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First Republic Bank does not charge any foreign withdrawal fees, and reimburses for fees charged by the bank whose ATM was used. The exchange rate you get is the full sha’ar yatzig or interbank rate (not sure which) – better than any moneychanger.
Only downside is that you need to keep a $3,500 average monthly balance to get this.
an Israeli Yid
Vochindik – you are absolutely correct; the two tragedies you mention are clearly the Retzon HaBorei. We have Chazal who give us a reason why HKB”H allowed the Beis HaMikdash to be destroyed, and are still doing our soul searching re: the Churban that took place in Europe. My point is that to dismiss the creation of the State of Israel as a “Ma’ase Satan”, especially when there were clear miricles involved in its creation, is to deny the role of HKB”H in running the world.
an Israeli Yid
Did hashgacha pratis end in 1948? If the State of Israel exists, it’s obviously only because of the Retzon HaBorei – and the Nissim that have taken place, firstly for it to even have been established, and secondly to have continued to survive and thrive, should teach us all something. As Ma’aminim, we believe that HKB”H rules over all – and it is clearly His will that Israel exist.
That is not to say that there is not significant room for improvement – we all MUST strive to improve the situation in E”Y. However, the way to do that is to engage with the state and general population – not to close ones self off from the greater Israeli society. After all, thevast majority of Israeli society is just as Jewish as the frummest Chareidi – and we have a Chiyuv to show them that “deracheha darkei noam”. Yes, there is room for improvement – but rather than just standing there and yelling “gevaldt” about how bad things are, we should all go out and do what we can to improve it.
I put my money where my mouth is by moving to Israel (with a family) despite the difficulties – after 120 years, I want to be able to say that yes, I did do something other than sit on my rear to improve Artzeinu HaKedosha.
an Israeli Yid
On the ball – he is a Rosh Yeshiva that all were recently saying Tehilim for and who had a name added. He has now BH made a remarkable recovery (my sons saw him in Camp Agudah this summer). I was his Talmid many years ago when he gave the Chulin shiur in Yeshiva. Does that give you enough of a hint?
an Israeli Yid
The line I’ve used is “for religious reasons, my wife doesn’t shake hands with men, and I don’t shake hands with women”. By first mentioning that my wife doesn’t shake hands with men, I’ve avoided making them think that I think that women are lesser than I am.
FWIW, I can also say that I was told by a well-known Rosh Yeshiva, widely accepted as one of the premier Poskim in the American Yeshivish world, that if it’s necessary, I can shake hands with a woman in a business context, since it’s not Derech Chiba. Accordingly, when necessary or to avoid causing offense (such as when traveling in Europe, where religious restrictions are not as widely accepted), I’ll shake a woman’s extended hand – though I’ll not extend mine first.
Good luck to you,
an Israeli Yid
Write or wrong – I sympathize with you. I also note that you may want to consult your Rav, or a Rav with experience dealing with similar situations, before rejecting another Derech for your son. Your fight is to keep him a Torah-observant Jew, and that and that alone should be your focus. Externals are nice, and keeping all the “syugim” that have been set up are important, but rejecting paths that have the potential to win the main battle because they don’t preserve the less key aspects may be a case of Tafasta Meruba.
Re: Rabbi Slifkin – he is unquestionably controversial and not for everyone. That being said, please do note that he has Haskamos on several of his books from Rav Yisrael Belsky. Additionally, there are those who reject his books in general, but say that if one has a need for such Hashkafos to answer questions in Emuna, they are acceptable as a Bdieved.
Hatzlacha Rabba,
an Israeli Yid