Author Topic: Rabbi Avi Weiss Arrested Protesting PA bid at UN  (Read 6305 times)

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Offline muman613

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Rabbi Avi Weiss Arrested Protesting PA bid at UN
« on: September 21, 2011, 02:02:36 AM »
It is very interesting to read about a Rabbi you have met personally who has been an activist for many years. I know that Rabbi Weiss is not on as high a level as Rabbi Kahane was but I do believe Rabbi Weiss has great intentions for the Jewish people.

He is not afraid of standing up for Israel and the Jewish people. I met Rabbi Weiss when I was invited to attend a Shabbaton where Rabbi Weiss held the services, and afterward he gave a dvar Torah and an inspirational message concerning repentence.

My Rabbi at the time told us that Rabbi Weiss was an activist Rabbi who has put himself on the line in order to protest the injustices which the Jewish people have been subjected to. I wrote to Rabbi Weiss a couple of times and have lost touch with him but I will always remember him for his ahava Yisroel {love of the people of Israel}.



http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/148122

NY Police Arrest Rabbi and Five Other Pro-Israel Activists

New York police arrest a rabbi and five other activists who blocked traffic in a protest against the PA bid for unilateral UN recognition.

Fern Sidman, INN NY correspondent and Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

New York police arrest a rabbi and five other activists who blocked traffic in a protest against the Palestinian Authority bid for unilateral United Nations recognition at the United Nations annual General Assembly.

They were arrested during a rally co-sponsored by Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI) and Amcha that drew more than 35 people, many of whom also stood in street with them. Police took into custody Rabbi Avi Weiss, director of Amcha-Coalition for Jewish Concerns,  In addition to Rabbi Weiss, who is also senior rabbi at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, and Helen Freedman of AFSI, Cheryl Jacobs Lewin, chairwoman of AFSI's Chicago chapter, Miriam Prince; Sarah Rosenbaum; and Glenn Richter.  

Holding aloft large Israeli and American flags and signs declaring "Shame On the UN For Demonizing and Delegitimizing Israel!" and "We Support Israel", the rally participants chanted "Am Yisrael Chai" (the Jewish people live), as police began to handcuff and lead the six demonstrators to a nearby paddy wagon. They were brought to the 17th precinct in Midtown Manhattan were they were booked on charges of disorderly conduct.

Pointing to the UN building looming in the background, Rabbi Weiss told the demonstrators, who gathered in the heavy rain, “Today we are sitting in the street to tell this den of evil that they will be responsible for the violence that will, G-d forbid, take place in Israel as a result of this move to legitimize a state that clearly does not want peace. If the New York City police really "got it", they wouldn't be arresting us who represent the Jewish voice of consciousness and those who speak truth to power, but they'd be arresting Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is guilty of murdering countless numbers of his own people and who threatens genocide against the Jewish state."

Glenn Richter, a former leader of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry organization and a leading spokesman for Jewish causes, declared, "There can be no business as usual at the United Nations while it continues to demonize and delegitimize Israel, endorse a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood, and welcome the evil Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”

Also attending the rally was Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive director of New York Board of Rabbis, who said, "Given the choice between being part of an immoral majority or moral minority, I'd rather be part of the minority than the majority which meets in the UN and makes Israel too often the guilty party.  There's a Yiddish saying which translates, 'fear G-d, not people'.  We're here because of what people may sometimes do to us, and that's why we have to be so vocal."

Saying that she was mortified by the abject silence of the Jewish establishment organizations in lieu of the impending UN vote to create a Palestinian state predicated on a terrorist doctrine, Freedman said before being arrested, "Incomprehensibly, the major Jewish organizations have chosen to stay away from the battle. Is it spinelessness or mindlessness?"

Turning her attention to the existential threat that a Palestinian state would present for Israel, she added that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas unilateral efforts to have a PA state declared at the UN are “reprehensible and incredibly dangerous for Israel.“

“Iran's Ahmadinejad should not be permitted into this country, not in New York City and certainly not in our streets, restaurants, and universities, while he is threatening the western world with nuclear war,” she added. “The Durban III denunciations of Israel should not be tolerated. The entire purpose of the United Nations has been turned upside down."
« Last Edit: September 21, 2011, 02:11:58 AM by muman613 »
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline muman613

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Re: Rabbi Avi Weiss Arrested Protesting PA bid at UN
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2011, 02:05:16 AM »
Here is a short bio on Rabbi Weiss from Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avi_Weiss

Avi Weiss
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Avraham (Avi) Weiss (Hebrew: אברהם חיים יוסף הכהן ווייס; born 1944) is an American Modern Orthodox rabbi who heads the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale in The Bronx, New York. He is an author, teacher, lecturer, and activist. He is founder and Dean of the "open Orthodox"[1] Yeshiva in New York, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.

In 2011, Newsweek ranked him the 12th most prominent Rabbi in the United States; [2] in 2010 he was ranked 18th most prominent,[3] and in 2007 he was ranked 25th.[4]

Weiss was twice named one of the "Fifty Jewish Leaders to Watch in the Year Ahead" by The Forward newspaper and the New York Board of Rabbis named him Rabbi of the Year for 1993–94.[5]

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Activism

Weiss has been vocal on many issues, including emigration and absorption of Soviet Jews, clemency for Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard, opposing terrorism, supporting Israel, preserving Holocaust memorials, and exposing anti-semitism. In 1992 he founded Amcha – the Coalition for Jewish Concerns, a grassroots coalition which engages in pro-Jewish activism.[6]


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 He has served as Pollard's personal rabbi since 1987, visiting him 42 times in prison.[6] In 1989 Weiss conducted a "freedom Seder" in front of the prison in which Pollard was incarcerated.[8]
You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline Dr. Dan

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Re: Rabbi Avi Weiss Arrested Protesting PA bid at UN
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2011, 07:24:08 AM »
I commend him and this 35 for giving it a shot for disorderly conduct. Definitely didn't make it to page 1 in the papers though.

Something more clever and more powerful would have been better than just blocking traffic. Blocking traffic in israel makes sense, but nyc, meh.

I wish I knew what could be a more clever protest.  Maybe something at columbia university...and of course nothing that would break the law.
If someone says something bad about you, say something nice about them. That way, both of you would be lying.

In your heart you know WE are right and in your guts you know THEY are nuts!

"Science without religion is lame; Religion without science is blind."  - Albert Einstein

Offline JTFenthusiast2

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Re: Rabbi Avi Weiss Arrested Protesting PA bid at UN
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2011, 09:16:54 PM »
It is very interesting to read about a Rabbi you have met personally who has been an activist for many years. I know that Rabbi Weiss is not on as high a level as Rabbi Kahane was but I do believe Rabbi Weiss has great intentions for the Jewish people.

He is not afraid of standing up for Israel and the Jewish people. I met Rabbi Weiss when I was invited to attend a Shabbaton where Rabbi Weiss held the services, and afterward he gave a dvar Torah and an inspirational message concerning repentence.

My Rabbi at the time told us that Rabbi Weiss was an activist Rabbi who has put himself on the line in order to protest the injustices which the Jewish people have been subjected to. I wrote to Rabbi Weiss a couple of times and have lost touch with him but I will always remember him for his ahava Yisroel {love of the people of Israel}.



http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/148122

NY Police Arrest Rabbi and Five Other Pro-Israel Activists

New York police arrest a rabbi and five other activists who blocked traffic in a protest against the PA bid for unilateral UN recognition.

Fern Sidman, INN NY correspondent and Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu

New York police arrest a rabbi and five other activists who blocked traffic in a protest against the Palestinian Authority bid for unilateral United Nations recognition at the United Nations annual General Assembly.

They were arrested during a rally co-sponsored by Americans For a Safe Israel (AFSI) and Amcha that drew more than 35 people, many of whom also stood in street with them. Police took into custody Rabbi Avi Weiss, director of Amcha-Coalition for Jewish Concerns,  In addition to Rabbi Weiss, who is also senior rabbi at the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale, and Helen Freedman of AFSI, Cheryl Jacobs Lewin, chairwoman of AFSI's Chicago chapter, Miriam Prince; Sarah Rosenbaum; and Glenn Richter.  

Holding aloft large Israeli and American flags and signs declaring "Shame On the UN For Demonizing and Delegitimizing Israel!" and "We Support Israel", the rally participants chanted "Am Yisrael Chai" (the Jewish people live), as police began to handcuff and lead the six demonstrators to a nearby paddy wagon. They were brought to the 17th precinct in Midtown Manhattan were they were booked on charges of disorderly conduct.

Pointing to the UN building looming in the background, Rabbi Weiss told the demonstrators, who gathered in the heavy rain, “Today we are sitting in the street to tell this den of evil that they will be responsible for the violence that will, G-d forbid, take place in Israel as a result of this move to legitimize a state that clearly does not want peace. If the New York City police really "got it", they wouldn't be arresting us who represent the Jewish voice of consciousness and those who speak truth to power, but they'd be arresting Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who is guilty of murdering countless numbers of his own people and who threatens genocide against the Jewish state."

Glenn Richter, a former leader of the Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry organization and a leading spokesman for Jewish causes, declared, "There can be no business as usual at the United Nations while it continues to demonize and delegitimize Israel, endorse a unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood, and welcome the evil Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.”

Also attending the rally was Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive director of New York Board of Rabbis, who said, "Given the choice between being part of an immoral majority or moral minority, I'd rather be part of the minority than the majority which meets in the UN and makes Israel too often the guilty party.  There's a Yiddish saying which translates, 'fear G-d, not people'.  We're here because of what people may sometimes do to us, and that's why we have to be so vocal."

Saying that she was mortified by the abject silence of the Jewish establishment organizations in lieu of the impending UN vote to create a Palestinian state predicated on a terrorist doctrine, Freedman said before being arrested, "Incomprehensibly, the major Jewish organizations have chosen to stay away from the battle. Is it spinelessness or mindlessness?"

Turning her attention to the existential threat that a Palestinian state would present for Israel, she added that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas unilateral efforts to have a PA state declared at the UN are “reprehensible and incredibly dangerous for Israel.“

“Iran's Ahmadinejad should not be permitted into this country, not in New York City and certainly not in our streets, restaurants, and universities, while he is threatening the western world with nuclear war,” she added. “The Durban III denunciations of Israel should not be tolerated. The entire purpose of the United Nations has been turned upside down."

At first I thought you were talking about 'rabbi' Joel Weiss, from Neturei Karta.  That whore is always in front of a rolling camera

Offline muman613

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Re: Rabbi Avi Weiss Arrested Protesting PA bid at UN
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2011, 09:17:56 PM »
At first I thought you were talking about 'rabbi' Joel Weiss, from Neturei Karta.  That whore is always in front of a rolling camera

No, and you should have said 'La Havdil' before mentioning such a mamzer... Rabbi Avi Weiss and the chazir should not be mentioned in the same sentence..

You shall make yourself the Festival of Sukkoth for seven days, when you gather in [the produce] from your threshing floor and your vat.And you shall rejoice in your Festival-you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the orphan, and the widow, who are within your cities
Duet 16:13-14

Offline JTFenthusiast2

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Re: Rabbi Avi Weiss Arrested Protesting PA bid at UN
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2011, 10:15:55 PM »
No, and you should have said 'La Havdil' before mentioning such a mamzer... Rabbi Avi Weiss and the chazir should not be mentioned in the same sentence..


LOL!