What’s the solution: It is obvious: Roshei Yeshiva should be recognized for what they are: Heads of yeshiva, as a position, is often earned via nepotism5, and not because they are qualified leaders, even if the person is certainly a talmud chacham.6 They should not be considered leaders of klal yisrael unless they explicitly understand this contradiction and consciously overcome it. And since they are not leaders of Klal Yisrael, you don’t have to follow them, since they are not caring about WZO and other issues as part of their leadership of klal yisroel but rather of their institution (even if they do not realize it). Because even if they are not out of touch with their institution, they are out of touch from you.
Maybe they’d even get vaccinated next, chas veshalom.
I wish I was joking about this.
An even more obvious example is the “freezer”.
Please don’t tell me that Lakewood is a Yeshiva Town, so its analogous. The differences are obvious. BMG is not tied to the community in any way that the community affects BMG. It’s leaders are not beholden to the community, but rather the reverse. And the yeshiva is prioritized over the community. Hence, BMG’s leadership is just for itself.
Isn’t it an odd coincidence that the five most qualified people to “lead” Lakewood are also sons and sons in law of R Shneur Kotler?
Obviously, a community kollel or yeshiva where the community picks the Rosh yeshiva is similar to a kehilla model and would be different.
You may have a point but please do not bring from DIN & his anonymous Substack friend who completely back all Zionist kefira. While they could have stopped at being Kookniks they have no bounds in full support of Herzl & all the other geferlich ones. There are more than 2 Moetzes members by the way who are against WZO participation. I would certainly hope so when Brisker Rov & the Rosh yeshiva ztl were against. This is more than hope, its the reality. So the party emailing you is a dishonest propagandist
ReplyDelete3/30/25, 2:06 PM - Bvs Cel: *#TheAdminsTwoCents* ✍️
ReplyDeleteOver the last few weeks, we've begun hearing about the upcoming WZO elections. In the community at large, these elections have become a hot topic. Many Rabbanim have expressed opinions for and against voting in these elections. Far be it from me to take sides in a question of Daas Torah. But as someone interested in all things Israel, I did a bit of digging to get a better understanding of what the WZO controversy is all about. And I learned a few things I didn't know. I'd like to share them with you.
The WZO, or World Zionist Organization, founded in 1897, was the entity that led to the creation of the State of Israel. Its role united Jewish communities who supported its mission by purchasing land in Eretz Yisroel and leading the lobbying effort around the world to garner support from world governments for a Jewish state. (The debate and position of the Rabbanim and Gedolim prior to the creation of the state are well-known and not the subject of our conversation.)
Upon the creation of the state, the role of the WZO was no longer relevant, so it was decided that the WZO would continue to operate with the new mission of focusing on advancing the interests of Diaspora Jewry's connection and voice regarding Isreal. Within this framework, the WZO serves as the official representatives of Jewish communities in the Diaspora to the State of Israel.
The composition of the leadership in the WZO (those authorized to decide on budget allocations) is based on the votes of Jews worldwide in elections held every five years. The current structure allows for one-third of the 500 delegates to be from the United States, while the other two-thirds (one-third from Israel and one-third from other countries around the world) are selected through other processes. This means that currently, only American Jews have the power to effect the balance of power in a major way. (In the future, thanks to the efforts of Eretz HaKodesh, Jews in other countries will soon be able to vote as well.)
One major institution under the umbrella of the WZO is the Keren Kayemet LeYisroel, or KKL for short. The KKL's role prior to the state was to purchase as much land as possible in Eretz Yisroel. Upon the creation of the state, the KKL continued to be the owner of vast swaths of land throughout Israel, making it a very wealthy entity with vast amounts of influence. For example, currently, 13% of any new home purchased in Ramat Beit Shemesh goes to the KKL. Much of Israel's new development is on their land, and the organization keeps raking in the cash. The KKL's annual revenue is 7 billion Shekel.
ReplyDeleteIn the early 2000s, the Reform movement realized that they could strongly influence Israeli policy by voting in their own delegates to the WZO, thereby controlling the money and, in turn, controlling the agenda, God forbid. By doing this, they are now able to deeply influence Israeli policy in a direction that severely opposes our Mesorah and Torah way of life. All this is done with the claim that they represent the Jews of the Diaspora. Due to their influence, most of the WZO activities over the last 30 years have gone to anti-Torah initiatives.
A number of years ago, an idea was presented to Gedolei Yisroel suggesting that the religious community push back against this influence and drive support to Torah institutions by following the same path. Through voting in delegates that represent our way of life, we can reverse the negative effects created by the reform movement.
With the blessing of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and other great Torah luminaries, Eretz Hakodesh launched its campaign to stand up for Torah values and secure the future of Eretz Yisroel as one influenced by the Torah. In the last round of elections, 20,000 votes received by Eretz HaKodesh prevented the left/reform bloc from achieving an absolute majority.
In truth, it's the religious community around the world that deeply cares about Eretz Yisroel; it's the religious who move there, who send their sons and daughters to study there and soak up the kedushah, and it's the religious who visit constantly and focus all their tefillos toward the _Eretz Asher Einei Hashem Elokechah Bah,_ the land where Hashem's eyes are constantly. It is our voice that should be heard, and our voice that should reign supreme.
It's important to understand that no one, on either side of the debate, is looking to join up with any entities that are, God forbid, against our Torah. It's, in fact, the exact opposite. If we unite, the Torah way of life will lead the way and strongly influence policy in Eretz Yisroel. During the last round of elections, only 120,000 votes were cast. A united religious community can easily gain a majority.
It is also important to note that voting isn't contingent on joining the WZO. For a nominal voter processing fee, your voice can be heard.
We want this for Kavod Shmayim, and we want this so that the attacks on our beliefs stop. As Torah Jews, we turn to our rabbanim for guidance. *I've asked my Rabbi, and I will be voting for Eretz HaKodesh. It's my hope that you will do the same, and may we all merit to maximize Kavod Shamayim.*
https://www.breitbart.com/entertainment/2025/03/30/michael-rapaport-blasts-sick-animal-bernie-sanders-cleanse-your-rotten-soul-for-opposing-arms-to-israel-with-dozens-of-hostages-still-in-gaza/
ReplyDeleteWZO co-founder Simon (Simcha) Maximilian Südfeld (later name change to Max Nordau) was born in Pest, Hungary, then Austria. His father, Gabriel Südfeld, was a rabbi earning his livelihood as a Hebrew tutor. As an Orthodox Jew, Nordau attended a Jewish elementary school & earned a medical degree from University of Pest in 1872. He then traveled for 6 years & changed his name before going to Berlin in 1873. In 1878 he began to practice medicine in Budapest. In 1880 he went to Paris as correspondent for Neue Freie Presse.
ReplyDeleteBefore university, he'd begun his literary career in Budapest as contributor & dramatic critic for Der Zwischenact. Subsequently, he was editorial writer & correspondent for several other newspapers. He was disciple of Darwinist Meshumod Cesare Lombroso.
Nordau was an example of a fully assimilated & acculturated European Jew. Despite being raised religious, Nordau was agnostic. He married a Christian woman of Danish origin. He felt affiliated to German culture, writing in an autobiography "When I reached age 15, I left the Jewish way of life & study of Torah ... Judaism remained a mere memory & since then I've always felt as a German & German only." Max Nordau was the father of painter Maxa Nordau (1897–1993). The bulk of her work consists of portraits, mostly vivid & colourful depictions of Arab women she met during visits to the Middle East. She was influenced by her father's Zionist views. She often exhibited very naturalistic paintings of nude female Yemenites & Palestinians she met & studied.
Koichi vOitzem Yadi
Nordau at the 1898 Zionist Congress, coined the term "muscular Judaism" (Muskeljudentum) as a descriptor of Jewish culture & religion which directed adherents to reach for moral & corporeal ideals which, through agility & strength, result in a stronger Jew to outshine the long-held stereotype of the weak Jew. He further explored the "muscle Jew" in a 1900 article of Jewish Gymnastics Journal.
Sir Sinclkaire of the UK England was honored at a BMG Dinner. Sir Sinclaire stood for Zionisim publicly, BMG had no issue honoring him.
ReplyDeleteR' Chanina Posner zl held that Martial Arts including Karate is one of the matanos of tumah that Avrohom Avinu gave the bnei Keturah. Es passt for them when he got them to scram all the way to the Pacific. He didn't want bnei Yisroel exposed to it. That would be all the Agudah 'needs' if Sholom onboards Karate as their latest foreign tumah via Philly intro, following Mamzerus, Tzionus, etc
ReplyDeleteThe annual dinner for Philly's Bala Cynwyd Kollel is where Sholom & his father get very chummy & farshmuzt, sitting tzuzamen mit yener zoinah & her tzvaiter "husband". So much for Philly being "mevatel daas" to R' Dovid Feinstein nogayah the little Mamzerim they R"L spawn & attend the Moderner day school where Sholom zitzt oif & controls the Board. Chotsh that collosal fake move in "deference" to R' Dovid, that was disrespectfully scribbled on a scrap shtik paper, Weaseled them out of worldwide cherem.
https://nypost.com/2025/03/31/us-news/elon-musk-reveals-doges-new-target-members-of-congress-who-got-strangely-wealthy/
ReplyDeleteShomer Yishmoel Chuck Schumer under investigation
In 2010, the gadol hador Horav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv published a letter criticizing the Shas Party Sfardim for joining the WZO. He wrote that the Party is turning its back on the basics of Torah Jewry. He compared this move to the decision of the Mizrachi movement to join the WZO [over one hundred years ago] which was the deciding factor in their separation from authentic Torah Judaism.
ReplyDeleteElyashiv, R. Yosef Shalom (2010-01-22). "Nevelah Ne'esta B'Yisroel" Yated Ne'eman
did BELZ join ERETZ HAKODESH?
ReplyDeleteLast week there was an asifa in Lakewood that made headlines!
ReplyDeleteThe Son and sons-in-laws of the late R' Shnuer Kotler z"l, the ones running Lakewood, an institution solely supported by schnorrerei, issued a Fatwa that everyone should close their gemarras and listen to speaker after speaker denounce the State that is the biggest supporter of Torah in the entire world!
They were supposedly talking about the vote. meaning not to vote, but it was all about spewing hate with the vilest descriptions of people who are actually living in Israel! Please note, that Yaakov Aveenu was actually afraid of Eisav because Eisav was living in Israel!!!!!! But these speakers are not afraid to denounce the Zionists living in Israel with the most vile, despicable terms in the English lexicon.
I am not going to go over the merits of voting for the WZO elections, it's been talked to death, and I know that I won't change anyone's mind!
But how do thousands who thank G-d in benching for giving us Eretz Yisrael, who thank G-d in al ha'mechya for Eretz Yisrael, and who learned as children that the very first conversation that Hashem had with a Jew and Who then at this conversation gave him his very first mitzvah, which was for him to go to Eretz Yisrael, and who learned that the very first conversation that Hashem had with Moshe was to tell him to bring the Jews to the Promised Land, how do they daven with a straight face to a G-d that is literally obsessed with the Land of Israel?
How do they sit there listening to speakers for hours, deriding and denouncing that very Land! How do you guys live with yourselves?
For G-d's sake, we are at war!!!! Give it a break already!!!
You don't have other problems?
This week the Chevra Kadish in the USA announced that they bury at least 3 suicide victims in the Charedie community every week, and that's not counting those who accidentally overdosed! We have a pandemic, but they get up to denounce the Zionists!
How sick is this?
I wonder if even one guy at the Asifa in Lakewood thought to himself, "Am I the only one thinking that this is perverted?"
How out of touch with their very own communities were these speakers?