While the prime minister has never been known to maintain a religious lifestyle, state leaders acting in an official capacity over the years maintained a minimum level of tradition, including avoiding treif restaurants.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu came under fire earlier in the week after it was reported that he was dinning with his good friend and philanthropist Sheldon Adelson, enjoying a high-end treif restaurant. The criticism leveled against the prime minister was particular harsh in the dati leumi and chareidi media.
It would appear the outrage did nothing to dissuade the prime minister who later in his US visit was photographed in another treif restaurant, this time in a more official capacity. He was dining with Ambassador Ron Dermer and his wife along with other staff members.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
Nebach – he just doesn’t realize that he has such an opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem with his actions. May we all wake up and grab the opportunities we have in our immediate grasp !
ah loshon hara on erev yom kippur, why is this muttar?
There are numerous high-end & elegant restaurants in NYC, that there is NO reason to do tried,
Bring back the days of Menechem Begin, a walking kiddush Hashem.
#2, many hold that he is a mumar and there is no issue of loshon horah.
Lets leave the driving to Greyhound, and the judging to Hashem!
With all Netanyahu’s shortcomings, he does much to make Jews look good in these dangerous times, as a polished defender of the Israeli position. Joan Rivers, the recently departed famous comedienne, who might not have gotten rave reviews for her observance level, made the most courageous heroic fearless statements to the press in defense of Israel regarding the recent war, right before she died.
‘Yesh koneh olamo b’shaah achas—one can acquire his [entire] world as a result of one momentous decision,’ the Chofetz Chaim said.
#4, could you tell us who these “many” are?
Would those of us who keep kosher go eat at a restaurant without verifying its kashrus solely because someone told us that “many” people think it’s kosher, without even specifying who? Lashon hara is at least as serious a mitzvah as kashrus, so you’d think one should err on the side of caution when there is doubt.
Maybe we’re not so much better than Netanyahu.
Include him in your tefillos when you beg HaShem to give a hisorarus l’tshuva to the entire Am Yisroel.
mdd,
a mumar l’hachas is different than a mumar l’teyavon
on someone is not shomer the torah there is no issur of loshon harah
Daven for him to do תשובה. In contrast, Ilan Ramon ז”ל, the Israeli astronaut who perished in the Space Shuttle explosion, was very caring to be מקדש שם שמים, as he stated, “I’m representing the Jewish people!”
Netanyahu is not a bad person. Daven for him to be חוזר בתשובה.