Sunday, December 07, 2008

Update from Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky Moetzet Gedolei Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel must speak out Iהודעה בענין בית השלום

bs"d

Dear Rabbanim and fellow activists, amv"sh

As the expulsion of Beit Hashalom in Hebron was taking place on Thursday morning, I was on the phone with Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky a member of the MGH (Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah), Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva of Philadelphia and spiritual mentor of the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation who reaches hundreds of thousands of Jews with their excellent educational programming.  I tried to arrange a meeting between him and with Rav Waldman, Rosh Yeshiva of Nir Kiryat Arba, who came in that morning  to NY from Israel. Some of Rav Waldman's students were injured in this violent expulsion in Beit Hashalom. Rav Waldman was intimately involved with what was happening on site just the day before.   I begged Rav Kamenetsky to make a statement of our entitlement of Eretz Yisroel.  He said it is up to the Rabbanim in EY.  I said well there are many Rabbanim in EY.  He was unwilling to make a personal statement and he clearly said that he did not want to call Rav Waldman at this time. 

I then called Michael Rothschild Exec Director of the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation.  He actually picked up the phone which has never really happened in the past except once.  I told him about the expulsion of the Beit Hashalom House he was sympathetic but said there was an important bank transaction he had to attend to.  I got a bit emotional and said that I just spoke to Rav Kamenetsky who was not interested in calling Rav Waldman from Hebron.  I asked him what the point was of all the lectures on Al Taamod Al Dam Reiecha and Ahavas Chinom and yearning for the Beis Hamikdash.  Was it at all relevant?  He apologized and wished me Bracha Vehatzlacha.  I told him "Do you really mean that?". 

I also called Rabbi Bloom from Agudath Yisroel.  He put me on hold a lot especially when I tried to get my 2 sense in, (I tend to be a bit expressive) but he told me that he spoke to Rav Eliashiv personally and that Eliashiv shlita is extremely sharp even at the age of 99 amv"sh bli ayin hara.  I asked him how come the Agudah Convention made a resolution about an undivided Yerushalyim last year and it's pretty clear Condeleeza Rice is talking about giving away parts of Yerushalayim and Agudath Yisroel is now silent.  Rabbi Bloom said that Rav Eliashiv is not necessarily against agreements or giving away land since he agreed to the agreement with Egypt regarding Sinai and the agreement with Jordan but as a negotiating strategy it's dangerous to offer parts of Yerushalyim since then they will want it all.  I said if that's the case why didn't Rav Eliashiv take the negotiating position of Jewish Land up to the Euphrates so that there is some leeway in negotiating to the boundaries listed in Parshat Masei.  He didn't have an answer to that.

In any case, Rav Morgenstern gave a different report of what Rav Eliashiv said and Evelyn Haze said that at Rav Avrahom Shapiras funeral, Rav Eliashiv said not one inch.  I would like to get a copy of that speech to get the exact wording of Rav Eliashiv for clarification. i would also like to hear from Rav Nachum Rabinovitch, Rosh Yeshiva Maaleh Adumim and member of Rabbanei Yesha regarding this matter. Without an official position, it's hard to know what to believe...

Rav Waldman said that after Oslo, Rav Avrohom Shapiro sent a group of Rabbanim called Rabbanei Eretz Yisroel to America and they talked to Agudath Yisroel of America.  Then too they said that they can not make a statement w/o the Rabbanim in EY speaking out....

The time has come to get the media to bring their cameras to the "Rabbanim of Eretz Yisroel" the MGH (Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah) and get clarification about what their position is regarding Yehudah and the Shomron and if they are in favor of a Palestinian State.

The MGH of EY should also be asked what in their opinion should be the response of the Jews in Yesha  when the GOI (Gov't of Israel) does not allow them to build, expand, allow for growth, arrests them for defending themselves or their homes and property and iunstead criminally prosecutes them, places them in adminstrative arrest with no charges, and expels them from their homes inhumanely (see video clips of Federman/Tor expulsion, Beit Hashalom expulsion, Amona Expulsion, violent expulsion of men women and children).

What is the MGH response to the multitudes upon multitudes of unoccupied houses now being built in Israel proper unhampered in what is considered the "Palestinian Territories" with funding flowing from USAID, European Union, Saudi Arabia etc.  These properties are built all over and especially along this new wall dividing Israel.  Many of these properties are on high ground and.or close shooting range to roads or population centers within and outside the Green Line.  How do we protect the electric and water lines to Yesha if they are now much more vulnerable? Major cities like Tel Aviv, Ashkelon etc will be in range if there is a Palestinian State Chas Vechalila.

What is the MGH's opinion regarding the United Nations overseeing Israel's security.  Are they aware of the UN's position regarding Israel.

 Are they aware of Barack Obama and the UN's Drive for Global Governance.  (see Tom Deweese, Wednesday, July 16, 2008 http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/3972 )

If they agree to a Palestinian State with their Silence, what do they suggest we do if Chas VeChalila Israel  falls under attack by this moderate Fatah State? Shall we pick up and leave Israel?  Will other countries even want the Jews?  We want to know their Daas Torah on all of this.....

If they do not really want a Palestinian State and feel that we indeed are entitled to YESHA by the Torah then can they please say so explicitly so as to end all confusion and suggest how the Jews in Yesha defend our G-d Given Entitlement.  Could they please mobilize their constituencies to work with unity with the rest of the people towards saving Yesha from an Amalek State in order to protect Jews all over the world and the rest of mankind as well.

From: Avi Shafran <Shafran@agudathisrael.org>
Date: Mon, Oct 6, 2008 at 9:20 AM
Subject: Re: response to your questions
To: Robin Ticker <faigerayzel@gmail.com>


The following list is copied from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moetzes_Gedolei_HaTorah

Current members belonging to Agudath Israel

    Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh Alter, the Rebbe of Ger (Hasidic dynasty) (Chairman)
    Rabbi Moshe Yehoshua Hager, the Rebbe of Vizhnitz (Hasidic dynasty)
    Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Horowitz, the Rebbe of Boston (Hasidic dynasty)
    Rabbi Avrohom Yaakov Friedman, the Rebbe of Sadigura (Hasidic dynasty)
    Rabbi Chaim Shaul Taub, the Rebbe of Modzitz (Hasidic dynasty)
    Rabbi Yochanan Sofer, the Rebbe of Erlau

Current members belonging to Degel HaTorah

    Rabbi Yosef Shalom Eliashiv (Co-Chairman)
    Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponevezh Yeshiva (Co-Chairman)
    Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rokeach (II), the Rebbe of Belz (Hasidic dynasty)
    Rabbi Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponevezh Yeshiva
    Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, the Rosh Yeshiva of the yeshiva Torah Ore
    Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Maalos HaTorah yeshiva
    Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel (Mir), the Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir yeshiva (Jerusalem)
    Rabbi Gershon Edelstein, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Ponevezh Yeshiva
    Rabbi Meir Tzvi Bergman, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva Rashbi





On Sat, Dec 6, 2008 at 11:44 PM, Israel Kaplan <israelkaplan@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Rabbis & Friends
 
Over the past few years we have attempted time and time again to convince our Rabbinical leaders both in Eretz Yisrael and in North America to provide direction to the many who are feeling leaderless and lost.   The crisis that exsists in Eretz Yisrael continues to expand into the diaspora whether skyrocketting antisemtism in Europe, Mumbai, India or electing a new US president that may show balance to the Islam nations of the world.
As an individual who understands all too well how the Jewish people function or disfunction, I can only express from the depth of my Jewish soul how necessary it is for the Rabbincal World to show through actions and words direction during these dark, dark days.    With that said we respectfully ask the Rabbincal world to please consider encouraging your colleagues on both sides of the ocean to join together and petition the current Israeli government to end there criminal and discrimantory acts against the Holy Jews of Yesha.   Moreover a well funded campaign should commence forthwith for Jews world-wide to petition their leaders in the US, Europe and Israel to end all of these insane suicidal and chaotic negotiations with these terrorists dressed in suits.   We are hopefull that if the Israeli Rabbinate, who to date are weak and afraid by the threats of Israeli governments economic strangulation are encouraged to speak up by the North American colleagues, it is possible that a new dynamic could be in the making.   The very, very worst that could happen is that an attempt at speaking out may reach the ears of Rachamay Shomayim.   Lastly, $$$$.   Who pays for a well oiled campaign.  The answer, we all pay.  If the Rabbinate comes out with a unified voice that brothers and sisters, we are in trouble, you can believe that the Jews will come to the rescue.   However if the Rabbincal world has other agendas that they feel might be jeoprodized, showing that our current emergency can wait then we will continue to be at the loosing end of Jewish leadership.
 
Shavuah Tov
 


IZZY KAPLAN
416 824 2858
416 256 2858
Check out my new blog http://israelonisrael.blogspot.com


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