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9 Kislev 5761 - December 6, 2000 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS


Torah Draft Deferments in Danger; Chareidi Community Went All-Out to Heed High Court Order
by M. Plaut and Yated Ne'eman Staff

The government and prime minister Ehud Barak apparently were playing politics with the status of the draft deferment of yeshiva students, as MK Salah Tarif (One Israel), who heads the special parliamentary board set up to put together the law based on the recommendations of the Tal Commission, said that he does "not intend to lift a finger on the issue."

Assault on Kever Rochel; Heavy Fighting Renewed
by Yated Ne'eman Staff and N. Segal

In a fierce, three-hour battle Monday, Palestinian gunmen attacked Kever Rochel, which remains under full Israeli control and under Israeli guard at the entrance to Bethlehem. Israel Defense Force officials said the Palestinians, who launched a coordinated attack from three directions, were trying to take over the tomb.

Sequel: Hashem Answered the Prayers for Rain
by A. Yitzchaki

Last week, our front page included an article about the urgent need for rain and asking that the community pray for rain. The article described one rov who had, with great mesiras nefesh, convinced the farmers on his settlement in the center of Israel to observe shmitta kehilchoso.

Vaad HaRabbonim Haolami LeInyonei Giyur Refuses to Participate in Knesset Conversion Committee Meeting
by Eliezer Rauchberger

The Vaad HaRabbonim Haolami LeInyonei Giyur, headed by HaRav Chaim Kreiswirth, the gaavad of Antwerp, has informed the Knesset Immigration and Absorption Committee that the Vaad representatives were unable to participate in committee deliberations that took place on 7 Cheshvan since Reform and Conservative representatives were also invited to participate. The meeting's topic was: "The High Percentage of Non-Jews Among Immigrants."

Lettuce Under Fire
by Binyomin Rabinowitz

Despite all that the Kfar Darom farmers have been undergoing in the months since Rosh Hashanah, they are making every effort to provide the shmitta observing community in Eretz Yisroel with bug-free produce. Day in day out, hour after hour, they cope with unbearable experiences: bus bombs, shooting, terrorist attacks, Molotov cocktails, rocks and more.

Bad Feelings in South Africa
by D. Saks,
Yated South African Correspondent

The mood of shock in the South African Jewish community deepened last week following one of the worst acts of antisemitic vandalism in recent years. The small Jewish cemetery in Lichtenburg, a small, farming town in the north- western part of the country, was found to have been desecrated by one of the last remaining Jewish residents of the town.

Memorial Service in Netivot
by B. Rabinowitz

A ceremony in memory of Gabi Azguri, Hy"d, who was murdered two weeks ago by Arab terrorists, was held at the Negev Kissufim intersection. HaRav Yissochor Meir, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Hanegev, spoke at the service, which was attended by a large crowd.

Barak Will not Dismantle Religious Affairs Ministry
by Eliezer Rauchberger

At a meeting of the UTJ party in the Knesset on Monday (7 Kislev), Finance Minister Avraham Shochat related that the decision to renew the initiative to dismantle the Religious Affairs Ministry has been canceled. Therefore, the new proposal to dismantle the Ministry will not be presented at the cabinet meeting slated for this forthcoming Sunday.

Lev L'Achim Sponsors Evening Devoted to Problems of Assimilation
by A. Cohen

Numerous women and girls participated in a special evening devoted to the prevention of assimilation. Aptly named, "It Won't Happen to Me," the inspiring program, organized by the Midrashot leNaarot network of Lev L'Achim, was held in Ra'anana.

HaRav Yaakov Moshe Kulefsky zt"l
by S. Bruchi

This past erev Shabbos, parshas Toldos (4 Kislev) thousands of America's chareidi Jewish community, headed by roshei yeshiva and gedolei haTorah and including thousands of alumni and students of the Ner Yisroel Yeshiva of Baltimore, accompanied HaRav Yaakov Moshe Kulefsky zt"l, the rosh yeshiva of the Ner Yisroel Yeshiva in Baltimore, Maryland, on his last earthly journey. He was niftar on Thursday 3 Kislev at the age of 78.

HaRav Kulefsky zt"l -- A Personal Report
by D. Plaut

It was on Thursday afternoon about 4 p.m. that I heard the devastating news that HaRav Kulefsky zt"l was niftar. Though I knew he had a heart condition, I didn't know that his condition had been steadily declining over the last year.

Ravitz Family Feud over Kidney Donation
by Betzalel Kahn

Itıs not every day that one hears about this kind of dispute, in which the members of a particular family vie to donate his/her kidney to their father, who needs a transplant. No compromise or agreement is in sight, as no one is willing to forego the privilege, and the decision is brought to the gedolei haposkim.

Lone Chareidi Town Included in Special Assistance Program
by Eliezer Rauchberger

On 29 Cheshvan, the Knesset Finance Committee decided to include a chareidi town in the prime minister's targeted assistance program.

Rabbi Ravitz Requests Information About Reform and Conservative Activities
by Betzalel Kahn

Last week, UTJ MK Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz asked officials in the Religious Affairs Ministry responsible for the Law of Freedom of Information, for information about Conservative and Reform organizations subsidized by the Religious Affairs Ministry.

A Sacred Call: To our Brothers of Sephardi and Oriental Descent

The following call was issued at the close of last year, in Elul 5760.

The seventh year, shmitta to Hashem, is nearing. The geula is dependent upon the fulfillment of this sacred, weighty mitzvah; the geula that will redeem our souls and usher in an era in which the dominion of Hashem will be reinstated in the world. It is written, "Then the land will be appeased for its sabbaticals" (Vayikra 2:43). Chazal have said: "Exile comes to the world as a result of the violation of the mitzvah of shmitta (Avos, Chapter Five).

Income Tax Deduction For Religious School Instruction in U.S.?
by Yated Ne'eman Staff

Agudath Israel of America has filed a brief in the appeal of a lower court decision that denied a Los Angeles Jewish couple's attempt to claim a deduction of the portion of their tuition payments that goes toward religious instruction.


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