The New York Jewish Week 

http://www.thejewishweek.com/news/national/suit_us_discriminates_against_jerusalem_passport_dispute

Suit: U.S. Discriminates Against Jerusalem in Passport Dispute

Jerusalem or Israel? People born in Jerusalem, above, are listed in U.S. passports as having a “Jerusalem” birthplace.

Many, but not all, Jewish groups filing briefs in support of lawsuit.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Stewart Ain

Staff Writer

Major Jewish groups were set to file legal briefs this week in an upcoming U.S. Supreme Court case with Jerusalem at its core, one that will test anew America’s stated goal of being an honest broker in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The case revolves around the seemingly routine stamping of a passport, but it touches on such issues as control of America’s foreign policy, the Middle East peace process, the enforcement of existing American law and Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem.

The case, which the high court is expected to hear in the fall, comes as the Palestinians prepare to seek United Nations recognition as a state with Jerusalem as its capital, and as the U.S. is seeking to convince Israelis and Palestinians to resume peace negotiations.

At issue is the right of Naomi Zivotofsky to insist that the American passport she requested for her son Menachem from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv list “Israel” as his place of birth. He was born in Jerusalem in October 2002, about three weeks after President George W. Bush signed a bill directing the State Department to list “Israel” on the passports of American children born in Jerusalem if their parents requested it.

But the State Department denied the request, citing Bush’s comments at the bill signing in which he said the law “impermissibly interferes with the president’s constitutional authority to conduct the nation’s foreign affairs...”

Menachem’s parents, Naomi and Ari Zivotofsky, are both American citizens and they sued the State Department the following September to compel it follow the law.

“When we received the passport we were not surprised because they had pretty much stated [the place of birth would be listed as Jerusalem] when we filled out the form,” Ari Zivotofksy said in an e-mail. “Even though we insisted to the clerk that it was now the law that they can write Israel, they insisted otherwise. We were thus disappointed, but not shocked. … We are gratified that this matter has captured the attention of the Supreme Court, and pray that the Court will reject the State Department’s effort to overrule Congress.”

The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to affect an estimated 50,000 Americans who were born in Jerusalem.

Menachem’s grandparents, Bernie and Gitta Zivotofsky, are residents of West Hempstead, L.I. Bernie noted that his grandson “caught wind of the case just recently” when he heard other students talking about it in school. He said Menachem has not yet visited the United States, and that when he pointed out to him that his older brother and sister — who were born in the U.S. — have visited, the child replied: “Well, they weren’t born here.”

“National pride has gotten to him,” Zivotofsky said. “He understands what is happening; he is a proud Israeli.”

The Supreme Court said it would consider whether a lower court was right in saying political issues are not subject to judicial review and whether Congress impermissibly infringed on the president’s power to recognize foreign sovereigns.

The government argues that agreeing to such a change now would in effect compel the president to recognize Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem — “one of the most sensitive and longstanding disputes in the Arab-Israeli conflict” — resulting in major foreign policy ramifications.

But Alyza Lewin and her father, Nathan, who are representing Menachem, said in court papers filed last Friday that the government’s claim is “greatly exaggerated.” They pointed out that the U.S. in 1994 enacted a “virtually identical statute” regarding Taiwan over the vehement objections of China, which claims sovereignty over the island.

“The Department of State altered its earlier rule to comply with the statute and there was no perceptible effect on United States’ foreign policy,” according to their court papers.

At the same time, the brief said, Israel is “a recognized nation that Palestinians and the Arab world have learned to accept. … [The State Department] bars only supporters of Israel — overwhelmingly Jews who have a religious attachment to the land — from identifying their birthplace in a manner that conforms with their convictions.”

The U.S. government must file its brief by Sept. 23; the Lewins’ reply is due Oct. 24.

A number of Jewish organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, the Zionist Organization of America and the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, are submitting “friends of the court” briefs due this week. A number of other groups, including the Union of Orthodox Congregations and the National Council of Young Israel, are signing on to at least one of those briefs. But there is not unanimity in the Jewish community over this issue. Marc Stern, associate general counsel of the American Jewish Committee, said his organization believes “all issues in the Israel-Palestinian conflict have to be settled at the negotiating table and not the U.S. Supreme Court or the UN with unilateral declarations. For that reason we not participating in this case because we think it is inconsistent with our general view that peace will come to the Middle East at the negotiating table and at no other forum.

“It doesn’t mean that we don’t think West Jerusalem isn’t part of Israel,” Stern continued. “We do and we have our office there, and we say it is Jerusalem, Israel. But this is about official declarations, and official declarations don’t come about because somebody goes to court.”

Abraham Foxman, national director of the ADL, told The Jewish Week that he found the passport issue to be “one of the most offensive, harmful and insensitive actions of the American government, which has been tolerated and defended for so many years regardless of what administration was in office.”

“It’s insulting and has been insulting all these years,” he added. “It borders on the irrational, and it is so appealing to the Palestinian narrative and demand. … It’s time it ended. Maybe the court will see the fairness and reasonableness of [this suit] and set it straight.”

Rabbi Pesach Lerner, executive vice president of the National Council of Young Israel, noted that when his 4-month-old Israeli grandson Shlomo prepared to come here to visit for Passover, his parents were also sent an American passport that listed Shlomo’s place of birth as Jerusalem, despite their request that Israel be listed.

“He’s a man without a country, even though both his parents are American and he is an American citizen,” Rabbi Lerner said. “I could be born on the steps of the Knesset and the U.S. government would say [sovereignty over] that land is not yet decided. … We’re not creating policy; it’s a statement of fact. Even in the worst-case scenario, Hadassah Hospital will still be in Israel.”

He pointed out that his organization and the International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation created a website, www.borninjerusalem.org, that asks all Jerusalem-born American Jews to join for free the ad-hoc Association of Proud American Citizens Born in Jerusalem, Israel. Several hundred had joined within a week, Rabbi Lerner said.

She dismissed the argument that the court would be deciding a political question by saying the suit simply asks the court to determine if the law signed by Bush is constitutional.

“If it is, the State Department has to follow it,” Lewin said. “Nobody is asking the court to make any independent political decisions.”

The Lewins in their court papers pointed out also that those born in the West Bank or Gaza Strip may also opt to list those areas as their place of birth even though neither is a “sovereign that the United States has ever recognized.”

In its brief, the ADL pointed out that the State Department’s own manual “acknowledges that the purpose of the place of birth designation in the passport is simply to identify the citizen and distinguish him or her from other citizens with similar names or dates of birth.”

Steve Greenwald, president of the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists, said his group’s brief would point out that “Congress has specific constitutional power to regulate the issuance of passports, a power that has been recognized by the Supreme Court, and when it acts pursuant to such power in a manner that is constitutionally valid, as it has done in this case, the Executive branch may not act in conflict with the congressional mandate.”

As a result, he said, the State Department “may not disregard or fail to act [regarding] … directives imposed by Congress on the issuance of passports.”?

And rather than being a political document, “that implicates foreign policy considerations,” it merely “controls exit and entry from and to the country.”

http://washingtonjewishweek.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=15389

US olim want ‘Israel’ on passport of their J'lem-born son
By JOANNA PARASZCZUK
04/08/2011

Despite law passed in 2002 allowing Jerusalem-born US citizens to list Israel as birthplace, policy hasn’t been implemented.

In an unprecedented lawsuit that could affect over 50,000 Jerusalem-born Americans, the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a Jerusalem-born American boy whose parents are demanding consular officials record Israel as his country of birth on official documents.

American olim and Jerusalem residents Ari Z. Zivotofsky and Naomi Siegman Zivotofsky have been fighting for their son Menachem Binyamin’s passport and other documents to show Israel as his birth country even since he was born in Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek hospital eight years ago.

Currently, in line with US policy, Menachem Binyamin’s passport and Consular Report of Birth Abroad (equivalent of a birth certificate) only show that the boy was born in Jerusalem – but omit the country, his parents say.

As Menachem Binyamin’s parents are both Americans, he is automatically a US citizen and entitled to a US passport and other official documents.

US State Department policy is to record the city and country of birth on these documents for US citizens born overseas. However, this rule does not apply for American citizens born in Jerusalem, as the Zivotofskys discovered when they applied to the US Embassy in Tel Aviv for a passport and a Consular Report of Birth for their newborn son back in 2002.

Menachem Binyamin’s mother, Naomi, says she specifically requested that consular officials list her son’s place of birth as Israel.

Consular officials refused this request, the Zivotofskys say.

Instead, Menachem Binyamin’s passport shows only that he was born in Jerusalem.

“If a US citizen is born in Tel Aviv, his passport will designate his place of birth as Israel. But in the case of Jerusalem, the US Consular Department will not give the country of birth as Israel,” Menachem Binyamin’s father told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday.

The US State Department’s refusal to allow Jerusalem-born American citizens to list Israel as their country of birth on official documentation stems from the US’s official position of not recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

“Even though our son was born in Shaare Zedek Hospital, which is in West Jerusalem, the US Consular Department does not recognize it as being Israel,” added Ari Zivotofsky.

“And on his Consular Report of Birth, it’s even more blatant – the document is supposed to list both the city and the country of birth, and in Menachem Binyamin’s case, the country field has been left completely blank.”

The State Department’s policy is still implemented despite legislation passed by the US Congress in 2002 that said Jerusalem-born US citizens could list Israel as their country of birth on passports, Zivotofsky noted.

Yet though the law was signed by president George Bush, in practice neither he nor current US President Barack Obama have permitted US consular officials to record Israel as the birth country for Jerusalem-born Americans.

According to the US State Department, this is because the so-called “Jerusalem passport law” infringes on the president’s power to determine whether a particular territory is part of a country – and the US does not recognize Jerusalem as part of Israel.

However, the Zivotofskys say this policy harms their right to show their identification with Israel.

This is the issue that will be debated in the US Supreme Court.

In their brief to the US Supreme Court, the Zivotofskys argue that the US State Department’s policy “discriminates against supporters of Israel who would like personally, or through their children, to be identified with the State of Israel.”

The Zivotofskys’ lawyers, Nathan Lewin and Alyza Lewin of the Washington, D.C.-based law firm Lewin & Lewin, LLP, argue in the Supreme Court brief that American citizens born in Tel Aviv or Haifa after 1948 can ask the Consular Department not to record “Israel” as the country of birth, if they object to Israel having sovereignty in those cities.

And Americans born in Jerusalem or anywhere else in Israel before 1948 can request that their country of birth be listed as “Palestine” on US passports and other documents, including death certificates.

Attorney Nathan Lewin told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday that the case was important “to American citizens born in Jerusalem and to all supporters of Israel who view Jerusalem as an integral and eternal part of the State of Israel.” Lewin added that the case also addressed important constitutional issues, and noted that the Supreme Court’s decision would likely set an important precedent in this “difficult and contentious area of defining the powers that the President and the Congress have over American foreign relations.

“More broadly, from an American constitutional perspective, it presents very important constitutional issues relating to separation-of-powers in the American governmental system. Does the president have exclusive authority over foreign relations if his judgment conflicts squarely with Congress’s? Does the president have exclusive authority to “recognize foreign sovereigns?” What does this “Recognition Power” mean? Does it include exclusive authority to determine that a particular city or territory is within a sovereign’s borders?” said Lewin.

Meanwhile, the Zivotofskys say their son Menachem Binyamin is not alone in his plight.

According to data collected by the Zivotofskys’ legal team, the US government stated that in a 10-year period, it had issued 99,177 passports listing “Israel” as the holder’s place of birth, and 52,569 passports that only listed “Jerusalem.”

With so much at stake, the Zivotofskys’ story has sparked a rapidly-growing grassroots movement in the US and Israel.

Led by the National Council of Young Israel and the International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation, the movement – dubbed The Association of Proud American Citizens Born in Jerusalem – has launched a campaign in support of the Zivotofskys’ lawsuit.

Via its website, www.borninjerusalem.org, the movement is asking asking Americans in the US and Israel to lobby their senators on behalf of Menachem Binyamin.

“In the last week alone, more than 4,000 letters were sent to Capital Hill on the subject,” said Ari Zivotofsky.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is also championing the Zivotofskys’ cause, and is asking other Jerusalem-born Americans to join an amicus brief (a legal opinion given by an expert who is not party to a lawsuit) it is submitting to the US Supreme Court. According to the ADL, that brief will be filed to the Supreme Court on Friday.

ADL National Director Abraham H. Foxman slammed the US State Department’s policy not to record the birth country of Jerusalem-born Americans as “insulting.”

“This has long been one of the most offensive, harmful and insensitive actions of the American government,” said Foxman.

“Unfortunately, it has been tolerated and defended for so many years regardless of what administration was in office. It’s insulting that the State Department refuses to make this simple change to identify American citizens as having been born in Jerusalem, Israel. It borders on the irrational, and it’s time it ended. We hope the Supreme Court will see the fairness and reasonableness of this lawsuit, and set it straight.”

The suit of Menachem Zivotofsky vs. Hilary Rodham Clinton is set to be heard in the US Supreme Court in November.

Over 500 Religious and Communal Leaders Call On President Obama To Release Jonathan Pollard

A broad-based interfaith coalition comprised of more than 500 members of the clergy and community leaders sent a letter today to President Barack Obama, in which they called on the President to commute the sentence of Jonathan Pollard.  (The letter with the complete list of signatories is attached; the text of the letter appears below.)

The signatories on the letter include prominent religious and communal leaders from a wide array of Christian and Jewish communities, including representatives of Alliance for Jewish Renewal, American Values, Amit, Association of Reform Zionists of America, B'nai B'rith International, Central Conference of American Rabbis, Christians United for Israel, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, EMUNAH of America, Florida Council of Churches, Hebrew Union College, Hillel, JCC's of North America, Jewish Women International, National Council of Young Israel, New York Board of Rabbis, ORT America, Inc., Orthodox Union, Rabbinical Council of America, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Union for Reform Judaism, Yeshiva University, and the Zionist Organization of America.

"We, the undersigned over five hundred religious and communal leaders representative of the broad spectrum of the American faith community - wish to add our voices in support of clemency for Jonathan Pollard," wrote the religious and communal leaders.  "We are united in the fundamental belief that 'Justice, only justice, shall you pursue' (Deuteronomy 16:20), which rests at the core of our moral principles and system of justice."

"Commuting his sentence to time served would be a wholly appropriate exercise of your power of clemency - as well as a matter of basic fairness and American justice," continued the religious and communal leaders.  "It would also represent a clear sense of compassion and reconciliation - a sign of hope much needed in today's world of tension and turmoil."

The letter was spearheaded by David Nyer, an Orthodox Jewish activist, who collaborated on this effort with many Jewish and non-Jewish organizations.  Nyer noted that Jonathan Pollard's life sentence is grossly disproportionate when compared to the sentences of others who have spied for allied nations.  In addition, countless elected officials, individuals from the national intelligence arena and the legal world, as well as religious and community leaders, have described Pollard’s sentence as excessive, and have called for his sentence to be commuted.

Pollard, who just began his 26th year in federal prison, has repeatedly expressed his remorse publicly and in private in letters to many Presidents and others.  His health has deteriorated significantly during his two-and-a-half decades in prison.

"Jonathan Pollard has already served 25 years - much longer than anyone else having committed the same offense," said well-known Conservative Republican leader Gary Bauer, the President of American Values.  "He has repeatedly expressed remorse; his health is deteriorating.  I join many other prominent figures from across the political spectrum in urging President Obama to exercise simple American justice, clemency, and compassion on his behalf."

"I have written president Obama seeking a pardon for Jonathan Pollard," said Professor Charles J. Ogletree, the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, and the Director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice.  "I hope the President grants the wishes of many who have supported a pardon for Mr. Pollard."  Professor Ogletree, who was President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama's law professor at Harvard and remains friends with them today, recently sent his own letter to the President concerning Jonathan Pollard.

Rabbi Donald A. Levy, the Rabbi of Temple Beit Torah in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and a Chaplain, Major in the United States Air Force (retired), is a signatory on the letter and has asked President Obama to commute Jonathan Pollard's sentence.  Rabbi Levy was on active duty in the U.S. Navy and working as a cryptologist when Jonathan Pollard was arrested.  At the time, Rabbi Levy was chosen to participate in the team assessing the damage potentially caused by Jonathan Pollard's disclosures.

"There was nothing that we came across to indicate that Pollard gave information to any country but Israel," said Rabbi Levy.  "Further, the information he probably disclosed consisted primarily of daily operational intelligence summaries, information that is extremely perishable.  It did not appear to me at the time that the information he gave Israel should have resulted in a life sentence."

"It appears that Mr. Pollard is in prison not because of the crime he committed but due to geopolitics," said Carlos M. Salinas, former Acting Director of Government Relations for Amnesty International USA.  "No human being should ever be a chit in such a game."

"After spending the past quarter-century in a jail cell, it is time for the United States to open the prison gates and allow Jonathan Pollard to return home to his wife, his family, and the Jewish people," said Rabbi Pesach Lerner, the Executive Vice President of the National Council of Young Israel.  Rabbi Lerner, who communicates regularly with Jonathan Pollard and his wife Esther, and is considered by Jonathan to be his clergy, has been intimately and actively involved with Jonathan Pollard’s plight for almost 20 years.

"I urge President Obama to heed the calls of prominent law enforcement personnel, renowned legal professionals, and many other elected officials, professors of law, and community leaders, all of whom concur that Jonathan Pollard's life sentence is grossly disproportionate when compared to the sentences of others who have spied for allied nations," continued Rabbi Lerner.

"As he enters his 26th year of imprisonment, Jonathan Pollard has paid disproportionately for the crimes for which he has repeatedly expressed remorse," said Malcolm Hoenlein, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.   "It is time that he be released and allowed to rebuild his life.  It is now a humanitarian matter that calls for compassion and justice."

"The time has come for Jonathan Pollard to be released from prison," said Rabbi Ellen Weinberg Dreyfus, President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis.  "Having already served a quarter of a century, his time in prison greatly exceeds that of many whose crimes are more serious.  Justice has been done, and must now be tempered by mercy.  Clemency is now the moral choice."

The following is the text of the letter to President Obama:

January 3, 2011

The Honorable Barack H. Obama

President of the United States

The White House

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We, the undersigned over five hundred religious and communal leaders representative of the broad spectrum of the American faith community - wish to add our voices in support of clemency for Jonathan Pollard. We are united in the fundamental belief that "Justice, only justice, shall you pursue" (Deuteronomy 16:20), which rests at the core of our moral principles and system of justice.

Mr. Pollard is currently serving his 26th year of a life sentence, having been indicted on one count of passing classified information to an ally without intent to harm the United States. We certainly do not condone his crime, nor do we underestimate the gravity of the offense. But it is patently clear that the sentence was and remains terribly disproportionate - the average punishment is a 2-4 year prison term - and (as several federal judges have noted) constitutes a gross miscarriage of justice.

As you know, prominent figures from across the spectrum have publicly stated their support for Mr. Pollard's release. They include Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, Senators Charles Schumer and Arlen Specter, Harvard Law Professors Charles Ogletree and Alan Dershowitz, former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, former Assistant Secretary of Defense Lawrence Korb, Rev. Theodore Hesburgh of Notre Dame, Benjamin Hooks of the NAACP, former federal Judge George Leighton, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former U.S. Solicitor General Theodore Olsen, Pastor John Hagee, and Gary Bauer. Furthermore, thirty-nine members of Congress have recently submitted to you a "Dear Colleague" letter led by Congressman Barney Frank in support of commuting Mr. Pollard's sentence. Perhaps most noteworthy, similar support has come from those who have seen the classified information of the actual damage caused including former CIA Director R. James Woolsey, Congressman Anthony Weiner, and former Senator and Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee Dennis DeConcini.

After more than two and a half decades in prison, Mr. Pollard's health is declining. He has repeatedly expressed remorse for his actions, and by all accounts has served as a model inmate.

Commuting his sentence to time served would be a wholly appropriate exercise of your power of clemency - as well as a matter of basic fairness and American justice. It would also represent a clear sense of compassion and reconciliation - a sign of hope much needed in today's world of tension and turmoil.

Thank you for your consideration of this request.

Respectfully,

<signed>

To view all 500+ signatories, download the seven page PDF file by please clicking here

187th Torah Dedicated by Young Israel to the IDF

On Wednesday the 20th October, 2010 the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) and the International Young Israel Movement - Israel Region (IYIM) will proudly donate a Sefer Torah to the I.D.F for the 187th time, over the past twelve years. This project spearheaded by Rabbi Pesach Lerner (Exec. V-P, NCYI) and Rabbi Yedidya Atalas (I.D.F Rabbinate) has allowed for thousands of soldiers on bases throughout Israel to fulfill their spiritual needs.

This project now named the Ruby Davidman Sifrei Torah for the I.D.F. project is named after the recently deceased Ruby Davidman, who made aliyah over 30 years ago and was a tireless volunteer on behalf of Eretz Israel, Torat Israel and especially the soldiers of Israel (his wife will be attending the ceremony).

The Sefer Torah will be placed in the ark in the synagogue of the main base of the I.D.F. in the Gush Etzion region in a celebratory event that will occur on Wednesday morning. The Sifrei Torah are placed on different bases according to the needs of the I.D.F.
The Sifrei Torah are brought to Israel from synagogues throughout North America. They are in a worn or damaged state and donors are found to repair them and rededicate them in memory of loved ones.

The Sefer Torah on Wednesday is being rededicated by Joe and Rozanne Poalnsky (formerly of North Bellmore, NY, now Jerusalem) and Gershon and Braina Tryfus (North Bellmore, NY) through the Gemach of Young Israel of North Bellmore.

Executive Director of IYIM - Israel Region, Mr. Daniel Meyer stated: “Throughout the last 2000 years of Jewish history the burning of Sifrei Torah became the norm. We at Young Israel are proud to reverse this trend of Chilul Hashem into Kiddush Hashem, and restore older Sifrei Torah and to bring them to our brave soldiers.”

For further information or if you would like to attend the event please contact:
Daniel (Mush) Meyer - iyimisrael@gmail.com /0544826649

///

Sefer Torah,IDF,Young Israel,Gift,Yediya Atlas,Pesach Lerner

As printed in The Jerusalem Post 10/20/2010

THE National Council of Young Israel and the International Young Israel Movement-Israel Region will, for the 187th time, donate a Torah scroll to the IDF.

The project, which has been in operation for 12 years, is spearheaded by NCYI vice president Rabbi Pesach Lerner and Rabbi Yedidya Atlas of the IDF Chaplaincy Corps.

The project has been renamed in memory of recently deceased Ruby Davidman a"h , a tireless volunteer for numerous causes here, especially those related to members of the IDF. He and his wife Phyllis came from the US well over 30 years ago. The 187th Torah Scroll will be placed in the synagogue of the main IDF base in Gush Etzion region in a ceremony that will be attended by members of the Davidman family.

All the Torah scrolls that are part of the project have been brought to Israel from synagogues throughout North America. Usually they are worn or damaged and donors are found to repair them and rededicate them in memory of loved ones. The scroll in today's ceremony will be rededicated by Joe and Rozanne Polansky (formerly of North Bellmore, NY, now Jerusalem) and Gershon and Braina Tryfus (North Bellmore, NY).

           IDF Receives Torah Scroll from American Jewish Youth

Cheshvan 13, 5771, 21 October 10 01:13

by by Elad Benari

(Israelnationalnews.com) On Wednesday, the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) and the International Young Israel Movement – Israel  Region (IYIM) donate a Sefer Torah to the IDF for the 187th time. This was done as part of a project which has been running for the past 12 years and was initiated by NCYI Executive Vice President Rabbi Pesach Lerner and Rabbi Yedidya Atlas of the IDF Rabbinate. The project allows for IDF soldiers in bases throughout Israel to fulfill their spiritual needs.

The NCYI – Ruby Davidman Sifrei Torah for the IDF project is named Ruby Davidman, a gentleman who made aliyah over 30 years ago and volunteered on behalf of Eretz Israel, Torat Israel and especially the soldiers of Israel.

During a special ceremony attended by Davidman’s wife on Wednesday morning, the scroll was placed in the ark of the synagogue located in the IDF’s main base in Gush Etzion. The donated scrolls are brought to Israel from synagogues throughout North America. They are in a worn or damaged state and donors are found to repair them and rededicate them in memory of loved ones. Upon their arrival in Israel, the scrolls are placed in different army bases according to the needs of the IDF.

This particular Sefer Torah was rededicated by Joe and Rozanne Polansky (formerly of North Bellmore, NY, now Jerusalem) and Gershon and Braina Tryfus (of West Hempstead, NY) through the Gemach of Young Israel of North Bellmore.

The Young Israel Movement is an organization whose purpose is “to foster and maintain a program of spiritual, cultural, social and communal activity towards the advancement and perpetuation of traditional Torah-true Judaism; and to instill into American Jewish youth an understanding and appreciation of the high ethical and spiritual values of Judaism and demonstrate the compatibility of the ancient faith of Israel with good Americanism,” as its website states.

“The National Council of Young Israel is proud to be the conduit for so many Young Israel and non Young Israel synagogues in the USA and Canada to send our IDF soldiers a Torah scroll for their daily and Shabbat needs,” said Rabbi Pesach Lerner. “These soldiers put their lives on the line every day to protect their people and land, this is the very least we can do. It is indeed an honor.”

www.IsraelNationalNews.com

 

Click here to begin Video

 

National Council of Young Israel President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky made the following statement today following the deadly shooting of four Israeli citizens, including a pregnant woman, near the city of Hebron:

"The National Council of Young Israel and the International Young Israel Movement mourns the tragic loss of the four innocent Israelis who became the latest victims of a tragic terrorist attack directed at the Jewish State.

This senseless shooting, which comes on the eve of the start of direct talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, is a stark and painful reminder that the PA is incapable of being a true partner in peace.  While the Palestinian leadership is telling the United States and the world what it believes they want to hear, its citizens are simultaneously carrying out carefully planned and premeditated acts of terror against innocent men, women, and children.

Today's murder of an Israeli family at the Bani Naim junction just south of the holy city of Hebron comes as the Israeli leadership is being pressured to make concessions for the sake of peace, which compromises its security and puts its citizenry at risk.  We hope and pray that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' trip to Washington results in a clear and compelling call for a swift end to the violence and the cessation of the brutal acts of terror that are being perpetrated against the people of Israel.

May the Omnipresent comfort the families of the victims among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) and the International Young Israel Movement will host its 98th Anniversary Dinner on Thursday evening, May 6, 2010.  The dinner will take place at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, which is located at 36 Battery Place in Manhattan.  The theme of this year's dinner is "Honoring our Past...Impacting the Present...Building our Future," which has been a hallmark of the Young Israel Movement's nearly century of service to the Jewish community.  There will be a reception beginning at 6:00 PM followed by the program at 7:30 PM.

According to NCYI President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky, the National Council of Young Israel has selected an array of honorees, each of whom has made significant contributions to their synagogue, their community, and to the broader Jewish community.

"We chose to honor a number of worthy individuals who aptly represent our rich and vibrant past and embody the best of the present," Mostofsky said.

The honorees are as follows:

Consul Arie Sommer, the Commissioner of the North and South America Israel Ministry of Tourism who has been at the forefront of expanding Israel's appeal to travelers from the western hemisphere during his three-decade career with the Ministry of Tourism, will be the Guest of Honor;

The Young Israel Beth-El of Borough Park, New York and the Young Israel of Greater Cleveland, Ohio, two of the oldest Young Israel synagogues in the country, will receive the organization's coveted Legacy Award;

Rabbi Julius Meles of the Young Israel of Oxford Circle, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will receive the Lifetime Rabbinic Achievement Award recognizing over 55 years of Rabbinic leadership;

Mr. Abe Kestenbaum of the Young Israel Benevolent Association and a member of the Young Israel of Bensonhurst, New York, will receive the Chesed Shel Emet Award for his tireless work on behalf of the Young Israel Benevolent Association;

Mike and Sandi Samole of the Young Israel of Kendall, Florida, will receive the prestigious Shofar Award for their work on behalf of their community;

The David Project will receive the Israel Advocacy Award, which will be accepted by Mr. Lawrence Muscant, Acting Executive Director, in recognition of the David Project's partnership with the National Council of Young Israel in teaching the tools of Hasbara (advocacy) to teenagers, college students and adults;

Shmuel Goldis of the Young Israel of Hollywood-Ft. Lauderdale, Florida will receive the Herbert S. Schweitzer Youth Award that recognizes a young person's service to his synagogue;

JBFCS's Ezrat Chayim/Pride of Judea will receive the Olam Chesed Yibaneh Award, which will be accepted by Mrs. Tina Machnikoff, LCSW, Program Coordinator and a member of the Young Israel of Great Neck, New York, for their work on behalf of those in need on mental health services; and

Mr. Samuel Kosofsky, the founder of the Hillcrest Shidduch Committee and a member of the Young Israel of Hillcrest, New York, will receive the Bayit Ne'eman B’Yisrael Award for his tireless work on behalf of singles.

The National Council of Young Israel is the umbrella organization of over 150 Orthodox synagogues in the United States and Canada and nearly 60 synagogues in Israel.  For almost 100 years, the Young Israel name has been respected throughout the world for its integrity to halacha, innovative programming, and unflinching support and commitment to the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

For more information about the National Council of Young Israel's May 6th dinner or to make reservations, visit www.youngisrael.org/dinner2010; send an email to dinner@youngisrael.org; or call 212-929-1525 x100.

Please click on image below to download article

As the current economic downturn continues to permeate the Jewish community, the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI), together with the Council of Jewish Organizations of Flatbush and the Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, sponsored a program for rabbinic leaders from Brooklyn and Staten Island entitled "Economic Crisis Affecting Our Community: How Can We Help?"  The December 16, 2008 program, which was co-sponsored by Agudath Israel of America and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, gave participants the opportunity to hear answers to their questions about the economic crisis and to learn from the experts.

According to NCYI Director of Rabbinic Services Rabbi Binyamin Hammer, who coordinated the event, the program was intended to enable Rabbis, who are often the "first responders" in their respective communities, to learn more about the various programs and services that are available for people in need.

Approximately forty people participated in the program, which was hosted by the Young Israel of Flatbush and its Mara D'Atra, Rabbi Kenneth Auman.  After welcoming remarks from NCYI Chief Operating Officer Chaim Leibtag, the participants heard from a number of prominent speakers, including Rabbi Yechezkel  Pikus, the Executive Director of COJO of Flatbush; Peter Brest, the Chief Operating Officer of the Met Council on Jewish Poverty; Rabbi Gedaliah Weinberger of Agudath Israel of America; Rabbi Heshy Billet, the spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Woodmere; and Sam Bergman of the Eliezer Project, an organization based in the Five Towns that helps individuals and families who are encountering financial difficulties.

The presenters spoke about the various service organizations in the community and discussed the assistance that they offer families, including credit counseling, mortgage assistance, job retraining, and mental health services.

Upon the conclusion of the formal presentations, there was a question and answer session, as well as an opportunity for people to meet one-on-one with the various presenters.

"We all are committed to work with one another to streamline the various bureaucracies so that rabbanim and shul leaders can make proper referrals for their congregants," said Rabbi Hammer.

"The economic decline has unfortunately affected our families, our communitywide organizations, and our Torah institutions," said NCYI President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky.  "With people facing difficult financial times and an uncertain economic future, there are a lot of unanswered questions that people have.  This program gave people the opportunity to engage in a dialogue with professionals who understand the predicament that they are facing and who have the ability to offer sound counsel and sage advice."

The National Council of Young Israel is planning a similar program for Rabbis in Queens in the coming months, and encourages the local synagogues and social service organizations to participate so that the public can be better informed and know where they can turn to for help.

"The National Council of Young Israel is in a unique position to bring together various groups for the betterment of the Jewish community," said NCYI COO Chaim Leibtag.  "We will continue working to unite our community and keep educating rabbinic and community leaders so that they will be even better positioned to assist people in need."

For information about the National Council of Young Israel's upcoming programs, please contact the NCYI Department of Rabbinic Services at (212) 929-1525 x113; send an email to rabbis@youngisrael.org; or visit www.youngisrael.org.

National Council of Young Israel President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky made the following statement today regarding the recent terrorist attack that took place in Mumbai, India:

"The National Council of Young Israel joins with individuals and communities throughout the world in mourning the tragic deaths of the approximately 200 people whose lives were cut short by the terrorist attacks that devastated Mumbai. We especially mourn the untimely passing of six of our fellow Jews who were killed in cold blood in the Chabad center - Rabbi Benzion Kruman, Rabbi Aryeh Leibish Teitelbaum, Mrs. Norma Shvarzblat Rabinovich, Mrs. Yocheved Orpaz, and Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg, the young couple who operated the center. The Holtzbergs were kindred spirits whose great generosity, boundless hospitality, and gregarious personalities helped bring joy and comfort to countless Jews who passed through the Indian city of Mumbai.

The senseless killings in Mumbai are yet another disturbing reminder of the catastrophic and painful effect that terrorism has on families, on communities, and on the world at large. Brutal acts of murder have no place in a civilized society, and it behooves our world leaders to not just condemn heinous acts of terrorism when they occur, but to take definitive steps to curb the spread of suicide terrorism.

These attacks are also a painful reminder that "random" acts of violence are never as arbitrary as they appear to be. All too often throughout history the world has witnessed widespread acts of terrorism in which the terrorists have gone out of their way to single out Jewish targets and take Jewish lives. It was just five years ago that terrorists carrying out acts of carnage in Morocco made sure to include a Jewish community center as one of their targets. The attack on the Chabad center reminds us how vigilant we as Jews must be at all times.

As we mourn the loss of our Jewish brethren and all the victims of the Mumbai attacks, we pray for the speedy and complete recovery for the hundreds of innocent men, women, and children who were injured at the hands of the terrorists. As we stand together with Jews from all corners of the globe in this time of terrible sadness, we take this opportunity to focus on prayer, acts of kindness towards others, and charitable endeavors. Although the Holtzbergs were taken from us seemingly too soon, it is up to the rest of us to continue their good work and to serve G-d as they did - with love, alacrity, and a sense of achdus, unity. We must ensure that their legacy lives on and that we never forget the lessons that their deeds and actions taught us about how to live life as committed Jews.

The National Council of Young Israel is embarking on a campaign to complete the study of Mishnayos by the end of the Shloshim for the Jewish victims of the Mumbai attacks. The study of Mishnayos in memory of the victims is an appropriate way to honor their memories and to help perpetuate the legacy that they left. To sign up to learn Mishnayos in memory of the Jews who perished in the attacks in Mumbai, please visit www.youngisrael.org.

To the families of the victims, we offer you our solace and our prayers. May you know of no more sorrow, and may your lives be enriched with happiness and joy in the future. HaMakom Yenachem Etchem B'toch Shaar Avlei Tzion V'Yerushalayim - May G-d comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."

* * * * *