The Guralnik Connection

Robert Erlich and Rabbi Daniel Feldman claim that there is no connection between Mario (Mordechai) Guralnik and Etz Chaim. Mr. Guralnik is not involved with running or operating Etz Chaim. Something happened to convince the neighbors otherwise:

This is from The Bergen Record December 16, 2009
Part of the hostility stems from long-standing tension between the neighbors and another resident, Mario Guralnik, who owns the house next door and once sent letters to the neighbors about combining the two properties to form a "synagogue center," before Feldman moved in.

That's pretty wild. What did Robert Erlich, the President of Etz Chaim have to say about these letters?

This is from The Bergen Record on December 18, 2009.
Robert Erlich, the president of Etz Chaim, was the sole witness to testify, first under examination from his attorney and then from several residents who were clearly dubious about the group's plans.

Several neighbors brought up two letters sent in 2006 on behalf of Mario Guralnik, who owns the adjacent home and is a member of Etz Chaim. The letters claimed the two properties would be combined to form a synagogue center.

Erlich said repeatedly that the letters were written before his group even existed.

"I can't emphasize this enough," Erlich said. "That letter preceded any thought of my organization purchasing the property. That letter has nothing to do with the proceeding tonight or with what goes on at 554 Queen Anne Road."

Guralnik has said the letters were intended as a courtesy and that the plans fell through.

In fact at the Board of Adjustments hearing on December 16, 2009 Erlich went as far as saying that he doesn't know the person who wrote the letters. This is from the transcript from that hearing:

MS. CAMPEAS: I'm sorry. I want to know why the neighbors on my block as far back as three years ago received threatening letters from somebody that's still untraceable, but came from 576 Queen Anne Road talking about a mikvah being built there, an original bath which is quite a large building, and also --
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Wait, wait, wait. That's one question, right?
MS. CAMPEAS: Well, there are three parts to it.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Well, just one question at a time.
MS. CAMPEAS: Okay.
THE WITNESS: 576 is not a part of this variance hearing.
MS. CAMPEAS: Why was there a hole opened between the fence where the children from your family room are playing in the backyard of 576?
MR. RITVO: Let me help you, ma'am, if I could. Do you know anything about the letters that she's describing?
THE WITNESS: Since they've come up on blogs, et cetera.
MR. RITVO: Did you know about these letters three years ago?
THE WITNESS: No.
MR. RITVO: To your knowledge did anyone in your congregation, that's associated with your group or congregation write those letters?
THE WITNESS: No one in an official capacity.

MACDMUSINGS BREAK IN THE ACTION:
PRESIDENT ROBERT ERLICH JUST SAID THAT THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE LETTERS DOES NOT REPRESENT HIS CONGREGATION IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY.


MR. RITVO: Well, does official --
VOICE: Official.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Do you know if anyone that wrote these letters?
THE WITNESS: I do not know the person who wrote the letter.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Do you know.
MEMBER LEVINE: What is 576?
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Okay, let's -- sir, Mr. Erlich, just so we can get to this. Do you know about these letters? Have you heard about them?
THE WITNESS: I've seen letters writ by a woman named Betty Gable. I've not -- I do not know who she is.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: You don't know who she is?
THE WITNESS: No.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Is she a member of your congregation?
THE WITNESS: No.
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Has she ever tried to join the congregation.
THE WITNESS: No.

MACDMUSINGS BREAK IN THE ACTION:
PRESIDENT ROBERT ERLICH JUST SAID THAT THE PERSON WHO WROTE THE LETTERS IS NOT A MEMBER OF HIS CONGREGATION NOR DOES HE KNOW WHO THE PERSON IS.


ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Okay. Does 576 belong or associated with your property?
THE WITNESS: Absolutely not.
MS. CAMPEAS: The letter, okay --
ACTING CHAIRMAN HODGES: Is there a hole in a fence where your congregation can go onto the property of 576?
THE WITNESS: No, there is not.
VOICE: As of last week.
MS. CAMPEAS: How do I put into a
question I beg to differ?
But anyway what I'd like to say is that the letter actually came from 554/576. These were letters that were sent to us, and it was called the New Nosic (phonetic) congregation and it was considered -- they wanted to be called the Treasure of Teaneck?
MR. RITVO: Let me stop you, ma'am.
MS. CAMPEAS: So I want to know about this.
MR. RITVO: Let me explain the process, please for your own benefit.
MS. CAMPEAS: Yes.
MR. RITVO: This is a time Mr. Chairman has set for you to ask questions.
MS. CAMPEAS: Yes.
MR. RITVO: You can raise whatever issues you wish in questions about this and then when it's your turn to present proofs or testimony.
MS. CAMPEAS: Uh-huh.
MR. RITVO: You can rebut it, and present whatever proofs you have about where the letter came from and why you think it's relevant for the Board to consider.
MS. CAMPEAS: I can say so --
MR. RITVO: But now is the time question.
MS. CAMPEAS: Okay. So I want to know --
MR. RITVO: If you think of a question --
MS. CAMPEAS: Okay. I will continue with a question, sir.
I want to know why these letters were sent from both residences to us if there is no connection between the two?
THE WITNESS: I can't answer for something that was done before we owned the residence.
MS. CAMPEAS: That's okay. Thank you.


Mr. Robert Erlich was caught in what is known as a LIE. He has been President of Etz Chaim since its existence. He is privy to ALL the information of their planning and operations meetings. He is the boss and he is the President. Mr. Guralnik admitted in news articles that he wrote the letters. Isn't he a member of Etz Chaim? You know who he is, you know he's a member and you know that he prays there.
Maybe this next article will refresh Robert's memory:

From The Bergen Record December 18, 2008
The origins of the dispute stem from years of quarreling between Mordechai “Mario” Guralnik, who owns the adjacent property at 576 Queen Anne Road and prays with Etz Chaim, and some of his neighbors.

After neighbor complaints, Guralnik was cited for various zoning violations in 2006 and 2007, including running a business from his home. Guralnik pleaded guilty to all the charges and paid fines, according to court records.

Soon after the first citation, neighbors received two letters six months apart in 2006 announcing plans to build a “synagogue center” on both properties at 554 and 576 Queen Anne Road.

Several neighbors took the letters as veiled threats. Though Guralnik and Feldman say they have no concrete plans at present to build a synagogue, the neighbors see the prayer group as the first step in that direction — without having submitted to the zoning process.

“It was clearly done to intimidate people,” Abbott said of the letters. “That sort of set a frame. And then when these other things started happening, and there was no process, it just became a very threatening experience.”

Guralnik said that the letters were meant to be informative and that the plans simply fell through.

Feldman said he was aware of the problems between Guralnik and some neighbors but said they had nothing to do with Etz Chaim, which is not run or operated by Guralnik

But that is not the case. He is very much involved and runs and operates a part of Etz Chaim. Robert Erlich testified that the writer of the letters does not represent or have anything to do with Etz Chaim. Rabbi Daniel Feldman intimated that Etz Chaim is not run or operated by Mario Guralnik. Well Rabbi Feldman, how do you explain etzchaimteaneck.org and other Etz Chaim of Teaneck online endeavors?

I cut the through the fake information posted on whois.com (as discussed on http://macdmusings.blogspot.com/2010/04/whois-etzchaimteaneckorg.html) and got to the real information about Rabbi Feldman's website.

I searched on http://cqcounter.com/whois/ and got the REAL information of who is the registrar and administrator behind etzchaimteaneck.org. It is a SHOCKER!

ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG - Domain Information
Domain ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG [ Site Info Traceroute RBL/DNSBL lookup ]
Registrar Register.com Inc. (R71-LROR)
Whois server whois.publicinterestregistry.net
Created 26-May-2008
Updated 12-Apr-2010
Expires 26-May-2010
Time Left 41 days 23 hours 24 minutes
Status CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
DNS servers DNS010.D.REGISTER.COM 216.21.236.10
DNS039.C.REGISTER.COM DNS039.C.REGISTER.COM
DNS152.A.REGISTER.COM DNS152.A.REGISTER.COM
DNS186.B.REGISTER.COM DNS186.B.REGISTER.COM

ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG - Geo Information
IP Address 96.9.36.174
Host etzchaimteaneck.org
Location US, United States
City New York, NY 10018
Organization Register.com
ISP Register.com
AS Number AS16805
Latitude 40°75'53" North
Longitude 73°99'24" West
Distance 7580.58 km (4710.35 miles)
Map Location World Map Google Maps Yahoo Maps Microsoft Live Maps

ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG - Whois Information
NOTICE: Access to .ORG WHOIS information is provided to assist persons in
determining the contents of a domain name registration record in the Public Interest Registry
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circumstances will you use this data to: (a) allow, enable, or otherwise
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the data recipient's own existing customers; or (b) enable high volume,
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Registry Operator or any ICANN-Accredited Registrar, except as reasonably
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rights reserved. Public Interest Registry reserves the right to modify these terms at any
time. By submitting this query, you agree to abide by this policy.

Domain ID:D152819415-LROR
Domain Name:ETZCHAIMTEANECK.ORG
Created On:26-May-2008 14:51:25 UTC
Last Updated On:12-Apr-2010 19:37:03 UTC
Expiration Date:26-May-2010 14:51:25 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Register.com Inc. (R71-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:35006118636c1072
Registrant Name:admin3 etzchaimteaneck
Registrant Street1:554 Queen Anne Road
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Teaneck
Registrant State/Province:NJ
Registrant Postal Code:07666
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.2019280700
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:admin3@etzchaimteaneck.org
Admin ID:2435674863943369
Admin Name:admin3 etzchaimteaneck
Admin Street1:554 Queen Anne Road
Admin Street2:
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Teaneck
Admin State/Province:NJ
Admin Postal Code:07666
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.2019280700
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:admin3@etzchaimteaneck.org
Tech ID:0261453863c67747
Tech Name:Domain Registrar
Tech Organization:Registercom
Tech Street1:575 8th Avenue
Tech Street2:
Tech Street3:
Tech City:New York
Tech State/Province:NY
Tech Postal Code:10018
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.9027492701
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:+1.9027492701
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:domainregistrar@register.com
Name Server:DNS152.A.REGISTER.COM
Name Server:DNS186.B.REGISTER.COM
Name Server:DNS039.C.REGISTER.COM
Name Server:DNS010.D.REGISTER.COM
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
DNSSEC:Unsigned

So etzchaimteaneck.org was registered and is administraed by someone with the address 554 Queen Anne Rd, Teaneck, NJ and the phone number (201)928-0700. I assumed that it was Rabbi Feldman's phone number because he lives there.

You know what they say about ASS - U - ME ing

I did a reverse phone number search of (201)928-0700 on whitepages.com and guess who came up?

Mario Guralnik
576 Queen Anne Rd
Teaneck, NJ 07666-3328
(201) 928-0700
Job: Community Clinical Research Center, Member

On May 26, 2008 Mario Guralnik created Etz Chaim's website. On December 18, 2008 Rabbi Daniel Feldman intimated that Etz Chaim is not run or operated by Mario Guralnik and Robert Erlich testified on December 16, 2009, that the writer of the letters does not represent or have anything to do with Etz Chaim. He also said that 576 Queen Anne Rd has no connection to 554 Queen Anne Rd. No hole in the gate between the two properties and no parking guarantees from 576 Queen Anne or furniture built there and transported through the fence. Most of all, the owner/operator of their website used that property's phone number to register etzchaimteaneck.org. I guess there is no earthly connection, only an internet connection.

Rabbi Feldman, you must have lied for the sake of shalom, right?

whois-"etzchaimteaneck.org"?!?!?

Who is EtzChaimTeaneck.org?
The website suddenly mysteriously appeared.
When was it created and who is behind it?


According to a whois search, etzchaimteaneck.org has been around since May 26, 2008
and was Registered by
Domain Discreet ATTN: etzchaimteaneck.com 
Rua Dr. Brito Camara, n 20, 1 Funchal, Madeira 9000-039 
PT Phone: 1-902-7495331 
Email: f83ac49f0a141151008701c8fba3cd53@domaindiscreet.com

Dr. Brito Camara must be a very prominent member of Etz Chaim.


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Registrant: 
Domain Discreet ATTN: etzchaimteaneck.com 
Rua Dr. Brito Camara, n 20, 1 Funchal, Madeira 9000-039 
PT Phone: 1-902-7495331 
Email: f83ac49f0a141151008701c8fba3cd53@domaindiscreet.com

Registrar Name....: Register.com 
Registrar Whois...: whois.register.com 
Registrar Homepage: www.register.com 
Domain Name: etzchaimteaneck.com 
Created on..............: 2008-05-26 Expires on..............: 2011-05-26 
Administrative Contact: 
Domain Discreet ATTN: etzchaimteaneck.com 
Rua Dr. Brito Camara, n 20, 1 Funchal, Madeira 9000-039 
PT Phone: 1-902-7495331 
Email: f83ac49c0a1411510088cced763677d6@domaindiscreet.com

Technical Contact: Domain Discreet 
ATTN: etzchaimteaneck.com 
Rua Dr. Brito Camara, n 20, 1 Funchal, Madeira 9000-039 
PT Phone: 1-902-7495331 
Email: f83ac4a50a141151002fac5279f7de00@domaindiscreet.com

DNS Servers: dns151.a.register.com
dns186.b.register.com
dns039.c.register.com
dns010.d.register.com

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This was registered while Etz Chaim claimed they were just a private prayer group. It must have been part of their discrete transparency with the township. This small group of incredible people are just upright pillars of the community.

Under Pressure?????

Mazal tov to Etz Chaim of Teaneck for giving into macdmusings' pressure and for finally making the correct decision and cosponsoring the Yom HaZikaron/Yom HaAtzmaut program at Keter Torah along with the rest of Teaneck's Orthodox Community.

Mazal tov on acknowledging that you are a Shul and a Synagogue.

You should take more of Uncle Shluffy's sensible advice and make things right with your neighbors. Its still Nissan, our New Year as a Jewish Nation, start out the New Year the right way with a big Kiddush Hashem.

Communitiphobia-Updated for your pleasure!

Communitiphobia - the fear of being part of the community at large.

Etz Chaim of Teaneck is NOT cosponsoring the Teaneck Communitywide Yom HaZikaron/Yom HaAtzmaut Celebration. Anti-Zionists!

I figure that if they are going through great lengths and controversy to create a synagogue just because Arzei Darom makes them uncomfortable, kal vakhomer that they should feel unconfortable to be around all the members of the orthodox synagogues in Teaneck. It must be true, because the Honorable Mr. Esteemed President Robert Erlich said so at a BOA meeting.

In all fairness, it is a weeknight, so if Etz Chaim is remembering and celebrating, they must be in CareOne. Hopefully the live band and wild celebrating for the State of Israel won't get in the way of the residents' attempts to sleep.

Updated April 12, 2010:
I must apologize to Etz Chaim of Teaneck. I didn't realize that they did sponsor to help participate in the community. Their community. Not the Teaneck Orthodox Community.

Their brand new website
www.etzchaimteaneck.org
Yes .org, is a featured sponsor website link when you search Etz Chaim of Teaneck on Google.

Yet another example of the screwed up priorities of the leadership of Etz Chaim. Instead of being inclusive and fostering positive goodwill in the community, they waste their money to publicize their single page website. Mazal tov!

Guest Posting: Goodbye Letter

by TiredOfTruthiness

For those of you still on the fence about whether or not Rabbi Feldman and his Etz Chaim congregants premeditated their leave from the Center to create a minyan without the members of the Mechitzah Minyan, here are some excerpts from Rabbi Feldman’s goodbye letter to the Board of the Jewish Center of Teaneck.

April 18, 2007

Rabbi Feldman explains his credentials to people who still look at him as little Daniel while taking a jab at the Board that would have loved to pay him for his services:

It must be understood that accepting this position was in no way in my professional interest, nor did I have reason to believe it would be. I was not seeking employment, nor was I in any way bored. While many in the Center remember me as a child growing up within its walls, it appears to be necessary to point out that I am no longer a child. I have what amounts to three rabbinic degrees, I have written four books, co-edited another six, and sit on the panel that sets halachic policy for the Rabbinical Council of America. I have been a faculty member at Yeshiva University since before I completed my studies there, and I serve there as well in the capacity of resource director and consultant for rabbis across the US and beyond. While the Jewish Center may not feel it is worth paying to have me speak, more than sixty synagogues and organizations in five countries have felt differently. I work three jobs to support my family, and those three together require less time, effort, and emotion than has my unpaid position with the Jewish Center.


Rabbi Feldman refused to be hired as an employee of the Center. He could have been paid as a Assistant or Associate Rabbi to Rabbi Zierler:

In accepting this position, I knowingly sacrificed the status, stability, respect, and financial compensation that would come from any normal position I could have taken elsewhere. (Even had the committed stipends been paid, it would have been a fraction of what I would have earned in any other role). I accepted this position because I believed that I could provide a service to the shul that my parents lovingly served for decades, and continue to serve with selfless devotion, and I believed I could honor them as well with such service. I accepted because I had so much love, affection, and respect for the members of the Center I grew up knowing. I accepted because I believed in the potential for the Center to go from past strength to future strength, as a truly unique model of the best the Jewish people can bring together.


The Mechitzah Minyan had been in existence for 2-3 years, years!, before Rabbi Feldman sat in front of the multipurpose room in the Schechter Space:

And for a while, that potential was on its way to being realized. A truly remarkable group of people assembled over a relatively short period of time, and formed a minyan with whom it has been a profound honor to associate. The minyan quickly earned a glowing reputation throughout the Teaneck community and way beyond.

This truly remarkable group of people assembled over a relatively short period of time couldn’t possibly be talking about the members that were there when Rabbi Feldman arrived. The only group that assembled in a short period of time were the Arzei Refugees.


For all of you who were unhappy with the merger with the Teaneck Shul/Shtibul because of their want and need to destroy Arzei Darom, it is important to reread the first sentence of this paragraph. Etz Chaim’s structure was created to undermine and to hurt Arzei Darom and Rabbi Ciment:

It is important to emphasize that I would never participate in any structure that would undermine the hired rabbi of any shul.The complicated situation in the Center could only have worked in one of two ways. One way is a prearranged dual rabbi structure, which is what I was being told was the plan during the earlier phases of the rabbinic search. If that was no longer to be the plan, as indeed it was not when Rabbi Zierler was hired, the only other way it could work is through the rabbi himself agreeing to and allowing such a structure. To that end, I tried extremely hard to meet with Rabbi Zierler before his arrival to discuss it with him, and was at one point prepared to go to Israel to do so. I was under the impression that the RCBC letter was written with Rabbi Zierler’s participation and consent. Were that not to be the case, I would not have stayed. Now that it is clear that Rabbi Zierler is not comfortable with that arrangement, I would not want to cooperate in any plan that will undermine his authority.


I am putting my eye on Rabbi Feldman calling the Arzei people phenomenal again:
It is sadly ironic that one year ago this week, Rabbi Zierler visited the Center for his second shabbos, and spoke about the linguistic connection between the Hebrew words “nega”, affliction, and “oneg”, pleasure. The two words are spelled the same, but for the placement of the letter “ayin”, which is also the Hebrew word for “eye”. Thus, the difference between suffering and celebrating is where one places the eye, with what perspective one chooses to assess the situation. The fact that a group of people so phenomenal can be subjected to such undeserved negativity is evidence that we have missed the message of Rabbi Zierler’s words.


However, I pray that my place will always be with those whose fault lies in that their dreams are too big and too noble, and not with those who stumble for meanness of spirit and limitation of vision.
Reading the Jerusalem Post, Bergen Record, Suburbanite, Blogs, Vos Is Neias, court transcripts, BOA transcripts and other PUBLIC news sources, I have to say Rabbi Feldman’s prayers have not been answered.



Finally, I extend my profound apologies to Rabbi Zierler for all he has gone through with this matter. There is no denying he has been put into a very difficult position. He is a man of great talent, vision, and commitment, and I wish him only success as he works to bring the Center to the next level. He has done much, in a short time, to enhance the shul and I look forward to hearing about his progress.

Rabbi Zierler is bringing the Center to the next level.


The first thing I said to Rabbi Zierler, during our first meeting, was that our minyan supports him fully and can be his best friend. I continue to believe this could have been the case, and I regret that circumstances went in the direction that they did. Nonetheless, we recognize, as we always have, Rabbi Zierler’s right and responsibility to take the congregation in the direction he sees to be the best.

What congregation did you leave behind for Rabbi Zierler? Rabbi Feldman took everyone with him. The mantra at the time was that everyone has freewill and they left on their own, but Rabbi Feldman's letter shut everyone out of the Center.


Mechitzah Minyan members, this is the paragraph that foreshadowed your abandonment and cold shoulder from Rabbi Feldman and the Arzei Refugees:

I have turned down a number of extremely tempting job offers over the past few years. Among other reasons, I was unwilling to part ways with the extraordinary group that had been formed here. Now, I am gratified to see that a number of different opportunities have materialized both for myself and the minayn, that will allow both a more normal professional structure and my continued association with this remarkable chevra.

CareOne? Chadwick? Nope – Van Buren and a merger with The Teaneck Shul/Shtibul led by Elliot Frome, Zalman Levine and Allan Cohen (a.k.a. – The Remarkable Chevra). They are all part of the group Rabbi Feldman leads today.


You read the comments on the blogs and you read Etz Chaim’s supporters write that everyone who is not part of their Shul should just move on. Its easy for them to say. I am embarrassed when people ask me if I still go to Rabbi Feldman’s minyan. They move from controversy to controversy. Their actions do not represent any of the people they left behind. Etz Chaim should do their share to make it easier for all of us to move on, by making peace with their neighbors and the township. Only then we will all truly know shalom.

by TiredOfTruthiness

Yes She Can!

Take a look who is on the Beth Aaron Expansion Committee!

























Rochelle The Builder


That is going to be one HUGE family playroom.
Maybe Elliot Frome will be her emergency contact.