The case of the allegedly abusive mom from the chareidi community, suspected of having Munchausen by proxy syndrome, is not losing its place of prominence in the news.
The big news that began late Tuesday night was carried as a major story in all the daily newspapers on Wednesday, all reporting the toddler is being transferred from Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital to Tel Hashomer Hospital in Tel Aviv, to the satisfaction of the Eida Chareidis, the family and the chareidi community. The news of the transfer was carried by all the media, with Tel Hashomer releasing a statement late Tuesday night confirming the report.
YWN did not publish the news on Tuesday night, waiting for confirmation on Wednesday morning, which came in the form of widespread media reports during the early morning hours. Later in the morning, both Hadassah and Tel Hashomer released statements to the press that the reports are simply inaccurate, with Hadassah stating the child will remain where he is until a court decides otherwise.
Some in the chareidi community seem determined to use this case to advance the community’s cause, and YWN has learned there are mounting tensions between Toldos Aaron and the Eida Chareidis surrounding the case, with the Eida seemingly using it to advance its political powerbase.
There are reports which are unconfirmed by Bikur Cholim Hospital officials that some 25 Satmar askanim in the United States are working to purchase the financially ailing hospital, which they plan to convert to a state-of-the-art chareidi medical facility, delivering a final blow to Hadassah.
Hadassah staff members are reporting the boycott is evident, with less chareidim coming to the hospital, and reports that boggle the mind confirm that some people insist they be taken elsewhere, even at the expense of compromised medical care, all to drive a point home.
Senior Hadassah official Dr. Yair Birnbaum has received death threats, as has Ruthie Shapira, who heads the city’s chareidi department of the city’s social services, blamed for calling the mother which led to her arrest. In one threatening phone call she received, the caller stated, “We are going to get you, your husband and your children. We know where you live” Ms. Shapira told police. In addition, security cameras have been installed in some offices in the hope of identifying some of the hooligans, and social workers are carrying teargas as per the directive from city security officials. Authorities have also placed security outside Shapira’s home, as well as a panic button inside her home.
To her credit, Shapira on Wednesday morning explained that she feels most of the chareidi community still wishes to work with her and her staff, and they are quite concerned over recent events that are basically halting care to many families in stress. She did state however than regular operations will not resume until such time that she and her staff are assured they will not be targeted in attacks.
Hadassah also continues to insist it has some 40 minutes of video footage showing the ill-actions of the mother, backed up by police, adding Rav Weiss Shlita has refused to see the footage which they are confident will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the child’s mother did indeed sabotage his medical care.
HaMevaser reports Deputy Minister Rav Meir Porush is remaining tenacious in his calls for a state investigation into the handling of the affair by various government agencies, including Israel Police, Hadassah, social services of Jerusalem, and the mayor’s office.
Eida GAVAAD Rav Tuvia Weiss Shlita appears heavily involved, as are Porush and askanim including R’ Avraham Freilich, who is responsible for the mother who remains in house arrest, Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, and prominent chareidi askan, journalist and notable Dudi Zilbershlag. Zilbershlag is a lone voice decrying the vandalism and destruction, insisting this is not the way of torah Jews. Zilbershlag on Wednesday afternoon also commented on the “irresponsibility” of hospital spokespersons for releasing messages of the imminent transfer of the child when such an agreement was not reached. He also confirmed the wealth of disinformation surrounding the case, which he states from his perspective, has become extremely complex.
It is evident there is more here than just a case of alleged abuse, but no one seems to be willing to release information as why this case, what exactly prompted the Eida Chareidis to launch an all-out war over this 3-year-old boy who appeared malnourished, and is now improving according to doctors Baruch Hashem.
The mother, Yenta bas Yocheved, has finally met with the psychiatrist, Dr. Weill, who stated he needs to see her at least another one or two times to formulate a professional opinion as to her mental status. Chareidi officials have indicated it will not happen, that mom has complied with the court, meeting the psychiatrist.
The violence and hooliganism has abated for the time being, but the case is far from over. Hadassah is juggling anti-chareidi PR and a growing boycott, fearing fundraising ramifications too. Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court Justice Doron is less than pleased with the minimal compliance, R’ Freilich seems pleased with the present situation, and Rav Weiss Shlita continues to deny reports that he has been meeting with Hadassah officials to reach an agreement. R’ Porush wants justice, the father and the other children are officially in hiding, and the pashkavilim in Meah Shearim continue to draw analogies to the missing Yemenite children and episodes in history far worse. Unfortunately the term “Nazi” is being used far too freely and some members of the torah community seem to feel justified in continuing to arbitrarily destroy property and make threats, all towards advancing the cause.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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25 Responses
Nothing changed in the past 2,000 years. We still cant get along. Anyone ever heard of having a respectfull conversation with love to our fellow Jews?
Whatever the true story is, everyone can at lest agree that the child is ill.
Why then do we only know her mothers name and not hers.
Shouldn’t we be davening for her recovery?
All these interfering people have forgotten the isuue: the welfare & safety of a 3 year old child! They see it as anti-Charedi rhetoric & actions, instead of what it is: people doing their job. Can you imagine the outcry if the hospital did nothing & the child died???
As for Rav Weiss – how can he “refuse” to see the video? It must be because he believes if he does see the footage he will have to accept the hospital’s version & that this woman is sick & dangerous, & he isn’t prepared to do that for whatever reason.
Finally, what would happen if this was a SECULAR child being abused? Where would these stupid, vengeful people be then? Answer: NOWHERE! Non-frum people aren’t people anyway, so who cares?
Mr. Spira, perhaps if, while writing this article, you would avoid the descriptions of hooliganism and violence and focus on the toddler, mom and family, we would be able to understand and believe what’s REALLY happening with the toddler case. I can’t help but be turned off by the apparent “yellow-journalism” in the way you reported the case from onset.
I agree and decry the actions of the perhaps demented individuals that the media is so excited about, but lets not get them confused with the REAL issue at hand.
This is just so sad. The Yetzer Hora is panicking that is Moshiach is round the corner… This is just keeping Moshiach at bay.
It seems to many of us – that the Charedi Askonim in this case are totaly wrong. I think other Askonim should step in.
Let them get their own Hospital, I wonder, who are going to be the Dr’s since the “charedis” do not go to Medical School (only in the US but not here in Israel)….Then they would have to go to the same Dr’s that they spitted on… Go figure..
It is not clear why the Eida acts as a State within a State. It is equally unclear why the State of Israel allows this behavior to go unchecked.
No doubt, the financial situation is difficult today and it is even more difficult to raise funds in this environment. What will happen if the Eida boycotts Hadasah? They will not get medical care.
I am not sure why some of us support the Eida through their Hashgacha the Bada’z.
It may be time to send a message to the Eida, – We are not asking you to accept the Medina, but recognize that you have something good, and appreciate it.
In the two thousand years since the churban you didn’t have it this good.
YWN is the only media outlet reporting the transfer. The MSM online sites either do not carry the item or state that Hadassah Hsopital any rumors of a transfer,
It seems the Eida hacharedis has learned how to manipulate the media from the Palestinians. In the begiining of the second intifada amd in Gaza the Arabs would rush out with falses charges against Israel to the media and they woul be inmmediately broadcast. These baselesss charges such as the Jennin massacre and the Al-Dura “deate” of the 12 year were all proven false but their damage to Israel was immmense.
Similarily, those close to the Eida and the family has made all sorts of charges against Hadassah which have infiltrated into the Charedi conscioussness which will harm both them and the hospital.
Both Mr. Zilbershlag and the woman’s attorney had promised to realese documents that show that the boy in question has cancer and was given chemo-therapy. They have not done so.
Secondly, Why did the hospital take so long to determine it was the mother? Simple: it never entered the head of anyone in the hospital that a charedi mother would hurt her child.
What’s a chareidi medical facility? Will the doctors be chareidim? Why the need for a “chareidi” hospital – how would it be different than a normal one?
The hospital has to show that its actions were proper, and even the secular press finds something amiss (removing a feeding tube would require a nurse, was he treated for cancer or some other disease, did the doctors fail to communicate with the parents or engage in arrogant or threatening behavior). Having accused the mother of abuse and mental illness, they need to prove it in an open forum. The easiest way for the hospital to do this would be to move the child to a totally unrelated and heretofore uninvolved facility and get an independent opinion, but they seem afraid.
The Hareidi community needs to find a better way to fight the government, however given the less than democratic nature of the Israeli government and the absence of a respected and politically neutral judiciary, there isn’t much one can do other than civil disobedience (it’s not like we have the option of raising an army and engaging in open resistance – we wouldn’t want to even if we could).
What an interesting Hashgacha pratiut occurred yesterday!
While the Israeli doctors in Hadassah Ein Kerem are still denying any malpractice and negligence on this chareidi child, the Rebono Shel Olam brought chaos into Romania because of Israeli doctors. Can anyone dispute the MIDAH KENEGED MIDAH?
The news all over reported that Israeli doctors in Romania are suspected of illegal fertility operation and that the State Prosecution indicted 22 suspects, including Harry Mironescu (Miron) and his son Yair. (Any relation to Dr. Yair Birnbaum, General Director of Hadassah Hospital?)
One of the media sources stated:
“THE HEAD OF THE ROMANIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION on Tuesday COMPARED THE ACTIVITIES of the Bucharest fertility clinic, whose Israeli directors have been arrested on charges of trading in ova, TO NAZI PRACTICES. (Did they take the words off the bulletins in Israel where the same was posted last week?) Professor Vasili Esterestua told Romanian TV that the ISRAELI-OWNED CLINIC CARRIED OUT MEDICAL EXPERIMENTS SIMILAR TO THOSE THE NAZIS DID IN AUSCHWITZ and was characterized by severe ethical deficiency…. Esterestua said THE DOCTORS BREACHED THE VERY BASIC MORAL STANDARDS.”
I think the Starving Mother is to blame for the Buchareshausen turmoil. The director of Hadassah hospital should immediately go there with the Social Workers and the Israeli Police and put the Romanians into a dungeon, torturing them until they’ll admit that it’s a libel against honest and reliable doctors who can be trusted with their eyes closed. The money the doctors of Hadassah got from the government for their experiments should be used to bribe the Romanian officials into opening a Hadassah Ein Kerem clinic in Bucharest where it will be chareidi free and Rabbi Weiss will have no say.
Uzi007 and Berelshain seem to be unaware that Shaarei Tzedek was founded by the charedim for precisely the sort of reasons that are given now, and functioned as a charedi hospital under the supervision of R Shlomo Zalman Auerbach until the ’70s, when a radical change in management prompted him to withdraw his name.
Bar26 and fellow YWN readers-just a small thing to think about :
Hodesh Tov. As you may be aware today is Rosh Hadesh Av. The nine days begin today and we should be working overtime on acchavat chunim to help rebuild the bes hamikdash.
Additionally today is Aharon Hacohen’s yarzeiht. He epitomised ohev shalom verodef shalom for ALL jews but especially those that had gone astray. Through his love and care he brought them back into the fold and caused love between parties who were fighting each other.
Let us all try and make the effort to lessen the hate within our comments and bring about real achavat hinam for one another and therby be zoche for the biyas goel .
One anonymous poster said it well: I don’t believe a word of it! Now the doctors and social worker are trying to gain sympathy by playing victim, they complain of death threats. It’s another ring in their chain of lies.
Another one added: And now all left wing writers will come and yell that there’s “evidence” that he got death threats… It’s all full of baloney, one big master plan of persecution against chareidim, no proof and no evidence on nothing, just hate and propaganda, there is surely much more surprises to come.
Actually the comparision to the yemenite story is a very good one! It always reminds me what these so-called israeli “mentchen” are capable of! Could anyone ever say such a story about the chareidi “hooligans” ?! Ppl have a tendecy to be anti chareidi!!! period! Any person with half a heart and a bit of knowledge into israeli history wouldn’t trust these barbarians!!!
#14- I think you missed the Hashgocha Pratis!! It’s pretty obvious – the doctors can’t be trusted! And why do you blame a poor innocent mother (as my sources tell me) for anything at all??? She’s suffering now (more than just having a sick child) because of the doctors!!!
Beautifully put, #16. I hope your words have some effect on the posters her (but I am pessimistic)
To all those who don’t believe a word of it – have you seen the video tape?? None of us have seen it, so how can anyone take a definitive position as to what really happened in that hospital room?
Ahavas Chinam.
Sinas Chinam.
Hashem is still the Only One who knows why this kid wasn’t eating.
I am sure that none of the YWN posters made him sick, or have the power to repair the damage single-handedly. We DO have the power to do More damage chas v’sholom, by continuous koching in someone else’s pot.
Do any of us remember the expression
Mind Your Own Business?
By mixing our own agendas into the PRIVATE world of this family, nobody has done the parents or the children a service.
If you care about other Jews daaven for them, be they charedi, chiloni, or extra-terrestrial!
Destroying the function of society is not something to be proud of. Raising paranoia so that nobody can get to a doctor is insane.
Both sides have completely lost faith in each other. Unfortunately, trust is easily damaged, and takes a lot of time to heal. Healing takes place in a calm environment.
May all Jews be zoche to see our trust in each other restored, and be rewarded with an everlasting trustworthy relationship… with Hashem.
Bim’hayra, Be’yamaynu
#22
The only reason why you commented on this forum is antithetical of your position…
Well, that’s why we’re all here- to express our feelings and views as pertaining to what’s going on in the world.
You can also express your view of not to express yourself!
Is this a news article or an editorial?
“Unfortunately the term “Nazi” is being used far too freely and some members of the torah community seem to feel justified in continuing to arbitrarily destroy property and make threats, all towards advancing the cause.”
Whether I agree with you or not I would prefer the info. Allow me to make the moral judgements here. I have no reason to believe that you are more suitable to do that than myself.
Accordingly I find your information accordingly suspect as you appear to have an agenda albeit I am not sure what it is…..as of yet.
Why is there so much hatred in most comments?
YWN did not publish the news on Tuesday night, waiting for confirmation on Wednesday morning, which came in the form of widespread media reports during the early morning hours
FOLLOW YOUR OWN ADVICE
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/%e2%80%9cshabbos-shabbos-rally-in-yerushalayim
“The problem is compounded when religious people who ought to know better get swept up in the propaganda”
“Most disturbing, why is it that the religious media falls into the trap of accepting wholesale misrepresentation of the truth?”
So many of your readers think that there should be a hospital run for the chareidim. Where will all the doctors and nurses come from How many people in the chareidi community will allow there children to study and train to enter the medical field I have spent 3 weeks in Hadassah Ein Kerem with a very ill child and I will always be indepted to them for saving my childs life.In fact instead of Shabbos being very depressing being away from home and family it was an uplifting experience especially as there is a special room prepared for all the patients and their families were they can enjoy the true atmosphere of Shabbos with beautiful prepared meals,seperate seating, zmiros and divrei Torah Maybe people should see what really goes on in Hadassah instead of this terrible behavior by fanatics in our community