Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Letter writing Campaign for T a young girl still in prison from Women in Green

LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN

Supporting 18-Year-Old Girl Political Prisoner
and
Calling to Account Her Religious Settler Jailers

The young girls who were arrested and detained for three and a half weeks in the Neve Tirza prison were recently released.  As will be recalled, the 13 and 14-year-olds were arrested for being found in an outpost near Beit El.  When they informed police that they had done nothing wrong and would not cooperate with the (in)justice system by identifying themselves, they were made to undergo shocking humiliations and abuse by a system threatened by their refusal to be intimidated.  The girls persisted in their stance and, in the end, they prevailed and were released.

Not all of them, however.  There is another girl who is still in prison.  She asks that her name not be publicized and so I will call her T.  This girl, whose story is told below, is standing alone against the entire system, undergoing endless rounds of daily harassment and small cruelties intended to break her.

Although T. is strong, it is important that we strengthen her and show her that she is not alone.  The public is asked to send her  supporting letters.  The letters (preferably in English) can be faxed to the Honeinu organization which is representing her at  972-3-7256213. If you can't send a fax and/or if you want to write in English, please email us your letter and we will make sure to print it and hand it over.
Email: nmatar@netvision.net.il
Honeinu will ensure that she gets them.

Below is the story of this girl together with the names of disloyal Yesha residents who are among those in the justice system who have been mistreating and persecuting the girls:

T. lives in Elon Moreh in the Shomron.  Shortly before Hanukah, Arabs entered the municipal boundaries of Elon Moreh to harvest olives with a police and army escort.  The girl and a friend of hers saw the Arabs on the land within the yishuv and yelled at them to leave.  The security forces arrested her.

She told her interrogators that she had broken no law nor engaged in any criminal behavior, and refused to sign any documents or in any way recognize their authority.  Since her arrest on the eve of Hanukah she has been imprisoned in the infamous Neve Tirza women prison!  They detained her (i.e. imprisoned her) until the end of all legal proceedings against her and indicted her on all kinds of false and fabricated charges.

Usually when a person is detained until the end of trial, the prosecutors must do everything in their power to speed up the proceedings because they are detaining someone who may well be innocent.  In this case, however, they're doing the reverse: they're doing everything in their power to delay and stretch out the trial.  When the trial started, instead of setting subsequent hearing dates to follow closely upon one another, they wait man weeks between every hearing.  For weeks on end, T. sits in prison, undergoing state sanctioned torments, while she awaits the next hearing.

This judicial persecution doesn't suffice our anti-Jewish (in)justice system, this girl must also be tormented within the prison itself:

*When she first arrived at Neve Tirzah, T. refused to undergo a strip search.  'I'm not a criminal, you have no reason to search me,' she correctly reasoned.  She was punished for her refusal with three days in isolation.

*When the arrested girls from the Bet El outpost arrived at Neve Tirza, they were put together with T. for a very short time.  But the prison authorities quickly severed all connection between T. and the other girls simply to distress T. and to break her.  When rabbis came to visit the Beit El girls, they were not always allowed to see T.  So that she would feel totally alone.  The other girls wanted to give T. their Telecards ­ the prisoners' only connection to the outside world ­ but the prison authorities refused, in order to cut her off completely from the outside world.

Because the girl refuses to get up for roll call in prison ("I'm not a criminal, why should I get up for roll-call?," she correctly reasoned.), she is punished with long stretches in isolation.  And isolation means isolation: A small cell. No electrical outlet.  Which means there's no possibility of heating the space.  They won't allow her books.  She had no visits from her family for the last month.  Alone.  Alone.  Day and night.  Night and day.

Afterwards they put her in the "separation" ward, which is a semi-punishment ward.  There, books are allowed, but she wasn't allowed them.  'Submit a request,' they told her.  When she submitted a request and her mother came from far away to deliver the books, they allowed her to see her mother in a room with a thick window separating them where one could talk only by telephone.  When her mother wanted to give her the books the prison authorities told her that they wouldn't permit it.  Her mother replied, 'I'm not moving from here until you give my daughter her books.'  After some commotion they finally gave T. her books.

These are just a few small examples of the abuse against innocent Jewish girls who are sitting in prison for only one reason: the system is A-F-R-A-I-D of Jews whose primary loyalty is to the Torah of Israel and the Land of Israel and not the system.

In contrast to the young girls who are willing to defy a system that has betrayed its purpose of promoting and protecting Jewish settlement in the Land of Israel in favor of destroying the Jewish presence in Biblical Israel, there are Yesha residents and religious residents from around the country who are aiding and abetting the persecution of the religious Zionist activists.

Just as we must support the faithful, we must censure the disloyal Jews who oppress them.  Below is a very partial listing and accounting of these collaborators:

The officer in charge of inmates  in Neve Tirzah is a settler from Talmon by the name of Yoram Shriki.  From information that the Beit El girls gave to Etty Medad of Honeinu, Shriki singled them out for harsh treatment and continues to be particularly harsh and cruel towards T.  For example: for a long time the girls weren't allowed to use the telephone.  When they were finally allowed to call their families, the prison authorities gave each girl only a minute or a minute and a half to speak before severing the connection.  Yoram Shriki could have prevented these kinds of abuses.  Whoever knows this Yoram or whoever has acquaintances and friends in Talmon should ask for an explanation for this behavior.

We cannot remain silent when Jews who are supposedly "one of us" aid and abet the anti-Jewish (in)justice system.  Most reprehensible are the religious state prosecutors and judges living in Yesha, who allay their feelings of inferiority by proving to their Leftist masters that they can be cruel to their brothers and sisters who step out of line.

In the many trials Women in Green have undergone, we have personally experienced a good many of this type ­ unfortunately we never got their names.  As for the girls, we were told that the state prosecutor in T's case is a man by the name of Yehuda Shaulzon from Elkana.  In another hearing, the prosecutor is a religious woman from Beit Shemesh by the name of Shir Laufer.  Whoever might know them, please ask them not to abuse innocent Jewish girls and other political prisoners whose faithfulness to the Land of Israel is being punished.

If settlers and religious Jews are going to join the mud of the Israeli judicial system, they should remember that their loyalty should be to their people, their land, and to the Torah, and not to the Leftist Bolshevik regime.  At the very minimum, these state prosecutors should end the cruel prolongation of T's trial by setting hearings dates close together instead of stretching it out endlessly over months and months.

In conclusion, we cannot remain silent.  We must strengthen T., and call those who deprive her of her basic civil and human rights to account.  Please write to T. and send your letters to the fax number and email address provided above.





Support Mishmeret Yesha, They prevented serious terrorist attack!

What is Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz's life worth?

Dear Torah Supporters!

Our community recently had the honor of hosting Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz
here in San Francisco. This world recognized scholar is the author of
a new edition of Talmud that makes the central text of the Jewish
people universally accessible in the original Hebrew and has been
already translated into English, Russian and French.

We must sadly inform you that two armed Hamas terrorists recently
attacked his Mekor Haim Yeshiva in Kfar Etzion. This is not a yeshiva
consisting of college-age students studying after their IDF training.
These are high-school students without any combat experience.

Instead of entering student dormitories at 9:30 PM, the terrorists
entered a room where four counselors were meeting. As providence would
have it, two of these counselors were recently trained in
anti-terrorist combat techniques and practical weapons handling by
Mishmeret Yesha. Rather than obey the terrorists' command to "stand
against the wall", one counselor engaged in hand-to-hand combat
allowing the other to shoot both terrorists dead.

This event has been widely publicized in the Israeli media, see one
example at: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/948272.html

Over 70% of terror attacks directed at Israel and the Jews occur in of
the mountainous territories of Yehuda and Shomron. From Hadera to
Ghadera, a mere 9-mile-wide stretch of land, the entire coastal
population of Israel depends on the brave men and women of Yesha to
fend off terror for its survival. Often we hear only about attacks
resulting in injuries or deaths, but the majority of attacks are where
Israelis succeed in defending their businesses, land and families from
terror generally go unreported. This high rate of success is almost
entirely due to Mishmeret Yesha training programs and equipment
assistance.

The media has not given credit to Mishmeret Yesha for training and
organizing the security detail for Mekor Haim Yeshiva.

While the IDF approves and supports Mishmeret Yesha's work, they have
no budget to support the over 4,000 volunteers that are trained and
equipped by Mishmeret Yesha.

We urge you once more to support Mishmeret Yesha's work, and to help
save Jewish lives by donating to Mishmeret Yesha today.

Basic Facts:
- OVER 100 communities benefiting
- 4000 Rapid Response Team members trained
- 2000 armored protective and combat vests designed, fabricated &
distributed
- OVER 500 protective vests & helmets for men, women & children
purchased and distributed throughout Yesha
- 32 security g'machim (loan committees)
- 45 medical g'machim (loan committees)
- 300 combat vests and assorted tactical equipment distributed to IDF
units
- HUNDREDS of women trained in use of firearms and other self-defense
skills

SAVE A LIFE TODAY!

Support Mishmeret Yesha with your tax-deductible contribution!

_____ $5,000 (US) - Fully Equip One Rapid Response Team Member
_____ $1,500 (US) - Sponsor One Day 12-hour Training Session
_____ $1,200 (US) - Single Motorola Communication Unit
_____ $1,050 (US) - Armored Lightweight Combat Vest "CHASHMONIA"
_____ $250 (US) - Armored Polyethylene Plate
_____ $250 (US) - Ballistic Helmet

I WANT TO SPONSOR EQUIPMENT
FOR THE SECURITY G'MACH (FREE LOAN COMM.)
_____ $1,000 (US) - Men's Armored Vest
_____ $800 (US) - Women's Armored Vest
_____ $500 (US) - Children's Armored Vest

Please make & mail your tax-deductible contribution to:
MISHMERET YESHA
1412 Avenue M, Suite 2363
Brooklyn, NY 11230

or

MISHMERET YESHA
25 King George Blvd.
Jerusalem 94261 Israel
Tel: 02-625-1548
Fax: 02-624-6885
guards24@zahav.net.il

 

Thanks to alex@fliegler.net and EretzYisroelUndivided@yahoogroups.com for sending this email.




Sunday, February 03, 2008

re: Kol Korei of Moetzes Ged. Hatorah in USA and EY(Degel Hatorah) and Shemittah

bs"d

Dear Esteemed Rabbanim of Moetzes Gelolei HaTorah of America and Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah Degel Hatorah, amv"sh

When we want someone to get married is it sufficient to simply davan and say tehillim?  Isn't actually meeting a potential partner a necessary step as well?  Hishtadlus (let's do our part and Hashem will respond in kind).

When a  gun is pointing at our heads and we are capable of removing the gun aren't we obligated to get rid of the gun (and if we are able to davan and say tehillim at the same time then we davan and say tehillim as well.).

Why doesn't Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah come out with a Kol Korei stating that the Roadmap is against the Torah and then daven and say Tehillim that such a statement will be well received?  In America, let it be known, that each and every Jew has an achraiyus, an obligation, to write to the White House and let them know the Torah's Position (Daas Torah)  is against the establishment of  a Palestinian State in the heartland of Eretz Yisroel. 

Let us not be afraid to tell President Bush that the Land of Israel is promised exclusively to the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and we must keep the commandments.  Will the Palestinians keep Shemittah (Sabbatical year)?  Shemittah demonstrates that the Land of Israel belongs to G-d.

Is President Bush aware that the Torah position is against a Palestinian State whether or not it is a Democratic State?????

Sure, the Moetzes has many considerations.  $$$ and more $$$.  Money for Torah institutions and for children allowances and in America for wonderful Special Ed programs and insurance for fertility treatments and job training etc. etc... and results in lots of employment opportunities for our community.  These considerations are not greedy.  They are addressing our bread and butter.  

BUT, this is the Shemittah year.  In the Shemittah year we do things that on the surface seems to take away our Parnassah, our monetary sustenance, yet Hashem promises much blessings.  It is in the same spirit as Shabbos.  In the Shemittah year we rely purely on Hashem for our sustenance.  

So how does one survive you ask?  Won't we all starve?  Hashem promises that peace and security and blessings will result.  How does this work?  It works because in the spirit of Shabbos,   we share our resources.  On Shabbat we all grab at the Kiddush? Why?  Are we so malnourished?  It's because we want the Kedusha that is inherent in that shul chulent.

Let's take the plunge and say, we'll risk our job to make that statement for all of Eretz Yisroel.  And if Chas Vechalila, G-d forbid,  I will lose my job, my honorary position,  then let's rely on this year being a Shemittah year.  Patoach Tiftach  is the very special Mitzvah of the Shemittah year.  Loaning money with dignity even with witnesses and openly and not even secretly as we would do for a poor person, is the special Mitzvah of Shemittah.  Yet the recipient, if unable, is under no pressure to repay the loan since the loan must be released assuming there was no Pruzbul.  Of course we have good faith when people borrow they sincerely wish to repay the loan. 

Farmers that do not have an income because they keep the commandment not to work the Land will need good faith loans.  So will the Rabbinic Leader that speaks out for Eretz Yisroel and gets replaced for being so forthright.  If Chas Vechalila that happens, this courageous soul will also need a loan.  But this courageous soul can be counted on to repay the loan when funds becomes available to him. 

The point that I am making is that we must be courageous and speak up and let's put our faith in Hashem to provide for all our needs.

What's the alternative?  Another Gush Katif?  Another War in Lebanon? These were perfect example of pooling of resources.  A perfect model of the Shemittah year. The entire country was involved with sharing their resources, providing for each others needs and making sure that no one lacks.  A third of the residents living in the North in Israel were forced to flee their homes when the rockets started flying.  The people of Gush Katif will tell you of all the wonderful people that took them in and provided for them (and I don't think they will be talking about the gov't).  So will the escapees of the North.  

Maybe Hashem wishes us to share our resources this year and if it doesn't happen by keeping Shemittah it can happen in a variety of ways. Much worse ways.   Katrina is another example of a situation where people were displaced overnight and at the mercy of the goodwill of their brothers.

Let's not forget the chemical, biological and nuclear capabilities in the hands of our enemies. The World Trade Center tragedy was caused by a simple airplane. Heavens and earth is Hashem's witnesses and agents.

BeDamyich Chayii.  With Blood Shall You Live. We can live with the blood of the Korban Pesach, the Paschal Sacrificial lamb or the blood of the Bris Mila, circumcision, or alternatively, G-d FORBID, by the sacrifices of human blood.  We can get our sustenance from the graciousness of the Israeli gov't or the United States gov't or directly from Hashem through the good will of our brothers. 

Do we choose blood money to buy our Silence at the expense of the lives of our Brethren Acheinu Beis Yisroel?  How many terrorists with blood on their hands have been released into Israeli society with no  protest?  How many rockets have been fired on Sederot with our Silence? How many young Jewish girls have been harassed for desiring a judicial system based on Torah?  What is the value of the "pure" chinuch of our children when it is based on such blood money.  What lessons will our children learn from this chinuch?

What do we choose???? Ubechartem Bachayim.  Let us choose Life! Life of Torah, and life for our Brethren in Eretz Yisroel and a life for ourselves.

 

From: Rabbi Shmuel Bloom [mailto:news@agudath-israel-of-america.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of Rabbi Shmuel Bloom
Sent: Friday, February 01, 2008 11:46 AM
Subject: Moetzes Kol Koreh

 

Kol Koreh Banner

Below is the text of a kol koreh issued by the Moetzes Gedoleh Hatorah of Agudas Yisroel and the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah of Degal Hatorah in EY, calling upon jews where ever they may be to say special tefillos, including tehillim and seder yom kippur kotton, this coming Tuesday Feb 5, erev rosh chodosh adar 1, in light of the extremely serious current matzav in EY. As you will see, The American Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah has also joined in this urgent call.

 

 

An Announcement from Gedolei Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel, shlit"a

 

TO OUR FELLOW JEWS LIVING IN ERETZ YISROEL AND TO JEWISH COMMUNITIES EVERYWHERE

 

The difficult situation of the Jewish community in Eretz Yisroel fills us with trepidation.  No one knows what the new day will bring.  In our sins, we see the fulfillment of the posuk "Behold Your enemies are in uproar and those who hate You have raised their head.  Against Your nation they deviously plot, and take counsel against those whom You protect."  Our eyes are lifted in prayer to the Creator, that all of the goings-on in the world turn for the good.

 

From both within and without the crisis mounts.   The danger threatens both body and soul.   During these days, items are on agendas that could place entire populations of Jews into grave danger, G-d forbid - including those in the Holy City of Yerushalayim.  Further, there are constant attempts to undermine the foundations of pure chinuch in Eretz Yisroel and to cause harm to the holiness of Klal Yisroel.  Therefore it is incumbent on us to fortify ourselves with Torah, tefilla and good deeds, to awaken the mercy of Heaven.

 

Dear brethren, awaken and inspire yourselves to pour out prayer before the Creator of the world, that He have pity and protect His nation from all who stand up against us, that He abolish the intentions of those who hate us and nullify the plottings of our enemies, and that the eyes of the misguided be opened to the realization that their path is foolishness and they should leave Hashem's nation to guard its path and faith, without hindrance or interference.

 

We therefore call on members of Hashem's holy nation in all the places they reside, men, women and children, to gather in tefilla on Tuesday, Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar Rishon, 5768, to recite chapters of Tehillim and the order of Yom Kippur Koton.

 

May Hashem hear our pleas, and turn His face to us so that we may be saved with a permanent salvation soon.  And let us merit to see, quickly, the redemption of Yisroel, and gaze upon the building of the Beis HaMikdosh, quickly in our days, omein.

 

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah

Agudas Yisroel                                                                                           Degel HaTorah

 

 

23 Shevat, 5768

 

A Statement from the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America

 

We hereby join in the statement of the Gedolei HaTorah in Eretz Yisroel and call on our fellow Jews here in this country to gather and be unified in public tefilla on Tuesday, Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar Rishon, Yom Kippur Koton, to pour out prayer to Heaven over the situation in Eretz Yisroel.  May HaKodosh Boruch Hu accept our tefillos in mercy and hurry our redemption and ultimate salvation.

 

Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of America

Agudath Israel of America
42 Broadway 14th floor
New York, New York 10004
212-797-9000

 

 





Thursday, January 31, 2008

letter to Avi Shafran Re: UTJ - RE:MY PHONE CALL by Shmuel Koenig

In a message dated 1/30/2008 5:57:18 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, shmuelkoenig@verizon.net writes:
DEAREST RABBI SHAFRAN,
 
THE POOR PEOPLE IN THE YISHUV IN ERETZ YISRAEL NEED MONEY.
 
PART OF THIS MONEY LEGITIMATELY COMES FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
 
HOWEVER, THIS SHOULD NOT STOP UTJ AND THE GEDOLIM FROM SPEAKING OUT.
 
THANKS,
SHMUEL KOENIG
Rabbi Shafran, amv'sh
 
Rav Eliashiv is clearly against all concessions.  He has stated to more than one individual that Agudath Yisroel should do whatever they can to be activists against concessions.  Yet Agudath Yisroel of America is SILENT to President Bush's statement regarding a Palestinian State which translates to the expulsion of Jews in Yesha and concessions.  Why isn't Agudath Yisroel of America clearly following the dictates of the Gadol Hador?  I would have expected at Public Statement protesting President Bush's remarks. I would have expected that the Yeshivas would have instituted a letter writing campaign to President Bush to set the record straight regarding the Torah position of Bush's roadmap plan.  However, there is only Silence. It is my feeling that the Silence is because Agudath Yisroel of America has real concerns of incurring the wrath of its benefactor the United of States of America.  In the Agudah Convention, I believe Rabbi Bloom mentioned the great services of Agudath Yisroel of America to the frum community and this includes the acquisition of millions of dollars of government funding to push through legislation for many worthy projects that benefit the Jewish community.  These projects such as funding for special education, helping to pay for fertility treatments, low income housing, food subsidies, etc. etc. help pay for services that would be otherwise impossible and unaffordable and provides funding for jobs for many Jewish  professionals. 
 
These considerations are understandable.  However, it must not buy our Silence when it comes to Pikuach Nefesh and when it comes to abandoning our fundamental principles of the Torah.  The Land of Israel belongs to the Creator.  The Torah says "Ki Li Kol Haaretz".  It is not Olmert's or Bush's private real estate.  Shtika Kehodaya Damya!




Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Shemittah Miracle!

 
Hi,
I figured that you may want to share this story on your shemitah blog.
 
 
Kol Tuv,
Asher
 
Thanks Asher!




Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape in the new year.