Thursday, July 24, 2014

Rivky Stein & Yoel Weiss: Rifky's Beis Din does not exist at 1278 E 72nd st.

Guest Post by Verification of Address

I contacted twice Chabad of Georgetown of 1278 east 72nd Street Brooklyn NY 11234 via phone#: 1(718)444-3770, and spoke twice to Choshuva Rebbetzin Holtzberg; After she consulted twice with her Choshuva husband HaRav Avrohom Holtzberg שליט"א, then she came back with a very clear answer (on behalf of her husband, the רב), that the above חב"ד of Georgetown is NOT related in any way to any בית דין or דיינים and NEVER hosts any outside בית דין\דיינים in their Shul/חב"ד of Georgetown; Furthermore, they are NOT related/involved in any way with the controversial divorce case of Stein vs. Weiss. 

Therefore, their above mentioned address, is definitely not affiliated in any way with that so called בית דין of Mill Basin, NOR it's so called אב בית דין ודיינים (and their so called חרם NEITHER). So therefore, there's definitely NO point at all, for Yoylie Weiss to try to also go at the above mentioned, as confirmed with owners of that same address.... Now, let's just hope that the 1278 East 77th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11236, is the Correct Address of that בית דין and hopefully things will work out right, and that it's Rabbis and both parties etc. will all show up at that same place and time to achieve the goal of getting that Get controversy OVER.

Rifky Stein & Yoel Weiss: The embarrassing silence from the media about being fooled by Rivky's story

I was about to write a post on this subject when I received the following cogent and sensitive comment that I decided to post it instead.
 =================
Guest post by  Guy Gustafson

What I find really wacky is that after all these recent developments and exposures none of the media circles have put out an updated or new story.

All the old stories are still up there and doing a search on google news for "Rivky Stein" or "Yoel Weiss" brings up news articles from the New York Daily News to Jweekly (and about this issue the Daily News hasn't said anything new about this for days and Jweekly hasn't said anything for weeks).

The articles on news sites and various blogs (aside from this blog) read as if the verdict is already in and that Yoel Weiss is condemned and that Rivky speaks truth as if she gave the Torah on Mount Sinai.

I think Yoel has more then vindicated himself and at the very least has shed some serious doubts on Rivky's story which I would think she would have to defend... but no she does not because as far as the media in concerned the story hasn't changed since they first heard about it and only if you happen to read this Daas Torah blog will you get an alternate side to Rivky's story.

I don't understand it. I would of thought the media would have a field day with this. I mean this is drama and entertainment of the highest order (sorry Yoel but it is, I myself don't follow news stories so much anymore but this one had me hooked from the beginning, its so alarming!)

Everybody loves it when a liar gets outed in the media, look what happened when Susan Smith and Lance Armstrong got there lies smashed into pieces (the latter spent a whole session with Oprah and his sociopath sob story).

I'm not saying that this case is anywhere close to the level of exposure of the above heavyweight all time media highlights that will never be forgotten. but this is a very serious Jewish community issue and its not an isolated incident.

When men start dating after this they are going to be obsessively looking for signs of psycho with a magnifying glass in every woman thus extending dating for months or years. I imagine men are going to turn away a lot more women for marriage at the slightest perceived sign of instability or wackiness.

But better that then to marry a super-psycho! Background checks, private investigators and references equal to that of getting a job in the US secret service will be necessary. cause I'll admit until this circus I myself was not too concerned about this issue but now its a very very big concern.

I'm fairly confident to say that most people have met people like Rivky Stein somewhere throughout there lives so everybody knows they exist.

I remember people I met at all levels of schooling and at various work places. People who I initially found to be engaging and interesting and with time passing small signs of crazy started showing and then they accumulated to the point of discomfort and then fear - cause they got too close and how could I get rid of them now?

If you have been in that kind of situation you know how uncomfortable and spooky it can be and how much effort and thought has to go into avoiding them after you have befriended them. Now imagine that happening after you married someone cause you didn't check them out closely enough during the dating process!

So for the sake of this alone (although exonerating Yoel is in its self a good enough reason) that the shofar on this issue should not be put away but be blown to warn unmarried Jewish men to be REALLY careful and scrutinizing when dating.

So this is why its important for these new developments to get into the media; news, blogs, and social networking sights need to be brought up to date.

Yet aside from Daas Torah - there's silence all around and worse; the perpetuation of the old and obviously fabricated story. people on Facebook (not that I'm a member thank G-d) are still condemning Yoel Weiss and calling for him to be burned at the stake.

They are ready with their cyber pitchforks and burning torches to form a mob and cast him out of existence with such certainty that he is Frankenstein. this is very likely to be just because they haven't heard latest events making up much more then half the story.

So if the people heard the closer to full story they can stop screaming to rip off Yoel's head and stick it on a spike, step back, think, reform their opinions and apologize to Yoel and ask forgiveness for so naively accepting lashon hora (evil speech) and spreading it. At the very least they can just stop verbally bashing him and celebrating Rivky raising her ego to the heavens.

But I guess if that never happens Yoel will just have to pack his bags cause his reputation got so tarnished that he can never live a normal life again and move here to Israel where nobody knows him thus fulfilling the mitzvah (commandment/obligation) of dwelling in the land of the Jewish people.

Hey if you look at it that way once again we see that every thing G-d does is good and there is a silver lining to every dark cloud. Come home Yoel the unmarried girls here need you!

Rivky Stein & Yoel Weiss:Rivky Stein's "Beit Din" - Forgery in the name of a "higher calling"

Guest Post by RaP:

Once upon a time, forgery was an art that called for skill. In today's computerized world anyone can copy, create or photoshop almost anything. In recent years there has been a rise of printing falsified documents that have Halachic ramifications. It is now very easy for anyone to "copy and paste" the signatures of the most famous rabbis or create ex nihilo cyber and fictitious rabbis as if in a "movie". Once scanned, Halachicaly important documents can be easily forged and reproduced to suit almost any need or whim, especially for a "higher calling" made to fit!

Over the few years that this blog has been in existence such things have not been uncommon. During the time of the Tropper and EJF scandals concerning conversions, so-called Halachic "guidelines," "statements" and "declarations" came up from nowhere by forging the signatures of rabbis, manufactured out of thin air by means of photoshopping in order to prop up a point of view attacking the standing and positions of other rabbis deemed not sufficiently strict enough. All in the name of the higher calling of "stricter standards"! In another instance, even though a famous rosh yeshiva had requested that his signature not be used and removed from supposed declarations online, they were not removed in spite of that rosh yeshiva issuing a call and letter to say the exact opposite of what others were printing and posting, all in the name of the higher calling of "helping" a woman get her Jewish divorce.

Another instance from recent years is when a supposed "kol koreh" (signed notification made public and posted on street corners) was circulated with supposedly dozens of signatures against a popular Hasidic singer who was forced to cancel an expensive concert. Even after a number of rosh yeshivas and rabbis made it very clear that their signatures were forged, nothing was done to retract because, naturally, it was all for a "higher cause" of stopping concerts deemed "not frum enough" that made it "kosher" even if it was a provable prefabricated lie!

Now, with the proponents of those fighting for Rivky Stein to obtain her get (Jewish divorce), this phenomenon of forgery of Halachically important documents appears to have again reared its ugly head and risen to new heights of absurdity, with the seeming "manufacture" out of thin air of a fictitious "Beit Din" (court that rules on Halachic matters), complete with fake "summonses" and letters of "excommunication" for the one who supposedly defied this figment of someone's imagination. All this of course is done in the name of the "higher cause" of helping a suffering woman win her freedom from the father of her children.

What the forgers seem to forget in every case, is that sooner or later there is going to be a discovery by the public that documents were forged, especially serious documents with Halachic ramifications, and in every case the ones behind the forgery were revealed to be for what they are, not knights in shining armor fighting for a "higher cause" but just manipulative and desperate fools who deluded themselves that they can count on the world's gullibility to swallow their forgeries forever.

Rivky Stein & Yoel Weiss: Rikvy the Aguna, the Selling of the Brooklyn Bridge and other tall tales - Yoel refutes her claims

Guest Post Yoel Weiss - 4th attempt to arrange a Get

I have not heard back form Rivky Stein, for 7 days or from any of her rabbonem, advisers, supporters, about a set time when to arrive at her Beis Din to arrange for the get, I therefore decided to write a 4th public announcement, directed to Rivky's supporters and to the entire Jewish community who has wholeheartedly donated funds to Rivky's cause.

I've sensed from comments on Rivkys Facebook, that many of you are not satisfied that I decided to provide Rivky the get as soon as August 6th, or even sooner as I announced in my 2nd public announcement. Instead of encouraging Rivky to show up to receive the get your comments seem to be all over the place - and clearly designed to instigate her not to show up, with all kinds of cockamamie excuses.

The big question that comes to mind is, why would Rivky's supporters attempt to hinder her receiving the get? After all, her entire website and public relation - fundraising was all about helping ''free the aguna Rivky Stein''.

I guess the answer is pretty simple. You probably know good and well by now, that Rivky concocted this entire Beis Din story. You know that there is NO such Beis Din. You know she never sent me any hazmonos. (summons to Beis Din) You know there was NO cherem.(excommunication order). All her crying kicking and screaming, and her entire website was designed to defraud the good hearted public, to shower Rivky and her accomplices with hundreds of thousands of dollars. The Beis Din and Excommunication order, was the necessary fundamental underpinning tool to shed creditability on Rivkys story. This false Beis Din excommunication order, obviously ignited the public to send her donations to help free the aguna.

Who would ever believe in their right mind, that this little innocent aguna, and her acquaintances had the guts to cut and paste documents to fabricate a Beis Din story, that has no hands or feet, all in order to fool the Jewish -and the non Jewish people worldwide, to swindle them out of their money to help the aguna. What a Chillul Hashem rl.

Now that you all know the truth, that Rivky bluffed her way through, concocted this entire Beis Din story why would any of you still support her crying wolf -- aguna tactic story .Why would any of you aid and abet and encourage a criminal extortion enterprise?!

The answer I believe is, that you probably still don't know the entire truth. You probably believe, that since this poor little aguna is telling a horrible abuse story, there must be some truth to the story. Because if there is smoke there must be fire. How else would it be possible for a young soft spoken frum woman, to dramatize such crazy stories?

So you think that the answer is, that some abuse must be true. On the other hand, I assure you, that very soon you will learn the entire truth, that not only was there NO Hazmonos/ NO Beis Din/ No Excommunication order, you will shockingly learn with hard evidence that there was never a fire, the entire abuse story is nothing but a smoke screen designed by Rivky's partners - all for monetary gains.

During the 4 years we lived together, Rivky never filed any complaints to any authorities, rabbis, or doctors. She has no evidence to support her abuse story whatsoever. She has no abuse pictures, she went to the mikva every month and not a single reliable witness can support her abuse story. Its all a bunch of dramatized bubamayses which she and her accomplices made up. They, detected early on Rivky's weakness and desire for attention, they decided she is the perfect prey for them. Hoping to make millions of dollars they manipulated her to file these ridicules ludicrous false allegations, that she was kidnapped, and my entire family tortured her for the entire 4 years we lived together...crazy ah? or crazier then crazy?

The evidence surrounding the circumstances during the 4 years in question, mirrors a happily married Rivky, spending her days shopping, eating at restaurants, attending weddings and parties, walking in the park with the kids, often vacationing etc etc etc.. Her story that she put up a show the entire 4 years, with glitz and smiley faces, all because she was so so afraid of me, holds no water and makes absolutely no sense. The facts reveal just the opposite. Rivky abused and terrorized me the entire past 2 years.

She filed false allegations against me and against my family demanding 480 million dollars, obviously she is not and was not afraid of me. She had me arrested 5 times under false pretences where each time I spent the night in jail, obviously she was not afraid of me. She shocked the conscious of the entire Jewish community by launching her Chillul Hashem website, lying and deceiving the media and the entire world collecting hundreds of thousands of dollars in charity, slandering me and my entire family as never heard before,--- obviously she is not afraid of me.

Imagine, Rivky, even had the guts to post a false Beis Din/ Hazmonos, / false excommunication order / false Beis Din address that never existed. Think about it for a second... Does Rivky's actions fit this little fearful nebbish aguana that submitted herself to be kidnapped, raped, and tortured for 4 long years all because she was afraid of me?! I am certain if you decide to be honest with yourself - the answer is obvious.

The clear answer is that Rivky is far from the little goody goody goody girl, and she was never afraid of me. Just to the contrary, she was always the bully in the house. She always got what she wanted, when she wanted, and at any price. More to the point, Rivky's friends at school remember her to being a bully. On the other hand, I was never a bully, never had a drop of violence in me. Rivky's past two year actions make it clearer then clear that she is not the fearful woman, who would like her supporters to believe otherwise that she was always afraid of me. Rivky, would never put up with any abuse or bullying for one second, she has no issue voicing her opinion. She let herself be heard when she accused her now parents, father and mother of being abusive. She let herself be heard when she accused landlord son of abusing her which resulted in her getting evicted from her apartment.

These are all made up concocted stories by Rivky.

Simply put, the reason she was silent for 4 years, is because there was no abuse whatsoever. Her entire abuse story is based on greed, and rests on fabricated lies and delusions. Something she has been suffering from since she is 11 years old.

Rivky, through her media campaign, has painted me as a rapist, kidnapper, slavemaster, abuser, thief etc etc.

 Its time for everyone to acknowledge the clear truth - it is all a big lie!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Rapfogel Sentenced to Three and a Half Years for Stealing From Charity

NY Times   The longtime executive director of a prominent and politically connected Jewish charity in New York was sentenced on Wednesday to three and a half years in prison for stealing more than $1 million from the organization.

The director, William E. Rapfogel, who led the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty for two decades, faced a sentence of four to 12 years when he appeared at State Supreme Court in Manhattan before Justice Larry Stephen. But under the terms of a plea agreement he accepted in April, Mr. Rapfogel paid the remaining balance of $3 million in restitution in exchange for a shorter sentence of 3 ⅓ to 10 years. [...]

Rav Sternbuch is sitting shiva for his sister a"h

bhol

ברוך דיין האמת: אמש נפטרה האשה החשובה מרת מסיא (מוזי) ליברמן ע"ה כשהיא בת 89 בפטירתה.

המנוחה ע"ה נולדה בלונדון בשנת תרפ"ה לאביה רבי אשר שטרנבוך זצ"ל. אביה שהיה סוחר היה מקורב להגאון רבי חיים עוזר גרודז'נסקי זצ"ל ולגר"א וסרמן הי"ד.

לאחר נישואיה עם הגאון רבי יצחק צבי ליברמן זצ"ל התגוררה במנצסט'ר ועמדה למען בעלה שהיה מרבני המקום. 

ניחום אבלים בבית אחיה ראב"ד העדה החרדית הגר"מ שטרנבוך בביתו ברחוב קצנלבוגן 4 שכונת הר נוף בירושלים לפנה"צ בין השעות 11:00 ל13:00 בצהריים ובערב מהשעה 18:00 עד 21:00 יתכן שבאחד מן הימים ישב בבני-ברק.

Schlesinger Twins: Michael is losing control because he is causing suffering to himself and others

As those who have been following the tragic saga of Dr. Schlesinger's battle to control and impose his will on Beth and the twin - his life is seriously unraveling. 

While initially enjoying a series of inexplicable successes 1) convincing the court to take full custody away from Beth - despite the fact that the police had thwarted his illegal attempt to have Beth committed to a mental hospital. He did this despite the clear record of his abusing Beth physically and mentally which had resulted in him being kicked out of the apartment by the police and given only supervised visits. The court's bizarre rational for ignoring the clear documentation of Beth's competence and his incompetence was that he was interested in providing the twins with therapy for their apparent developmental delays - while Beth (on the advice of the pediatrician and other experts) felt it best to wait a little longer since it was possible that this was a normal and not unusual delay. Thus full control of the twins was given to him when they were two years old. 2) Michael has had amazing success in denying his wife overnight visits or weekend visits with her children - as well as arbitrarily and illegally cancelling scheduled visits with them. 3) He has succeeded in avoiding court mandated psychiatric tests which would clearly show that there is something seriously wrong. 4) He has succeeded in fighting off Beth's appeals - all the way to the Supreme Court of Austria. 5) He has enjoyed the support not only of the community but also of a number of prominent rabbis - despite protests from rabbis around the world  that a terrible injustice was occurring. 6) This support exists despite a variety of newspaper exposes that have consistently described him in very negative terms - without having his offering one word in his defense. 7) He has done this despite the fact that he has no money and is using a government supplied lawyer - while he has forced Beth to spend a fortune to lawyers and for fees to a government agent every time she sees her kids. 8) He has succeeded in pulling all this off despite not being highly regarded either in his community,  in his profession or personally. 9) He has succeeded in convincing the court that he should have full custody - despite the fact that he has little time for his children and they are being raised by two Filipinos- instead of their loving mother. 10) He has full custody despite the fact that he obviously has significant personal problems such as anger control and has difficulty in relating properly to his children. 11) He has succeeded in maintaining full custody for 3 years despite that the fact that the 5 year old twins are not able to speak full sentences and have other developmental delays. In addition they have apparently not received a proper psychological evaluation for these problem - especially in determine the degree that his relationship to them has caused these problems. 12) Against the law he has succeeded in convincing the twins' school not to tell Beth anything about her children - even when they had a birthday party!

So why isn't Michael smiling?

The answer is that his run of "luck" is reversing. 1) Beth was recently given overnight visits every second week - after three years of only daytime visits. 2) The judge in the case seems to be finally acknowledging that the present arrangement is not optimal for the children and is now giving Beth a chance to show that she deserves to have a greater part in her children's life. 3) The children - while clearly developmentally delayed and showing signs of having a very traumatic existence  - are nevertheless still having a very close and loving relationship with their mother 4) The children still seem to have the potential for growth and recovery from the poor parenting they have had - as long as Beth receives full custody in the near future. 5) Beth - despite all the pressures she has been under including attempts to get her to abandon her children and move back to England - is still optimistic and determined to fight for her children's well being. 6) While Michael clearly has had the problematic Austrian judiciary on his side, it is clear that Beth now has a momentum of  world wide support. It now seems an obtainable goal that in the near future she will - G-d willing - be getting full custody and the ability to return with the twins to England. It also is clear that Michael's obsession with control is in fact destroying his life and that the only pleasure he gets from life is having power over the lives of the twins and Beth. It is urgent for him to relinquish control before all is lost 7) Relative to his potential his career is in shambles.  He left the Wilhelminenl Hospital without being awarded a specialization and he's now working for a few hours a day in a mental hospital. Rather disappointing for him since he had aspired to be a cardiologist. Of course it is not surprising that his career has not advanced when he spends all his energy trying to control and making the lives of Beth and the Twins unpleasant. His victory over Beth has become a tar-baby that is destroying him more than he is destroying others. Michael's victory is truly a Pyrrhic victory.

My advice to Michael is to stop fighting Beth while you still have something to save.


Please say Tehilim #130 everyday for the twins to be freed into Beth's full custody

ספר תהילים פרק קל
א) שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת מִמַּעֲמַקִּים קְרָאתִיךָ יְדֹוָד:
ב) אֲדֹנָי שִׁמְעָה בְקוֹלִי תִּהְיֶינָה אָזְנֶיךָ קַשֻּׁבוֹת לְקוֹל תַּחֲנוּנָי:
ג) אִם עֲוֹנוֹת תִּשְׁמָר יָהּ אֲדֹנָי מִי יַעֲמֹד:
ד) כִּי עִמְּךָ הַסְּלִיחָה לְמַעַן תִּוָּרֵא:
ה) קִוִּיתִי יְדֹוָד קִוְּתָה נַפְשִׁי וְלִדְבָרוֹ הוֹחָלְתִּי:
ו) נַפְשִׁי לַאדֹנָי מִשֹּׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר שֹׁמְרִים לַבֹּקֶר:
ז) יַחֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל יְדֹוָד כִּי עִם יְדֹוָד הַחֶסֶד וְהַרְבֵּה עִמּוֹ פְדוּת:
ח) וְהוּא יִפְדֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל מִכֹּל עֲוֹנֹתָיו:

NYC Heath Department: Metzitza alert - new cases of herpes


Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Rivky Stein & Yoel Weiss: Is Rivky an Aguna? She has not responded to offer of Get for 5 days!

See Yoel Weiss offers to give Rivky Stein a Get

Yoel Weiss wrote:

It's been five days [as of July 22] since I went public that I was interested in meeting Rivky Stein at her Beis din. I have not heard a word from Rivky Stein her lawyer the Beis Din her brother Ezra Stein Yossi Bomberger Uziel Frankel everybody got an email.

Is it that hard to get her 3 rabonem who placed me in Cherem. [excommunication] because I supposedly ignored the Beis Din.

As many times I tried, I was unsuccessful to reach those 3 rabonem to arrange a set time for the get. Please urge Rivky and her advisers to invite the 3 Dayanem "Rabbi Chaim Taub ('dayyan') Rabbi David Binyamin Abales ('av bais din') Rabbi Yehoshua Goodman ('dayyan')" at the address cited on their Hazmonos 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234 which is also the same address on the face of the excommunication order, where the excommunication proceeding supposedly took place. ...

Rifky Stein & Yoel Weiss: Yoel announces he will give Rivky a Get day after Tishba Av - but only if her beis din shows up

Important Update Tuesday July 22, 2014 from Yoel Weiss

See Is Rivky Stein an Aguna? She has not responded to offer of Get for 5 days.

 Important Update Sunday July 20, 2014 from Yoel Weiss
To Daas Torah and to Rivky's supporters.

It has come to my attention that Rivky would like to have the get sooner then the day after Tisha Bav Wednesday August 6 2014 at 12pm at noon. I am making a 2nd  public announcement that she can pick a date and time of her choice and that of her  3 rabonem who placed me in Cherem. [excommunication] because I supposedly ignored the Beis Din.

As many times I tried, I was unsuccessful to reach those 3 rabonem to arrange a set time for the get. Please urge Rivky and her advisers to invite the 3 Dayanem "Rabbi Chaim Taub ('dayyan') Rabbi David Binyamin Abales ('av bais din') Rabbi Yehoshua Goodman ('dayyan')" at the address cited on their Hazmonos 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234 which is also the same address on the face of the excommunication order, where the excommunication proceeding supposedly took place. a link  
The email address to her Beis Din bdmillbasin@gmail.com
The telephone number to the 347-875-7874
And the address to the Beis Din 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234
Please updated on your Facebook so everybody knows what time to be there
Also you can try reaching or Rivky Stein or Uziel Frankel @ 917-282-4855 He is the one who Created the Beis Din if I don’t hear from any one I will be there at the day after Tisha Bav Wednesday August 6 2014 at 12pm at noon.
  ==================================================
 Just received this announcement 
*****please read*******


=================================================
To Daas Torah and to Rivky's supporters.

Many of you have voiced a one sided opinion on the matter between Rivky Stein and myself, questioning my integrity, taking Rivkys side at face value that, 1) she summonsed me to Beis Din to give her a get. 2) I refused to go to the Beis Din, and 3) I refuse to give the get.

Since Rivky turned her divorce into a public matter, I am announcing publicly that I have full intentions to give Rivky the get. My Choshiva Rav and Dayan, initially advised me to wait till the outcome of the secular proceeding Rivky initiated before I render the get. However, after getting a massive feedback how unfortunate this private matter has risen to a public chillul Hashem berabim of no comparison, the Rav, in a sudden paradigm shift, called me last night, that its more important to dismantle the Chillul Hashem vehicle Rivky and her advisers erected. I therefore wish to share with all Rivkys supporters and admirers, that I intend to provide Rivky Stein with a get the day after Tisha Bav Wednesday August 6 2014

I intend to show up at 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234 the Beis Din Rivky Stein & chose, the very Beis Din who supposedly sent me 3 Hazmonos, which allegedly I ignored. This is also Rivky's Beis Din who placed me in Cherem. [excommunication] because I supposedly ignored the Beis Din. As many times I tired, I was unsuccessful to reach those 3 rabonem to arrange a set time for the get. I therefore make this announcement publicly. Please urge Rivky and her advisers to invite the 3 Dayanem "Rabbi Chaim Taub ('dayyan')  Rabbi David Binyamin Abales ('av bais din')  Rabbi Yehoshua Goodman ('dayyan')" at the address cited on their Hazmonos 1278 East 77nd Street Brooklyn, NY 11234  which is also the same address on the face of the excommunication order, where the excommunication proceeding supposedly took place.

I intend to show up Bezras Hashem at 12 pm sharp at Rivky' Steins & UZIEL FRANKEL Beis Din located 1278 East 77nd Street  Brooklyn, NY 11234  since these three Rabbonem are not known to anybody but to Rivky Stein and{ Uziel Frankel } , they will need to identify themselves, present proper identification and credentials that they are indeed rabbonem who can handle a get in general.

In light of the fact that Rivky's Steins and{ Uziel Frankel } Beis Din placed me in Cheirem [excommunication] it will require once I appear at the Beis Din that the same rabonem void their excommunication, regardless of the outcome in the get proceeding.

Rivky is now a celebrity, she washed her dirty laundry in the public, its now time to get the laundry to dry up in public. We will make certain to have a media blitz to witness the 3 Rabbonem conduct the get proceeding, and the nullification of the excommunication, which has caused tremendous shame and pain to me and to my entire family.

Rivkys supporters, please come and join the get proceeding at 1278 East 77nd Street  Brooklyn, NY 11234 We intend to serve refreshments to all her supporters, so please don't eat too much, and make sure to dress appropriately not to make a chillul Hashem when you talk to the media.

This is Rivky's only chance to receive her get. If only heavenly permits it, and Rivky and or her 3 rabbonem don't show up at the identified address to except the get, she will need to live the rest of her life without a get. I will obtain a heter mayeh rabbonem and move on.

The Seminary Scandal and Halacha by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

 update - this is a modified version that Rabbi Hoffman gave permission to post

By now, many people are aware of an unfortunate scandal in four of the religious seminaries for women in Israel.

The case was first taken up by the Chicago Beis Din and then handled by Rav Mendel Shafran’s Beis Din in Bnei Brak, Israel. The latter distinguished Beis Din did ensure that the offending party was no longer involved in the education of the seminaries, and declared that the seminary environments were safe.

The Chicago Beis Din still had some serious reservations about how the matter was being handled by the latter.

Generally speaking, when an untoward situation exists, it is necessary to completely “clean house” and ensure that there is absolutely no control or influence of an offending party over students or staff. This would include even being in charge of the building facilities, educational programming, and financial responsibility. It is also necessary to make sure that any new owner not be tied to the offending party in any manner or form. These criterion were not met to the degree that the Chicago Beis felt necessary.

The Rabbonim of the Chicago Beis Din have spent more than three months conducting intensive investigations both here in the United States as well as in Eretz Yisroel. In fact, it held multiple hearings in four different locations. The Rabbonim also interviewed multiple complainants, and numerous other witnesses. They both consulted with mental health professionals and reviewed many documents. These documents included e-mails and text messages. They also heard testimony, including admissions of critical facts, by the defendant.

In the past, we as a Torah community have not been very good at effectively preventing such abuse within our ranks.

There is no question that there are halachic authorities that sanction the past methods of minimal and quiet intervention where we handle all such matters internally. However, experience has shown that this either doesn’t work anymore, or never even worked in the first place.

There are numerous Mitzvos involved in taking decisive action to ensure that future victims are protected. The verse in Parshas Ki Taytzai (Dvarim 22:2) discusses the Mitzvah of Hashavas Aveida – returning an object with the words, “Vahashaivoso lo – and you shall return it to him.” The Gemorah in Sanhedrin (73a) includes within its understanding of these words the obligation of returning “his own life to him as well.” For example, if thieves are threatening to pounce upon him, there is an obligation of “Vahashaivoso lo.” The psychological repercussions that victims develop often causes them to, r”l, ideate suicide and also to abandon Judaism. This can be confirmed with experts in the field.

Lo Saamod Al Dam Rayacha

There is a negative Mitzvah of not standing idly by your brother’s blood as well. This is mentioned both in Shulchan Aruch (CM 426:1) and in the Rambam.

Lo Suchal l’hisalaym

There is yet another negative commandment associated with the positive commandment of Hashavas Aveida, and that is the verse in Dvarim (22:3), “You cannot shut your eyes to it.” This verse comes directly after the Mitzvah of Hashavas Aveidah. The Netziv (HeEmek Sheailah) refers to this Mitzvah as well. We as a community cannot shut our eyes to this type of activity anymore.

V’Chai Achicha Imach

The Sheiltos (Sheilta #37), based upon the Gemorah in Bava Metziah 62a, understands these words to indicate an obligation to save others with you. The Netziv in his He’Emek She’ailah understands it as a full-fledged obligation according to all opinions. He writes that he must exert every effort to save his friend’s life – until it becomes Pikuach Nefesh for himself. Thus, even when faced with intense pressure, it is our communal obligation to stop this type of activity within our midst.

V’Ahavta l’Rayacha Kamocha

The Ramban, Toras haAdam Shaar HaSakana (p42-43) understands the verse of “And love thy neighbor as yourself” as a directive to save him from danger as well. Although he discusses the issue of medical danger, it is clear that this is an example, and it would apply to danger from activities of molestation as well. Even without the Ramban, however, it is clear that defending and protecting someone from danger is a fulfillment of this Mitzvah.

Our Ineffectiveness

The repercussions of our ineffectiveness have led to four very unfortunate situations. It has led to untold suffering on the part of the victims themselves and on the part of other students who have attended these seminaries and now are at a loss because their spiritual guide has fallen. It has also led to a situation where the public has lost much of their trust in their teachers and Rabbis. And finally, it has led to untold suffering and embarrassment for the families of the perpetrators themselves.

The efforts of the Chicago Beis Din, however, with the haskama of leading Gedolim, represent a sea-change in how we are dealing with these types of scandals internally. The Beis Din has handled the situation with a strength and sensitivity that, unfortunately, in the past has been rarely seen.

The growth we have witnessed in how these matters are handled involves a greater sensitivity to the needs of the victims in terms of both closure as well as counseling and a firm commitment to ensure that the situation not repeat itself again. This can only happen if we adopt the idea that “Sunshine is the best disinfectant.”

Which approach is most ideal when dealing with such a horrific topic? Do we follow the lead of the Chicago Beis Din where we need to completely “clean house?” Perhaps the field of Kashrus may be instructive here. In kashrus, when an owner is caught selling tarfus, changing the management is not adequate. Recent events have born that out. Shouldn’t our children be treated with at least as much dignity as our meat?

The author can be reached at yairhoffman2@gmail.com