I wasn't even going to bother with the newest fraud case, this time brought to us by a crime ring in Israel that has been producing false ID cards and records for non-existent students to increase funding for certain yeshivot/kollelim by submitting false reports to the Education . Reports are stating that there are three non-profits involved and another 40 other co-conspirator establishments. Fraud has ceased to surprise me, and I didn't even bat an eye when scrolling through the frum news, until the latest installment of this newest case.
Given my professional and educational background, one thing I've learned along the way is the fraud isn't something that easily surfaces. Breaking a fraud case must often be accompanied by a great tip, hence vehicles such as anonymous fraud tip hotlines. And, here, the tip won't disappoint.
The "moser" that tipped off Israeli authorities is none other than our favorite friend, the Neturei Karta. As per reports, when members of this sect discovered their names were being used to illegally receive stipends from the Israeli government, they tipped off law enforcement and law enforcement began to monitor the illegal activity resulting in a raid and arrests.
I know I should only feel shame when yet another fraud scheme involving "observant" Jews who stand for "Torah" comes to light, but it is hard for me not to at least a slight bit, uh, excited about the tip that has brought yet another crime ring to face the music. Hashem certainly has a sense of humor.
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It's amazing how many black and white Torah commandments "frum" Jews will violate for the sake of kollel and yeshiva.
I'm sorry for you JS.
You clearly have the need to verbalize your bitterness (probably in order to justify your life choices).
Refuah Shleima, buddy.
Am I to take it from your comment that you actually support violating Torah commandments to support kollels and yeshivas?
As for my "life choices" they include actually working for a living, adhering to the laws of the country I choose to live in, giving to charities that help the truly needy (as opposed to those who willingly impoverish themselves), and trying to be a decent human being. None of which are "torah values" it would seem.
And yes, I am bitter. I'm bitter that a bunch of lowlifes have taken over my religion and are trying to marginalize and scam their supposed brothers. I'm bitter that unless you practice Orthodoxy in the exact manner these frauds do, you're only good for one thing: money. I'm bitter that no one is willing to call out these parasites who are single-handedly ruining what was once a good and respectable religion.
On the good news front, not only were people defrauding Jews caught and brought to justice, hopefully these three criminal non-profits will be shut down.
Just think, all these fraudulent organizations that are leading Jews astray into fraud and stealing, faking frumkeit by wearing the clothing and eating the food of the pious.
The more of these busted, the better, so Jews aren't led astray.
In the late 1940's, my mother worked as a secretary for a yeshiva day school for boys in Brooklyn. She told me that the administrator of the yeshiva was falsifying the number of children so as to qualify for more government benefits for the school. Shows there was no oversight.
Unfortunately the community is full of these stories.
Prominant yeshivas in Israel "enroll" married men in the kollel while the men work in the black market. It is a win-win situation. The men don't have to serve in the army and the yeshivas get funding from the government.
In Kiryas Yoel many of the women do not marry legally so they qualify for more welfare and tax breaks as single moms.
I can write a whole megilla here.
"The "moser" that tipped off Israeli authorities is none other than our favorite friend, the Neturei Karta."
Finally, I agree with what Neturei Karta did. Good job!
While I applaud this "mesirah", the fact that it was Niturei Karta is telling of yet another sad fact.
These Niturei Karta-nikim did NOT tip the government off because they were upset about fraud, theft, chillul Hashem, or any other reasonable justification. It was done because they so loathe the medina that the idea that treyf funds from the Zionist entity are being disbursed because of them is beyond revolting to them.
It's a good result, but the sinat chinam that drove it is depressing.
To the commenter who said that men in kollel work in the black market.
some facts
Married or single those who start out avoiding service in kollel may not ever work. They must be enrolled in kollel forever married or single because once they leave they are subject to immediate draft.
There is currently no way around this and creating alternative tracks like nahal haredi and/or a type of national service for haredi men would help.
Many kollel (read perhaps ex kollel members) are enrolled fictitiously in kollel and work off of the books in order to support their large and growing families.
This is the crime and punishment of the kollel society. It is a crime yes but it is also a punishment since by working off the books many of these people are taken advantage of and work in less than ideal conditions.
Dont get me wrong I am not for this type of lifestyle and everyone should be able to work and support themselves and their family, but along with that there must be a level of national service participation that allows this.
I dont understand what you mean by "a level of national service participation that allows this." In Israel, today, that level is military service.
Those who want to live in a Jewish state and live a Torah lifestyle should be willing to serve and protect the blanket of freedom that they so desire.
Well said if not monochromatic.
What about those who may not server for any number of legitimate reasons, why cant they be afforded an avenue of national service?
And once this exists why can it not be expanded to others who wish exist in a parallel universe?
Is this ideal? certainly not but the flip side is what we have now a culture of deceit that does not serve anyone's best interests.
First of all after about age 30 they are no longer going to be drafted.
Secondly there is an option for a civilian national service, even for men. I know a young man who just finished that. (Actually my daughter's fiancée) he had reasons that are not really important here.
And to be blunt if the haradi community wanted to be able to go to
work I am pretty sure that the goverment would find a solution. But the
thing is that the rabbis WANT The community to be in total poverty. Every time some solution is proposed there is a huge screem
from the haradi leadership.
Honestly I think the only way things will change is if the community hits rock bottom and realizes that it has no choice, but I don't see
that happening.
Zach
The age thing is not really an issue as the government will make them do army even though the same government will not take an oleh with the same properties, they will take the haredi and make him serve.
The national service tracks for men of any community are very new and still experimental
Yes it is true the leaders of haredi judaism demand total and complete fealty in all things one as just to look at what is happening in Shas right now to know this is true - yet another reason to stand up and take back a religion that has so much to offer.
Many people in many communities have hit bottom and are looking for ways out.
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