In advance of the July 29th Toeiva parade scheduled to begin in Jerusalem and conclude with a reception at the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, Rabbi Yehuda Levin, spokesman for the 850 plus members of the 70-year-old Rabbinical Alliance of America, issued the following statement:
For years now the imperial judiciary of Israel has demonstrated a clear bias against things and people religious and the traditional values and heritage of a Jewish people described in the Torah (Bible) as a “Nation of Priests and a Holy People”. The Israeli Government aided by a socially libertine Supreme Court, which may be to the left of Elena Kagan, constantly denigrates the religious sensibilities and faith concerns of not only traditional Jews worldwide but global inter-religious faith communities that consider Israel to be the “Holy Land not the Homo Land”.
Most recently the mayor of Tel Aviv joined the Israeli Minister of Tourism to announce the funding of an initial 6-month outreach effort to attract “Towiva” tourists from France and Germany. So while the Torah state in Leviticus 18:22-30: “Let not the land vomit you out for having contaminated it” (with these abominations)…, the Israeli officials import as much deviance and immorality as they can, worldwide.
The latest outrage, the sodomy celebration in Jerusalem, specifically planned to begin in an ultra-religious neighborhood, is nothing less than the spiritual rape of the Holy Land with the active support of the Israeli State, her courts and her police. This is just the next stage of confronting and silencing religious opposition locally and worldwide.
This Perversion Pride Parade would never be countenanced in Mecca, the Vatican, Karbala, or Moscow, where the mayor and Russian Orthodox Patriarch vigorously oppose it. The “brave” “progressive” Israeli Government and Supreme Court would never dream of allowing the parade route to include Arab East Jerusalem or the Al Aqsa Mosque. The Moslem community locally and worldwide would never tolerate this. Just ask Arab Knesset member Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur. Thus we see the Israeli elite treating religious Jews with less respect than their Arab co-citizens.
We are further outraged by the deafening silence of over 30 religious members of the Knesset including: the Shas party, Agudath Israel, Degel Hatorah, and the National Religious Camp. Their taciturnity demonstrates de facto acquiescence to abomination thus spiritually endangering the residents of Israel who are surrounded by terrorists and enemies. This also spiritually jeopardizes Jews worldwide.
Several years ago, Knesset members Meir Porush and Uri Ariel laid down in front of the parade to demonstrate at least token opposition to this sacrilege (disgrace). Why can’t all religious and traditional office holders, national and local, gather for the glory of G-d and send a worldwide message of Defending the Holy Land? They are also guilty of not addressing this blasphemy with appropriate legislation. Shame on them!
We turn to Christian groups and leaders worldwide, i.e. the Vatican, the various Patriarchs, Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, etc., to stand up and defend G-d’s Courtyard by bombarding the Israeli Prime Minister, Government officials and the mayor of Jerusalem with constant protest.
(Press Release By Rabbi Yehuda Levin for Christian Newswire)
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27 Responses
Shame on Rabbi Levin for turning to “Christian groups and leaders worldwide, i.e. the Vatican, the various Patriarchs, Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, etc., to stand up and defend G-d’s Courtyard by bombarding the Israeli Prime Minister, Government officials and the mayor of Jerusalem with constant protest.”
Is it right for him to issue such a Press Release By Rabbi Yehuda Levin for Christian Newswire?
Since when have we turned to other religions for aid? These are people of the same religion that have killed millions of ours over the past 2000 years!
they should all go to “Gay-Hinom”
There is nothibg wrong with asking Non-Yidden for help with this issue.
He prays for rain for Non-Yidden as well, and gives them Missur when necessary.
We should all learn from him to respect the needs of non-yidden. They too are the children of Hashem.
When a speaker concludes his speech with “Let this summer be filled with health, happiness and joy”, he should add “for all of humanity”, so as not to deliberately exclude children from Non-Yidden, by saying “for all of Klal-Yisroel”.
Only then, can we hope that HKB”H should Never-Again bring onto us, hatred from the Umos Ho’olom.
HaRav Yehuda Levin shlita is a tzaddik nistar and one of the Lamed Vov tzaddikim of our dor.
Rabbi Levin is so focussed on certain issues (like being anti Gay Parades) that he often forgets about other important issues like #1 mentioned.
In 1996, Rabbi Levin openly supported Pat Buchanan for president as he agreed with his right wing policies on social issues – somehow he overlooked the fact that Pat Buchanan is a major anti-semite.
We cannot let our our passionate views on some matters cloud our vision from the bigger picture.
I agree. If we are to survive as the Jewish nation HaShem intended for us to be: a holy nation, and light onto the rest of the world we must speak out. Regardless of whether we will be heeded or scoffed at. This is the mission of the Jew even if it is a lonely one.
Quote: “We are further outraged by the deafening silence of over 30 religious members of the Knesset including: the Shas party, Agudath Israel, Degel Hatorah, and the National Religious Camp…”
Did it ever occur to this Am HaAretz Gadol that these parties turn to the Gedolim on a regular basis on how to proceed with political agendas?!
And who does he turn to? …to a bunch of old papers signed by Rav Avigdor Miller, z”l years and years ago!
This man has no live Rebbe, to my knowledge, that he consults with. I wish YWN would stop quoting him! Perhaps he’s twisting their arms like I believe he does to the Gedolim. May he do Teshuva!
Rabbi Yehuda Levin should be given a huge pat on the back for being forthright and outspoken on this critical issue. If only more (or all) Rabbis (including Rosh Yeshivas and Chasidisher Rebbes) would speak up and speak loud against the travesty that is taking place in OUR Holy Land, in Jerusalem, ir hakodesh, the city where the Beis Hamikdosh stood. As Rabbi Levin stresses, let the deviants take their parade to Mecca, Gaza, or Teheran. Let the word go forth that all good and upright people, from all religions, band together to protest, oppose, and end all such provocative actions in all holy places. Rabbi Levin speaks in the name of all G-d fearing Jews everywhere.
To: #3
Thank-You. The Gedolim, including Rav Yechiel Y Weinberg, of the 1950’s have always said, that all the Tzorohs that HKB”H brought on us (Pogroms, Crusaders, Holocaust), are all due to, the disrespact and non-caring for the welfare of any Ainu-Yehudi.
Of course Achdus is a good thing, but not when we exclude other children of the Eibeshter.
I ask rabbi levin, are you smarter than all the gedolim? There is a reason that they are not publicly protesting it.even in the eidah chareidis they are questioning what to do with some factions just to not do anything. You are fanatically obsessed with the pride parade. Use your kochos for something useful.
Real FRUM Jews don’t care what others do. they are busy with themselves. KESHOT ATZMECHU!
We frum yiden don’t run around look for the issue to talk about it. neither do we see it different than any other AVEIRAH and TOAIVAH that’s done all around us every day. That’s why we don’t own TV and magazines etc. FRUM parties should busy saving yeshivas, housing for young couples and money for large families. Not be busy saving the world from every MISHIGAS
“A fanatic is someone who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.”-Sir Winston Churchill. R. Levin aptly fits that description. He’s a one trick pony.
I don;t care what the reality of this person is, there is NO heter to write blatant lashon hara. Cantoresq, you should be embarassed to post that and so should everyone else. Public forums give NO heter to write these kids of things…they should be moderated…
#12. You meant a one TRACK phony?
First, I think that his comment about “holy land not homo land” is in very poor taste. I don’t think someone who is proclaiming himself a “spokesman” should resort to such comments as it does not help his cause at all. It all sounds a bit too “Fred Phelps” to me.
Second, with regard to comment #4, I think you’re confused about the true meaning of a “Tzadik Nistar.”
#15 — the comments here clearly demonstrate that its nistar. The tzidkus is without doubt.
Though I dont like to argue, but Softwords- How do we know they turn to gedolim for advice. You’d be shocked in life to find out that things you imagined or percieved are not actually factual. As a bachur myself, I can hardly imagine my rosh yeshiva or gedolim for that matter getting heavilly involved or asked about this. My rosh yeshiva(in America) doesnt even know what the NY Yankees are. So dont assume parties turn to gedolim.
BP, I own a tv and read magazines so don’t offend other frum people. As well as your point as providing money for families. Thats called socialism. Even if its for frum families.
#11, is it really no different than anything else? Did you ever bother to look up (torahwise) anything on the subject?
Did you ever hear of Ani Es Nafshi Hitzalti? Yes, it is a Chilul Hashem to appear as if the defiling of the Holy land, the holy city and the holy Word of Hashem doesn’t mean anything to us. If a movie would come out disgracing us as a people, would you not be horrified and want the guys in the business to protest it? Why should this be different? We are talking about Yidden here! Out there they don’t differentiate between Frum and Frei. We are bunched together, for some reason, as the people of the Torah. What they are doing is a tremendous Chilul Hashem.
#11 dont know where you come from but the whole inyun of kiruv, tochecha, mussar drioshos etc is because of caring what other yidden do. its a fundemental of torah ‘kol yisrel areivim zeh lzeh’ mes.sotah there is a sugya explaining in lenth the subject
#11 elliotlawrence – the answer to your question is to follow the news. I’m sure you can search this or any other Jewish website and find plenty of examples where the Gedolim are stated as having advised (or often directed) their political group to respond in a specific way.
Furthermore, don’t you find it unusual that a subject like this would be quite across the board? If it’s true that even the Eida is questioning to be silent, then maybe there is more to this subject than meets the eye.
In the wake of battling the previous parade in Jerusalem Chareidim put themselves in a difficult position being that it caused their children to ask about the people they were fighting and what the fight was about. Can you imaging a father trying to search for words without revealing to his sons about such a repulsive thing? Until then his child’s mind was pure from such disgusting knowledge. I remember when I learned about Bilaam and his donkey. I was shocked to learn that anybody would consider doing such sick things with an animal and I was in High School. Until then my mind was pure of such knowledge. Why polute our children’s minds? Let’s fight these things passively and quitely and not give them the publicity that they crave.
Sometimes the best offense is to be silent.
#20 – You have to be kidding. Do you mean to say that when you learnt parsha, you skipped parts of it? Or you just failed to listen to the leiyning Yom Kippur Mincha? If it’s in the Torah, why would you not be discussing it with the standard yeshiva bochur?
Softwards said “the answer to your question is to follow the news. I’m sure you can search this or any other Jewish website and find plenty of examples where the Gedolim are stated as having advised (or often directed) their political group to respond in a specific way.”
ARE YOU KIDDING? Follow the news? I dont care which outlet, there all sheker. That is the WRONG way to know what the Gedolim said.
You said it best, sechel hayoshor (#10)
R’ Levin ought to move to Israel and live in Jerusalem, where he can actually confront that fact that chareidi community leaders here realize that protests will either damage their neighborhoods or get the police to react violently against the protestors. Maybe then he’ll realize the very difficult time religious Jews have with these events and learn to pray for Heavenly help, but not waste time getting people angry when they won’t be able to do anything about it.
R levin the reason why Mecca, the Vatican, Karbal, and Moscow would not allow such a parade is because they do not allow freedom of expression as israel does. Whether we think its right or not israel was not founded on torah values. Israel is a secular democracy and by law can not ban a parade because of religious objections.
#20 Max well – you are mostly correct. However, 1) my information (outside the news) is that the Gedolim I know of are of the opinion that in this situation it is better to be quite than to protest. Thus I’ve heard from Tamidei Chochomim that are close to the gedolim and have asked them directly. 2)You are avoiding my second question. Isn’t it ironic that ALL the religious members of the Knesset and apparently even the B’datz are choosing to be silent? Doesn’t that say something?
#21 YMSZ – I think you misunderstand me. Of course, at one point a person has to learn about these things, but in all Chadarim certain sections of chumash or Talmud are either skipped or run through with vague explanation. In honesty, do you plain to explain to little kids what was really meant by, “Avaditi Avaditi” in Megillat Esther or what is meant by “Lehiyot lo Bat”? In chadarim they teach kids that “he had chasuna with her” (for example with Dina) and not “and she was RAPED”. Even Bnei Yeshiva (Yeshiva Gedolah) are not taught Hilchos Nidda until they become chasanim. The Chassidim don’t teach Mesechta Kesubos to non-married men.
Everything has it’s time and place.
Fact: this behavior is toeva. Fact: the torah says that this behavior specifically will spit yiddin out of eretz
yisroel. Fact: rabbi avigdor miller spoke about this often and encouraged taking action to stop it from spreading. Fact: its never been so mainsteamed as it is today. Fact: christian groups are the largest group of people that publicly promote family values so they are they offer a logical platform to get the message to the masses. Thank you rabbi levin for having to stand up for what’s right and let the liberal naysayers or worse gay advocates discover their folly and self destruct.
Replying to Softwords (#25):
I agree, you would not be discussing this with little kids. But for any yeshiva bochur this is foolish. Skipping Kesubos in yeshivas?
If the parade goues through from neighborhoods, than people/kids will see it and will ask anyways. So what would we answer to them then?