K. Zimerman again

Rachmaninoff - Piano Concerto No. 2 (Zimerman, Ozawa)

Seiji Ozawa conducts. Amazing that a man can play Beethoven, a German, and Rachmaninoff, a Russian, equally well.

City of Beit Shemesh Destroys a Charedi Shul

The city of Beit Shemesh with its new Dati Leumi lady mayor razed the Charedi shul Mayanot Bnei Yasasschar in the Charedi neighborhood of Kneih Bosem. It's located next to 62 Ben Ish Chai St. You'll note that the shul was on flat ground and not perched dangerously on a hill as one ignorant defender of the city on a website alleged and was not in the way of any other construction as it was situated between two other shuls. It's a small space that can hardly be used for anything else. The street across from it is pretty wide and there's some apartment construction on it. In general, the area is not particularly built up or crowded. One has to think there was some other solution other than destroying a shul. But the Israelis get their practice destroying Arab homes and think nothing of destroying Charedi shuls too. This is Zionism. The city has plans to destroy more shuls.

The shul before destruction:

Note what appear to be wrinkles in the walls are wrinkles in the poster I photographed. In the original photograph, the shul looks quite new. This photo is of a poster telling about the situation and it was pasted on a kiosk on top of other posters, so it looks lumpy.

The evil ones secure a place in gehennom.

Article on Rav Gelley

KAJ’s Rav Zachariah Gelley Passes Away At 85 by Shmuel Landesman, Jewish Press

On Thursday, April 19, Rav Zachariah Gelley – mara dasra of K’hal Adath Jeshurun (“Breuer’s”) in Washington Heights and a tremendous talmid chacham, manhig and darshan much beloved by his kehilla – passed away at the Specialty Hospital of Central Jersey in Lakewood. He was 85 years old.

Rav Gelley was born on September 7, 1932 in Topolcany, Slovakia (near Bratislava), to Menachem and Rivka Gellai. The Gellai family were Oberlander Jews who followed minhag Ashkenaz and descended from distinguished rabbinic luminaries such as the Chacham Tzvi and Panim Meiros. Rav Gelley’s great-grandfather had been the av beis din of his hometown. His father, Reb Menachem Gellai, was a wealthy businessman who hosted in his large home a 10-member kollel which he funded single-handedly. Reb Menachem could often be found learning in his house kollel.

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The Churchill they didn't tell you about

"I think a curse should rest on me - because I love this war. I know it's smashing and shattering the lives of thousands every moment - and yet - I can't help it - I enjoy every second of it."

Winston Churchill's letter to a friend, 1916.

These men are known as evil in their localities

Letter from HaGaon HaRav Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik zt'l:

I have also read your words in connection with the sect of the Zionists who are now powerfully banded together. I do not blush to admit that I know not how to find paths, along which to go forth, against them.

Seeing that these men are known as evil in their localities, and have already proclaimed their purpose, to be the uprooting of the fundamentals of the faith and, for this purpose, the conquest of all places in which Jews live, will be as an aid to the fulfilment of their aim. In view of their announcement of all these things and their revelation of their plan in the newspapers, what more can we say? Are our words concerning them, likely to be believed more than the things which they openly say about themselves?

It is hardly credible that after the revelation of the arrogance of their hearts through their own mouths there should be still found right-minded men willing to ally themselves with them. It is a cause for great astonishment throughout the whole Congregation of the Exile, that they should be given a place and a voice in affairs, and that they should find support at a time when it is known to be a public sin.

Therefore, I find that your honour is justified in appealing to all who fear G"d, to act together and to protest bitterly and publicly, making known the things, which the Zionists have themselves made known. This will be of great advantage as this time these words come forth from a pure heart. Perhaps it will bring healing to the multitude of the House of Israel whose hearts have not yet been corrupted, and they will repent and be healed.

Let them beware in their souls lest they join in the destruction of our religion and become a stumbling-block to the House of Israel.

Chaim HaLevi Soloveitchik



Friday, 10 Elul, 5659 (1899), Brisk in Ohr le-Yesharim, Warsaw, 1900 in I. Domb, Transformation. The Case of the Neturei Karta. Brooklyn, NY: Hachomo, 1989, p. 18