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London Haredim Rip Channel 4, Call Report An Attempt To "Defame" Haredim

The Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (Kedassia) ripped Channel 4's documentary on haredi child sexual abuse, calling the report, which aired last night, and attempt to "defame" the haredi community. It also criticized Channel 4's use of anonymous sources from inside the haredi community. “Our community does not need Channel 4 to remind us of our duty and responsibility to protect our children. They are our future, and we do all we can to protect them from these unspeakable crimes," UOHC said.

Class Action Lawsuit Against Hebrew National / ConAgra Thrown Out

"The Court recognizes that the laws of Kashrut and other issues of Biblical and Talmudic interpretation are quite properly the subject of rabbinical debate and have evolved over the course of many centuries. …whether [Hebrew National] products are indeed “100% kosher” is a religious question that is not the proper subject of inquiry by this Court."

Video: Brooklyn Yeshiva Rabbi Arrested On Child Sex Abuse Charges

Rabbi Yoel Malik's arrest is drawing considerable attention, in part because it so closely followed the sentencing of another Satmar hasid, Rabbi Nechemya Weberman, to 103 years in prison for repeatedly sexually abusing a young girl over a three year period beginning when she was 12-years-old.

Baby Steps And Exclusion: Scandal-Plagued Haredi-Controlled East Ramapo School District Finally Gets Around To Dealing With Trespassing And Security Issues

East Ramapo’s Scandal-Plagued (and arguably corrupt) haredi-controlled school district finally has begun to act on complaints from parents and community activists about trespassing on school grounds by non-students. But when East Ramapo’s school district finally got around to dealing with the issue this week by calling a meeting to discuss school security, the parents and activists were nowhere to be seen because the meeting was closed to the public.

Haredi Beit Din In Case Of Alleged London Rabbi Sex Abuser Begins

The special beit din (Jewish religious court) formed to hear charges against Rabbi Chaim Halpern, a leading London haredi rabbi accused of clergy sexual abuse against adult women, has arrived in London and started preparations to hear testimony. Witnesses and complaining witnesses should begin to be heard by the beit din tomorrow.

Satmar Rabbi Arrested On Mulitple Counts Of Child Sexual Abuse

Yoel Malik, a 33-year-old rabbi from a prominent family of Satmar hasidim, was arrested and charged yesterday in Brooklyn with 28 counts of sexually abusing three teenage boys.

Video: Child Sex Abuse In Britain's Haredi Community Exposed

The entire Dispatches episode on child sexual abuse in Britain's haredi community is online. It is a very strong documentary that really reports the issue well – and haredi leaders will not like it.

Australian Child Sex Abuse Victims To Sue Chabad's Rabbi Manis Friedman In Beit Din

Tzedek, a recently formed group of child sexual abuse victims in Australia who have banded together to fight child sexual abuse and to advocate for survivors has decided to sue Rabbi Manis Friedman in beit din, Jewish religious court, for the remarks he made on video and audio recordings distributed worldwide that are viewed as insulting and demeaning to child sexual abuse victims. Friedman's remarks – widely called ignorant, offensive and irresponsible – are also seen as enabling pedophiles. Among other things, Friedman compared being sexually abused as child to having an episode of diarrhea, told abuse victims to just get over it, and said that not reciting a blessing after eating cake is worse than being sexually abuse.

Haredi Rabbi Arrested On Child Rape Charges

A haredi rabbi in Williamsburg, Brooklyn has been arrested for allegedly anally raping at least one boy, who is a minor. The rabbi is being detained in the 79th Precinct now.

Mohels Say They Will Not Follow NYC Law On Circumcision Informed Consent

“He’s the mayor of the biggest city in the world, but I’m not going to listen to him. I have another mayor, the Almighty, and I will do it his way.”

Audio: What Rabbi Manis Friedman Really Said About Child Sex Abuse

Here is an audio recording of what Rabbi Manis Friedman said about child sexual abuse completely in context – including the missing couple of minutes from the beginning of the video version of the rant that will probably make you ill. Friedman brings up the subject of molestation, says that hardly a kid who attends yeshivas or programs [Chabad, haredi, etc.] hasn't been sexually abused, and then he goes on to trivialize the abuse, make jokes about victims, and in essence claim that child sexual abuse is only as damaging as victims allow it to be because the damage is all collateral. The abuse itself isn't a big aveirah, sin, he says – not saying the after-blessing over a piece of cake is worse. But Friedman opens with a horrific statement about abuse that was not included in the video version of Friedman's rant. And when you hear it you'll know how horrible Manis Friedman truly is.

Israeli Shopping Mall Kiosk Workers Arrested In Texas On Immigration Charges

Thirteen of those sometimes annoying young Israelis who stop you in shopping malls and try to get you to buy Israeli cosmetics made with mud from the Dead Sea or Dead Sea bath salts were arrested by federal agents last week in Houston, Texas on immigration violations.

Video: Rabbi Manis Friedman 'Clarifies' His Position On Child Sex Abuse

Chabad's Rabbi Manis Friedman tries to clarify his position on child sexual abuse in a new video released tonight. But is what Friedman says on this new video clip enough? Is it an apology for the hurt he caused with the video publicized yesterday? Does it explain and correct his offensive remarks in that video? Is it an honest acknowledgement that he was wrong, that he made mistakes, that he hurt victims, and that he's sorry? In short, is it teshuva, repentance as defined by the Jewish law Friedman is paid to represent?

Victims And Families Harassed By Haredim, Haredi Rabbis Covering Up Child Sex Abuse, And A Group Of Young Haredim Fighting Back With Their Fists

“Then he went to…Rabbi Padwa [whose] whole total concern was to berate the father, “How dare you go and be an informer? He said, "You ruined his life, he was ashamed enough by the arrest and what happened, and therefore leave it go. It's forbidden for you to pursue the case. Rabbi Padwa never expressed sympathy not for the child and not for the parents…Six hours later, a person banged on the door. The first thing that man said, “Do you know that the whole London community has not slept the whole night because of what you did? And I myself will go and get social services to take away your children.” The harassment escalated into cars that would gun their motors and zoom up next to the family if they were out on the street. The synagogues told them, ‘You're not welcome here anymore,’ they would be cursed and spat at in the street and called informer. So it becomes hopeless to them and ultimately they leave the country.”

Video: Britain's Most Senior Haredi Rabbi Tells A Child Sex Abuse Victim It Is Forbidden To Report His Molester To Police

Rabbi Ephraim Padwa tells a survivor of child sexual abuse that he is not allowed to report the abuse to police or to cooperate with police if they find out about the alleged pedophile independently. The abuser is a teacher in a haredi school. A brief, non-forensic social services investigation done a few years previously reportedly failed to confirm the abuse, but police were not brought in to investigate at that time.

Draft-Dodgers or Deserters?

"…If haredim really believe that Torah study provides protection that is greatest in its immediate locale, then why did the Grodno yeshivah relocate from Ashdod, which needed protection [from missile strikes], to Bet Shemesh, which did not? And why did other yeshivos move from Ashdod and Netivot to Bnei Brak? If the haredi community’s excuse for not serving the military is that they provide metaphysical protection, then why can’t they provide it where it’s actually needed? The yeshivos should have relocated from Bnei Brak and Jerusalem to the South, not the other way around!…"

Mordechai Ben David, Choir, Visit Rubashkin In Prison, Sing For Him In Honor Of Daughter's Wedding

Hasidic singer Mordechai Ben David and members of the Shira Choir visited former Agriprocessors VP Sholom Rubashkin in federal prison this week to help Rubashkin celebrate his daughter's wedding. Rubashkin is serving a 27-year sentence for bank fraud and related crimes. Ben David and the choir stayed with Rubashkin for 2 1/2 hours. They talked, sang and even danced.

Haredi “Mystery Man” Pleads Guilty To Child Sex Abuse Charges

Police, prosecutors and a Rockland County judge aren’t sure who he really is. But the man known both as Dovid Kohn and Avraham Perl suddenly pleaded guilty in Rockland County court yesterday to having oral sex with a young girl over a three-year period beginning when she was 12-years-old after it became clear that tape recordings of him speaking to the victim and admitting his crimes would be admitted as evidence at his trial.

Video: Dangerous, Idiotic And Insulting – Rabbi Manis Friedman 'Explains' Child Sexual Abuse

Another hasidic untrained and unlicensed therapist/counselor, Chabad's Rabbi Manis Friedman, claims child sexual abuse does not damage its victims, and that not saying the rabbinic prayer to be said after eating a piece of cake is worse than something – abuse – that happened to you as a child. Victims suffer, he claims, only from the feeling that they are damaged goods. They should realize that we are all damaged goods, abused or not, he claims, and then equates the damage of child sexual abuse with the damage other people experience as children from uncaring teachers or teachers who belittled them. Friedman completely misunderstands (or is unsympathetic to) the deep psychological pain child sexual abuse causes – to the extent that even pre-verbal infants who are sexually abused can have psychological issues throughout their lives from that sexual abuse.

Israel Orders Doctors To Stop Administration Of Depo-Provera Shots To Women If There Is Any Doubt That They Do Not Understand Their Purpose

It isn’t an apology or an acceptance of responsibility. But for the first time, an Israeli government official has told doctors to stop injecting Ethiopian women – or any other women – with long-acting birth control medication known as Depo-Provera without the informed consent of the women. The effect of the shots lasts for months and the practice effectively sterilizes women for that period of time. Many Ethiopian women have reportedly received these shots for years with little or no say in the decision to receive them.

Haredi Man Arrested For Allegedly Sexually Assaulting 17 Preteen Girls

Israel Police arrested a haredi man from a town near Jerusalem late last week for allegedly sexually repeatedly sexually assaulting 17 young haredi girls, including two of his own daughters aged 7 and 8.

Kiryas Joel Satmar Rebbe Asks Judge For Leniency For Satmar Criminal

Rabbi Aharon Teitelbaum invoked God and the Bible in a letter to a federal judge asking mercy for Rabbi Leib Glanz, the Satmar prisons chaplain who was caught stealing more than $200,000 from a federal housing program meant to benefit the poor..

Immodest Dress Causes Flu Epidemic, Cancer, OTD Kids

'Immodest' dress is the cause of the flu epidemic, cancer, and children leaving Orthodoxy, a haredi ad in New Square and Monsey says. Therefore haredim should join a group reciting Psalms to pray that clothing manufactures repent for their immodest designs.

Haredim Unlikely To Be Part Of New Government, Israeli Business Daily Reports

The Israeli business daily Globes reports that political sources now increasingly believe that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has to bring the right wing largely Zionist Orthodox Habayit Hayehudi party into the new ruling coalition instead of the haredi parties.

13 Years And Almost $1 Million Later, "Perv" NYC Teacher Still Collects Salary

Aryeh Eller told a student that she had “a beautiful face and body” and said that the way she dressed “disturbs him — he had a hard time teaching.” One day, he pulled her into an empty room and blurted, “I love you.” He asked another student to lift her shirt to show her butt. “God bless, you have a nice ass,” he gushed.

Video: Girl Suspended From Orthodox School After Singing On "The Voice"

An Orthodox school in Israel suspended Ophir Ben-Shetreet, a 17-year-old girl, after she sang on the Israeli version of The Voice, arguing that her appearance violated the laws of kol isha that forbid men from hearing women (who are not their wives, mothers or young daughters) sing.

A Secular Government Will Abandon Israel’s Poor, Haredi Leader Claims

"Such a coalition will be made by the middle-class and above, by those who have, by the Tel Aviv state and not by development towns and the slums. These are under [Shas’s] responsibility. We already said we're willing to accept extreme compromises, but not in order to go into government. We have no problem with being in the opposition and we've been there before, but we care for public unity. We care that the major cuts, the equal share of the burden and keeping the Jewish character of the State will be reached by dialogue and not by coercion. I'm afraid our outreached hand is not answered by certain factions."

A Bleak And Humiliating Wedding Illuminates What Will Probably Be The Future Of Israel

The first phase is the study of Judaism for 500 hours a year, which includes basic knowledge such as praying, saying the blessings, and knowledge of Jewish holidays. In the end, they are tested. The younger ones pass fairly easily, but the middle-aged and older converts, some of whom are illiterate and have never studied before, not even in their own language, fail the tests again and again. Those who pass move on to the final phase: full or symbolic circumcision, a dip in the mikvah, and a wedding ceremony—all done in one day. The men have to pass a thorough circumcision test…The Falashmura whom I met considered it a horrible humiliation, and on more than one occasion their voices cracked and they bowed their heads when recounting the events.

Video: Satmar Rebbe In Meron

The Williamsburg Satmar Rebbe Zalman Leib Teitelbaum stopped in Meron last week on his Israel visit. He was there to visit the purported grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the purported author of the Zohar, the foundational work of Jewish mysticism that was actually written in 13th Century Spain by a rabbi who wanted to sell the book to make some money, Moses de Leon. Teielbaum's "hadlukah," his lighting of a large fire on the grave that, for hasidic rebbes and other very special guests, has replaced the normative lighting of a small candle. The videos are notable because they show the disregard for public safety by the Rebbe and his large entourage.

Satmar-Linked Yiddish Newspaper Der Blatt Calls The American Justice System A "Court Of Hell" For Haredi Jews

"…as long as we live under this democracy, we also live under the sword of the American justice system that comes with it – which is a court of hell for haredi Jews. One fact has become increasingly clear: there is no chance that a haredi Jew will win a trial in America, and it is even less likely that a haredi Jew will get a fair sentence."

Is Weberman's 103-Year Sentence Too Long?

A Satmar hasid, Rabbi Nechemya Weberman, was sentenced last week to 103 years in state prison for sexually abusing a hasidic girl for three years, beginning when she was 12-years-old. Many people think that sentence is draconian. But is it?

Video: Rabbi With 6 Wives Explains His Ordination

Philip Sharp, the 53-year-old defrocked 'rabbi' who has six wives – it was seven wives until very recently when one, Tracy, left him – appeared on a British morning television show yesterday with three of them. Here's a brief video of him from the show explaining his rabbi status. Sharp claims that man doesn't ordain, God does, and man can't take away what God gives.

Profile Of First Female Ethiopian Member Of Knesset

At the age of eleven she started working at odd jobs but hid that from her parents. She says she was often mistreated by her employers, which helps shape who she is today. "Looking back, I think it just made me stronger – being part of the low class, witnessing discrimination. I learned early on to fight for my own rights. That biography has made me who I am today."

Ashkenazi And Sefardi Haredim To Form United Negotiating Bloc

Leaders of the Sefrardi haredi Shas and the Ashkenazi haredi United Torah Judaism (UTJ) political parties told Israeli media today that they would band together into a negotiating bloc to try to blunt the influence of Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party, which won 19 seats in Tuesday’s Knesset elections. Yesh Atid wants haredim to serve in the military and work for a living rather than living off of welfare payments and government subsidies while studying for decades in yeshiva.

Britain's Haredim Write Letter On Child Sex Abuse That Claims UOHC Is Blameless, Rabbis Must Screen Allegations

The letter, signed by the head rabbi of the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (Kedassia) Rabbi Ephraim Padwa also attacks the media and admits that it was only issued to mitigate damage to UOHC's reputation that will come from Channel 4's upcoming exposé.

In Hate Crime, Arab Schoolgirls Called "Monkeys," Assaulted On Jerusalem Bus

At least three passengers on a Egged public bus in Jerusalem harassed and assaulted a group of ten Arab sixth grade girls from a Jewish-Arab school. One of the passengers called the girls “monkeys,” said the girls should be ashamed of [pretending to be] human, told them they have no right to live, and threatened to send people to kill them. She also hit one of the girls and pulled her hair.

Russian Jewish Oligarch Sues Chabad's Chief Rabbi

Billionaire oligarch Arcadi Gaydamak is suing Chabad's Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar for $1 million over Lazar's role in helping Chabad oligarch Lev Leviev allgedly steal billions of dollars from Gaydamak.

Rubashkin Daughter Marries, Chabad And Haredim Protest Because Rubashkin Not Allowed To Leave Prison To Attend

"Family and friends packed the courtyard of 770 Eastern Parkway on Thursday night to celebrate the wedding of young chassidic couple Yehuda Zaltzman and Mushka Rubashkin. Absent was the father of the kallah, R' Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, the former kosher meat executive and founder of the Jewish community in Postville, Iowa, who is imprisoned on charges of bank fraud. As reported, Rubashkin was denied release for the simcha. In an email to COLlive the night before the wedding, the father of 10 asked the Chabad community and supporters of his plight to attend and fill 'the place that is left empty.'" The wedding was broadcast live from Chabad's main synagogue at 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, Brooklyn "to protest" Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin "being denied attendance."

Judge Rejects Yeshiva Torah Temimah’s Settlement Offer In Kolko Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit

A Brooklyn judge has rejected Yeshiva & Mesivta Torah Temimah Inc's attempt to settle a civil lawsuit against it brought by a boy who was allegedly sexually abused by Rabbi Yehuda Kolko, a serial child sexual abuser who was one of Torah Temimah’s teachers. Supreme Court Justice Jack Battaglia denied Torah Temimah’s motion to enforce a confidential settlement agreement signed by the parents of the alleged victim on February 15, 2011.

Video: 6-Year-Old Writes Book To Raise Money To Find A Cure For Friend's Genetic Disorder

“Chocolate bar” means “awesome” to Dylan Siegel, a 6-year-old 1st grader who wrote a book called Chocolate Bar to raise money to find a cure for his 7-year-old best friend's rare liver condition.

British Haredi Leader Caught On Video Telling Alleged Child Sex Abuse Victim That It Is Forbidden To Report The Crime To Police

Rabbi Ephraim Padwa, head rabbi of the of the London-based haredi umbrella organization the Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations, commonly known as Kedassia, was reportedly surreptitiously recorded by a victim of alleged child sexual abuse telling the victim not to report his abuser to police because doing so would be mesirah, informing – a serious violation of Jewish law punishable in some cases with death.

Secular Zionists, NYC Mayor, Department Of Health Are All The "Progeny" Of The Biblical Paradigm Of Jew Hatred – Amalek, Haredi Publisher Says

"Jews are naturally a believing people. The Zionists took advantage of our inbred beliefs and transformed belief in G-d into belief in country, belief in Torah into belief in socialism, and belief in the supremacy of talmideichachomim and mental giants into worship of those who work by the sweat of their brow tilling the land and shooting enemies. They rejected the traditional belief of a Yid who viewed himself as a bechinasnukvah, being a mekabel from Hashem, and embraced the image of a hardened, muscular body builder who espouses kochive’otzemyodiasu li eshachayilhazeh. They present an attractive but inaccurate picture. Our strength lies in our siddurim, Tehillimsand seforim, not in yedeiEisov. Our confidence comes from our relationship with Hashem, not from a well-stocked weapons arsenal?"

The Only Non-Orthodox East Ramapo School Board Members Resign Over Alleged Haredi-Orthodox Harassment And Intimidation

Stephen Price and Suzanne Young-Mercer abruptly resigned from the nine-member board Tuesday because they said it had become “exceedingly difficult” to serve on the board due to a lack of information from the superintendent and continuous intimidation from haredi and Orthodox board members.

How Do Haredi Schools Get Away With Not Teaching Math, Science, English, Civics, and American History? Like This…

DNAinfo asked NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg if his administration was aware that many children in haredi schools are not taught math, science and other secular subjects and, if it was, what it planned to do about it. And even though NYC is responsible by law to make sure private school kids get an education that is "substantially equivalent to that provided in the public schools," Bloomberg did not even realize it was his administration's responsibility.

Beit Din Ruling Meant To Block Testimony In Haredi Molester's Criminal Trial

The ruling forbids a victim of sex abuse from testifying in secular court against his rabbi abuser.

At Least 30 Homeless In Kiryas Joel Fire

At least 30 Satmar hasidim are homeless tonight after fire ravaged their multi-family condominium at 6 Premishlan Way in Kiryas Joel this afternoon. More than 75 firefighters from seven area fire companies worked in the frigid cold to try to put out the five-alarm fire, which started at approximately 1:30 pm.

First Female Ethiopian Jew Elected To Knesset

A female Ethiopian Jew, Pnina Tamano-Shata, was elected to Knesset yesterday as number 14 on the Yesh Atid Knesset list. She is the first Ethiopian woman to be elected to serve in the Knesset.

Video: Playboy Magazine To Launch Hebrew Language Israel Edition

The famous men's culture and style magazine that features glossy pictures of nude female models will soon be making its debut in Israel. Chicago-born lawyer and "media entrepreneur" Daniel Pomerantz is behind the project. He told JN1TV that fears about what JN1TV calls possible "objections" to Playboy's Israel edition have been handled. How have they been handled? By…

Dress Code For Haredi Girls Sleepover Camp

Shirts cannot have large letters on them. Skirts cannot have contrasting colored back pockets. "It is appropriate to avoid the 'layered look.'" These requirements and many more dictate how girls at what is allegedly a Bais Yaakov camp must dress.

Lawsuit Aims To Force NY State To Make Private Religious Schools Take The Same Child Safety Measures Public Schools Must Take By Law

A Long Island student and her father have filed a lawsuit against the New York State, the State Assembly and its Speaker Sheldon Silver, and other elected officials (including include two presidents pro tem of the New York State Senate), claiming that the lawmakers’ decision to exempt private schools from child protection laws that govern New York’s public schools is a violation of the civil rights of private school students.