As if the recent Chillul Hashem was not enough, we are once again embarrassed and disgusted, as photos of Yarmulka-wearing Jews who have been arrested, are being posted by media outlets, causing a Chillul Hashem.
According to WCBS880, the latest incident occurred in the Wesley Hills section of Ramapo, where cops say they caught two men taking mail out of mailboxes. When the car was searched, Detective Lieutenant Brad Widell says they found hundreds of opened letters and checks sorted.
“I don’t think it was their first night,” said Weidel.
Weidel says the small checks were cashed in Rockland County, but the larger ones were sent to Israel.
“They never even worried about the names on the check. Banks didn’t even necessarily examine whether the checks were made to the particular account holder or not. They just deposited them,” said Weidel.
The two men who are from Brooklyn, now face a whole list of charges, including criminal possession of stolen property.
BELOW IS AN ITEM POSTED ON MONDAY BY YWN. PLEASE NOTE THE EVENT WILL BE HELD TONIGHT:
A Letter From Rabbi Zwiebel
I am writing to friends and supporters of Agudath Israel to call your attention to an important gathering for the men of our community tonight, Tuesday, 7 Menachem Av/July 28, in the Ohr Hachayim Viznitz Hall, 1824 53rd Street, in Brooklyn.
The asifa, which is being sponsored by community askonim, will be focusing on the timeless (but also all too timely) theme of “Vi’asisa hayashar vi’hatov.” It will feature two distinguished rabbonim – Harav Avrohom Schorr, shlita, and Harav Dovid Ozieri, shlita; as well as two respected legal experts – Benjamin Brafman, Esq. and Jacob Laufer, Esq. I will be serving as the evening’s chairman. We will start with Mincha at 7:15 and then proceed with the program.
Introspection about how to better live our lives in consonance with Torah ideals is always timely. It is particularly timely during the days leading up to Tisha B’Av, when we mourn the fact that we remain in Golus, and the reasons why.
And in the wake of recent headlines and front-page photographs that made every feeling Jewish heart ache, it is even more timely for us to take a good, hard look at our obligations to our fellows, to our society, to our government.
I don’t think I can adequately convey how compelling this gathering should be to us all. But I am confident that you realize how vital it is that we hear words of mussar and chizuk, and that we learn to distinguish between conduct that conforms with dina d’malchusa and conduct that does not. I am also confident that you understand how important it is to demonstrate to the wider world how heartfelt and determined Jews respond to news like the tragic tidings of recent days. Tuesday night’s symposium and our attendance are an important part of that response.
PLEASE NOTE: The asifa will be accessible by phone through Kol Hamevaser, by calling 212 444-1100, then pressing 8, then 1.
Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel
Executive Vice President
Agudath Israel of America
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37 Responses
It’s time to educate our young people (and adults) in the LAWS of the Torah,the ethics,the mussar,the plain simple halochos of keeping mitzvohs,alongside a good secular education and the ability to earn an honest living;a trade,a profession-anything BUT how to outsmart others.
I am sure that if any “wrong doing” was being perpetrated, it was for good reason, probably to defray the costly expense of yeshiva tuition and other aspects of religious life whose costs are not met by government tax credits or other mechanisms.
Also, the act of taking others’ money and using it for these purposes is a chesed nistar, since probably those whose money was stolen were not current in their ma’aser obligations, so having the money go to tzedakah is a welcome credit to their respective accounts.
Finally, this is all the fault of the oppressors who coerce people to think creatively.
I’ve removed my yarmulke before stepping into a movie so that no one should see me and think that is OK for a frum yid to go to the movie-house. Could someone send out the global message that if you’re going to steal you should at least tuck in the tzitzis and put on a baseball cap?
I can’t believe this is happening. All I can say, is that Moshiach is coming very soon.
I am not excusing anyone, BUT MAYBE the fact that our expenses are through the roof may play a role???
How can the average Frum Couple with four Kids pay TUITION and MORTGAGE and have ANY money left over for food or clothing?
What does the average frum couple bring in after taxes? $40k? 50k?
How much is four tuitions? 30k? 40k?
Now pay your rent or mortgage & you’re up the creek without a paddle for all other LEGITIMATE expenses.
SOMETHING has to break & fast!
Of course people are (inexcusably) looking for a way out, whether it means not reporting all income or finding some shady way to increase it.
The tuition issue should be the number one issue I believe!
#2 – I sincerely hope I picked up on your cynicism!!
As Rav Gifter Z’TL used to say
“Orthodox” is a greek term. I’m not an orthodox Jew, I am a TORAH Jew.”
It’s about time people take a deep look inside themselves and start acting to all walks of life (Jewish & Non-Jewish – but certainly all sects of Judaism) with respect and let us be a “light unto the Nations” as we are supposed to be.
IS the Asifa being broadcast on the web?
#2- not to minimize the massive chilul Hashem that is going on, but Moreinu Rav Moshe Feinstein Zatzal (Vol. 2 Siman 95 of orech Chaim) rules that one should not remove their yarmulka when going into a movie theater, chas V’ashalom, as it just makes 2 chilul Hashems and adds one aveira on top of another!
Chilul Hashem is not just for the goyim, in fact the main aveira of Chilul Hashem is for other yidden, and for the person himself! see the Teshuva, and you will understand.
Yidden, its time to do teshuva and stop watching goyish movies, wearing goyish clothes, listening to goyish music, and basically being yiddishe goyim!
THAT in itself is a chilul hashem and holding Mashiach back.
#2
I hope you’re not serious.
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
Stealing is wrong no matter what motivated them, no matter what they used the money for and no matter if the victims deserved it or not.
Expenses are no excuse for crime. I never earnded more than $55,000 yet I managed to send 5 children to yeshiva and never stole from anyone.
Maybe some of these crimes are committed for the purpose of strengthening the minyonim at some of the prisons?
Since these guys committed a Federal crime they’ll be in a nice Federal prison.
Please, don’t excuse out-and-out robbery. There is no excuse.
The kinds of people who will be attending the Mussar Shmuess tonight are not the kinds of people who do house-to-house robberies.
The problem is no upbringing, parent neglect, wrong values, ignorance of Torah, assimilation to the hedonistic lifestyles of the media culture.
stupidity built on a foundation of arrogance and invincibilty!
#4, so what do you think should be done? Are you ready to pay tuition for someone else who can’t afford it? Who should foot the tuition bills?
Um, I can think of another cause for the Chillul Hashem other than pictures being posted by media outlets.
#4 It i no excuse no matter how much tuition costs are etc. Haven’t you ever heard of Mitzvah Ha’Ba Ba’Avara?
#2 telegrok – Well written and well said.
#4 – Yoeli, you are part of the problem
How awesome is it that #4 said in all seriousness what #2 said as a joke? I say awesomest thing ever.
#9 I find it very unlikely that you PAID tuition for 5 children at your income. Clarification please we would all like to know your trick. Waiting for you reply with bated breath
#3 for sure with guys like this moshiach ain’t coming
#14 That is such a profound thought. Your right if you can’t afford tuition and it would be a Mitzvah Haba b’Aveira then one should send his children to Public School. Why it is so obvious!!!
Yaakov taught Yosef the laws of Eglah Arufa in his last shiur before Yosef was sold. It was to teach him that it is the community responsibility to provide for those in need. A community cannot shirk their responsibility to help the individual.
These two kids were not stealing to pay high tuition or mortgage. They were stealing for BASIC NECCESITIES. The community chessed organizations and initiatives failed them. No one cared enough about the anonymous face looking pained and desperate, so they took matters into their own hands.
The COMMUNITY is to blame for THIS SPECIFIC Chillul Hashem happening.
Taxes are way too high, and now Obama is only looking to higher them. Not excusing anyone, like the previous posts mentioned, cost of living is very high. People are looking to stay above the tide…
Mazel Tov to Agudah for finally taking some action.
The Chilul Hashem is so great, from all these issues, that they could cause a backlash of anti-semetism that could cause harm to all of us.
The Frum community should publically express its outrage and put all these people in Cheirim. They each should be considered as a Rodef, for they will bring disaster that Jewish lives could be endangered.
#9,
You are obviously either, lying, ,getting great scholarships, or send your children to Chasidish Yeshivas that subsidise the tuition. Most of us are not so lucky!
#12,
I don’t have the solution. I am just stating the problem. That is where Agudah & other Holy organizations should be spending their time.
The tuition dilemma is totally out of hands and I AM NOT blaming the Yeshivos, I am blaming our Askanim for not working harter on Vouchers or other solutions.
I agree with Pashuteh Yid that efficiencies must be introduced, and I think it’s a great idea to hire Rabbeim for a full-day job and paying one salary and overhead per class rather than two per class. This will also allow the Rebbi to earn a full-time salary and not have to supplement his otherwise-lower salary with some other employment.
It is disgusting that people can make excuses for those who steal. Doing so shows that all of the “chinuch” that these people- the ones stealing and the ones making excuses for them- have gotten throughout their life has amounted to nothing. No wonder everyone thinks the Jews are a bunch of crooks. Our reputation is well deserved.
Almost as sad as the criminality, is all the whining about tuition expenses.
Do the best for your children whatever that may be, but do it with joy, not with a frown. Be grateful that you have the obligation to educate your children, others don’t.
Why is everything framed in terms of Chilul Hashem, as if that is the problem here. How about the blatant disregard for fundamental aveiros like “thou shall not steal.” Your headlines imply that if they were not caught we would not care; we are jsut embarrased now that they were caught. This is absurd, as you no doubt agree. Please modify your headlines accordingly.
#20 So you’re saying it’s OK to steal and cash other people’s checks from the mail if you can’t afford yeshivah tuition to avoid having your children go to public school?
#3
Mashiach aint coming to us if we dont straighten out! Dream on
I don’t understand how some people are trying to justify this by saying they needed the money for Yeshiva Tuition etc. Even if that is the case, that does not give you the right to steal.
Hillel could not afford to pay for admission to the shiur in the Bais Hamedresh so he climbed up on the snow covered roof in the freezing cold to listen to the shiur by the skylight. I’m sure he could have stolen the money to purchase a ticket to the Bais Hamedresh if that was the proper thing to do.
Please find me one Rov who says its OK to steal money to pay for Yeshivah Tuition.
We live in a community with may Gemachs and Chesed organizations. It’s true that today with the financial crises many of these organizations are stretched very thin but there is no excuse to steal no matter what the case.
We are above the U’mot Ha’Olum. We have a Torah, a Sulchan Orech and Rabonim to guide us.
Even if it was the case that they need money for food or Yeshivah tuition, did they go to their Rov and ask what they should do? I’m sure they did not or the Rov would have tried to help them find a Job, Gamach, a supporter etc.
Even talking about this is ridiculous. These is no excuse for any of this. I hope and pray to Hashem that we never see any more of these headlines.
#5, yes I was “joking”
#7, yes, I am familiar with Rav Moshe’s p’sak – I wouldn’t take off my yarmulke so much as cover it with a ball cap, but when I was in yeshiva (post high school), I thought to myself, if there is an activity with which I think about taking off or covering my yarmulke because a yid should not be seen doing it, then I probably should not do it – and that pretty much put the kibosh on my movie-seeing career
this is all very, very bad – I think that part of the problem is that kids are taught to venerate rabbonim (a good thing) but respect for civil law and authority is not taught and, at some times, even mocked – and that, nebach, is what leads to some offenses of people trying to take short-cuts and pull a shtick – but this – this thing – out and out theft – terrible
You all sound to me like smart, knowledgeable and educated. So, give me please a piece of advise. If the amount of money I will make per year is a decision made in Shamaim and this amount of money is not enough to pay for rent, food, clothes and tuition, What should I do? I definitely will not rob the bank or people on a street, I will not send my children to the public school. I can’t make my children to sleep on a street and to eat from the garbage can in order to pay tuition. I see only one solution – if I can’t afford yeshiva, I will keep them home. If I can’t afford a son-in-law, who does not want my daughter unless she will bring him a huge dowry, I will looking for a boy who wants a wife, not a money. I think today for many people money precede the Torah. This is why we have all these tzoros
#35: With all due respect, you (and no one else) should feel compelled to “afford” a son-in-law. If a man is old enough to get to married, then he should be man enough to support his wife and family. And if he has an agreement with his parents or in-laws or yeshiva or rich uncle that enables him to learn in kollel for a few years, that’s great. But if no one is able or willing to pitch in, then he needs to do what the vast majority of the world does, and that is wake up in the morning, go to shul, grab a cup a coffee, and hit the office/warehouse/sales-floor/loading dock/classroom/computer lab for eight or ten hours each day and earn a paycheck. Period. This whole mishegas about boys feeling that they are “entitled” to a stipend from the girls’ parents is ridiculous.
As for your other concerns, specifically, people who work hard but do not earn enough to pay the necessities of food, clothing, shelter, and tuition, I offer the following: food, clothing, and shelter come first. People must eat, have a roof over the their heads, and have clothes to wear. In situtations so drastic that a yeshiva cannot extend financial assistance to a child, if there is no other alternative, then public school is the only answer. Simply put, a child must learn reading, ‘riting, and ‘rithmatic. Because a child who does not learn those skills will in most cases never be able to move up the job ladder. Having said that, home schooling is certainly an option, as well, and may be an alternative to consider.
Telegrok, you are so on the money (pun intended? you decide.) that I have nothing possible to add. Good work.
if everyone would stop fighting and arguing(bieng that it is erev tish’a b’av) then maybe things will be more peaceful and moshiach can come.
I have difficulty understanding what The Yeshiva World is trying to accomplish by publicizing these terrible events. All that is being accomplished is the generation of more slander and loshon hora.
I think that you should not be tempted by the yetzer hora and print everything that comes your way.
These articles all cause terrible sinas chinum which is not what we need.