Yamim Noraim theme: Chareidim are not all bad...

Forwarded by MMH:

I am sure that readers of the AJNWatch blog will be just as proud to see the following items as I was.

MJCF - a very well run Tzedaka organisation.

And a report in J-Wire about a fire on Erev Rosh Hashana "Adass territory":

A catastrophe was narrowly averted in Melbourne’s ultra-Orthodox community on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.

Twenty-two firefighters battled a blaze in a house in Oak Grove, Ripponlea – opposite the Adass Israel synagogue – on Sunday morning around 09:20, according to the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.At least four fire engines arrived within five minutes, according to the MFB, and brought the fire under control less than half an hour later.

“Fire damage was confined to the rear of the property with the remainder heavily smoke-logged and requiring extensive cleaning,” a MFB statement said. “A twin adjoining property that shared a common wall was not affected.”

A MFB spokesperson said it was thanks to the smoke alarm that the mother was alerted and was able to get her children out safely after a blaze started in the laundry and spread to the roof and the hallway.

Members of the ultra-Orthodox Adass Israel community rallied to help the family just hours before the New Year.Shlomo Boruch Abelesz, a longstanding leader of the Adass community, said he believed it was actually the home of Lubavitchers.“The good news is that the Adass community seems to have come to their aid with everything from lodging to food and clothes,” he said.

It is estimated that the repair bill will reach about $30,000, according to the fire brigade.

 

And a "Thank you" published via Galus Australis:

 

 

On behalf of The Jacobson and Cyrulnik families I would like to say an incredibly huge and endless thank you to the Adass community for all your incredible, and overwhelmingly kind help on erev yom tov when a fire was ablaze over our two adjoining homes.

I was personally brought to tears by the incredible, ceaseless display of unbelievable ahavas yisrael on erev yom tov: the offers of housing that sprung forth immediately, the offer and actual delivery of clothing for the children, the offer and delivery of a huge abundance of food, and the non-stop drop-offs from families of cakes and the like. The family that immediately took my children to their house and fed them and took care of them for hours while we quickly set up for yom tov after being outside for hours. You even went so far as to bathe one of my children and prepare them fully for yom tov, when you have your own large family to get ready. Truly I do not have the words to express the gratitude of the heart that prevails so deeply. Your abounding display of chesed is absolutely inspirational and overwhelming in its detailed consideration.

When I heard the blasts of the shofar on yom tov my heart was overwhelmed with emotions, especially evoked by your selfless complete mesiras nefesh in helping your fellow Jew at such a pressured hour. I wish I could thank each and every one of you who offered and gave kindness. You provided menuchas nefesh amidst the initial anguish, fright and worry, before we knew what had happened. We received non-stop words of encouragement and consolation, and you even asked what we needed from our houses, and convinced firemen and police etc to let us in for urgent things.
How could one repay you all for your abounding kindness? I can only ask Hash-m with all my heart that in the merit of all the kindness you offered, showed and did, that He may bless your community with kindness a trillion-fold, from now and forever. May He pour out an abundance of blessings with endless chayay, banay, mezonay revichay b’gashmius and ruchnius, always in peace and joy. May you all be blessed with long lives and a year of revealed overflowing blessings – beyond nature and beyond this world… into this world revealed!

Since Hash-m blesses us mida kneged mida, I am left feeling immediately on Sunday, with such unbelievable ahavas chinam, we will surely see Moshiach this year. How could Hash-m not answer and send him this very year. Your acts of kindness no doubt have broken open the gates of shomoyim, and it certainly has to be a year of revealed miracles for all Am Yisrael immediately now! I can only say that certainly you have, so to speak, rebuilt Beis Hamikdash with your unbelievable and abounding kindness, which we are in awe of. All of Am Yisrael can learn what kindness with mesiras nefesh is from you.

I am in awe of the unbelievable Adass community’s tremendous boundless kindness and thankful to Hash-m from the depths of my heart for sending an immediate nechama. I am privileged to live by you, and have contact with you, and humbled beyond belief at your actual mesiras nefesh in kindness for your fellow Jews bli gavul, boundlessly, beyond all boundaries.

 

On behalf of our two families, thank you, thank you, thank you. I wish the heart could aptly transcribe what it feels to paper, and the soul what it senses. Meanwhile, please accept these words as a form of thank you from us, who are absolutely humbled and endlessly grateful for your unbelievable kindness.

Thank you, thank you,

With heartfelt eternal gratitude,

Gmar chasima tova in blessings beyond nature, and abundant revealed endless bountiful good in this world!

 Mrs Leah Jacobson on behalf of the Jacobson and Cyrulnik families

The story also made it to a USA Jewish newsblog:

Ajax Football Club promotes Chillul Shabbos!

Guest post from "A Frum sports-lover"

So now it is not only the AJN that encourages and sponsors Chillul Shabbos but also the Ajax Football Club together with the help of a bunch of sponsors who shamelessly advertise a "Community Day" where boys and girls, young and old get together and desecrate the holy Shabbos.

This outrageous and disgraceful violation must be condemned by not only observant Jews but even those who may not label themselves as such - but hold dear the traditional way of life of our people.

And to my friend Sam Lipski, what were you thinking? You are, as we all know, a warm-hearted Jew who knows far more about genuine Yiddishkeit than most of the community. How could you in your role as head of the Pratt Foundation approve such a sponsorship? (And really, do you really think that you are doing any favours for the Neshama of the late Dick Pratt, by spending his money and using his name to promote Shabbos desecration!?  Avu iz dein seichel? Why not get the AJN to headline a report on this event with "Chillul Shabbat in memory of Dick Pratt"?)

 

And where are you, RCV, COSV and our choshuveh Rabbonim? I have yet to hear that any of you has publicly condemned this Chillul Shabbos bifresiya. With the Yamim Noraim upon us, you have opportunity to beמוחה  with a צעקה גדולה ומרה.

Please don't take this lightly. Remember what Chazal say: (שבת נד ב):

 מי שיש בידו למחות על אנשי בתו, ואינו מוחה – נתפס על אנשי ביתו; באנשי עירו, ואינו מוחה – נתפס על אנשי עירו; בכל העולם כולו, ואינו מוחה – נתפס על כל העולם כולו

And as most of the Australian Rabbinate identifies with Chabad, let me quote the Alteh Rebbe זצ''ל in his Tanya:  ! מי שיש בידו למחות ואינו מוחה נקרא רשע

Jerusalem rabbinate emulating Rabbi Meir Rabi?

Guest post by Kosherman:

Well, it seems that Rabbi Meir Rabi had the right idea when introducing cameras for 24/7 monitoring of some establishments that are under his supervision.

No less than the Rabbinate of the Jerusalem Religious Council will now also be installing these devices in eateries that they certify.

Here is the article published on the Jerusalem Kosher News website confirming this development. It adds that the "superfrum" (my description) Badatz Edah Hacharedis also has cameras in certain cases.