White Plains, NY – The chief rabbi in a Hasidic village north of New York City says a recent lawsuit filed against him is without merit.
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A resident of New Square who was badly burned in May had alleged Grand Rebbe David Twersky directed the attack. Plaintiff Aron Rottenberg claimed Twersky targeted him because he had begun praying at a synagogue other than the principal one in the insular village of 7,000 residents.
On Monday, Twersky’s attorney Franklyn Snitow issued a statement saying the lawsuit has no legal or factual basis. The attorney says Twersky condemns violence.
Eighteen-year-old village resident Shaul Spitzer has been indicted on charges of attempted murder, attempted arson and assault in the attack. He has pleaded not guilty.
Spitzer’s lawyer says Twersky wasn’t involved in the attack on Rottenberg.
it’s a big rachmonos on this innocent looking bochor who was brainwhashed.
There are many people in the frum community that do not care about Chillul Hashem. They think that can do what the heck they want and don’t care if it makes news in the world. Shame!!!! I just find it too hard to believe that any Rebbe would order anyone to burn down a house. Because he won’t daven in his shul and instead a nursing home? Please, there has got to be more to this story.
Everyone, before they do a crime, they should realize, they will get caught and the whole world will be watching, besides Hashem having their acts recorded and will be played back after they leave this world.. And before then, they can also end up spending many years in jail. Should be enough to stop people from doing a crime.
Also, stories like this put those who’s yiddishkeit is shaky, off the derech, as it is hard to believe that frum yiddin can attempt to burn a house down with frum yiddin inside. This is yiddishkeit? This is sickenening beyond words.
I don’t see where Twersky said anything. I only see the statement issued by his attorney.
This is regular legal talk. What I am wondering what is the attorney referring to, when he says it has “no legal basis”. I understand that he’s trying to repute the facts, but what is he trying to say about no legal basis?
On Monday, Twersky’s attorney Franklyn Snitow issued a statement saying the lawsuit has no legal or factual basis. The attorney says Twersky condemns violence.
why no statement from the rebbie before this episode he said nothing.
and of course this what the rebbies lawyers is going to say
no real news here
If you start up with a Torah sage warns pirkei avos you get burnth. Second perek of pirkei avos.
Finally. Someone official is coming out to clarify the senseless accusations against the skvare rebbe. While we might argue if we understand why he forbids his followers living in his village for going out to pray elsewhere, it is senseless to claim that this great man had any involvement in this horrific incident. He is a pious humble great man, and I guess that’s why he was quiet the whole time.
I guess he had to hire an attorney, and the attorney decided that he must clarify the facts in order to avoid this great chilul hashem.
A defendant in a lawsuit says the suit is without merit.
Well, that settles that. There’s obviously nothing to it.
I believe Shaul Spitzer is making a grave error by going to trial. Can anyone believe he will not be convicted of all charges. I can only imagine the long prison sentence that awaits this young man…. I also wonder who is paying the legal fees for Mr. Kenneth Gribetz. Something tells me he is being remunerated by the community of New Square and wil do everything to keep the Rebbe out of this while sacrificing his client. Mr. Shaul Spitzer should plead guilty, cooperate completely with the district attorney and throw himself upon the mercy of the court.
I don’t know if I may say this. I am happy that the Rabbi is being called in court. This way the Rabbis side of the story will emerge. And I am sure that all those self hatred Jews who continue to bash a thriving Jewish community, will see the truth.
I know they won’t agree even then, but at least those who seek the truth will have the chance to see light on a community who just doesn’t know how to respond to all the hate against them in the media.
The attorneys in court will do the job!
I suspect every personal injury lawyer in upstate New York wishes they could take the deposition of the Skver rebbe which probably won’t happen until later this summer at the earlies. When these lawyers get done with deposing him, it will be the rebbe who will be seeking rachmonis. The only way to get to the truth will be to take his testimony under oath as to what he might have said that resulted in one of his chassidim attempting to kill Rottenburg with this firebomb.
if you have any feelings you may consider that this Spitzer also has Father & Mother Zeides & Babes that happen to be very nice people and now have to deal with the shame he brought on them & you know that you can not control today’s teenagers so you can’t blame them
if you want to have rachmunes on Rottenberg you should just be aware that he know for a while that he is only there to fight so when you fight you have to be ready for everything
#19 I agree. It was a big accident, Spitzer didn’t want to burn the guy, only his house with him in it. There’s a big diifference. Um, I’m not sure what, but there must be a big difference.
To all of you out there who blame the victim, shame on you! From what I have read, Mr. Rottenberg would have been glad to move out of New Square. He would not have interfered with their lives at all, had they but allowed him to sell his home for fair market value! This is not the first time such goings on have occured in New Square, the medina shel chesed! Let’s not kid ourselves, there is much that is rotten in New Sqaure.
Every side of the argument is represented here. But I have one concern that hasn’t been voiced: If this thing isn’t resolved here and now, more people are going to be injured or killed. Some serious transparency is called for.
Very surprising the Rebbe’s choice of attorney.
Reply to # 7, the pirkie uvos doesn’t say that then a yid will burn you, he did it on purpose , how foolish can you be to turn around the words of the pirkie uvos.
Can the rebbe claim that appearing to testify in a secular court or even a deposition would violate his religious rights to only particpate in a din torah? Would a judge hold him in contempt for a refusal to participate in court proceedings?
I think what they’re trying to say here is that the boy was nothing more than a shik yingel and it should be the rabbi himself being indicted!
“Spitzer’s lawyer says Twersky wasn’t involved in the attack on Rottenberg.”
How does Spitzer’s lawyer know this, unless he knows who WAS involved?
If someone will provide me with a modest retainer, I will get involved.
(Reply to #44 ):
Let me get this straight: Someone in the shul at New Square was allegedly molesting children, and because a parent wanted to remove and protect his kids from this danger zone, he was persecuted and set ablaze?! That’s what warranted the terror, harassment, intimidation, ostracization, and near murder?!? But you know, it’s actually starting to make sense now…
there were a few times just in the past year that crime was commited against cars and other property in the community in new square to people who daven (with minyan) outside of new square never ever did the holy rebbe or the beis din condemn the violence and this is the true fact. i know im one of them