Jewcer.com – Crowd Funding For Jewish Projects

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

It’s a Jewish version of kickstarter.com.

Check out Jewcer.com:

The global Jewish community is filled with creative and innovative ideas that could benefit our people both in Israel and around the world. Unfortunately, many do not succeed. Why? Funding. Well, Jewcer is here to change that. We are offering something extraordinary — a crowdfunding platform that promotes collaboration and trust both within and around our community to develop and implement projects linked to the Jewish people and/or Israel.
Jewcer doesn’t stop there, we strive to connect projects with people, and people with people. Jewcer innovators and funders impact communities by sparking innovations and turning ideas into reality.

How it works
Jewcer is a platform that allows project managers (innovators) to finance their ideas through small pledges collected from many funders (jewcers). Projects can come from any field — cultural or technological, secular or, a small business, a personal project or an advocacy campaign — as long as a positive link to our community is created.
Jewcer is open to hosting projects created by individuals as well as established organizations. Posting a project on Jewcer can benefit and compliment the traditional Jewish organization in many ways. To learn more, visit our Organizations information page.
Anyone can create a Jewcer profile, start a project, fund, share, track the impact of their small donations and follow the progress of the project they helped spark.

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Carrying On The Sabbath

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

In his second lecture on R. Joseph Mesas for Torah in Motion, professor Marc B. Shapiro says: “If R. Joseph Mesas made his rulings in America, we’d think he was a Conservative rabbi.”

“In Algeria in the 1920s, 1930s, the average Jew was carrying on Shabbos. It wasn’t any different from what was going on in the United States.

“The eruv (so that a Jew can carry within its domain) was established in the United States in St. Louis in the 19th Century. Then at the turn of the century, there was an eruv established on the lower East Side [of New York]. Until the 1970s, I don’t believe there was another eruv in the United States. I remember when the eruv went up in my home town of West Orange, New Jersey.”

“There was no pressure for an eruv in the 1950s, 1960s in the United States…”

“So-called Orthodox Jews were not very observant, not very educated.”

“It was only in my generation [born in the 1960s], those of us who went to day school and learned the laws of Shabbos, that people started insisting that we needed an eruv because people were taking Shabbos more seriously.”

“The Toronto eruv was the third eruv established in North America.”

“R. Mesas argued that in today’s day and age, there was no need for an eruv to carry on Shabbos.”

Marc B. Shapiro writes:

Orthodox Jews like to claim that they adhere to an unchanging tradition of laws and beliefs. Based on this understanding, it becomes possible to decide who “is in” and who “is out;” that is, who is part of the Orthodox camp and who must be placed in a different denomination. The term “Orthodox” itself, which is not part of traditional Jewish vocabulary but actually comes from the Christian lexicon, was adopted in order to distinguish different types of Jews. Yet what exactly defines so-called Orthodoxy is not so easy to pin down.

To illustrate the problem, let me give a few examples. When I was younger everyone knew that according to Orthodoxy, Jews were not permitted to ascend the Temple mount. Yet today many Orthodox Jews do precisely that, encouraged by great rabbis. A generation ago, the notion that women could read the Torah or get aliyot in an Orthodox synagogue would have been laughed at. In fact, it was precisely because of this that some women came up with the idea of a women’s prayer group, at which women would be permitted to read the Torah. Yet today we have Orthodox minyanim in which women are, in fact, called to the Torah. When I was younger it was axiomatic that Orthodoxy could not accept women rabbis. Every Orthodox Jew knew that this was an impossibility. Seeing all the changes that have occurred in my lifetime, I don’t think that I am going out on too much of a limb to predict that it will not be long before we have Orthodox women rabbis.

The reality is that Orthodoxy is not so much a concept as a social construct. With this understanding, it should not be surprising that what the Torah-true population regard as unacceptable in one era, could very well be regarded differently among at least some of this population at another time. It is vital to bear this in mind when considering the works of R. Joseph Messas (1892-1974). Messas served as a rabbi in Tlemcen, Algeria and Meknes, Morocco, and at the end of his life as Sephardic chief rabbi of Haifa.

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Orthodox Women Covering Their Hair

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

In his second lecture on R. Joseph Mesas for Torah in Motion, professor Marc B. Shapiro says: In the 1950s at RIETS (the rabbinical school at Yeshiva University), about one percent of the rabbis in training had wives who covered their hair. Now almost every such wife covers her hair.

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The Whorehouse Next To Synagogue Ohel Moshe On Pico Blvd 90035

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

A few hours after I published about the massage parlor next to the Orthodox synagogue Beth Jacob of Beverly Hills, the whorehouse closed down.

I was not aware until this evening about the whorehouse next to the Sephardic synagogue Ohel Moshe on Pico Blvd. I’ve walked past the place 500 times but never gone in for a rub and a tug.

I have very high morals.

The Asian massage parlor is located just east of Ohel Moshe — the Xin Xin Health Center at 8642 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035. 310-652-8808

I don’t know why Orthodox synagogues in Pico-Robertson have so many whorehouses next to them. I wonder if it affects the quality of the davening? All that moaning would distract me from my prayers.

Bill emails: “lets see how long it takes them to close. lets get rid of all the whorehouses in pico rob! they should all move to the “other-side of town” with all the criminals and crooks.”

Bartol says: “LMAO to the point i almost had heart attack , when ur article begins listing customer reviews.. basically ur introducing frum people to hooker review websites lol!!! under the guise of protest ur slipping them some pretty heavy information ur hilarious.”

Evil triumphs when good people do nothing.

The price of holiness is eternal vigilance.

A siddur in the hand is worth two in a bush.

If you watch the massage parlors, the shuls will take care of themselves.

A community is only as strong as its weakest link.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

A good beginning makes a good ending.

A good man is hard to find.

A little of what you fancy does you good.

A person is known by the company he keeps.

Little strokes fell great oaks.

One swallow does not make a summer.

The devil finds work for idle hands to do.

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

Walls have ears.

I long for an internet where there are more shul reviews than hooker reviews.

According to OhelMoshe.com: “Located in the heart of Pico Blvd where many immigrants from Iran, Israel and other countries have settled in. Catering to the spiritual needs and religious obligations of many orthodox Jews in the Greater Los Angeles area, we offer various religious services, prayers as well as others.

“Our temple attracts mostly members of the Iranian Orthodox Jews and we have a very established itinerary of events to fulfill the spiritual needs of our membership.”

Here are some reviews from rubmaps.com: “Decent massage and decent ending with free roaming hands. Noted several similar looking places on Pico nearby would be interested in others reviews of this area.”

“I had a totally different experience… showed up around 10am on a weekday and the place was closed. Called the number on the door and spoke to a woman who said she was on her way, could I wait? I was worked up enough to do so even though the promised 20 minutes turned into about 45. Called her a couple of times to check in and she was friendly and I thought even said something about ‘free’ but with her accent I cant be sure. In any case she and another younger girl (who ended up being my girl, I think her name was ‘Alice’) showed up and were very friendly. Alice gave an ok massage then when the 30 min. was over, she said thanks.”

“Indiscript storefront or office front, it’s kind of a combination of both. Exterior waiting room behind steel mesh door with couch. Once inside, it’s nice, clean and a comfortable environment.”

“Wanted 60min originally as I wanted a decent massage with a little fun, but she said she has a later appointment so would only do 30min. Ok. The massage was good, strong but not to hard, pretty professional, but the way she was moving the towel around and massaging, I felt more was available. As she massaged and climbed around the table, whenever I could I gently rubbed her leg or thigh. On the flip, she was shyly errant in allowing the towel to barely cover my privates and giggled. She massaged my chest, my legs and an occasional rub on my pkg. all this time I’m caressing her nice *** through her soft pants. Well at this point she removed my towel and starting my HE using oil. She was a little rushed so I slowed her down, which she was fine with. I caressed her back an ****** through her shirt, then she began kissing and playing with my nipples, and kissing my cheek. She went to get more oil, and when she came back she lifted her top to let out her better than average b cups with some nice eraser sized nips. I took the initiative and releasd her bra with one hand and again she giggled then massages me to completion. Overall good experience, only a little rushed, but calmed down once she was comfortable. This is a HE only place, but I think it’s pretty good for what it is.”

“She told me to lay face down, and she gave me about 30 minutes of good relaxing massage with touching my whole body- then she said turn around and she started to play (Exactly what i wanted), and i started to touch her ****** under her shirt and also her nice curvy ****, after all it was nice and relaxing with a good happy ending. I will definitely visit her again shortly.”

Check out this review from a guy who enjoyed a nice kosher dinner at TwentySix.

“Happened upon this place after dinner at twenty-six . . Looked like a nice little rub and tug, but was actually hoping for a decent massage out of it as well . . . I’m GLAD I did! Walked in the front door, to a nice lobby, rang the doorbell and Apple greeted me with a smile. Once pass the security door, there are two to three private rooms. The rooms are surprisingly nice, heated, soothing music etc . . . I opted for the half hour, since I had other things to do that night . . . Got undressed and placed the towel over me, just to see how long it would stay on . . . The massage was just like I like it, firm and relaxing! I almost took a nap, but since it was in effect a “quickie massage” resisted it and looked forward to the “flip”. Once I turned over, she motioned downward with her hand, and then I KNEW we were on the same page! Got a little lotion, and went to town! In the process, she was VERY open to letting my hand wander up and down her side, and even scored a little kitty action . . . Needless to say, after I was relieved, she not only toweled me off, but offered a little water as well after the session. I will be returning, she is one of the sweetest providers I’ve found.”

Bill emails: “i like the review from the john who went straight to the whore house after dinner at 26. for sure an “other-side” of town [Fairfax-La Brea traditional Orthodox] person. no self respecting pico rob yid would **** where he eats (literally).”

Here’s a Yelp review for the kosher restaurant TwentySix: “We had a lovely night at 26 – a rare date night for us parents of 2 kids! We went because we had a daily deal coupon, and really enjoyed the meal and experience. Our server Nathan was incredibly friendly and funny – made great suggestions, interacted with us genuinely, and was very helpful. The food was good too, although the prices were on the high end. My one disappointment was that the menu had apparently changed, due to a change in the head chef – I had heard so much about the French onion soup (almost impossible to find kosher, because it’s usually made with beef stock), and was so sad it was no longer on the menu. But what I ordered was delicious so it was okay in the end!”

Here’s another review of a rub place just up the street by the mikveh:

Dynasty Wellness Center
310-248-3886
9540 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA, 90035

“I had seen this location in BP for a few weeks, so I decided to check it out. I was greeted at the door by an mid-30s woman who provided the massage. Long story short, it was a good strong massage but no extra favors. Her son was playing in the back. I gave a few hints and she specifically said no HJ.”

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Why Are So Many Jews On The Left?

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

Dennis Prager writes:

Jacob Cherub writes: “Throughout history there have been repugnant dictatorships on both the left and right,” and their “repression and brutality is really no different than communist repression and brutality.” He then cites, among other examples, fascist Italy, Franco’s Spain, Nazi Germany, various Latin American dictators, the shah in Iran, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, Ne Win in Burma and Sudan’s Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir.

This is close to constituting a perfect example of how leftist teachings pervert history and thereby distort the thinking of those who believe those teachings.

It is morally indefensible that anyone would write — after the communist genocides in China (65 million to 75 million), Ukraine (5 million to 7 million), Russia (about another 20 million to 30 million), North Korea and Cambodia — that there is no difference between communist regimes and other kinds of dictatorships.

There are two rather significant things wrong with Mr. Cherub’s list of dictators: Many are not rightists, and none came close to communism in terms of the number of people murdered and enslaved. Yet, nearly everyone on the left thinks as Mr. Cherub does, namely, that left and non-left dictatorships (they label all non-left dictatorships “right”) are morally equivalent. That is why so many on the left supported the Khomeini revolution — anything would be an improvement over the right-wing shah, the left reasoned. But, of course, what replaced the shah has led to incomparably more suffering among Iranians than under the shah — not to mention the first threat of Jewish genocide since the Holocaust.

But it’s not only about the shah that Mr. Cherub is so wrong.

While Mugabe is indeed a monster, he is no rightist. In fact, he is a self-described Marxist. And his destruction of Zimbabwe has been done entirely in the name of African solidarity and fighting white racism.

So, too, Sudan’s al-Bashir is not a rightist; he is an Islamist.

And as regards Nazism, it was neither right-wing nor left-wing (even though Nazism stood for “National Socialism”). It was sui generis, a unique racial, not rightist, doctrine.

Mr. Cherub ends his letter: “It seems Prager wants to paint anyone politically to his left as evil and comparable with Stalin and the like.”

Apparently it doesn’t matter to some people that I have written in every column concerning the left that there are good and bad people on both the right and the left. And while I am convinced that leftism has damaged Jewish life and almost everyone and everything else it has strongly influenced, I find it quite easy to distinguish between people with left-wing opinions — many of whom I know to be fine people — and leftism. I have never in my life written, said, implied or even thought that anyone politically to my left is comparable with Stalin and the like. That is a smear.

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Modern Orthodox Demographics

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

In his fifth lecture on the Steipler for Torah in Motion, professor Marc B. Shapiro says: Modern Orthodox is larger than haredim. Modern is larger in Israel, about 20-25% of the population. The haredim are about 11%. The Modern are larger in America also but in 20 years they won’t be. When the haredim go left, they end up in a Modern Orthodox shul. Satmar dropouts just go crazy.

“In another generation, the Modern will be a minority in America. Israel, I don’t know.

“In England and in Baltimore, the haredim outnumber the Modern.

“England and all of Europe will be Islamic. Some of these countries are beyond the tipping point.”

“England will be haredi. France will not because it is Sephardic.”

“Do you know how many people would become Modern Orthodox and then they see the cost? School. Camp.

“Modern Orthodoxy has become an upper-middle-class lifestyle. Not in Israel. You have security guards wearing yarmulkes.

“In the haredi world, you can be lower-middle-class. There’s room for all types. That allows for entre by the baalei teshuva. Many people leave the Modern Orthodox world because they don’t feel like they can keep up with this rat race. They either go to Israel or leave, give it up. If you’re not middle class or upper-middle-class, what community can you live in? Who wants to live in a community where you are the poorest? You can’t have what other people have.”

“Modern Orthodoxy has real problems with continuity.”

“I’m not here to talk about myself because whatever I say, people will then say, that’s why you said this. You’re biased in that direction. Let me speak my piece and judge it for what it is.”

“If Haim Amsalem runs in the next election, could he get elected?”

“After Ovadiah Yosef, Haim Amsalem is the most popular Sephardic figure in Israel.”

Posted in England, Haredi, Israel, Marc B. Shapiro, Modern Orthodox, Orthodoxy | Comments Off on Modern Orthodox Demographics

Modern Orthodox Always In For A Party

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

In his fifth lecture on the Steipler for Torah in Motion, professor Marc B. Shapiro says: “In the last ten years, upsherin (party to cut for the first time a three year old boy’s hair) has become popular in the Modern Orthodox world.”

“In my town, every year I’ll hear of two or three. Many of these people will say that they come from hasidic stock. Years ago, just because you were from hasidic stock, no one would do this.”

“It’s a good chance for a party. It’s fun. You get to cut the kid’s hair. The Modern Orthodox are always in for a party. Invite the Modern Orthodox to come in for some serious learning, that’s hard. But invite them for good food, they’re usually up to. Modern Orthodoxy is to a large extent a lifestyle as opposed to an ideological decision.”

According to Wikipedia: “Upsherin or Upsherinish (Yiddish: אפשערן, lit. “shear off”) is a Jewish haircutting ceremony, kabbalistic in origin, held when a Jewish boy is three years old. It is also known as “chalaka”, written חלאקה, from the Arabic word حلاقة.”

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Christian Science For Jews

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

In his fifth lecture on the Steipler for Torah in Motion, professor Marc B. Shapiro says: The Steipler thinks that for special people, it’s OK to follow the Ramban‘s view that you don’t need to go to the doctor. The Ramban thinks that certain people can totally rely on prayer. The Steipler believes there’s room for such a position.

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Why Don’t Many Unmarried Orthodox Women Try To Look Their Best?

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

Yitta Halberstam writes about the shidduch (finding a spouse) scene: The second thing that jolted me when I opened the door (and which I know will incur many a mother’s wrath, but which I feel I must speak about) was the conspicuous and glaring lack of make-up on a significant percentage of the girls’ faces. I was stunned. The girls knew why they were there; there was no attempt at pretense on anyone’s part. The mandate of the event was to give them the opportunity to present themselves in the best possible light. Why weren’t they?

Let me tell you about this particular population of girls: They were between the ages of 21 and 24, and mostly seeking “learning boys.” (The organizers’ plan for the future is to hold additional events for other age groups and different categories of boys: learners/earners, professionals, working boys only, etc.) They were eidel, frum, sincere, intelligent, and committed to the learning ideal. But even the most temimasdika ben Torah is looking for a wife whom he finds attractive. Yes, spiritual beauty makes a woman’s eyes glow and casts a luminous sheen over her face; there is no beauty like a pure soul. Make-up, however, goes a long way in both correcting facial flaws and accentuating one’s assets, and if my cursory inspection was indeed accurate (and I apologize if the girls used such natural make-up that I simply couldn’t tell), barely any of these girls seemed to have made a huge effort to deck themselves out.

Since most of the young women at chasunas seem quite presentable, I couldn’t shake off my sense of disbelief as I looked around now. What were they thinking? How had their mothers allowed them to leave their homes with limp hair and unadorned faces? With just a little blush, eyeliner and lip-gloss, they could have gone from average to pretty. There are very few women who can’t use a little extra help. Even the most celebrated magazine models can look downright plain when stripped of all cosmetics, al achas kamah v’kamah girls who are not born with perfect features. So what was going on? Were they in denial about the qualities young men are seeking in future wives? Yes, it is somewhat disillusioning that men dedicated to full-time Torah learning possess what these girls might perceive are superficial values, but brass tacks: they want a spouse to whom they are attracted. The young men themselves might be too shy or ashamed to admit it, but their mothers won’t hesitate to ask what for some is the deal maker/deal breaker question, namely: “Is she pretty?”

Thankfully, every one’s conception of attractiveness is different; beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and a woman’s intellect, personality and soul can have a tremendous bearing on the way in which her beauty is perceived. Still, there is trying, and then there is not trying. The mystery perplexed me: Why hadn’t some of the girls gone overboard in presenting themselves in the best possible light? I felt like shaking them in despair. As I further scanned the room (I had started assuming the role of disembodied observer once I realized that I was at the wrong event; my son is learning full time now, but plans to pursue a Ph.D so he wasn’t appropriate for this particular group), I could not help but notice the number of girls who could have vastly improved their appearances–gone from plain Jane to truly beautiful–if they simply made some effort. The truth of the matter is, I mulled, one way of looking at the story of Purim (and there are so many different prisms through which it can be viewed) is to see it as the narrative of the tyranny of beauty ruling every society in which Man (and woman) has ever lived. Vashti incurred Ahachshverosh’s wrath because he wished to parade her beauty and she refused (bad skin day). The women of the kingdom who vied for the Queen’s throne were given twelve months to prepare for the beauty pageant – why hadn’t some of the girls at the shidduch event taken a mere half hour?
Some women who are deeply religious or intellectually inclined may delude themselves into thinking that their male counterparts will only see, appreciate and cherish their inner beauty, and that will (or should) be their overriding priority.

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Rav Menashe Klein – Most Extreme Writer On Jewish Law

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Luke Ford

In his fifth lecture on the Steipler for Torah in Motion, professor Marc B. Shapiro says: “Menashe Klein was a genius, and the most extreme and fanatical of anyone writing halacha today.”

“Menashe Klein wants to recreate the way things were done in Hungary.”

“Haredi Judaism is this newfangled thing. You have all this women shiurim. Special classes for women. Menashe Klein writes, whoever heard of women shiurim in the old country? If a woman goes out [to a Torah class], then the man has to stay home to watch the children. Women should be like they were in the past.

“Menashe Klein Judaism is traditional Judaism.”

“The Haredim come up with all these new ideas. We never did this in the old country. Everyone takes their wives to hear parasha Zachor. All the early authorities are clear that women don’t have to hear this.”

“This is an American thing, for women to have to come to shul to hear Parasha Zachor. This is an influence of feminism. In Hungary [and Lithuania], women didn’t come to shul.”

“Yichus (who you descended from) doesn’t matter today. I asked people in Lakewood and they said yichus doesn’t matter now. If you’re a good learner, you’re a good learner.”

“According to Menashe Klein, a convert and a baalei teshuva (penitent) have no yichus. So don’t marry them.”

According to Wikipedia: “Rabbi Menashe Klein (1924-2011) (Hebrew: ר’ מנשה קליין), also known as the Ungvarer Rebbe (Yiddish: אונגווארער רבי), was a Hasidic Rebbe and posek (arbiter of Jewish law)[1] and author of 17 volumes of Mishneh Halachos and other 25 books. Toward the end of his life, he moved from Brooklyn, New York to live in Jerusalem, Israel.
The Ungvarer Rebbe was born in 1924 in a suburb near the town of Ungvar, Hungary (currently located in Ukraine), and studied in the Yeshiva of the rav of Ungvar, Rabbi Yosef Elimelech Kahane.
The Ungvarer Rebbe was active until old age and was considered by many to be a paramount leader of both Israel and the Diaspora Lithuanian-Haredi community. He had thousands of disciples.”

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