Ben Chorin posted this revealing information about Rabbi Avraham Sherman, the self-appointed critic of the Conversion Authority:
One of the main arguments put forward by R. Avraham Sherman against R. Druckman's conversions is that R. Druckman signed on conversions at which he was not present. This was a technical matter since it is not disputed that three dayanim were present at each of those conversions.
As they say: kol haposel bemumo posel. I am holding in my hand a document written by the Commissioner of Complaints against Judges, Tova Strassberg-Cohen, and signed by her on March 31, 2008. The document is a response to a complaint against a panel of dayanim sitting on a case involving a divorce dispute.
The whole panel seems to have been out of control: they heard testimony in the presence of only one side, neglected to keep protocols, and so on. But the main complaints involve the aforementioned R. Sherman (RAS).
First of all, RAS failed to disclose that one of the lawyers appearing before him was at the same time representing his daughter in front of another court. When this was discovered, he was asked by Rav Amar to cease hearing the case. RAS simply ignored Rav Amar's request.
Second, RAS signed the ruling despite not attending a session of the court at which testimony was heard.
You can't make this stuff up.
In last Wednesday's "Yisrael Hayom" paper there was an article accusing certain rabbis, including R' Sherman, of corruption in a case unrelated to conversions.
ReplyDeleteSee if you can find a copy of it.
(I'm pretty sure it was Wednesday... if not, then either Tuesday or Thursday.)
Why do you assume that everyone who reads you blog (a) has had the privilege of receiving a yeshiva education and/or (b) is fluent in Hebrew, Yiddish, Aramaic, and/or "Yeshivish" and/or (c) is Orthodox? For the rest of your readers, myself included, an explanation and translation would be appreciated.
ReplyDelete"As they say: kol haposel bemumo posel."
"As they say": As *who* says? Who's "they?"
"kol haposel bemumo posel."
Translate, please.
Thank you.
Dear Shira,
ReplyDeleteI donnot believe that Rabbi Dr. Jeffrey Woolf "assumes" anything of anyone. My opinion is that HE is fluent in Hebrew, Aramaic, Yiddish and Yeshivish. He is also Orthodox, and it's HIS blogg. And so, even though I'm sure he'd be glad to answer your questions, I believe it's important that you understand that he is not being condisending or excluding of anyone in any way shape or form. He is merely being himself.
All the best!
Shira,
ReplyDeleteYou're quite correct. I should translate these phrases.
The phrase is: 'Anyone who accuses someone of something, is really guilty of that same thing.'
To Anonymous:
Thanks for your understanding. If we're already listing languages, I speak: English, Hebrew, French, Italian and Yiddish. I read: Latin, Aramaic, and German.
Oh, I know you do, Rabbi. I know you do. :-)
ReplyDeleteShira, you should have just typed "kol haposel bemumo posel" into Google. Results 1, 3, and 4 tell you what you want to know.
ReplyDeletePerhaps R' Sherman has a hearing problem too?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3548532,00.html
This is clearly an attack on the religious zionist movement. They davka chose Rav Druckman who has been Rav of Bnei akiva and is one of the formost Talmidei Chachamim in the Religious Zionist Movement.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tzipiyah.com
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3548532,00.html
ReplyDeleteHere's Rabbi Sherman's latest stupidity - I'm deaf Jew, and know many deafies who have converted.
I want his contact information because our deaf Jewish community may be silent, but we are VERY loud. My wife is from Brooklyn, where there is a very large Deaf Jewish community, and I plan to discuss this on the upcoming Jewish Deaf Congress.
Oops, sorry I forgot to get back to you, Jeffrey. Thanks for the translation.
ReplyDeleteDavid, I hear you loud and clear: My late grandmother, mother, and son were/are hard of hearing. Good luck to the entire Jewish Deaf Community in combating ignorance and bigotry.
The complaint against Rav Sherman in this case was filed by a person whom the rabbinical court declared to be holding his wife as an agunah and ordered a chiyuv get (perhaps even kefiyah, I'm not sure).
ReplyDeleteNow, really, is this the type of ruling that the Tzohar rabbis want to be fighting against? I always though that they want MORE of these types of rulings.
And Rav Aron Lichtenstein is on record stating that less than stellar abidance by principles of administrative law is OK if it leads to a good end - I think we can all agree that even though Rav Sherman's performance in this case is less than exemplar, the result was good, no?
So why all the attacks on Rav Sherman? Why is he the Litaliban?
see here for more on the caase
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212041440001&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
ben bayit:
ReplyDeleteWe're arguing against R' Sherman leshitasso.