shikron

A mediocre browser is surely better than a less than kosher browsing ability.

Isn’t there an international bridge? I believe there is. In any event, she could have gone to Jordan and back quickly.

rob: I suggested they be allowed to work at 18, not 28, without army service. They already under current law can work from 26 or 27 even if they illegally skipped the army. And no one can fight lowering the work age. If they passed a new law allowing people to work at age 18 without having served in the army — with no other provisions — there’s nothing anyone can fight. What will any rabbonim say? That the government must make it illegal to work between ages 18 and 27? That’s silly.

Regarding the second point, Bennet and Lapid’s plans do NOT allow anyone to choose non-military service instead of army service. They both insist there only be a very limited number of non-military service positions to replace army service (and extremely insufficient for how many Chareidim would choose that option) PLUS they insist that only the army can choose who the lucky few who will be offered that option. IOW, a Chareidi concientous objector whose religious beliefs preclude him from serving in the zionist military (Brisk, Satmar, Toldos Ahron, Eida Chareidus, etc.) may not even be allowed that option!

takah: Actually American diplomats in the embassy very much *will* intervene if you’re a U.S. Citizen and request their assistance. They are legally obligated to take your case up with the Israeli authorities irregardless whether or not the American citizen holds dual citizenship with any other country. As far as the U.S. Consulate is concerned you hold a U.S. passport and that is all they care about and they will intervene on your behalf.

It is certainly worthwhile getting the American diplomats (or the diplomats of your country) involved on your behalf. The Israelis are quesy about messing with America. Just the fact that America is coming to her citizens defense will possibly cause the Israelis to back off. I know of such a case where an American in the IDF was discharged only after getting the U.S. Embassy involved.

And especially considering if it is a case of a born-and-bred American citizen who lived in America and who is only a technical Israeli by virtue of one or both of his parents Israeli passport, America will certainly come to bat on his behalf.

So let the Chareidim work full time without going to the army, and they’ll pay taxes on their income. This way they won’t have to claim they are learning if they aren’t, they’ll be able to work and pay taxes, and it’s a win-win for all sides.

jf02: Do you often enjoy playing devil’s advocate? 😉

If the Israelis give you any trouble, notify the U.S. Embassy or Consulate (or the embassy of whichever country you’re from) of your troubles. The Israelis are afraid of messing or getting into trouble or bumping heads with American diplomats regarding causing problems for American citizens. (Actually with any foreign citizens but especially Americans once the embassy/diplomats start making a stink about the issue.)

Especially since technically it is illegal for American citizens to serve in the Armed Forces of any foreign nation. But it works regarding any kind of headaches the Israelis might make for an American or other foreign citizen.

I think Sunday AND Monday should be days off. It would be great for overnight trips!

I’m not sure what your children are taught, but my children are taught achdus. At home and in Yeshiva. And so are almost all frum children I know.

How can they be considered rogues? The RCA leadership is not required to take a membership vote on every action they take on behalf of the organization. The membership explicitly authorizes them to speak on the organization’s behalf on their own judgement. Hence this statement on behalf of the organiztion is no more rogue than their other recent statement condemning the mach’o in Manhattan against the Israeli draft that Rav Elya Ber and other Gedolim attended. That statement also did not entail a membership vote. To consider this rogue, you’d have to consider everything they’ve done rogue.

But if you are to be correct that they are rogue, it means they will be immediately dismissed from their leadership positions due to their rogue actions being mevaze a Talmid Chochom and Godol HaDor. In the absence of such a dismissal, the implicit understanding is that their actions were not rogue and are accepted by the membership. Time will tell which of the two possibilities is correct, and the answer will not be long in coming.

yehudayona: Lycamobile’s PAYGO is straightforward. 2 cents per minute, 4 cents per outgoing text (incoming free), and 6 cents per MB of data. $10 minimum deposit and no need for any further deposits (ever, until you run out – but it never expires as long as you make at least a one-minute call or text every four months).

As far as outgoing Caller ID, if you use the google voice android app it will show your gv number. So it will be the same for incoming and outgoing.

You have nothing to lose by trying them out for a month. There’s no contract and you can leave them at anytime. You just need an unlocked gsm phone. (They give you a free SIM card.) If you have an old unlocked at&t or t-mobile phone, that’l work. Otherwise you can buy a cheap unlocked gsm phone for $20 or $30 or so. If you want, you can even port your phone number to google voice, instead of to lyca, and forward the number from google voice to your newly issue loycamobile number.

So your only cost to lycamobile would be $10 for dirt-cheap cell service.

Also, it should be noted that Lycamobile’s pay as you go plan pricing of 2 cents a minute and unlimited free incoming texts, are perfect for youngster and elderly and any other very light users.

If the user only uses 25 minutes, for example, the entire months cost will be 50 cents! They have no minimum usage requirements. You put $10 on the account and you can let it last as long as it takes to use up. The only requirement is to make at least one phone call (cost: 2 cents) every 120 days. No need to add additional funds.

If anyone knows of ANY better prepaid plans than the ones I mentioned above from LycaMobile, whether pay-as-you-go OR unlimited, please share.

I believe they have THE LOWEST prices, bar none, from all U.S. wireless providers – whether carriers or mvnos.

The only reason not to choose Lycamobile would be if using T-Mobile is a problem for you. Otherwise they kick everyone else out of the water.

They are brand new in the U.S., so you may have not heard of them yet. But they are the largest mvno in Europe.

No, there is no cherem or any automatic status since a talmid chochom (or yeshiva) have special rights regarding being called to beis din. Halacha affords them the right, under certain circumstances, to not recognize or stand before the beis din.