Yeshiva World News

Outgoing Minister of Public Security (Yisrael Beitenu) Yitzchak Aharonovich blames Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein of harming the department by not permitting the cabinet to move forward to appoint a new police chief until following elections.

Weinstein issued an order that the appointment must wait until after voters have had their say in the 20th Knesset elections.

The minister’s letter was a part of the state’s response to the Supreme Court, which is hearing a petition filed by the Movement for Governability & Democracy. In his letter, Aharonovich, who is a former Israel Police Chief, explains he knows and understands the department from decades of being a part of it and the nine month delay is distracting the department and its most senior command. He warns the prolonged delay is detrimental to the department. Aharonovich warns the most senior commanders are too busy jockeying for position due to the delay instead of carrying out their jobs as they should

Aharonovich explains the reality is that until elections and the formation of a coalition and cabinet, the appointment of a new chief is on hold until August 2015 or later since after the process mentioned, the new minister will have to familiarize himself with the process and the candidates. He laments the fact that the appointment will have dragged out a year, and this is extremely harmful to the department.

Seemingly wishing to place pressure on Weinstein, Aharonovich adds “I do not plan to extend the tenure of Police Chief Danino or the Israel Prison Authority Chief since the matter is not the result of professional considerations”. He warns that the lapse in leadership is likely to cause additional harm to the department.

The petition to the High Court is directed against Weinstein, seeking to compel the court to permit Aharonovich to appointment a new chief to permit the department to continue operating as it should.

Attorney Simcha Rothman explains that the attorney general’s behavior results in a harsh blow to democracy and law and order.

At the end of his letter, Aharonovich writes the process of replacing outgoing Police Chief Yochanan Danino begin months before the announced elections. The candidates were probed and Weinstein is aware of this since he too was consulted.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

[By Margie Pensak]

It was not Rabbi Mayer Kurcfeld’s first time in South Bend, Indiana, when he traveled there on January 27. Although the STAR-K Kashrus Administrator had been there previously, solely on Kashrus business, this time, in addition, he was asked by Rabbi Meir Bulman, Rav of the Hebrew Orthodox Congregation, to make two, women-only, vegetable inspection presentations– one for the Bais Yaakov of Indiana high school students and the other for the women of the community.

“I was totally amazed and, quite frankly, pleasantly surprised at the number of frum women who attended,” admitted Rabbi Kurcfeld. “Additionally, it gave me great pleasure to see both their attention and enthusiasm, but more so, the seriousness they gave the subject matter by really trying their utmost to learn the process in the short time that we had.”

Rabbi Kurcfeld is part of STAR-K’s Speakers Bureau, comprised of administrative staff members who travel throughout the country to present a wide range of selected topics that span the spectrum from the basics of keeping a kosher home, to its philosophical and spiritual significance and its practical application. It also explores the technical world of Kashrus, with behind the scene looks at the manufacturing and processing of several industries.

“Too often in Kashrus, it is the blind leading the blind,” explained STAR-K President Avrom Pollak, “and we feel it is imperative that we raise Kashrus standards throughout the greater Jewish community by sharing the expertise of STAR-K personnel. We welcome inquiries.”

Looking for Bugs Around the Country

“Bug inspection has to be taught,” Rabbi Kurcfeld told both the 20 or so students and the approximately 40 women attendees, in South Bend. “Until somebody shows you what the bugs look like and, especially, the size of them, you can never figure out what to look for. You have to experience it and practice finding them. In fact, it is STAR-K policy that mashgichim are not authorized to check for bugs until they have been taught, tested, and approved. It is a common misconception that the method one uses to soak or cleanse the vegetables–whether it is salt, vinegar, soap, etc.– is foolproof in bug removal. On the contrary, these are merely tools that people use to ‘help’ extract the bugs; they are not guarantees there are no bugs still present. Therefore, inspection is

still necessary. In the end, all the systems that are out there, that are used to assist in bug removal, must have one common denominator–you’ve got to learn how to check and be trained, as our mashgichim are, to differentiate between bugs and debris on fruits and vegetables. Even triple washed vegetables may be infested, I told the women; still, if we’re allowing you to check non-prewashed vegetables from the store which has a higher probability of bug infestation, surely it would be advisable to purchase the triple washed vegetables. At least then, you are ahead of the game. I taught them the cleaning procedure and the general rules.”

Rabbi Kurcfeld was not the only STAR-K Kashrus Administrator teaching bug checking. Last month, Rabbi Sholom Tendler conducted two, 2-hour-long training sessions, in Detroit. One practicum took place at the Council of Orthodox Rabbis, the Vaad Harabbonim of Detroit, which was attended by Vaad chairman Rabbi Doniel Neustadt, Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Beryl Broyde, and Rabbi Yosef Krupnik, Kashrus Administrator of the Vaad’s K-COR Kosher Certification division. The second training session, which included procedure updates, was presented to STAR-K’s Detroit-based mashgichim.

On February 15, Rabbi Tendler gave a bug checking demonstration a bit closer to home, in the White Oak neighborhood of Silver Spring, Maryland. Approximately 60 members of the community attended the seminar, held at Rav Mordechai Rhine’s Southeast Hebrew Congregation, Knesset Yehoshua, home of the Greater Washington Community Kollel.

Rabbi Rhine expressed his thanks to STAR-K in a letter: “I am writing to thank you for the wonderful presentation of Rabbi Sholom Tendler….The presentation was clearly the result of a high level of both personal and organizational expertise, and was very well received. Also, allow me to use this opportunity to thank you and the devoted staff at the STAR-K for your generosity of spirit in so readily making your Kashrus expertise available to communities such as ours. Our community truly appreciates the “good neighbor” that we have in our relationship with the STAR-K. We thank you for your devotion to Avodas Hakodesh, and wish you much continued Hatzlacha.”

From Young Men to Yungermen

On January 21, Rosh Chodesh Shvat, STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Tzvi Rosen addressed the third and fourth grade elementary students of Yeshivas Kochav Yitzchok /Torah Institute of Baltimore, about shmita.

“The boys were enthusiastically engaged,” noted Rabbi Rosen. “They were learning about fruits and their blessings because of Tu B’Shvat. I did an interactive activity with them so they could feel, first-hand, what native Israeli boys, their age, would experience when going to the store to buy fruits and vegetables for their household.”

Rabbi Rosen was also invited to address the 9th and 10th grade classes of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, in Baltimore, on Motzei Shabbos, January 24, at the Mechina’s melava malka. There, he stressed the importance of carefully analyzing a kashrus situation and applying principles in halacha to come up with reasonable conclusions, before jumping to a conclusion or not knowing the facts and just forbidding the product.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been subjected to sensationalism and scare tactics,” explained Rabbi Rosen. “I think we have to show young consumers and adults, alike, that we are not reactive; rather, we are analytical in terms of being able to make accurate kashrus conclusions. This is the importance of having a Rav Hamachshir–to have someone to be able to seek guidance from, once a week, who culls all the information and anaylzes it in a halachic manner to give it an accurate psak, just not an emotional one.”

STAR-K Kashrus Administrator Rabbi Zvi Goldberg was invited by Rav Sholom Weingot to address the Dirshu Kollel in Baltimore–the brainchild of Reb Daniel Ely, the Kollel’s indefatigable coordinator, and one of Dirshu’s largest baalei batim kollelim–on January 22. The halacha shiur on bishul Yisroel, pas Yisroel and cholov Yisroel, complemented the relevant gemorahs that the 50 or so yungermen get up each morning at 5:50 a.m., to learn. Among the questions discussed were: What are the differences between Sfardim and Ashkenzim with regard to bishul Yisroel? Do hearts of palm, cranberries, donuts, instant soups, potato chips, cereals, and corn need to be bishul Yisroel? If you heat up a hot pretzel, is it pas Yisroel?

“The Dirshu Kollel is a testament to the dedication of Baltimore’s balei batim to Torah,” shared Rabbi Goldberg. “To see so many people showing up to learn in the early morning is an incredible sight. It was a real zechus to share the practical halachos with them.”

Just for the record, not all of STAR-K’s speaking engagements have gone as smoothly as these most recent ones. Back in 2003, STAR-K’s Director of Development, Steve Sichel, was invited to give a 45-minute Kosher seminar at a food show in Hyderabad, India. When he arrived at the hall and did not see his name on the list of speakers, he spoke to the coordinator of educational seminars. “Don’t worry”, he told Mr. Sichel, “it was an oversight.” When it was finally his turn to speak, he was called up and allowed only ten minutes. Mr. Sichel regaled his audience by saying, “I just traveled almost 10,000 miles to give a 10- minute talk. That is roughly 1,000 miles traveled for every minute I speak. I really hope you pay attention to my every word.

For further information about STAR-K’s Speakers Bureau, call (410) 484-4110.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz, who is close to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, is calling on opposition leader MK Yitzchak Herzog to accompany the prime minister to Washington next month when he will address Congress on the Iranian threat. Katz explains that as it becomes increasingly evident that the US plan will spell tragedy for Israel, he extends a hand to Herzog, requesting he leave Tzipi Livni at home and accompany Mr. Netanyahu to show the people of Israel stand behind him.

Katz highlights that now it is quite clear that Mr. Netanyahu is correct and the deal in the works is a poor solution. He stresses this is why the prime minister accepted the congressional invitation, hoping to use the forum to point out to elected US officials and the international community why the deal must he halted before it is too late.

Perhaps the invitation appears noble to some, but it is most unlikely that Herzog will join the prime minister has he has been an audible opponent to the PM’s planned address. Herzog accuses the prime minister of irreparably damaging Israel US relations as a result of his planned March 3, 2015 address.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

Even as it faces another Supreme Court challenge, President Barack Obama’s health care law has steadily reduced the number of uninsured Americans, according to an extensive survey released Tuesday.

The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index found that the share of adults without health insurance dropped to its lowest level in seven years in 2014 as Obama’s overhaul took full effect.

The trend appears likely to continue, since 55 percent of those who remained uninsured told the pollster they plan to get coverage rather than face rising tax penalties.

No state saw a statistically significant increase in the share of its residents uninsured. However, states that have embraced the health care law continued to outperform those where political opposition remains strong.

Ten of the 11 states with the biggest declines in their uninsured rates accepted the health care law’s Medicaid expansion, which provides safety-net coverage for low-income residents, mainly adults with no children living at home. Topping the list were Arkansas and Kentucky, with double-digit decreases.

Montana, in the midst of an oil boom, was the exception among the top performers. Its uninsured rate dropped by 4.9 percentage points from 2013 to 2014, but that state has not expanded Medicaid.

In addition to expanded Medicaid, Obama’s law offers subsidized private coverage for people who don’t have access to it on the job. The federal government is running the online insurance markets, or exchanges, in most states. But the top-performing states — except for Montana — are either running their own insurance markets, or partnering with the federal government.

The Gallup-Healthways report comes at a time of high uncertainty over the health care law. Next week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that challenges insurance subsidies for residents of states that have not set up insurance exchanges, defaulting instead to federal management. The federal HealthCare.gov currently serves 37 states.

Opponents of the law argue that its literal wording only allows subsidized premiums in states that have set up their own exchanges. Supporters say that’s a narrow reading that ignores lawmakers’ clear intent to create a national program.

The Gallup survey is considered authoritative because it combines the speed of media polls with the thoroughness of large government studies. Pollsters interview 500 people a day, 350 days a year. In 2014, that added up to nearly 177,000 adults aged 18 and older.

Comparing full-year results, Gallup found a drop of 3.5 percentage points in the share of Americans without health insurance from 2013 to 2014.

The five most populous states all saw declines. For California, it was a drop of 6.3 percentage points; Texas, 2.6 points; Florida, 3.8 points; New York, 2.5 points and Illinois, 4.5 points.

Texas remained the state with the highest uninsured rate, at 24.4 percent, while Massachusetts had the lowest, at 4.6 percent. Massachusetts had expanded coverage earliest, under former GOP Gov. Mitt Romney, whose approach foreshadowed some of the central elements of Obama’s law.

Dan Witters, research director for the poll, said about 12.3 million fewer adults were uninsured in the last three months of 2014, when compared with the third quarter of 2013, when HealthCare.gov was launched.

The survey has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 1 to 2 percentage points for most states.

(AP)

The split in the Eida Chareidis seems to be growing since Asra Kadisha feels there is ongoing Chilul Kevarim due to the psak halacha of Ravaad Eida Chareidis HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlita, which differs from the psak of Eida Chareidis Gavaad HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Tuvia Weiss Shlita. For the elders of the Eida community, it is clear Rav Weiss is afraid to publically challenge the zealots, who in many ways have taken control of aspects of the Eida community and operation.

The unacceptable actions of the so-called sikrikim against the Ravaad are become increasingly frequent and bold, openly accusing him of being responsible for chilul kevarim. Similar attacks have been seen against leaders of Toldos Aaron and Dushinsky including protests during his visit to Europe.

Last motzei Shabbos the ongoing split was evident again as the Ravaad was verbally assaulted during a levaya.

A cellular telephone belonging to one of the sikrikim fell and the WhatsApp program that is installed revealed their plot against all those who disagree with them. A recording signaled the fanatics planned to attack the Toldos Aaron Rebbe Shlita last week in London during a protest against him. They refer to Toldos Aaron as the “Murderous cult”.

Recordings verify their disdain and how they make a mockery of HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita and his followers, and how they plan to assault Meir Porush and Beit Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul.

One can only imagine how far this will lead R”L and what action if any is being taken to halt the actions of these irresponsible individuals before chas v’sholom a tragedy occurs.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

It’s a case of buyer beware, with potentially dangerous consequences.

More than 46 million cars and trucks on the road in the U.S. — about one-fifth the total — were recalled because of safety defects but never repaired, according to a study by Carfax, a company that sells vehicle history reports. Some of those defects have the potential to cause a crash, injury, even death.

Last year, around 5 million of those cars were sold to new owners.

That’s because there is no legal requirement for dealers or individual sellers to get the repairs done before a used car is sold. They are not even obligated to tell buyers if a car is subject to a recall.

“It’s a very major public safety problem,” says Chris Basso, a used-car specialist for Carfax, which analyzed state registration data to determine that one-fifth of the 238 million cars on the nation’s roads has an unrepaired problem that was the subject of a recall. “When those recalled cars go unfixed, they compound over the years, and it increases the chance of those parts failing.”

Federal regulators are pushing for legislation that requires dealers to fix recalled used cars. Independent dealers oppose such a measure but say they might go along with a requirement to disclose recalls to buyers because a new government database makes it easier to tell if a car on their lot has been recalled.

The number of unfixed cars is certain to rise because automakers recalled nearly 64 million vehicles nationwide last year, double the old record set in 2004. Government data show that 25 percent of car owners never get recall repairs done.

No one is sure how many crashes or injuries happen because of unheeded recalls. But buying an unrepaired car cost Carlos Solis his life. The 35-year-old father of two died Jan. 18 when shrapnel from the driver’s air bag in his 2002 Honda Accord tore into his neck after a minor accident near Houston.

Solis’ Accord had been recalled in 2011 to fix a faulty air bag inflator made by Takata Corp. that can explode with too much force. But neither the two previous owners, nor the independent dealer in Houston who sold Solis the car last April, had the repair done.

Solis had no other injuries, says Rob Ammons, an attorney representing his family in a lawsuit against Takata, Honda and the dealer. “You fix the defective air bag and he doesn’t die,” Ammons says.

Federal law requires car companies to notify owners of a recall within 60 days of finding a safety defect, which Honda did in 2011. But there’s no legal requirement that companies contact the new owner if a car changes hands.

John Castro, 36, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, traded a pickup truck for a 2011 Toyota Prius in March of last year at Koons Ford in Baltimore.

Shortly after he took the car home, he read a dealer-provided Carfax report and found that his car had been recalled in February 2014 to fix a hybrid component that could malfunction and cause stalling. Koons had not done the repair, and no sales person mentioned the recall, Castro says.

“You think when you buy something, it’s been checked and cleared,” he says.

Dennis Koulatsos, Koons Ford general manager, says Castro’s car should have been fixed because there was a safety issue. All dealers, he says, have incentives to fix recalled cars. They could lose customers to dealers who do, or they could be sued if something goes wrong.

But he also thinks dealers should be able to sell cars with open recalls if the problems don’t affect safety or drivability. “Used cars are hard to get, and they depreciate by the day when they sit on the lot,” he says.

A number of attempts to pass laws requiring dealers to fix recalled cars or disclose problems have stalled under opposition from carmakers, auto dealers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Mark Rosekind, the new head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx are making another push.

“We cannot allow vehicles with potentially dangerous defects to leave used-car lots without the necessary repairs,” Rosekind says.

Used-car dealers fought past legislation because they didn’t have access to a national database to check for recalls, says Steve Jordan, CEO of the 16,000-member National Independent Automobile Dealers Association.

That changed in August when the government set up a website for dealers and drivers to check recalls by keying in the 17-digit vehicle identification number. Now, Jordan says the association may support a disclosure law, as long as the database allows dealers to check multiple numbers at a time to save time and labor.

The association still opposes a repair requirement because independent dealers would be at the mercy of competitors franchised by automakers. Those dealers are the only ones authorized to do recall repairs.

The National Automobile Dealers Association, which represents new-car dealers that sell used cars, hasn’t taken a position on the repair requirements. It is waiting for the government to estimate the cost, the effect on sales and whether the measure would save lives.

Individual sellers won’t face any repair or disclosure requirements. Individuals sold just under one-third of the 42 million used cars in the U.S. last year, according to the Strategic Vision research firm.

Last year, a Honda executive floated the idea of requiring recall repairs before license plates can be renewed. That’s similar to the practice in Germany, where the government can revoke registrations of cars with outstanding recalls.

U.S. federal law does require dealers to make recall repairs on new cars before selling them.

CarMax, the nation’s largest used-car dealership chain, says it informs buyers of open recalls, but it does not get the vehicles repaired. AutoNation, the largest dealership group in the U.S., says it repairs recalled used cars before selling them when parts are available. If there are no parts available, it discloses that to buyers and tells them of any danger.

AutoNation CEO Mike Jackson says he favors laws requiring disclosure.

“The recall situation is a mess. It’s a disgrace and it’s a black eye for the industry,” he says.

(AP)

In a move that surprised many, Modi’in Illit Mayor Yaakov Gutterman delivered a very pro Yahadut Hatorah address, citing it was the only party working tirelessly against the “gezeiros” leveled at the chareidi tzibur. Gutterman has been at odds with the Degel Hatorah leadership over the past year, but with elections on the horizon, he stood up and acted for the good of the tzibur at large, putting personal considerations aside.

Gutterman reminded his audience that Maran HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita is calling on each and every person to persuade another to get out and vote for Yahadut Hatorah on Election Day.

His address was followed by the Rav of Brachfeld HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Zickerman Shlita, who stated when we see gedolei yisrael shlita coming out we must become aware of the significance of the event and the need to act as they instruct us to be MeKadesh Shem Shomayim. He delivered criticism against the Yerushalmi branch, the faction that split off from Degel Hatorah to follow HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita. He stated “One who separates from the tzibur and does not vote on Election Day take part in destroying the world and creates a Chilul Hashem. One must select Gimmel to act against the insults to the Torah and women”.

Yahadut Hatorah MK Yaakov Asher followed. He spoke of the difficulties of the past years and how he personally witnessed Rav Shteinman shed tears after hearing of the harsh government decisions against the tzibur lomdei torah.

“During the last administration, the secular parties targeted everything that is important to chareidim and the Torah world. If we do not act now it may be too late. There are those who plan additional gezeiros against us. Without us the situation would be far more serious. We fought back like lions. There wasn’t a day during which we did not fight back. There are Yesh Atid MKs who sought psychological care because of us. Truth be said, I used to believe we do not need a campaign but we must persuade others. We must reach eight seats…It is all in the merit that we consult with Maran the Rosh Yeshiva who often reminds us of matters we ourselves forget. We are astounded as times. Our job is to serve the wishes of gedolei yisrael and this is what we do”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, which came into power a year ago with a promise to reconsider an existing regulation on Metzitzah B’peh, has now fulfilled that promise.

Mayor de Blasio said he reached the new arrangement after long negotiations with rabbinical leaders. Under the new policy, the city will engage local health care providers to educate the Jewish community about the risk of a cold sore, caused by the herpes simplex one virus, causing a herpes infection of the child’s genitals.

“While the de Blasio Administration continues to believe that MBP carries with it health risks, given the sacred nature of this ritual to the community, the administration is pursuing a policy centered around education of health risks by the health care community and respect for traditional practices by the religious community,” Mr. de Blasio’s office said in a statement.

“Increasing trust and communication between the City and this community is critical to achieve the Administration’s ultimate goal of ensuring the health and safety of every child, and this new policy seeks to establish a relationship based on engagement and mutual respect.”

A 2012 report by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised against the practice, saying it increases the risk of herpes infection in baby boys by 3.4 times that of other male newborns.

Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, executive vice president of Agudath Israel of America told YWN “The Bloomberg Administration’s regulation of metzitzah b’peh represented the first and only time in the history of the United States that government has sought to regulate an aspect of bris milah. Our Gedolei Yisroel felt that this was intolerable, and could lead to other governmental incursions on bris milah, and so instructed us to mount a legal challenge against the regulation. It is to Mayor de Blasio’s eternal credit that he recognized how profoundly offensive the regulation was to our community, and worked with us to undo the terrible precedent his predecessor had established.”

Rabbi David Niederman, President United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North Brooklyn told YWN:

“I’m thankful to Mayor de Blasio and his entire administration, specifically Deputy Mayor Lilliam Barrios-Paoli, the Mayor’s senior aide Avi Fink and the Department of Health, for doing what it is right, eliminating this Consent Form, which was intrusive and violated our freedom of religion and speech,” said Rabbi David Niederman.

“From day one, Mayor de Blasio showed an eagerness to work with all communities towards fair policies that will deliver the best results for the entire city. Today’s action is a result of that noble vision and hard work. We are profoundly thankful to the mayor for that, and we are thanking Hashem that our religious freedom prevailed. Today’s action rebuilds the trust necessary to work together for the safety of all. It’s a victory for religious freedom and a victory for public policy.”

NYC Councilman David Greenfield told YWN, “I applaud the administration for agreeing to respect the religious freedoms of all New York’s communities. Separation of church and state is a two-way street. It is significant that the administration is agreeing to do away with ineffective measures put in place by Mayor Bloomberg, and instead embraced an informational campaign that has proven effective in other parts of the country. This is a big victory for our community. ”

(Chaim Shaprio – YWN)

OU Advocacy-Teach NYS, the non-partisan public policy arm of the Orthodox Union, applauds Governor Andrew Cuomo for his commitment to the Education Investment Incentives Act (EIIA), also known as the Education Tax Credit, as one of his top priorities this legislative session and for his willingness to hold up the New York State budget unless and until it includes approval of the EIIA.

Governor Cuomo supported the Education Tax Credit prominently during his reelection campaign and advanced it early in his second term by including it in his joint State of the State and Executive Budget speech in January.

“We view the governor’s willingness to play ‘hardball’ as a clear indication that he intends to pass the Education Tax Credit this year, to benefit all of New York’s children,” said Maury Litwack, Director of State Political Affairs for OU Advocacy.

The top priority during the 2015 Legislative Session for OU Advocacy-Teach NYS is passing the Education Tax Credit—which could provide an unprecedented amount of funding for New York’s non-public schools—and ensuring that the program benefits the broadest swath of New York’s schoolchildren.

“By providing tax credits in return for donations to both not-for-profit scholarship granting organizations as well as public schools, the tax credit would benefit all schools across the state, both public and non-public,” said Jake Adler, New York State Policy Director for OU Advocacy.

OU Advocacy-Teach NYS is also mobilizing the Jewish day school community around the Education Tax Credit as well. Between now and the end of March, when the New York State budget must be approved, OU Advocacy-Teach NYS will bring hundreds of representatives of the Jewish community from throughout New York State to Albany to advocate for the bill.

(YWN Desk – NYC)

MK (Bayit Yehudi) Rabbi Hillel Horowitz was targeted by terrorists who attacked his vehicle with stones in Yerushalayim. The rookie MK was traveling both to and from Har HaZeisim for a memorial for the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin when attacked. On the way back following the memorial, Horowitz stopped the vehicle and ran after the attackers. B’chasdei Hashem he and his passengers escaped injuries.

Horowitz calls on Israel Police to increase its presence in the area and to take a more aggressive approach to law-enforcement against those responsible for the rock attacks. “A week after the petira of Adele Biton we should be more cognizant regarding the life-threatening dangers of such attacks” state Horowitz.

Horowitz added “Yesterday the mayor of Yerushalayim responded to an attack http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/286759/identity-of-jerusalem-stabbing-attack-victim.html but he cannot be in every place every time. The police must act more aggressively in the eastern capital to prevent the next tragedy, which almost occurred today” he concluded.

Horowitz was appointed to fill the MK slot of the late Uri Orbach. He is a veteran resident of Hebron’s Jewish community.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

A fire broke out on the second floor of a home on President Street between Kingston and Albany Avenues at about 4:15 pm on Tuesday afternoon.

Black smoke billowed from the home’s top floor windows, as firefighters arrived to put out the blaze.

Residents of the home all escaped unharmed.

One patient was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation by Hatzalah.

(Via COL)

Hillary Rodham Clinton has so far kept a low profile this year, something that’s starting to change as she heads toward her expected 2016 campaign for president.

Clinton was to speak Tuesday at a Silicon Valley women’s conference, her first U.S. speech of the year. It opens a stretch of public appearances in the next month ahead of an all-but-certain launch of her bid for the Democratic nomination.

The former secretary of state has steered clear of the spotlight — her only two speeches in 2015 came in Canada last month — choosing instead to huddle with advisers as a large field of Republican presidential hopefuls compete for attention.

Clinton was speaking Tuesday at the Watermark Silicon Valley Conference for Women in Santa Clara, Calif., an appearance before 5,000 attendees that will include an on-stage interview with Kara Swisher, the co-executive editor of technology media company Re/code.

Clinton is likely to face questions about President Barack Obama’s proposal to authorize the use of military force against Islamic State militants, the debate in Congress over immigration and funding for the Department of Homeland Security, and the future of the Keystone XL pipeline. Also possible: questions about privacy and the U.S. government’s collection of phone records and digital communications of millions of people.

Clinton is scheduled to step up her public appearances in March, appearing at a gala for EMILY’s List, which supports female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights, an awards ceremony in Washington for political journalists and a United Nations meeting on women’s rights.

Many Clinton supporters say she has little incentive to jump into the campaign now and is better off ceding the spotlight to the Republican presidential field. The extra time has allowed Clinton to consult widely with economists and begin formulating an agenda aimed at appealing to voters who have struggled with stagnant wages in an otherwise rebounding economy.

“I think that’s the biggest thing in this campaign, which is making sure as the economy comes back, that everybody benefits from it,” said Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who served as Clinton’s campaign chairman in 2008. “I think she’ll be able to make that argument.”

(AP)

[COMMUNICATED CONTENT] 

Just three weeks to go until 2015 Parnassah Expo-Nationwide Business Networking Event, and the buzz is all over…

In practically every Jewish community around the globe – led by the New York metro region, no doubt – the Expo is a focal point of the local business scene. Ads and media reports about the Expo are being seen by all, including ads at MTA bus stops that has made waves within the community.

“Will you be there too?,” is at the tip of the tongue of all that are involved in the business scene. New success stories from exhibitors at previous Expos are being told, serving as a major motivating factor for themselves and others to exhibit this year.

Parnassah Expo Coordinator Mrs. Devorah Wahl says that activity at Expo headquarters has reached the point of frenzy. “Throughout the day, our office receives emails from people all over the world, asking when they can already register to attend or how we can help them with their long distance travel,” she relates. “In addition to the steady reservation of exhibition space, a broad array of companies and media outlets are contacting us to arrange for sponsorships and prime booths.”

Catering to businesses of all sizes, in all industries, from all over, the Expo’s windows of opportunity are more open and welcoming than anything else our community has to offer in this realm. With hundreds of diverse exhibitors and thousands of attendees poised to participate, the Expo’s draw for those looking to advance in business is obvious.

One particularly strong focal point this year will be on the every growing segment of women in our community who hold jobs or run businesses. They deal with unique realities and challenges, and the Expo’s special “Women in the Workforce” division will have a lot to offer them. Led by Tova Herskovitz, LCSW, this division is putting together a coveted program of panels, resources and guest speakers, including at least one from outside our region.

“The achdus we see is truly inspiring,” says founder and director Reb Duvi Honig. “Yidden of every conceivable stripe feel that this is organized just for them, and they look forward to interact with others for mutual benefit, b’ezras Hashem.”

As businesses and attendees work to make the time they’ll spend at the Expo as successful as can be, organizers are working to make it more exciting than ever. This year’s unique floor layout and choose-your-booth feature promise to make the activity more vibrant than ever. Talks are ongoing with some of America’s leading business figures to facilitate their participation and presentation at the Expo.

No doubt, the keynote addresses, The Accelerator investors panel, and CEO panel with Q & A’s, seminars, workshops, etc., will once again be intriguing and helpful highlights for all.

Stay tuned for more details…

The 2015 Parnassah Expo will be held on March 17^th and 18^th at the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center. Exhibition space is being reserved on a first come, first serve basis. For more information or to make a reservation, visitwww.parnassahexpo.com.

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Tuesday, 5 Adar launched a strong attack against Yair Lapid, accusing him of causing the sharp reduction in the number of chareidim entering the IDF and for the increase in housing prices in Israel. Ya’alon was addressing a kenos of Mechina IDF preparatory yeshivot in N’vei.

He explained he has worked for years in cooperation with chareidi leaders towards increasing the number of inductees. He explained to date, everything that was accomplished was due to mutual respect and understanding but Lapid thought he can achieve more with threats and legal action against the chareidi tzibur.

Ya’alon explains that even back when he served as IDF Central District Commander and the Nachal Chareidi was formed, the numbers continued to increase annually due to the ongoing efforts of those who understood the change must be the result of mutual cooperation and not unilaterally trying to compel the tzibur. He questioned the need to threaten the chareidi tzibur and now it is evident the plan backfired.

Ya’alon then shifted to the sharp increase in housing, which he blames on Lapid’s failures as Minister of Finance and his failed Zero VAT bill.

He stated that Lapid’s irresponsible handling of matters has led to considerable damage in a number of areas.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

State Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein is probing the information found in the state comptroller’s report citing excessive spending in the Prime Minister’s Residence. This probe may lead to a criminal investigation against the prime minister, his wife and staff members at the Prime Minister’s Office.

Officials speaking on behalf of the prime minister explained the inaccuracies of the report, placing the blame on Meni Naftali, the former manager of the PM’s residence.

When Meni heard he was the scapegoat he turned to authorities to report that in fact, he can document the excessive spending, adding he was not dismissed by the PM’s Residence as reported, but he quit.

The prime minister’s team is not making apologies, now accusing Naftali of stealing cases of groceries and goods from the PM’s office when he was employed, events that led to his dismissal. One neighbor of Naftali’s brother-in-law has provided police with a statement that he saw him unloading cartons from his vehicle into the home of his brother-in-law, goods that allegedly were taken without authorization from the PM’s Office.

The neighbor told police that he saw these occur in 2011-2012, adding two vehicle would pull up and unload each time.

Naftali’s attorney Ofir Almog said “It would be good to see the Prime Minister’s Office set an example and if officials have information pointing to illegal activity by anyone, to report the details to police. Mr. Naftali has been accused and faces harsh allegations but is determined to reveal the truth in the matter”.

The prime minister has engaged the services of prominent attorney Yaakov Weinroth to represent him http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/286754/pm-netanyahu-hires-prominent-attorney-to-defend-against-possible-criminal-charges.html should a criminal investigation be launched by the attorney general.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)

Police are asking for the public’s help in trying to determine who built a mysterious underground tunnel near York University in Toronto.

Deputy Chief Mark Saunders said Tuesday the tunnel is 10 meters (10 yards) long and two meters (two yards) high. He said it isn’t near any infrastructure and doesn’t appear to lead anywhere.

The chamber was discovered Jan. 14 in a secluded wooded area by a conservation officer who spotted a large pile of dirt. Saunders said more than one person with some level of expertise likely built it.

Police found plywood wall supports, a gas generator, moisture resistant light bulbs, a sump pump for removing ground water, a wheelbarrow and food and beverage containers. They also found a rosary with a Remembrance Day poppy nailed to a wall.

Saunders said there’s nothing to suggest a criminal element.

“It’s not your everyday find,” Saunders said.

He said he doesn’t have a working theory on why it was built but said whoever built it took quite a bit of time to build it. He said it was warm and comfortable inside. Police believe it was used during the winter.

The bunker is located about 25 meters (27 yards) from the fence of the Rexall Centre entertainment complex, which hosts the Canadian Open tennis tournament in the summer and will be used to host tennis events for the Pan American Games in July. He said it didn’t represent a threat to the games and said the bunker would have been an eye sore to police.

Saunders said they’ve collected all the evidence they need and have filled in the tunnel for safety issues.

“Until we get what the intent is behind this, we’re going to continue to investigate,” Saunders said.

(AP)

The Egyptian president has issued a law that broadens the state’s definition of terrorism to include anyone who threatens public order “by any means,” and gives authorities powers to draw up lists of alleged terrorists with little judicial recourse.

Under the new law, prosecutors can name someone a terrorist, freezing their assets, and barring them from public life or travel, with only simple approval from a panel of judges, and without a trial. The listing is valid for three years and can be renewed.

The legislation was signed in the form of a decree by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi last week and was distributed to reporters on Tuesday.

It is part of the government’s stepped-up campaign against an expanding insurgency by militant groups, including one that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group fighting in Iraq and Syria.

The authorities have also waged a sweeping crackdown on supporters of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, as well as young activists and groups that fuelled the uprising that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011. Internationally, Egypt has pushed allies for closer cooperation to combat terrorism in the region, particularly in neighboring Libya.

Rights activists criticized the law, saying it only serves to expand Egypt’s existing arsenal of legislation that empowers authorities against political opponents.

“In the absence of accountability and monitoring, we will never know whom this law is applied to,” said Mohammed Zaree, Egypt program manager at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. “The absence of accountability and monitoring only leaves authorities above the law.”

Egypt has been without an elected parliament since 2012 when the last elected house was dissolved by a court order. El-Sissi has the power to approve new laws in the form of decrees.

The new law defines a terrorist group as any entity that calls “by any means, inside or outside the country, for harming individuals, terrorizing them or putting their lives, freedoms, rights or security in danger.”

Furthermore, the label “terrorist group” also will apply to any entity that endangers the environment, antiquities, communications or transportation, or obstructs the work of local or international agencies in Egypt. It also includes any group that uses “any means” to disturb public order, endangers security or state interests, and seeks to “disrupt the constitution or law, or harm national unity.”

Zaree said such a broad definition could leave anyone — including even a political party calling for a protest or criticizing the government in a statement — subject to the law. In Egypt’s penal code, terrorism is already broadly defined as an act that endangers public order.

“This definition of terrorism can now be applied to the Islamic State or to us,” Zaree said, referring to the rights community, which is highly critical of the government’s human rights record.

The new law is likely meant to replace emergency measures that Egyptian police and prosecutors have operated under for 30 years. Those measures already overstepped existing legislation, giving authorities broad powers to detain and arrest suspects, and leaving the public mistrustful of their ability to follow the law.

According to Zaree, the new law effectively narrows public space, and also serves to “cover up” Egypt’s unsuccessful effort to defeat terrorism.

“This is … a backdoor to emergency law,” Zaree said. “Egypt is now living under an undeclared emergency status.”

(AP)

Defying the Republican-run Congress, President Barack Obama rejected a bill Tuesday to approve construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, wielding his veto power for only the third time in his presidency.

Obama offered no indication of whether he’ll eventually issue a permit for the pipeline, whose construction has become a flashpoint in the U.S. debate about environmental policy and climate change. Instead, Obama sought to reassert his authority to make the decision himself, rebuffing GOP lawmakers who will control both the House and Senate for the remainder of the president’s term.

“The presidential power to veto legislation is one I take seriously,” Obama said in a brief notice delivered to the Senate. “But I also take seriously my responsibility to the American people.”

Obama vetoed the bill in private with no fanfare, in contrast to the televised ceremony Republican leaders staged earlier this month when they signed the bill and sent it to the president. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Republicans were “not even close” to giving up the fight and derided the veto as a “national embarrassment.”

The move sends the politically charged issue back to Congress, where Republicans haven’t shown they can muster the two-thirds majority in both chambers needed to override Obama’s veto. North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven, the bill’s chief GOP sponsor, said Republicans are about four votes short in the Senate and need about 11 more in the House.

Although the veto is Obama’s first since Republicans took control on Capitol Hill, it was not likely to be the last. GOP lawmakers are lining up legislation rolling back Obama’s actions on health care, immigration and financial regulation that Obama has promised to similarly reject.

“He’s looking at this as showing he still can be king of the hill, because we don’t have the votes to override,” Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, a vocal opponent of Obama’s climate change agenda, said in an interview. “If he vetoed this, he’s going to veto many others that are out there.”

First proposed more than six years ago, the Keystone XL pipeline project has sat in limbo ever since, awaiting a permit required by the federal government because it would cross an international boundary. The pipeline would connect Canada’s tar sands with refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast that specialize in processing heavy crude oil.

Republicans and the energy industry say the $8 billion project would create jobs, spur growth and increase America’s independence from Mideast energy sources. Democrats and environmental groups have sought to make the pipeline a poster child for the type of dirty energy sources they say are exacerbating global warming.

For his part, Obama says his administration is still weighing the pipeline’s merits, and he has repeatedly threatened to veto any attempts by lawmakers to make the decision for him.

The GOP-controlled House passed the bill earlier in February on a 270-152 vote, following weeks of debate and tweaks in the Senate to insert language stating that climate change is real and not a hoax. Republican leaders in Congress delayed sending the bill to the White House until they returned from a weeklong recess, ensuring they would be on hand to denounce the president when he vetoed the bill.

The veto forced Republicans, still reveling in their dramatic gains in the midterm elections, to confront the limitations of being unable to turn their ideas into law without the president’s consent — despite the fact they now control both chambers of Congress.

Republican leaders were mulling a number of potential next steps. In addition to trying to peel off enough Democrats to override Obama’s veto — an unlikely proposition — Republicans were considering inserting Keystone into other critical legislation dealing with energy, spending or infrastructure in hopes that Obama would be less likely to veto those priorities, said Hoeven, R-N.D.

“We’ll look to see if we can get some more bipartisan support,” said Hoeven.

Obama last wielded his veto power in October 2010, nixing a relatively mundane bill dealing with recognition of documents notarized out of state. With the Keystone bill, Obama’s veto count stands at just three — far fewer than most of his predecessors. Yet his veto threats have been piling up rapidly since Republicans took full control of Congress, numbering more than a dozen so far this year.

The president has said he won’t approve Keystone if it’s found to significantly increase U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. A State Department analysis found that the tar sands would be developed one way or another, meaning construction of the pipeline wouldn’t necessarily affect emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month called for that analysis to be revisited, arguing that a drop in oil prices may have altered the equation.

(AP)