The Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva released a blistering letter of protest against individuals who brought Republican candidate for NJ Governor, Jack Ciattarelli, into Beth Medrash Gavoah.
Ciattarelli was in Lakewood on Thursday, and was taken around Town to various locations. Among the stops the candidate made was the famed Lakewood Yeshiva. YWN has confirmed that this was done without prior approval from anyone in the Yeshiva administration, and the Yeshiva responded forcefully on Friday morning in a public letter.
LOOSE TRANSLATION OF LETTER:
“We are protesting with all the force against the Chillul Hashem (desecration of G-d name) and the Bizayon (defamation) of the honor of the Torah and those who who learn it…. that a few individuals without permission from the Yeshiva brought political people into the walls of the Holy Yeshiva, and exploited a Makom Torah (place of Torah) for their personal political agendas.
Signed: HaRav Malkiel Kotler, HaRav Dovid Schustal, HaRav Yisroel Neuman.
As YWN reported earlier this week, NJ Governor Phil Murphy visited Lakewood, where he was warmly greeted by the Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva who held private lengthy meetings with him, as well as visits to every single major organization and Mosod in Lakewood.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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30 Responses
The bottom line is $$, as it is with our entire community. The leadership of the Yeshiva does not want to be seen as having been on the wrong side of the election. That way they won’t have to worry about losing $$ from the state. That’s what happens when $$ and constant building and over development is more important than anything else. Our Torah community is obsessed with $$. When will we learn?
Yes,you can only bring in leftist Democratic atheist politicians who believe that murdering tens of millions of unborns and even partial borns is not only permitted but a MITZVAH ,and anyone who dares to disagree is a bigot and a terrorist.
You can bring in perverts who believe in TOEVAH,and same gender marriages , and it must be sanctioned by the state,and when a caterer in Colorado refused to cater a wedding for two men who were getting married,his business was closed down by the Democratic run city.
And they insist teachers in public schools should be teaching to 9 year olds about the subject of same gender love and marriage.
But when a conservative Republican, who believes in God and the Bible,who is for family values,he shouldn’t be let into the Yeshiva ,and that’s a chillul Hashem.
If someone can explain me the logic in that, I am waiting
Every other day there are groups of people receiving tours of BMG. It’s amazing how they are using the cloak of daas torah for political interests that are clearly only beneficial to them.
Looks like a kiddush Hashem…
I understand why they’re upset, especially as this is not BMG’s preferred candidate and they did not ask permission, but I don’t understand the language used in their condemnation.
In what sense is it a Chillul Hashem and using “Torah” to advance oneself?
(Eretz Yisroel Haredi yeshivos that accept government funding do this all the time.)
I’d be interested in seeing a more comprehensive teshuva.
please please someone explain what in the world is going on here?
What’s the chillul Hashem?
What’s wrong with wanted a republican governor?
Why did they let the Democratic dude in the week prior?
I’m sorry but this is not ok. The Rabbanim in Lakewood are really trying to skew the election in favor of Murphy. People can make their own choices, they should allow this choice. Both Murphy and Jack are good for the jews and don’t seem to want to harm us. This is really a form of cancel culture and has got to stop!
Is it not lashon horah to show pictures of people supporting his visit given the facts of the article?
You can do better than this yeshivaworld!
He takeh should not of been brought in without rishus. A Bais Medrash is kadosh and no lowlife politician, regardless of party, should be allowed in, unless you’re Hillary Clinton. Her, they proudly paraded in.
The BMG hanhala have already made up their minds that they are supporting the pro gay marriage/pro abortion candidate, Phil Murphy. Nu nu. If you recall, they proudly supported the pervert Jon Corzine over Chris Christie. Hmmm, who won that race?
Big deal. This is a pretty straightforward issue:
People have the right to vote for whoever they choose, and BMG is private property.
BMG is supporting the incumbent and have a political issue with what these people did. But invoking “holy walls” and all that stuff is nonsense – it’s just not the candidate they think will win.
As YWN reported earlier this week, NJ Governor Phil Murphy visited Lakewood, where he was warmly greeted by the Lakewood Roshei Yeshiva who held private lengthy meetings with him, as well as visits to every single major organization and Mosod in Lakewood.
Are you insinuating to a double standard?
Kol hakovod to R’ Kotler, er. al. for their immediate and forceful condemnation of this absolutely stupid stunt by some miguided askanim. Murphy may have lots of policy issues, but he has been totally supportive of the Lakewood frum tzibur and the BMG mosdos.
Where is Rav Yeruchum Olshin?
And just wait!!
They may lose their tax-exempt status over this.
It is illegal for a 501C organization to endorse political candidates….
Sadly this is the result of how Trumpism and Republicanism has reached a level of religion replete with dogmas and fervent beliefs among too many frum yidden r”l. The merging of Protestant conservative values with Torah true ones is truly a churban.
All this is transpiring by ignoring those who make decisions al pi ruach hatorah and instead chosing to follow the self-appointed political pundits and operators of the moment. It is being led and fed by the so-called “kosher” print media that permeates the homes of frum yidden and by sites that echo the same narrative. Let this be a wake-up call that daas torah is not daas baal habayis and that yiddeshkeit is not Republicanism,
Regardless of your opinion on this, a purported “yeshiva world” website has ten+ posts of people publicly maligning roshei yeshiva and gedolei torah. That is a chilul hashem accoridng to everyone.
Yidvocate:
Since, from the facts of the article, one realizes that the people in the photo did nothing wrong, there’s no loshon horah in showing their photos.
I watched Channel 4 news and they seem to be worried about Phil Murphy’s election. They say NJ has not re-elected a governor for 40 years.
Murphy did not come come inside the Yeshiva – he met with them elsewhere.
Many major Yeshivas in the past have brought non jews into the Beis Medrish
Maybe they just want him to go into the freezer 🙂
1. The Republican candidate will win an overwhelming majority of the frum Lakewood vote. This is despite any endorsement of the Democrat governor by BMG askonim. This scenario exactly happened last time. The askonim endorsed the Democrat but the Lakewood vote went Republican.
2. The only reason they’ve endorsed the Democrat is because they know he’ll win and that the Republican has no chance. As such, they’d rather have influence with the winner, having endorsed him. Even though they know the Republican is far far better on the issues.
3. What’s with this stupid idea of the gentile wearing a Yarmulka? It serves absolutely no purpose.
@YWN are you a member of the Democratic party media division? Why don’t you post my comments?
Moderators Response: If you have something negative to say about Gedolim, why don’t you take your message to them directly. I am sure Hagaon HaRav Yisroel Neuman, likely the Masmid of America, will be glad to entertain your drivel.
@shlita1234 – “U’Bacharta Ba’Chaim!” True we can all make our own choices, but we also must live with the consequences. “Gadol mi’tzuveh vi’oseh yoseir mei’eino mi’tzuveh vi’oseh!”
I don’t know why, but the Lakewood Oilom, for the past few years, started voting exactly the opposite of whatever BMG recommended.
BMG is like any other political entity, they are only out for themselves and will endorse where they feel the money is, when Jack wins I hope there are repercussions for BMG! Just know actually in a LNN poll 85% of Lakewood will be voting for Jack, I guess the populace is sick of politics as usual
A few years ago senator Rand Paul visited BMG. I wonder what changed?
Tremendous chilul Hashem! No pumpkins displayed in the yeshiva. Disgraceful. He will think we are bumpkins that don’t have pumpkins in honor of Haloween. Learn from the Rosh Yeshiva! When he meets the governor, there are pumpkins all around. No pumpkins is a shanda.
@YWN I didn’t C”S say anything negative about them rather stated it wasn’t their choice and they were forced to sign.
@crazykanoiy
You write, “The merging of Protestant conservative values with Torah true ones is truly a churban.” Rav Avigdor Miller always advised voting for the more conservative candidate.