Yeshiva World News

The High Court of Justice has authorized the Education Ministry’s plan to grant a request by parents of girls studying in an Emanuel school’s to open an independent educational establishment which will not be funded by the State.

The judges nevertheless noted that the ministry should monitor the institute and oversee its activity. They also warned the Education Ministry of perpetuating discrimination and inequality.

Have you checked out http://www.ywnradio.com/ yet?

(Source: Ynet)

Written by Rabbi Menachem Krybus, a father of one of the imprisoned מקדשי השם 

There is a fascinating medrash Chazal about the way Queen Esther went about trying to annul the decree of the wicked Haman. After meticulously planning one feast after another with Achashverosh and Haman, she finally reached the deciding moment with her famous accusation “Ish tzar ve’oyev Haman ha’ra ha’zeh“ (‘An adversary and an enemy, this wicked Haman’). Chazal tell us that when she said that, she actually pointed to Achashverosh and an angel had to come down and push her hand towards Haman. This seems hard to fathom. What was she thinking to accomplish by antagonizing the king himself?

The answer is that Chazal tell us that every time it says “Hamelech” – “the king” in the Megilla it is referring to Hashem. Now, Queen Esther also knew this. She knew that really behind the scenes it was Hashem alone Who was in charge. So, while she did her Hishtadlus and spoke to the flesh-and-blood king, she all the while saw herself standing in front of the King of Kings and beseeching Him. It was to Him that she was really speaking. That is how it happened that when she reached the climax, the deciding moment, then in the intensity of her beseeching Hashem, she totally forgot she was supposed to be talking to Achashverosh too.

That is the feeling we all had when shlomei emunei yisroel came out in their throngs to escort our brothers the prisoners, mekadshei Hashem, to their sentence. Although it was also meant to show the Israeli government that no force in the world would cause us not to listen to our Gedolim, yet at the time of the rally we were totally caught up in our Shir HaShirim to Hashem. Thousands upon thousands of amcha beis yisroel were busy proclaiming their love and complete devotion to Hashem and Gedolei Yisroel and their leaders. As one of the would-be prisoners put it, “You are threatening us with prison? That’s small change. We are ready to give up so much more for Hashem and for hisTorah, for the pure chinuch of our children, for our faithfulness to Gedolei Yisroel. In the spiritual uplifting of the ma’amad we forgot all about the state, its government and its woes. That is how we were able to achieve a near miracle of having three hundred thousand animated Yidden gathered together for hours without any incidents. When you love someone very much you are thrilled when an opportunity comes up to show him your devotion. The prisoners were going with song and joy to serve their prison sentences for the explicit “sin” of listening to the p’sak of the Gedolim. Every fiber of their being exuded their exhilaration at being given the opportunity to show their love for Hashem. After leaving the masses behind them they entered the prison gates singing “Pischu li sha’arei tzedek avo vam odeh K-ah” – ‘open up the gates of righteousness, I will pass through them and praise Hashem’ – and when the last dignitaries left and they handed themselves over to the police they joined hands and started singing -”Veyihyu rachameicha misgolelim al am kodshecha” – ‘and may your pity be cast upon your holy nation’ – with the holy niggun of Reb Aharon of Karlin TZ”L.  Hardened policemen shed tears witnessing this. Had ever a prisoner in history entered prison in such a manner? As the Slonimer Rebbe shlit“a put it, “hikuni p’tza’uni, nas’u es redidi me’alai… im timtze’u es dodi mah tagidu lo” (Shir Hashirim) (‘They smote me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls took away my mantle from me’).  And like Esther in her time, the Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a had pointed out in his ‘shmiess’ (speech) in Emanuel, that they were not waiting for rachmanus from the government, only from Hashem the ba’al harachamim Himself. When Rav Shteinman shlit”a visited the prisoners, he quoted the Chofetz Chaim tz”l who said that the clever thing to do is always to be on the side of the winners, and the ultimate winner is always Hashem.  Baruch Hashem that with the agreement that was just reached and the release of our dear brothers, the asirim mekadshei Hashem, we were zoche to see that victory.  “Zeh hayom asa Hashem nagila venismecha bo!” (‘this is the day which Hashem has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it’).  Sadly, however, while Esther was confronting an “ish tzar ve’oyev“, an enemy, we had to confront our own brothers, our flesh and blood, who, as tinokos shenishbu by the Zionist educational system, had reached this low point where a judge who calls himself religious challenged the supremacy of the Torah. The day after the rally, at the conclusion of tefillas shacharis, the Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a asked to say a perek of Tehillim, and added the passuk “yitamu chata’im min ha’aretz” – ‘may sins be abolished from this earth’ – noting the explanation of chaza”l that it says “chata’im” (sins), and not “chot’im” (sinners). We do not pray that the sinners should be punished. Instead, we pray that the sinners should merit to repent. Then there will no more sins to worry about. When that day will finally come, we will all join hands, and standing shoulder to shoulder, proclaim together “ki la’Hashem hamelucha” – ‘to Hashem belongs the rulership”.  Then our joy will finally be complete.

Throughout this saga, I found it very disconcerting to see that many well meaning Jews in America were ignorant of the real facts. It was bewildering to see that while people were brewing up a false libel against us, the Charedi media did not come out strongly enough to set the record straight and bring the true facts to light (see box). There should have been a stronger and more forceful denial. The story of the Chassidic school in Emanuel, is one of parents tossing sleeplessly in bed at night worrying about their precious little Chanale or Malkale who were coming home with newly acquired coarse language, with new ideas about how to dress, with access to a foreign world from which they had worked so hard to shelter them. It was the story of parents whose only wish was to see their children grow up pure and refined, as befitting future wives of Torah scholars, who will build homes full of kedusha. It was the story of ashkenazi Chassidim together with Sephardic Bnei Torah who took off from their meager salaries and, hand in hand, worked hard to create a school for their children. It had nothing to do with whether one was a Sephardi or Ashkenazi (see box). It had to do with meeting the different chinuch needs and standards of two different levels of Torah commitment. Anyone who was willing to keep the stricter modest dress code was accepted (see box). For a nation that had received a mission of “ve’atem tihyu li mamleches kohanim vegoy kadosh“ (‘and you shall be for Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’), was that a sin? It might be forgivable that the secular Jew, who was shielded by the secular media from receiving the real facts, to whom the whole concept of protecting children from the street’s influence was, in any case, so foreign, was willing to buy this libel. But for a heimishe Yid who knows the ways of Chassidim and Sephardic Bnei Torah, just one look at the common denominator of the group should have told him the true story. Many people owe an apology to these chasuve avreichim who showed their utmost mesirus nefesh, and while being mekadesh shem shamayim, as Gedolim from the full spectrum of Charedi world testified, were zoche today to bring about a great victory to Charedi Judaism in the war constantly waged against it by the secular establishment.

How do we know that there was no ethnic discrimination in the Chassidic school in Emanuel? 

Some points to consider 

1. More than 30% of the girls in the school are Sephardi  (25 out of 80).

2. Every girl – regardless of her ethnic background- who agreed to sign the school regulations was accepted into the school.

No one was ever denied because of ethnic reasons or other. This was not challenged by the petitioners and was acknowledged by the special investigator sent by the Ministry of Education in his official report, who wondered-“im seruv ayin – aflaya minayim“- “if there was no denying entrance – where was the discrimination?”

3. 17 out of the 43 fathers who went to jail were Sefardi-

They carried signs stating “I am a Sephardic father going to jail for wanting to give my daughter a Chassidic education”. They also spoke at the rallies in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak on their way to prison, passionately refuting that the school split had anything to do with being Ashkenazi or Sephardi. They reiterated that it was solely a matter of religious standards.  

4. Six out of the eight mothers going to prison were Sefardi -

Were they showing all this מסירות נפש just so that they could discriminate against their Sefardi sisters?  

5. After the petition was entered, the Ministry of Education sent a non-religious investigator, Dr Mordechay Bess (former CEO of the state comptroller’s office) who concluded that without any doubt there was no discrimination, as the issue was not ethnic but religious- in his words- “not adati (ethnic) but dati (religious)”. He also noted that after sitting with both parties and noting the differences, he could see why the Chassidim felt they needed a different school.

6. 80% of the parents in the general school signed a petition to court stating that they were very satisfied with the two-track arrangement and did not want it changed.

7. While the assumption that it was meant only for Ashkenazim left you with a discrepancy of 30% Sephardim in the school, the assumption that it was meant for any ben Torah who wanted to live according the strict standards of Chassidim and bnei Torah, left you with a 100% consistency, since all parents in the Chassidic track were of that group.

8. It is well known how much Chassidim and bnei Torah take the issues of being influenced from the media etc. to heart. It makes no difference to them whether the television or internet etc. emanates from a Sefardi home or an Ashkenazi one. The same goes for modest dress and language.

9. It was not their fault that it so happened that in this specific town, more Ashkenezim than Sephardim were of the bnei Torah type and were interested in their lifestyle.

10. There was a separate religious school for Sephardim only in town (El Hamayan) comprised of parents who had left the general school when Shas established El Hamayan, yet the court did not allow the Chassidim to leave and open their own school (even though it had Sephardim also).

As a religious Jew you surely know of many such schools that were opened by Chassidim that were  opened solely to protect them from street influence and uphold chinuch standards.

And yet, the Israeli High court of Justice chose to ignore the facts, ignore the evidence, ignore the conclusions which the Ministry of Education reached when investigating the matter thoroughly – and declared the school guilty  

Now you have the basic facts, You be the judge.

Now, as I sat and listened to one of our Charedi news outlets misquote to half of unsuspecting American Jewry the agreement reached, as if the avreichim had signed to comply with court orders, I was again baffled by the phenomena. Why were we working against ourselves and making our victory sound like a capitulation? It’s enough that the secular media will do their best to try to twist it that way. So I decided to present the true details together with the motives behind each detail. Going out from this struggle with a strong sense of victory – as it truly was – will do wonders to strengthen our resolve and will serve to deter our enemies.

First a little background on what the issues were;

A) The right to educate our children according to our hashkafa and needs.

The court had tried to force upon the parents to send their children to a school which would be a compromise on their chinuch standards. When the court ruled that although they were allowed to have their own school, as was done all over the country, they could not have a separate track in the same school (which had been done with the permission of the Chinuch Atzma’i), they took their children out and made their own school. The Judge who, it seems, had thought that that would be beyond their means, promptly issued a decree to close the school. When asked by the lawyer about his allowance in the first ruling he answered “I changed my mind”. It was as simple as that.  What had been legal a minute before became illegal a minute later. They would have to settle for a less suitable standard of chinuch. What was allowed for others all over the country would be denied to them.  He made it clear that he was bent on having all children learn together and they would never have their own institution. Therefore, they asked the Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a what to do, and were told that chinuch is not an area in which they could compromise, but so as not to anger the court they should commute their children to the Belze school in Bnei Brak. After the first day there, the Belze school received an ultimatum from the Ministry of Education, stating that if they accepted the children for even one more day, they would lose all government funding. Since the Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a, as well as the other poskim, ruled that this was an issue in which they could not capitulate, they kept the children at home and taught them in all kinds of secret places, just like back in Russia in the days of the Czar. The Judge then gave an order that if they did not send their daughters to learn in the general school he would sentence the fathers and mothers to jail. They chose to go to jail.

 B) The right to have our spiritual chinuch needs evaluated and decided by the Gedolei Yisroel – not by a secular court.

Instead of having Rabbanim decide on the religious issues, the court took the authority to decide which level of religious chinuch the Chassidic girls needed and deserved. In the beginning, when the Emanuel chassidim still had their own track, the judge ruled that they could not use the code of dress of  the posek hador Rav Vozner shlit”a which they had adopted, since in the Judge’s eyes he was a Rav who had a too stringent an approach in issues of modesty!! Afra lefumia! The honorary judge would be our posek, deciding upon who our Rav should be and how our children should dress. Now he was deciding in which environment they were to study.

C) The Judge made it a point to challenge the parents’ allegiance to Gedolei Yisroel in issues the court disagreed with them, even issues of religion and conscience.

He explicitly stated that he was out to prove that the court was stronger than the Gedolei Yisroel, and threw the parents into jail for listening to the psak of the Gedolim. He demanded that they sign that they would obey court orders against these psaks and send their children to the school in dispute. With this he turned the case into a test to see whether the Torah stands above the secular Law or chas veshalom …

Although his original intention was to force the children to learn together, when he saw that the time was nearing and they were prepared to go to jail he tried to coax them into surrendering and signing their allegiance to court, against the psak of their Rebbe and all the Gedolim, by offering that the children attend the general school until the end of this year and then next year they would have their own school. Without hesitating for a minute they immediately turned down his offer and proclaimed in unision Shma Yisroel and  Hashem Hu Ha’Elokim in front of the entire court. It was a gevaldige Kiddush Hashem.

As the two weeks in prison dragged on, the Judge saw to his dismay that the fathers were willingly sitting in prison l’maan Shmo Yisborach. The mothers on their part were also preparing to enter prison as soon as the fathers left, as had been his heartless judgment. So last week he made it known that although the original verdict had been for them to be in prison for two weeks, still as long as they didn’t sign that they would obey court and actually send the children to the controversial school, they were continuing being in contempt of court and might be held in prison indefinitely. Furthermore, they should not dream of getting an approval for a private school as long as they didn’t sign. Then he warned that he would throw the Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a himself into prison for instigating revolt. Actually, the Rebbe had himself offered from the start to be imprisoned instead of his Chassidim but the judge had ignored the request. All this lead everyone to believe that no end was in sight and the group might still spend many more weeks in jail. Indeed, on Friday when a prominent Israeli lawyer came to speak with the Judge, offering a similar plan to the one that was in the end accepted, he literally threw him out in anger, proclaiming that as long as they didn’t sign to comply with court they would not see the light of day chas veshalom. With this he was flexing his muscles to scare them into compliance. But the prisoners themselves did not take this to heart and settled in for a lengthy stay. When they were actually freed they couldn’t believe it.

And now about the agreement;

The agreement in a nutshell was like this. The Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a and HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef shlit”a met together in friendship, and issued a joint letter that  in order to quiet down the  machlokes in Emanuel, they had both mutually agreed that it was important to strengthen the achdus in the city of Emanuel, therefore they agreed that all the schools in Emanuel should come together for three days of speeches from prominent Rabbanim, in order to bring all the hearts closer. No mention was made by them of the court case.  Then the petitioners went ahead and wrote to court that from their standpoint this settled the matter and they agreed that each group, would have their own school, with their own regulations, under the guidance of their own Rabbanim.  To everyone’s surprise, the court from its standpoint then agreed to view this agreement as a compliance with court orders and freed the prisoners.

At the tish of the Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a right after their release, the Rebbe shlit”a said; ‘I wrote in my letter (which was read in the Knesset) that even if they would place me in front of a firing squad, I would not concede even ‘kekutzo shel yud’ (even in small measure) and so it was, we did not concede on anything which was important to us.

It is important to see how that was so, because that gives us strength and encouragement not to compromise in the future.

The court had, from the start, all the while kept on constantly repeating one thing. Each prisoner had to explicitly sign that he was going to abide and comply with court orders. Then he had to physically return his child to study as a normal student in the general school. Up until that last court session the judge was adamantly refusing to consider anything less.

So, the first thing to point out is that in actual fact no prisoner ever signed any compliance to court whatsoever. In fact they did not sign anything or even give any verbally commitment to court. This was going against the court’s most basic request. In fact, in middle of all this, as the prisoners stood surrounded with two policemen between every four of them and about another one hundred ready for action, they passed over from one to another in whispers, the message they had just received from the רבי שליט”א that if asked to sign any paperwork whatsoever they should categorically refuse. At one point Mrs. Shmueli, the representative of the Education Department, was adamant about their signing, but the lawyer of the defendants was instructed by the Rebbe shlit”a to refuse. Then Rabbi Eli Yishai, the Minister of the Interior, tried to convince her and ultimately contacted her superiors and had her draw back. All this was in keeping with the point they were stressing that in religious matters their allegiance was only to the Rabbanim and da’as Torah.

The court wanted that it should be mentioned in the agreement that three days of speeches would be viewed by the parents as their complying with court orders. However, the court conceded on that matter as well. From the standpoint of the defendants they were going to have the three days of speeches because the Gedolei Yisroel, the Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a and HaRav Ovadia Yosef shlit”a had so decided. This was all in keeping with the point they were stressing that only the Gedolei Yisroel would decide in all their matters of chinuch, not the court. Actually, the defendants were not involved in any aspect of all these dealings. Every move they made from beginning to end was as instructed by their Rebbe. It was the court that was interpreting all this as their compliance and fulfillment of its wishes.

Regarding the second demand the court had so unwaveringly made up until then, that they register the children back as pupils in the general school, the petitioner first tried to push that at least the three days should be described as coming to study together, the two schools only. To this too the Rebbe shlit”a categorically objected. Again they backed down and agreed to three days of speeches for all the schools in the city (this included Chabad and El Hamayan). The difference in all this was that, had only the two schools attended these speeches, it could have been argued that by doing so the two schools had in actual fact merged and were learning together, as the court had requested. By having other, totally unrelated schools participate it was clear that there was no aspect of merging. It was only different schools attending Shiurim together. Furthermore, the refusal for it to be slated as coming to study together was in keeping with the psak of the Gedolim that they should learn only with girls who kept their regulations. Coming to listen to speeches was a totally different concept, as it is customary that when a prominent speaker comes, different schools join to hear him. There was also an intrinsic da’as Torah motive in the Shiurim, the Gedolei Yisroel shlit”a had agreed upon. So these three days ordered by the Gedolim shlit”a were something totally different than the court’s original request that the Chassidic school close down and become part of the general school. All these concessions were so totally unexpected at the beginning of the session. What helped facilitate all this was that Rav Ovadia Yosef shlit”a, the spiritual leader of Sephardic Jewry and the Slonimer Rebbe shlit”a had met so warmly and spoken of the need for achdus between shivtei yisroel. This undermined the judge’s purported reason for waging a war against Slonim.

Aside from the agreement of the Rabbanim for separate schools, the Judges also implied that for the coming school year the Chassidic school would be able to function as a private school. The commentators pointed out that in this lay an important message to the Minister of Education. During the last few years the government and court have been constantly trying to find in ways to impose their views and compel our religious schools to teach according to their values. This Minister had made it clear from the start that he saw his main goal in the ministry, to see to it that the Charedi schools adopt the infamous Liba program, which was a meddling of the secular Education Department in our school curriculum. His original plan had been to use the High Court’s services to enforce such studies in the private religious schools. Indeed, lately there had been a noted eagerness of the court to tackle Charedi issues and bring them under its control,. Now, with the court’s allowing that the private school in Emanuel would be able to run according to the wishes of the parents and the rulings of their Gedolim, it was essentially sending a message to the Minister of education that it would not put any more legal hurdles in front of the private Charedi schools. It seems that the High Court has learned its lesson and does not relish to enter into any new conflicts with Charedi Judaism.  In a time when there were many evil decrees looming in the horizon from the direction of the secular government, the incredible achdus and allegiance that our community of hundreds of thousands ken yirbu showed by the demonstration and throughout the imprisonment made a tremendous impression on the secular world and court. Even more so did the heroic stance of the group of ‘chashmonaim’, the parents who went to prison with song and dance, and with tremendous refinement and had now calmly prepared themselves to continue staying in prison for weeks, even months, on end.  As soon as my son left the prison he called me to inform me he was out. Being in prison is not a simple ordeal and he was very excited. Actually he couldn’t believe it, since all signs had shown that they had a long indefinite future ahead of them. Yet, I also noted in his voice a tone of disappointment that the special mitzvah of mesirus nefesh that they had been fortunate to fulfill was leaving them. However, when I questioned him about it he simply yet eloquently rounded it all up for me:  “We entered into prison to comply with Hashem’s command “ve’asisa kechol asher yorucha” – ‘and you shall not deviate from the word which they will instruct you’ – and now we are going out to comply with that same ” ve’asisa kechol asher yorucha”, as it says “al pi Hashem yachanu, ve’al pi Hashem yis’u” – ‘at the bidding of Hashem they traveled, and at the bidding of Hashem they encamped’.

(Rabbi Menachem Krybus – YWN)

The Emanuel Beis Yaakov case may have bought a bit of tranquility inside the divided Chinuch Atzmai operation, and with the Emanuel affair behind us, at least for the time being, Chinuch Atzmai officials are preparing for their day in court on Sunday, July 4th, as the sides continue efforts to take control of the organization. Perhaps the sides should have attended the ahavas yisrael seminars held in Emanuel during the past days.

Kol HaChareidi reports that the in-fighting which has plagued Chinuch Atzmai directly impacted the Emanuel case, inhibiting efforts to reach a settlement since the leaders of the organization are not cooperating with one another. It is no secret that the power struggle to determine who will control Chinuch Atzmai has been going on for some time, and the court will have to decide a number of key issues; including if Rabbi Avraham Yosef Lazerson can by a member of the directorate and if the Moetzas Gedolei HaTorah’s decision regarding the makeup of the directorate will be accepted and be legally binding.

Efforts to reach an agreement are ongoing as the sides would prefer to avoid having the secular court once again adjudicate a major controversy that is critical to the chareidi community. Critics point out that Chinuch Atzmai has been plagued with infighting for too long, and it has taken its toll on the system and the schools as well.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

With the Emanuel Beis Yaakov affair behind us, MK (Yahadut HaTorah) Menachem Eliezer Moses called for achdus in Knesset on Tuesday, stating that on 17 Tammuz, it is appropriate more than on other days to call for unity and to focus on ‘ahavas chinam’.

Moses addressed the speaker, explaining that in shachris slichos we read about how the enemies of Israel took hold of the holy city on 17 Tammuz, the start of the destruction of the First and Second Temples, destroyed due to the hate from one yid to another. Of late, there has been a significant widening of the chasm between the chareidim and secularists, beginning with the bones at Barzilai Hospital, pointing out that since then, he has documented no less than 70 hateful columns written against the chareidi tzibur, accusing the community at large of valuing the dead more than the living.

He made reference to the Ehud Goldwasser HY”D exchange, and the efforts towards bringing home the body for kvura in Eretz Yisrael, but rejected allegations that the dead are a higher priority than the living, explaining this is simply untrue. He confirmed that pikuach nefesh indeed takes priority over bones, but this is not the case regarding Barzilai as was pointed out many times.

He added that now the Emanuel case is in the past, reminding the plenum that the High Court imprisoned Emanuel fathers, and the fast day should be a day of reflection, and there must be unity to address existential threats such as Iran, and the major issues including the Gaza flotillas – stating the tikun for sinas chinam is ahavas chinam.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

Some are asking where Chabad Chassidus stands regarding the Emanuel issue and the allegations and denials surrounding charges of discrimination in the Emanuel Beis Yaakov.

It is a known fact that Chabad mosdos are open to all, regardless of ethnic background, prompting some to wonder if the chassidus is for or against the battle. Following are excerpts from Rav Brod’s release.

Chabad spokesman Rav Menachem Brod explains, in a carefully worded statement, that it is clear that the presence of the Chabad community at the Emanuel protest was not a statement of siding with either party, not the Chinuch Atzmai officials who deny discrimination charges, explaining girls were accepted or rejected on the basis of religious lifestyle suitability, or the Sephardi parents who insist their daughters were humiliated. Rav Brod feels this is a matter that must be adjudicated by a beis din.

Chabad’s participation signaled the movement’s agreement with the outrage over the blatant involvement of the nation’s High Court of Justice in chareidi chinuch, further stating if the state would have halted state-funds to the school one would be able to understand the logic – but in this case, the court was bold enough to attempt to force the parents’ hands, to compel them to accept the court’s definition of acceptable chinuch over the words of the rabbonim.

Chabad’s way he explains is an open-door policy to all ethnicities, providing one is a descendent of the Avos and Imahos, in line with the teachings of the Rebbe ZT”L. He explained the Rebbe felt responsible for all Klal Yisrael.

Rav Brod warns the court’s involvement set a very dangerous precedent for chareidi chinuch, further warning that “we know where this involvement begins but we cannot know where it ends”.

He concludes by stating discrimination based on ethnic background is unacceptable and it must be uprooted from the community. He states it is contrary to the Torah’s way.

“The Emanuel Beis Yaakov case revealed just how painful this can be, when Jews are met with the pain and humiliation of discrimination. Whatever the case may be, the solution must be found internally, not via the secular courts”.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef, 64, who was working with Yoav Lalum in the Emanuel case remains in Shaare Zedek Medical Center. His condition appears good after sustaining a “cardiac incident” and the rav remains under observation. He is admitted to the hospital’s cardiac unit.

As the Emanuel Beis Yaakov girls complete their three-days of desegregated classes, Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Amar Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Shimon Ba’adani Shlita, of the Shas Moetzas Gedolei HaTorah, will be visiting Emanuel on Tuesday to speak with the girls about Ahavas Yisrael.

Also expected today are Shas leader Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai and the head of Chinuch Atzmai, HaRav Avraham Lazerson.

On Sunday, Migdal Ha’emek Chief Rabbi HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman visited the girls to address the same topic.

The girls are not actually in school but ‘yimei iyun’, days being used to host seminars to promote ahavas yisrael after the painful beis yaakov case.

The Sanz Rebbe Shlita released a statement that the Emanuel girls “taught us mesirus nefesh”.

In other post-Emanuel events, the Slonimer Rebbe Shlita on Monday night visited Gavaad Yerushalayim HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss Shlita to thank him for his support during the Emanuel affair.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

7:10PM IL: Channel 2 correspondent Uri Revach reports that HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef has suffered a cardiac incident and is admitted to Shaare Zedek Hospital since Sunday. The rav is admitted to the cardiology unit and is conscious and alert, speaking with those around him, and undergoing diagnostic tests.

It appears the pressure of the Emanuel Beis Yaakov case has taken a toll on many of the players, including HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef, who on Sunday canceled all his shiurim.

Kikar Shabbat reports the rav gives 40 shiurim weekly around the country, attended by hundreds. Those who were inquiring regarding the cancellation were told by family members that the rav was resting in bed, not feeling well.

UPDATE 9:46PM IL: Shaare Zedek Medical Center reports Rabbi Yaakov Yosef is in good condition.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

The Slonimer Rebbe Shlita spoke out on the Emanuel affair at a special tisch held in Yerushalayim on Sunday (June 27th), and the Rebbe spoke in Hebrew, not his usual Yiddish, to accommodate the many participants who do not understand the latter.

The Rebbe spoke of the miracles, explaining on erev shabbos the court rejected the agreement and the fathers were days from release, which meant the mothers would have been taken to prison chas v’sholom. Baruch Hashem on Sunday, the same court accepted the agreement. The Rebbe also mentioned that even though the fathers had an acceptable shabbos atmosphere, it was their second shabbos in prison and “prison is prison”.

The Rebbe spoke of the fear associated with the court’s sentence and the women and their families counting down the days until imprisonment.

The Rebbe highlighted the mitzvah of loving one’s neighbor, boasting in Mosdos Slonim, all are welcome providing they meet one qualification, a willingness to accept the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov, simply adhering to the charter of the school. The Rebbe explained that the fact that Ashkenazim and Sephardim sit side-by-side in all the schools is proof that this is the case, and accusations of racism are simply unfounded, pointing the finger at those who simply don’t understand and seek to judge but lack the ability to properly do so.

The Rebbe on Sunday also visited Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita, accompanied by Deputy Minister Meir Porush, Jerusalem Councilman Yitzchak Pindrus and other prominent officials. He wished to personally thank the Posek HaDor for his support during eh difficult ordeal.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

After being released from Massiyahu Prison four days ahead of schedule, the Emanuel fathers were driven to the Har Nof home of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, who met with them.

The day started with a visit to the Slonimer Rebbe’s home by Deputy Prime Minister Eli Yishai, who was accompanied by Deputy Minister Meir Porush and others. At that time, Yishai extended a personal invitation to the Rebbe to come to Rav Ovadia, which the Rebbe accepted. The Rebbe met with R’ Ovadia and left shortly after the Emanuel fathers arrived. Also present and involved in the process was R’ Yossi Deutsch.

The meeting between R’ Ovadia and the Rebbe was friendly and truly a rare event, seeing the gedolim shaking one-another’s hand as they work to put differences behind towards achieving achdus.

The agreement compels all sides to sit in a classroom together until the end of the school year, Wednesday, and the immediate removal of the physical partition built by the Ashkenazim in return for the Sephardim dropping all court proceedings.

The short discussion and hand shaking was following by song and dance, literally.

The Slonimer Rebbe Shlita is expected to visit Maran HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv on Sunday evening to personally thank the Gadol HaDor for his support throughout the difficult ordeal.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

11:15AM IL: The High Court of Justice has accepted a compromise agreement presented to the court on Sunday morning, hopefully brining an end to the Emanuel Beis Yaakov case. It appears that Justice Minister Prof. Yaakov Ne’eman became personally involved and the sides sat at his home for many hours on motzei shabbos to complete an agreement.

The sides, the Ashkenazi and Sephardi girls will complete the school year together, in desegregated classrooms, but the curriculum will be modified, breaking from the regular standard classroom subject matter. This is in line with Aryeh Deri’s original call for an agreement, suggesting that bring the girls together in a camp-like atmosphere, not school, and swallow the pill for two weeks to avoid parents going to prison.

Slonimer Chassidim have agreed to remove the physical partition in the school and in return, the Sephardim will withdraw all court petitions. Justice Edmond Levy at about 10:20am Sunday morning announced the agreement is accepted and that the parents are released to their homes.

Yahadut HaTorah has announced it is dismantling the protest solidarity tent outside Massiyahu Prison. A faction meeting is planned for 12:00pm to decide what arrangements will be made to formally greet the fathers who are being released from prison as we go to print.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

In his motzei shabbos drasha, Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef stated “there are batei din and rabbonim. Why did they take the matter to the secular courts?” in his weekly satellite broadcast drasha, the rav questioned why the Emanuel Beis Yaakov matter was taken to the secular system.

The Rav added that “we mustn’t be beholden to the kindness of Chinuch Atzmai, which has educated our children over the years”. The Rav calls on all his followers to enroll their children in Sephardi schools, stating today there are over 40,000 students in mosdot that have been launched by Shas. “It doesn’t say morasha kehillot Ashkenazim” the Rav added”.

The Rav used strong terms to persuade all Sephardi families to enroll their children in Sephardi mosdos, and that this is the only way to ensure they will be taught Sephardi customs and halachot.

He questioned why a war is necessary and why one must address the High Court, calling on the tzibur to abandon the Ashkenazi schools. He once again quoted the Rambam regarding one who takes matters to a secular system “raises his hands against the Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu” and does not have a share in the Next World. The Rav used strong terms in expressing the graveness of the matter, bringing the chinuch issue to the nation’s secular court.

The Rav pointed out the girls must move to a Sephardi school. “What do they teach them there? Do they learn Ben Ish Chai? They are taught the halachot of Ashkenazim”. 

The Rav concluded “Baruch Hashem our Torah is not lower than their Torah!”

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

On erev shabbos, HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef spoke out regarding Emanuel for the first time, agreeing to an interview with Kol Chai Radio. Following main portions of that interview.

KOL CHAI: Why do you need this, the Emanuel affair?

R YOSEF: From a personal perspective, it is the last thing I need. I enjoy the quiet life, learning with 1,000 people weekly, busy in our Gan Eden HaTachton, but we learn in Gemara Gittin about Kamtza and Bar-Kamtza and that the rabbonim may not remain silent”.

I simply must speak out, unable to permit the current status quo continue. An injustice was committed and the girls were ridiculed – the pure and holy little girls. Together with 33 rabbonim, we discussed this and decided something must be done. We met and decided what must be done and how to respond”.

Why is the school divided and the unacceptable concept of two teachers rooms, for Ashkenazim and Sephardim. After all the the teachers all learned together in the same seminaries and now to compel them to remain in separate rooms was absurd and unacceptable.

When I first heard of the situation I did not believe it, certain it was a fantasy, inaccurate, but later learned that painfully, the facts as presented were accurate. I then spoke with a Yemenite yid who built the physical barrier, on chol hamoed no less because he was told it was a mitzvah and it was urgent. From that day on, the Ashkenazi girls turned their backs on their Sephardi peers, former friends. 

The statements released by Slonim officials are simply not true and the separation is indeed ethnic, nothing more and nothing less than discrimination. After hearing many ideas and speaking with Slonimer officials, nothing resulted in change and today we find ourselves in the current state of affairs.

KOL CHAI: Are you certain? After all, the Slonimer Rebbe Shlita is truly a holy man, one who distances himself from politics and such mudslinging

R YOSEF: It appears that here, the soton is not sending a messenger, but has decided to make a personal appearance. I asked repeatedly to speak with the Admor Shlita but each meeting that was arranged was canceled. It appears they are afraid to permit me to meet with the Admor, perhaps aware I will explain and clarify a few things and then the Admor will open his eyes and realize who those around him really are”.

KOL CHAI: They say the rav is the one that canceled the meetings.

R YOSEF: Chas v’sholom. I have been running after them for three years to meet. I have no personal interest in the case. I am not looking to become the rav of Emanuel or open a kollel in the community.

Does Yoav Lalum have an interest in Emanuel one way or the other? No, but the moment they transgress Torah laws we may no longer remain silent. We are compelled to speak out and compelled to act. Where are all those rabbonim who signed? For three years they remained silent. Why are they speaking now? Let them remain silent.

KOL CHAI: How did this land out in the Supreme Court?

R YOSEF: For three years I called for setting up a beis din to adjudicate the matter internally and quietly. The beis din would have maintained ultimate authority, above the heads of the Beis Yaakov but Chinuch Atzmai was adamant in its refusal.

Regarding the school administers involved, they are wicked and Chinuch Atzmai not only did not distance itself from them, but gave them support. We have a 40-minute tape containing the ugly statements of the administrators, yet Chinuch Atzmai continues to give its backing to them. Chinuch Atzmai is acting foolishly. This entire affair has already cost over NIS 1 million and for what. A beis din could have been appointed, G-d fearing individuals that did what halacha instructs.

KOL CHAI: Perhaps the rav had demands that they simply could not adhere to.

R YOSEF: absolutely not. The Torah instructs us that if a side wishes to adjudicate a monetary matter, one is compelled to hear both sides in the case. We mustn’t rule without hearing both parties. This is against Torah Law. I am not aware of anyone that came to me or Yoav to hear our side. Not a single person.

Who says that which is reported in newspapers is correct? I do not judge the Moetzas HaTorah in the United States. Perhaps all the reports are lies.

The 33 rabbonim who heard both sides told Yoav that he must continue and may approach the secular courts.

KOL CHAI: It appears there are a number of other avos beis din that approved approaching the secular courts. Is this true?

R YOSEF: Yes, it is true but I will not reveal their names as to avoid their having to endure that which I must now endure. Included in the 33 are Ashkenazi rabbonim who also feel the pain, aware of the situation.

Sadly, they try to instill fear. I was the first one burned here. That is why I released the phone message to the media that I am pulling out. We are dealing with people who act like underworld elements.

KOL CHAI: What about all the Gedolei Yisrael who signed against the rav yet the rav continues?

R YOSEF: This is the work of the soton. That is the only way to explain it. Why didn’t the gedolim summon us, to speak to us, to hear the other side? They are signing without hearing the other side. Can this be? Perhaps the secretariat forged their names and signed or the yetzer hora in his full glory signed. We continued offering concession and compromise. Why didn’t Gedolei Yisrael respond? When they asked Rav Grossman last week, he wanted to compromise and we agreed. He didn’t know that a physical barrier existed in the school.

We will accept any and all compromises, but not one at the expense of the girls who have been tainted. It is simply awful and if we remained silent, it would continue around the country.

KOL CHAI: What does the rav have to say regarding Judge Levy’s ruling and the fact that he does not require rabbinical endorsement?

R YOSEF: I think the stormy emotional atmosphere pulled him in. after all, discrimination is a sickness and since when do we send sick individuals to jail? We are also dealing with their rabbonim and they were compelled by the Torah to be heard among brothers. We are all brothers and all in the same boat. That same Persian goy wants to wipe all of us out.

It is a sickness that requires medical attention but I for one still do not know of any psychologists capable of curing racism.

KOL CHAI: What does the rav have to say regarding his father’s words on motzei shabbos against going to the secular courts?

R YOSEF:  I am pained that abba did not explain it all. There are times when we are indeed permitted to turn to the civil courts. There was a case 16 years ago of a girl and they did not wish to accept her to the school. After everything possible was done, abba said turn to the Supreme Court.

I am indeed pained that they went to prison but their leaders should not have instructed them as they did, not to sit with Sephardi girls for a few days, preferring to go to jail. There is a limit to just how far illogical actions can go. Some of the parents who were slated to go to prison signed and as a result, they were not imprisoned. I personally would not have sent a single parent to jail. This is not a crime but an illness.

KOL CHAI: But why go to the court. The Ashkenazim simply don’t want to learn with Sephardim. Why not just get your own schools?

R YOSEF: In the merit of the court in this case, this will come to an end nationwide. I am not opposed and would welcome the establishment of 1000 talmidei torah but at this very moment, such a reality does not exist.

During the last decade, the frum chareidi chinuch has expanded dramatically. Yes, I want 1000 talmidei torah but we must find a solution now, today.

KOL CHAI: Many say Rav Yaakov Yosef is Kodesh Kedoshim but Yoav Lalum led him astray.

R YOSEF: I know Yoav Lalum many years, a frum man, a G-d fearing man. He is only gaining pain and suffering from this entire matter. He remains the most threatened in the entire matter. The police are protecting him, aware of the constant threats against him.

Can I remain deaf? Dare I remain silent and abandon my friend Yoav Lalum? I am not led astray, not left or right and my signature will not be found where it is not intended to be.

KOL CHAI: What does your father, HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef have to say about the entire parsha?

R YOSEF: Abba feels the pain of discrimination. Generally speaking, he does speak out against taking matters to the Supreme Court as do we. But when left without alternatives, certainly abba agrees.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

Supreme Court Justice Edmond Levy on erev shabbos rejected the proposed compromise agreement reached in the Emanuel Beis Yaakov affair intended to bring an end to the painful case.

In his ruling, Justice Levy explained the fathers serving prison sentences and the mothers slated to begin theirs upon release of the fathers is the direct result of their lack of adherence to the High Court, and this is a basic concept that must be understood. He added that ongoing efforts towards a solution cannot include the contemptuous parents who must serve their prison terms for their acts of defiance.

Levy adds the only way to release the fathers and mothers from prison sentences is compliance with paragraph 4 (a) of his ruling dated June 15, 2010, that each defiant parent submits a letter to the court stating a willingness to comply with its decision and sending daughters to the school in a full integration environment.

On erev shabbos YWN-ISRAEL reported that Aryeh Deri was working with a number of rabbonim and a compromise agreement was reached to bring the matter to an end.

It would appear that Sunday’s scheduled hearing in the case before Justice Levy will be another stormy one as the court rejected the agreement and the international chareidi community is gearing up to take unprecedented actions to prevent the incarceration of the Emanuel mothers.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

The Noar K’halacha organization headed by Yoav Lalum has called on the High Court of Justice to release the Emanuel fathers before shabbos, to suspend their sentence for two months, apparently seeking to place their jail time on hold until such time an agreement will be achieved to permit their release.

The state on the other hand experessed objections to the petition, stating the only way the Emanuel fathers can be released is if they agree to abide by the rulings of the High Court of Justice, which happens to be contrary to the rulings of Gedolei Yisrael Shlita.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

As the Emanuel fathers continue serving their two-week prison sentence, former Shas leader Aryeh Deri appears to be making progress towards a solution that may bring an end to the unprecedented affair. Deri has been working with a vaad, a committee, one that includes prominent names towards hammering out a solution.

Kol HaChareidi is reporting that the members of the vaad are going to appear before the High Court of Justice on Sunday and detail the points of the agreement, which reportedly received the bracha of the Sanz Rebbe Shlita.

Prominent Yerushalmi Sanz chossid Dayan Rav Yaakov Cohen reports the Rebbe Shlita has endorsed the agreement. Rav Cohen is the author of the sefer Emek HaMishpat and was a dayan in the beis din of HaGaon HaRav Nissim Karelitz Shlita, and today serves as a dayan on a private beis din.

The limited information available indicates that Dayan Cohen has been working with HaGaon HaRav David Yosef, and he already contacted R’ Aryeh Deri to become involved before the father were imprisoned, but that effort failed. It appears that Dayan Cohen was not deterred and continued his efforts, albeit behind the scenes.

Deri brought prominent attorney Ram Caspi into the picture, also known for being a top notch negotiator. Other personalities involved include HaGaon HaRav Yosef Efrati Shlita, Deputy Minister Meir Porush, MK Moshe Gafne, and Yoav Lalum. Reports indicate that Dayan Cohen has been seen over recent days at the home of the Slonimer Rebbe Shlita.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)

While the coalition leaders would like nothing more than putting the entire Emanuel Beis Yaakov case in the past, the chareidi legislators in Knesset, rabbonim shlita and askanim are not about to capitulate and plans are underway to increase the pressure on the coalition.

There is serious discussion regarding a worldwide 20-minute march in chareidi areas around the globe, to take place simultaneously around the world to send a clear message to the secular government of the State of Israel.

HaRav Chaim Shmerler of Shaare Ho’raah suggested the idea, which brought a smile to the faces of Yahadut HaTorah officials. The rav suggest a 20-30 march followed by a 30-minute kenos around the world. The banner headline of the event would be the outrage directed at the Supreme Court for daring to imprison mothers for seeking to educate their children in accordance to their religious beliefs and in line with their rabbonim. The event would take place on Sunday, 22 Tammuz (July 4). Sunday was decided upon since in N. America and other areas, it is a day of rest and organizers feel it will result in greater participation. At the same time, a kenos tefilla for women would be taking place at the Kosel.

A decision is pending but Deputy Minister Meir Porush appears to favor the idea and people have already begun probing the feasibility of such a plan.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)