Biden remarks on Jerusalem,Young Israel,Jerusalem,Peace in Middle East

National Council of Young Israel President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky, Esq. today criticized comments made by Vice President Joseph Biden regarding the Jerusalem District Planning Committee's decision to authorize 1,600 new units of housing in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo.

In a statement issued by the White House, the Vice President said, "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem.  The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now....."

In addition, Vice President Biden spoke about the future of Jerusalem when he said, "The United States recognizes that Jerusalem is a deeply important issue for Israelis and Palestinians and for Jews, Muslims and Christians.  We believe that through good faith negotiations, the parties can mutually agree on an outcome that realizes the aspirations of both parties for Jerusalem and safeguards its status for people around the world.  Unilateral action taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations on permanent status issues."

The following is Mostofsky's statement:

"We strongly 'condemn' Vice President Biden's statements and respectfully urge him to rescind his incendiary remarks about Jerusalem.  The reality is that there is no such entity as 'East Jerusalem,' there is only Jerusalem, which is the united capital of Israel.  Only Israel can make determinations regarding Jerusalem's future expansion and development.

How could a Vice President of the United States promote a policy restricting the right of Jews to build homes in Jerusalem?  It would be an anathema for a Vice President to support a statute that banned any American from relocating to, or from building a home in, Washington, D.C. or any American community because the neighbors objected to their presence based solely on religion, ethnicity or national origin.  Yet, the Vice President ignored our American values of equality and justice and had no compunction condemning Israel for permitting Jews to build homes in Jerusalem, their country's capital.

The Vice President misleadingly gave the Palestinian Authority the illusion that condemnation or pressure by the United States would force any Israeli government to include Jerusalem in negotiations.  The overwhelming majority of Israelis believe Israel has no legitimate peace partner and rejects negotiations involving Jerusalem.  Instead of pandering to terrorists, the Vice President should have told the PA to amend its charter, stop preaching hatred in their schools and mosques, and immediately halt all plans for terrorist attacks.  Instead of criticizing those who wish to build and live peacefully in the State of Israel, the Vice President should have denounced those who wish to destroy it.

Vice President Biden did not condemn the Palestinian Authority's decision to name a public square in Ramallah after Dalal al-Mughrabi, who carried out a horrific terrorist attack in 1978 that killed thirty-seven innocent Israelis, or denounce PA Prime Minister Salam Fayad's role in the dedication ceremony.  The Vice President should have condemned the Palestinian Authority for encouraging its youth to hurl rocks from the Temple Mount at Jewish worshipers praying below at the Western Wall.

If the events of 9/11 taught us anything, it is that you cannot appease terrorists.  Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people for thousands of years, and since 1948, of the State of Israel.  The condemnation of Vice President Biden will not alter that fact or lead to peace in the Middle East.  If the Vice President truly wanted to encourage the peace process, he should have condemned the Palestinian Authority for its inability to be a stable and honest partner for peace, praised Israel as America's only true friend and ally in the Middle East, and commended Israel for its brave and costly efforts on behalf of peace.

So long as the Palestinian Authority celebrates terror and sanctions violence against Jews, the United States cannot in good conscience engage in any substantive talks with them about anything.  The United States would be best served by acknowledging the Palestinian Authority's failings and recognizing the fact that Israel is its friend, not its foe."

February 10, 2010

To Friends and Constituents of the National Young Israel movement:

As you may or may not know, a Jewish man is slated for execution in Florida next Tuesday.

Martin Grossman was convicted of killing Margaret Parks, a Florida Wildlife Officer, in 1984, when he was 19 years old.

He did so while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and in an act of panic, not premeditation.

He has conducted himself as a model prisoner since his incarceration some 25 years ago and has shown profound remorse and regret for his actions.

National Council of Young Israel has joined other Orthodox Jewish groups including Agudath Israel of America and the Orthodox Union, in asking Florida Governor Charlie Crist to grant clemency , from the death penalty to life in prison, to Mr. Grossman, and we have also requested a meeting in person with Governor Crist to discuss the matter.

But it is important that the Governor hear from the grassroots as well - certainly from people who live or spend significant time in Florida, but even from non-Floridians.

His e-mail address is Charlie.Crist@myflorida.com , his phone number is
(850) 488-7146 and he can be faxed at 850-487-0801.

Letters and calls should be polite to the Governor to take into account Mr. Grossman's youth and impairment at the time of the crime and his good behavior and remorse in the years since.

And the request should be that Mr. Grossman be permitted to serve his debt to society by serving the rest of his life in prison.

May we have happier occasions to demonstrate our achdus and ahavas Yisroel.

"Even those who strongly support capital punishment would limit it to recidivists or people who commit the most heinous of crimes. Martin Grossman fits neither of those categories. He does not belong on death row. His crime, committed when he was a teenager, was unplanned, unpremeditated and impulsive—the product of a serious mental illness, that can now be proved by medical technology that was unavailable at the time of his sentencing. He has been in prison for more than a quarter of a century, during which time he has been a model prisoner who has shown great remorse for what he did. All that he is seeking now is a 60 day postponement of his execution, so that his supporters can martial the evidence and present his case for clemency. No one should be rushed to execution while doubts remain unresolved. Justice demands that he be given the 60 days to prove that he does not deserve to die at the hands of the state."


Alan M. Dershowitz

We regret to inform you of the passing of
Rabbi Dr.Bernard Lander z"l,  founder and president of Touro College, and Landers College.

He is survived by his son, Rabbi Daniel Lander Shlita, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshiva Ohr HaChaim (Queens, NY), his daughters: Mrs. Ester Greenfield, Mrs. Debbie Waxman and Ms Hana Lander and his many grandchildren and great-grand children. 
  
A friend and mentor to the Young Israel movement, Dr. Lander was our partner and host to  The Young Israel Rabbinic Training Program and partner in NCYI's Non For Profit Management Certificate Program  

He was a  true visionary who was consumed by his concern for the Jewish community. 

His whole life was centered around that concern and tens of thousands of Torah Jews are indebted to him for their education and ultumate parnassah.

Our lay and professional leadership had a very close working and personal relationship with him. 
He will be sorely missed

Young israel,legal brief,discrimination,Becket Fund for Religious Liberty

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI), in conjunction with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, recently filed a legal brief in the United States Supreme Court on behalf of a coalition of minority religious groups - including Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and African American and Hispanic Christians - to defend the right of religious organizations to remain autonomous and to choose their members and leaders without being accused of engaging in religious discrimination.

Hastings, a state-run law school located in San Francisco, California, banned an organization called the Christian Legal Society (CLS) from the list of officially recognized student groups on campus, thereby precluding CLS from engaging in school sanctioned activities, utilizing the school facilities, and publicizing its events via school-issued email addresses. According to Hastings, CLS violates the school's policy against discrimination on the basis of religion because CLS requires its leaders and voting members to be practicing Christians who abstain from intimacy outside of marriage.

"Should the Supreme Court choose to rule for Hastings, Jewish organizations, such as the National Council of Young Israel, may well be subject to claims of religious discrimination for refusing to let non-Jews into our leadership, which could allow them to modify our core mission," said NCYI President Shlomo Z. Mostofsky, Esq.

"The Becket Fund is proud to be representing such a broad coalition of different faiths," said Kevin J. "Seamus" Hasson, President of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. "They have many disagreements about theology. But they and we are united about law. In America, all faiths have the right to be who they are without interference from the government."

Christian Legal Society meetings and events are open to all students, regardless of religious affiliation. Only its leaders and voting members, who speak on its behalf, vote on its policies, and lead its Bible studies, are required to adhere to the group's statement of faith and abide by the code of conduct.

"The question in this case is whether the government can force religious groups to embrace individuals who do not necessarily subscribe to the same religion or even agree with the group's mission, as the group's new leadership," said Mostofsky. "If so, it will not be long before the Young Israel Movement will be forced to change its name to Young Atheist or Young Evangelical, and other Orthodox Jewish organizations will lose their identification as well. It is hard to imagine a legal rule that will be more destructive to Torah Judaism in the United States."

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Hastings. In what promises to be one of the biggest religious liberty cases affecting the Jewish community in decades, CLS v. Martinez, the Supreme Court will likely hear oral arguments in the spring.

Hasson noted that the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty solicited the involvement of the National Council of Young Israel because of the international organization's century-old mission of advocating strong Jewish religious values among its members throughout North America and Israel. Based in Washington, D.C., The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions. The Becket Fund has a 15-year history of defending religious liberty for people of all faiths. Its clients have included Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and Sikhs. Additional information about the Becket Fund can be found by visiting their website at www.becketfund.org.

To read the legal brief filed with the U.S. Supreme Court, go to http://www.becketfund.org/files/becketfundbrief.pdf

Federal Grant Deadline February 15, 2010
The Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals (AJOP) in conjunction with the National Council of Young Israel and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
Present
Homeland Security Grant Webinar for Non-Profit Organizations

Wednesday February 3, 2010
12:00 PM (EST)

Live from your Desktop Computer

(you will need a highspeed internet connection and speakers or earphones)

For further information and to register (required) please email Hilly@ajop.com

We would like to thank our colleagues at the office of Homeland Security and all those involved with the Homeland Security Information Network for helping us provide this important webinar.
Please note: This seminar and the grants are available nationwide

Overview: Nonprofit Security Grant Program FY 2010

Grant Amounts & Matching: Eligible applicants will be able to apply for up to $75,000 to bolster their physical security and conduct preparedness training.

Equipment: The grant funds two categories of security equipment and activities: Physical Security Enhancement Equipment and Inspection and Screening Systems

Training: The grant funds may also be used by an organization's security personnel to attend training courses and programs. Allowable training-related costs are limited to attendance fees for training, and related expenses for materials, supplies and/or equipment.

More Details to Follow

NATIONAL JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS COME TO RUSH LIMBAUGH'S DEFENSE

 
The following statement has been issued by numerous national Jewish organizations, among them: AMERICAN FRIENDS OF LIKUD, CAMERA, EMUNAH OF AMERICA, JINSA, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL, RELIGIOUS ZIONISTS OF AMERICA, and Z-STREET:

"There has been controversy, recently, over statements made by radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh about Jewish voting patterns, political ties and the recent Massachusetts election. We are deeply dismayed by the unfounded criticism of the talk show commentator's observations.

While one may agree or disagree with Mr. Limbaugh's views on many subjects, his outspoken support for Israel has been eloquent, informed and undeniable. Moreover, in commentary on the Jewish people, he has been nothing short of a philo-Semite. We are grateful for his strong and singular voice on these issues."

RABBI PESACH LERNER, EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT OF NCYI, MET WITH MK DANON DURING RABBI LERNER'S RECENT VISIT TO ISRAEL; THAT MEETING AND THE DISCUSSIONS WHICH TOOK PLACE, FACILITATED THE FOLLOW-UP MEETING IN NEW YORK.

ITEMS DISCUSSED INCLUDED THE BUILDING FREEZE IN YEHUDA AND SHOMRON, THE POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE FREEZE, THE U.S. SPONSORED MITCHELL PEACE INITIATIVES, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES.
 

MK DANNY DANON IS DEPUTY SPEAKER OF THE KNESSET AND CHAIRMAN OF WORLD LIKUD

 
L-R  MK DANNY DANON;  SHLOMO MOSTOFSKY, NATIONAL PRESIDENT, NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL

L-R NCYI LEADERSHIP: YOSEF POPLACK, DR. CHANANIA GANG, RABBI PESACH LERNER, MK DANNY DANON, SHLOMO MOSTOFSKY, ELI DWORETSKY, DAVID LOVE, RABBI CHAIM KOMENDANT

YOUNG ISRAEL OF BAYSIDE, NY TO HOST COMMUNITYWIDE HEALTH PROGRAM

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) and the Young Israel of Bayside will host a program called "Bones & Groans: Awareness, Prevention, & Treatment of Knee and Back Pain."  The program will take place on Sunday morning, January 24, 2010, at 9:00 AM at the Young Israel of Bayside, which is located at 209-34 26th Avenue in Bayside, New York.

Breakfast will be served between 8:30 and 9:00, before the start of the program.  The Guest Speaker will be Reuven Guy, RPA-C, a Physician Assistant in Physiatry at Medalliance in Bronx, NY.  Admission to the event is free of charge.

To RSVP for "Bones & Groans: Awareness, Prevention, & Treatment of Knee and Back Pain," call 718-423-3720, or send an email to NCYI Director of Programming Rebbetzin Judi Steinig at jsteinig@youngisrael.org.

EXCLUSIVE: YWN Editor Meets With Jonathan Pollard

On Tuesday December 23, YWN had the privilege to meet with Jonathan Pollard in the Butner Correctional facility located in Butner, North Carolina.

Our meeting lasted two hours, and visitors included Rabbi Pesach Lerner (Executive Vice President,National Council Of Young Israel), Rav Yaakov Shapira, the Rosh Yeshiva of Mercaz HaRav Kook in Yerushalayim), R' Chaskel Bennet (an Askan from Flatbush), and another anonymous individual who has spent his entire life helping Jews across the globe.

The meeting left us in shock and very sad, after seeing one of our Jewish brothers locked in a prison for more than two decades. In fact, Jonathan has just started his 25th year behind bars.

Jonathan appears to look in fairly good condition, although the fact is that he isn't. He is suffering from numerous medical conditions. His "Matzav Ruach" is good, and his Emunah and Bitachon are steadfast.

Much was discussed in our two hour meeting, and many questions that people have were answered to us. [YWN plans on writing an extensive article about our two hour visit with Jonathan in the coming days.]

At the end of our meeting, the Rosh Yeshiva told Jonathon that he has a D'var Torah to tell him, and that the group would also like to sing a few songs with him. Jonathan responded instantly by saying "I'd prefer the D'var Torah more than the songs". The Rosh Yeshva told him a D'var Torah which gave him tremendous Chizuk.

Following the D'var Torah the YWN Editor asked Jonathan if he'd ever heard of Shlomo Carlebach. "Of course I have! I loved Carlebach! In fact he was even supposed to come sing for me in prison - and even had clearance to bring his guitar with him. Unfortunately, he was Niftar shortly before his scheduled visit," Pollard answered us in a sad voice.

I started singing "Esa Einai El He'harim", followed by "L'maan Achai". After a few moments I looked at the group, and saw that I was not alone..... everyone had tears in their eyes.... I don't think I ever sang a song with such D'veykus, feeling, and emotion..... We ended with Carlebach's joyous "Leshano Habbah Be'Yerushalayim".

The "government monitor" gave us the look.....time was up.....

We stood up, hugged and kissed Jonathan, blessed him from the bottom of our hearts, told him to stay strong. When it was my turn to bid him farewell, I was at loss of words. What can I possibly tell him? What kind of Chizuk can I possibly give a man who has been imprisoned for 25 years, and who has had the entire Israeli Government turn their backs on him?

I walked up to him, hugged him tightly, and told him that his grandfather, the famed Vilna Goan (whom Jonathan is a direct descendant of) should be a "maylitz yosher" for him, and hope to visit him again real soon as a free man.

He thanked me, and specifically thanked the tens of thousands of YWN readers from the bottom of his heart - who flooded the Whitehouse with emails and phone calls in the last few weeks of the Bush administration.

We just stood there without saying another word, and watched with broken hearts as they removed Jonathan Pollard back to his prison cell.

Please - keep davening for the health and freedom of Yehonosson ben Malka Pollard!

-Please write him letters, letters of support, of chizuk, of divrei torah. Jonathan refers to these letters as his "oxygen". The letters can be from adults and children, from families and school classes. Please be sure the letters are written in English only. Please just send him letters, no enclosures (tapes, gifts, etc).

- Please choose one day each week, make that your day, each week, to write another letter. ask your family members and friends to do the same. Jonathan reads every letter, although he may not respond.

Please send the letters to:

Jonathan Pollard

# 09185-016

Fci Butner

PO Box 1000/Clemson

Butner, North Carolina

27509-1000

USA

-If you wish to contribute funds to assist Jonathan, while he is in prison, to buy kosher food items from the prison canteen, to pay for his phone calls, to purchase various items that he needs, etc., please use the following link
https://www.youngisrael.org/securecontent/donate.cfm?dt=pollard
or send your contributions to: Young Israel Charities, attention the Pollard Fund, c/o National Council of Young Israel, 111 John Street, Suite 450, New York, NY 10038.

[An extensive article is being worked on, and will be posted in the coming days]

(YWN Editor - NYC)

http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=43757