Yeshiva World News

A new pamphlet that will be distributed by the Bayit Yehudi party will include letters of support from prominent rabbonim. The release of the pamphlet is an effort by the party to climb out of a slump, seeking to show it has far-reaching rabbinical support despite what some religious voters may believe. It appears that as the Yachad party continues gaining support among Bayit Yehudi voters, the dati leumi party is fighting back with the pamphlet full of rabbinical endorsements.

One of the rabbonim listed if Rosh Yeshivat Hesder Maale Adumim Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz Shlita, among the prominent dati leumi rabbonim.

Rabbi Rabinowitz told Kikar Shabbos “I never signed such a letter. Generally speaking they are good people but I never mix into politics”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

The poll, perhaps the most significant released in recent days, shows 20% of voters are currently undecided. This amounts to 24 seats that are currently up in the air and these undecided voters can change the outcome of the election for 20th Knesset.

The interesting point regarding the chareidi tzibur is that the poll commissioned by the daily Haaretz is the response to the question if they know which party they are going to vote for or if they are still undecided. It is believed that the number of undecided voters in the chareidi community has never been this high and most of these undecided voters are considering voting for Eli Yishai’s Yachad party.

The reason many are considering Yachad is that it is a new party, which appears to be passing the minimum threshold in the polls. Working against Yishai is the fact that the party is new and it may not pass the threshold to enter Knesset. 49% of the supporters of Yachad admit they are undecided and may vote for another party, and for most that ‘other party’ is a chareidi party. 15% of Yachad supporters may turn to Shas and 15% to Yahadut Hatorah.

Regarding Shas, 38% of its supporters are thinking about possibly voting for another party. The party receiving most of these ‘undecided votes’ is Yachad, taking 11%.

The most stable chareidi party is Yahadut Hatorah. Only 15% of its voters are undecided. Most of the undecided votes from Yahadut Hatorah are leaning to Yachad too, 7%.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

[SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO]

Working at Fidelity may have been Reb Dovid Winiarz’s occupation, but Kiruv and harbatzas haTorah were his vocation. His love for the Jewish people was evident. He bestowed his glowing smile on all, treating everyone with respect, and never judging people.

About a year ago, when he learned that the lady who worked in his local CVS who was Jewish was expecting a baby boy, he started speaking with her about giving the baby a Bris. The lady was touched by Reb Dovid’s genuine concern. At the shiva, she spoke about how deeply she had been moved by Reb Dovid, and announced that at the end of the shiva period, she would avail herself of the kind offer by Rabbi Tzvi Teitelbaum (Reb Dovid’s son in law) and Rabbi Peysach Krohn to perform the bris. Today, this baby boy carries Reb Dovid’s name, the name given to him at his Bris.

The family is launching a campaign to dedicate a Beis Medrash in Reb Dovid’s name. Reb Dovid helped start Yeshiva Zichron Paltiel of Staten Island. In addition to being a founding board member and parent in the school, Reb Dovid did anything and everything for the Yeshiva. The family is launching the campaign to perpetuate his memory by dedicating the Dovid Winiarz Beis Medrash at the yeshiva.

click here for more info

A 16-year-old chareidi youth from Elad was arrested on Wednesday morning 6 Adar after he was caught breaking into a shul in the city and stealing tzedaka boxes. The youth was caught after one of the mispallalim arrived on Wednesday morning and saw the youth in the area of the tzedaka boxes and felt he looked suspicious.

The person who saw the youths phoned police. The man was instructed to detain the youth until police arrived. When police arrived the youth was arrested. He has some of the shul pushkas in his possession.

When police probed the youth he explained that his 13-year-old brother assisted him in stealing tzedaka boxes in the city’s shuls. The youth took one of the policemen to his hiding place, where other tzedaka boxes and cash were found along with electric bikes and a significant quantity of other stolen property.

When asked to explain themselves, the youths told police they have a dream of opening a bicycle store and that is why they were stealing.

Photo shows stolen items recovered by police.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo: Police Spokesman)

Three Al-Jazeera journalists have been arrested for illegally flying a drone in Paris Wednesday, after unidentified drones flew over the Eiffel Tower and key Paris landmarks for a second night running. It’s further baffled French authorities who are investigating a spate of unidentified flying objects in the Paris skies at a time of high security across the country.

The foreign nationals aged 70, 54 and 36 — who work for the Doha-based international broadcaster — were taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after police spotted a drone flying in the Bois de Boulogne woods in western Paris, said Paris prosecutors’ spokeswoman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre.

She said is was unclear what the trio were trying to accomplish.

Officials with Qatar-based Al-Jazeera did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night.

The journalists can be held for a maximum of 24 hours under French law. Flying drones without a license in France is illegal and carries a maximum one-year prison sentence and a 75,000 euros ($85,000) fine.

The Al-Jazeera arrests come in the midst of a police investigation into a spate of mysterious drone sightings over the French capital, including on Monday and Tuesday nights.

Police sighted one or more drones in five instances buzzing in the Paris sky in the night of Tuesday to Wednesday — from 11.30 p.m. to 2 a.m.

An unidentified flying object was first seen Tuesday night near the Gare de l’Est train station, with sightings continuing in sequence for over two hours over the Paris Opera, then on to the Tuileries gardens, past the Eiffel Tower and then south past Paris’ Montparnasse Tower, according to Thibault-Lecuivre.

An inquiry was launched after drones, which are banned over Paris, were also spotted Monday night — including over the U.S. Embassy.

It’s not known who was behind the flights, how many objects there were in total, and even whether they were all coordinated.

Last month a drone caused worry after being sighted flying over the Elysee Palace, the residence of President Francois Hollande — following dozens of sightings of drones over nuclear plants and military installations.

These latest episodes are sparking particular concern, with Paris already on its highest-alert after January’s deadly terrorist attacks by Islamic radicals.

French authorities have said the drones currently present no threat, apart from the risk of falling on someone, but the government is trying to find ways to counteract the devices. Some fear the drones could be spying on technology or could one day be equipped with weapons.

Drone operator Jean-Luc Fournier, who has consulted on French drone legislation, said authorized operators condemn such rogue flights because it casts the whole industry in a bad light.

A small drone crashed on the White House lawn last month, raising U.S. concern about the phenomenon.

(AP)

[COMMUNICATED CONTENT]

What do people really want to receive in their mishloach manos?

By Victoria Dwek

Whenever I visit my in-laws for Shabbat, my father-in-law will tell my husband, “Go look in the wine cabinet and see if there’s a good bottle there for you.”

In the weeks and months after Purim, there may very well be plenty of good bottles in there (not so in December…but we check to see if anything magically materialized in there anyway). We’ll open it and the whole table will appreciate. By the summer, though, the good bottles are gone, and what’s left (just like in anyone’s wine or liquor cabinet) are the bottles of liquors and such that look pretty but no one really drinks. Where do those bottles come from?

The nature of mishloach manos has changed over the last 10 years. I think that it’s a nice thing that we’re putting so much effort and creativity into this mitzvah. As long as we remember one thing: Do my recipients really want to eat (or drink) this?

I’ve been guilty in the past of spending way too much time decorating cupcakes that look pretty but are stale by the time they’re delivered. Today, I think long and hard about including items in my mishloach manos that my recipients will really enjoy. (Think: Will they really eat this? Or am I including it because the color matches my packaging? Some of those colored candies really taste bad.)

“In the old days, you gave someone something they wanted and appreciated, preferably something they’d appreciate on Purim, like a kugel and a bottle of wine,” says Mordy Herzog, Executive Vice President of Royal Wines. “In all of Boro Park, there’s probably less than 10 bottles of Captain Morgan Rum sold all year. All of sudden, come Purim, all those whose children are dressed up as pirates want to buy Captain Morgan Rum. But the person receiving it doesn’t need it, it means nothing to them. All these miniatures…who really drinks them?”

Yoli Huss, from Wine on 59 in Monsey is in tune with what his clientele really wants to receive. “You want to give people something they’ll appreciate. A nice bottle does that. Whether for mishloach manos or if you’re going to a friend or mechutanim for Shabbos, simply add something along with the bottle. It’s less work than assembling a package of tcotchkes that no one really appreciates…much of those items will go into the garbage before Pesach.”

Can you guess what some of the bestsellers are before Purim?

I asked some wine store owners and learned that Pineapple Smirnoff is popular. That’s because the label on the bottle is yellow, and that seems to be a trending color in mishloach manos. In second place is Green Apple Smirnoff. Because it’s delicious? That’s not why. Because the label is green. It matches!

“Most miniatures cost between $2 and $4. They’re too little to drink, but it’s too much to throw away….and ends up being a waste of time, money, and space. You can get small bottles of wine in that price range that people will drink for sure. For a little bit more, you can get a large bottle of wine. I don’t know why people don’t want to include wine in mishloach manos when that’s what people really want!” says Moshe Mayer of Williamsburg’s Wine Cave.

Mr. Herzog continues, “So many of us buy things no one needs, because we feel good when someone opens the package and says, ‘Ooh, it’s so pretty.’ Do we want our recipients to enjoy, or show that we’re able to be crafty and create. It’s Purim. It’s a wine Yom Tov. Not a Smirnoff Yom Tov. Esther threw a mishteh hayayin, a feast of wine. When we give wine, 90% of the time it’ll be used and enjoyed and consumed. ”

I know that it’s not affordable to give everyone on our list a nice bottle of wine, but we all make a few nicer mishloach manos for the people to whom we want to show extra appreciation. For them, it’s worth the extra effort to find out if they like and enjoy wine (or like serving wine to their guests). If they do, there’s nothing they’ll appreciate more…certainly much more than that Green Apple Smirnoff. If I’m on your list, then wine will certainly be appreciated as well.

—–

As the controversy grows surrounding the upcoming Netanyahu speech to a joint session of Congress, a letter written by the Mayor of the Satmar Hasidic community of Kiryas Joel is adding fuel to the fire.

In a letter obtained by YWN, Mayor Abraham Wieder calls upon Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney to boycott Netanyahu’s speech.

Interestingly, Wieder advises Rep. Maloney to see a radical Neturei Karta-affiliated website for information about what Torah ideals are. This website is affiliated with the same people who attended the Holocaust denial conference in Iran. [SEE NOTE BELOW]

This is not the first time Wieder has mixed into Middle-East politics. In 2009, YWN reported that Wieder praiser President Obama for his “noble efforts” to stop the “senseless bloodshed” in the Middle East.

Wieder wrote that letter in reaction to the anti-Obama rhetoric of some religious pro-settler organizations, which had become increasingly vocal as the Obama administration continued to push the Israeli government to curb settlement growth in the West Bank as a prerequisite for a peace settlement.

The following is the letter written by Mayor Wieder to Rep. Maloney:

Dear Rep. Maloney:

The core theme in Judaism is strict adherence to true Torah ideals and Jewish people, the world over and through the ages have identified and continue to identify with this philosophy. and your constituents in the village of Kiryas Joel, home to almost 25,000 orthodox Jews, all the more so.

Torah ideals guide us to be loyal citizens in our country of residence, to respect our elected leaders and to pray for their well being and prosperity ( for further insight visit TrueTorahJews.com) We were therefore utterly dismayed by Israeli PM Netanyahu’s agreeing to address a joint session of congress without first obtaining the presidents consent and without even the courtesy of consulting the White House.

Netanyahu’s acceptance signaled his intent to challenge the presidents foreign policy on american soil. His unprecedented actions are direct insult to the office of the president.

The intent of this letter is three fold; first to defend the honor and prestige of the office of the the president; second to decry Netanyahu’s breach of diplomatic protocall and last but not least to repudiate his claim to be the spokesman of the Jewish people. Neither he nor his state represent world Jewry.

Therefore, on behalf of our joint constituents, I respectfully request that you not attend Netanyahu’s address. Your absence would send a clear message that your constituents’ want no part of Netanyahu’s callousness towards the office of the president.

Respectfully,

Abraham Wieder

Mayor.

END

NOTE: Neturei Karta has a long history of embracing the most vile Hitlers of our time. Yisroel Dovid Weiss of New York has hugged and kissed Hezbollah commanders, as well as with former Iranian President Ahmadinejad. Weiss infuriated Jews around the globe when he attended the Holocaust denial conference in Iran in 2006. Read his speech that he delivered in Iran in 2006.

(Chaim Shaprio – YWN)

The following statement is from Congregation Yetev Lev D’satmar (Reb Aron) JCC of Greater Williamsburg. In it, Satmar praises NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio for his decision to eliminate the consent form in the controversy surrounding Metzitzah B’peh. It should be noted that the “Aronim” were first in throwing their endorsement behind de Blasio in the last election, following Mr. de Blasio’s promise to reconsider the existing regulation placed on MBP by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his administration.

“In the name of the entire Jewish community of the greatest city in the world, New York City, we would like to take this opportunity to commend and applaud a man of the people, and a man of his word, the Honorable Mayor Bill de Blasio, and his entire administration of dedicated public servants, who went out of their way to restore the American ideal of religious freedom to its original beauty, without government interference.

During your campaign you promised to revisit the issue of the Jewish circumcision ritual called ‘Metzitzah’. You did, and you stood up for the religious rights of hundreds of thousands New York City residents.

It’s needless to articulate our feelings towards you for this noble act, that insures the original practice of a sacred ritual for thousands of constituents.

We extend our best wishes to the Honorable Mayor, to continue to serve New York City with honor, with every individual in mind, as has been his trademark throughout all his years in public office.

May you continue to go from strength to strength”.

With respect,

Rabbi Moishe Indig ‎Rabbi Issac Sofer
Brooklyn Community leader
JCC of Greater Williamsburg

(Chaim Shapiro – YWN)

A Channel 2 News election poll released on Tuesday night 5 Adar shows that the Labor/The Movement list remains ahead of Likud by two seats. The poll was carried out by Machon Midgam headed by Prof. Mina Tzemach.

Labor/The Movement: 24

Likud: 22

Bayit Yehudi: 12

Yesh Atid: 12

Arab Bloc: 12

Kulanu: 7

Yahadut Hatorah: 7

Shas: 7

Yisrael Beitenu: 6

Meretz: 6

Yachad: 5

The respondents were asked to rate Netanyahu and Herzog’s suitability to serve as prime minister.

44%: Netanyahu is most suited (7% decline from a week ago)

32%: Herzog is most suited (4% increase from last week)

Twenty-four hours before the state comptroller plans to release his report on the national housing shortage and pricing, set for 18:00 on Wednesday 6 Adar, respondents were asked who they feel is responsible for the national housing crisis.

37%: PM Netanyahu

17%: Former Finance Minister Yair Laid

8%: Former PM Ehud Olmert

2%: Housing Minister Uri Ariel

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

The strain between the U.S. and Israel deepened Wednesday, as top advisers to President Barack Obama sharply rebuked Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming speech to Congress as “destructive” and challenged his judgment on the Iran nuclear negotiations.

Netanyahu countered by accusing the U.S. and its negotiating partners of having “given up” on stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

“They might accept this but I am not willing to accept this,” he said Wednesday night at a meeting of his Likud Party outside of Jerusalem.

Tensions between the U.S. and Israel have been on the rise since Netanyahu accepted an invitation from Republican leaders to address Congress on March 3. The speech was coordinated without the White House and State Department, a move the Obama administration blasted as a breach of diplomatic protocol.

National Security Adviser Susan Rice said in a television interview Tuesday that Netanyahu’s speech had “injected a degree of partisanship” into a relationship that should be above politics.

“It’s destructive to the fabric of the relationship,” Rice told the Charlie Rose show. “It’s always been bipartisan. We need to keep it that way.”

Her comments were followed by a sharp critique Wednesday from Secretary of State John Kerry, who said during congressional testimony that when it comes to the nuclear negotiations, Netanyahu “may have a judgment that just may not be correct here.”

Rice and Kerry’s statements were among the Obama administration’s toughest public criticism of Netanyahu’s speech and the negative impact his opposition to the Iran negotiations could have on the close alliances between the U.S. and Israel.

Ahead of his arrival in Washington, Netanyahu also turned down an invitation to meet privately with Senate Democrats, saying such a session could “compound the misperception of partisanship” surrounding his visit.

“I regret that the invitation to address the special joint session of Congress has been perceived by some to be political or partisan,” Netanyahu wrote in a letter to Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. “I can assure you that my sole intention in accepting it was to voice Israel’s grave concerns about a potential nuclear agreement with Iran that could threaten the survival of my country.”

A senior Democratic official said Feinstein was undecided on whether she would attend Netanyahu’s speech. More than a half-dozen Democratic lawmakers have said they would skip the address, with Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine becoming the latest to take that step Wednesday.

In announcing his decision, Kaine said Netanyahu’s speech was “highly inappropriate” given its proximity to Israel’s upcoming elections.

“There is no reason to schedule this speech before Israeli voters go to the polls on March 17 and choose their own leadership,” Kaine said in a statement. “I am disappointed that, as of now, the speech has not been postponed.”

U.S. officials believe Netanyahu’s trip is aimed primarily at derailing a nuclear deal with Iran, Obama’s signature foreign policy objective. While Netanyahu has long been skeptical of the negotiations, his opposition has increased over what he sees as Obama’s willingness to make concessions that would leave Iran on the brink of being able to build a nuclear weapon.

U.S. and Iranian officials reported progress in negotiations this week on a deal that would clamp down on Tehran’s nuclear activities for at least 10 years but then slowly ease restrictions. Israeli officials warned this week that such a deal would allow Iran to become a nuclear threshold state.

The U.S. and its negotiating partners — Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China — reached an interim agreement with Iran in late 2013 that froze key parts of the Islamic republic’s nuclear program in exchange for some relief from Western sanctions. U.S. officials argue that even the interim agreement has slowed Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon.

“Israel is safer today with the added time we have given and the stoppage of the advances in the Iranian nuclear program than they were before we got that agreement, which by the way the prime minister opposed,” Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday, referring to Netanyahu. “He was wrong.”

The White House has been weighing ways to counter Netanyahu’s address to Congress, as well as separate speech to the annual policy conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The administration is still weighing whom to send to the conference, with some officials pushing for a lower level representative than normal.

There are no plans for Obama to meet with Netanyahu next week, with the White House officially citing its practice of not engaging with world leaders in close proximity to elections.

Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry will be traveling abroad on trips that were only announced after Netanyahu accepted lawmakers’ invitation to speak to Congress.

Durbin, the Illinois senator, said in a statement that he regretted that Netanyahu could not meet with the Democrats.

“We offered the prime minister an opportunity to balance the politically divisive invitation from Speaker (John) Boehner with a private meeting with Democrats who are committed to keeping the bipartisan support of Israel strong,” Durbin said. “His refusal to meet is disappointing to those of us who have stood by Israel for decades.”

(AP)

[VIDEO & PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Despite Arab violence and attacks during the day on Tuesday, 5 Adar, the IDF gave the green light for Kever Rochel to remain open and avreichim were there to continue limud and tefilos. Attacks during the day included rocks and blocks being hurled at the complex.

When avreichim came out to the waiting van the violence resumed. At this time, attack included stun grenades in addition to the stones and blocks. A large presence of border police and IDF soldiers were on hand, using riot-control adjuncts to repel the attackers. PA (Palestinian Authority) sources reported injuries. B’chasdei Hashem there were no injuries among security forces or avreichim.

Rabbi Tzvi Uziyahu of Mosdos Rochel Imeinu stated. “Despite the rock-throwing attacks during the morning hours, we continued our seder limud on site with the approval of the IDF. We also held a special tefilla for the success of security forces protecting the holy site with mesirus nefesh. Visitors who arrived during the day could feel the tension, which was palpable. The night seder/kollel and tikun chatzos continued as well.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

With rockets roaring and guns blazing, more than a dozen swarming Iranian speedboats assaulted a replica of a U.S. aircraft carrier Wednesday during large-scale naval drills near the strategically vital entrance of the Persian Gulf.

The nationally televised show of force by the country’s elite Revolutionary Guard comes just weeks ahead of a deadline for Iran and world powers to forge a historic deal on the fate of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

Iranian live-fire war games are not uncommon. But by simulating for the first time an attack on the ultimate symbol of American naval power, hard-liners hoped to send a message that Iran has no intention of backing down to the U.S. – whichever way talks over its contested nuclear program go.

“American aircraft carriers are very big ammunition depots housing a lot of missiles, rockets, torpedoes and everything else,” the Guard’s navy chief, Adm. Ali Fadavi, said on state television. A direct hit by a missile could set off a large secondary explosion, he added.

Fadavi last month boasted that his force is capable of sinking American aircraft carriers in the event of war. He previously called carriers easy targets and said Iran naturally wants to sink them.

The drill, named “Great Prophet 9,” was held near the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world’s oil passes. Iran’s regular army carried out naval drills near the strait in December.

Tensions near the strait have caused oil prices to spike in the past – good news for producers like Iran. But traders seemed to take Wednesday’s maneuvers in stride, with benchmark U.S. crude dipping slightly and continuing to hover below $50 a barrel by mid-morning.

State TV showed footage of missiles fired from the coast and the fast boats striking the ersatz American carrier, which appeared to be a replica seen in a shipyard in the southern port of Bandar Abbas last year. The drills also included Guard forces shooting down a drone and planting undersea mines.

Footage aired Wednesday did not show that the assault had managed to sink the mock-up, but it was heavily damaged.

The Guard’s chief commander, Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari, said the drills send a “message of (Iran’s) might” to “extraterritorial powers,” a reference to the United States.

Cmdr. Kevin Stephens, the spokesman for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet in Bahrain, said the Americans were monitoring the drills, which had no effect on maritime traffic. He downplayed the simulated attack on the carrier, saying the U.S. military was “not concerned about this exercise.”

“We’re quite confident of our naval forces’ ability to defend themselves,” he said. “It seems they’ve attempted to destroy the equivalent of a Hollywood movie set.”

The U.S. routinely stations at least one aircraft carrier and other warships in and around the Gulf.

It and its allies conduct periodic naval exercises of their own in the region, including ones aimed at countering the threat from undersea mines that could be used to block ship traffic through the strait.

The American aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is currently deployed in the Gulf, as is the French carrier Charles de Gaulle. Planes from both vessels are carrying out airstrikes against the Islamic State group, which has seized roughly a third of Iraq and Syria.

Iran backs Syria’s government and is supporting Iraq in its fight against the militants, but it is not part of the U.S.-led international coalition against the extremist group.

The drills were not publicly announced in advance, but the Guard has held similar military exercises around this time of year. The last one, in February 2013, featured “suicide drones” that attack enemies kamikaze-style.

The Guard, which has a 200,000-strong force, is different from the regular army and is charged with protecting the ruling system. It also controls the paramilitary Basij militia, for which there are no precise personnel figures available.

Iran put the Guard in charge of defending the country’s territorial Gulf waters in 2008 as Iran turned its attention toward beefing up its naval and air defense forces.

Iran is currently negotiating an agreement over its disputed nuclear program with the United States and five other world powers in exchange for relief from crippling economic sanctions. The two sides hope to reach a framework agreement next month and a final deal in June.

Western nations have long suspected Iran is covertly seeking a nuclear weapons capability- charges Tehran denies.

In a speech Wednesday in the holy city of Qom, moderate President Hassan Rouhani called for all sanctions to be lifted once a final nuclear accord is reached.

“Our opposite negotiating party has to know that the end of these talks and the result of a deal must be lifting of the entire oppressive and illegal sanctions,” he said. “In the negotiations, we will not accept any imposition, humiliation or continuation of the sanctions.”

(AP)

MK Yaakov Litzman was in Bnei Brak on Tuesday night 5 Adar attending the chasenah of a grandchild in the Dekel Hall. With elections a few short weeks away, it was an event attended by many political hopefuls, including Labor party leader Yitzchak Herzog. Needless to say there were many admorim and rabbonim attending the simchas as well.

Politicians present included Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, coalition chairman Yariv Levin, MKs Moshe Gafne, and Yitzchak Cohen. Conspicuously absent was Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, who apparently did call to wish the family mazel tov. Litzman wishes the prime minister success on his upcoming congressional address in March.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

Monday evening, leading Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce (OJC) activists from across the metropolitan region huddled in the VIP room at Lakewood’s new Prime 95 restaurant to discuss the upcoming 2015 Parnassah Expo, which will take place on March 17^th and 18^th.

In attendance were OJC founder and director Reb Duvi Honig, and OJC leaders in their respective communities: Yoel Eisdorfer, community liaison to the Brooklyn Borough President; New Jersey Chabad activist Rabbi Mendy Carlebach; Satmar community activist Rabbi Moshe Indig; and Lakewood activists Mutty Tress and Yisroel Levovitz.

The activists worked on further advancing the fast growing OJC network and its exciting community based programs. Of course, the grandest upcoming OJC project is the Parnassah Expo – Nationwide Business Networking Event. Each of the participants is working full throttle to maximize participation amongst individuals, businesses and community organization from their respective community.

A massive show of force is expected at the Expo from a cross section of Jewish communities, maximizing the potential for each exhibitor and attendee.

Reb Duvi Honig expresses particular thanks to Prime 95 proprietor Yudi Toporowitch, who has warmly opened the restaurant’s doors to Parnassah Network – OJC causes: “Yudi is great example of someone who runs a first-class venture and uses it to service other businesses, and the community at large, in a most upstanding way.”

Avi Weizman, who broke away from Shas to establish a Yachad branch in Haifa spoke out strongly against Shas leader Aryeh Deri. Weizman served in the past as Shas’ deputy mayor in Haifa as well as head of the religious council. In a media interview who accuses Aryeh Deri of “making us all transparent”, using Deri’s campaign slogan that Shas is here to care for the “transparent citizens”, the poor and underprivileged whom are forgotten by all other parties. He explained that Deri simply ignored him and others on the local level, never returning calls or addressing their issues.

“Is it because I never stole but simply served the people he has no time for me? Even Amram Mitzne and Yahadut Hatorah officials assist me, but Deri has vanished completely”.

Weizman adds that even when Deri visited ahead of local elections, when he was serving as head of the religious council, he could not find to address the local Shas people or their issues. He speaks about Deri’s efforts to manage Kol Berama Radio and control who is and is not given air time. “Now Aryeh Deri cries because they are ignoring him…The problem is at Kol Berama that are afraid of him. I have had enough and refuse to be intimidated, but I will say what has to be said”.

Weizman explains he was about to break from the public arena when he heard about Yachad and is now working to advance that party.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)