Newark, NJ – Just how many commandments has Solomon Dwek broken?
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As cross-examination of the government’s key witness, Solomon Dwek, began this morning in the corruption trial of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy’s campaign treasurer, the defense has been grilling Dwek on his failure to abide by civil law and the Ten Commandments.
“Up until I started my cooperation (with the FBI) I would operate — I would lie, I would steal, I would cheat,” Dwek said as defense attorney Brian Neary worked to tear down Dwek’s credibility. “I would do whatever i thought was necessary to further my real estate business.”
Dwek was quick to say he had changed his ways, adding, “Once I decided to cooperate, and I signed a cooperating agreement, I did not lie, cheat, steal. I obeyed.”
Neary forced Dwek to admit that his criminal activity — which included swindling friends, family and members of his Jewish community of Deal — had dishonored his father, a rabbi. Dwek also admitted to owning a gambling boat in Florida that was apparently used for prostitution and suggested he helped others covet their neighbors’ wives in so doing.
Neary harped on the symbolism of the yarmulke Dwek wore and even suggested that his father had already sat shiva for Dwek, having decided he was dead to him.
Nearry then began running through the schedule of meetings between Dwek, defendant Leona Beldini, former Jersey City housing official/school board member Edward Cheatam, the late political Jack Shaw and Healy in Jersey City and Staten Island and tallying up the payments Dwek gave Cheatam — who has pleaded guilty — and Shaw — who died days after his July arrest.
Neary was careful to note that at one meeting Cheatam told Dwek that Beldini does not take cash. Dwek says on the tape that he could instead give a check.
Asked if he ever represnted himself as a rabbi, Dwek said, “No.”
Neary noted that Beldini said “Don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t steal” on the tapes. Dwek acknowledged she had said it, said she was referring to Healy and admitted that it is not the way he has operated in his life until the plea deal.
Since 2006, Dwek has had the opportunity to testify under oath on number of occasions, usually connected to his bankruptcy proceedings.
Neary then asked about the people and banks Dwek stole millions of dollars from.
The banks represent people trying to save their hard-earned money, Neary said.
He also noted that starting when he was in bankruptcy, Dwek received $12,800 a month and now gets $10,000 a month, which he, his wife and their five children live on.
“That is from the money you have stolen?” Neary asked.
“Yes.”
“So you still enjoy the ill-gotten gains on a monthly basis, yes?”
“Yes.”
“I notice you wear a religious cap. What does that symbolize?”
“The way I was brought up was in a religious orthodox home. It’s the way my parents brought me up. It’s one of the 613 commandments of the bible.”
Neary later asked Dwek if he continued to lie once he became a cooperating witness for the federal government.
“Was your word always gold to them?” he asked of FBI agents.
“… I never lied to them.”
At least Dwek is redeeming himself by testifying on behalf of the government against all these corrupt public officials and rabbonim but this only serves to remind us of the abuse of power among those in the leadership of the political and religious worlds in whom we have mistakenly placed trust. What Dwek did was terrible but the actions of these others in leadership positions is even worse.
sick sick and sicker, when o when will we be done with this creep.
stealing
cheating
coveting women
lying
gambling
prostitution
desecration of the sabbath
all with the cap on his head.
problem is he never put the head under his cap.
sick sick and sicker, that his wife and children stayed with him.
those handlers really will stick it to him when its all over.
they use use and abuse and dump you almost how some men treat women who are looking to be hooked up.
disgusting shameful what have we dione wrong to have such a beast raised among us.
hes the gilgul of the devil.
“t’s one of the 613 commandments of the bible.” “
THAT’S A LIE
Wearing a kippa is not one of the 613 mitzvot.
It might be minhag, and it gives yirat shamayim, but last I heard it definately is not one of the teriyag mitzvot.
“oi lanu miyom hadin, oiy lanu miyom hatochacha”
hopefully the judge will throw the whole thing out
“yesh machriv olamo beshaah achas
Pig what he is. Which some 1 takes him away(don’t wanna say kill him -b/c that’s not for us to ever do ) -he should stop making a chilul hash-em
I hope he drops died!! This guy is such a Chullal Hashem!
We prob should be raising money for Dwek to ensure he doesn’t end up in jail. Pidyon Shivuyim is what it is.
His Nebachdik wife still thinks he was faithful to her!
He lied under oath! he knows its not one of the 613 mitzvos
may he rot for ruining many a life.
Is this creep in witness protection or a baal gavah to the point where is on the public streets?
covet their neighbors’ wives ? WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?
Dwek one of the worst criminals in our modern day jewish circles. He doesnt give a darn about his wife his kids his parents his friends his neighbors his community his relitives. He only cares about himself. He will cheat, lie, fornicate, malshin, probably kill if he had the chance……..Wow!!! Bottom of the barrel baby!
Brings to mind the Passuk in Yermiyahu. Korei dagar vlo yalad, osie osher vlo bimishpat bichatzi yamav yaazvenu uviachreeso yihye naval……
Like a bird wistlling to chicks it did not raise is one who makes wealth unjustly……
Half way through his life it will forsake him…..
and in the end he will be called a scoudrel.
I see Dwek all over that Passuk
It behooves us to curse another Jew, regardless of his personal shortcomings; he at least is currently doing the right thing, which is to shine a bright light on public corruption and laundering ill gotten money by the some in the Orthodox community, and if some rabbis will go to jail as a direct result of his collaboration with the government, so let it be, and all the questions and the snide remarks by the defense will not make any difference in the outcome, they will be found guilty in the face of a mountain of evidence, and as for his Yarmulka, so what, he sinned while having it on, let repent in court with it on his head.
Q: What is to be learned from all this?
A: There are many more such dwek’s around, some wear shtreimels, some even wear “vasse zuken”, some are even self proclaimed “talmidei chachomim”.
We have to learn to detect them early enough, and stay away. They lie to get your business, they lie about where your money went, and when they are squeezed up against a brick wall, they will masser you too, to cover up their act, so they will be spared from doing jail time, and should do it instead.
For a start, we have to better educate ourselves to learn the difference between pathological liars, and compulsive liars to help us notice symtoms of these crooks. – Simply to know wether or not to even have a converstaion with them. (having a compenent lawyer look through the deal and do some real due diligence, goes without saying)
Lets do some extensive research. There are pleanty of scam artists out there.
It’s just great that he moved here to Baltimore. Just another headache we have to deal with here.
We should all cry for the Tzar Hashchina. Imagine Hashem’s pain in having such a deranged child? If us Yidden really gave a hoot about our Tatte in Himmel – we would gather en masse to be mispallel that Dwek should have a Hirur TeShuvah… “YiTamu Chataim (VeLo Chotim) min HaAretz UreShaim Oid Ainum” in order to alleviate some of the suffering of the Ribbono Shel Olam…
oyyyyy vay its a pachad pchudim lets discuss it in a formal way like in here http://www.thejewishchatroom.com
chazal say when tragety strikes or are fellow jew miss behave we most do some itro spection look at are deeds look at the way we respect are fellow jew and are fellow man the way we follow the law …..
The thing that gets me most from this whole article is that this low-life is getting a $10,000 a month taxpayer funded pension to sit on tuches for the rest of his life. You gotta give it to him. He lived the good life for 37 years by stealing and then he continues living it up on others peoples tzuris. I wonder how much extra they paid him for Rabbi Kessin.
I cannot rectify anything that he has done however one cannot judge this person as one had mentioned before. He may be suffering a severe mental illness(ie serial killers etc. ) and or trauma . That being said it is very hard to say what one would do living in the exact shoes as him (growing up with the same life experience that he has had. It does not take much for one to make one mistake stupid or not and then traverses out of control (ie gambling problems).
to # 10 charlie hall
i was comment #5 although i dont have a personal connection (actually every yid does)
i have lost my respect for the FBI after this story the job of the FBI is to root out “criminal minds” from society the only criminal mind was “DWECK” HIMSELF
these people fell for his trap but they are not criminal minds by any stretch theyre profile does not match what the fbi should be looking for/ even the poloticians which understanbly give some favor to supporters said in the tape “its not right…)if this is not entrapment what is
Chevra, this is what happens when you don’t learn one ‘Yiddish vort’ in cheder. You first believe that a minhag (yarmulka) is a mitzvah d’oireisah, then you think that a loy s’essah (stealing) is just a minhag.
We should all hang or heads in shame.
All indications are that he seems to be a classic text book case of a classic sociopath with no conscience at all.
Such people are truly sic and can really never ever stop lying, stealing etc and so it is virtually certain that he still does the same today and will lie not only to the FBI in recent years but he certainly can’t help himself form lying even today in court.
This can be sued to discredit him in court by having him purger himself in court and this leads the way to win the case against his testimony.
Being a sociopath is a mental illness and there is no cure for it and so “once a sociopath is always a sociopath. Such people can never ever sand stealing and can never stop destroying other peoples lives and continue doing it till they die.
Someone should warn his wife: if he was involved in prostitution, he may very well have a contagious disease (HIV, hepatitis, etc)–and pose a risk to her.
he made money…
you liedegayers should get a job.
He got his deal already, now he may be purposly messing up on the stand. who knows with this Bi-Polar phsyco.
Question to all the poskim bloggers:
May one make a bbrocho with Dwreck in the room? How about asher Yotzar?
What a sham for the deal community that a guy like this was such a respected guy for years
one question. $10,000 he is making a month is that for the rest of his life? and is it tax free? ((((sounds like a great retirement plan)
The problem is that I lost my whole respect for the fbi
While those innocent man were entrpted by dwek many muslims get entrpted as terrorists while they gp on with regular life
And many regular people get entrepted as drug dealers by the fbi just to show they are doing something while the real criminals stay on the street
Wait until the trial of the rabbonim from NJ before you decide whether he engaged in entrapment or whether he is doing a public service to the rid the yiddeshe community of those who would engage in theft and fraud to enrich themselves and their mosdos.
shame to him, its a shame to call such a low life a jew. He did not listen to the torah so why call him Jewish. No such people to be born to jewish parents its a klulah.
“and Shaw — who died days after his July arrest”
He died to due to a sudden heart attack, most likely from the arrest. This is precisely the reason the Rishonim explain why its a Mitsva to get rid of the Moser literally, because he puts the lives of others in some form or another at stake.
In either event he will rot in hell, and never come out.
Why does the govt. give this moiser $10,000 when all the money is stolen.
And there is no Lashon Haroh on a moiser. This guy is gone. How he is in any Jewish community is ridiculous.
(Reply to #62 )I am sorry for you but according to the shulchan Aruch he is not consider jewish u can say what ever (like hitler)he is not a jew ,,,,,,,,,,
“The way I was brought up was in a religious orthodox home. It’s the way my parents brought me up. It’s one of the 613 commandments of the bible.”
essentially his claim is that he wears it not for what it symbolizes but b/c it is part of his costume – no real difference to him than a baseball cap.
It’s horrifying to see how many people are defending this scoundrel.
I guess he has a PR firm working for him posting these “anti-Lashon Hara posts”.
Lashon Hara does not apply to wicked people.
Lashon Hara is not the Hebrew for “be naive and pretend nobody is doing anything wrong”.
Lashon Hara means speaking bad about good people; or people who can reasonably by assumed to be good.
OMG, you have severe issues. How I wish you identity would be revealed. Your wife (if someone was drunk enough to marry you), children, parents, grandparents, friends (yeh right!), would all disown you. You are an evil person. At best. Who in their right mind actually CONDONES the acts of this man?! I will have you know that he has ruined more lives than you can imagine. He stole, cheated, commited adultry, (fact! It will come out later), entrapped and single handidly ruined an entire community!! That’s you “fellow jew”? That’s the kind of person you want to call one of your own? What about the people who are now penniles? Or how about the people who’s children now have a hard time getting married bec their fathers are now labeled “criminals” while they have only done something unethical? Do you care for them??? Do you?? Bec. If you did you’d be singing a differant tune. Nay, you’d be egging his house!!
OMG, you have severe issues. How I wish you identity would be revealed. Your wife (if someone was drunk enough to marry you), children, parents, grandparents, friends (yeh right!), would all disown you. You are an evil person. At best. Who in their right mind actually CONDONES the acts of this man?! I will have you know that he has ruined more lives than you can imagine. He stole, cheated, commited adultry, (fact! It will come out later), entrapped and single handidly ruined an entire community!! That’s you “fellow jew”? That’s the kind of person you want to call one of your own? What about the people who are now penniles? Or how about the people who’s children now have a hard time getting married bec their fathers are now labeled “criminals” while they have only done something unethical? Do you care for them??? Do you?? Bec. If you did you’d be singing a differant tune. Nay, you’d be egging his house!!
Omg, wow are you dumber then I thought!! Let’s start with this, first thing is I believe you are a federal agent. “In our court of law” yeh that’s something a fed would say. I happen to be a tremendous patriot myself! So don’t you go and lecture! When you’ve faought in wars for this great country then you can preach! Otherwise keep a lid on it! Secondly, you stated something that shows you have no idea as to the facts. Soloman dwek was from the great SYRIAN community of deal, granted a horrific product, he was not from the chasidic community. So when you say ” your rabbis speaking yiddish” it shows you haven’t got a clue what is going on here. Next, how come they didn’t feed him? Take him in?? BEC HE HAD JUST STOLE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. From the very peoples families he was asking for help! And you fool, people did offer him help. Cash? Food? Homes? This isn’t haiti! The man owned 300 properties! He was still driving a lexus. Still eating out in fancy resturants! The only help he wanted, was this kind of help. People felt obliged bec he was a rabbis son and a former phalanthrapist! And FYI- one of the people he helped put in prison (C.A) consoled him. Stayed by his how’s to help his family after S.D got arrested. GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!!
Some more “irrelevant” Torah/Jewish Law.
Chovel uMazzik Chapter Eight,
Halacha 1
When a person informs about property belonging to a colleague and causes it to be taken by a strong, lawless [Goy] person, he is required to reimburse the owner from the the finest property in his possession. If the person who informs about the property dies, the owner may collect his due from his heirs, as is the law concerning others who cause damage.
Whether the strong, lawless person is a gentile or a Jew, the person who informs about the property to be taken by him is considered a moseir and is required to reimburse the owner for everything taken by the lawless person. This applies even if the moseir did not actually hand the other person’s property over to the lawless person, but merely informed him about it.
Halacha 8
A moseir who showed a colleague’s property to a lawless man on his own initiative is not given the prerogative of taking an oath. This applies both to a severe oath, or a sh’vuat hesset. For such a person is deemed wicked; there is no disqualifying factor greater than this…
Halacha 9
It is forbidden to inform about a colleague to the gentiles and endanger his physical person or his property. This applies even when the person concerned is a wicked person who commits sins, and even if he causes one irritation and discomfort. Anyone who actually informs about a Jew and endangers his person or his property to the gentiles will not receive a portion in the world to come.
Halacha 10
It is permissible to kill a moseir in any country,even in the present age, when the court no longer metes out capital punishment.
It is permitted to kill him before he informs. When he says: “I will inform on so and so and endanger his person and/or his property” – even property of minimal value – he has made it permissible for others to kill him.
He should be warned and told: “Do not inform.” If he says brazenly, “No. I will inform about him,” it is a mitzvah to kill him, and whoever kills him receives merit.
Halacha 11
If the moseir carried out his threat and informed on a fellow Jew, it appears to me that it is forbidden to kill him, unless he has made it an established pattern to inform. In such an instance, he should be killed, lest he inform on others.
In the cities of the west, the common practice is to kill the mosrim who have made an established pattern of informing with regard to people’s property, and to hand the mosrim over to gentiles to punish them, beat them and imprison them, according to their wicked ways.
Similarly, one who causes difficulty and irritation to the community may be handed over to the gentiles to be beaten, imprisoned and fined. It is, however, forbidden to hand over to gentilesa person for causing irritation to one individual.
It is forbidden to destroy property belonging to a moseir, although it is permitted to destroy his life. The reason is that his money is given to his heirs.
Let me throw in my two cents. I just finished reading the article with all its comments and my stomach is turning nauseously. We need to first recognize this for what it is – a very emotional issue for all of us. If an ordinary article gets people riled up; how much more a story like this? It is also understandable that people would get upset and accuse anyone assumed not to be with us as a traitor, a monster, a wicked person. I am talking about the comments towards OMG.
I must disagree with those trying to demonize him. I have had the good fortune to engage with him in debate many times, and I must say that his position comes from sincerity. Right or wrong is not the issue, as we are all sometimes right and sometimes wrong, but we’ll never have any decent discussion here if we always demonize those that disagree with us. His position on this, even though I disagree with, is nevertheless borne out a sense of social fairness and a belief in the system, which he thinks that there are corrupt rabbis and good rabbis and the corrupt who commit a crime should go to jail and THAT, will teach the rest of us not to do the same.
I disagree with this on many fronts. First, I am against the idea of entrapping someone to do a crime. I will go as far as calling it “criminal activity”. If the law allows this, then the law most be changed. I consider this a cruel and wicked law. I’ll try to explain.
I have told here many times that Barry Gray used to tell the story of a woman being approached by a man with “will you sleep with me for a million dollars” she answers “yes”. Then he asks her “how about for a thousand dollars”, she responds “what do you think I am, a whore?” He answers “that, we have already established; now we’re only negotiating the price!” Almost all people on planet earth can be entrapped, if the price is right. For some it’s money, for some it’s a woman, and for others it’s something else. I didn’t study “law”, but it doesn’t take an Alan Dershowitz to say that entrapment is wrong, and should be outlawed. The entrappers are no less evil then their prey, sometimes even worse.
What I’m trying to say is that these rabbis entrapped here, were not evil people in any way shape or form. Yes, they did something wrong, (more then something), but “in context” this shouldn’t have been that great an issue. The reason why this turned into a scandal is only because the scheme also involved the entrapment of New Jersey’s politicians, and more importantly because the entrapper Dwek was Mishelonu (one of ours, so we thought). I’m not minimizing the gravity of any crime, only focusing on the issue as a whole.
There is no question in my mind that Dwek is a Moser, and if he was on the way to inform someone then maybe Al Pi Halochah he would he be allowed to perish. I am NOT a rabbi and am not Paskening, and no responsible Rabbi would be Matir to put him away in this country of ours. Now, after the fact, there is absolutely no Heter to put him away. I do agree with OMG that he can still do Teshuvah. It would be extremely difficult for him to beg forgiveness from those he hurt, but still he can (and maybe will one day) do Teshuvah.
I know that some will be upset with me, but I find it my Tafkid to be honest here, regardless where the chips might fall.
Got to go now.
I personally don’t believe in ANY justice system on planet earth created by man and executed by man. The one we have here is the best we have, so I’ll give it lip service; but the reality is that sometimes justice is meted out and sometimes not, sometimes too little and sometimes too much. It is a Rachmoness on the gentile who has no one to stick up for him/her and gets the raw end of the stick.
My opinion is that a system which allowed (what I believe is) the killing of Irv Rubin, Earl Krugel and Meir Kahane is not a system I can have faith in. A system where money can buy your innocence as in the OJ Simpson trial is a system I cannot have faith in. I will continue to support in general our justice system because without it anarchy will rein; but that still doesn’t make me have faith in it. I would say the same regarding Israel’s criminal system and every Western justice system; that true justice can only be found by G-d, the real Dayon Ho’emes.
Again I’m not minimizing crime, only pointing out where I come from when it comes to entrapping rabbis. It was wrong, wrong, wrong.
Omg, tell me if I misquoted this “the laws of moser are irrelavent in this country”. You are not only an evil person rather much more you are a cofer!! How can you say these things?? If in fact you are jewish repent now! Bec what you have said is against all that we hold dear!
And yes I am a patriot! Yes I love my country! BUT I AM A JEW FIRST AND AN AMERICAN SECOND! That’s why I don’t say “our” courts. They aren’t our courts. We don’t speak this way. We say the american courts. Bec throughout the many bills,laws and treaties that this country has many are not in accordance with my religious beliefs!
Prediction #2 : the prosucution will never bring up his families involvement in this. It was part of the plea deal.
OMG, on the first issue of cursing, it is clear that #100 is speaking from pain as one personally affected by Dwek. If I would’ve been affected, I probably would’ve cursed him too. I can’t remember ever cursing another Jew, and because I personally was not affected, similar to OMG, I would never think of cursing him. The Gemorah says that “Ein Odom Nitfas Al Tzaaroi”, we can’t hold it against a person who is speaking from pain; but acting out of pain as Dwek did is entirely a different matter, and he went even ten steps further then understandable. I personally know a person who sat in jail so that another Jew shouldn’t, and hold him for a Tzaddik, and I hope and pray that I would do the same if ever found in such a situation. If I should fail the test, then I would rather G-d take me, then rat on a fellow Jew. It is inconceivable to me to do such a thing. Nevertheless those who can’t withstand the test like Dwek, could be forgiven for ratting on a co-defrauder; but to go and entrap people just like that, is unforgivable, and to my understanding had a Din Roidef and Moiser.
Regardless how the courts consider entrapment, it is forbidden by Halachah under “Velifnei Iveir” and other Aveirois. His act of entrapping that old Rabbi and taking advantage and playing on his good heart, to me shows how deep this Dwek had sunk. I agree with OMG that a Jew he remains and we don’t have the power to un-Jew him. I see him as someone who had sunken in Mem Tes Shaarei Tumeh, but a Jew he still remains.
I do agree with you on:
1. Dwek is a crook and he belongs in jail.
2. Any crime against G-d and even man, he has the ability to do Teshuva.
3. Dwek caused a Chilul Hashem. But the Chilul Hashem he made, pales in comparison to the Chilul Hashem he caused by entrapping those rabbis.
I would disagree with the assertion that because Dwek is a crook he also looked at all those rabbis as crooks too. No, he would never have considered those he entrapped crooks; and neither would you and me. That he ANYWAYS went and entrapped them; is what sets him apart of the rest, and that is the reason for the scorn and hatred he encountered here. This old rabbi (who I know something about) is the last person that would do a crime, and to so cold bloodedly ensnare him like that, makes my blood boil too.
So that was not the reason that he justified his actions. The reason is much simpler; that he couldn’t care less about another human being if it can lessen even a drop of his pain. I think we would call him selfish, a hedonist and an egoist. In addition he must have known what a Chilul Hashem would come out of this, and still THAT too didn’t stop him; for that I have no words to describe him, because it says that when he is in trouble, even G-d and his people are dispensable; he would sell us all.