Rabbi Gil Student And The Art Of Censorship

This is Banned Books Week. Fittingly, Rabbi Gil Student has written another post on Blogs And Lashon Hara. In it, R. Student lays out Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir’s views on the halakhot involved, especially those involved if (or ever!) an Orthodox rabbi is criticized. I analyzied Rabbi Meir’s position here. Rabbi Meir sent me an [...]

Rabbi Goldschmidt Must Be Backed By FJC And Lazar To Enter Russia

Interfax reports on the "reason" behing the banning of Berel Lazar’s rabbinic rival, Moscow’s Chief Rabbi Pinkhas Goldschmidt, from Russia by the Putin government:
Moscow, September 28, Interfax – The Russian Foreign Ministry is investigating the motives behind a decision to cancel an entry-visa issued to Moscow Choral Synagogue Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, ministry spokesman Mikhail Troyansky [...]

New Moment Magazine Article On Rabbi Slifkin

Moment Magazine has published a new article about the Rabbi Nosson Slifkin Book Ban. Perhaps the best quote in the piece comes from Rabbi Ahron Feldman, the ‘godol’ who first backed Rabbi Slifkin but then sold him out:
None of the rabbis who signed the ban was willing to speak with me, but I reached [rabbi [...]

American Jewish World Service Calls For Expanded US Role In Darfur

American Jewish World Service has launched a call to action on Darfur. The petition, which can be signed here, calls for an expanded US role in ending the genocide. Let’s hope it works.

Putin Bars Non-Chabad Chief Rabbi From Russia

Moscow’s Chief Rabbi – an opponent of Chabad, Putin’s pro-Stalin, anti-democracy movement, and Chabad’s self-appointed ‘chief rabbi’ of Russia Berel Lazar – was barred from returning to Russia after a trip to Israel by Russian border guards. The AP and Ha’aretz report:
The chief rabbi of Moscow’s main synagogue said Russian border guards had denied him [...]

The OU Spins Kosher To New Lows

The OU has announced it is now certifying Maalox as kosher. Why? The OU (incorrectly) notes:
Kosher certification is not required for prescription medications, but it is a requirement for over-the-counter medications – such as Maalox® and Triaminic® – which are not used in life-threatening situations or in cases of serious illness.

Following the OU’s incorrect logic, [...]

The Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir Flip Flop

Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir of the Business Ethics Center of Jerusalem wrote a column a few weeks ago endorsing public criticism of public figures. This week, Rabbi Meir has ‘modified’ his message – Rabbis are lagely exempt from such criticism. Why? follow Rabbi Meir’s ‘logic‘:
If we apply the exact same criteria to a politician, we [...]

Falash Mura End Hunger Strike

1500 Falash Mura were forced by police to end their 3-day hunger strike protesting the extremely slow rate of aliya to Israel. The Falash Mura were saddened because no Jewish communities contacted them during the strike.

Are You Chabad?

Are you Chabad?

Conservative Rabbi Resigns Post, Becomes Orthodox, Gets Online Semicha

A New Jersey-based Conservative rabbi resigned his pulpit, became Orthodox, took an online semicha program, passed and is now looking for work as an Orthodox rabbi:
… Rabbi Friedman was helpful. He spent time with me and kept insisting, ‘I guarantee you’ll get through this course.’ I didn’t even understand the course material.…
The course was Pirchei [...]

The Rabbi Mordechai Eliyhu Flip Flop

Rabbi Modechai Eliyahu has now withdrawn his statements urging soldiers to disobey orders. He also has this to say about his ‘prophcey’ that Disengagement would not happen:
Eliahu has been criticized by religious Zionist rabbis for promising thousands of his followers, many of whom are former residents of the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria, that disengagement [...]

Chabad Huricane Relief #6: Efforts “Nonsectarian,” Misrepresents President’s Statement

In a new press release, Chabad claims President Bush praised its ‘nonsectarian’ relief efforts in a speech given yesterday. But nothing could be further from the truth. As noted first here, what President Bush actually said is as follows:
"Our nation’s armies of compassion have rallied and have come to the aid of people who [...]

Rashi Upshlugged

A brilliant, must read refutation of a Rashi in Shabbat has been published by the Forward’s language columnist, Philologos. History does matter.

Chabad Hurricane Relief #5

In the midst of a nice article about Chabad ‘relief’ efforts in Mississippi and Alabama we find the following description of Chabad’s activities there from Chabad itself:
Jewish people were the group’s focus but not the only beneficiaries. As
the RV made its way down a residential street, the volunteers saw a man
peeking through the curtains of [...]