Jerusalem – Anti-Semitism was behind the highly publicized arrests last week of rabbis, including three from the Aleppo-Syrian Jewish community in New York and New Jersey, according to Yitzhak Kakun, editor-in-chief of the Shas weekly Yom Le’Yom.
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“There is a feeling here that the FBI purposely attempted to arrest as many rabbis as possible at once in an attempt to humiliate them,” Kakun said in a telephone interview Sunday.
“Regardless of the details of the case – I am not familiar with the precise charges and the evidence – you would never see the FBI and police behaving that way with Muslim sheikhs or Christian priests. It is so obvious that the whole thing is motivated by anti-Semitism,” he said.
Kakun added that he planned on devoting the editorial of his paper to an attack on the Obama administration for attempting to whip up anti-Semitic feelings against the Orthodox Jewish community in the US.
Meanwhile, Shas MK Nissim Ze’ev said US police authorities had deliberately created the false impression that members of the Aleppo community were somehow connected with organ trafficking and extortion, when in reality their only crime was money-laundering.
“There is absolutely no connection between the rabbis from the Aleppo community and those others,” said Ze’ev, who was once a rabbi for the Aleppo community in Brooklyn and continues to pray with the community on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.
“The US police are trying to make it seem as though there is some kind of Jewish mafia,” he said.
Ze’ev was referring to impression some media outlets had given by calling the group of rabbis involved the “Kosher Nostra,” a play on the words “Cosa Nostra.”
He also rejected any special connections between Shas and the Aleppo Jewish community in the US
Moshe Grylak, editor-in-chief of the haredi weekly Mishpacha, said the recent spate of bad publicity had put the haredi community in Israel on the defensive.
“The secular population is convinced we are a bunch of Talibans who starve their children and money-launder,” said Grylak, who argued that the local media had broken the rules of journalistic ethics by labeling the perpetrators as haredi.
“And on top of it all, we are also a bunch of parasites who don’t work,” he said. “It’s been a tough time for us. And Tisha Be’av is just around the corner.”
Grylak added that the FBI had purposely created a media fanfare around the US incident in an attempt to cover up the bureau’s failures in uncovering the Madoff scam.
“It was obvious they were trying to prove something, trying to show they were capable,” he said.
Both Grylak and Ze’ev were concerned about possible anti-Semitic repercussions from the incident.
“After Madoff, now there is this. I’m frankly concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism in the US,” said Grylak.
finaly someone brings this up
It’s not like these guys were framed. They were doing illegal criminal acts. Do the crime, do the time. We should not use the anti-semite card when it is not kdai to do so. Like that Gates guy in Cambridge playing the race card last week only to get made a fool of.
it wasn’t the FBI it was Dweck who’s Dreck. he’ll burn in hell forever!
I agree the FBI made it seem like everyone was connected to each other and it was one big Mafia, when in reality it was a whole bunch of individuals that had nothing to do with each other other then Dweck setting them up.
Once again, jews are wrongly using the anti – semitism card. It is a simple formula.. Steal, Lie, Cheat, Swindle, Abuse..and don’t get caught. If you do, simply say it is anti – semitism.
How long will jews continue this stupidity? Even this idiot admits.. “Regardless of the details of the case – I am not familiar with the precise charges and the evidence”… He has a big mouth and does not know the details of the case.. yet he is quick to say it is anti – semitism. Just like the foolish 33 concert ban rabbis who did know the details of the case, yet brought down innocent people. May g-d strongly punish this idiot jews!
Here we go again….”the terrible antisimitim at the FBI made these poor rabonim commit these crimes…” By making these kind of allegations, the hareidim only further marginalize themselves and leave us questioning whether they are really this foolish or totally out of touch with reality. Its not rocket science: These rabbonim were greedy and there is strong evidence they committed felonies under U.S. law. If they hadn’t been caught, they would still be considered great tzadikim and bal’ei tzadakah. Now they are humiliated and likley to go to jail with Dweck, Madoff, and the rest of these ehreleche yiddin. Its an old game, when you get cought stealing, yell Gevalt! …the antisimitim are after me!!
Maybe there is anti-Semitism behind the arrests, but if these Yiddin, including the informer, had not violated the laws there would have been no arrests, no headlines and no chillul Hashem.
Once again we see the cry of “anti-semitism” over-used inappropriately, which hurts when there really is prejudice. This was not anti semitism. The informant Dwek had all his contacts in the frum community, and when approached they went along. They didn’t have to; there were some politicians who rejected his bribe money. The politicians arrested were mostly Italian-was that anti-Italian bias? If these so called frum yidden rejected Dwek’s overtures they wouldn’t have been arrested, would they? The cops simply followed the road to where it led-and it led to yidden. When the priests had their church scandals that made front page also. When Moslem sheiks are arrested for terrorist crimes, that is in the headlines. Stop this anti-semite nonsense every time a Jew gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Give me a break. These people sound just like Professor Gates from Harvard and his ilk (Sharpton, Jackson and all the other clowns) who claim racism at the drop of a hat. Why can’t we just accept the fact that these people were criminals who deserve to be locked up? It has nothing to do with anti-semitism.
Oh please, let’s stop blaming others and take responsibility for ourselves. It was wrong what they did, period. If they were arrested without cause, we could cry anti-semitism, but they had good cause, and these brother of ours deserved to be punished. If we cry anti-semitism any time jews are prosecuted even if theer is good cause, we are no better than al sharpton and jesse jackson.
He is absolutely right the FBI arrested 3 different types. Body parts, money laundering, and bribe accepting. Then they publicly announced that all were part of a international ring. When actually the only thing that connects them is luring deceptive criminal rat.
Perhaps there were shades of anti-Semitism in belaboring the term rabbis again and again. But, the people who allegedly committed the crimes, weren’t persuaded to do wrong by anti-Semites. We have to learn when to yell “anti-Semitism” against a blatant miscarriage of justice and not to pull out the word every time a Jew is accused of wrongdoing. A little contrition and a lot of Teshuvah is what’s needed here – they should have remembered G-d and stop worrying about the media.
I agree with most of what he said but the truth is this investigation started way before Madoff and also way before President Obama came to power.
Are we doing ourselves a real disservice by rotting out the Anti Semite tune. While in America one has the presumption of innocence, experience has taught us that when there is a multi year investigation with a wired informant and hundreds of thousands of dollars run through the system – there is significant evidence of wrongdoing.
I for one think the time has come to seek methods to limit who WE ALLOW to use the title Rabbi — if we want to limit the potential fallout
the time has come to seperate frum from charedi
the time has come to recognize that part of being “THE CHOSEN PEOPLE’ is that we will get front page coverage for our misdeeds — especially when everyone who went to yeshiva is a Rabbi
the time has come to take SOME responsibility — rather than somehow posit that we are the VICTIMS
a secular friend asked me what to answer his gentile co-workers when asked “whats happening with the black hats and black coats — first the jail chaplain and now the rabbis —
maybe its time for more non rabbis, and more colorful clothing
To me, it looks like some wise guys got caught. First there was this big shot wise guy and he saved his own behind by bringing down about 50 other people.
Either way, the only anti-Semitism I see is the anti-Semitism these wise guys created for other Jews who did not do this low class bribery and money laundering. Hats and beards do not impress, they only disguise. Some are great people under the hat and beard, and some are fake hypocrites.
I think the FBI did a criminal investigation, not an anti Jewish probe, and they were spurred on by one rotten apple, who got the FBI to entrap others.
Anti-semitism is why us Jews are supposed to keep our noses as clean as a whistle. Those who choose not to have to pay the price (ie be a korban) to set an example for future generations of what not to do. It’s such a shame that they couldn’t teach in a positive manner.
Don’t you commenters realize that the truth doesn’t matter? What matters is the terrible chillul Hashem, and if claims of “Anti-Semitism” can mitigate that chillul Hashem by some degree, it’s worth it. Would it be more pleasing to you if the editorial would have said “Yes, these rabbis are indifferent to the law, who are arrogant and self-righteous, who thought the goyim would never catch them”? Maybe that would appeal to your desire for truth?
The FBI is acting like the KGB lately. Nobody can withstand scrutiny. The FBI decides whom they want to arrest, they scrutinize him and, obviously, they find something, if they don’t find they entrap him, and then they arrest him. Like the KGB just with a nice cover. The real criminals are never caught. Who can say he never violated the law! Don’t be so quick to blame another person. One day you may be the target.
The FBI is of-course viciouse and presented it wrong to the public. But that what they are to every citizen – a prosecutor, a Kateigor – and then it goes to court.
I think if they would have a Muslim cooperating witness they would do the same thing there…
Its pretty clear that just about everyone reading this article has the same reaction. The Chareidim just cannot seem to understand that the laws apply to them whether in the U.S. or EY. Its sad but it seems like more of these yiddin will be rotting in jail before they drop their arrogant disregard to the laws of the medinah they live in and show some respect for the rules the rest of us live by without any difficulty.
Does anyone care what these “editors” have to say??
Why can’t chareidim ever take the blame like men when they do something wrong? No, it’s always a conspiracy, always the press, always the zionists.
“Grylak added that the FBI had purposely created a media fanfare around the US incident in an attempt to cover up the bureau’s failures in uncovering the Madoff scam.”
Huh? It was not the FBIs job to uncover Madoffs dealings…
Grylak…worry about your own problems please…
Who asked you your opinon?? The FBI did what they do best, humiliate and terorrize anyone who is remotely connected via community or family to the arrested people, that’s the way they operate, but to say anti-semitism?? This claim itself provokes enough hatred already, why are we abusing it, and the obama admin whiping up anti semitism???!!! I also don’t love abama and co. But this claim is outrageous, stick to your own issues, there is enought right there
I call myself a Chareidi and am deeply ashamed of the Chillul Hashem that is being and is being caused by others who call themselves Chareidim!
It seems that the so called “Chareidi World” is getting delusional!
People OPEN YOUR EYES!!! We have problems! Criminals are hidig behind their titles of Rabbi and Rebbe. There ARE PROBLEMS of the abuse of women, children and drugs! We have criminal youth and drug addicts!
The Erev Rav wants us to ignore all these things and believe that we live in a perfect world. This is not the case and it is time to wake up and act.
Rabbonim and Rebbes should stop being scared of those with big wallets in their kehillos ad speak up against those problems!
We are our worse enemy!
I’m a steady reader of Mishpacah and know Rabbi Gyralik writings, he is no dumb bell to justify or cry foul on every felony that is committed by Chareidim, and if he smells anti-semitisim here (as so many other inteluctuels) he knows what he is talking!
And let me explain: the FBI knows full well what the media does when even a single orthodox jew let alone a rabbi comittis a crime, the love to blow it out of propotion, for instance the cover picture on NYT and Journal News showd only the “Jews” not the Mayors, by that they should have reffrained from trapping them to begin with or at least bust them seperatly for they had no connection one to each other, but by lining up 18 Jews togther they made tremendous headlines and they knowingly humilated the entire jewish community for which they have no right too!
I would love to see our own Shaproton standing up to the goverment and the media requesting answers, who wants to volunteer???
thank you israelis we americans dont need you to add salt to the wound. noone asked you for your opinion and it is cetainly not conducive to letting this issue pass by. dont ass fuel to the fire. we made the fire and we will put it out we dont need you to start a global hafganah against america and our president.
#12 Thank you, for your wise words. What you point out is a FACT nobody could argue with.
Why do we jews find it necessary to blame others for our problems ?? ANTI-SEMITISM???? C’mon Shas …. use your brain. The headlines, pictures and news articles may have been anti-semetic, but not the arrests.
You know what was really anti-semitic – or more precisley anti-JEWISH ? The actions of the thieves and thugs who DO actually steal, lie and cheat as a way of life. It of course remains to be seen if the yidden arrested last week are all guilty.
Meharsa’yich u’macharivayich mimech yetze’oo – take it any way you like.
You are 100% wrong it is not anti semitisim it’s a Chilul Hashem.
You guys don’t get it, of course if they did the crime they were rightly arrested, but the FBI tried to turn this into a racketeering (rico) case by arresting them all together and announcing how they brought down a “group of money launderers”, it is definitely not rico since the accused did not work together, they are seperate cases. The penalties in a rico case are alot more severe than a single individual who’s did money laundering.
the community should cleverly counter SUE the Feds for this race based arrests,
point being how about going in to BED-STUYVESANT pick one out of ten African Americans offer them $25.000 cash for marijuana give him a couple of days & the guy will show up with goods, then arrest the “Drug Dealer” (even though this guy would not get involved if not that whoever set him up)
There are so many errors in Kakun’s statements that I can’t comment on all of them, but to blame Obama is ludicrous. These guys were under investigation for years, well before Obama was elected. Even if the investigation just started, our President is busy spending his time on the economy, healthcare, etc. No president gets involved in FBI investigations of this nature, let alone instigates them.
It’s one thing to diagree with Obama’s foreign policy, but making these types of accusations of anti-semitism against him are reckless at best and detrimental to Israel’s interests.
If it is not anti semitism why did the judge set bail much higher for the “Jews”??
Others have said this but it bears repeating. These were not individuals that were breaking the law all along until the FBI came along and kicked everyone out of the pool. This was a case of one person (allegedly) trying to save his skin who went around fishing for people to commit new crimes. Many posters are assuming that the people caught were living a life of crime up until this point. I am not defending anyone but lets not rush to judgement. There is much more to learn about this case.
This was not anti-semitism. If you read the actual charges made against the so called Rabbis in question, you will see that they were charged with laundering money that they knew was money earned in an illegal manner to begin with.
So, the lowlife who was working with the FBI to catch the other money launderers told the Chief Rabbi on separate occasions that the money he wanted launder was money he was hiding from bankruptcy court, money he earned illegally by falsely labeling products, or money that he earned by obtaining a mortgage on a piece of real estate that didn’t even exist. Rather than throw him out of his office, the Rabbi, along with other Rabbis HELPED him do it.
They are garbage and it’s a positive mitzvah to say that they are garbage. The crimes they supported are crimes of Halacha as well as crimes of the country they live in, and they knew exactly what they were doing. The recorded sessions are quite clear on this.
I’m not exactly comforted to know that idiots like Ze’ev clearly think that mere money laundering is really OK and somehow helping people launder money doesn’t connect them to the crimes they did to obtain the money. The willingness of people to launder these illegal proceeds is exactly what empowers the criminals to steal in the first place.
We are Jews. Jews do not steal in order to fund charities. I realize that nearly every black hat Rabbi does steal (via money laundering) in order to fund their charities, their schools, their kollels, and their synagogues, but that doesn’t make it right. It just makes us a disgrace to humanity.
אנחנו ה יהודים צריכים לפרסם בניורק טיימס שאין לנו עסק עמהם וכל זה נגד התורה
Hashem yerachem veHashem yaazor aleinu!
i dont understand why any of you can accept the fact that some jews are “mushcheisim” and while they may look %100 percent kosher they are actually of the worst. the worst part of this whole fiasco is that on every newspape rit is plastered that it the ultra ultra orthodox jews that did that. now what will the nonjews think -if this is what the stringent of the stringent do then what do the orthodox or even the modern jews do. and all of you people are trying to defend these people while you should be looking at yourselves from this story to see how to improve ourselves to show the nonjews what special and holy people we are.and whoever is pulling the “antisemite card” is truly a fool because it just shows the nonjews that we are trying to higher these peoples status instead of showing that they are the rotten apples of the jews therefore lowering the status of the jews to the level of the nonjews .
Whatever happened to ‘hevei dan ess kol adom lekuf zecus’…. I don’t get it,the gemara says even a person who is a baal aveira and you could find even the slightest possibility that you could judge him favorably you must do so, how much more so…… again HOW MUCH MORE SO these fine yidden we must judge them favorably. My brocho to all you that speak well of these fine yidden may Hashem judge you favorably, and all you dispicable self hating jews may Hashem judge you the same way – and He will and it won’t be pretty.
Its a silly accusation, and he is still blaming Obama..
I hope those teiera yidden will be vindicated, this is a horrible case of entrapment by a career low life criminal, and they were baited into those alleged crimes.
But blaming the honorable USA for antisemitism is wrong!!
Why are we putting ourselves down by something that was done with evil intentions by mostly good individuals who would at any time helped all of you had you been in their path, how can fellow jews use a language saying they deserve to be locked up while those individuals would likely use their money to help all of you out had you been in trouble.
Remember! We talk so much about those arrested as if they’ve done a crime so horrible as Murder, these guys have done something that can for sure be fixed, they stole money for the gov.? Have return it with penalties + interest, had they killed someone? Then it would’ve been impossible to reverse.
Wake up people! Be proud of your fellow jews, Chasidim Litvish Sfardish All jews! The best of the goyim does not come close to the average jew! If you would like to proof it? Chazal teached us Odom Niker Bkoso Bkiso Bkaso, Humans behavior are easily identified by the way the eat, Deal, and Anger. Try to take away food from a goy or try to upset him and see what he does, he might hold open a door for you which a chasid will neglect to do so and you’ll see who’s better.
A jew that steals 10 million from the Gov is 100x better then a Law abiding texes red Neck, Scott Peterson Paid all his texes on-time and did not do any money laundrying and yet he killed his pregnant wife without mercy.
All of you self hating jews who are ashamed to be a jew because of those who were arrested I have one message to you “get lost”
Stupid and wrong to accuse FBI of antisemitism.
And ugly and filthy the way many bloggers here refer to all jews, if some (very few people) are accused of an alleged crime, don’t bash at “jews” as a whole, same goes with bashing at frum. it shows hate and a lack of midos and manners.
most people here dont come from our community so SHUT UP!!!! Dwek came crying telling them he had no money and some rabbis out of alot had the rachmanuss ( which is a jewish trait) even after all the sindling he did to help him out and yet he screwed them!
This accusation is beyond the pale.
This same FBI foiled a plot to bomb two synagogues in my neighborhood, one of which I davened in today. If they were really anti-Semitic they would have waited until the bombs went off.
I call on Mr. Yakun to withdraw his accusation. It is *not* helpful to Jews in the United States who rely on the FBI for protection against terrorists.
Look guys, why don’t we wait to see this thing to court before we speculate whether these guys are “idiots” who are creating a chillul hashem and antisemitism. How can we know the full extent of their “attrocious” behavior before evidence is brought in a court of law? Why are we always jumping to conclusions based on the runaway imaginations of the media, who are clearly biased and antisemitic?
To all of you SELF HATING JEWS! (like comment #1 – #4 – #7 – #9 etc, etc)
One day you will all rot in Jail or (Hell)!
You can “CLEARLY” see the Anti Semitisim in this story. Just go back to the original breaking News and follow it! It is as clear as black and white. what is it? 44 people arrested. No connection between one and the other? Only 3 Million involved? And the headlines have to scream RABBIS – Jews etc?
We all see from the reports, that Dwek sometimes even forced the “Rabbis” to cash checks for him… He- This Rosho – Put the words into their mouths! Wait and see the whole case falling apart & Drek sitting for life … and in Gehenim forever!
“You cant help anyone in the great USA without doing something “illegal” if thats what you want to call it!
Do we always need to use the anti-Semitic card? If it is indeed fuelled by anti-Semitism then what good will it do to point this out and if not, then the damage being done by screaming anti-Semitism far outweighs any potential benefit. The Anti-Semitism card should be used sparingly and judiciously
israelis know nothin bout fbi and should keep their mouths shut. and stop crying everytime a ‘chareidi’ gets caught. yes in israel chareidi stories are blown out of proportion , but chill out. this is the good ‘ol u.s of a and the fbi was just doin its job. its the people involved that brought this tragedy on the jewish people BLAME THEM! we have some some tshuva to do so stop pointing fingers at the fbi and the cops grylak and mk zev. hey grylak and mk zev why not write a story or two about the (ANTISEMITISM) unfairness of the religious school system where almost every kid that gets in to the ‘cheder’ of his dads choice has to bribe (yes BRIBE) the crooked menahel (menahel ksafim???) to accept his son. and i am not talking about a sfardi that wants in to a ashkenaz cheder (who had better take out a mortgage or change his last name!!)
AMERICANS have allot to teach the isrealis about sinas chinam and antisemitism
got to lakewood mir or any yeshiva in the u.s. and tell me who is a sfardi and who is an ashenazi– thats right you cant because everyone there is only there to learn torah and TORAH BRING US TOGETHER
have a meaning full fast everyone