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"The Mitchell report is acceptable to us in principle. We
had comments, which we conveyed, and they are clear," Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon said. PA Chairman Yasser Arafat
welcomed the report and called for a Middle East summit to
be reconvened to implement its recommendations. The Foreign Ministry said that it is reviewing its policy
toward the International Red Cross (IRC) in light of that
organization's characterization last week of settlements as
"war crimes." The IRC is involved in humanitarian activities
in the territories for which it needs Israeli cooperation
and government approval. These recent comments may impair
the ability of the IRC to carry out these tasks as an
impartial, humanitarian organization. Education Ministry To Close Scientology Cult Atid
School Deputy Education Minister Meshulem Nahari has announced that
the Education Ministry will close the Scientology cult-
backed Atid school. The school, in which scores of students
from the Dan Bloc study, will be closed before the opening
of the next school year. The announcement was made in
response to a parliamentary question presented by MK Rabbi
Moshe Gafni. A new book, based heavily on conversations with the
president of the High Court, writes that he sees himself as
"an educator" of the Israeli public and obligated to
perpetuate a legal revolution, according to which
"Everything is judiciable."
Innovative Plans to Relieve Bnei Brak Housing
Shortage Three innovative city planning projects aimed at providing a
quick solution of the Bnei Brak housing shortage and
acceleration of the usual bureaucratic procedures have been
presented by the Municipal Committee for Planning and
Construction headed by Mayor Rabbi Mordechai Karelitz. The
plan covers the addition of elevators to existing buildings,
additions to a building's built-up areas, the number of
apartments per building and the basement areas. Hatzoloh Volunteer Saves Woman in Hadera A Hatzoloh volunteer from Hadera will receive a citation of
appreciation from the organization for saving the life of a
woman caught in a traffic jam. The jam took place in Petach
Tikvah when police closed the roads in order to dismantle a
bomb. The woman suffered serious respiratory problems, and a
Hatzoloh volunteer administered a transfusion before arrival
of an intensive care ambulance. Kiddush Shem Shomayim in Beit Shemesh Thousands of chareidi and religious Jews assembled on
Shabbos Parshas Behar-Bechukosai for massive, outdoor
musaf services at the entrance to the city of Beit
Shemesh, in protest at the opening on Shabbos of a
MacDonald's restaurant in the city. The services were held
at directives of the Beit Shemesh neighborhood rabbonim,
whose call was joined by maranan verabonon, the
gedolei Yisroel. Unprecedented in the history of Beit
Shemesh, the event was a kiddush Shem Shomayim. Israeli Settlements and International Law The Israeli government recently issued a Legal Position
Paper detailing its view of the status of the settlements in
the area known as the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Israel's GDP Rose in the First Quarter Israel's gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an
annualized rate of 1.7 percent during the first quarter,
compared with a 9.8 percent drop in the fourth quarter of
2000, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported on
Monday. A year ago, it was up 6.5 percent in the first
quarter.
Indyk Discusses Failure of Peace Attempts US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk took both Israel and
the Palestinians to task this week, calling on Israel to re-
order its settlement priorities, and leveling barely veiled
criticism against the Palestinians for not grasping what was
on the table at Camp David. Needy Families in Eretz Yisroel Look to Shavuos Appeal for
Help Rabbi Menachem Mendel Fuchs, one of the heads of Vaad
HaRabbonim LeInyonei Tzedaka, is worried about the hundreds
of Israeli families in extreme need who have turned to the
Vaad as their last resort. But Rabbi Fuchs is optimistic
that help is on the way. The Vaad is in the midst of its
Shavuos appeal, and he says he is hopeful that this year, as
in previous years, Klal Yisroel will respond
generously to these families who so urgently need
assistance. By HaRav Shimshon Dovid Pincus zt'l Weeping for Generations: By Way Of Introduction
"And your brethren, all of beis Yisroel, shall weep
over the burning that Hashem burnt" (Yayikro
10,6). PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE Torah values are eternal -- especially where they concern
chinuch, and passing fads and trends will eventually fall
flat in comparison with the guidelines received at
Sinai. Shmuel Bekor'ei Shemo -- HaRav Shmuel Hillel Shenker zt'l
The last day for Kiddush Levonoh - Sivan
One can say Kiddush Levonoh in the entire world until
Wednesday afternoon, 15 Sivan (June 6), at 1:55 P.M.,
according to the Summer Clock, Israeli time. The final time
is therefore in most of the world the entire Tuesday night,
and in west U.S.A. and Canada only according to the
difference in time zones in comparison to Eretz Yisroel. In
the extreme eastern countries it is possible to say a
berochoh even on Wednesday night, the eve of 16
Sivan, from the beginning of the night until the time
according to the difference in time zones in comparison to
Eretz Yisroel.
The astronomical full moon is at 4:40 A.M., nine hours and
fifteen minutes earlier than the nigud emtzo'i and
fourteen hours and fifty-three minutes earlier than the full
fifteen days from the molad. One should not make a
berochoh even bedi'eved after the nigud
emtzo'i.
(Birur Halocho Kamma, IV and V, Orach Chaim
426)
Birkos HaTorah on Shavuos
Those who remain awake the entire Shavuos night can
continue to study Torah after the alos hashachar
until they find someone to be motzi them with
birkos hatorah (Dinim Vehanhogos of Maran the
Chazon Ish zt'l, Orach Chaim 1:12, referring
in general to someone who did not sleep the whole night).
If that person slept on erev Shavuos a sheinas
keva in bed and later was up the entire Shavuos
night he is memah nafshoch obligated in birkos
hatorah (Mishnah Berurah 47:28 in the name of R'
Akiva Eiger.) (In the above-mentioned section of Dinim
Vehanhogos is a note that points out that HaRav Aharon
Kotler zy'a directed the yeshiva students to follow
without any pikpukim R' Akiva Eiger's ruling.)
According to this that person should stop studying at
alos hashachar and after alos hashachar should
say the berochos himself. It is desirable to arrange
that the person who is motzi others (those who did
not sleep during the day) should do so immediately after
alos hashachar.
For such matters the alos hashachar is the "later"
one of "seventy- two minutes." According to the Summer Clock
it is in Yerushalayim at 4:11 A.M., in Bnei Brak, Tel-Aviv,
and the Dan area at 4:12 A.M., in Haifa at 4:08 A.M., and in
Eilat at 4:20 A.M.
See Birur Halocho, IV and V, Orach Chaim
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