Jordanian Cartoon Series Aims For Coexistence

A new Jordanian cartoon series, Ben and Izzy aims for coexistence between Jews and Arabs. The series target market? American cable TV, the New York Times reports.

Absurdistan

Gary Shteyngart’s new novel, Absurdistan, is now out. The New York Times has a brief interview and a reading done by Shteyngart. It also reviews the book. The reading is brilliantly funny.

The Rebbe’s Chair

Exact replicas of the Rebbe’s chair are for sale. Price: $1000. Perfect for veneration or role playing. Also works well in living rooms or for use during circumcisions. Buy one each for Rabbis Cunin, Krinsky and Shemtov. (Crown extra.)

[Hat tip: Chakira.]

Aguda Rabbi: Metzitza B’peh Safe Because Of “Daas Torah”

The Agudath Israel of America rabbi of a midwestern town told his congregation today that metzitza b’peh, the controversial circumcision rite that has the mohel suck blood out of the open circumcision wound, is safe and its practice comes under fealty to Torah. When challenged about its safety, the rabbi responded that the practice is [...]

Satmar And Violence

Steven I. Weiss is assembling a timeline of Satmar violence.

7 Wives For One Messianic “Rabbi”

A British Messianic “rabbi” has taken 7 wives – all at the same time – because he believes God has ordered him to live like a biblical king. His messianic congregation is outraged, and has removed him as their “rabbi.”

The Jewish Week Editorial On Satmar

… For all of our community’s love of “social action,” there may not be a Jewish neighborhood anywhere that has created more grass-roots acts of “social action” than has Williamsburg. According to David Pollock, of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, “almost all” of New York’s hallmark chesed organizations — Hatzoloh, the volunteer [...]

Satmar

The Fighting Teitlebaums

Jonathan Mark of the NY Jewish Week has the best background article I’ve seen on Satmar, although I’m sure some of the finer points will be debated by readers.

From the NY Daily News: Fists Fly At Satmar Rebbe’s Funeral.

Meanwhile, Adam Dickter, also of the NY Jewish Week, has a detailed blow-by-blow account of [...]

Saved By A Priest

Joe Schick writes:

Later, in 1943, the surviving members of my mother’s family were forced to flee France for Italy. By then, my mother’s mother was pregnant with her first child, and a Catholic priest arranged for refuge for the family in villages around Cuneo, Italy. The men were with the partisans fighting the Nazis and [...]

BARUCH DAYAN HAEMET: Former Minister Of Science Yuval Ne’eman, O”H

Yuval Ne’eman, a former science minister and a founder of the Tehiya political party has passed away after suffering a massive stroke. He was 81.

The Coming Satmar Split: It’s All About Hatred … And Money

Mattew Wagner of the Jerusalem Post reports on the split in Satmar between supporters of two of the late Rebbe’s sons and the fight for hundreds of millions of dollars in property and assets:

Ostensibly, the split between the Aharonis and the Zalmanis is ideological. Zalmanis accuse Aharon of straying from the strict anti-Zionist Satmar ideology [...]

UPDATE: BARUCH DAYAN HAEMET: Rabbi Moshe Halberstam, O”H

Shlomo Shamos is reporting that “Grand Rabbi Moshe Halbersatam” has passed away. I believe this is the same Rabbi Moshe Halberstam from Eidah Charedis who is also the Rosh Yeshiva of Divrei Chaim (Techakover). The funeral will begin in Kikar Shabbat at 3:30 PM today.

UPDATE: 4-28-06: Matthew Wagner of the Jerusalem Post writes:

Unlike Satmar Hassidim, [...]

How 99% Of Danish Jews Survived The Holocaust

Ha’aretz reports:

The Pundik family’s escape journey took four days from the time they left their home in Copenhagen to the moment they boarded the boat in which they crossed the narrow strip of sea to the safe shores of Sweden. They moved from one hiding place to the next, but when they reached the Danish [...]

Chabad And The Holocaust

Reading for Yom HaShoah. (As always, please scroll down to the bottom of the linked page and read the posts from the bottom up.)