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Written by 5TJT Readers

Thursday, 16 June 2011 09:54

An Open Letter For Chinuch Atzmai

Dear Member of the Five Towns Torah community:

Our community had the privilege of hosting two prominent roshei yeshivos for Shabbos, Parashas Bamidbar. HaRav Aaron Feldman, shlita, rosh yeshiva of Ner Israel Yeshiva in Baltimore, and HaRav Yisroel Belsky, shlita, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas who came on behalf of the Chinuch Atzmai-Torah Schools network in Israel.

On Motzaei Shabbos, the roshei yeshivos together with a shaliach of Maran HaGaon Rav Shteinman, shlita, Rav Mordechai Karelitz from Israel, met with rabbanim from the community and shared insights and impressions of the current chinuch situation with the rabbanim, and its current needs.

At the conclusion of the discussion, the rabbanim decided upon two steps to help concretize a program of support for this historic chinuch network:

â€¢ Identify a school and community in Israel for the people of the Five Towns community to â€œadopt.â€

â€¢ Establish a committee of local askanim to spearhead and coordinate this campaign.

We are asking you to join in this community-wide effort. We await further developments, and look forward to your support and participation. With the blessings of Torah and Zion, we remain

Very sincerely yours,

Rabbi Yakov Bender, Rabbi Yissochar Blinder, Rabbi Blumenkrantz, Rabbi Aaron Brafman, Rabbi Dov Bressler, Rabbi Moshe Brown, Rabbi Shaul Chill, Rabbi Menachem Feifer, Rabbi Eytan Feiner, Rabbi Yitzchok Frankel, Rabbi Aryeh Ginzberg, Rabbi Chanina Herzberg, Rabbi Naftali Hershkowitz, Rabbi Elisha Horowitz, Rabbi Naftali Jaeger, Rabbi Yehoshua Kalish, Rabbi Binyomin Kamenetzky, Rabbi Mordechai Kaminetzky, Rabbi Simcha Lefkowitz, Rabbi Yechiel Perr, Rabbi Dovid Spiegel, Rabbi Moshe Teitelbaum, and Rabbi Dovid Weinberger

An Open Letter To Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos

Dear Majority Leader Skelos, despite the heated rhetoric from same-sex marriage activists who indiscriminately challenge anyone who opposes the radical redefinition of marriage, we all still have an obligation to respectfully stand up for timeless valuesâ€”no matter the political cost.

As identifiable Jews, members of my community are no stranger to discrimination in the workplace and on the street. Our tortured history includes intolerable racism, even leading to genocide and yes, it was our grandparents who were forced to wear a yellow Star of David on their coats while the world conveniently looked the other way. Jews are tragically all too familiar with bigotry and hatred and understand well the pain and scars borne of intolerance. There should be no doubt that Orthodox Jews unequivocally condemn bigotry in any shape or form.

Which is why we are dismayed that our opposition to the proposed same-gender marriage legislation is being defined, in certain circles, as homophobic hatred. This mischaracterization could not be further from the truth. In fact, it is insulting and painful for anyone to slanderously cast the Orthodox Jewish community as intolerant simply because we morally oppose redefining an institution that marks its genesis since time immemorial.

To callously paint communities of faith like ours as bigoted, is akin to calling the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. a supporter of the Ku Klux Klan. It is simply an outrageous and polarizing slander being used to demonize us for respectfully and consistently opposing same-gender marriage on legitimate, bedrock principles and not on hyperbole or demagoguery.

Mr. Majority Leader, as our representative, you are no stranger to our community and over the years have personally witnessed our deeply held commitment to faith and tradition. This same commitment permeates countless other faith communities across our great state.

Same-gender marriage is simply not compatible with the timeless values and principles this country was founded on, no matter the heft and political muscle the gay lobby might wield at this particular moment.

Additionally, all people of faith have serious and well-founded fears as to how religious organizations and individuals might be viewed by New York State, a state that has always been so hospitable and accommodating to religious freedoms, should this highly controversial bill become law. The effects and byproducts of this bill could be disastrous for all religious people including you and your own community, Senator.

How ironic it would be if the New York State Senate, under your distinguished leadership, would become the first Republican-led legislature in the nation to pass same-sex marriage. With deep respect, I urge you and your colleagues to hold the line and vote no to same-sex marriage and protect the sanctity of traditional marriage. History will record our actions during this emotional and difficult time.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Chaskel Bennett