FailedMessiah.com

New iPhone App For Getting Rid Of Your Chametz

"The No Chametz app helps Jews go through the process of searching, cleaning, destroying and selling their chametz prior to the Passover holiday."

Prison Term Reduced, But Haredi Swindler Still Has 835 More Years To Serve

Sholam Weiss received what the Justice Department has said is likely the longest term ever imposed for a white-collar crime. By comparison, Bernie Madoff is serving 150 years in prison for his fraud scheme.

Pictures: The Palatial Home Of A Former Agriprocessors Manager

Hosam Amara is accused of extorting hundreds of thousands of dollars from undocumented Agriprocessors workers, and of raping and sexually abusing some of them. Amara fled indictment by escaping to Israel, allegedly with the help of Sholom Rubashkin. Amara was arrested on March 31 and is now facing extradition to the US. For the first time, here are pictures of Amara's home in Kfar Kana, Israel.

FBI Busts Israeli Rabbi For Allegedly Groping Woman On Airplane

About 90 minutes into the 12-hour flight, Rabbi Gavriel Bidany allegedly reached over to the sleeping woman seated next to him and “placed his hand under her blanket, on her groin, and was groping her genital area.” When the victim, identified only as “Jane Doe” in the complaint, “jumped back,” Bidany “quickly removed his hand from her groin.”

Hasidic Real Estate Developer Gets Two Years For Money Laundering

A former real estate investor has been sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to money laundering in New Jersey's largest corruption sting.

Orthodox Filmmaker Says He Has Found Nails Used In The Crucifixion Of Jesus

"There is no doubt that the talented director Simcha Jacobovici created an interesting film with a real archaeological find at its centre, but the interpretation presented in it has no basis in archaeological findings or research," the Israel Antiquities Authority said.

Don't Burn Hametz In Plastic Bags Or Styrofoam Cartons, Shas Cabinet Minister Says

Minister of Religious Services Yakov Margi (Shas) is calling on the public to reduce to minimum the air pollution caused during the removal of chametz (leavened food) on the eve of Passover, and to avoid burning it in ways which are not environmentally friendly.

Exclusive: Interview With The P.I. Who Exposed Rabbi Samuel Kellner's Alleged Extortion

Contrary to earlier reports, Rabbi Baruch Lebovits is not yet free on bail.

JDL Suspected Of Extorting Rapper Tupac Shakur, Others, FBI Says

The legacy of Rabbi Meir Kahane continues. The FBI has released files on the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, revealing that the Jewish Defense League (JDL) was suspected of "extorting money from various rap music stars via death threats, including Tupac and another performer, Eazy-E.

Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Gets $3 Million From Jim Josef Foundation

Lauded for its rigorous, traditional approach to Jewish text, innovative curriculum, cutting-edge pastoral counseling and high caliber professional training, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School (YCT), started by Rabbi Avi Weiss, is about to enter an exciting new chapter in its history by virtue of a groundbreaking challenge grant from the Jim Joseph Foundation.

First Civil Union In Israel

The wedding Tuesday follows the passage last year of a civil union law, which allows couples in which both partners are not Jewish to have a civil marriage.

Jobless Haredim Threaten Israel's Economy And Security

Meir Gross is a Jewish ultra-Orthodox father of five who does not work. Despite warnings that Israel's economy may be threatened by his fast growing, often unemployed, community, he does not want a job.

Rabbi Sues DC City Board Because Election Falls On Passover

Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld, leader of Ohev Sholom — The National Synagogue, asked a federal judge Wednesday to change the date of the election or extend the hours to 10 p.m. or later.

MK, Pushed Out Of Shas For Taking Liberal View Of Conversions, Starts His Own Political Party

Five months after his expulsion from Shas, Knesset Member Rabbi Chaim Amsellem confirmed Wednesday that it was his intention to run for the 19th Knesset with his new movement – Am Shalem, which means complete, whole or entire nation.

Rabbi Baruch Lebovits Released On Bail

Lebovits released after a perjury and extortion scheme was revealed earlier today that could have impacted his conviction of child sexual abuse charges.

Former Agriprocessors Manager Arrested In Israel

A former Agriprocessors manager was arrested in Israel March 31 following a U.S. request for extradition from Israel issued in 2009 in connection with federal charges pending in U.S. District Court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Wednesday.

Corrupt Camp Official Accused Of Misusing $1.4 Million Gets New Cushy Job

Moshe Kahn, forced out of Camp HASC for allegedly misusing at least $1.4 million dollars, has just been named Camp HASC's new director of strategic planning.

Orthodox School Expels Girl For Winning Beauty Contest

An Orthodox school's principal in central Israel has expelled a student for taking part in a local beauty pageant and winning the contest.

Rabbi Accused Of Bribing Witness In Lebovits Molestation Case

A Brooklyn rabbi is under arrest and facing charges of bribery and witness tampering for allegedly paying an individual to accuse another rabbi of sexual abuse.

Israel To Pay Kollel Students To Study Half Time So They Can Work Half Time

Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar signed a new regulation Tuesday enabling Kolel students to receive a state scholarship for studying Torah in a part-time capacity. Yeshiva students will no longer be required to study 35 weekly hours to enjoy the benefit. Anyone studying 18 hours or more will qualify for a stipend or part of it.

Agudah To Hold Meeting On Molestation – Without Experts

"Molestation Issues and Reporting: Halachic and Legal Overview” to be held without experts. Only two Agudath Israel of America rabbis will speak. There will be no experienced prosecutor, lawyer, therapist, child advocate, or recognized rabbi-posek who will speak. The Jewish Board of Advocates for Children will protest the "cruel farce and hoax" and Agudah's continued "cover-up."

Orthodox Man Wanted In Wife's Murder

A manhunt has been launched for a Staten Island man whose wife was found strangled today inside her home, authorities said.

Another State, Another Republican Bill To Outlaw Whistleblowing Videos Of Slaughterhouses, Corporate Farms, And Food Processing Facilities

"This bill criminalizes whistle blowing on any animal facility and that could be whistle blowing for animal cruelty, which of course is what our principal concern is, but it's so broadly written it would include food safety practices, environmental pollution and labor issues," Humane Society says. Similar bills have been introduced by Republicans in Iowa and Florida.

Video: Chabad Rapper DeScribe Talks To The NY Daily News

The hasid turned 14-year-old street kid turned hasid again explains his music and his outlook.

Rabbi Indicted For Sexual Assault

An indictment was filed Tuesday by the Jerusalem District Prosecutor's Office against a well-known rabbi accused of sodomizing and performing an indecent act on his friend's wife who was seeking his professional counseling.

Dangerous Eating Disorders And Haredi And Orthodox Jews

“It’s too much,” said a 23-year-old woman from the New York area who is recovering from an eating disorder and asked not to be identified by name to protect her privacy. She is married and a full-time student, but has postponed having a baby. “A lot of my friends are going to work and support their husbands,” she continued, “but part of my recovery is to say that I can’t do everything — I’m not superwoman.”

Zionist Orthodox Rabbis Have Also Annulled Conversions, Rabbi Says

The dispute over the degree of leniency that Jewish law affords the conversion process is not one of halachic stringency, but one of nationalistic ideology, a prominent national religious educator said Monday.

Suspect In Chabad Bombing Arrested

An FBI spokesperson confirmed to Fox 8 News that a suspect in the explosion outside of a Santa Monica, Calif., synagogue was arrested in Cleveland Heights Monday evening.

The Four Sons Ask Questions About Haredi Child Sexual Abuse

The Rasha challenges the survivors, asking, "What are you doing to us?  Don't you know your allegations will harm the reputation of the community?"  These are the rodfim and those who have been enabling them.

OU Says It Is "Dismayed" By Conservative Rabbi's Appearance On CNBC's American Greed

The show was a one hour documentary about Sholom Rubashkin and Agriprocessors. Nevertheless, the OU says it will not object to the Conservative Movement's new ethical kosher seal appearing on food labels next to the OU.

What Is Tzara'at?

What is the leprosy-like affliction mentioned in last week's Torah portion?

Does Bleach Need Kosher Supervision?

Badatz Yerushalayim, the über-haredi hechsher from Mea Shearim, admits it charges companies for supervision of products that cannot ever be treife.

Yad Vashem Puts Entire Eichmann Trial On YouTube

The 1961 trial of the architect of the Holocaust shocked Germany to its core and made the Holocaust a reality rather than an abstraction for millions of people worldwide.

A New Brooklyn Kol Koreh And Ban

Rabbis ban specific lectures and pamphlets on sexual issues.

Shtick Up: Yarmulke Clad Nebbish Tries – And Fails –To Rob Two Queens Banks

Like a scene from Allen's classic film "Take the Money and Run," a nebbishy knucklehead in a black yarmulke allegedly tried to rob a Bank of America in Queens only to give up after the teller refused to comply with his demand note.

Don't Burn Your Hametz, Send It To Japan

Ahead of Passover, the My Israel movement wants to collect Israeli's hametz and give to tsunami-ravaged Japan.

The Chabad Wedding Planner

Devorah Benjamin zips up her fatigues — a black hooded sweatshirt with “The Wedding Planner” embroidered in fluorescent pink across the back — and is ready for another day’s battle. Her army stands at the ready: musicians, photographers, florists, hair and makeup artists, and a team of middle-aged mothers who volunteer their nights to cook and donate food. Their mission: to make weddings happen, even for couples who cannot afford them.

Bad Fences Make Bad Neighbors, Especially When Haredim Put Up The Fence

Up until about three weeks ago, a Haredi nursery school run by the Orthodox nursery-school network Etz Hada'at and a secular one called Pashosh dwelled peacefully together in the same small building, with good, neighborly relations. The teachers were all friendly and the children shared the playground. One day, however, one of the ultra-Orthodox parents decided that the children should be separated. He turned to influential members of the haredi community, who demanded that the municipality put up a fence.

Another Haredi Rabbi Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering

A New York rabbi has pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy charge in New Jersey's largest federal corruption sting.

Toronto Haredi Rabbis Ban Blogs, Email Blasts That Question Haredi Rabbinic Leadership

The Va'ad has prominent members like Rabbi Yaakov Felder, a disciple Agudath Israel's Rabbi Shlomo Miller, who himself regularly attack Modern Orthodox rabbis. Yet the Va'ad has now banned blogs and email blasts that question Miller's and other haredi rabbis' behavior, hiding behind lashon hara laws Miller and other haredi rabbis regularly violate.

Empire CEO Gets Humanitarian Award

Greg Rosenbaum, CEO of Empire Kosher Poultry was honored last evening at the Met Council on Jewish Poverty’s Night of Fun and Philanthropy, Second Annual Food for Life Event. Empire donates more than 50,000 pounds of kosher poultry annually to the Met Council’s food pantries and kitchens.

Rabbi Elyashiv Forbids Soft Matzoh – Or Does He?

Rabbi Reissues Call To Not Rent Or Sell Homes To Arab Israelis

"This struggle has nothing to do with racism and hatred. It is aimed in its entirety only at preserving our state as Jewish."

Should Israel's Army Appoint A Non-Orthodox Rabbi?

The Progressive Judaism and Masorti movements are demanding that the defense minister and Israel Defense Forces chief of staff appoint a Reform or Conservative military rabbi to provide religious services to non-Orthodox Jewish soldiers.

New Kosher And Halal Slaughterhouse?

The project would include a ritualistic kill plant that would meet Jewish kosher and Muslim halal dietary rules. Its products would be for export and domestic distribution. "Nothing has been finalized. We're very early in the process."

New Kosher Slaughterhouse

A large kosher slaughterhouse and processing plant is being planned for South Dakota.

Pipe Bomb Explodes At Chabad Of Santa Monica

Update 2:05 pm CST – The "pipe bomb" turned out to be a simple accident of some kind.

Spring Cleaning At The Western Wall

Western Wall workers remove thousands of notes left by visitors, including US President Barack Obama, in the cracks of the Wall using wooden sticks first cleansed in a mikveh, ritual bath. The notes will then be taken for burial.

Mah Nishtanah: The Four Questions Of Haredi Child Sexual Abuse

These four questions remain the same from last year. This highlights our lack of progress, despite tiny cracks being made in the wall of silence. 

Israeli Mogul Planning New TV Network To Rival Al-Jazeera

Billionaire Alexander Mashkevich says he wants a network with editorial direction independent of any government or special interest.