14 Responses

1. It is important that this show and any other discussion about this topic, should display sensitivity and attention to the halachos of Shmiras halashon. Many within the community seek to use this as a ‘teaching experience’, and are quick to point fingers. However hilchos shmiras halashon specifically relates to TRUE information about individuals. Moreover if you want to approach this through a secular viewpoint, American law dictates that all individuals are innocent until proven guilty. Let us not buy into the slander and gossip that has been filling the streets. As yidden let us unite in achdus and stand for each other, in this zechus the aibeshter will allow us to be able to bring kiddush Hashem in this world. We have enough haters, justified or not, show the sensitivity you would want if you were tested.

2. Agree with #1

   People are fast to judge and slander the people going through this ordeal.

   Pure Sinas Chinom!!!! Especially when you don’t know the true facts. And you see their inflated numbers to make it look like it’s the biggest scandal in the United States.

   Have we not learned lately how trustworthy the government official are?

   Come on, lets not scream chillul Hashem.

   It seems to me that some people here would have done the same garbage when many Gedolim I. The past in clouding Reshonim and a chronic were aressted on trumped up charges. (I. E. Tosfos Tom Tov)

   After reading many forums in the YW one may come to question why is the Mitzva of פדיון שבוים so great. This is the biggest chillul Hashem, how Bnei Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov can talk with so much hate and אכזריות ר״ל.

3. Oh, of course, the specific individuals who have been arrested are presumed innocent. In fact, everyone is presumed innocent.
   This should be a theoretical discussion about the possible but unlikely event of fraud in no particular time or place. The recent allegations can be used as instructive examples of possible ways to defraud the government or others.
   The principles are the same.

   Let’s not allow our sudden profound concern for the problem of Lashon Hara prevent us from having this critical conversation.

4. The elephant in the room is: How did the biggest Kollel Community in America swallowed “hook, line and sinker” the idea of heavy dependence on government handouts to stay in learning?

5. IHateCommunism:

   Why don’t you change your name to IHateTorah?!
   Do you personally know every member of that Kollel community you just disparaged?! Who do you think are, you Rasha! Just because you decided to go off the derech and you have an ax to grind, keep it to yourself!

6. Why all the comments when there is no story? (Or is there something wrong with my computer or Internet connection?)

7. For those of you who are trying to prove these people are innocent let me remind you that for anyone to be arrested there must be proof of the criminal act taken to the Courts and only then can the Judge issue an arrest on the violators with the presence of two to three witnesses. So there was PROOF that these people violated the Laws…. Now THEY have to prove their innocence. These people have broken the Laws of G-d and of America and Israel and no one is going to keep this silent. You see Jews are called by G-d to be a LIGHT unto the Nations and the Nations know this fact therefore when a Jew commits such a crime it brings more darkness down on all of us, more then any other group of people. And it is not Lashon Hara to state the TRUTH about the Facts. All this criminal behavior going on within these Jewish Communities in America needs to be exposed and an END brought to all those breaking the Laws of G-d and of America. This type behavior committed by Jews bring defamation down upon the Name of our G-d and upon all His Jewish people. THIS NONSENSE NEEDS TO STOP….. PERIOD.

8. > Now THEY have to prove their innocence

   That alone is sufficient indication of the rest of your post. No such an idea officially exists (outside of your imagination) in either Halacha or modern secular law.

9. Please explain to me why my comments were not posted? They were much less disrespectful than some of the other comments here? Am I not allowed to question the establishment?

10. Setting all aside, who was the no good jealous whistleblower who got paid millions by the government?

11. In the US you are innocent until proven guilty, however someone cannot be arrested without Just cause and I think thats what #6 was trying to say

    Meaning the police cannot just go up to your house , knock on your door and arrest you unless they have reason to suspect you did something wrong

12. No, Kelilah, the truth is also what makes it loshon hara and no, they do not NEED to be exposed.

13. To comrade “Not getting involved”
    Torah does not equal communism!!!
    My question was not disparaged anyone! It is a reality check!
    How much does Hashem want us to rely on government handouts to stay in learning?
    How much does Hashem want us to bend the rules of those programs to stay in learning?
    We, B”H, have allot of Balei Batim in America who love Torah and want to support it, and that was the formula Hashem provided for us in the Torah, Sheivet Halevi was supported by the rest of the Shevotim to learn and teach Torah!
    For some reason this formula was changed in America and Israel in last 25-30 years due to availability of more abundant government assistance. The problem is, when government of Israel reduced their help few years ago, frum community there had tremendous financial crisis that they are still trying to recover from. Here in America we are inching closer to serious cuts and more scrutiny of eligibility for our programs, how are we going to handle that now that we are sunk in?

14. I just listened to the interview. I was not expecting much to begin with, but the guy said absolutely nothing. And worse than that, he whitewashed the situation. It’s not such a big problem. . . the average person in Lakewood does not live beyond his means. etc. etc. . .there’s no need to make any drastic changes. . . change doesn’t have to come from the top. . . there’s not much we can actually do. This is called perpetuating Rav Aharon Zatzal’s legacy of emes? Please. As I have said before, a fish rots from the head, and you can see it clearly here.