Following the meeting between President Reuven Rivlin and Admorim and Roshei Yeshiva Shlita, Mr. Yitzchak Ravitz, husband to the president’s bureau chief, spoke with Kikar Shabbos News. The meeting was to discuss ways Mr. Rivlin might be able to assist Mordechai Yitzchak Samet, who is serving a 28-year prison term in a US federal prison.
Mr. Ravitz explained a number of hours following the meeting that President Rivlin does not have the tools to assist Samet. Ravitz labeled the meeting “one of historic proportions”, adding he does not recall a time when so many gedolei Torah met with the president of the state in the past.
They discussed items of relevance, including the matter of Samet’s case. Ravitz stated the president seemed genuinely interested in hearing the opinion of the gedolim on various issues. He added that Mr. Rivlin always maintained a good connection with rabbonim; as a MK, Knesset speaker and now as president of the state.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
So with all the injustices going on in the world, this is for what they feel is most important to gather together to help?
“Rabbi Mordechai Samet. Samet, Kiryat Joel in New York State, found guilty in 2002 of illegally obtaining $4 million through a variety of schemes and frauds, including filing false death claims and soliciting money for fictitious lotteries”
Yes, pidyun shvuyim applies even if the person violated secular law. Secular laws punishments are far far in excess of Torah punishments.
1. Why on earth should the President of the State of Israel lift a finger to help a ‘chossid’ of Satmar – a movement that seeks the destruction of the State of Israel?
2. There are many good and worthy Jews in Israel and abroad who truly need and deserve help. Why have we never seen such a mishlachat rabbanim come to the President to ask him to assist any of them but only to seek help for this one wealthy, convicted Satmar felon?
Seriously, isn’t there a certain amount of basha to ask the President to help a convicted felon!!!
Convicted in a vindictive country that jails people with highly unjust terms.
@Yagel Libi – There is a big difference between not recognizing the legitimacy of a government by not voting in national elections and not accepting government funding and seeking the destruction of that government. So many seem to forget that the Satmar Rav was planning on settling in Eretz Yisroel in the 50s and was the head of the Eida HaChareidis (which, by the way, disavowed themselves from the Neturei Karta close to 40 years ago).
@bklynmom – May I assume, therefore, that you have never advocated for Jonathan Pollard or Shalom Rubashkin?
#6- There is indeed a big difference between not recognizing the legitimacy of a government by not voting in national elections and not accepting government funding and seeking the destruction of that government. Sadly, Satmar seeks not merely the destruction of the government but the destruction of the state itself.