Lakewood Internet Edict Update

Excerpt from a post on jschick.blogspot.com:

FYI. To date there isn't an enforceable policy in Lakewood with regarding the internet. Originally all parents had to register with their respective yeshivas informing them where they stand in regard to having internet in their homes. The choices were 1) dont have computer 2) have computer but no internet 3) had internet but is now getting rid of it 4)has internet and is willing to schedule an appointment with one of the designated rabbonim to discuss getting an ishur. What seemed to have happened is there is a delay is coming up with the neccessary computer program that they will be giving to all the parents to install in their computers. Therefore they have not given anyone an ishur. So as of now when you go to a rov to talk to him about having internet in your house, all he will say is come back at a future date.

File: lakewood internet ban,lakewood internet edict,lakewood internet

Kudos, Dr. Schick

Dr. Marvin Schick has written an marvelous and thoughtful piece on the yeshiva expulsions, at risk children, and the Lakewood Internet Edict (LIE) here.

Here are some brief quotes:

"Fear is a dynamic force, a mindset that respects no boundaries. It feeds on itself, creating fantasy scenarios that do not correspond to reality and yet may result in harsh actions. In Justice Louis D. Brandeis's haunting language in a reference to the Salem witch trials, "Men feared witches and burnt women." We fear the outside world - rightfully - and we are ready to harm children.

As much as we must be concerned about the impact of popular culture and social permissiveness, our at-risk problem arises far more from the erosion of self-esteem through what occurs at school and often at home. This is confirmed by the at-risk situation in Israel. A significant number of youngsters from fervently religious homes have abandoned their religious lifestyle, engaging in severe anti-social behavior, often including violence. The actions of these youths called shababnikim cannot be attributed to the Internet. . . .

I am appalled by the announcement by Lakewood yeshivas and Beth Jacobs that all children in homes that are Internet-accessible and have not received the requisite approvals from local rabbis will be expelled. All children! The very thought should be repugnant. In order to possibly prevent some children from being at risk, we are prepared to take innocent Jewish children and make certain that they will be at risk! Not only is this wrongful policy announced, it is lauded in the recent Jewish Observer issue devoted to the at-risk problem - and by a respected Torah personality. . . .

The 'if in doubt throw it out' attitude that used to be applied to food products is now being applied to Jewish children. "




File: lakewood internet ban,lakewood internet edict,lakewood internet

Lakewood Report

Frumtalk reports that the Lakewood Internet Edict is being quietly ignored.

Why doesn't this make me happy?

File: lakewood internet ban,lakewood internet edict,lakewood internet

Muslim Tolerance

Here is a link to a Muslim 'shailos and teshuvos' (responsa) site. The responder wants to show that Muslims are to treat Jews and Christians humanely. In the process of quoting of making his 'tolerant' point, the responder calls Jews (and Christians) "hypocrites" with "wild claims" about Islam.

In addition, note that the 'intolerant' quote is from the end of the Quran, after Islam was rejected by the Jews. All the 'tolerant' quotes are from the beginning of the Quran when Muhammed (pbuh), was still trying to convert Jews.

File:muslims and jews

Secular Education II - A Guest Post from the Trenches

In response to our last post Frumnet received the following:

My son was totally electrified by a feature story on a similar topic in a chareidi magazine and I feel to put it mildly a rather strong obligation to share with your readership my perspective on this most critical issue of General Studies within the Torah World of Education.

I must give you a bit of personal background for you to fully appreciate and understand my perspective on this issue. I do so, plagued by a Catch 22. Humility is a very tricky issue. I am really not here to toot my horn. Writing this is very uncomfortable for me but I think the message is too important to remain silent.

In 1971 I dropped out of college at eighteen to attend Yeshiva in New York. I had received up until that time a fine education for fourteen years. My secular passion centered around the liberal arts realm of Academia. I had dreamed of becoming a History Professor but instead I found myself immersed in learning in Yeshiva for the next thirty years. On the way I had the zchus to learn in Torah Vadaas, Chofetz Chaim, Torah Ohr, and in an afternoon Mechanchim Kollel here in the city where I have taught Yiddishe Kinder for the past seventeen years.

Being a Day School Rebbe and needing to supplement my income I felt forced to leave the Koslei Bais haMedrash and find some gainful employment in something with whichI knew I would have a natural affinity. I asked my Rav his advise on the matter who replied, “To Thine Own Self Be True” in which I whimsically replied, “No Rebbe, that’s Polonius, Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Rebbe really means Socrates, Know Thy Self.”

My three sons who have already graduated three different Yeshiva High Schools in three different states unanimously were opposed to the idea. The basic thrust of their opposition was they didn’t want to see their father become a garbage man. All three had their own horror stories of the general studies programs of Yeshiva High School. Basically the system stinks. They are right. A General Studies teacher is a glorified garbage man in what he is forced to endure during Limudei Chol in the afternoon.

I did not heed their advice and took the position motivated by the monetary considerations. I was pleasantly surprised to discover an enthusiastic reception by the talmidim for a meaningful encounter with the real issues of Western Civilization. I attribute my success this year to the decision not to make teaching History my objective of the class but rather to use it as a Haiche Temzta to teach Hashkafas HaTorah which I received from my Rebbeim.

Our present Yeshiva system of Torah education has failed to inculcate our talmidim with an appreciation of the Dignity of Man. The terminology may differ from the Hirschian Universal Man or the Slobadka Ideal of Godlus HaAdam . Call it what you like, our Yeshiva system desperately needs to inject our talmidim with a spirit of ethical excellence in every sphere of life whether it is within the Koslei Bais HaMedrash or the secular department of a Yeshiva High School. It can be done.

File: yeshiva secular studies

Secular Education I

A relative of mine has a long history of sacrifice for Torah. He defied his parents wishes to avoid college, spent long years after marriage in Lakewood Kollel, and today is a gemora rebbe in a respected yeshiva.

Due to financial pressures, at the beginning of the school year, he accepted a job as Secular Studies Principal at a well regarded yeshiva headed by a 'name brand' Rosh Yeshiva.
And that's where he discovered what a shaigetz he truly is.

His sin? He wanted the secular studies hours to be time well spent. So he put in time and effort to make an educational and interesting program. He was promised 'full backing' when hired. However, when he tried to make a hitherto dysfunctional program (like all such programs, a breeding ground for bad midos and worse) work, the promised backing failed to materialize.

And then, from behind the veils, he started hearing what he really is. My beginning-to-show-results relative (let's call him Gold) was demeaned in the students' eyes.

Hanhola: "Rabbi Gold claims he's a Ben Torah - but by the emphasis he puts on English, I see he's not". All the while, getting promises of 'our full backing' to his face.

Mr. Gold finally realized what was happening and quit in the middle of the school year.

File: yeshiva secular education

Quote of the Day

Mark Steyn on respect for Muslim cultural norms and building respect for ours:

In a more culturally confident age, the British in India were faced with the practice of "suttee" — the tradition of burning widows on the funeral pyres of their husbands. General Sir Charles Napier was impeccably multicultural:

''You say that it is your custom to burn widows. Very well. We also have a custom: When men burn a woman alive, we tie a rope around their necks and we hang them. Build your funeral pyre; beside it, my carpenters will build a gallows.You may follow your custom. And then we will follow ours."

The Dike Breaks ? Well, Just for Certain Purposes

Um, well, only for the freie whose votes we need, I suppose.

The Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah, and Degel's poskim, all on record as opposing internet, have apparently created a web site: http://www.gimel2006.com/.
Here's an e-mail from a friend on the subject:

For those of u who dont use internet "al pee ho'raohs Rabbanim".....................heres the one time its a mitzva to go online!!

I guess ! !


http://www.gimel2006.com/

Uhh, does this mean the internet is muter for parnosa?

Without Comment

But on this link see the comments.

Arab Voice of Sanity

Irshad Manji, a Muslim fellow at Yale, says what we all want to hear. Unfortunately, she's at Yale, not the Muqtada or Gaza city.

If the Times doesn't let you in, give me a yell and I'll publish excerpts.



File: wall

Purim Help for Poster Hangers

In the spirit of Purim, I'll give the poster boys a timely and meaningful thought:

Hebrew for computer is mechashev.

Every time the root word of mechashev (machsavaso, etc. meaning thought or plan) is mentioned in the Megila, it is in relation to Haman's evil schemes.

Pretty clear signal, huh?

And just remember, you heard it here first.

Postermania XI

"I was told that a yunger man spends 2 or 3 hours every night learning on the computer. He has never had a nichshol (mishap). I asked him why he learns Torah in such a tumena place when he can take a chevrusa!"

(I am not quoting the name of the speaker because he is no longer among the living - but I never heard of him before this poster)

Selling The Internet to Chareidim

Don't know how I missed this one. While I don't necessarily subscribe to his darkest suspicions, I can't disprove them either.

Jews were historically instrumental in the commercial and technological development of countries and areas from the ancient Middle East up until to Poland between the wars.

Have you ever seen the photos of the industrial intra-war Lodz? All that huge commercial development, the treasure of Eastern Europe, was developed by Jews. It was the Hong Kong or Taiwan of its era.

Have we or our religion changed in the last decades? Or has the world changed and we've chosen to respond by changing Eternal Judaism?

What Leapa Thinks of Bush

A notable point about the supposed errors and mistakes of the Bush administration is that unlike those of the Nixon and the Clinton Administrations, the Bush mistakes are not for Bush's personal gain. They are mistakes about policy, politics, about defense, about the nature of Arabs, Shiites and Sunnis. They are not about Bush's personal needs and wants, and not about winning elections. Even his bitter enemies have not pinned venality on him.

He tries to stand by his friends (Jews and blacks among them, including Ariel Sharon).

That says a lot about his nature and character as a human being.

Bush's single glaring error, in my opinion, was not emphasizing energy research and efficiency (including possible gas tax increases) from day one. His wrong headed approach now makes us a hostage to those who should be scared of us.

And I'm not sure he's really serious about weaning us from petroleum even now.

But in evaluating mortals there is certainly a line to be drawn between their mistakes (which also hinge on the nature of their challenges, and sometimes can only be evaluated over the very long term) and "the content of their character" in the immortal words of Martin Luther King.

File: Bush
energy policy

Quote of the Day

Arab-American psychologist Wafa Sultan:

"The Jews have come from the tragedy [of the Holocaust], and forced the world to respect them, with their knowledge, not with their terror; with their work, not with their crying and yelling. Humanity owes most of the discoveries and science of the 19th and 20th centuries to Jewish scientists. Fifteen million people, scattered throughout the world, united and won their rights through work and knowledge. We have not seen a single Jew blow himself up in a German restaurant. We have not seen a single Jew destroy a church. We have not seen a single Jew protest by killing people. The Muslims turned three Buddha statues into rubble. We have not seen a single Buddhist burn down a mosque, kill a Muslim, or burn down an embassy. Only the Muslims defend their beliefs by burning down churches, killing people, and destroying embassies. This path will not yield any results. The Muslims must ask themselves what they can do for humankind, before they demand that humankind respect them."

Hat tip: Michelle Malkin
(Please be forwarned the ads on Malkin are sometimes inappropriate)
File: Islam

My Trip To Lakewood - Without Comment

I recently had to make a trip to Lakewood for a tzedaka purpose, and had occasion to eat at a group breakfast there. One individual there has a web based business, so I asked him how he lives with the ban. He answered that on a day to day basis he mainly utilizes e-mail.
He then said something interesting. He said "The ban didn't help." I asked what he meant, since I understood the edict was enforced.

He said that the reason behind the ban was that there was an unusually large rate of severe illness in Lakewood, and that this phenomenon unfortunately has continued.

Hashem Yeracheim


File: Internet Lakewood
chareidim orthodox internet

Misplaced Worry II

Zim (the giant Israeli shipping line) Chairman Idan Ofer has written a letter to future presidential candidate Hilary Clinton endorsing Dubai Ports Worlds' management takeover of American ports.

Ofer's letter touched on the most sensitive issue - security, which was the main concern of the deal's critics. "During our long association with DP World, we have not experienced a single security issue in these ports or in any of the terminals operated by DP World," he wrote, stressing that as an Israeli firm, Zim was especially aware of such issues.

Whatever is in this fight, I doubt it's security.

Full article here.
Hat tip: Cross Currents




ports

Too Good to Be True

The Reverend Jerry denies he ever said we frum Jews could get to heaven here. (See 2nd post down.)
Oh, darn!




File: falwell jews

If They Say There's No Chochma . . . .

Winston Churchill:
On 14 June 1921, hard on the heels of the Cairo Conference, at which he had presided over the re-shaping of the Middle East, including the creation of modern day Iraq, he warned the House of Commons:

"A large number of [Saudi Arabia’s King] Bin Saud’s followers belong to the Wahabi sect, a form of Mohammedanism which bears, roughly speaking, the same relationship to orthodox Islam as the most militant form of Calvinism would have borne to Rome in the fiercest times of [Europe’s] religious wars.

The Wahabis profess a life of exceeding austerity, and what they practice themselves they rigorously enforce on others. They hold it as an article of duty, as well as of faith, to kill all who do not share their opinions and to make slaves of their wives and children. Women have been put to death in Wahabi villages for simply appearing in the streets.

It is a penal offence to wear a silk garment. Men have been killed for smoking a cigarette and, as for the crime of alcohol, the most energetic supporter of the temperance cause in this country falls far behind them. Austere, intolerant, well-armed, and blood-thirsty, in their own regions the Wahabis are a distinct factor which must be taken into account, and they have been, and still are, very dangerous to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina…"

File: Churchill Wahhabbi

Poignant

At a place where I sometimes work, a female worker had a screen saver which rotated through gedolim pictures. I saw Rav Matisyahu Solomon in the rotation and offhandedly mentioned "that's a nice screen saver - I am a fan of Rav Solomon's and have been inspired by him, but I can't digest his position on banning internet".

She responded "don't talk to me about internet - I'm getting divorced and internet is part of the problem".

This lady works on the internet all day.

There is a kabala which I have heard of from the Baal Shem Tov. It goes - if a person sees or hears something, it is an indication that what he saw relates to him somehow.

Does this mean I have to change my whole position?

Or simply realize the seriousness of the situation (which I have always tried to do)?

Or did the Baal Shem not mean this?

Or don't be superstitious?

Or wait and see?



File: jews internet