FailedMessiah.com

Pinto’s Second Manhattan Synagogue Listed For Sale

A tony Upper West Side commercial property that was supposed to house a synagogue led by Sefardi haredi kabbalist to the stars Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto has been listed for sale.

Sheldon Adelson Buys Ma’ariv, NRG And Makor Rishon

A Jerusalem court has approved the sale of the right-wing Hebrew language newspapers Makor Rishon and Ma'ariv and the Hebrew language NRG news website to Israel Hayom, the free daily newspaper owned by billionaire Sheldon Adelson.

Hasidic Father Of 3 Arrested At IDF Induction Center

The man – a Visnitzer hasid who teaches in the Vishnitzer heder (grade school) in Bnei Brak – was told by the Vizhnitzer Rebbeto go the induction center with his tallit (prayer shawl) and tefillin (phylacteries), speak only in Yiddish, refuse to cooperate with the IDF, and know that he will probably be arrested.

Kabbalist’s US Charity Sued By Lenders For Forclosure

Corigin Real Estate Group, a private equity firm based in Manhattan, filed suit to foreclose on $20 million in loans for 122 East 58th Street – a tony Manhattan property owned by Mosdot Shuva Israel, a nonprofit organization headed and controlled by embattled kabbalist Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto.

PEOPLE v. HELBRANS

"The defendant, a leader of a religious group, disapproved of the secular upbringing of a 13-year-old boy and sought to raise him according to the tenets of the defendant's religious beliefs. A prime issue in the case is whether the acquiescence of the boy in the custody and indoctrination given by the defendant with the aid of the latter's religious adherents, in derogation of his parents' wishes and in full awareness of the exhaustive efforts to locate and retrieve him, exculpates the defendant from the charges of kidnapping and conspiracy. The facts as adduced at trial, which we are required to view in the light which best supports the jury's verdict, are as follows.…"

Satmar Village Agrees Not To Endorse Gender Segregation At Public Playground

The New York Civil Liberties Union and the American Civil Liberties Union have settled a lawsuit against the Village of Kiryas Joel with the government agreeing it will not endorse segregation of the sexes in a public park.

Leading MO Rabbis, Community Leaders Write Letters Supporting MO Child Pornographer-Pedophile

Who wrote letters in support of this Modern Orthodox child pornographer and pedophile? Modern Orthodox leaders, that's who.

Kabbalist's Charity To Be Forcibly Liquidated

The High Court found that there was "plenty of evidence" that Hazon Yeshaya "acted illegally to deceive donors."

Judge Denies Developer Shalom Lamm's Motion For Recusal

Modern Orthodox developer Shalom Lamm's attorneys made a motion this morning to try to force Sullivan County Court Judge Stephen Schick to recuse himself from the election fraud case in the tiny village of Bloomingburg. Lamm alleges Schick's wife posted anti-Lamm comments on as yet unnamed public websites.

England Will Not Allow Haredi Schools To Censor Out Test Questions On Evolution

Great Britain’s school testing overseer has ruled that schools – even haredi yeshivas – will not be allowed to screen out exam questions which contradict their religious beliefs.

IDF Publishes New Shabbat Guide For Haredi And Orthodox Soldiers

The IDF has published a new booklet on the interface of a soldier’s duties and the restrictions of Shabbat law, Ynet reported. Primarily aimed at haredi soldiers and called "Defending the Nation, Guarding the Torah," the booklet contains Shabbat rules written by IDF officers who are Orthodox rabbis.

Rabbi Avigdor Miller: Hitler Was A "Kindness From Heaven"

"…My great uncle, Rabbi Avigdor Miller, a widely respected yeshivish rabbi, wrote: 'Hitler was not only sent by Heaven, but was sent as a kindness from Heaven…. Because assimilation and intermarriage are worse than death.'…”

Build A Synagogue On The Temple Mount, Leading Zionist Orthodox Rabbis Tell Netanyahu

“The Temple Mount is a unique place for prayer. As Prime Minister, we ask you to do what is necessary to establish a place of prayer for Jews on the Temple Mount, in a respectable and peaceful manner, that will honor the holy place we all long for.”

Anti-Haredi, Anti-Arab, Anti-Women Prejudice In Hiring Widespread In Israel, Report Finds

A new survey commissioned by Israel’s Economy Ministry’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that 37% of employers would prefer not to hire haredi men and 27% would prefer not to hire a haredi mother of young children.

Abraham "Abe" Rubin, Released From Jail Friday, Gets Hero's Welcome From Satmar

The Aharon faction of Satmar hasidim gave convicted witness tamperer Abraham "Abe" Rubin a hero's welcome on his release from jail. Rubin served only 2 1/2 months in prison for trying to bribe Satmar sex criminal Nechemya Weberman's victim and her boyfriend. Rubin offered them $500,000 to flee the country and not testify against Weberman. They refused and told police and the DA, leading to Rubin's arrest.

Arrest In Slumlord's Kidnap-Murder Case May Be Imminent, Police Reportedly Claim

Despite the millions he owed to his many creditors, sources say investigators are focused on a contractor and several of the man’s relatives.

Women Who Have 4 Or More Babies Have Greater Risk Of Heart Disease

Women who give birth to four or more children are much more likely to have evidence of plaque in their heart or thickening of their arteries – early signs of cardiovascular disease – compared with those having fewer pregnancies, according to research to be presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session.

Mikva In Mea Shearim Allegedly Installs Hidden Cameras To Stop Sex Crimes And Homosexual Behavior

Many area residents believe the reason for the cameras is a flood of “problems with holiness” - a politically correct haredi term for sex crimes and sexual 'misbehavior' like homosexuality.

Video: Hasidic Slumlord In Court Over Horrific Abuse Of Renters

Joel Israel, a hasidic slumlord who has been mistreating his Brooklyn tenants for months – including demolishing their kitchens and bathrooms with a sledgehammer –  was in housing court yesterday. Tenants want their apartments fixed and Israel jailed. Israel's attorney claims Israel has done nothing wrong.

Raw Sewage Leak: Illegal Satmar Yeshiva Remains Open Despite Danger To Students, Staff, Neighbors

A property illegally operating as a Satmar boys yeshiva has been cited by Orange County and Town of Chester officials for a variety of health, safety and zoning violations, ranging from food-safety and sewage issues to operating without the proper certificate of occupancy or building permits. Ohel Toro's Satmar owner, Abraham Stauber, has been already been fined almost $200,000, but the school remains open despite the danger to students and staff. Stauber has been ordered to appear in court April 14, but that court date will likely be postponed due to Passover.

Abraham "Abe" Rubin Released From Jail After Serving Only 2 1/2 Months

How much jail time do four counts of bribing a witness and one count of tampering with a witness get you? If you're a well-connected Satmar hasid living in Brooklyn and prosecuted under the reign of former DA Charles J. Hynes, the answer is – only 2 1/2 months.

Almost Half Of Israelis Strongly Want Chief Rabbis To Recognize Reform And Conservative Movements

A poll conducted by Teleseker Polling for the US-based Ruderman Family Foundation has found that 49% of Israelis strongly believe Israel’s official state Chief Rabbinate should recognize the legitimacy of Reform and Conservative Judaism to strengthen Israel’s connection with American Jews.

Haredi Modesty Assault: Woman Beaten Up By Haredi Man In Beit Shemesh Over Skirt Length

"I was afraid and screamed. I called the police right away. He saw me doing it and ran toward me, and then he beat me hard and pulled my hair. I have bruises on my thigh and back from the attack. I screamed to the police on the phone that he was attacking me. He tried to take my phone away as he was beating me horribly. I was deathly afraid -- he snatched my phone out of my hand and ran away into the streets of [the haredi area of] Beit Shemesh.”

Leading Sefardi Haredi Rabbi Tells University Students It Is Kosher To Cheat And Plagiarize

Chief Rabbi of Holon Rabbi Avraham Yosef – who sits on the Israel Chief Rabbinate’s council and who is a son of the late Sefardi haredi leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef – gave permission for university students to cheat and plagiarize.

Haredim, Halakha & Sex: "It Is Better To Be Killed Than To Shake The Hand Of A Woman"

"…In the business world a handshake is considered the standard greeting for both men and women. Since one is not allowed to touch a woman as an expression of affection, a question arises if shaking hands with a woman in a business situation is permitted. Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l maintains it is difficult to say that shaking hands is not considered an expression of affection. In another teshuva he wrote that doing so is forbidden. This is also the opinion of many other poskim. This issur still applies even if by refraining from shaking hands one will cause the woman to be embarrassed. Some poskim say it is better to be killed than to shake the hand of a woman.…"

Accused Chabad Pedophile Dies

27-year-old accused pedophile Ezzy Kestecher has passed away. The cause of death is apparently suicide.

Report: Hasidic Votes May Not Count

"We are pleased that apparently the Sullivan county board of elections has issued their report that upholds the voter registration challenges made by Anita Hoppe with supporting affadvaits. We are confident therefore that the election will be decided in our favor and look forward to taking office on April 7th…"

Circumcision: Leading Haredi Mohel Refuses To Comply With New York City’s Informed Consent Requirement, City Apparently Does Nothing

Cohn called the city’s claims that MBP transmits herpes a “blood libel.” He also insists that he will never get written consent from parents performing it. “If they want me to go to jail, I will go to jail,” Cohn reportedly said.

Video: Fugitive Breslov Rabbi Celebrates Purim With Followers In Zimbabwe

Rabbi Eliezer Berland, the Breslov Shuvu Banim leader on the lam from Israel because he is wanted for questioning there for a series of alleged sex crimes committed against female followers (including some who were minors at the time the alleged assaults took place), celebrated Purim in Zimbabwe earlier this month with some of his followers. Here's video:

Clergy Group To Call For State Takeover Of Scandal-Plagued Haredi-Controlled School District

A new grassroots organization, the Rockland Clergy for Social Justice (RCSJ), is about to publicly call on Governor Andrew Cuomo to authorize "immediate fiscal and administrative oversight over the East Ramapo school district and revision of governance.”

Scandal-Ridden Jewish Anti-Poverty Charity Halts Passover Food Program

Without explanation, the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, the New York City Jewish community's anti-poverty arm, has closed its Passover food card program, leaving many of the city's Jewish poor without adequate food for the Passover holiday.

Orthodox Jewish Synagogue Hosts Post-Nup Signing Event With Couples

"As we continue to read stories in national media outlets about spouses who refuse to grant religious divorce (get) to one another, the need to act becomes ever greater.  As a response, The Hebrew Institute of Riverdale - The Bayit is hosting an event for its members to come and sign Jewish Law (Halakhic) post-nuptial agreements, considered one of the best ways to address the problem of get refusal. …"

Women Of The Wall Close To Deal With Government

Women of the Wall is close to reaching an agreement with the government that likely will include a clause that will annul the regulations in the Law of the Holy Places that have been used for decades to stop WoW from praying as they saw fit at the Kotel (Western Wall) and to criminalize their attempts to do so. But the deal also allegedly gives haredim control over the Kotel and allows them to determine which type of prayer is acceptable there and which are not.

New Poll Finds 26% Of Haredi Teens Are Zionist

A new poll shows that while the vast majority of haredi youth say they will not join the IDF or national civilian service, many are proud of being Israeli citizens and have a nationalistic, patriotic worldview.

Zionist Yeshiva To Honor Chabad Rabbi Who Allegedly Covered Up For Pedophiles

Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner, the late head of Chabad in Melbourne, Australia, is being memorialized by Machon Meir, a Zionist Orthodox yeshiva in Jerusalem – despite the fact that Groner allegedly covered up for pedophiles. Because of those alleged coverups, at least a dozen children were molested. But Machon Meir is honoring Groner's memory anyway.

Brooklyn, N.Y., Man Admits Traveling To New Jersey To Violently Extort Divorce Consent From Reluctant Husband

Simcha Bulmash, 30, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson to an information charging him with traveling in interstate commerce to commit extortion. His bail conditions include a $500,000 bond and GPS monitoring.

Haredi Draft Dodger Released From Prison, Gets Hero’s Welcome From Fellow Haredim

"…You just do not understand! You will not break us! We are stronger than you and them. We have rabbis and Torah on our side. We will not serve [in the IDF]! We will not fold! And we will continue adhering to the words of our great rabbis, not the IDF!"

Haredi Rabbi Lies About The Holocaust – Again

"Throughout this coming year, the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of Yad Vashem will be commemorated with public lectures, ceremonies and celebrations. Amid all of the loud hoopla and accolades, however, a quiet crescendo of criticism of Yad Vashem has been appearing in the Jewish media for their portrayal of Orthodox martyrs and survivors of the Shoah, which one high ranking member of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany recently described to this writer as, 'tantamount to Holocaust denial.'"

The Belzer Rebbe ‘Forgets’ His Own Family’s Debt To Zionists

The previous Belzer Rebbe was saved from the Holocaust by Zionists. Before he left Europe, he publicly promised his followers and the other Jews of Budapest that they would be safe from harm. Instead, most were murdered within weeks. Did the current Belzer Rebbe learn anything from this? You be the judge.

Melbourne Area Makes Failure To Report Child Sex Abuse A Crime Punishable By Up To 3 Years In Prison

"Every adult in Victoria who is aware of child sexual abuse must report it to police," he told reporters. "No more cover ups, no more hiding, no more sweeping these things under the carpet, no more shifting alleged perpetrators from one part of an organisation to another." Under the new laws, adults who fail to report suspected child sexual abuse will face up to three years' jail.

Man Beaten By Police In Crown Heights Chabad Center Gets $100,000 Settlement From NYC

New York City has agreed to pay a $100,000 settlement to a inebriated Brooklyn man who refused to leave a Crown Heights Jewish center when ordered to do so by a volunteer security guard and then by police.

Haredi Group Tries To Raise Money By Having Haredim Imprisoned For Draft-Dodging Pray For Donors

A haredi group that provides legal assistance to haredim who dodge the draft has come up with a novel – and, perhaps, illegal – way to raise money. The Foundation for Saving the Torah World will have an imprisoned haredi draft dodger pray for you in return for your donation of at least 100 NIS ($29).

Belzer Rebbe: “We Don’t Need The State Or The Government”

“We don’t need the state or the government. We need study halls and yeshivas to continue serving God and to educate the children in the way of service of God and in the responsibility of a life of Torah and acceptance of the mitzvas and in anxiously awaiting the redemption by moshiach!"

Matzoh Factory Bans Smartphone Users

A haredi matzoh bakery, Aronshtein Matzohs, bans smartphone users from baking matzoh.

Charges Dropped Against Innocent Man Charged By Former DA With Intimidating Sex Abuse Victim

The criminal contempt charges against one of the three men who allegedly tweeted photos of the victim of Nechemya Weberman from the courtroom during Weberman’s trial 16 months ago has been dropped because the man, Lemon Juice, is a friend of the victim and never tweeted any photos – facts proseuctiors knew many months ago but refused to act on.

IDF Forced By Government To Back Down To Haredi Demands

The new special induction centers meant to process haredi men answering their draft orders have been abruptly put on hold after haredi leadership, afraid that some yeshiva students would actually enlist rather than get deferments, threatened to order all yeshiva students to defy the draft orders.

Sheldon Silver And William E. Rapfogel Allegedly Blocked Low Income Housing In Order To Keep Lower East Side "Jewish"

William E. Rapfogel, the disgraced former head of the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, the Jewish community's anti-poverty arm, and New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver – both Orthodox Jews with roots on the Lower East Side – allegedly spent almost four decades blocking affordable housing from being built on a 20 acre parcel of land on the Lower East Side, allegedly to keep the neighborhood as Jewish as possible by keeping out the low income non-Jews who would have filled many of those low income housing units.

Former MK Rabbi Michael Melchior Joins Anti-Child-Sex-Abuse Org's Advisory Board

"…[F]ormer Member of Knesset and Cabinet Minister, Rabbi Michael Melchior, has accepted our invitation to join the Tzedek Board of Advisors. For several years Rabbi Melchior served as Chairman of the Committee for Children’s Rights in the Knesset, where in this capacity he proposed and passed important legislation on the issue of sexual abuse of children. Rabbi Melchior joins a distinguished list of international leaders in various countries and with diverse backgrounds.…"

Video: Just Before He Died, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef Cursed Proponents Of The Haredi-Draft With Destruction

Just before his final hospitalization late last year, senior Sefardi haredi leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef called on God to foil the planned haredi draf and cursed its proponents. “The verse ‘pour out your wrath upon them,’ should be fulfilled for them. Your anger should reach them, chase them with fury and eliminate them, destroy them and subjugate them. Neither root nor branch should remain of them, they should go to their destruction. And you God, cast them down to oblivion.”

Judge Rules Large Residential Lot Zoning Discriminates Against Hasidim

"It is clear that if such was not enacted for an improper purpose, the Village CP (Comprehensive Plan) and the Zoning Amendments were enacted without giving proper regard to local and regional housing needs of the Hasidic Jewish community and will have an exclusionary effect," Nicolai wrote, even though he also admitted that the plan and the zoning laws had no “language or provision expressly prohibiting members of the Hasidic Jewish Community from residing in the Village." Nicolai labeled the plan and zoning laws, "exclusionary zoning.”