Monsey, NY – Saying that he must be “punished severely,” 130 people have signed a petition urging Rockland County prosecutors to get tough on a Monsey man charged in April with drug and weapons offenses.
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LOHUD.com (http://lohud.us/13KUCSP) reports that Shlomo Ettinger, an ordained rabbi and member of the Nanach Breslov Hasidim, was arrested with two pounds of marijuana, 370 grams of hash oil, a .357-caliber Smith & Wesson, and $2,000 in cash after a months-long investigation by Ramapo police.
Among those signing the petition are one dozen Orthodox rabbis, including members of the Rabbinical Council of America and the Orthodox Jewish Union.
While asking that Ettinger be prosecuted to the “fullest extent of the law,” the petition speaks to the broader issue of imposing a sentence that will act as a “deterrent” for future criminals.
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maybe he has Glaucoma…
he has not pled guilty or been found guilty….
so much for the ‘mesirah’ argument.
He is a frum yid. The laws of masser still apply!!!! Why can’t the bias din and the community take care of themselves without massering to the goyim. Hashem what have we become!!!!
Ordained Rabbi? He’s a Nanach, one of the meshugoim.
The mensch cases who glommed unto a chasidus.
They are as legitimate as shready.
Poor guy chose the wrong crime. He should have just molested a couple of kids & we would make a huge fundraiser for his defense.
If I were to use drugs, I’d want my dealer to be “an ordained Rabbi”. What a chillul Hashem.
Since when can you get a petition going to get people you don’t like get locked up? Not taking sides here, just the story as presented doesn’t make any sense. Also if there is sufficient evidence of criminality, normally an indictment will come…..Not a popularity contest? Someone please explain the “petition process” ?
Our priorities are so screwed up! Fundraisers for molesters and rapists and signed petitions with rabbis signatures for a guy like this.
So sad. I know him for years. He had such a difficult life. That in no way is a reason to allow others to get hurt. It just makes me realize how when we see stories of things that seem so clear how the person is wrong that it is not so clear. It was just a reminder for me and I had to share with others how we can never know or judge others.
Besuros tovos
by selling drugs potentially to frum kids, isnt he a rodef?
This man is a good man, who made a few mistakes! Why are these rabbi trying to take this him down? The priorities here are just wrong! It’s a first time offense and he is held on a $1000 bail… Hopefully he learnt his lesson and he will be ok!
May GD be with you Shlomo!
If this guy is selling drugs to our kids the this guy clearly a ‘rodef’ and no mesira applies. Lock me up, along with anyone else that hurts our kids no matter how.
From research that I did Shlomo isnt a violent person, has no priors. His only crime is that he’s stupid enough to get caught with so much weed. The guy obviously has issues, but I love the way all Rebbunim finally get together and condemn him in the harshest terms, “yea we did it they’re probably telling themselves, we’re finally are standing up for whats right”. however we all know that if Shlomo was one of their people they would be defending him till death. btw sholomo has a bunch of little kids at home..
is it a first time offense?
marijuana is illegal but it never hurt anyone. Sounds like this moron was a wanna be drug dealer, instead of throwing the book at him maybe the community should send him to rehab.
That’s racism! Why should he get more time than anyone else!!! If anything he should get less time bc it’s very infrequent in that community! And what was he selling? Pot! In 2 states its completely permitted!!! He’s not selling crack or LSD or any other very dangerous drug!!!!
PPl like this nut job ruin young ppls like by pushing drugs, this in no rabbi just a common drug dealing punk with long payis and a nuh nach kippa. anyway there is a whole cottage industry of ppl who want to tar and feather molesters I never heard a peep from the lynch mob about the drug dealers in our community
370 grams is alot less then a pound but sounds like much more.
He put a hechsher on the weed?
Shlomo Ettlinger sold many frum teens and adults in Monsey NY drugs for several years. He even had a party in house on Purim three years ago when he lived on Maple and Viola and over 50 frum young people ages 16-25 were there. He sold a lot of marijuana from his homes (Maple and caught on Blauvelt Road) and at parties. This man is clearly a rodef and evey posek from Rav Herschel Schachter to Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky/Rav Chaim Kanievsky are clear about drug dealers being rodefim. Lock them up. He endangers adults and teens in our community -the way to prevent these drug dealers from hurting our children is by putting strong consequences in place. He even would use ketamine/cocaine with young people.
All concerned citizens, please sign the petition:
https://www.change.org/petitions/rockland-county-district-attorney-thomas-zugibe-prosecute-shlomo-ettlinger-to-the-full-extent-of-the-law
Give this man prison time! Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky calls drug dealers “rotzchim….”
Look how many young people ended up needing rehab. because of drug dealers like this guy….Drug dealers mess young people up very badly….He’s a danger because he lives in our community and sells from his home/parties…..
Picture above is very strange, why and who has taken a picture of him in his shower?
something doesn’t smell right here
I am appalled at the extent of misinformation here. Let me set the record straight. I will only disclose that I have worked with substance abuse extensively, and my voice is one of experience.
Marijuana is a dangerous drug for many reasons. For one, it causes long term damage that is irreversible. Also, it is a gateway drug to many others, all of plenty danger. Thirdly, marijuana is habit forming, though not in the same way as the other street drugs.
The shailoh about drug dealers has been asked many times. I personally queried many rabbonim and dayanim who unanimously said that a drug dealer (even marijuana) is a rodef, and that halacha permits killing him. As per the law of the land, we must report this to authorities immediately.
I may feel bad for his terrible history, but that will not absolve him of responsibility for being involved in the crime of robbing others of their lives (or parts of them). I will rejoice in his incarceration, and join the rabbonim in their petition.
As for mesirah, those who consider this a halacha problem here are woefully ignorant of the facts and the true halacha. It’s not even arguable.
Gestetner says…..”Yossi Gestetner, a political commentator and community spokesman, said any drug problem in the Orthodox Jewish community is very limited, saying the community’s focus on family and discipline helps people make positive decisions.
“Are there people in the community, youngsters who are confused without jobs, absolutely,” Gestetner said. “Anyone who says it’s widespread, that’s an exaggeration.”
First off Yossi, whatever happened to “innocent until proven guilty?” I guess that’s only for the pedophiles you constantly go to the mat for. As for drug use in the community, I suggest you take your head out of your @&$, if that is possible.
Don’t you have a fundraiser to plan?
Luke.
I think its time for Monsey people to reexamine their priorities.
Its sad that we let child molesters, abusive melamdim and others that cause our children to stray, roam around freely and continue to harm our children. But when it comes to someone that is selling marijuana we go nuts like this. Marijuana hasn’t harmed anyone and if anything it helps those that are hurt numb the pain.
Marijuana is legal in 14 states for medicinal purposes and in 2 states for recreational purposes and before you know it it’ll be legal in New York as well.
Stop running after the harmless people and start cracking down on the people that are actually guilty for our kids going on drugs and worse.
Unlike real drug dealers that push the harmful drugs on kids that come to them for marijuana, this guy just sold weed so if anything he is a safer alternative.
I wish him much luck, and may hashem be with him.
To all those claiming that Marijuana is a gateway drug and has long term health effects:
lets put legal issues aside because the whole united states is confused about it and soon enough it’ll be legal in your state as well!
Marijuana is a hundred times worse then alcohol in both aspects. health wise alcohol is much more damaging, and teens start abusing alcohol way before they start with marijuana. so maybe we should start closing down all wine and liquor stores.
and if you think that he should be locked up because he broke the law + he sold to minors, how many parents give their kids alcohol on shabbos, at simchas, on yom tov etc.
R Shlomo is a good man who was selling something thats gonna be legal here in couple of years anyhow. I personally think selling cigarettes is far worse. It just happens to be legal. Peace
Anyone who knows Shlomo, knows he’s a good man- yes he made a mistake by selling weed.
It’s unfortunate…and he will get punished for it. But to go ahead and sign petitions against him, is so sad! Believe me his embarrassment and anguish and penalty he will get, surly will serve him justice. Shlomo ( and anyone who knows him can verify this) is and always was a kind hearted person who davened 3 times a day learns with a Chavrusa… And he’s a mensch. Yes he made a mistake
A bad mistake, but for crying out loud he is our brother!!And for the comment “frum people who go against the Torah are not frum???”
I’m assuming you never said Lisbon hara, the chafetz Chaim says you over numerous aviros.
Besides almost every day we say tachanun.. Why is that?
We are not angels.
Lets just work on ourselves before judging others.
Btw Shlomo never sold to minors.
And 2 it’s a first time offense.
He is going to have lots of support in court, believe me!
Love from monsey ( a non weed smoker)
I lurk and monitor all threads related to drug abuse in the Jewish community. I am shocked how far this thread has drifted away from the subject and to personal insults. What happened here?
Lurker, I will answer your question happily.
When VIN gets onto a professional topic it frequently attracts impostors that pretend to have credentials that they don’t. T
he first hint is when they flaunt their vast knowledge and credentials then continue with a condescending; I know am better than you so listen to me, rather than present a persuasive argument. That is not how professionals communicate. If you need to tell me how important you are, you’re not.
Anonymity is your name and address, not what degree you hold. There are enough frum; MD, RN, PA, PhD, DPharm, DNP, DC, DPsy, LCSW and more that listing your credential would not be “outing” yourself. But why is there a need for anonymity if you are going to give a professional opinion. Us nobodies don’t want to have our ignorance exposed, but if you are an expert you should be proud of your accomplishments and stand by them.
But even us ordinary people don’t like being misled by fakers.
Calling somebody out, to stand up to their claim, is not a personal attack, it’s just being prudent.
quote from post #30 “I am appalled at the extent of misinformation here. Let me set the record straight. I will only disclose that I have worked with substance abuse extensively, and my voice is one of experience”.
If you don’t consider that condescending, I don’t know what is.
If you think incarceration is the solution for marijuana related drug crimes, then we belong to different APA. And you can keep yours. We have been locking up legions of the marijuana criminals since the 1950’s and the M&Ms;, recidivism and potential for rehabilitation does not bear out this theory. Not even a little.