Monday, April 07, 2014

Fwd: Follow Rabbi Abadie's Lead To Boycott Israel Day Parade If BDS Marches! Protest BDS marchers this Tuesday Rally, Tuesday, April 8th, flyering 4 pm, speeches 5:30-7 PM UJA-Federation Bldg., 130 E. 59 St., Bet. Lex & Park Aves



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Robin Ticker <faigerayzel@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 1:59 PM
Subject: Follow Rabbi Abadie's Lead To Boycott Israel Day Parade If BDS Marches! Protest BDS marchers this Tuesday Rally, Tuesday, April 8th, flyering 4 pm, speeches 5:30-7 PM UJA-Federation Bldg., 130 E. 59 St., Bet. Lex & Park Aves
To: Howard Rieger <howard.rieger@ujc.org>, John Ruskay <ruskayj@ujafedny.org>, Joseph Kanfer <joseph@ujc.org>, Malcolm Hoenlein <malcolm@conferenceofpresidents.org>, "President Alisa R. Doctoroff" <DoctoroffA@ujafedny.org>, Ronald Lauder <rlauder@jnf.org>, Russel Robinson <rrobinson@jnf.org>, "UJA Federation President Jerry W. Lewin" <jwlevin@jwlevinpartners.com>, EGoldstein@paulweiss.com, Gabe Roth <groth@rubenstein.com>, Michael Mittelman <MittelmanM@jcrcny.org>, Noam Gilboord <GilBoordN@jcrcny.org>, Peter Kohlmann <kohlmann@jcrcny.org>, "President Ronald G. Weiner" <Ron@pwcpa.com>, MillerM@jcrcny.org


bs"d


Stay tuned to the big Yom Hashoa Rally against Iran   which will be taking place on:Sunday April 27, 2014 at 11:30am  in front of the UN IRANIAN MISSION 622 THIRD AVE (at EAST 40th STREET) NEW YORK, NY 

For more information, please call: Yom Hashoah Committee: (516) 521-9333.  See attachments.....


Dear Federation Organizers and JCRC Board Members:


First Yasher Koach on the good work that you do to help people find jobs, give people jobs and help the needy.  Federation was out there by Hurricane Sandy.  UJA is the Jewish social service communal infrastructure that must raise about $600 million a year to assist the needy. That includes indigent survivors who get home care, battered women in Borough Park, poor Jews in Canarsie and on the Grand Concourse, and so forth.  So we don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water.  On the other hand there is a lot that UJA/Federation supports,  which accomplishes the exact opposite of what they are supposed to do.  What comes to mind is giving a grant for a Tikkun Olam Shabbat Program for gardening and furniture building????? Quite the opposite of Tikkun Olam.  Those with basic knowledge of Judaism knows that  gardening and furniture building fall under forbidden Shabbat activities.


We would all be very sad not to have an Israel Day Parade. But at times, if necessary, if the old house has serious building violations endangering the occupants, one needs to stay away from the house until these violations are rectified..  


Please read about Rabbi Abadie's call not to participate in the Israel Day Parade as long as the organizers, Federation and JCRC include BDS marchers under their big tent. No doubt he is under heavy pressure from UJA/Federation to backtrack.  


Please visit the Algemeiner Post and see the large number of comments giving much deserved chizuk, support of Rabbi Abadie's decision to pull support for the Israel Parade unless anit-Israel BDS groups are barred from participating.


 http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/04/02/leading-manhattan-congregation-vows-to-pull-support-for-israel-parade-unless-anti-israel-groups-are-barred-from-participating/


Read Rabbi Aryeh Spero's post and comment as well. 

http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/israel-boycott-promoters-do-not-belong-in-israel-day-parade/2014/03/31/


My comments follow:


Yasher Koach to the Algemeiner and to the Jewish Press for reporting the massive efforts underway spearheaded by Richard Allen of JCCwatch and Beth Gilinsky of Jewish Action Alliance to stop  BDS groups and marchers.  (To their credit, many papers and radio programs, for practical and economic reasons, don't want to put UFA/Federation in a negative light so they don't bother reporting the controversy. It takes a courageous paper to do so.  A paper willing to lose revenue.  Is it true that UJA-Fed gives or withholds advertising revenue money to the Jewish papers depending on their coverage of John Ruskay. I am not an insider but how else to explain lack of coverage of this protest on April 8th of many newspapers. If you are a paper or radio program with a conscience please report on this rally. Thanks! ).  


Visit the links of the Algemeiner article and the Jewish Press article by Rabbi Aryeh Spero and comment so that the organizers at Federation and JCRC hear your voice.   


In line with Rabbi Abadie's call, picture this scenario.  Surely it paints a picture that unfortunately is quite realistic.


UJA Federation/JCRC stand firm and refuse to back down.  They allow the BDS groups to march. Pro Israel and Zionist groups boycott the Israel Day Parade in Protest of BDS marchers.  The only ones left are BDS marchers, the organizers UJA/Federation and JCRC, and the Neturei Karta protesters.  The organizers UJA/Federation and JCRC then invite the Neturei Kara protestors under their big tent.  The BDS marchers and the Neturei Karta both are anti Zionists and ideologically on the same page. The BDS marchers however, unlike Neturei Karta, pretend to be  Zionists, marching in the parade etc...  It's like Hamas and Fatah Lehavdil. At times they try to work things out with one another.  One is honest about their true feelings towards Israel and one is deceitful about their true feelings but their anti Israel sentiment and goals are the same...  Anyway the organizers, UJA/Federation and JCRC in democratic fashion, would like all to join under their umbrella.  Uh oh... the Neturei Karta don't want women.  But that's ok with the BDS supporters and their Muslim supporters who feel that women should not exist as per the recent declaration of the CII.  The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) concluded their 192nd meeting on Thursday with the ruling that women are un-Islamic and that their mere existence contradicted Sharia and the will of Allah. As the meeting concluded CII Chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Shirani noted that women by existing defied the laws of nature, and to protect Islam and the Sharia women should be forced to stop existing as soon as possible. (bold added)http://israelagainstterror.blogspot.com/2014/04/muslim-clerics-women-should-cease-to.html


The organizers at Federation and JCRC now have a big problem because they want women under their umbrella. After all they include everyone.  So they get into a fight with BDS supporters.  The BDS supporters tell the Organizers, Federation and JCRC that they are "occupying" their parade and that the Parade is now called the Palestinian Day Parade and all Jews are barred and that they, UJA/Federation and JCRC are by democratic rule ousted from running the Parade.  Of course UJA/Federation insist that they have been running the Parade for years and that they have legal rights to continue to run the Parade and should have complete control as per how the Parade is to be run. The new group of marchers then go to the UN and the human rights council to protest the terrible injustice they are subjected to under the totalitarian organizers, whom they call "occupying organizers" of the Palestinian Day Parade.  


So much for the big tent!


http://www.algemeiner.com/2014/04/02/leading-manhattan-congregation-vows-to-pull-support-for-israel-parade-unless-anti-israel-groups-are-barred-from-participating/  


IT STARTS WITH BOYCOTTS

 


April 1933: Storm troopers outside a Berlin store posting signs: "Do not buy from Jews!"

 

 

 

Today, in APRIL 2014, there are Jewish organizations supporting the Arab boycott of Jewish businesses and their products made in the Land of Israel.

 

And UJA-Federation and JCRC are letting these organizations march in the Salute to Israel Parade!

 

JOIN US TO TELL UJA-FEDERATION:

DON'T LET BDS SUPPORTERS MARCH IN THE ISRAEL DAY PARADE!

Rally, Tuesday, April 8th, flyering 4 pm, speeches 5:30-7 PM

UJA-Federation Bldg., 130 E. 59 St., Bet. Lex & Park Aves

 

Nationwide Action Alert:

 

Call UJA-Federation at  212-980-1000  

 

Email the UJA-Federation Leadership: 

President Alisa R. Doctoroff: DoctoroffA@UJAFedNY.org   

Chief Executive Officer John Ruskay: RuskayJ@UJAFedNY.org  

CEO Elect Eric S. Goldstein: EGoldstein@PaulWeiss.com  

 

Email the Jewish Community Relations Council Board: 

President Ronald G. Weiner: Ron@PWCPA.com

Rabbi Michael Miller: MillerM@JCRCNY.org or call 212-983-4000   

 

 

Read more: http://www.jewishpress.com/indepth/opinions/israel-boycott-promoters-do-not-belong-in-israel-day-parade/2014/03/31/

 

 

Sponsored by JCC Watch, AFSI, Z Street, Jewish Action Alliance, National Conference on Jewish Affairs, EMET, Americans for Peace and Tolerance, Coalition for Israel. 

For info or to endorse this event: natlconference@gmail.com

-- 

Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch.  May their memories serve as a blessing.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com 

Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog. 



--
Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch.  May their memories serve as a blessing.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com 

Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog. 

Wednesday, April 02, 2014

Letter to Esther Pollard and Prime Minister Netanyahu - Don't be double crossed again. . Double crossed at WYE. 750 Terrorists later released by Olmert

bs"d

Dear Esther and Prime Minister Netanyahu, amv"sh

Please learn from past mistakes.  Jonathan initially acted in Israel's best security interests. Let him continue to do so!

History has shown that each time Jonathan plea bargains in an effort to be freed and doesn't go on the offensive when America once again acts in ways that puts Israel in harms way, he gets double crossed. 

 "Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and Deputy CIA Director Admiral Bobby Ray Inman - were well aware of Iraq's genocidal intentions toward Israel, and chose to blindside the Jewish state. "  

It's time Jonathan goes on the offensive with America!

Let the world hear him say that America's demand to release terrorists, is once again putting Israel in harms way as it did in the 1980's when they didn't share intelligence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction.  These same weapons were also putting America in harms way and actually came from America. Read http://www.jonathanpollard.org/iraq.htm The U.S. - Iraq Complicity Page How U.S. Armms and Technology Were Transferred to Iraq*. This was intelligence that America was required to share with Israel their ally and didn't. This is the "crime" for which Jonathan Pollard is rotting away in jail.  

If America was truly Israel's friend and concerned for its security it would never twist Israel's arm to release dangerous terrorists who clearly desire Israel's demise.

May Jonathan continue to try to help protect Israel and have unwavering faith that Hashem will then protect him from harm. 

The following report http://www.jonathanpollard.org/2001/092601.htm posted on the  Jonathan Pollard website was written in September 2001 re: the WYE Summit, October 1998.  

Promises were made by President Clinton to Prime Minister Netanyahu to release Jonathan. These promises were made in exchange of painful concessions on the part of  Israel.  

The promise to release Pollard were reneged.  The concessions Israel agreed to, weren't.  

750 terrorists, murderers with blood on their hands, were later freed under Olmert.  

There was no sugar in the Wye deal, just bitterness. 

Why does Prime Minister Netanyahu feel so sure that things will be different this time and that the bitter pills Israel has to swallow will be sweetened with the spoonful of sugar? (i.e.Jonathan's release)  http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=7929.  

Terror in the U.S. and the Jonathan Pollard Case. September 2001  The full article is below. 


"Talks at Wye soon broke down over the release of Palestinian murderers with Jewish blood on their hands, and over Israel's request for the extradition of Ghazi Jabali, the chief of police in Gaza who was wanted for his role in planning and executing terrorist attacks in Israel. To break the stalemate, the Palestinians suggested Jonathan Pollard as the solution. They proposed that Pollard be "sold" to Netanyahu once again: The U.S. would give Jonathan to Israel in return for Israel's freeing hundreds of Palestinian terrorists, and immunity for Ghazi Jabali.

The U.S. and Israel agreed to the Palestinian plan to swap Pollard for terrorists and murderers. President Clinton personally worked out the details in a late-night private session with Palestinian and Israeli representatives. According to the deal, Prime Minister Netanyahu was to receive a letter from President Clinton the next morning (one of approximately 30 letters the Americans had promised) guaranteeing Pollard's release for November 11, 1998, one week after the U.S. House elections. Jonathan Pollard did not agree to this deal. He was not even consulted.....

.....Nevertheless, the fact remains that Pollard's release was negotiated at Wye in a currency agreed upon by both Israel and the United States.

What is more, the Pollard negotiation was the deal-maker at Wye which allowed the summit to be successfully wrapped up and a signing ceremony to be planned for the next morning in Washington on Friday, October 23, 1998.

Only hours before the signing ceremony, P.M. Netanyahu received all of the American letters that had been promised to him except one - the one guaranteeing the release of Jonathan Pollard. Netanyahu threatened not to attend the signing ceremony unless he got the Pollard side letter. Clinton said, "Trust me." Netanyahu, knowing he was about to be double-crossed by Clinton over Pollard for the second time, refused.

Netanyahu demanded that in the absence of a letter of guarantee, Pollard should be freed into his custody immediately, or no signing ceremony. Ariel Sharon, who was then a Cabinet minister and is now prime minister of Israel, supported Netanyahu and they threatened to leave Wye without signing the Accords.

In order to take the pressure off President Clinton, CIA chief George Tenet leaked the news of Pollard's imminent release to the media in a deliberate - and ultimately successful - attempt to torpedo the deal. He sent emissaries to Capitol Hill to hold emergency meetings with leading senators and congressmen to enlist their support in publicly denouncing Pollard's release. Many lies were told by the CIA emissaries to convince the American legislators to act swiftly and in unison. Believing the lies, the legislators complied and began an unprecedented series of public actions to prevent the release of Jonathan Pollard.

Meanwhile, at Wye, under heavy pressure and still fearful that Netanyahu would not back down, Clinton quickly negotiated a private fall-back position with Netanyahu: Clinton would publicly promise to do a "speedy review" of the Pollard Case and he would use that review to free Pollard a few months later, parallel to the release of the 750 Palestinian terrorists who were part of the price Israel had agreed to pay for Pollard.

Under heavy public pressure and betrayed by his own minister of defense, Yitzhak Mordecai, who closed ranks with Clinton, Netanyahu reluctantly and with misgivings accepted this private deal. The signing ceremony was held in Washington as scheduled.

Netanyahu's capitulation at Wye and the lopsided deal he brought home from the summit, now that Pollard was no longer publicly perceived to be a part of it, would shortly cost him his premiership. This, in turn, would jeopardize the private deal that Netanyahu had made with Clinton because it required the next prime minister to ensure that Pollard's release was delivered as promised by the U.S.

After the signing of the Wye Accords, when Clinton had all that he wanted from the Israeli leader, the White House falsely accused Netanyahu of having injected Pollard into the summit at the last moment. However, eye-witnesses to the Pollard deal at Wye, including the Israeli and the Palestinian who had negotiated the deal with Clinton, and the former Israeli Cabinet secretary, Dani Naveh (currently minister without portfolio), all later contradicted the White House version of events and affirmed that President Clinton had committed the United States to the release of Jonathan Pollard as an integral part of the Wye Accords.

When Netanyahu returned to Israel after Wye, he created a firestorm of publicity by releasing 200 Palestinian common criminals from Israeli prisons. The Palestinians were outraged because they insisted that these common criminals were not the prisoners that they had bargained for at Wye. The Americans also angrily protested. Netanyahu reminded Washington that the Wye Accords do not specify exactly which prisoners Israel must release.

Critics wondered why the prime minister would so deliberately antagonize the Americans this way. Only those close to Prime Minister Netanyahu understood that this was Netanyahu's private, pointed reminder to Bill Clinton that if he were thinking of double-crossing him over Pollard yet a third time, he should think again. No Pollard, no release for the Palestinian murderers and terrorists. Unfortunately for Jonathan Pollard, Netanyahu's government fell before he was able to act on this.

In a meeting with Netanyahu right after his electoral defeat in the Spring of 1999, Jonathan Pollard's wife, Esther, received assurances from Netanyahu that the new prime minister, Ehud Barak, had been fully briefed about what had been agreed to at Wye and about the fall-back position - that is to say, Israel had yet to free the 750 terrorists with blood on their hands and was still supposed to receive Pollard home in what would be publicly presented as a parallel "gesture" from President Clinton.

Not long after Barak took office, the 750 Palestinian murderers and terrorists walked out of prison as free men. Jonathan Pollard remained in his American jail cell."



Terror in the U.S. and the Jonathan Pollard Case

Larry Dub, Esq. - WorldNetDaily - Exclusive Feature - September 26, 2001

In a bitterly ironic way, the devastating terrorist assaults on New York and Washington which recently claimed thousands of innocent American lives bring to mind the desperate and futile attempts of Jonathan Pollard to save America and Israel from just such a catastrophe.

In the early 1980s, Jonathan Pollard was a civilian analyst in an anti-terrorist unit of the U.S. Navy. He was responsible for identifying state sponsors of terrorism in the Middle East, analyzing information on terrorist activities and briefing American officials on the probability of terrorist strikes, both at home and abroad.

Pollard's unceasing message in these briefings and in the reports he submitted was if America did not combat terrorism abroad, the battle would eventually be brought home to be fought on American soil. Much to Pollard's dismay, as long as his reports were only about murdered Jews and Israeli targets, his exhortations were met with indifference. His warnings and his recommendations - which if implemented threatened to disturb America's relations with her so called "moderate" Arab allies - were largely ignored.

For example, Jonathan Pollard was deeply troubled that the U.S. government did not seem to appreciate the threat to American interests posed by Saddam Hussein. He repeatedly warned American officials of the dangerous game the U.S. was playing - both in arming Iraq and providing it with sensitive intelligence. He also tried desperately to hold the U.S. to its commitment to warn Israel of "the Butcher of Baghdad's" lethal plans for the Jewish State. In his efforts to get this information legally released to Israel, Pollard appealed all the way up the chain of command in the Pentagon. To no avail. In desperation, Pollard finally gave the information to Israel himself.

Essentially, Jonathan Pollard warned Israel that Saddam Hussein was planning to scorch the Jewish State with weapons of mass destruction. What is perhaps most shocking of all, though, is the fact that this vital information was being purposely withheld from Israel by the U.S., Israel's closest ally.

While the exact reason for this betrayal will probably never be known, at least two high-ranking members of the American national security establishment at the time - Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and Deputy CIA Director Admiral Bobby Ray Inman - were well aware of Iraq's genocidal intentions toward Israel, and chose to blindside the Jewish state. Their motive, it seems, was to curry favor with the Egyptians and the Saudis who viewed Saddam's covert strategic arsenal as a means to finally destroy Israel.

Nevertheless, thanks to Jonathan Pollard, Israel was ready with gas masks and sealed rooms when Iraq attacked her during the Gulf War.

In warning Israel, Jonathan broke the law. He deserved to be punished. But the punishment has to fit the crime. The usual sentence for spying for an ally is 2-4 years. Jonathan is about to complete his 16th year of a life sentence, with virtually no possibility of parole.

Jonathan Pollard did not spy against the United States. He was never indicted for intent to harm the United States, nor for treason, though he has been falsely accused of both. He received his life sentence without benefit of trial, as the result of a plea bargain which Jonathan honored and the U.S. violated.

Jonathan received a sentence far harsher than most of those who spied for an enemy nation. Twentieth-century spies Michael Walker, Clayton Lonetree and Richard Miller, who spied for the Soviet Union and did inestimable damage to American national security, are all free men today. Only Jonathan Pollard, a Jew who spied for the Jewish State, remains in prison with no end in sight.

Additionally, the case of Michael Schwartz highlights the disparity in sentencing between Jew and non-Jew and between Israel and other U.S. allies. Schwartz, a non-Jew who spied for Saudi Arabia, was arrested, confessed and indicted. But before he ever stood trial, a quick deal was worked out in order to appease America's Saudi ally. His punishment? Loss of his Navy job, rank and pension. Whereas Jonathan Pollard got life for his activities on behalf of a U.S. ally, Schwartz did not get a single day in prison.

An article ("Crime and Punishment," LA Jewish Journal - 04/03/98) by J.J. Goldberg, Editor of The Forward (N.Y.), cites high-level Washington sources indicating that the Joint Chiefs of Staff acted through Caspar Weinberger to secure a life sentence for Jonathan Pollard that has nothing to do with Jonathan's guilt or innocence and everything to do with sending an intimidating message to Israel and to the American Jewish community: "High-ranking sources say that it was the Joint Chiefs of Staff who urged the judge, through then-Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, to ignore the plea agreement and throw the book at Pollard. … They wanted to send a message. ... Pollard is still in jail, these sources say, not because his crime merits his lengthy sentence - it doesn't - but because too many American Jews still haven't gotten the message."

Perhaps this explains why both the American justice system and the clemency process have been repeatedly subverted in the Pollard case and why, in spite of the patently false accusations against him, Jonathan Pollard remains in prison nearly 16 years later.

Granted, there is resistance to releasing Jonathan Pollard from numerous officials and institutions in Washington which have gone to great lengths over the years to exaggerate and fabricate the damage Pollard allegedly did to U.S. national security. The record, however, has never supported these unsubstantiated claims.

Congressman Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., recently wrote a letter to President Bush in which he stated: "The facts of the case show that none of the information provided by Mr. Pollard resulted in the loss of lives or the utility of any agents, the need to replace or relocate intelligence equipment, the loss of sources of information, or the compromising of technology. And while sentences in espionage cases are traditionally proportional to the damage caused, Mr. Pollard's sentence is in gross violation of this principle. Having reviewed many of the documents in the case myself and received numerous briefings on the subject, I believe that if anyone were to conduct an original review of Mr. Pollard's case, they would come to the same conclusion that I have: Mr. Pollard's sentence does not fit his crime."

Indeed, the Government's own Victim Impact Statement (VIS), which was submitted to the court prior to sentencing indicated that Pollard's greatest "sin" was that by giving Israel vital security information which permitted the Jewish state to act in its own defense, he had made Israel "too strong" and thus angered America's "moderate" Arab allies.

The assertion that Pollard had disturbed the balance of power in the Middle East by making Israel "too strong" is absurd. As pointed out by David Zwiebel, Esq., in his 1997 critique of the VIS:

For decades, Washington has sought to assure Israel of a qualitative military and strategic advantage vis-à-vis its Arab neighbors; Pollard's actions were, if anything, consistent with this goal.

Moreover, events of subsequent years (and especially the Gulf War) have shown America's enormous credibility with its allies in the Arab world; Pollard's actions had no discernible impact here.

Finally, intelligence-sharing between the United States and Israel has actually been strengthened in the past decade, culminating in a historic strategic cooperation agreement between the two states in 1996; Israel now receives real-time data throughout the day from U.S. intelligence satellites.

If Pollard's actions indeed "adversely affected U.S. relations with both its Middle East Arab allies and the Government of Israel," as claimed in the VIS, it seems fair over a decade later to say that such adverse impact was of short duration.

Nevertheless, in response to the "moderate" Arab allies' complaints that Pollard had made Israel "too strong," the entire American judicial process was subverted. This judicial subversion resulted in an unprecedented life sentence for Jonathan Pollard, which was intended not only to send a severe warning to Israel, but more importantly, to placate America's oil-rich Arab allies.

In spite of the passage of time which has exposed government allegations against Jonathan Pollard as either gross exaggerations or outright lies, and in spite of all the evidence to the contrary, America continues to punish Jonathan Pollard as if he had committed a far more serious crime and as if Israel were an enemy state. Meanwhile America continues to indulge her "moderate" Arab allies as if she were unaware of their connection to and tolerance of terrorism.

As of September 11, 2001, the above situation is no longer tolerable. America's sufferance of Arab "allies" who tolerate terrorism and give it safe haven must cease immediately; and the grossly disproportionate sentence meted out to Pollard to placate these so-called allies must be immediately resolved.

What can be done to bring resolution to the Pollard case which has for 16 years remained impervious to due process and truth? In 1998, a political solution was sought and found - but never implemented. That solution remains viable to this day.

Most Americans and Israelis know that on the heels of the Pollard crisis at the Wye River Summit in 1998, former President Clinton promised former Prime Minister Netanyahu that he would review the Pollard issue. What very few people know is that both prior to the Wye summit and then, again, as an integral part of the Wye accords, President Clinton had, in fact, committed the United States to freeing Jonathan Pollard. The U.S. commitment still stands to this day, waiting to be honored. Israel has fulfilled its part of the deal. The U.S. must live up to its end of the agreement.

In order to understand why America still owes Jonathan Pollard to Israel, it is necessary to understand the sequence of events before, during and after the Wye River Summit. According to a variety of eyewitness participants, including Mr. Netanyahu himself, this is what happened:

In September 1998, just before the mid-term congressional elections, President Clinton (who at the time was facing impeachment hearings and in need of a foreign policy PR victory) asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to attend a three-way summit with the Palestinians at Wye River, Maryland. Clinton knew that a successful summit at Wye just before the Congressional elections would be good not only for his image, but would also reap political benefits for the Democrats in their bid to regain control of Congress. As an inducement to Netanyahu, Clinton promised to release Jonathan Pollard within the context of the summit.

Understanding the value of Jonathan Pollard for his own re-election bid, and needing him as a sweetener to sell any kind of "peace" deal to the Israeli people, Netanyahu ignored the entreaties of Republican friends like Newt Gingrich, who implored him not to hand a PR victory to the Democrats, and agreed to attend the summit.

Once the Summit was underway, Clinton "forgot" his promise to free Pollard. Netanyahu knew he had been had but there was little he could do about it at that point.

Talks at Wye soon broke down over the release of Palestinian murderers with Jewish blood on their hands, and over Israel's request for the extradition of Ghazi Jabali, the chief of police in Gaza who was wanted for his role in planning and executing terrorist attacks in Israel. To break the stalemate, the Palestinians suggested Jonathan Pollard as the solution. They proposed that Pollard be "sold" to Netanyahu once again: The U.S. would give Jonathan to Israel in return for Israel's freeing hundreds of Palestinian terrorists, and immunity for Ghazi Jabali.

The U.S. and Israel agreed to the Palestinian plan to swap Pollard for terrorists and murderers. President Clinton personally worked out the details in a late-night private session with Palestinian and Israeli representatives. According to the deal, Prime Minister Netanyahu was to receive a letter from President Clinton the next morning (one of approximately 30 letters the Americans had promised) guaranteeing Pollard's release for November 11, 1998, one week after the U.S. House elections. Jonathan Pollard did not agree to this deal. He was not even consulted.

Had Pollard been consulted, he would have warned the U.S. and Israel that making deals with terrorists only encourages them - and that his freedom should be arranged in a way that redresses the injustices in his case and brings honor to both the United States and Israel.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that Pollard's release was negotiated at Wye in a currency agreed upon by both Israel and the United States.

What is more, the Pollard negotiation was the deal-maker at Wye which allowed the summit to be successfully wrapped up and a signing ceremony to be planned for the next morning in Washington on Friday, October 23, 1998.

Only hours before the signing ceremony, P.M. Netanyahu received all of the American letters that had been promised to him except one - the one guaranteeing the release of Jonathan Pollard. Netanyahu threatened not to attend the signing ceremony unless he got the Pollard side letter. Clinton said, "Trust me." Netanyahu, knowing he was about to be double-crossed by Clinton over Pollard for the second time, refused.

Netanyahu demanded that in the absence of a letter of guarantee, Pollard should be freed into his custody immediately, or no signing ceremony. Ariel Sharon, who was then a Cabinet minister and is now prime minister of Israel, supported Netanyahu and they threatened to leave Wye without signing the Accords.

In order to take the pressure off President Clinton, CIA chief George Tenet leaked the news of Pollard's imminent release to the media in a deliberate - and ultimately successful - attempt to torpedo the deal. He sent emissaries to Capitol Hill to hold emergency meetings with leading senators and congressmen to enlist their support in publicly denouncing Pollard's release. Many lies were told by the CIA emissaries to convince the American legislators to act swiftly and in unison. Believing the lies, the legislators complied and began an unprecedented series of public actions to prevent the release of Jonathan Pollard.

Meanwhile, at Wye, under heavy pressure and still fearful that Netanyahu would not back down, Clinton quickly negotiated a private fall-back position with Netanyahu: Clinton would publicly promise to do a "speedy review" of the Pollard Case and he would use that review to free Pollard a few months later, parallel to the release of the 750 Palestinian terrorists who were part of the price Israel had agreed to pay for Pollard.

Under heavy public pressure and betrayed by his own minister of defense, Yitzhak Mordecai, who closed ranks with Clinton, Netanyahu reluctantly and with misgivings accepted this private deal. The signing ceremony was held in Washington as scheduled.

Netanyahu's capitulation at Wye and the lopsided deal he brought home from the summit, now that Pollard was no longer publicly perceived to be a part of it, would shortly cost him his premiership. This, in turn, would jeopardize the private deal that Netanyahu had made with Clinton because it required the next prime minister to ensure that Pollard's release was delivered as promised by the U.S.

After the signing of the Wye Accords, when Clinton had all that he wanted from the Israeli leader, the White House falsely accused Netanyahu of having injected Pollard into the summit at the last moment. However, eye-witnesses to the Pollard deal at Wye, including the Israeli and the Palestinian who had negotiated the deal with Clinton, and the former Israeli Cabinet secretary, Dani Naveh (currently minister without portfolio), all later contradicted the White House version of events and affirmed that President Clinton had committed the United States to the release of Jonathan Pollard as an integral part of the Wye Accords.

When Netanyahu returned to Israel after Wye, he created a firestorm of publicity by releasing 200 Palestinian common criminals from Israeli prisons. The Palestinians were outraged because they insisted that these common criminals were not the prisoners that they had bargained for at Wye. The Americans also angrily protested. Netanyahu reminded Washington that the Wye Accords do not specify exactly which prisoners Israel must release.

Critics wondered why the prime minister would so deliberately antagonize the Americans this way. Only those close to Prime Minister Netanyahu understood that this was Netanyahu's private, pointed reminder to Bill Clinton that if he were thinking of double-crossing him over Pollard yet a third time, he should think again. No Pollard, no release for the Palestinian murderers and terrorists. Unfortunately for Jonathan Pollard, Netanyahu's government fell before he was able to act on this.

In a meeting with Netanyahu right after his electoral defeat in the Spring of 1999, Jonathan Pollard's wife, Esther, received assurances from Netanyahu that the new prime minister, Ehud Barak, had been fully briefed about what had been agreed to at Wye and about the fall-back position - that is to say, Israel had yet to free the 750 terrorists with blood on their hands and was still supposed to receive Pollard home in what would be publicly presented as a parallel "gesture" from President Clinton.

Not long after Barak took office, the 750 Palestinian murderers and terrorists walked out of prison as free men. Jonathan Pollard remained in his American jail cell.

In an attempt to justify Clinton's reneging at Wye, a story was leaked to the press that George Tenet had threatened to resign as head of the CIA if Pollard were released. It became popular to cite the opposition of the American intelligence community as the reason Clinton did not honor the U.S. commitment at Wye to free Pollard. This would soon be exposed as nothing more than a lame excuse.

In September of 1999, Clinton ignored a solid wall of opposition from the Justice, Intelligence and Defense Departments and Congress, and invoked his powers of executive clemency to free a group of unrepentant FALN terrorists in an apparent attempt to gain Hispanic support for his wife in her N.Y. Senate bid. In doing so, Clinton effectively put the lie to the notion that any government agency might tie his hands or influence his decision in matters of clemency. CIA chief Tenet's alleged threat to resign was clearly an excuse, not the reason, for keeping Pollard in prison.

More than two years after Wye, President Clinton's "speedy review" of the Pollard case still had not occurred. Jonathan Pollard remained in prison while the U.S. continued to extract Israeli concessions for his release. Those who still believed the myth that the American intelligence community was tying the hands of President Clinton also clung to the belief he would finally honor America's promise to release Jonathan Pollard at the end of his term, when he could do so without fear of political reprisal.

But when Clinton left office in January 2001, Jonathan Pollard was not included among those to whom he granted clemency, in spite of the American commitment to free Pollard as an integral part of the Wye Accords; in spite of the appeals of the Jewish community; and in spite of the demonstrable injustices of the Pollard case which include:

  • a grossly disproportionate sentence;

  • a plea agreement violated by the U.S. (honored by Pollard);

  • the use of secret evidence;

  • a false charge of treason;

  • ineffective assistance of counsel;

  • a lack of due process; and

  • a sentencing procedure infected by false allegations and lies.

On his last day in office, Clinton granted clemency to 140 people. Many of these pardons were judicially insupportable and it was suspected that many of the recipients had "bought" them with very large financial contributions. The most flagrant of these tainted pardons was granted to a notorious billionaire, a criminal fugitive from justice who never stood trial, much less spent time in prison.

Again, although the legal system and the clemency process have repeatedly failed to do justice in the case of Jonathan Pollard, there remains one last avenue for relief. The commitment that the United States made at Wye to free Jonathan Pollard is still in effect - still viable - and has yet to be honored. On February 28, 2001, Minister Dani Naveh, an eyewitness to the Wye deal, made the following remarks in the Knesset Record:

The former President of the United States, Bill Clinton, made an explicit commitment to the then-Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, to release Jonathan Pollard. … This promise was made prior to the Wye Summit and [again] during the course of the negotiations at Wye. ... This was not a personal promise made to a particular prime minister. ... This was a promise made to the State of Israel and to the People of Israel.

- Dani Naveh, minister without portfolio

As Naveh clearly indicated, at Wye, Mr. Clinton acted in his capacity as president of the United States and the commitments he made as an integral part of the Wye Accords are binding upon successive administrations until fulfilled. The current prime minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, was also an eyewitness to America's promise to free Jonathan Pollard. Both morally and legally, Sharon has no right to "forgive" that commitment to free Jonathan Pollard which was paid for so heavily in Israeli blood, territory and self-respect.

Since the Wye Summit, terrorist chief of police Ghazi Jabali has remained immune from all charges and, to this day, continues to plan and promote terrorist attacks against Israeli civilian targets. Thanks to the U.S., the ranks of his bloodthirsty "army" are now larger by 750 terrorists - the price Israel paid at Wye for Jonathan Pollard. It is high time for America to fulfill her end of the deal by releasing Jonathan Pollard. His life sentence is a travesty of justice - the product of malicious lies - driven by America's determination to appease her Arab allies.

Jonathan Pollard put it best when he recently said, "My release must be a matter of principle - of justice and of due process - and it should reflect the honor and integrity of the U.S.-Israel special relationship. Israel has already paid for my release at Wye. It is time to collect it."

Now, more than ever, Israel must honor its commitment to Jonathan Pollard by collecting on America's promise to free him - and America must fulfill its commitment to Israel.

By releasing Jonathan Pollard, America will demonstrate her renewed commitment to equal justice for all - untainted by political motive - and reaffirm her relationship to Israel as a valued ally and faithful partner in the war against terrorism.


Larry Dub has been associated with the Pollard case since the time of Jonathan Pollard's arrest in 1985. He became Jonathan Pollard's Jerusalem-based attorney in 1994. He and his partner, Baruch Ben-Yosef, filed a series of suits in the Supreme Court of Israel which resulted in the government of Israel recognizing Jonathan Pollard as a bona fide Israeli agent and in granting him Israeli citizenship.

In the U.S., Jonathan Pollard is represented by Eliot Lauer and Jacques Semmelman of Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP - Park Avenue, N.Y.

For further information on the Pollard case, visit the Justice For Jonathan Pollard Web Site.


See Also:
Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch.  May their memories serve as a blessing.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com 

Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog. 

Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Pollard: Pollard Waives Parole Hearing To Oppose Deal. Jonathan Pollard is acting consistent to Halachic Torah ruling, See Arutz7 Rav Shmuel Elihayu, Halacha Berura - Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rumpler Psak regarding Pollard

Pollard Waives Parole Hearing To Oppose Deal

Parole commissioner reveals Pollard refuses hearing on same day that deal for his release in exchange for Arab terrorists is revealed.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/179154#.Uzr_GPldV

What a Tzaddik! May Hashem speedily send his release and keep the terrorists in jail to serve out his life sentence!

Rabbis Denounce Pollard Deal

Major Israeli religious figures slam US for holding Pollard "hostage," say releasing terrorists forbidden by the Torah.



Video of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rumpler in both Hebrew and English in December preceding the last terrorist release will follow G.-d willing  Here is Rabbi Rumpler's written Halachic ruling, statement,  forbidding the release of terrorists in exchange of saving one Jew's life . 

 

נר לרגלי דבריך ואור לנתיבתי

דבר ה' זו הלכה

הלכה ברורה

כ"ז טבת

בענין שחרור מחבלים תמורת הצלת יהודי

היום בערב התאספנו בס"ד אסיפת צדיקים, וזהו התוכן שדיברתי מי לה' אלי, ומד' מענה לשון. הרבי מליובאוויטש אמר שאפילו מי שאינו פלוטקאי יוכל לדבר, ודבריו יעשו רושם. הנה ידעתי כי גם כל החרדים יודעים שאסור הסתכן יהודים, והא ראיה כשילד יהודי נרצח כל מי שלב יהודי פועם, כואב עד עומק נשמתו, רק כיון שהדבר רחוק מן הלב ואינם מורגלים בזה הם מרגישים קצת אינם-קרובים להענין, וכשרואים יהודי חרדי מגלה הענין כולם מסכימים!

הנה יש דבר שקרוב מאד ללבבי שמשחררים מחבלים בשביל תחליף לשחרור יהודי, וחשבתי לאחרונה שאצטרך לעשות משהו בענין ובהשגחה פרטית כשהזמנתי לדבר, ראיתי השגחה פרטית ואהבה מהקב"ה אלי שאוכל לגמור המחשבה שלי! והנה הדבר הקרוב מאוד ללבי זה השחרור של אחינו יהונתן שיחי'

א) הנה דבר פשוט שאסור וקל וחומר מאיסור מסירה שנפסק בשו"ע חושן משפט סי' שפ"ט אפי' מוסר ממון קל של חבירו מקרי מסור וכל החומר שבה, ופירש בסמ"ע שהרבה פעמים יוכל לבוא לידי סכנת נפשות הוי דין רודף וא"כ לענינינו אין מוסר ורודף יותר מזה, וכמו ששמעתי שהרי בוודאי רוצים המחבלים לשפוך דם של שונאים של ישראל ח"ו, ואין בזה שום ספק שהוי מוסר יותר ממוסר ממון קל של חבירו, וכן אסור לחבר כנסת להצביע בעד מטעם איסור ברור של מוסר, ומוסר פסול לכתוב תפילין ומזוזות כנפסק בשלחן ערוך.

ב) קל וחומר מדין ברור בסי' שכ"ט באורח חיים בשו"ע, וכן הוא בגמ' בעירובין, ונפסק בכל הראשונים, כשהגוים באים על סְפַר אפילו על קש ותבן יוצאים בכלי זיין ומחללין עליהם את השבת, ואיתא ברמב"ם ומצוה על כל ישראל שיכולים לבוא וכו', "ואסור להתמהמה למוצאי שבת", והגם-כפי שאמר הגאון רבי משה פיינשטיין זצ"ל שיש ספק שמא יהרגו שונאיהם של ישראל ח"ו, מחוייבים לצאת עמהם למלחמה, וכן מפורש בשו"ע הרב של התניא בסי' ש"ו בקונטרס אחרון שמחמיר שכדאי לחלל את השבת צריך להיות רפואה ידועה (הגם שלמעשה כתבתי שמקילים בזה), ומקשה על זה קושיא מהדין של יוצאים עליהם בכלי זיין, שהוי רק "ספק אם ינצחו", וא"כ לא הוי אפילו כרפואה ידועה, ואף על פי כן, הדין הוי דיוצאים עליהם למלחמה, וכפירוש רש"י "שמא יהי' נוח לכבוש הארץ משם", וזה רק "ספק" אם יראו שכדאי להם לכבוש הארץ מקרי כבר כ"שעת מלחמה". ואם כן בוודאי שאסור לסכן יהודים אחרים ומסכנים כל העולם בשביל הצלת יהודי, כי הרי כתב הגמ' בפסחים דף כ"ה שאסור להרוג יהודי בשביל להציל את עצמו "מאי חזית דדמך סמיק טפי".

ג) וכך איתא להדיא ברמב"ם הלכות יסודי התורה "וכן אם אמרו להם עובדי כוכבים תנו לנו אחד מכם ונהרגנו ואם לאו נהרוג כולכם יהרגו כולם ואל ימסרו להם נפש אחת מישראל", עד כאן לשונו.

ד) ולמעשה האיך שהרבי מליובאוויטש כבר התריע בכל כוחי נפשו נגד זה, והרבי אמר שלא לחשוב סוף כל סוף הצילנו יהודי, ששום מדינה נורמלית לא היו עושים דבר כזאת. ולגבי אחינו יהונתן פולארד שליט"א, הנני רואים דבר פלא שאמרו להנשיא קלינטאן שבאמת כבר הוצרכו לשחרר יונתן מזמן שחַבַל לשחרר דבר זה מהכיס, שאפשר לבקש על ידי זה הרבה וויתורים מישראל, ולכן כדאי שישאר תחת ידם, ובאמת אם היו אנשי שלומנו של יהונתן אומרים בפה מלא שאיננו רוצים לשחרר שום יהודי, היו חוסכים הרבה עגמת נפש שהיו רואים שאי אפשר לקבל שום דבר מזה היו משחררים אותו מזמן, וכמו שקידש שם שמים הרב משה זיגלמאן שליט"א שעל ידי שראה השופט שלא ימסור שום אחד מישראל לא הי' לו טעם להחזיקו בתפיסה ושחררוהו פתאום.

וכמו שאמר הרב הקדוש רבי מנחם מענדל מרימנוב זי"ע שעל ידי שצמים יום הכיפורים מסוגל לאריכות ימים, שהתורה נותן כח, כידוע מִצְוָה מלשון מְצַוֶה, שנותן כח לקיים המצוה, וכמו כן אדרבה על ידי שמחזיקים חזק בתוקף מצליחים, וכמו שאמר הרבי שהסיבה שאמעריקא מלחיצים על ישראל כי יודעים שעל ישראל אפשר ללחוץ ועל ערביים לא עוזר לחוצים לכן לא לוחצים עליהם. וכן ראיתי כותבת מרת אסתר פאלארד תחי' במכתבה, שבעלה יהונתן לא רצה שיחררו ערביים ח"ו וצריכים להגיד את זה בתוקף, ובזכות זה יעזור הקב"ה שיצא תיכף ומיד מן התפיסה בכח התורה.

והרבי מליובאוויטש מספר, אחר מלחמת ששת הימים באו לאמעריקא שרוצים לעשות שלום, ואמעריקא לא האמין וחשבו שרוצים להערים עליהם.

ומספרים עידי ראיה שאחר מלחמת ששת הימים ערבי הי' קם באוטובוס לפני יהודי והיו מפחדים מן יהודי, כן תהיה לנו על ידי שיעמדו עם הגאון יעקב.

ובספר דעת גדולי תורה שחיבר הגאון החסיד הרב שלום דוב וואלפא שליט"א מביא מהרב ש"ך שכתב במכתב י"ג מנחם אב תשל"ז "ואף בזמן שרואים שהוא מחבק ומנשק את יעקב זהו רק לשעה... והחיוך של הנשיא קרטר לא אומר כלום, כי מחר יחייך לאחרים", עד כאן. וזהו תשובה לאותם שרוצים לשמח אמעריקא, הרי אמעריקא רק מראה פנים לישראל, וגם להבדיל לערביים, ואמעריקא חושבים בלבם שהנכנעים הם משוגעים, וה ברור, ולמשל מי שנתפס לשובבים פושעים והולך ביחד אתם ומתבייש לעזוב אותם צריך להסביר לו הרי רק אם תעזוב אותם יעריכו אותך באמת. וצריך להסביר לאבאמא שטובה גדול מאד שיבין שזהו שמירה גדולה לאמעריקא שטרריסטים יראו שבאמת הוא שונא טרריסט ולא שעושה שחוק מהם, ונחזור לענין שמזו שאנו רואים שהמחבלים שמחים כשיוצאים מן התפיסה ורואים כעין נצחון בעו"ה. אנו יודעים שדעתם רח"ל..
-- ומצוה על כל פוסק הלכה לפרסם הפסק הלכה והרבי מליובאוויטש אמר מי שיפרסם פסק דין בזה באקומט א בעל-בתיש'קייט אויף וועלט. ויהי רצון שעל ידי פסק הלכה זו נפסוק שנגיע כבר לביאת המשיח ונצעוק עד מתי, באמת, ונזכה לעסוק בענין גיור כהלכה (שכתבתי בירור ארוך על זה) שבלי קבלת מצוות נעשה גוי גמור ונעסוק בזה באמת, ובצניעות, ובשבת, ובזכות זה מיד הן נגאלין.

ישכר דוב רומפלער

נ"ב. וגם דבר פשוט איתא בגמרא ע"ז ט"ו ע"ב, כדרך שאסור למכור לעובד כוכבים כך אסור למכור לישראל החשוד למכור לעובד כוכבים וכך נפסק ברמב"ם הלכות רוצח, ואם כן כל-שכן מהאיסור למכור כלי זיין לעכו"ם שאסור לשחרר מחבלים, ומן השמים ירחמו, ובא לציון גואל ואמרו אמן



Video of Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rumpler in both Hebrew and English regarding his Psak forbidding to release terrorists in exchange of saving one Jew's life will follow as soon as it comes available. . 

More on Arutz7


Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch.  May their memories serve as a blessing.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com 

Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog. 

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Chareidi Draft, Chareidi Piskei Halacha

bs"d

Two very informative Halachic Torah discussions regarding compelling issues of the day.  
  • Chareidi Draft 14 pages., גיוס בני הישיבות לצהל.
  • Halacha Berura Rabbi Yissochar Rumpler - regarding: Releasing Jonathan Pollard in exchange of Terrorists
דבר ה' זו הלכה הלכה ברורה בענין שחרור מחבלים תמורת הצלת יהודיישכר דוב רומפלער

The Charedi Draft  Halachic discussion, was sent to me by Rabbi Dov Stein. The first part of the document (Hebrew) is supportive of the Idea of serving in a Jewish army based on numerous Torah sources, contradicting the idea of the Chareidim. The second part of this document,  explains in detail why joining Tzahal as it exists today is problematic and offers suggestions to correct the situation.  These concerns include:
  • women soldiers in the army enticing, tempting and distracting soldiers from their holy mission of serving in a holy army,
  •  maintaining proper Kashrut standards
  • dealing with immoral orders like forcing soldiers to evict families from their homes or forcing them to listen to women sing which goes against religious principles,allotting  prayer times and Torah studying time
  • sending out soldiers recklessly thereby endangering lives of soldiers with no support or backup, 
  • not promoting religious soldiers to a higher rank when deserved, etc.  Please read 

The second google document was sent to me by Rabbi Yissochar Dov Rumpler.  Rabbi Yissochar Dov Rumpler presented his Halachic presentation regarding the  release of Jonathan Pollard at a Press Conference sponsored by CROWN HEIGHTS WOMEN FOR THE SAFETY AND INTEGRITY OF ISRAEL CONCESSIONS – THE RELEASE OF THE THIRD ROUND OF ARAB MURDERERS OF JEWISH CHILDREN held December 30, 2013 in downtown Brooklyn, organizer Tamar Adelstein.
 

Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch.  May their memories serve as a blessing.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com 
Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog. 

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Rabbonim Speak out - No contradiction between Jewish Army and Learning Torah - Rabbi Dovid Milston audio, Rabbi Steve Pruzansky, Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel, Rabbi Nachman Kahana, Rabbi David Bar Hayim

bs"d

One comment on Nosei Ol Chaveiro, Carrying the burden of my brother by Robin.  It seems to me that the Chareidim are carrying the yoke of their fellow secular Jews when it comes to Mitzvoth like Tefillin, Shabbath, Keeping Kosher, Family Purity etc.We owe the Chareidi population tremendous Hakoras Hatov for carrying this burden and we need to recognize that those Tinok Shenishba, uneducated or OTD (off the Derech),  need stronger love and outreach to be better educated because it is simply too much for a portion of the population to bear the negative consequences of violation of these precious Mitzvoth by a large segment of the  Israeli population.  

 It seems to me like the non Chareidi Jew is carrying the yoke when it comes to Mitzvoth like Milchemet Mitzvah and by extention Yishuv Haaretz.  This  includes the Mitzvoth Telyim Baaretz, commandments dependent on the Land. How can one truthfully claim a desire to keep Mitzvoth Teluyot Baaretz while at the same time not protest when it is given to Fatah and Hamas? How can one not protest when 10,000 Torah observant Jews had their homes bulldozed and their communities destroyed. Will one agree to amputate his arm and not try everything possible to save it, if they truly understood the importance of their hand. Isn"t it often impossible to fulfill the Mitzvah of Tefillin without that arm.  Can one amputate the heart and still survive? What about Hakoras Hatov?  The Chareidim have spent 70 years in Israel seeing tremendous growth in Torah Learning?  How was this possible if not for the support coming from  State of Israel and Hashem's miraculous miracles and the return of Jews to their ancestral Homeland? Isn't is Motzei Shem Ra to compare the hand that supported Torah to evil antisemites who wish to destroy Torah? 

After reading Rabbi Pruzansky's post, please listen to powerful audio, Rabbi Milston Rosh Yeshiv of Midreshet HaRova in Old City,  end of blog post by Rabbi Pruzansky. 


Synopsis of Rabbi Milston audio: Chareidi Rally - A demonstration against a Mitzvah?!?  Moshe Rabbeinu, Yehoshu, Dovid Hamelech all fought.  Bitul Torah?  Did anyone ever say don't build a Succah cause it's Bitul Torah.  Torah is not only about learning but about living and a way of life.  The Torah wasn't given just to study but to live.  Where is there any source in Torah that a Jewish army is against Torah. There is no source!  How did they compare this to the antisemitic decree of the Romans?  It's an evil manipulation of fact for political purposes and not truth. There is no law in the land that forbids learning Torah!  Just a law that everyone should fight for the land united. Rabbi Milston said that there were many mines found and many terrorist attempts during his Miluim. He davka demanded to be transferred to active unit. He didn't enjoy the actual duty but he enjoyed being part of the Nation.  Shma Yisroel.  What does it mean? The Shma Yisroel at the rally couldn't be the same as the Shma Yisroel cried out facing those who wanted to annihilate us!

Rabbi Milston does not believe people should be coerced. Rather, they should be honored to join the Israeli army. Other people should die so I should learn? Rabbi Milston said, I am not a Zionist.  Israeli army is part of Torah. If we believe in Torah we don't play that game of manipulation. Rambam says, someone who gets money for learning Torah loses their Chelek in Olam Haba.

Here is one of the comments to Rabbi Pruzansky's article: 

Dear Rabbi Pruzansky,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I appreciate the honesty which you express in all of your posts and your openness to the feedback you receive in the comments.

While I take issue with several things that you wrote (at least some of which have been raised by others), they all pale in comparison to one: Why do you a feel the need, let alone the right, to use the loshon of "Talmid Chacham she'ein bo da'at"?

I understand that you think you're correct on this matter. Whenever one expresses his opinion, by definition he believes it to be correct. And perhaps other rabbonim agree with you as well. But aren't we talking about dozens of big Talmidei Chachamim, Poskim, Roshei Yeshivos and Marbitzei Torah who have spent their lives immersed in Torah?! Isn't it at least possible that they're right and you're wrong? Couldn't you have expressed your position while still showing a bit of respect for theirs?

And even if you'll say that you're 100% convinced that you're right and they're wrong, why do you feel the need to denigrate these Torah scholars by speaking of them in such a way? Couldn't you have at least shown some kavod, if not for their opinions, for their gadlus in Torah?

Actually, I think that is the point of the Midrash. There can be great Torah scholars who have no "daat," meaning common sense, derech eretz, etc. Far be from me to even suggest that any particular person, rabbi, Gadol is in that category. Chas v'shalom. But what interested me most is that Chazal had such a concept, and that concept was in the Midrash Raba of Parshat Vayikra, when all these events were taking place.
Again, I was not at all insinuating that such is applicable to any particular Rav, and I thank you for giving me the chance to clarify.
Thanks for writing.
-RSP

  • Dodging the Draft Because of God?!by Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel Never in history have religious Jews hidden behind Torah study to evade defending Jewish lives. http://mizrachi.org/dodging-draft-god/  
  •  We Must Bridge the Divide - Vayikra 5774 Rabbi Nachman Kahana http://nachmankahana.com/vayikra-5774/
  • Haredim Demonstrating They Have Reached a Dead End Rabbi David Bar-Hayim's response to the massive haredi demonstration in Jerusalem.   The position of Chareidi World is that all young men whether or not they are learning Torah should not be drafted to protect them from secularism. No solution for the Jewish people including Chareidi society for those not cut out for Chareidi box)  http://machonshilo.org/en/eng/component/content/article/34-featured/703-haredim-demonstrating-that-they-have-reached-a-dead-end

Rabbi David Bar-Hayim discusses: Haredim, the Army & Spiritual Challenges

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Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch.  May their memories serve as a blessing.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com 

Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog.