The Grapevine: 2010 Edition

The Jewish community is not immune to its share of controversies. There are different types of scandals and breaches of ethics that Rabbis have tried to keep quiet. They all have the same thing in common, dina d’malchusa dina (the laws of the land are the laws), and if you don’t follow them you will pay the consequences.

Historically, Rabbis have tried to keep potential Hillul Hashem out of the news and public conscience. Instead of immediately taking the opportunity to rectify the situation, whether dealing with accusations of sexual abuse, fraud, money laundering, zoning violations, etc., Rabbis waited for the proverbial “doodoo” to hit the fan before reacting. In today’s world, that means that instead of Aunt Sadie calling all of her friends to tell them the gossip on her rotary phone activating the grapevine, the news gets blasted all over the Internet, Newspapers, TV, Radio and Blogosphere and damage control becomes near impossible. Instead of taking the initial opportunity to rectify the problems ourselves and create a Kiddush Hashem by showing the world that we are an or lagoyim, a beacon of righteousness for all the nations of the world, the situation becomes a huge Hillul Hashem.

Rabbi Feldman wrote in a July 28, 2009 article in Cross Currentsthat It has been an awful week for the Jewish people an awfulness compounded and aggravated by the fact that what has happened is known to anyone on the planet with a newspaper, a radio or an internet connection. It is further exacerbated by the fact that the events of this past week, while extreme, are certainly not the only causes of embarrassment in the eyes of the world that the Jewish community has suffered recently. Is Rabbi Feldman really saying that its better for controversies to stay within the boundaries of the Jewish Community and they shouldn’t be known to the “outside world”?

What about his situation at Etz Chaim Vs. The Township of Teaneck? Once Etz Chaim filed that the Shul addition was really a family room, it forced the Township and neighbors to get involved, more so than if Etz Chaim would have filed for the appropriate zoning. Based on the history of the house next door to Etz Chaim and 554 Queen Anne Road, they kicked over the hornets nest as soon as they started praying there. Now Etz Chaim, Rabbi Feldman and Robert Erlich are all over the Internet, Newspapers and Blogosphere and portrayed in a negative way.

Etz Chaim is in prelitigation with the Rutherford Institute preparing for a case against the Township of Teaneck, and is collecting signatures for a petition and claiming that it is being discriminated against because it is a Jewish Synagogue. Etz Chaim is trying to turn a small containable situation into a huge one that has immediate ramifications for all the Jews of Teaneck. Rabbi Feldman, Robert Erlich or any of the Etz Chaim leadership could have rectified the situation with the Township and neighbors by admitting that Etz Chaim made a mistake by not originally filing for the proper zoning. Maybe other Community Rabbis in Teaneck can get involved to help Etz Chaim see how its actions are affecting all the Jews of Teaneck.

There is still a great chance to turn this Hillul Hashem into a great Kiddush Hashem. Rabbi Feldman the ball is in your court!

Special Message from Dr. Levine

Here is a special message about Agunah Day from Dr. Levine -


The "Mi she-Berakh for Agunot and Mesorvot Get" which I composed is scheduled to be recited this coming Shabbat in shuls throughout the Jewish world.

The International Agunah Day is marked on Ta'anit Esther, the thirteenth of Adar. This year, this date falls on the coming Shabbat, Shabbat Parashat Tetzaveh and Shabbat Zakhor, and the fast itself is held this coming Thursday, February 25.


Background material concerning the prayer, as well as the Hebrew version of the prayer, may be viewed by clicking here.

The publication of an official English translation is forthcoming.

May our prayers on behalf of Agunot be answered.

Thank you,
Dr. Yael Levine.
For more information: ylevine@netvision. net.il

Updated at 11:00pm - Link is now working!

Agunah Crisis

Amazing article on Vos Iz Neias today:

Longest Serving Agunah Finally Breaks Free After 48 Years

Read the article. It's a real eye opener and a real tragedy. A woman civilly divorced at 25 and no Get. She had Rabinical support and communal intervention and still no Get. 48 years later and her husband dies. Now she is free!

The Agunah crisis is real. This is a situation that couldn't possibly happen in Teaneck. I'm sure all of our Rabbis and their congregations would wholeheartedly support any poor woman in this situation. I can say very confidently that I know my Mara D'Atra Rabbi Zierler would.

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A Selfish Mitzvah

In my last posting, Etz Chaim of Teaneck: Modern Day Robin Hoods?, I discussed the way that Etz Chaim misrepresented themselves to the Teaneck Board of Adjustments and the expenses involved with running their Shul/Prayer Group, such as mortgage, utilities and Rabbi Feldman's salary. Their congregation supports the property purchase and den expansion through dues, donations and a building fund. They have taken on a financial burden to be able to have a place to pray and for Rabbi Feldman and his family to live comfortably, to quote Seinfeld, "not that there is anything wrong with that!"

Between fighting the neighbors, avoiding davening at Arzei Darom, filling out paperwork for the Township and spending time in front of the Board of Adjustments, the leadership of Etz Chaim are working hard to make 554 Queen Anne Road a reality. Its natural to want to show pride in your Synagogue, to make sure that a minyan is maintained in your building, your makom Torah and spiritual home!

I navigated to godaven.com on the intertubes to see Etz Chaim's listing. Rabbi Feldman claimed in The Jewish Standard that The rabbi disputed the change-of-use argument saying that of the 168 hours in a week, only five are devoted to religious services at the house, which are held Friday night and Saturday morning and afternoon. “That’s 3 percent of the time,” he said. “It is our understanding, confirmed in two meetings with the township, that [a] prayer group in the house is a permitted residential use. Thus, we do not believe that the use has been changed in any way.”

Where do they daven on Sundays? According to Etz Chaim advertises that Shabbos/Yontuf Davening is at 554 Queen Anne Road (Rabbis residence). Sunday/Secular Holiday Davening is at Care One (544 Teaneck Rd.).

Based on Rabbi Feldman's math, Sunday's services should not take more than 2 hours or another 1% of the week for a total 7 hours of prayer or 4% of the week.

Why don't they daven in Etz Chaim in the building that they own? How did they choose CareOne at Teaneck?

CareOne at Teaneck is a huge chessed opportunity. Since Etz Chaim davens there on Sundays, their Sunday minyan is taken care of, but who prays there on Shabbos?
As with everything involving Etz Chaim of Teaneck there is usually a hidden motive behind their actions. CareOne's Shabbos minyan is made up a lot of original members of the Merkaz/Torat(s) Chesed/Mechitza Minyan. This was the minyan that Rabbi Daniel Feldman officiated at the Teaneck Jewish Center. Rabbi Feldman abandoned them after he led them out of the Teaneck Jewish Center to CareOne and then took the position at Etz Chaim. The Shabbos minyan goers want nothing to do with Etz Chaim of Teaneck or Rabbi Feldman.

So why does Etz Chaim need to pray in CareOne? Maybe they want to be nice to the Feldman family and not wake them up early on a Sunday morning. It is possible they are being considerate to the neighbors. It is possible that they are just doing a mitzvah.

They have not proven to be a trustworthy nor an honorable group based on their dealings with their neighbors, Arzei Darom and the Teaneck Township. Etz Chaim has an expensive new sanctuary to pray in, so why are they praying in CareOne on Sundays and Holidays? What do you think?

Please keep the conversation constructive and civil. Thank you.