Economic Terrorism



There is a very disturbing trend, witnessed in Eretz Yisrael, that seems to have hit the shores here in America recently. You don't have to go back further than the past two months for two examples of what I would only consider economic terrorism: the threats made to a wig store on Coney Island Ave and the cancellation of a concert dubbed "The Big Event."



The wig store story is bad enough. What is purported to have went down with "The Big Event" concert is just downright scary, even if you have little interest in pop Jewish music, don't ever plan to take your kids to a J-Music concert, or prefer a "goyish" philharmonic concerts as I do. Stories of Economic Terrorism in the frum community should concern you greatly.

The short of the long, based on what I can deduce, is that a concert was scheduled for March 9, in Madison Square Garden, featuring two singers, Lipa Schmeltzer and Shlomie Gertner with a charitable beneficiary (Simchat Zion, that makes weddings for orphans). Some Askanim (one by the name of Asher Friedman who reportedly heads a different charitable organization that gives tuition assistance) set out to shut Schmeltzer down and convinced nearly three dozen known rabbonim to sign a Kol Koreh.

All involved in the concert (tickets had already been purchased and advertisers had paid for space in the booklet) where unexpectedly rear ended. Lipa backed out of the concert first. Shortly after, he announced he was doing "teshuva" and turning a new leaf with his music. Next, he backed out of yet another already planned concert in London. Shortly after, the show was completely cancelled. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been lost to the concert organizer (interviewed here), to say nothing of what was lost to the charitable beneficiary.



The whole thing is a massive train wreck. Down payments were made, services were procured and completed. Money has been lost and more money will have to be found to reimburse advertisers and ticket holders. Judging by the interview of the Concert Organizer linked to above, there is some sort of money that will be made available somehow to even the score. OBVIOUSLY since money doesn't grow from trees, if/when money is raised to reimburse those who lost money, less money will be available for other causes. [I don't have the play-by-play nor do I have time to get the play by play, but Chaim Rubin seems to have most of it].

The Jewish Star interviewed signator Rabbi Shmuel Kaminensky, who says that “[the request for a ban came] from rabbis in Eretz Yisroel. We didn’t want to differ with them," "[The request was] from mouth to ear and everyone went along with them,” "They [presumably the community activists/busy bodies] said was that it was a request from Rav Elyashiv and Rav Steinman. I didn’t confirm that,” and "Usually we meet together. This time, with time pressing, we did not get together. And maybe it was not the right thing.”


Yeshiva World commenters are praising Lipa for listening to Da'as Torah (practically crowing him the next "gadol hador") and praising Rabbi Kaminensky for his 'anivus.' The Concert Organizer is begging everyone not to blame the Rabbis and saying just how helpful they have been. Others are saying the entire Kol Korei was a fake or doesn't make sense (Rabbi Shafran), But, no matter what, there is a lot of damage is done.

I'm glad some can find the positive in all of this because I am REPULSED by what I have read and listen to, and I've only skimmed the surface and have no contacts. Others might be able to find the positive, but I have pieced together an ugly story of deception, sloppiness, and economic terrorism. I am repulsed that mafia men are allowed to run wild terrorizing Rabbonim, businessmen, and musicians, endangering others parnasah. If there is a need for change (and there probably is a need for change), this is clearly NOT the way to bring about change. I am repulsed that these mafia men have the tools to terrorize, and unfortunately the tool of choice is these Rabbonim who seem to be holding a rubber stamp. I am repulsed that Rabbonim appear to be used again and again and have yet to create (or called on others to create) a better system to disseminate information. I am repulsed that Rabbonim take their rubber stamp without doing their own homework. I spent a number of years in auditing and learned that you can't be too trusting, even when the person should be someone trustworthy. You always must do your own homework. I'm sorry to be so harsh, but where is the concern for other people's parnasah? Where is the concern for the community's money?

And what about others who make their parnasah partially or primarily through working with other people in the community. Would you want to go into business in this environment? Fortunately, I'm only an observer living outside of NY and Eretz Yisrael. But who knows when heavy handed economic terrorism will hit other large frum communities (I can think of examples of smaller terrors).

Ultimately, no matter who pays who, you can't "even the score." No matter how you play with the numbers, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been taken from the klal.

(Please do try to keep it civil, even though that IS asking a lot. I will be away from my computer starting tomorrow).