Yeshiva World News

An emergency drill at the Lincoln Tunnel Sunday morning will simulate an explosion near the New Jersey Toll Plaza, complete with loud noises and emergency crews working, according to Jersey City’s transportation website.

The drill will begin at 8 and end at 10 a.m. The tunnel will be open to normal traffic in the center and north tubes. The south tube will close from 1 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the exercise, according to the Port Authority.

Detour signs will indicate lane closures along JFK Boulevard and near the plaza. Motorists should expect minor delays.

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(Source: NJ Star Ledger)

You may have seen them zipping along underground, seeming quite determined and purposeful on their way from this point to that. Or perhaps you spotted them standing alone by a subway exit, like kids who want you to see but not play with their awesome new toy.

If you haven’t seen them at all, you may soon. Police officers have begun patrolling select subway stations on electric scooters, and visibility is their main selling point.

The vehicles, made by the California company T3 Motion, are used across the country in stadiums, airports, convention centers, department store parking lots, college campuses and other settings that require security personnel to cover a large area. For the New York Police Department — which has 12 total in use, in the subway, public-housing projects, Yankee Stadium and Citi Field — they are a new tool for community policing that consumes far less energy than a car and far fewer oats than a horse.

The scooters — the company calls them “zero gas emissions all-electric vehicles” — can go at a leisurely 1 mile per hour or book it at 20. Each can turn on its own axis. With an extra battery (so that one can recharge while the other runs) they can go 24/7. They emit no nasty fumes and, after the initial cost of $8,900 (retail), cost about 10 cents a day to use.

Unlike horses, which make officers tower above the crowd, or motorcycles and bicycles, which position them below pedestrians, the scooters place riders nine inches above the ground — high enough to see over people without intimidating them. “I always thought the No. 1 goal for police was serve and protect,” said Ki Nam, the company’s founder and president, “but it’s really community relations. They want to be close to the community. They want to be a command presence, yet approachable.”

In the four subway stations where these flashy Robocop gizmos are in use — Times Square, the Port Authority, Grand Central and Coney Island — people do, indeed, approach the officers. Some ask directions or seek assistance. Others just gawk at the flashy Robocop gizmos.

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(Read More: NY Times)

A Pentagon team has been reviewing copies of Iraq war documents the website WikiLeaks may release in coming days and plans to notify Iraqis named in the documents in an effort to minimize potential damage from the security breach, defense officials said.

The Pentagon set up a 120-person Information Review Task Force originally to look at Afghanistan war documents released by WikiLeaks, and to identify people who were named in the intelligence reports.

Pentagon officials fear the leaked documents could be used by the Taliban to hunt down those identified as working with the U.S.-led war effort.

In recent weeks, the task force has been looking at Iraq war documents the Pentagon believes were given to the controversial website by PFC Bradley Manning, who has been charged with giving sensitive material to WikiLeaks. PFC Manning hasn’t commented since his arrest.

A defense official said the task force was identifying Iraqis who are named in the documents, and who might need protection or assistance if their names are released.

“We are prepared to take steps to notify people named in the documents,” said the official.

The Iraq war documents are expected to be released by WikiLeaks in the coming days.

The Pentagon believes WikiLeaks has more than 400,000 documents from the Iraq war, mostly raw, low-level intelligence reports.

The defense official said the department had chosen not to notify people named in the documents because it doesn’t know if WikiLeaks will redact the names.

“There are a lot of names [in the documents,]” said the defense official. “We can’t chase every single person. And we have to see what happens. Maybe no one’s name will be released.”

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(Read More: WSJ)

E-ZPass users may get a break when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board votes next week on toll hikes.

But those who use cash-only lanes should prepare to dig deeper into their pockets.

According to the Daily News, drivers who pay with E-ZPass will be hit with a five-percent increase, just half of what was originally proposed.

The paper says drivers who pay cash will be hit with an 18-percent hike.

Board members tell the News they want to encourage more drivers to use E-ZPass, which they say will reduce MTA labor costs, traffic congestion, and pollution.

The agency had originally proposed a 25-cent to 50-cent increase per trip on its bridges and tunnels.

If approved, the hikes will go into effect in January to help close the agency’s budget gap.

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(Source: NY1)

The Ministerial Committee on Legislative Affairs on Monday is expected to discuss a bill which will see yeshiva students get hundreds of millions of dollars from the State. The proposal, which is aimed at bypassing a High Court ruling, was initiated by Knesset Member Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism).

The new bill proposes “establishing the right of yeshiva students whose Torah is their profession to receive a grant.” It was signed by MKs from the United Torah Judaism, Shas and National Union factions, who explained that their goal was to reach a unique settlement which would grant funds to yeshiva students with at least three children.

The High Court of Justice ruled in 2000 that granting yeshiva students assurance of income harms equality, as it does not apply to people who do not study in non-religious institutions. Ten years later, the Supreme Court ruled that the budgetary clause violates the duty to equally distribute the State’s support, and therefore cannot be included in the budget laws as of 2011.

MK Gafni decided to submit the bill in a bid to bypass the court decision. Following the Supreme Court ruling, the Knesset’s Finance Committee examined the subsidization of tuition in higher education institutions and the aid funds and scholarships available to students.

The figures reveal that the total budget allotted by the State in the 2010 budget to support students stands at NIS 450 million (about $125 million), while the budgetary clause referring to assurance of income for yeshiva students totals NIS 121 million (about $33 million).

The bill’s initiators wrote that “the State encourages Torah studies and should therefore allow a modest living grant for yeshiva students who have chosen to follow this path.”

Knesset Member Nachman Shai (Kadima) said he planned to submit a similar bill in which he would add the word “students” to any mention of haredim. “Any other law would be discriminative and offensive,” he stated.

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(Source: Ynet)

Despite complaints about the high cost of living, a new poll shows most New Yorkers enjoy where they live.

The Marist Institute conducted a poll on New York living for the Municipal Art Society. However, results did show that the level of happiness was higher in certain boroughs

Of the New Yorkers surveyed, 84 percent said they were satisfied or very satisfied living in the city; 82 percent were satisfied with their own neighborhood.

While nine out of 10 Manhattanites were satisfied, only three out of 10 Bronx residents were satisfied.

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(Source: NY1)

A former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says in a new book that while Bill Clinton was in the White House, a key component of the president’s nuclear launch protocol went missing.

“The codes were actually missing for months. This is a big deal,” says Gen. Hugh Shelton. “We dodged a silver bullet.”

In his book “Without Hesitation,” the retired Army general writes, “Even though movies may show the President wearing these codes around his neck, it’s pretty standard that they are safeguarded by one of his aides, but that aide sticks with him like glue.” He adds that President Clinton “assumed, I’m sure, that the aide had them like he was supposed to.”

What apparently was missing was a card with code numbers on it that allows the president to access a briefcase — called the “football” and kept by an aide always near the president — containing instructions for launching a nuclear attack.

Once a month, Defense Department officials conduct an in-person verification to make sure the president has the right codes. At least twice in a row, Shelton writes, a White House aide told the Pentagon checker that the president was in a meeting but gave a verbal assurance that the codes were with him.

Then one month around the year 2000, according to Shelton, when the time came to replace the codes with a new set, “the president’s aide said neither he nor the president had the codes — they had completely disappeared.”

Shelton writes that all this happened very likely without Clinton’s knowledge.

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(Source: CNN)

An internal probe of alleged ticket-fixing by Bronx cops has expanded to Queens and Manhattan, police sources said Thursday.

Records were pulled this week from the 106th and 107th Precincts in Ozone Park and Fresh Meadows, along with a highway unit in Queens. The Internal Affairs Bureau also seized records from the 26th Precinct stationhouse in Morningside Heights and the 32nd Precinct stationhouse in Harlem.

It wasn’t immediately clear if IAB investigators are focusing on particular officers or if the inquiry is broader in scope.

The Daily News reported Tuesday that Deputy Inspector John D’Adamo, commanding officer of the Bronx’s 52nd Precinct in Bedford Park-Norwood, has been accused of fixing tickets for his friends and relatives.

“He is mortified that his good name and excellent reputation has been associated with these allegations,” said Roy Richter, head of the Captains Endowment Association, the union representing D’Adamo.

Sources said D’Adamo’s name surfaced in a probe that started nearly a year ago and was connected to allegations that an officer in the 40th Precinct in Mott Haven was involved with a local drug dealer. That officer has since been placed on modified duty but has not been arrested or slapped with departmental charges.

Investigators are also looking into allegations that at least one Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association delegate from the Bronx has been involved in fixing tickets.

Last month, the IAB started an audit of ticket activity in all 12 Bronx precincts. That included parking tickets, moving violations and summonses for quality of life issues. More records were pulled yesterday from Bronx borough headquarters.

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(Source: NY Daily News)

It’s been a very eventful week for Yoel Zev ben Mirel Risa Chava. On Monday, the final phase of his trial began. Rav Moshe Chaim Levy, Mashgiach of Satmar Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, took the stand and testified about Yoel Zev’s  excellent character. Yoel Zev was brought to the witness stand shortly afterwards. He seemed quite confident and self assured. As was reported on this website, he was questioned about his knowledge of the secular world, and it was obvious from his responses that he was totally unfamiliar with it.

On Tuesday, Yoel Zev was questioned about his trip to Japan. He said he had asked the flight attendant to assist him in filling out the landing form, being that he had no previous experience with international travel.  The defense brought up another important element in the story, the language barrier.  Since Yoel Zev didn’t understand a word of either Japanese or English, many of the original statements which he made while being questioned by airport security were misconstrued by  government interpreters.

It was also noted that a new judge had been assigned to his case just two weeks ago, and askanim are hopeful that he will be more attuned to the details and the facts of this case than the preceding judge.  They are planning to request permission to submit new evidence or perhaps to bring another witness (polygraph Professional )to the stand to testify in defense of Yoel Zev.

On Wednesday, Rabbi Moshe Dovid Niederman of United Jewish Org. of Williamsburg, testified for almost five hours.  He described in detail the history of Satmar, beginning with the Satmar Rebbe’s coming to America from Europe and opening Satmar mosdos.  The Rebbe’s primary mission was to keep his Chassidim separated from the negative influences of the outside world.  Youngsters, especially, are sheltered from the environment and have virtually no contact with any secular media whatsoever.

At this point the prosecutor interjected, pointing out that several years ago there actually was an incident reported in the press of  Chassidic Jews smuggling and trafficking drugs.  Rabbi Niederman explained that he is personally familiar with that case, and assured the court that the circumstances were entirely different.  Those individuals were not Yeshiva students and were involved with the secular world.

It seemed to the askanim that the judge took tremendous interest in the defense testimony, especially in the description of the Chassidic lifestyle.  Closing arguments in Yoel Zev’s trial will begin on November 2nd.

According to R’Naftali Steiner, one of the askanim involved in the case, “We understand that the olam is very concerned about the fate of these boys, and we are committed to doing our utmost in keeping everyone informed on forums such as this one.”  He assures us that the greatest efforts are being made to bring this to a favorable conclusion.  “Our most prominent and capable askanim,” he said, “are working around the clock and have been occupied with this case for two and a half years.  They are being cautiously optimistic.  Dayan Weiss who heads the rescue mission, spared no expense in hiring Japan’s most skilled and qualified lawyers to work on our behalf.”

As far as the rest of us are concerned, he asks that we continue to daven for a yeshua for Yoel Zev ben Mirel Risa Chava and Yaakov Yosef ben Raizel.  The olam is urged to contribute whatever they can to help pay the astronomical expenses that have accrued in these heroic efforts to achieve pidyon shvuyim.

IMPORTANT NOTE: CLICK HERE TO BE MEKAYEM PIDYON SHIVUYIM IN ASSISTING THE BOCHRIM STILL IN JAPAN PRISON!!

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Westwood, CA – Philanthropist Roland Arnall may have talked about making a pledge to Chabad of California Inc. about donating money for an educational center, but never committed himself to it, an attorney for the late billionaire told a judge today.

John S. Gordon, who represents Arnall’s widow, said she and her husband’s estate should not be held liable for the nearty $18 million Chabad is seeking.

Chabad of California’s founder and president, Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, maintains Arnall made the pledge to him twice before he died of cancer in March 2008 at age 68.

“There was not one word ever written by Roland Arnall mentioning the project,’ Gordon told Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Murphy. “The only person who claims to have heard the promise … is Rabbi Cunin.’

Today was the second day of final arguments in the non-jury trial. On Wednesday, Chabad attorney Marshall B. Grossman told Murphy that Chabad spent more than $800,000 in planning costs for the project in reliance upon Roland Arnall’s pledge.

He also said the organization’s leaders would have sold the property on which the center was to be built if they knew the money was not forthcoming.

The real estate market since went sour, the attorney said.

According to Dawn Arnall, her husband never mentioned making such a pledge among the many they made as a couple to both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations. She said their largest single contribution was $10 million to the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which her husband co-founded, toward construction of a museum of tolerance in Jerusalem.

Gordon told Murphy that the Arnalls always talked with each other about their charitable donations.

“Roland had no reason to hide from Dawn any pledge he promised to Chabad,’ Gordon said. “He always discussed them with her beforehand.’

Grossman maintains that Dawn Arnall’s testimony was contradicted by e-mails she exchanged in 2006 with a personal assistant to her husband that demonstrated she was aware of the $18 million promise.

But Gordon said Dawn Arnall does not remember reading about the project in any e-mails. He also repeatedly criticized what he said were insinuations by Chabad lawyers that his client lied in her testimony, saying he had refrained from casting Cunin’s statements in the same light.

Chabad provides educational and social services under Jewish auspices.

Cunin testified Roland Arnall made verbal promises to him in 2004 and 2008 to donate at least $18 million to Chabad to build what was to be called the Arnall Family Center.

Roland Arnall made his fortune by helping to create Orange County-based Ameriquest Mortgage in 1979 and later became embroiled in problems associated with the subprime market meltdown. Grossman said the Arnalls paid $325 million to settle actions brought against the company in 49 states.

Roland Arnall was ambassador to the Netherlands under President George W. Bush from March 2006 to March 2008, leaving the post to be closer to his cancer-stricken adult son from his previous marriage, Daniel Arnall, his widow said.

Westwood-based Chabad is seeking $17.5 million, which the organization claims is the balance due on the $18 million pledge after three payments of $180,000 were previously made by Roland Arnall.

(Source: Beverly Hills Courier)