KA and the Treif restaurant in the Jewish News

We have countless times criticised the AJN for advertising non-Kosher establishments and products. (See here, here, here and here.)It is shameful behaviour proving that they sell their souls for a few dollars.

One would never see a non-Halal eatery advertised in a Muslim publication. But the 'voice of Australian Jewry" has no qualms about promoting desecration of Torah laws and at the same time hurting the feelings of thousands of traditional and Torah-observant Jews.

This week their insensitive behaviour went a step further. Opposite a half-page advertisement inserted by the NSW Kashrut Authority publicizing their services, the AJN placed a full page full colour ad for a Treif restaurant.

"Zeh keneged zeh"! What a disgrace! Are they totally brainless?

The KA should refuse to pay for this repulsive stab in their back by the publishers and generally should reconsider the value or even if there is a  Halachic hetter of adverting in such a publication.

And that,  by the way, goes for all religious institutions and organisations (and families) Australia-wide.

These day with the Hamodia widely available as well as email lists compiled by all groups, there is far less need to use the services of people who repeatedly spit in our face and degrade our religion.

 Think about it.

Shabbat Auctions

When walking past an auction board in our 'frum' neighbourhoods and seeing that it will take place on a Shabbat, one often hears murmurings accusing the estate agent of 'anti-semitism'.

We strongly disagree and suggest it just shows a lack of professionalism on part of the agency who after all these years haven't caught on that by having a Saturday auction they are missing out on the possible bids of Orthodox Jews. If vendors and agents want more buyers at auctions, Saturday is the wrong day to have them.

By the way when they place their advertisements in the AJN, you'd expect that the staff member handling the call should have enough 'seichel' to enlighten the agency about this most vital issue.

This 'krenk' is noticeable in both Melbourne a Sydney. The above auction notice was placed in this week's Sydney edition.

Pull up your socks, estate agents and the Jewish News.

PS: We realise that there are possible solutions to overcome this Halachically. However to do it in a 100% Kosher (and legal) way is not so simple. There is no reason why Orthodox Jews deserve this extra headache.

Reform rabbis and circus clowns

"Krusty the Clown" - another  beneficiary of Israel's Ministry for Culture and Sport?

There has been a lot of publicity in the Israel and Jewish media about the 'recognition' of reform clergypeople by the Israeli government insofar as a handful of them will now qualify for a government salary. It is obviously a move by the Israeli government to basically "shut up" the Reform movements stirrers in the US, some of who have far too much influence on ministers and Israeli internal affairs.

It is telling that the single 'redeeming feature' (if that's what it can be called) of this news was that the salary to be paid will not be forthcoming from the Ministry of Religion budget but rather from the Sports and Culture Ministry. AJNWatch presumes that this is the government department that allocates funds to theatres and actors, circuses and clowns. In a way this seems quite apt when considering the acting out and farce of Judaism that those clergy-performers do within and without their religion's temples.

 AJNWatch has yet to notice any Reform commentator mentioning this underhanded insult to their leaders.

* * *

Meanwhile our local rabbinate responds with the (more or less) as expected feeble statement to this outrageous stab in the heart of traditional Torah Judaism.  (See here.)

What is it with our respected rabbis? Is there really nothing that is holy and dear to them to be worthy enough to issue a firm and unyielding condemnation upon this shameful travesty? Had this happened a decade or two ago there would've been loud protests and no shortage of condemnations. But these days the only time we hear strong statements from rabbis are when it comes to Rabbi Meir Rabi and his Kashrut supervision organisation. Everything else is hushed up and swept under the rabbinical carpets.  

The explanation usually whispered is that they fear upsetting some congregants should they be seen as criticising anything done by the Israeli government. Of course that is total nonsense as rabbis are expected to fight for and defend our religion. And doing so, their members will respect them for being open, honest and fearless.
Have they forgotten the Torah's command לא תגורו בפני איש?
 
And in the case of Rabbi Moshe Gutnick, who to the best of our knowledge no longer occupies a pulpit - and isn't known to be a shrinking violet, what's his excuse? He certainly has no membership to fear. Why couldn't he say something more substantial then what we read in the article?  His wise and eloquent father, the late Rabbi Chaim always showed the way on how to put forward the Torah viewpoint loudly and fearlessly - even if unpopular with certain segments of the community. It's a shame, really.
 
Looks like it'll again be up to the conscience of rabbinical Australia, Rabbi Chaim Ingram to again go into battle in defence of the Torah.

* * * * *
 
Meanwhile a reader who states that he is a Chabad Chassid is most upset about the way the Australian rabbinate - the majority of whom are Chabad - have forgotten the unyielding campaigns led by the late Rebbe against the Reform movement.

He sent us a link to a website from where we bring the following words of the Rebbe: (There is much more there for those interested.)

Chutzpah: Look who's sermonising Rambam and Remah!!

Should we laugh or cry? An assistant "rabbiette" from Melbourne's Reform Temple is "delving into Jewish sources" - quoting Shas and Poskim about the "religious obligation" to report child abuse allegations. The hypocrisy is mind-boggling.

[Just to make it clear, AJNWatch does not at all disagree with her conclusions about this sad and tragic issue and we accept the Psak Halacha of the gedolei hador, Rav Wosner, Rav Elyashiv, Rab M Shafran and others, that abuse claims should at the first instance be referred to the police and those authorities who are legally qualified and trained to investigate and handle these charges.

Having said that,] we express our incredulity at the unbelievable gall of a Reform clergyperson piously lecturing us and referring to the Chazal, Rambam, Rema and even Rav Eliezer Waldenberg.

(The same condemnation, by the way, goes to the AJN and its editor. Zeddy Lawrence really couldn't find a more suitably qualified writer, ie, an Orthodox Torah observing rabbi to state the Halachic case? Does anyone doubt that eg, Zeddy's brother. Sydney's Rabbi Jeremy couldn't have given the Torah viewpoint?) 

But seeing that you are "delving into Jewish sources", why don't you, Madam Rabbi, tell us what all of them have to say about the lifestyles of you parishioners and indeed members of the clergy of the Reform religion? Eg, the desecration of the Shabbat, intermarriage and/or consumption of Nevelot uTreifot? Indeed deleting almost the entire body of Halacha!

Or maybe you can inform us of their views regarding the way that you have duped hundreds of thousands of naive gentiles into believing that your hocus-pocus ceremony in a "Temple"  transforms them into Jews. And how they then marry them to trusting but ignorant "Kosher" Jews who have no idea that Halachically their new spouse isn't Jewish at all. And in cases where the 'convert' is female, neither are her children. Though, as this blog has previously revealed, being a 100% gentile is no holdback from becoming a rabbiette - as is a  colleague of yours (an unconverted daughter of an unconverted gentile woman). We wonder what any of the "Jewish sources" you quote would say upon hearing that not being Jewish is no bar to being employed as Temple clergy. 

Seriously, you sure have a nerve lecturing on what "Jewish sources" decree. Sources that you and your colleagues have disregarded and defied from the day that the deformed Reform idea was launched.

In addition to the reader having to endure your disingenuousness you mislead and deceive by 'cherry=picking' both your Rambams and your Chillul Hashems. This is unforgiveable.

You sanctimoniously quote Rambam thus:

but completely and deliberately overlook a few paragraphs on, where he so perfectly describes the appalling Chillul Hashem (and immeasurable damage) that you Reform clergypeople have been responsible for for almost 2 centuries - promoting assimilation and spiritually destroying vast segments of Jewry. 

Read here what else the Rambam has to say about Chillul Hashem and put his words in your next AJN article.

By the way, we wonder, seeing that Kim is such an expert on the Rambam, did she happen to notice how she and her religion contravene and corrupt thousands and thousands of edicts stated in that very same Mishnah Torah? How could she not feel hypocritical when writing that article?

Furthermore, seeing that you are in to Psika of Rav Waldenberg maybe you could bring yourself to be honest enough to tell us about his views on you and all other Reform "rabbis" and about the caricature and mockery of Judaism that your version of religion has created.

London calling: "Shavuos or Purim?" IMPORTANT UPDATE!

To the Editor of Ajnwatch.

I am one of your loyal fans who lives in London. Despite the  mainly local content on the blog, I really enjoy it, its style, great photographs and cartoons.

I especially shep nachas when you give the local Jewish (belaaz) rag 'in pippik arein'.

To the best of my knowledge we don't have anything like it here in the UK. (Probably because those who could and should be doing such work, aren't enamoured by the whole internet thing. While I understand them, I feel that there is a necessity for the "Veda mashiv shetoshiv le'apikores" - something which your blog does VERY well.

Keep up the great work!

Meanwhile I attach an ad in a recent issue of the 'frum' weekly The Jewish Tribune (published by our own Agudas Yisroel organisation).

I was not the only person here who was upset that the publishers allowed this advertisement which disrespectfully downgrades the holy Yom Tov of Kabolas Hatorah and Maamad Har Sinai to a 'festival' for 'boozing'.

"Counting the days to Shavuos" with wine and liquour! What next?

Now, had it been in the Jewish Chronicle, which has about as much feeling for Yiddishkeit as your Jewish News, 'hechrashti'. But to see this in our most frum of publications - 'es passt nisht'.

Update - 5th June 2012

It seems that our London Correspondent was not the only one to be upset at the inclusion of the above advertisement in the JT. The following issue of that weekly carried this apology from the publishers:

ומודה ועוזב ירוחם



?מה לכהן בבית הקברות

Posted by Mrs KL from Sydney

I was a bit shocked when opening the AJN this week to see the above picture, of "His Holiness" the Dalai Lama placing some type of a Reform Tallis around the shoulders of Rabbi Leibl Wolf.

My first reaction was ?מה לכהן בבית הקברות
What's a rabbi doing with this  אבי אבות הטומאה - the head-"Galach" of a leading עבודה זרה?

Then I did a Google search and was even more shocked to read an article in the LA Jewish Journal (from 2001) informing us that Rabbi Wolf studied "with such luminaries as the revered Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson and the Dalai Lama"

WHAT!? Not even a 'lehavdil'?

(And did Leibl really study "bechavrusa" with those gentlemen? Hard to believe.)

I am sure that Rabbi Wolf knows of the hundreds - if not thousands - of secular and uncommitted Jewish kids caught in the net of the Buddhist religion all over the world. Giving his "hechsher" to the leader of this 'klipah' makes matters much, much worse.

Thank you AJN Watch for allowing me to vent.

Tim Tams: "He never gave up hope, he never lost sight of his goal"

Guest post from Kosherman:

Readers of last week's AJN will notice the newspaper celebrating an extraordinary Yom Tov. No, I am not referring to Shavuot but rather to the exciting and fantastic news that Rabbi Moshe Gutnick has convinced Arnotts company to produce "Kosher" Tim Tams.

I must admit that those intellectual giants who administer the news on behalf of our community showed massive restraint when reporting this most amazing event in the history of the Australian Jewish community.

Yes, they actually limited the Tim Tam story to the front cover, an article on page 3 (squeezed in amongst a couple of molestation stories), a Kron cartoon and...drum roll...an editorial!!

To quote their excitement: “It is indeed a milestone that as of today, kosher consumers across Australia can walk into any supermarket or store or petrol station and purchase these iconic Australian biscuits,” gushed KA rabbinic administrator Rabbi Moshe Gutnick.

After all the recent public criticism of our rabbis - usually led by the  same AJN - isn't it  lovely to see them acknowledge that we still have warm-hearted rabbis who positively gush at the thought of Jews piling on the kilos. To quote: "He never gave up hope, he never lost sight of his goal"!

Though not the purpose of my post, a quick Google search will show that while the rabbi gushes on about his achievement, both he and the AJN fail to mention other issues associated with the product - health-wise and ethical.

If any reader is interested, here are a few links which show that there are others in the general community who won't recommend this delicacy:

This YouTube clip (WARNING: a non-tzeniusly dressed woman) lists all the unhealthy and even dangerous ingredients noted on the packaging.

And here's another clip.

And from this website:  The chocolate coating in Tim Tams is not made from cocoa, but a mixture of artificial colours of Tartrazine (102), Sunset Yellow (110), Allura Red (129), Brilliant Blue (133) and Caramel (150). These additives are all suspect carcinogens.

So despite becoming Kosher (and I am surprised at the AJN's excitement about this - it is usually full of advertisements for non-Kosher establishments and products), it is unclear if Tim Tams are good for you.

But back to the Kashrus issue.

Despite the well-known views of Rav M Moshe Feinstein zt'l who permitted the consumption of Chalav Akum (where there are govt supervision and penalties by the authorities for tampering or substitution), it is difficult these days, when Chalav Yisrael is readily available in nearly every communty of observant Jews, to find a Chareidi Rav who will these approve the use of  non-Kosher milk products. The fact is that most poskim hold that non-supervisied milk is actually 'treif' and if used in error the equipment has to be Kashered. This view is especially so amongst Chassidic groups - every single one. And Chabad, to the best of my knowledge, have certain stringencies regarding Chalav Yisroel that many other chassidim and Charedim don't require. Furthermore, even the Rabbanut Kashrut in Israel, which generally has lenient standards, is very strict on this.

See RabbiBakshi Doron re the psak of the Rabanut

RavM Eliyahu

A collection of quotes on the unacceptability of non-Kosher milk

So my question to the good rabbi is "Why?"

You being a thoroughly Frum Jew and a Chabad chassid who I have no doubt that Chalav Akum products have no place in your kitchen. Yes, I understand that being in charge of KA means that you must allow leniencies, especially for items that are necessary for certain groups of consumers. I refer to milk, butter etc.

But is it really so important that Australian Jewry gorge themselves with Original and Double-Coated Tim Tams?

I know that your NSWKA more or less stated (or admitted) that they have less stringent Kashrut standards that their Melbourne counterpart Kosher Australia. But really, is it necessary to go out of your way and make the effort to chase and convince Arnotts to produce 'Kosher' - Chalav Akum - chocolate biscuits? Is there really such a shortage in the 100% Kosher version? Rabbi, please visit Glicks, Grandma Moses (all which are under your supervision), Heimishe, Lichtenstein and the others in Melbourne and Sydney and you will be amazed what a range we already have.

Is it really the function of a Chassidic Rav to produce unnecessary and unhealthy products which are not 100% Kosher. After all, it's not as if Arnotts came begging to you for your Hechsher. By all accounts it was the other way around! In fact the front cover of this issue tells us that this Tim Tam 'miracle' was achieved "after a decade of hard work and  persuasion by the Kashrut Authority".

Imagine, wasting a decade for a half-Kosher unhealthy choclate snack!

Having written all this, today I received an email from that great crowd KCA warning us that only the 200gm (net) packets are acceptable (plus another few conditions).

Although the AJN article also mentioned this, my survey shows that very few people (like indeed myself) actually remember seeing these provisions. Thus anyone missing these may be consuming not only Chalav Akum but also tarfus!

I discussed this post over Yom Tov with my rabbi, who told me that though he agrees with my views 100% and encourages me to publish, he, for a number of reasons, could not publicly make these comments. I gently reminded him about לא תגורו מפני איש...

I have heard whispers that some in the Kashrut industry are getting worried about items being produced under Rabbi Meir Rabi and his "Kosher veYosher" Kashrut label. This is especially so now that Rabbi Rabi has publicly stated that his supervision aims to cater for those who are not overly stringent in their standards. I realise this may affect both KAs, but I suggest that you let him keep that sector of the Kosher market and you remain faithful to the more demanding standards that most Kashrut organisations worldwide are now seeking and which you often represent here in Australia,

And if that means not seeking out new customers like Tim Tams with its non-Kosher milk, so be it.

PS: I am trying to find the time to post my thoughts about that upstart Kashrut organsation "Kosher veYosher". Maybe in the next few days or weeks. 

Katz, Kotz, abi gezunt...

Presumably if 'David' becomes 'Dovid' then 'Katz' can be 'Kotz'...

Oh! Livia...

Hi friends, here's one for your 'interesting/weird names' collection. It's from this week's AJN and is a very strange Hebrew translation/transliteration for Olivia - pronounced as "levaya" (although that word is actually spelled  "לויה")

I really think that mums and dads who aren't too fluent in Hebrew, should discuss the Jewish name they plan to give their child with a rabbi or someone who nows the language well.

Shmuley Boteach - the rabbi of the groupies!

AJNWatch has previously commented upon Shmuley Boteach and his outlandish and peculiar ideas and behaviour (see here, here, and here). He is back again in Australia and, unsurprisingly, a guest speaker in Caulfield Shul. That's the direction CHC have taken under their latest 'management' and they sure have found the perfect match.  

After all, if a Shul can't attract the crowds with Torah and Tefillah, maybe "Kosher sex" and "Kosher Jesus" will bring in the masses (no pun intended). Come to think of it, they would probably have no problem inviting Jesus himself to deliver a sermon or two. (After all, they did invite a "galach" to "feer tish" for them at a Shabbat meal.)

No doubt the femalefolk will be sporting their "Shmuley groupie" T-shirts and drinking from "Shmuley-groupie" mugs?

PS: What next, Shmuley? "Kosher groupies"?

PPS: For those reading this who may wonder what a groupie is, here's the definition from the on-line Free Dictionary:

groupie [ˈgruːpɪ]

(Music / Pop Music) Slang, an ardent fan of a celebrity, esp a pop star: originally, often a girl who followed the members of a pop group on tour in order to have sexual relations with them

COSV, what happened to parsha Shemini?

Hopefully this email from the COSV, didn't mislead member Shuls into leining the wrong Parsha last Shabbat...

A couple of birth notices overlooked

Sydneysider writes:

I was surprised (and a bit disappointed) that your 'specialist' on names (see here and here) missed a few beauties in the Sydney edition of the AJN recently.

Here you have them for the delight of readers:

AJNWatch comment:

There's obviously a nice story behind these notices and we are interested to hear from anyone who knows it.

Meanwhile here's another unusual name from last week's edition:

Interesting name אז - maybe as in אז ישיר משה - thus having some relevance to Pesach...

Robert Weil's letter to the AJN

Despite the fact that Robert Weil doesn't like AJNWatch very much, we feel that he deserves a public Yasher Koach for his letter in this week's AJN where he succinctly responds to the nonsense written by an activist of the noisy homosexuals - who get far too much encouragement and support in addition to coverage in that newspaper. 

This is not the first time that Mr Weil has stood up for the Torah view on this matter and this should be acknowledged by all of us.

It is quite sad that from the entire Jewish community of Australia, only he and Sydney's Rabbi Chaim Ingram can be relied upon to defend traditional decency and 'normalcy'.

AJN: "First time of the firstborn"

In the AJN's "Preparing for Pesach" supplement this week:

First time what?

Why the silence in the Elwood v. Yesodei dispute?

From "Yesodei dad"

Dear AJN Watch editor

I am a parent of 2 boys enrolled at the Yesodei Hatorah College in Elwood and am upset at the fact that you haven't thought it important enough to bring to the attention of your readership the appalling situation that our school have been facing due to the unreasonable, irrational  and obstinate attitude of some members on the board of Elwood Shul. 

It is no secret that for the past few decades Elwood Shul is in decline. They can rarely put together a Minyan during the week and  despite the efforts of the rabbis is basically an empty shell. The late Rabbi Chaim Gutnick z'l understood this well and sensibly encouraged the board to welcome the Yesodei school into its empty ex-Moriah premises thus returning the sound of Torah and children studying it back to Dickens Street. This brought much Nachas to those who have warm memories of the Elwood Talmud Torah and Moriah College of years gone by. Rabbi Gutnick did not for a second consider local 'politics' and affiliations. He made his decision to help because he knew that this was the right thing to do from all aspects.

Since Rav Chaim's passing however, a number of those 'in power' seem to have gone to war against this "shidduch". They wish to reverse such a remarkable and rare achievement of 'Techiyas Hameisim' of a local Shul property. Yes, remarkable and rare. Imagine how grateful the people who belong to Shuls like Toorak, Brighton, Moorabbin, East Melb would be if they could host such a vibrant and lively Jewish centre with 100s of kids operating out of their premises 6 days a week? And even being paid for the privilege! 

But what is happening in Elwood? The board has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in legals trying to remove the students and make difficult the continuing Torah and general education of hundreds of Yiddishe kinderlech! How shameful is that? 

Why isn't the entire community up in arms? Why are the rabbis silent about this? Indeed, what about Elwood's own rabbis? Shouldn't they be in the front line of battle to save this most important Torah mossad? Wouldn't one expect to see Rabbi Mordechai Gutnick leading the campaign for continuance of one his late father's greatest achievements? (I apologise in advance, if Rabbi Gutnick has been doing so quietly. Though doing so openly would be far more useful and effective.) Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being wasted on legal costs and we don't hear a peep anywhere. Why no in-depth enquiry by the AJN? And aren't the members of Elwood Shul concerned at the waste of so much of their money?  Finally, where are you AJN Watch? Isn't this a topic that you should be headlining? 

I agree with your criticism of  Caulfield Shul for its treatment of poor collectors. And I usually agree with your stance on most communal issues. But, why oh why,
have you been silent in this painful and sad case of a few angry old men fighting against 
  של תינוקות של בית רבן הבל פיהם  .

Why is your voice is not heard at all?

Why?

Comment from AJNWatch:

While we haven't directly addressed this issue, it has been mentioned on this site previously.

Click here:

But to answer your main complaint, can we just say that AJNWatch is run by a few volunteers who, believe it or not, each has another life as well. They toil for hours behind the scenes because they genuinely feel an obligation to try and improve matters - rather than simply sulk and kvetch. We hope to at least somewhat remove the חילול השם of silence and accusations of מדשתקי שמע מינה דניחא להו

Having said that, we do not claim to have even scraped the surface of  issues that require commenting upon. As a partial solution we are happy to host appropriate posts (like yours) that reflect the aims and viewpoints of AJNWatch. So - be our guest...