A Small Correction to an Old Passover Post

It has now been over six years since I last posted. Alas, this is not a post where I announce my glorious return (I've long since moved to Twitter) but rather a short reappearance due to an email I received today.

All the way back in 2012 I shared the story of the "Kosher L'Pesach" tombstone as chronicled in The Washington Jewish Week. Though the link to the Washington Jewish Week appears to be dead, you can read the story in my original post.

Imagine my surprise when I got the following email today:

Good day,

I hope this email finds you well.
This email is with regards to your blog post on the Kosher L’Pesach as I am the Great Granddaughter of the late Walter Galler.

I have posted a comment on the post, but would also like to contact you personally as this is something dear to mine and my grandfathers heart.
I would like to clarify a few points that are incorrect.
The inscription "kasher l'Pesach" was in fact not chosen by my Great Grandmother (Anna Galler), but rather done by a family friend named Lotte Thompson, who offered to engrave the tombstone for her as she did not have the finances to do so herself-this also gives reason to why the tombstone was made out of different materials to the others. Lotte took it upon herself to engrave the inscription and unfortunately with my Great Grandmother being German and unable to understand Hebrew, she did not know what the inscription meant.
Years later my Great Uncle sent a copy of the South Africa Jewish Times to my Grandfather in Johannesburg which contained a photo of the tombstone as it was causing quite the stir amongst the Jewish community. My Grandfather finding this inscription to be a mockery and embarrassment to the family, felt that it was not deserving to his father and his mother, which led to him removing the inscription himself when he visited Swakopmund between 1976-1977.
It would be greatly appreciated if the information about the late Walter Galler could be corrected as my grandfather would like his fathers name to not be a mockery as he felt all of this has caused it to be.

I hope this clears up any misunderstandings and of course I apologize if the original post offended. Obviously I can't fact-check the story, but presented the article as is - and now similarly present this email.

Happy  (forthcoming) Purim!

Rav Aviner Needs A Good Wake Up Call From Reality

I've kind of stopped blogging, but every so often someone does something annoying enough, that you kind of want to share your anger with everyone. This week's culprit is Rav Aviner. Rav Aviner, is not my cup of tea. To be honest, he's not even my choice for a second rate biscuit to dip in my tea. However, he has over the years, never quite managed to cross my line for "bad" rabbis, and just stayed in my "not cup of tea" rabbis. Well he's now in my "bad" rabbi list.

This weekend I picked up "Olam Katan" for the first time in weeks. I used to read it every week (yes, during davening) but I've been fed up with them after the whole incessant anti Rav Stav campaign that they launched, succeeded, and then failed to apologise to the Dati-Leumi public for. So what did we see this week?

As reported by Ynet, Rav Aviner has come out in support of convicted sexual predator Harav Motti Alon. The "question" he was asked was:

 "In the trial Rabbi Morechai Alon confessed that he hugged and kisseed, but said it was out of love (!-Bot), The Judge ruled based on her impression that it was out of lust.  Who should we believe?"

Rav Aviner's response:

If it is as you say, you can not convict a person based on impressions and not proof, because what is in his heart is known only to himself and to god. More so, Harav Alon hugged and kissed hundreds, and thousands, of people with great warmth, and that was his way, and no one felt that it was wrong, except in a few single instances.

COME ON. lets ignore the fact that it wasn't only the judge who thought Rav Alon was a little "lusty", it was a whole room of top tier rabbis. But really, even if it was only the Judge, how can you possibly dismiss the court as "having no proof"? Are witnesses no longer considered proof? does halacha not use witnesses? and seriously...so it was only a few instances...so it wasn't wrong? lets just blame the victims who misunderstood everything..

 Rav Aviner and his best pal Rav Druckman (who also supports Alon) have seriously failed their public. Please now leave us alone.

Why would anyone want to use their phone to make a call?

Oh those funny little Haredim. "The Marker" has a story today about a new "kosher" phone being sold in Rami-Levi. Rami Levi did not receive the endorsment of some rabbis, because he refused their demand that the new phone won't actually allow people to call one another. Luckily some other Haredi group is already producing a smartphone that won't allow you to "text" or "call" anyone. In other words they are producing a crappy machine to check your email on.

And while I'm nitpicking. The new Rami Levi phone will apparently be loaded with "Jewish Apps" including one called - שניים מקרא ואחד תורה. Erm yes...

Ouch

Saw this making the rounds on Facebook:

The Jewish MALE Burqa Cult?

Israel Hayom had this picture in their print edition, explaining that many Breslov Haredim are making their way to Uman (Ukraine) for Rosh Hashana. What the photographer seems to have missed was the better question of what are these Hasidim wearing? it looks like a male veil! Guess we just discovered the Jewish male Burqa cult...

Update: @gdlmeir  pointed me to this Kikar Hashabat article on the same topic. It has more photos of our Hassidic veiled fools.

I especially liked this photo because my thoughts are "It works! I can see that trouser wearing woman in the back, and that Hasid can't!".

No Haaretz, tradition does not mean we are all crazy...

In the weekend editiono of Haaretz I found this little gem:

We should remind people that where "masoret" (lit tradition) - things will often end in fantascism. 

So what great crime do you think they were fighting? What great intolerance by the religious? You'll be shocked. The article was against having Rabbis (who were also qualified teachers) come to schools to talk about the meaning of festivals. Because if a Rabbi talks to kids...who knows what fanatics they might become! 

The True Story of The Ring

Brilliant, though there is no way of explaining this to anyone not living in Israel.

I Love You Israel, But...

So...today my kids are going to get their Polio inocculation as well as new Gas Masks (Syria etc). Seriously, this isn't normal.

An Understandable Mistake To Make...

Two Contrasting Pics of Israel

Slow summer blogging. Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things, as my kids return to Kindergarden.

Here as some pics of different aspects of Israel:

The top sticker reads "Modest Girls Prevent Disasters". Which leads us directly to the next pic:

"Your wife is 50? Throw away the old hag, and get a young russian!

Easiest Way to Support Mostly Kosher

I use Dropbox for everything. Literally. However I'm running out of space. If you don't have Dropbox yet, please install it using the following link: http://db.tt/jTGkfpk and help me get some more space!

What is Dropbox?

Are You Kidding Me? Rabbis Still Supporting Rav Elon

Ynet reports that Rav Druckman has invited Rav Elon to continue teaching in his Yeshiva (Or Etzion). Yes, Rav Elon - now a convicted sex offender - is still teaching crowds. The always interesting (if not always right) Tomer Perisco points out that if Rav Elon would have SMS on Shabbat or claimed homosexuality wasn't forbidden he would have been chased out of the Yeshiva...but sex offender? meh.

Blooper of the Day

Martin Dempsey = US General.
Partick Dempsey = Actor who plays McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy.

Is Ynet sure it got this distinction down?

Via: 7eye

The Three Pronged Sadness of Rav Elon

Rav Elon's sad story can be divided into three acts:

First: His actual crimes, and the suffering he caused his students.

Second: He couldn't accept exile. His ego just wouldn't allow him to remain in anonymity.

Third: Even after all this time and even after he was convicted, he still can't admit to having done anything wrong.

Old Joke, Still Worth a Post

There is a well-known joke about Talmudic interpretation. A Jew is talking to his Rabbi.
Rabbi," the man said, "Explain the Talmud to me."
"Very well," he said. "First, I will ask you a question. If two men climb up a chimney and one comes out dirty, and one comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
"The dirty one," answers the man.
"No. They look at each other and the dirty man thinks he is clean and the clean man thinks he is dirty, therefore, the clean man washes himself."
"Now, another question:
If two men climb up a chimney and one comes out dirty, and one comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
The man smiles and says, "You just told me, Rabbi. The man who is clean washes himself because he thinks he is dirty."
"No," says the Rabbi. "If they each look at themselves, the clean man knows he doesn't have to wash himself, so the dirty man washes himself."
"Now, one more question.
If two men climb up a chimney and one comes out dirty, and one comes out clean, which one washes himself?"
"I don't know, Rabbi. Depending on your point of view, it could be either one."
Again the Rabbi says, "No. If two men climb up a chimney, how could one man remain clean? They both are dirty, and they both wash themselves."
The confused man said, "Rabbi, you asked me the same question three times and you gave me three different answers. Is this some kind of a joke?"
"This is not a joke, my son. This is Talmud."

Rav Aviner's 2000 Year Screwup

I didn't actually see the question in this week's Shabbat pamphlets but suppsedly Rav Aviner was asked the following question via SMS:

Q: Why are there more Haredi talmidi hahamim (impressive torah scholars) than Religious Zionists ones?

So what would you guess would be his answer? an outright denial? perhpas praising haredi commitment to torah, while stating the cost of their culture? stressing how many torah giants Religious Zionism has?
none of the above.

His actual answer:

A: Because Haredi talmidi hahachamim started 2000 years ago and Religious Zioninst only started 100 years ago. However, their number and quality has been rising steadily. 

I don't even know where to start on that answer. ignoring the factual question whether or not the assumption that there are more Haredi talmidi hachamim is true, the most serious critque of his answer is that it reveals Rav Aviner's  view that Religious Zionism is a break from the supposedly unbroken chain of torah learning. This is a serious problem for anyone who wishes to be a true Religious Zionist. The flip side is a weird acceptance that the Haredi world is somehow an unbroken chain of torah continuity. If Rav Aviner truely believes that Haredim are the true (or at least) only embodiment of 2000 years of torah leaning (why 2000?) one fails to understand how he can be Zionist.

Israel Being Sued Over Jesus...Again..

From the Jerusalem Post:

A Kenyan lawyer has filed a petition with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, suggesting that the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ was unlawful, and The State of Israel among others should be held responsible, Kenyan news outlet the Nairobian reported on Friday.

Dola Indidis, a lawyer and former spokesman of the Kenyan Judiciary is reportedly attempting to sue Tiberius (Emperor of Rome 42 BC-37AD), Pontius Pilate, a selection of Jewish elders, King Herod, the Republic of Italy and the State of Israel.

"Evidence today is on record in the bible, and you cannot discredit the bible," Indidis told Kenyan Citizen News.

Oh well then..

Yes, those he suggests should have been convicted during the original trial have not been alive for more than 2000 years, however Indidis insists that the government for whom they acted can and should still be held responsible.
“I filed the case because it’s my duty to uphold the dignity of Jesus and I have gone to the ICJ to seek justice for the man from Nazareth,” Indidid told the Nairobian. “His selective and malicious prosecution violated his human rights through judicial misconduct, abuse of office bias and prejudice.”
Indidis apparently named the states of Italy and Israel in the lawsuit because upon the attainment of independence, the two states incorporated the laws of the Roman Empire, those in force at the time of the Crucifixion. 

We did? I really should ask for my money back from Bar-Ilan Law School. However suing Israel for the death of Jesus isn't even an original idea. Haim Cohen, former Israeli Supreme Court Justice recalls:

During 1948, not long after the establishment of the Supreme Court, I then still the State Prosecutor, was called to Moshe Smoira, our first president [of the court], and he showed me some files, filled to the rim, with petitions for the Supreme Court to have a retrial for Jesus the Christian (ישו הנוצרי). The petitioners were protestant reverends from various countries, all arguing that now, with the establishment of the Supreme Court in a Jewish state, our first duty was to correct the mistake of our immediate predecessor, the Sanhedrin, 1900 years ago. The president informed me that he had discussed the matter with the the other Justices, and they -obviously- decided that they don't have the authority to hear these petitions....He also asked me to respond in his name to the petitioners and explain why we didn't feel we had the jurisdiction.(Haim Cohn, A Personal Introduction, pg 305)

Joke of the Day

Spotted on Facebook:

A guy is walking along the beach in Tel Aviv when he comes across a lamp partially buried in the sand. He picks up the lamp and gives it a rub.

A genie appears and tells him he has been granted one wish.

The guy thinks for a moment and says, "I want to live forever."

"Sorry," said the genie, "I'm not allowed to grant eternal life."

"OK, then, I want to die after the Israelis and Palestinians make peace.

"You crafty little bastard," said the genie.

The Israeli Half-Shabbos - Bachelors vs High School

Makor Rishon (and NRG) have an interesting piece over the weekend of the Israeli version of the half-shabbos -  religious Jews who observe Shabbos, with the minor exception of texting. The entire piece (published in full at מוצ"ש) is worth a detailed read as it not only describes the phenomenon, it also attempts to give a religious interpretation of it.

However - I wish to focus on one glaring difference between the Israeli and American versions of Half-Shabbos: In America the phenomenon is appears to be a high-school phenomenon. The Israeli version (at least as it is described) appears to be a late bachelorhood phenomenon. I haven't got a good explanation for the difference. One possible reason is that even in America the Upper West Side bachelors are texting on shabbos, but aren't talking about it. However, I'm doubtful of this explanation, as I'm sure some would be willing to talk anonymously.

As such I have no explanation to explain the difference between the Israeli and American phenomenon. Feel free to offer your explanations in the comments below!

Two of the Ashkenazi rabbis fulfilled their aims tonight

Two of the Ashkenazi rabbis fulfilled their aims tonight: Lau 68 Stav 54 Shapira 25