hoenlein in Under the supervision of · turn contacted Itamar RabinoW!tch, PRUZANSKY FAMILY K'HAL ADATif JESffiJRUN, the Israeli Ambassador in Washing A N Washington Heigltts{NY ton, to express their displeasure With the arbitrary and illegal actions of the 1 Ashkelon govemment. • Ashkelon quickly felt the heat. In a long letter to Biderman, Mayor Vaknin repeatedly protested that "as a man of the law" he had no choice but to order the destruction of the building, which he described as a fire CATSKILL, NEW YORK hazard. In addition, he argued, the premises were unsafe because they SHMURA MA1ZOHS ONLY • GLAIT KOSHER were not surrounded by the man NON-GEBROKTS • CHOLOVYISROEL dated security fence. Apparently Vaknin was unaware that Mr. • Shu! Stocked With Seforim Biderman was a former New York •Day Camp • Indoor Pool I Separate Swimming Only 1. Ambassador Rabinowttch spoke to the late • Sauna, Jacuzzi, tlealth Club, & Exercise Room Prime Mmister Rabin about the issue on the latter's last trip to Arnetica, and just two days before his • Private Sedorim assassination, Prime Minister Rabin instructed the • Door to Door Transportation head of his office to make sure that the problem • Tennis Courts was solved. Unfortunately there was not sufficient • Daf Yomi and Other Shiurim time to implement that order. • Private Lake In Israel, Rabbi Menachem Porush was exceed~ ingly active during Chol HaMoed in contacting the a brochure and information call PRUZANSKY, director of the Prime Minister's office, as was United 55;!1· 15 Ave. • Brooklyn, New York 11219 • Tel(718) 436-4405 • Fax (718) 436-4332 Torah Judaism MK Rabbi Moshe Gafn.i in speak ing to former Ashkelon mayor and Labor MK Eli Out of Town Please Call: 1-800-898-8246 Dayan. 26 The Jewish Observer. January 1996 City Housing Commissioner and had developed a not inconsiderable ex pertise, as head of an agency with eight thousand employees and a bil lion dollar budget, in building code violations. In his reply to Mayor Vaknin. Mr. Biderman convincingly demon strated that the safety issue was the SHUVU classroom in Ashkelon thinnest of pretexts to prevent the SHUVU school from operating. If the there. At a meeting in his office with sisting upon it could only mean that building was so unsafe, he wondered, Rabbi Avraham YosefLaizerson and almost all the children would return why had this not been noted by any Rabbi Alexander Miller from to the secular school system from city official when SHUVU was en Chinuch Atzmai, Rabbi Avraham which they came. couraged to invest $60,000 in its Reisman, Rosh Yeshiva of the local In the meantime. the school con renovation. and why had the defect yeshiva which offered the school tinues on premises generously pro never been noted when it served as a temporary accommodations. Rabbi vided by Yeshivas Achiezer. The Ye center for night activities and a day Shmuel Meiberg, and Rabbi Michael shiva, however, does not have space camp. Further. whywas a kindergar Gutterman. Yannai still insisted. for 180 students, and at least two of ten permitted to operate in a nearby "There is no way this school is going the classes have had to study outside structure that was identical in every to be." He expressed his view that with the sky for their roof. Yet despite respect to the SHUVU building, ex children from Russian-speaking the obstacles placed in their way, only cept that it had not undergone costly families must be fully integrated. a few parents have removed their renovations? And if the lack of a se Pressed for his views on integration. children. and the remaining parents curity fence was the problem, Mr. he defined success as "when a Rus were well repaid for their confidence. Biderman queried, would erection of sian kid can curse just like an Israeli (In a recent city-wide math contest. such a fence not have been a far kid." As Yannai knows. integration plincipal Rabbi Dov Glass reports. cheaper and efficient way of curing into the existing religious schools is the SHUVU school finished first.) the problem that tearing down the impossible for all but a few of the stu Once it was clear that the parents building? Mr. Biderman concluded dents in the SHUVU school, and in- could not be intimidated, the city lost by noting that if cities moved in with bulldozers everytime a building code violation was found there would soon be few buildings standing. Mayor Vaknin did not respond to Mr. Biderman's points nor could he have. By now Ashkelon was forced to admit that it had no legal leg to stand on as far as the demolition went. At the court hearing on Thursday of Chol Hamoed Succos, on SHUVU's petition for a permanent injunction against any further demolition, the city with drew its attorneys in the middle of the hearing and told the court that it would not attempt to carry on with the demolition. Mayor Vaknin per sonally contacted Mr. Max Knopf, the largest donor to the SHUVU Educa tional Center. to tell him that the city would not stand in the way of ongo ing activities at the site. V. LAST DITCH REJECTIONISM STUDIOS do ut if Moshe Yannai was forced 7.~UAL sPE;:~tisri~ - to abandon plans for razing A Road Brooklyn• Bthe SHUVU building to the 623 cortelyou • ground, he was still far from pre pared to allow a school to continue The Jewish Obseroer, January 1996 27 its will to continue to fight the unre· lenting international pressure. Mayor Vaknin no doubt feared the bad pub licity being generated might threaten various twin city arrangements with Ashkelon and other fundraising ef forts abroad. In addition. he seems to have been genuinely impressed by the determination of the parents in the SHUVU school, and in a recent letter expressed his appreciation of SHUVU's efforts in Ashkelon. He passed the word to Yannai to find a face-saving compromise. Such a compromise has now been worked out. To satisfy Yannai's de mand for integration, the students will be formally registered in one of the existing religious schools, but in· asmuch as that school has no avail able space, they will continue to study in a building SHUVU is reno vating on a nearby religious moshav. The Jewish Educational Center will continue to provide informal educa tional activities. (SHUVU is confident that the city will repair the destroyed TJEJFi1L1LTINr sections of the building though the The Inside Story city has not formally committed itself to do so.) In the end, the wrecker's ball could not overcome the commitment of the Russian-speaking parents to choose the education they desire for their children and the light of unfavorable international publicity that was shone on Ashkelon. Yet it is impos· sible to imagine the city having acted in such a blatantly illegal fashion against any but an Orthodox school. Nor is there any assurance that the municipality would have eventually capitulated if SHUVU had been just another local Orthodox organization, without important contacts in the United States. 11 Gain a new and profound understanding of the mitzvah of tefillin- its significance and its connection to life's spiritual aspects. An important book for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the daily ritual of tefillin and of our Jewish heritage. For Sale By Owner or Will Build To Suit 5 acre subdividable parcel adjacent lo Yeshiva Zichron Moshe (So. Fallsburg) Zoned R·1, Town Sewer and water, 416 feet road trontage Brickman Rd. (County 52), near Laurel Ledge Village. 800·246·3839 / 914·425·3839 28 The Jewish Observer, January 1996 Baruch Shubert From 616 BedfordAvenue to a Global Concern: How a Once Neglected Mitzva Became Part of the Torah World's Fabric MODEST BEGINNINGS shatnes and became determined to same till today, as shatnes testing tum the situation around. So he em has circled the globe. He continued t may be difficult for observant barked on an intensive series of ef his operation there for several years, Jews of the present generation to forts: total immersion In the study of until he moved the lab to his own I fathom, but as recently as fifty textile production, followed by un apartment on nearby Lee Avenue. five years ago. the twice-mentioned stinting scientific experimentation The success of the operation soon Torah prohibition of wearing clothing which finally resulted in a quick, In meant that others would be required that contains mixtures of wool and expensive and foolproof method of to ply the same trade. "I placed ads in linen-shatnes---was mostly ignored finding linen hidden in garments; a thefrumcalendars telling people they by the observant public in America deal with a major clothing chain to could earn $18 an hour once they and elsewhere. People were either in advertise free shatnes testing In the learned how to become sample different to the concept of having to newspapers; printing a variety of testers," Rosenberger recounts. Many ensure the "kashrus" of their cloth publications specifically devoted to young people applied and were ing (despite its potential as a continu the urgency of heeding this mitzva; trained to become experts In the field. ous transgression) or simply as and making the rounds of shuls and sumed that linen was not Included In yeshivas to galvanize public interest GOING GLOBAL the manufacturing process. through impassioned speeches. This state of affairs might have Rosenberger had to endure tre keep up with current issues continued were it not for the interven mendous resistance and derision for n clothing manufacture, tion of Yosef Rosenberger. an Aus quite a while until the community be shatnes lab representatives trian refugee and concentration camp gan to come around. "My chaveirimin have done research with scientists survivor who came to America during the business world said. You're out of on complex fibers such as processed the early years of World War II. find your mind! You'll never make good linen. other plant fibers. and recycled ing shelter In the refugee home main money like we do,' "he recalls. "And fibers. tained by Agudath Israel Youth the clothing store owners told me, Today shatnes labs are serving a Council of America at it headquarters 'Kosher clothes?-lt's crazy!'" But, host of towns with Orthodox popula at 616 Bedford Avenue, in the with HasheTTis help, the shatnes pio tions across North America; Toronto Williamsburgh section of Brooklyn. A neer made his impact. With a steadily and Montreal in Canada; Mexico In son of clothing store owners. Reb increasing demand for guaranteed Latin America. with Panama and Bra Yosef was surprised to discover the shatnes-free clothing, Reb Yosef zil on the agenda; and three regional pervasive lack of information about opened the Shatnes Laboratory as an labs for different sections of Eretz Agudath Israel project in its building Yisroe~ including a new Jerusalem Boruch Shubert, a publicist and jOurnalist who on Bedford Avenue, and began test branch in Har Nof. In addition, there lives in Brooklyn, was represented in JO with his ing garments for only two dollars are shatnes testers in parts of Europe. MFirst-Hand Report on Brooklyn's Recent Wave of apiece, a price that has remained the At this writing. there are hwulreds of Inunigration of Syrtan Jews M (March '9 5). The Jewish Observer, Jwmary 1996 29 shatnes testers around the world and the numbers keep growing. An Austrian KEEPING UP WITH NEW refugee and DEVELOPMENTS concentration he National Committee of Shatnes Testers and Re camp survivor T searchers disseminates publi who came to cations, such as the Shatnes News Bulletin, designed to keep the public aware of the latest developments in America during the field; works to create technical the early years of improvements that will help it keep apace of unexpect~d changes; edu World War II, Reb Yosef was surprised to discover the cates yeshiva students about shatnes; exchanges information be pervasive lack of information about shatnes and tween testers; and sends out con sumer alerts via e-mail and faxes to became determined to turn the situation around. rabbonim across the United States. One can never be too careful con sidering halachic problem areas found in modem-day clothing pro arisen because the government has Reality and mysticism converge duction and shatnes. While there are stopped enforcing textile labeling here. The Zahar says that a Jew's typically five or six places where linen laws, thus creating havoc with prayers are not answered ifhe is wear mixed with wool is most commonly blended materials. ing shatnes at the time of tefilla. When found, there may be as many as fifty. Men's, women's and children's Rabbi Yoe! Schockett, who heads the which only a true expert can uncover. clothing can all contain shatnes. The National Committee, was called some Shatnes is often found in clothing combination is forbidden whether it's time ago to the Miami home of a samples sold by large Jewish gar woven or sewn in the same fabric, if wealthy businessman to test his cloth ment manufacturers and even stores the fibers are blended together in a ing, the man kept insisting that a par owned by the most strtctly observant single yam, if they're found in deco ticular pair of pants had to contain Jews because the owners receive the rations on clothes, even if they're shatnes. After repeatedly checking to original material already sewn from chemically bonded into the material. no avail, Schockett was amazed to dis contractors. and there is no indica The Shulchan Aruch covers every cover "impurities" of linen, i.e. resi tion that linen may well exist within. single detail concerning textiles and dues of the material that had been A recent problem of mislabeling has the possible presence of shatnes. picked up from a previous run of a dif ferent garment on the same machin ..------i"o:i ery. When he asked the man what had BCC IS EVERY GIRL'S DREAM... made him so suspicious, the client re The Best Summer in Israel camping I touring program plied that on a recent workday, while for "frum"girls ages10-17. wearing this pair of pants, he found himself unable to reverse an abnormal Six Weeks Of Over 22 Exciting Tours Dairy Shwrim, Hiking, Clrmb1ng, ~~t'T downturn in his business dealings. Orama, MUSIC, Dance, Arts & Crafts And The "Ruach" '\,-v., .,_..,.~ r-. to an integral part ofTorahJewry'sfab ric. The ultimate proof would have to be CAMP BNOS CHOFETZ CHAIM the information hotline that now pro 623 CORTELYOU RO .. BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11218 vides answers to all questions on the 718 282-6350 • 941-5500 · l800l Hl-BCC95 topic: 1-800-SHATNES. • Directed By Zishe & D'vora Zelman 30 The Jewish Observer, January 1996 proclaimed the last bastions of ideal But the illusion that Religious Zi ism in an ever more materialistic so onists are greatly admired, even en ciety. And ever since, the national re vied, by secular Israelis has been ligious world has allowed itself to be shattered by the venom spewing forth persuaded that Kishon spoke for all against them today. secular Israelis and that nothing has changed. And indeed the youth of the Reyection of the Religious Religious movement have tried hard to live up Elite Corps to the image created by Kishon. The hesder yeshivas have replaced the o this pain has now been added Zionism kibbutzim as the suppliers of soicliers the recent suggestion by for the elite combat units and a clis TDeputy Defense Minister Gen proportionate number of their stu eral [res.) Ori Orr to abolish the spe Receives a dents have fallen in Israel's wars. cial hesder yeshiva units in the ''Dear John'' SUBSCRIBE NOW TO Letter THE,EWISH fl OBSERVER ~~ AND$AVE Become a monthly subscriber to the Jewish Observer and save up -- to 43% off the single copy price (a savings of $45.). The longer you subscribe for, the more you save. Crisis in the Movement And this introductory offer is fully guaranteed. You have but to ask and you will receive a prompt refund on any undelivered issues ese are the worst of times for should you decide to cancel at any time, for any reason. Religious Zionism. From Each month, the Jewish Observer will be delivered directly to . within, the movement is reeling your door, filled with the views of leading Torah thinkers on current from the breast beating over having issues ... comments on the strengths and foibles within the Jewish nurtured an assassin within its elite cornmunity... analysis of contemporary Jewish events .. .inside institutions, and the recognition that reporting, interpretive commentary, inspiring biographies, his views are extrapolations of those all of many within the movement. At the infuriating letters and illuminating responses - within the covers theological level, there remains the of one magazine, The Jewish Obsenier. vexing problem of the relationship of ~don't delay. Check the money-saving tenns below and send in halacha to the laws of a modem. your order right away. We'll try to get your order filled in time for democratic state, which it has never our very next issue. theless invested with ultimate reli gious significance. And from without, there is the Name (Pleasepri11t) ------deep shock at the outpouring of vis Address ______ceral hatred towards Religious Zion Suite 1200 • 84 William Street, New York, N.Y. I 0038 ists in the aftermath of the assassina =------Cify, ______tion of Prime Minister Rabin. Stories 0 YES! Pleue enter my subscription for: State------Zip ______USA *-OllTSIDE of those wearing knitted kippot find ONLY USA ing themselves accosted by complete =------~~~~- CJ Enclosed:$ ______0 3 years - at 43% off the cover price $60 $96 0 Charge my: 0 MasterCard Cl VISA strangers and accused of being mur 0 2 years - at 37% off the cover price $44 $68 derers fill the Israeli press. 0 lyear-at31%offthecoverprice $24 $36 Acct.No.------More than twenty years ago, Israeli +t'rice reflects $12 extra per year to defray air shipping costs. Expiration date: (m-0nthlyMr) ------humorist Ephraim Kishon wrote a Foreign payment must be made in U.S. dollars, either by check drawn on a bank in the U.S.A. or by V"!Sa or MasterCard. piece of fulsome praise for the wear Signature------ers of the knitted kippot whom he The Jewish Observer is published monthly except July and August. Please aOow 4 · 6 weeks for delivery. The Jewish Observer, January 1996 31 army. Though Orr knows full well that there is no chance of his sugges Religious Zionism today is receiving a get. 'While not tion being implemented soon-Prtme Minister Peres is too eager to effect unmindful of what you once meant to us," secular some sort of rapprochement with the National Religious Party for that to Israelis are telling Religious Zionists, "you have ou~ived happen-the mere fact that it could be made by a leading figure in the your usefulness and now must either join together with ruling Labor coalition was enough to send shockwaves throughout the na us completely or be considered beyond the pale." tional religious world. As disturbing as the suggestion it self was the reasoning behind it: Stu dents in the hesder yeshivas, said Army Service in the National pre-State years and the National Re Orr, spend less time in active service Religious Self-Identity ligious Party a cabinet seat in every than their secular ceunterparts. Sud government over Israel's first four de denly no one seemed to notice the o appreciate what a body blow cades. But Religious Zionism today is large proportion of soldiers killed in Orr's comments were, one receiving a get 'While not unmindful Southern Lebanon who wear knitted Tmust understand the impor of what you once meant to us," secu kippot or the proliferation of those tance of army service to the national lar Israelis are telling Religious Zion same kippot within the junior officer religious self-identity. It is on the ba ists. "you have outlived your useful corps. Or if they did notice, they re sis of that service that members of ness and now must either join to fused to take a sanguine view of this the national religious camp have al gether with us completely or be con development. Ideologically motivated \vays viewed themselves as members sidered beyond the pale." The leader hesderunits, said Orr, are a threat to of the broad national consensus. ship has apparently decided to go all the army. as. by extension, is the ex from which only Arabs and Chareidi the way in making Israel a fully secu istence of a large officer corps coming yeshiva students are excluded. In lar state.2 They do not even need reli from these units. The ruling two years sinuations about the quality of the gious trappings for window dress ago by the leading halachic authort service of national religious soldiers ing.... To paraphrase A.M. Rosenthal. ties in the National Religious camp thus cut to the very heart of the na the message to Religious Zionists is that religious soldiers are forbidden tional religious identity. increasingly: "In your eyes, you are a to execute army orders to evacuate Ninety years ago, Religious Zion citizen par excellence but to them West Bank settlers, Orr argued, not ists performed a valuable service for your just another Chassidout ofMe'a unreasonably, raises serious ques mainstream Zionists: They provided She'artm." tions about the ultimate loyalties of the latter with entry into the shuls of This development may in the long religious soldiers.' Thus religious sol Eastern Europe where the majortty of run be one of the few rays of light in diers found themselves at once ac Jews were still to be found. In return the wake of the assassination of cused of being shirkers and potential for services rendered, Mizrachi was Prtme Minister Rabin. There are to fifth columnists for the rabbis' always assured a certain number of day in the Religious Zionist camp tens agenda. seats on the Zionist Executive in the of thousands ofJews who are meticu lous in mitzva observance and dedi 1. FollOWing a line of thinking similar to Orr's. Moshe Katsav, head ofLlkud's Knesset fuction. proposed, the cated students ofTorah. They may be same week, the abolition of the state religious school system. Better that religious and non-religious stu coming closer to realize that the true dents learn together, he said, so that the religious wil1 teach the non-religious more about Judaism and the non-religious will teach tile religious about democracy. Again the implication was that the anti-democratic dividing line in Israeli society is not tendencies of the religtous were too dangerous to allow them to remain separate from the rest of the society. between those who serve in the army and those who do not'. but between thoseforwhomHasherris mitzvosare PINCHAS MANDEL the whole of life and those for whom Over 4$ Yell~ l:x(lerienc11 in Kvura in· En!tz Yi.srael they are nothing. making the cause of Personal Responsibility Through()ut Ser\lic&-NO AFFILIATE!S Torah in Eretz Yisroel immeasurably ORIGINATOR OF THE PRESENT METHOD strengthened. • Y.R Highly Recommended by Gedolal Hador~ Here and in.Eretz Yisrael 1569"47th Brooklyn, 2. The reader is referred to Tue New Revolution,~ Str-.t, N.Y.11~19 by Rabbi Joseph Elias, JO Oct. '95. Day & Night Phone: (71~) 85,1-8925 3. Unfortunately. many Religious Zionists are still clistant from tllis realization. Newly appointed Min t»O~DNiDl'.lNr l7l"r __, 1'1::> iKl n11'.)Jl7}ilD ister Without Portfolio, Rabbi YehudaAmital (Rosh Hayeshiva of Har Etzion, the country's largest Chased. Shel EMES .Witf! MeslrasNetesh. .. as u:nclerstOod 8l1d pradiCed by hesderyeshiva), called Orr's proposal to shut down one active lo !he.industry for more than half a century. the hesder yeshivas a catastrophe, for then their ..... Ta.haraa Hanlfflt" Should Never Be Comme.rclallJed .""'- students will be forced to enroll in black-hat Chareidi institutions. 32 The Jewish Observer. January 1996 c SECOND I verse in PirkeiAvos: same in our own situations, so all LOOKS "This my father (i.e. Samuel may say: "How fortunate is the man Feuerstein} told me as a little boy," whose son has studied Torah!" Mr. Feuerstein said, quoting Hillel, One might take note of Mr. the ancient rabbi. "In a situation which is devoid of morality, try to be a Feuerstein's loose translation of man and do something worthwhile." "Bamakom she'ein ish. .. "-which is The Berga How marvelous that. duling these usually explained simply: "In a place days of Orthodox-bashing the media where there is no mensch .. :· Ati east reports on an exemplary act of an the Boston Herald rendered it pre Principle- How to openly Orthodox Jew. ffime Maga cisely in their editorial, which praised zine even went through the pain of Aaron Feuerstein for "being a Make the Most of a commenting that Mr. Feuerstein mensch"! reads from the Talmud evei:y night.) No one will quibble, however, The Kiddush Shem Shamayim of Mr. about his berya quotient: He truly Disaster Feuerstein needs no commentru:y, knows how to convert ashes into 24- only emulation. Let us ti:y to do the karat KiddushHaShem • ere is an old Yiddish proverb o the effect that a berya (ca I T:pable individual) can convert shmattes into gold. while a shlemazel makes gold into shmattes. When a fire destroys someone's business, How Do You Live? common wisdom has it that a berya will be able to retire on the proceeds How do you live-my secular friend? of his insurance coverage. Only a From where do you draw life shlemazelloses. On Sunday. December 10, 1995, a to nourish your soul? fire swept through Malden Mills in No spiritual air to breathe Methuen. Massachusetts, destroying No water of Torah to drink. most of the textile complex. putting 1,400 people out of work. Common No positive commandments to build your sinews. wisdom would have the owner, Aaron No Holy light to guide your tendons. Feuerstein, wipe his hands of the en A living death. tire undertaking, and retire. Mr. Feuerstein, however, is an uncom mon man. According to a New York And Me? Times stoi:y, dated Dec. 15: I "When people saw the devastation How can watch you on television, they were positive that Gasping for spirituality the 70-year-old owner would collect whatever insurance he could and say Thirsting for Torah 'bye-bye,"' Mr. Feuerstein told the Starving for mitzvos crowd of mid-level managers and other nonunion employees this In the dark. morning. "We won't operate that way. Feeling alone. We are going to continue to operate with whatever strength that we can Shall I give you a... until we have again established Malden Mills as the leader in the in Whiff of oxygen for your Neshama? dustry." A drink of Torah? Moreover. at that meeting, A Feuerstein promised to keep the pay morsel of Mitzvos? checks coming for the entire staff for A little light to help you find your way back home? at least another month! Where does such magnanimity come from? Feuerstein, who is a Well. I'd really love to ... member of one ofAmerica's long-time But I'm very busy now leading Orthodox families. made no And kiruv really isn't my thing. bones about it: from his commitment •.o a Torah way of life. In his own So I' II see ya· later. words. as reported by The Times. it All the best. was a family tradition based on a This poem was written by a Rabbi "W", who lives in Jerusalem The Jewish Observer. January 1996 33 guiding these "all-too-soon-to-be need to feel important, appreciated, adults" in the ways oflife. They need and highly thought of. Parents can to be taught academic and social motivate their children to greater and skills: most importantly. they must better things by fulfilling these needs learn about Yahadus. with all its re in a myriad of ways. The unique as sponsibilities and privileges. and in pect of this volume is that the sugges the process they have to be sensitized tions for doing so are all built on solid in how to relate with the world around hashkafa foundations. them. This would certainly be a tall It is also a sensitive book, taking order even for the most accomplished into account the needs and emotions professional with years of experience. of the parents and teachers. noting Yet the task is entrusted to well-inten that if even a fraction of the tactics he tioned but totally unprepared parents suggests are implemented, it would trying to do their best, but often not have been well worth the effort to knowing how to go about it. write this book. Make Me. Don'tBreakMeis a book Make Me, Don't Break Me. by Rabbi that will strike a very responsive he words of our chachamim Moshe Gans (Feldheim Publishers. chord in many a parent's heart. Writ throughout the generations Jerusalem/Nanuet, NY. 1995, h.c. ten by Rabbi Moshe Gans. it is a T are filled with eminent wisdom $16.95, p.b. $14.95) guide for parents and teachers in and practical advice. We benefit dealing with children and adoles greatly when we apply their wisdom e is complicated and so are the cents. It is a book of eminent common to daily life. Rabbi Gans has tapped eople who live it. Children are sense for those charged with this sa these sources of sagacity and applied specially complex, for they are Il cred task. The author's approach can them to daily situations at critical growing and continually changing... be easily discerned from the fact that junctions throughout the book. for better or for worse. five of the nine chapter headings be For example, in a section on look Parents are charged by the Torah gin with the word "motivation." He ing for hidden abilities, we find with the responsibility of raising and notes that children (like the rest of us) Rabbeinu Yonah quoted: Hillel gathered all his students and r.------~ said to them, "Are all of you here?" They said, "Yes." Then one student I I said, "All are here except the smallest I ARE You MOVING? I of them all." Hillel said to them, "Let I I the small one come. A generation of IS YOUR NAME ANO ADDRESS PRINTED people will follow him." And they I I brought Rabbi Yochanan ben Zachai I INCORRECTLY ON THE JO MAILING LABEL? I to him. We need your help to ensure proper delivery of the Jewish Observer to your home. (The lesson isl we should not push I away the small ones from before the Please attach current mailing label in the space below, or print clearly your address and I big ones because lambs eventually computer processing numbers that are printed above your name on the address labeL become grown sheep {Rabbeinu I Yonah, Avos l:l). When discussing how to relay a difficult message in a gentle manner. the words of the Metzudos are in or Affix old Iabel here der: Points presented in a very pleasant way are sweet as honeycombs to the listener, and they help the soul and body. This is the way to draw the Name hearts of people to one's opinion, whetheritis related to an ethical mat New Address ------ter or a physical necessity (Metzudas City,------Dovtd, ad Joe. ). This book is a must-read for par State, ______Zip------ents. teachers, and anybody else who Date Effective ______wishes to help both themselves and others achieve greatness-the capa Send address changes to: The Jewish Observer Change of Address bilities forwhich we have been so gen 84 William Street, NewYork, NY 10038 erously endowed by Hashem Please :allow 4-6 weeks for iii! changes to be reflected on your mailing label. We will not be RABBI LABISH BECKE responsible for back issues missed unless you notify us 6 weeks prior to your move. Rabbi Lablsh Beck.er is director of the Depart:mf 1 L------~ ofTorah Projects of Agudath Israel of America. 34 The Jewish Observer. January 19& s Your#lStop For Quality Hats WE ALSO DRY CLEAN LARGEST SELECTION & RESHAPE HATS OF CHOSON!M TIES IN BROOl ull Circle is one of those rare books that touches the heart in F many places. The author leads us through the various stages of Chanie's (the heroine) life. especially her bout with infertility, transporting the writer into her painful reality. tasting the intensity of this nisayon. Her resulting sense of worthlessness is portrayed with great insight and emotion. One particularly memorable segment describes Chanie's feelings when she attends a Bar Mitzvah cel ebration and she listens to others chatting about their children and their lives. Tiris book opens the door to this private. often unspoken-about sub ject. Although every individual's struggles with infertility is unique, it can be comforting to learn that many inherent aspects of the experience are universal and not as uncommon as perceived. Full Circle also focuses on Chanie .·•111dtiilesc··Ltini!Da9e'r~t1 Uf.l1xeiivifdbffi~n1,· as a child of Holocaust survivors. UNIX Shell Programming,Oracle Database helping the reader appreciate how her and the SQl Language, Visual Basic parents' experiences during the War had great impact on her childhood 8 month program meets and development. The horrific memo on Sundays .and everiings. ries of that era never really disappear, but rather continue to inform the emotions and sptrit of the following generations in significant. yet subtle • For experienced programmers* only ways. • Very limited space Gila Diamond's portrayals of the • Classes begin Feb. 1996. TRAINING characters' challenges and obstacles. AT and ultimately their personal growth, • Free job placement assistance upon successful not only sensitize us. they also en completion of training. courage us to triumph in the face of " fkitmNalalion of mainframe background requireJ our own hardships. COPE TEHIL!A WEISBERG Call today: 212-809-5935 Ext. 11 Mrs. Weisberg lives in Lakewood. NJ. INSTITUTE The Jewish Observer. January 1996 35 Semitism? We remain concerned that the -----'fl!!!lt------••••••••••• March has given Minister Farrakhan ••••••••••• great legitimacy without his having ••••••••••• changed one iota. We know that most participants did not support his ha tred, but we need to continue to re mind the good people that the poison Letters t~e Editor of Minister Farrakhan will always taint any effort to achieve the good. Rabbi Shafran's conclusion that THEADLAPPROACH TO Semitism and racism. Jews should not speak out in the face We did so at first out of a broad PROTESTING AGAINST BLACK of hatred comes as a surprise. Torah sense of Jewish history and dignity. ANTI-SEMITISM based organizations often take pub To be silent in the face of the most lic positions on issues of concern. mainstream event in decades in Why should a serious threat of anti To the Editor: America led by an anti-Semite ran Semitism be handled any differently? In his analysis of AOL's response against the lessons of modem Jewish There are no simple solutions to to the Million Man March, Rabbi Avi experience, which taught us that si this difficult problem but for us at Shafran misrepresents, and at times lence in the face of Jewish hatred AOL, we know to avoid facing up to it misunderstands, our handling of the could only result in disaster. As for will lead to further problems. Washington, D.C. event ("Farrakhan: dignity: considering all that has hap ABRAHAM H. FOXMAN Fears and Facts," Nov. '95). pened to our people this century, how Nati.anal Di.rector AOL's decision to speak out about could dignified Jews remain silent in Anti-Defamation League the March through advertisements in the face of such hatred? New York City The New York Times and The Wash Beyond principle, however, was ington Post came only after we ascer pragmatism. IfAOL, the organization The Author Responds: tained that the March was going to known for exposing and fighting anti receive widespread support in the semitism, would not speak out, I believe that a careful reading of Black community, and after a num people would say: if AOL isn't both my article will show that it contains ber of conversations found that few ered about this, maybe Minister neither misunderstandings nor mis Black leaders were ready to speak out Farrakhan really isn't so bad, or representations of the AOL's position, against Minister Farrakhan as the maybe it's okay to overlook his bigotry only a consideration of the possibility March's organizer for his anti- because the cause is good. that that position might be wrong. We are doubtful that our ad's mes It might be truistic to some that "si PUBLICATION Have enough tzorus sage "encouraged" an upsurge of lence in the face of Jewish hatred HEADACHES? without having to get anti.Jewish feeling within the Black could only result in disaster": my ,__ .Y.. your catalog, newsletter, community. Indeed, polls show that point, though, was that one Jew's tru i$i£ ··"' brochure, ad, direct-mail an overwhelming percentage of ism may be another's cliche. Though k~~~~ piece, magazine, etc. out? marchers had the same sentiments my piece reflected only my own opin Call Menachem Nerenberg as those in our ad: they did not sup ion (Agudath Israel's rabbinic leader at Media Thunder port Minister Louis Farrakhan or his ship has not considered the question Productions: bigotry, but marched because they of Jewish vocality as a response to (718) 258-7072 believed in the goals of the March. We Farrakhan), I based my thoughts on Experienced, Reasonable, & References have no reason to believe that they what I perceive to be traditional disapproved of our challenge of Min Judaism's generally conservative at ister Farrakhan's hate-filled message. titude toward confrontation. "Dig Steadfast bigots don't suddenly get nity," I posited, can take different CllEVru\ OSER CH'ES'ED that way because of one comment or forms from the active engagement of OFAGUDATR ISRAEL advertisement. even a declared enemy. We succeeded in keeping Minister In any event, as I noted in my ar BlJR.IAL PLOTS IN Farrakhan's hatred a relevant issue. ticle, Farrakhan is not only an anti ERETZYISROEL Thus, many media discussions re Semite; he is a rabidly anti-white rac Interment in a Shomer Shabbos Beis volved around the question of a good ist. Part of my objection to the AOL ad Ola!Il near BeisShemesb march being led by an anti-Semite. was its effective transformation of Tim Russet on "Meet the Press" that bigot's broad mark into the rela . . . Please phone orwrite to: ChmaOseJ\ c;hestd of Agudath Israel showed Jesse Jackson and Johnnie tively narrow niche of Jew-hatred. 84 Willlam Street, New York, NY 10038 Cochran video excerpts of Minister As it happens, though, condemn (212)797,9000 Farrakhan's hate-filled speeches and ing Farrakhan is not really the issue. asked them directly: is this not anti- What I questioned, and still do, is the 36 The Jewish Observer. Janunry 1996 wisdom of a prominent Jewish orga The Jewish Observer before allowing well as the arrest of its students. He nization openly confronting the black my children to read the articles?! often wondered why he wasn't zocheh American community with a high The article portraying Rabbi to open the yeshiva, until he saw the profile ad that could justifiably be in Shimon Schwab ?"lit, In the same is tzava'a(ethical will) ofRebbe Yehuda terpreted (and, as my article noted, in sue. is very moving and Inspiring. It HaChassid, which states "!sh certain circles indeed was inter motivates us to think about Injecting me'eretz Schvabben lo yegadeil preted) as a challenge to that moreemeslntoourlives. On page 14. ne'arim sheyizku leyeshiva-A man community's moral sensibility. the author states that Rabbi Schwab from Bavaria will not merit raising The ADL may have done much planned to open a Yeshiva but the youths to study In a yeshiva." good work over the years. It is not. Nazis, W'l:l'. subsequently closed it. On page 16, we read of the Gerrer however, infallible in its judgments. Several years ago. I had the zechus Rebbe ?"llT's description of Rabbi S.R Those of us who see the Torah as the to accompany Rabbi Schwab on a Hirsch, ?"l11. Rabbi Schwab told me ultimate arbiter of Jewish affairs and flight to Montreal for a tzeddaka that he had discussed with the Rebbe the unparalleled protector of the Jew cause. Baruch Hashem, the plane the urgent issue of university educa ish people through history's storms was delayed for three hours. During tion. The Rebbe's statement was: will at times see things through a dll those precious hours, Rabbi Schwab "Whatever Sarah your wife says ferent lens. recounted many fascinating stories hearken to her voice .... May you suc While I cannot pretend that my and events that had occurred In his ceed." own efforts to peer through that earlier years. One of the stories that Rabbi Schwab heard the answer. uniquely Jewish lens are free of any he told me then describes this par but didn't comprehend the message distortion. I do believe that the exer ticular Incident. On the night prior to until he heard the Gabbais explana cise has value-indeed should be pre the opening of Rabbi Schwab's Ye tion. The Gabbais words were that requisite-for any Individual or orga shiva, he was forewarned by the Na the letters of Sarah-.-rw-spell the nization attempting to navigate these zis. The consequences of his opening initials of Rabbi Hirsch's name: extremely choppy waters. the yeshiva would be his arrest, as Samson Raphael Hirsch. Ri\BBI A VT SHAf'RAN COMMENTS ON SUITABILITY OF Considering a move JO FOR CHJLDREN, ALSO: ON THE RABBI SCHWAB BIOGRAPHY toMOIYSEY? for careful attention your To the Editor: to I We live In a society that Is totally de individual needs, call us today! void of sensitivity to morality and that lacks basic concepts of tzen.ius. We try (914) 354-8445 to raise our children In a sheltered, pro tected world of Torah and Tahara. In this protected world, it Is rare to find suitable reading material. There is a limited amount of literature and read ing material that ts wholesome and pure, yet educational and/or enjoy able. I have always encouraged my chil PEUGEOT205AC 196 Jewish Observer, dren to read The a c FORD FIESTA 1.3 238 magazine that represents Torah, and c" PEUGEOT 306 266 defends Its principles and ideals. c' PEUGEOT4061.8 294 In the June issue, a letter Wlitten M MINIBUS FORD 560 by Rabbi Keller to Dr. Lamm ap N BABY BUS 7 SEATS 420 peared. I am In total agreement with Rabbi Keller and concur with his D SUZUKY SWIFT 266 Views (though he does not need my E MAZOA3231B 315 USA&CANADA ha.skama.) This letter introduced my F 'NISSAN SUNNY 350 children, as well as countless others, G 'SUBARU LEGACY 1.8 434 to the "gay" issue. I expend much ef Toll Free: (1} 800-938·5000 K 'GMC VAN DURA 631 fort, and go to great lengths, to pre x 'PEUGEOT 405 U 497 IN NY: 212-629·6090 vent the filth of the streets from en XL 'TOYOTA CARINA 581 tering my home, and I am taken SX 'VOLV0940/SIMILAR 658 aback that it had to enter through The Jewish Observer. Must I censor ' PO\\!'R STEEllNG &ElfCTRIC WWDOWS The Jewish Observer. January 1996 37 Parenthetically, it is commonly violate the protective environment of Jews. known that Rabbi Schwab had posed these young people, yet we see it as Time passed and somehow, a cu the same question to several contem our mandate to address burning is rious phenomenon emerged at the porary Gedolim, and while others re sues on the Orthodox agenda, includ home of the widowed Rebbetzin: sponded in writing, the Gerrer Rebbe ing those that are referred to in While her husband had been alive, did not. At the meeting described Chumash as abominable. We can their telephone had rung almost in above, the Rebbe reportedly added, only advise parents to assert their au cessantly each day and, especially, at "But for certain one may not attend a thority when they deem it appropri night. Now, it seemed, it had become university." ate, and to make copies of articles for an instrument used primarily by I hope these words will add clarity their children when they feel they members of the family to communi to these areas in the life of Rabbi would benefit from reading them. cate with and console one another Schwab. THE EDITOR across the miles. Their mailbox was May we be zocheh to grow in emes --·-·------··------always threatening to burst with doz and tzenius, bedarkei HaTorah VACANT CHAIR, VACUUMIN ens of invitations that would arrive hakedosha. THEIR LIFE weekly, beckoning the family to share RABBI OOVID KATZENSTEIN in joyous occasions of those who had Monsey, N. Y. blossomed and grown with no small (The writer is Menahel of Yeshiva To the Editor: help from that very home. Suddenly Shaarei Torah ofRockland) Ahnost without warning, a beloved it appeared almost cold, bringing Rebbe passed away, leaving behind mainly bills and junk mail. Editorial response: not only his large, grieving family, but It is so difficult for this widow to hundreds of shocked talmidim, past imagine why one would withhold While The Jewish Observer is and present. All those who had from her and her family the joy that a gratified that younger readers profit known him even briefly truly card or a phone call would bring, from reading the magazine, it is a mourned the loss and missed him epecially now, when it is so sorely journal of thought and opinion dedi terribly; how much more so those needed. cated to discussing areas of concern who had sought his counsel, eaten at We sent an invitation for a simch.a to the Jewish community. Some of his table and bared their souls to him. to a recently widowed woman. know the topics may not be suitable for For years, the Rebbe and his family ing that she would not fiy across the some children. who otherwise are had welcomed people into their home, country to attend. My husband had sheltered from corrosive elements in sharing their lives and their un not been a talmid of the niftar, yet the society. We certainly do not want to bridled love for Torah and for fellow Rebbe had always drawn him close and showed a sincere interest in his life. I was genuinely surprised, there 1 11 0J. Rabbi Aryeh Schechter fore, when the woman's daughter (a CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST friend of mine) conveyed her mother's SOFER S"TAM DR.BENZION thanks for the invitation in what I SOROTZKIN considered disproportionate mea sure. She went on to describe how her 15584bt5t. N.Y. STATE LICENSED llroolrlJn, NY 11.118 family had apparently lost its stand ADULTS ing since her father had passed away. AND At a time when they were especially CHILDREN sensitive, they began to feel that their (718) 633-3248 worth was measured in terms of their (718) 219-3867 father and husband. In addition to coping with their loss, there was now the additional sting of isolation. For get the hours and hours put in by the [;'a'] MALOHN woman herself, making her home BIG MIFAL into a welcoming haven, foregoing her own right to her husband's time and APPLE VISITING NEW YORK?? attention. If for no other reason. COPY & PRINTING Beautiful rooms, with kitchen hakoras hatov would demand that CENTER facilities. in heart of Bero Park the memory of the niftar be honored by day or week. Near Shuls, by honoring his family. 87 NASSAU ST take-out foods, etc. Profits to NEW YORK, NY 10038 A moment of consideration is a . Mifal Torah Vodaas. (212) 962-4282 small price to pay for the chizuk and (212) 267·9478 Call (7t81 85t•Z969 . comfort it would bring. NQT,V.'s NAME WflliHELD l3Y REQUEST 38 The Jewish Observer. January 1996 II-==~l"tt:l"f''f:J Lll? I t;;.U(I ll'"llC84 (/;. The WilliamNational Street/NYC Headquarters 10038'~::::::======of Agudath Israel of America FUNDS AVAILABLE FROM AUSTRIA tria. The Committee for Jewish Claims years) before March 13, 1938, because FOR JEWISH VICTIMS OF THE NAZIS on Austria was able to persuade the they left the country in the face of the German armed forces' arrival in Aus The Agudath Israel World Organiza Austrian government, which originally tion informed its constituents and the intended this fund as a "hardship tria; or general public last month that the Com fund," to instead provide the payment 4. were born before May 9, 1945, of such persons in concentration camps mittee for Jewish Claims on Austria to every surviving Austrian Jew. Efforts (founded by the Conference on Jewish are presently being made to increase or under comparable circumstances. Material Claims Against Germany) has the amount of the payment. Eligible persons may request appli cations from the Austrtan Consulate in arranged with the Austrian government Jews are eligible for this one-time to provide a one-time payment of$7 ,000 grant from the Fund if they: New York, Attention: lrithJawetz, 31 E. to each Jewish victim of the Nazis. 1. were citizens ofAustria and living 69th Street, New York. N.Y. 10021. The phone number is (212) 737-6400. The Agudath Israel World Organiza inAustriaasofMarch 13.1938; tion is a folUlding member of the Com 2. had been livinginAustriaforape mittee for Jewish Claims on Austria, as riod of IO years as of March 13, 1938, Applications also can be sent directly well as of the Conference on Jewish or were born of such persons in Austria to: Dr. Heinz Fischer, President Material Claims Against Germany. within that same period; 3. lost their Austrian citizenship (or of the Austrian Nationalrat Parliament The grants will be provided by the A-1017Wien, Austria National Fund of the Republic of Aus- their place of residence of at least 10 Rivka &hmelczer Povert~ of tbe Senses I came to a conclusion Blind to a beggar Deaf to our conscience Just the other day With a paper cup in hand The inner voice of the heart I realized how rich we all are It begs to be filled It sounds like a foreign language In a special way But we're preoccupied, we can't. Yes, it is hard! We possess a fortune Deaf to the pleas of those You're rich? Senses-all five have we From hunger almost dead Is that what you say? But somehow we can And all they ask of us I find I was wrong Sometimes be Is a dry crust of bread Just the other day Blind to Hashem's handiwork Deaf to the words of our wise I thought about it The nature we constantly see Which we'd rather not hear Even more Blind to a world For they tell us how And believe we are We'd rather not see What and where Pitifully poor! Miss Schm.elczer lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. Titis is her first apearance in these pages. The Jewish Observer, January 1996 39