FailedMessiah.com

Photo: Forced Gender Segregation At Israeli University

The Ono Academic College in Kiryat Ono, Israel is soon hosting a joint law conference with Columbia University's school of law. But its so-called haredi campus has rather extreme gender segregation.

Agunah Allowed To Remarry Without Get, Über Haredi Rabbis Lash Out

It's the Litvaks and the Modern Orthodox vs. the Hungarians and the hasidim, and this time the Litvaks and the MOs won – and so did a long-suffering agunah.

Breaking: Sheldon Silver Guilty On All Counts

Modern Orthodox former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon "Shelly" Silver has just been found guilty on all counts in his federal corruption trial in Manhattan. Silver faces a possible sentence of more than 100 years in prison.

Is The Haredi Monopoly Over? State Rabbinical Courts Back Down, Allow Ex-O Woman To Divorce Outside State Rabbinate’s Control

“This wasn’t a war against Judaism or against the rabbis. This was a battle against the monopoly of the state courts, a monopoly which they abuse and in so doing harm women, the rights of women, and do injury to the equal status of women." In response to the decision, women's rights group plans to open its own rabbinical divorce court.

Haredi Soldier Assaulted By Haredim In Jerusalem Synagogue, Saved By Students From Largest Haredi Yeshiva

A haredi IDF soldier trying to pray was assaulted by an unknown number of other haredim in a synagogue in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood of Jerusalem this morning.

IDF To Close Orthodox Military Rabbinate’s Jewish Identity Section

During Operation Cast Lead (the 2008-2009 Gaza War), the Jewish Identity Section produced and distributed a pamphlet that encouraged cruelty to the enemy. The pamphlet also promoted overtly political views, including claiming that it is forbidden under halakha (Orthodox Jewish law) to cede “even one millimeter” of the biblical Land of Israel for any purpose –including peace.

High Court Rules IDF Decision To Ban Beards Is Legal

The High Court ruled that there’s no basic right for a soldier to have a beard and noted the IDF has both the need and the legal right to maintain military discipline, even through banning beards.

Court Allows Last Minute Psychiatric Evaluation Of Accused Haredi Murder Ring Mastermind, Victim’s Family Cries Foul

Two haredi minors convicted of the kidnapping and gruesome murder. But the 31-year-old ringleader was inexplicably given last minute psychiatric exam that found him not responsible for his actions at the time of the crimes, which were committed almost 18 months ago. "It's all a lie. I'm afraid that the court will eventually get them [all] off the hook. I want [to see] justice in the court. Where's justice? The judges must not accept this,” the murdered boy’s father, said after today’s court session.

Mishpacha Magazine Censors Out Women From Haredi Ad

Mishpacha Magazine, the allegedly moderate haredi publication, has censored out two women from a Partners in Torah ad.

Top Haredi Rabbis Jointly Rule All Haredi Schools In Israel, Even Kindergartens, Are Forbidden To Cooperate With Ministry Of Education

"There will be no cooperation with supervisors from the Ministry of Education, but only with supervisors from within the haredi [school] system that [each individual] institution belongs to. There will be no response to the letters and instructions of the Ministry of Education that harm the independence of the institution[s]. There will be no enrollment of students who do not meet the terms of the institution from a spiritual perspective [i.e., Sefardi girls], and no involvement of the authorities on this matter will be permitted."

NGOs Ask High Court To Stop Forced Deportations And Imprisonment Of African Asylum Seekers

The Hotline for Refugees and Migrants and a group of other NGOs filed a petition with Israel’s High Court of Justice today asking it to firmly strike down the government’s policy of indefinitely imprisoning African asylum seekers unless they agree to accept so-called “self-deportation” to an unnamed African country that is not their homeland.

Small Feminist Group Files Suit Against Haredi Kotel Rabbi Who Won’t Let Them Read From A Torah Scroll

In a petition filed with the Israel’s High Court of Justice today, a group of feminist activists argues that the government-funded and appointed Chief Rabbi of the Kotel (Western Wall) Shmuel Rabinowitz’s refusal to allow them to use publicly owned Torah scrolls or bring their own privately owned scroll to the holy site violates their legal right to equal treatment in the public sphere.

Verdict Due Tomorrow In Hate Crime Murder Of Jerusalem Arab Boy

The three Sefardi haredim who confessed to kidnapping and murdering 16-year-old Muhammad Abu Khdeir in a gruesome racist revenge attack on July 2, 2014 are – perhaps – about to face penalties for their crimes.

Top Chabad Rabbi In Israel Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison On String Of Fraud Charges

Chabad’s Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Aronow stole millions of dollars from donations earmarked for Chabad’s Children of Chernobyl charity, a subsidiary of the Chabad Youth (Tzach) nonprofit Aronow headed. Chabad Youth serves as the central Chabad-Lubavitch organization in Israel, and (at least on paper) hundreds of Chabad emissaries in Israel work at its largess. Aronow also received almost $2 million in salary he failed to declare as income and used fraud to get large amounts of money from the Education Ministry – money Aronow then stole.

Israeli Secular School Forces 12th Grade Girls To Cover Their Knees Because Showing Knees Is “Immodest”

12th-grade girls at the secular Ben Zvi public high school in Kiryat Ono near Tel Aviv were having their yearbook photos taken Thursday when school officials ordered them to pull their skirts down to cover their knees because showing knees is "immodest."

Johannesburg Beit Din And Chief Rabbi Ban Mohel Who Amputated Large Part Of Baby’s Penis

A mohel who severed a large part of a baby’s penis leaving him permanently disfigured has been banned for life from ever circumcising again.

Racist Chabad Rabbi To Headline Yud Tet Kislev Event In Tel Aviv, Sparking Outrage

Extremist neo-Kahainist Chabad Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh is slated to be the major speaker at a Yud Tet Kislev (19th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev) event Wednesday in Tel Aviv at the Charles Bronfman Auditorium (Hechal Hatarbut), a city-owned venue and is managed by a city-owned corporation, sparking outrage.

40 Torah Scrolls, Some Definitely Stolen, Found In Scribe’s Jerusalem Office

Over 40 torah scrolls, many of unknown provenance but at least seven definitely known to be stolen, have been discovered by police in a sofer’s (Orthodox religious scribe’s) office in Jerusalem.

Settler Teen Who Attacked Liberal Rabbi With Rock, Fists, Knife Given House Arrest Despite Propensity To Violence, Illegal Weapons Possession

“If I kill one of [the human rights activists]  it’ll be over. But that isn’t legal,” he said. “We need to deter [the human rights activists]. They need to be made fearful. They need to receive a blow.”

Top Cops Get Bodyguards Ahead Of Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto Appeal Ruling

Israel Police have taken the unusual step of assigning bodyguards to fraud unit officers who investigated the bribery allegations against Sefardi haredi rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto while the state’s attorneys who prosecuted him have been advised to take special security precautions.

Shady Murdered Satmar Landlord Still Haunts Tenants Almost 2 Years After His Death

Murdered Satmar landlord Menachem “Max” Stark is still haunting tenants from his grave.

Son Of Mumbai Chabad House Terror Victims Wants To Return To India

Moshe Holtzberg wants to go home to India for a visit, seven years after his parents and four others were slaughtered by Islamic terrorists in their Mumbai Chabad House.

Bail-Jumping Runaway Breslov Rabbi Wants Money For School For His Followers’ Children

Breslov Shuvu Banim hasidic sect leader Rabbi Eliezer Berland, who is wanted by police in Israel for a string of alleged sex assaults against female followers (at least one of whom was a minor at the time she was allegedly assaulted) is raising money for a new Talmud Torah school for the children of followers who have fled Israel with him.

Human Nature’s Dark Side Helped Us Spread Across The World

New archaeological research suggests betrayals of trust are the missing link in understanding the rapid spread of our own species around the world. As commitments to others became more essential to survival, and human groups ever more motivated to identify and punish those who cheat, the ‘dark’ side of human nature also developed. Moral disputes motivated by broken trust and a sense of betrayal became more frequent and motivated early humans to put distance between them and their rivals.

New Sex Allegations Surface Against Prominent Zionist Orthodox Rabbi Mordechai “Moti” Elon After Top ZO Rabbi Praises The Convicted Sex Offender

Israel Police are investigating new sexual harassment allegations against prominent Zionist Orthodox Rabbi Mordechai "Moti" Elon, who is already a convicted sex offender.

Pig’s Foot Hung On Hasidic Synagogue In Arad

Gur hasidim in the southern Israeli city of Arad went to their new shul today and were shocked to find a pig’s foot hung up over the synagogue’s main entrance.

Was The Fix In? Slick Willie Rapfogel Gets Work Release, Home Visits, After Serving Just Over One Year In Prison For Stealing Millions From Jewish Poor

William E. Rapfogel, who stole millions of dollars from the Jewish poor, is now on work release, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision confirmed today. Rapfogel served just over one year of a 3-1/3 to 10 year sentence and could be paroled in November 2017. Until then, he'll be able to go home for extended weekend stays and will spend much of each day free in Manhattan.

Important New Study Shows Increase In Infant Deaths Attributed To Crib Bumpers

A new study shows that the number of infant deaths and injuries attributed to crib bumpers (like those shown in the photo to the right) has spiked significantly in recent years. The findings stem from an analysis by a professor emeritus at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and two former researchers with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The study authors recommend that sale of the items be banned.

Followers Of Kiruv Rabbi Assault Rival Kiruv Rabbi In Shul Brawl

A Sefardi haredi kiruv (missionary outreach) rabbi, Zamir Cohen, was assaulted by followers of rival outreach rabbi Amnon Yitzhak Tuesday night in a synagogue in Tel Aviv.

Haredim Smear NY State Assemblyman Working To Protect Firefighters And Children

Sleazy hasidic PR flack Yossi Gestetner's OJPAC has released a new video smearing NY State Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski for using "a Yeshiva building outside his district as a negative backdrop in a media appearance." But there's much Gestetner and his equally sleazy counterparts won't tell you. But FailedMessiah.com will.

Chabad Announces "Redress Scheme" For Child Sex Abuse

Chabad's Yeshivah Center in Melbourne, Australia is offering a "scheme [which] will offer redress in the form of a direct personal response to the victims of abuse from Yeshivah, access to counselling and psychological care, and a monetary payment to recognise that sexual abuse should not have occurred. Receiving support under the scheme will not prejudice the individual’s rights to pursue any further legal action.…"

British Rabbis Hold Child Sex Abuse Training

Chief Rabbi of the UK Ephraim Mirvis led a training seminar on child sex abuse attended by more than 120 rabbis and other Jewish religious leaders.

Kabbalh Centre, Former Top Rabbi, Ordered To Pay Woman $177,500 Over Sex Abuse Claim

“Ms. Scaccetti is very happy that the jury found in her favor and awarded her damages – and is especially happy that by bringing this lawsuit she may have saved others from being victimized by Yehuda Berg."

NY State Assemblyman Proposes Bill To Enforce Educational Standards In Private Schools – Like, For Example, Haredi Yeshivas

“Students and parents should not have to resort to a lawsuit in order to receive a quality education in New York. All schools, regardless of whether they are public or private, must uphold our State’s strong tradition of providing a quality education that includes courses in math, science, English, history and civics. This legislation will provide parents and students a method for their concerns to be heard, a process to determine whether the complaint is substantiated and a host of remedies to ensure educational standards are being met in the classroom."

High Court Rules Transgender Ex-Haredi Woman Can Be Cremated

Israel’s High Court of Justice Supreme has affirmed a lower court ruling rejecting a petition filed by the estranged haredi family of a transgender woman, May Peleg, seeking to block her cremation.

Likud's Deputy Speaker of the Knesset Repeatedly Ridicules Wheelchair-Bound Opposition MK’s Disability During Knesset Sessions, Faces No Punishment For Doing So

A male Likud member of Knesset, Oren Hazan, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, repeatedly denigrated and insulted a wheelchair-bound female member of Knesset from the rival Yesh Atid Party strictly on the basis of her disability, and despite doing so loudly in an open Knesset session, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party subordinates did not suspend him.

Bnei Brak Man Indicted On Child Sodomy Charge

Menachem Yehoshua Ehrlich, has been indicted for allegedly repeatedly sodomizing an 11-1/2-year-old boy on at least three different occasions.

Yesh Atid, Israeli University Students To Appeal To High Court To Block Scuttling Of Haredi Draft

The centrist Yesh Atid Party, the primary force behind the original haredi draft bill passed during the last government, will join with the Union of Israeli [University] Students to file a High Court of Justice petition today to try to save that law from being gutted by the current government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Another Word On Suicide, Tabloid Journalism, And Unlicensed Hasidic "Therapists"

Did an hasidic unlicensed mental health therapist – who, I'm told, specialized in telling the women she "treated" that the solution to their mental health issues was to become more religious and more hasidic – play a role in the suicide deaths of two sisters from the Belz hasidic community of Brooklyn?

It’s Now Official: Haredi Draft Pushed Back Until At Least 2023

49 coalition lawmakers voted for the amendment while 36 opposition members voted against. All other Knesset members  (including, apparently, all Israeli-Arab lawmakers) either abstained or were absent.

A Brief Word On Suicide, Part 2

A very tragic part of life is that some people commit suicide. They often do so even when they have loving families and a good support system.

Hebrew Institute Of Riverdale Sends Rabbi To "Comfort" Refugees In Greece And Terror Victims In Israel

“The Jewish tradition teaches that we must love the stranger, because we were strangers. The geopolitics are incredibly complex, but the fundamental spiritual teaching is simple: we must provide love and care for those fleeing persecution. Also, I’d like to think that a smiling rabbi being the first Western face a refugee fleeing ISIS sees is one of ISIS’s worst nightmares.”

Israel’s Haredi-Controlled State Rabbinical Courts To Publicly Shame Recalcitrant Husband Over Get Refusal

Israel’s haredi-controlled Supreme Rabbinical Court is about to do something that is for it a highly unusual step – publicly shame a man to try to compel him to give his long-estranged wife a Jewish bill of divorce known as a get.

New Research Disputes Continuum Theory Of Sexual Orientation

The results help show why so-called conversion therapy (also known as reparative therapy), like that offered by JONAH and backed by haredi and Modern Orthodox rabbis, is dangerous. The results also establish a group of people that are, in effect, bona fide heterosexuals. Then there's another group that is not a continuum but an assemblage, a variety of people united in their same-sex sexual orientation but who may reflect diverse sexual identities. Discrimination and bigotry shown to people with same-sex attraction is thought be a significant cause of the much higher rate of depression and related disorders found among same-sex people.

Religion And State: Israel's Haredi Rabbis And The Fight Over Transgender Woman's Cremation

"…Because of the Rabbinate’s monopoly over burial practices in Israel, there is no way May can be buried in Jerusalem as a woman. In her will, May wrote "Judaism does not recognize me as the woman that I am. Religious burial would be an insult to my life, my legacy and my values.” She directed in her will that her body be cremated, and that her ashes be buried beneath a kurrajong tree, known for having both male and female flowers, to be planted in her memory. Lacking other options, this is the only way May saw to preserve her identity. [But] last week, May’s estranged mother filed papers in court demanding an ultra-Orthodox burial that would dress May in male shrouds and refer to her with her male birth name.…"

New Jerusalem Theater Complex To Be Closed On Shabbat After Secret Backroom Deal Forced By Haredim

A source in Jerusalem’s city government said Cinema City’s owners were pressured by the city to tell the High Court Cinema City would close on Shabbat of its own volition. In return, it was offered backroom financial inducements by the city – and likely backed by the Finance Ministry, as well. The source noted the ongoing security situation in the capital was hurting Cinema City financially, and its owners were told the municipality and the Finance Ministry would find ways to help Cinema City financially in exchange for it agreeing to close on Shabbat. But those inducements, that pressure, and the resulting deal were all made behind closed doors and with no transparency.

Mother Of Transgender Ex-Haredi Woman Petitions High Court To Block Cremation

The estranged haredi family of a transgender woman, 31-year-old May Peleg, has petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice to overturn a lower court ruling allowing her cremation.

20 Top Level Haredim, Almost All Hasidim, One A Rebbe's Daughter, Arrested In Wide Ranging Fraud, Money Laundering And Tax Evasion Scandal

One of those arrested is the daughter of a hasidic rebbe, and the crimes she and the other suspects allegedly committed appear to lead directly back to the top leadership of at least one hasidic court. Several haredi moneychangers who run what are essentially private unlicensed banks, are reportedly involved in the alleged fraud, and some haredi politicians are rumored to be involved, as well.

Breaking: Wave Of Arrests Of Haredi Yeshiva Administrators Over Alleged Money Laundering, Tax Evasion, Fraud

10 to 15 managers of haredi yeshivas and schools and haredi money changers were arrested today on suspicion of fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. One of those arrested is the sister of a hasidic rebbe and the crimes apparently can be directly traced back to several hasidic courts. Haredi Politicians are also thought to be suspects.

Haredi School Given Worst Ranking By British Government Inspectors Fails Second Inspection

“The school does not sufficiently promote diversity and wider faiths. There were few displays of pupils’ work. Cultural development is not broad and diverse. Pupils reported to inspectors that they had studied Ramadan. They did not have an understanding of this subject,” the newest OFSTED report says, adding that students still spend the “majority” of their time studying religious texts and have little exposure to English literacy and math.