FailedMessiah.com

My Jerusalem Day

For most Ethiopian Jews, every day is memorial day, a day we remember the men and women who lost their lives: men murdered by Sudanese muggers, women brutally raped and left to die by the wayside, children who couldn’t survive the hardships of the journey and who were buried in unmarked graves, and people who died of starvation and sickness in refugee camps in Sudan, waiting to come to Israel.

Nation's Prisons Face Soaring Demand For…Kosher Food

“In many prisons, those receiving kosher food do so as a group, which allows for prisoners to meet three times a day. In fact, in Washington State we had a whole group of Neo-Nazis claiming to be Jewish due to this auxiliary benefit.”

Bnei Brak, Lakewood Become Sister Cities

The ultra-Orthodox Israeli city of Bnei Brak has found a twin sister overseas – Lakewood, New Jersey, which also has a very large haredi community.

A Former Skvere Hasid Speaks Out

"Eighteen years ago, as a Hasidic student at the yeshiva of New Square, I found myself swept up one morning in the frenzy of a mob. I, along with around two dozen young men…We broke open the door, smashed the lock on the bedside cabinet, scattered the contents of dresser drawers across the floor, and ripped blankets, sheets and mattresses from the bed in a desperate search for…"

Ex-Hasidim Organize Motorcycle Parade For New Square Attack Victim

Ex-hasidic bikers drove through New Square to show their support for Aron Rottenberg – and to send residents a message.

Report: Skvere Complains About Attack Victim's Attorney

Skvere leaders are enraged that Michael Sussman was hired by Aron Rottenberg's family and that Sussman asked US Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate the attack on the Rottenbergs as a hate crime and a civil rights violation. (At right, the Skvere Rebbe.)

Video: New Square Attack Victim Talks About The Attack

From his hospital bed, Aron Rottenberg talks about the attack and about the philosophy that caused it to happen.

And You Think Rubashkin Got Shafted?

This is what could have happened to Sholom Rubashkin. And it makes 27 years in prison look almost benign.

Rabbi Slams Blind Obedience To…Rabbis

Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau has called on the Zionist Orthodox public to reduce its dependence on rabbis and become "free". According to Lau, the blind obedience which has infiltrated the Zionist-religious society in recent years is an inappropriate phenomenon stemming from a "paralysis of fear".

Video: New Square Burning Victim Speaks

Aron Rottenberg, who was seriously burned over 50% of his body in an attack carried out by the Skvere Rebbe's butler, speaks from his hospital bed.

Picture of the Day

A Jerusalem hasid looks at a poster in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem about New Square arson victim Aron Rottenberg.

Hasidim Try To Burn Baby To Death

Echoes Of New Square: Shalom Baruch Roset was arrested for what Israeli police said was a leading role in an April 13 fight between hasidic factions that has come to be known as the Batei Warsaw Pogrom, in which a group of hasidim broke into a home, poured kerosene on a 1-year-old girl and tried to light the home on fire.

Who Is The Spin Doctor Hired By "Unnamed Residents" Of New Square?

He protected the Catholic Church from the legal ire of hundreds of victims of Catholic clergy abuse, helping to ensure many more children from all religions will be sexually abused in the future. He helped Rabbi Mordechai Tendler after he was booted out of the RCA for various improprieties sexual the RCA says it documented that fall into the category of clergy abuse. And now he spins for an "unnamed group" of New Square residents to protect corrupt New Square leadership. Who is Hank Sheinkopf?

Hasidic Newspaper Blots Out The Face Of Israel's Prime Minister

Der Blatt, a Satmar hasidic newspaper published in Brooklyn, NY, blacked out the face of Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, in an iconic photograph of Netanyahu's recent meeting with US President Barack Obama.

Chabad Man Who Allegedly Beat Black Teen Arrested In Israel

Yitzhak Shuchat was arrested today in Israel and awaits an extradition hearing. If extradited, Shuchat will be returned to Brooklyn to stand trial. Shuchat fled indictment and was living openly in Lod.

New Questions About Judge's Impartiality In Rubashkin Case

The court schedule of a federal judge who faces allegations of bias in the financial fraud trial of Sholom Rubashkin has raised fresh questions about judicial impartiality.

Sholom Rubashkin Asks Polticians To Set Him Free

A well-connected kosher slaughterhouse king convicted of fraud at his Iowa plant has rustled up a herd of New York pols to try to win him a reduced sentence.

Did Skvere's 'Political Consultant' Lie About The Rebbe's Statement?

Did Hank Sheinkopf make the Rebbe's words more personal and more heartfelt than they really were?

Chabad Magazine Promotes Accused Serial Rapist

Rabbi Ben Zion Sobel is accused of raping dozens of boys. Yet Chabad's Beis Moshiach Magazine has a long article praising him and stressing Sobel's connection to the late Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who encouraged him to teach boys.

Vogue With Long Sleeves And High Necklines

Nothing about romantic relationships, no pictures of girls over the age of five, and a censor supervising content – this is what new haredi lifestyle magazine Stylish looks like

Letter Purporting To Be From Victim's Family Attacks Skvere Rebbe

The letter calls the Rebbe's brief speech yesterday evening "false" and notes that the Rebbe did not do anything to stop the violence that led up to the horrific attack, and that the Rebbe did not visit the victim in the hospital or do anything to comfort the family.

Antisemitism!

A New Square announcement released today says the attempt to have the federal government investigate the arson attack on the Rottenberg home by the butler of the Skvere Rebbe, and the attempted murders of the entire Rottenberg family is an attempt to crush the lifestyle of hasidic Jews. The announcement says there is a "self-hating" Jew behind this, and that the rabbinic leaders of this generation have to decide what to do about it.

Rubashkin Writes New Weekly "Torah Publication" From Prison

"Sholom Across America will be printing the Min Hameitzar publication, a weekly Dvar Torah written by Sholom Rubashkin focused on strengthening bitachon [trust in God] and achdus [unity of the Jewish people] through the prism of the weeks Parsha [Torah portion]. PDF file will also be accessible on SholomAcrossAmerica.com, making the publication available for download and distribution in Shuls across America."

Attack Victim's Attorney Asks US Attorney General To Investigate New Square, Rebbe

"This horrific act, evocative of the Ku Klux Klan and Nazi Germany, culminated months of bigotry, harassment, and violence toward the Rottenberg family directed by the village's religious leadership headed by Grand Rebbe David Twersky."

Ripped From The Pages Of The Yiddish Press

Satmar and other hasidic groups have bans against using the Internet. Generally, having a computer or other device with an Internet connection in your home is forbidden, and can lead to your kids being expelled from school and other putative measures. However, outside the home for purposes of earning a living, limited Internet use is sometimes allowed. But this ban is widely (although not publicly) ignored. How widely? Lets let Satmar's Der Blatt newspaper show us.

An Ultra-Orthodox Epidemic

"There is not a day that goes by that I don't receive one or two calls regarding an overdose. In the past year alone I have gone to well over 15 levayos [funerals] of teens at risk."

After Days Of Pressure, Skvere Rebbe Issues Statement On Attempted Murder And Arson

After days of pressure from the media and with a criminal investigation that is closing in on him, the Skvere Rebbe makes a brief statement to his yeshiva students about the attack carried out by his butler that almost killed the entire Rottenberg family – and that left Aron Rottenberg severely burned and fighting for his life in a hospital.

Rebbe Says Burn Your iPhones

The leader of the Dushinsky Hasidic dynasty is threatening to expel any community members caught with a "non-kosher" cellular phone or a computer with Internet connection, including iPhones. The Rebbe not only called for a boycott of electronic devices which do not meet strict Orthodox rules, but also demanded that they be burned immediately.

Rapist's Lawyers Ask For Appeal To Be Delayed Due To "Emotional Distress" That Could Be Caused By Missing Planned Family Vacations

Former President Moshe Katsav's lawyers requested a scheduled Supreme Court hearing be postponed because it conflicts with their family vacations. The court had previously decided in an unusual move to hear Katsav's appeal during its summer recess. Katsav is free on bail pending his appeal.

Vindicated Rabbi Sues Temple Over Sex Abuse Termination

Rabbi Bryan Bramly and his wife, Laura, have filed a lawsuit alleging defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress stemming from his 2011 termination from Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley.

Front Page News

New Square's attempted murder and arson is page one news.

Satmar Drug Smuggler To Be Released From Prison Early

Bentzion Miller (pictured at right) will be released from prison in Israel this weekend after serving only 2/3 of his sentence. The early release is due to Miller's good behavior. Meanwhile, the yeshiva students he sent as mules to carry the drugs are still in a Japanese prison serving much longer sentences than Miller got.

Hasidim: He Deserved What He Got

Skverer hasidim in New Square believe Aron Rottenberg, who lies in his hospital bed fighting for his life with burns over half his body, got what he deserved for crossing the Skvere Rebbe. "There is a saying in the Bible, 'Watch out when you play around with your spiritual leaders. You can get burned.'"

Agudath Israel Of America Kills Blog

Agudath Israel of America has received inquiries about a site on the internet featuring information about the organization and its activities. The site, started a few days ago without authorization by Agudath Israel’s recently appointed director of communications, was established with good intentions…

Picture Of The Day: The Hasid Who Tried To Kill The Rottenberg Family

Shaul Spitzer, the Butler of the Skvere Rebbe, allegedly tried to kill New Square dissident Aron Rottenberg (who is pictured at right in his hospital bed) and his family by burning them alive. Here is his picture.

Does Agudath Israel Of America Set The Brooklyn D.A.'s Policy On Reporting Child Sex Abuse?

New York State law says that mandatory reporters who suspect a child has been sexually abused have to report that suspicion to police or to child services. Agudah says Jewish mandatory reporters should not follow New York law, and a spokesperson for the Brooklyn DA refuses to say the DA will enforce the law against mandatory reporters who follow Agudah's dictate rather than the law.

New Square Victim's Wife And Son Speak Out

Aron Rottenberg is in terrible pain from the burns that cover half his body. His son describes the attack that almost killed his father and says the Skvere Rebbe ordered his followers to "make them [the Rottenbergs] uncomfortable."

New Square Victim's Family Shouted Down At Press Conference

A press conference held today by family members of a man badly burned in an arson attack turned into a shouting match when a village man called the family's lawyer an anti-Semite for going against the grand rabbi.

Don't Go To Press Conference, New Square Leaders Tell Hasidm

Aron Rottenberg's attorney is holding a press conference today in front of Rottenberg's home, the sight of the arson and attempted murders of Rottenberg and his family. But New Square hasidic leaders don't want their followers to attend.

Report: Police Seek Skvere Rebbe

The cops want to talk to the Grand Rabbi of New Square about the arson attack carried out by his butler and meant to kill Aron Rottenberg and his family.

Flyer Attacking Victim Of Attemped Murder Allegedly Distributed In New Square

Flyers attacking Aron Rottenberg, who is in serious condition in a hospital with burns over half his body suffered in an arson attack against his home and family, were allegedly distributed in New Square last night.

The Law Of Unintended Non-Kosher Consequences

In the dead of night, the ultra-Orthodox Shas party pushed its "kosher law" through the Knesset. That law led to imported kosher meat costing Israeli importers 9x more than Palestinian importers pay. And that in tun led to massive meat smuggling into Israel – which means many, if not most, of Israel's kosher consumers are eating non-kosher meat without realizing it.

New Square Arson And Attempted Murder Suspect Gets Bail

Shaul Spitzer, the 18-year-old butler of the Skvere Rebbe (who is pictured at right) was arraigned at his hospital bed. He was given $300,000 bail and had to surrender his passport.

Hate Crime: Feds Should Investigate New Square Arson And Attempted Murder

Was it a violation of the Civil Rights Act and a hate crime? A federal probe is warranted because of the pattern of wrongful conduct alleged and the local officials' seeming willful blindness to it. Village leaders and Ramapo Town Supervisor Christopher St. Lawrence summarily dismissed the notion that Rottenberg was the victim of a campaign of intimidation, despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

Agudath Israel Of America Has A New Blog

The ultra-Orthodox umbrella group whose rabbis have both condemned and banned the Internet, has opened its own blog.

Williamsburg Wall Posters

A reader snapped some pictures of the latest pashkvils posted in Williamsburg, including a women's stocking ban.

Is It A Forgery? Skvere Montreal Head Rabbi Writes Letter Condemning The Skvere Rebbe

The New Square arson and attempted murder is the fault of the Skvere Rebbe himself because the Rebbe refused to condemn the violence over the many months of violent actions against New Square dissidents leading up to the arson and attempted murder. The Montreal Skvere Dayan says he warned the Rebbe before the arson and attempted murder that he bears personal responsibility under Jewish law for the violence because he had not condemned the violence. The Rebbe refused to condemn the violence anyway. But is the letter authentic?

In The Eye Of The Storm

Israel's former chief rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, who is the current chief rabbi of Tel Aviv, went to New Square today to visit the Skvere Rebbe. As far as I know, Rabbi Lau made no effort to visit the arson victim or his family.

"Unprecedented" Campaign Launched For Sholom Rubashkin

The "Sholom Across America" fundraising campaign will start in the Chabad stronhold of Crown Heights, with the intention to visit 16 major Jewish communities across the United States and Canada.

"There Is A Price To Live In New Square"

There is a price to live in New Square, a village leader says. What's that price? To do whatever the Skvere Rebbe wants you to do. Here's the audio: