Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak and his iPhone

The Yemenite Ba'al Teshuva Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak sitting in his BMW. From time to time, he is looking at his iPhone. 

Source: Chadrei Ha'Charedim

From R. Amnon Yitzchak's SHOFAR.NET, justifying that the Rabbi is allowed to use an iPhone.

B"H

The Yemenite Ba'al Teshuva Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak is famous for being a "cash cow". Blessings for cash and collecting donations from all over the world by telling how great he is. His own community, the Rabbi commanded not to keep any iPhone or other Smartphone, as this would lead to sin. However, if it concerns himself, Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak doesn't seem to be that strict. He has his own iPhone and got caught. 

In order to justify himself he claims that the great Posek, the livtishe Rabbi Aharon Yehudah Leib Steinman, allowed him (Amnon Yitzchak) to use an iPhone. Further, Rabbi Yitzchak explained that he needs the phone in order to convince other Jews to do Teshuva (repentance).

The question is whether a Jew willing to do Teshuva and talking to Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak on the phone may be aware of talking to an iPhone. Does an iPhone actually influence other Jews to do Teshuva ? I didn't know that an iPhone has so much power. No wonder I still haven't done Teshuva Shlema walking around with a Samsung Galaxy S3.:-)

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Further link:

Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak and the barren woman

http://www.yourjewishnews.com/pages/jv1354.aspx


Rabbi Amnon Yitzchak and the tax authorities

Selichot at "Nehar Shalom"

Selichot at the NEHAR SHALOM Synagogue in Nachlaot / Jerusalem.

NEHAR SHALOM is a Yemenite Kabbalistic Synagogue and Yeshiva founded by Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi z"l.

Photos: Miriam Woelke

Yemenite Synagogue in Tel Aviv

Yemenite Synagogue in the Yemenite Quarter / Tel Aviv

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Jews in Yemen

Chabad goes Yemenite

Rabbi Eyal Karouchi from the Chabad Hostel "Ascent" in Zfat.

Last Thursday, on Tu be'Shevat, he wore a Yemenite dress.

Photo: Miriam Woelke

Yahrzeit of Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi

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Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi (1909 - 1983) used to be a famous Yemenite Kabbalist who founded the Yeshiva "Nahar Shalom" in Nachlaot / Jerusalem.

A very popular story is being told about him in Jerusalem but no one seems to know for sure if it is really true:

Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi loved to sit outside in the yard of his house and enjoy the sunshine. His house was located right next to the Yeshiva "Nahar Shalom" and until today, you can take a look at those buildings.
One day, a seven floor building was being built next to his facilities and the sunshine didn't reach the yard of the Rabbi anymore. Rabbi Sharabi was so upset that he cursed the new building. Other say that he cursed the new building because it was much higher than his Synagogue behind it.

The building was supposed to be an office and shopping center but what happened was that in the course of all those years, the majority of the shops went bancrupt. There are some private people renting apartments and some branches of Jerusalem's Municipality have their offices inside. However, on the ground floor, all shops never made it but only one: Our Bakery !

Why the bakery ?
It is said that before the bakery moved in, the father of the owner took away the Sharaby curse. Rabbi Alon used to be a famous Kurdish Rabbi in Jerusalem and he was the father of Chezi Alon, the owner of our bakery.

Curse or not ? Fact is that no shop has ever made it in the building and our bakering is making plenty of money ! By the way, Rabbi Sharabi's students buy our products and no one speaks about the curse anymore. Nevertheless, the building is inofficially called the "haunted building" and a tourist attraction among Israeli visitors.

Last Wednesday night, Yeshivat Nahar Shalom was commemorating Rabbi Mordechai Sharabi's Yahrzeit:

Photos: Miriam Woelke

The Arab Village SILWAN

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Long before today's Arab village SILWAN was even founded, Jews immigrating to Palestine from Yemen used to live there. Silwan is located right next to the Mount of Olives, outside the Dung Gate leading to the Kotel (Western Wall) and around the City of King David.

The present situation is that Silwan is a village with an Arab population but, until today, some of the older houses show signs of former Mezuzot.

Here is a very interesting article about the truth of Silwan and that it is not at all an ancient Palestinian village.

Latest Pashkevilim

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The latest Pashekvilim (Mea Shearim news posters):

Why is the secular press not mentioning the kidnapping of the Yemenite children ? Those cases happened right after the foundation of the present State of Israel and after the Aliyah from Yemen.

"Know your Enemy !" - The Social workers are after haredi children.

The Yemenites want to Leave

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For the past years, life for the few Jews remaining in Yemen (Te'iman) hasn't been easy. The top of the iceberg was the murder of their Rabbi Moshe Yaish Nahari. He was shot by radical Muslims and since then, life has been unbearable. Even while shopping at the local market, the Yemenite Jews are forced to hide their identity.

Now they announced that they want to leave Yemen, as the local government doesn't do / or cannot do enough for their safety. A final destination hasn't been announced but I assume that those Jews are going to make Aliyah to Israel.

Links:

Website of the Yemenite Jews

MiTaiman (In Hebrew ONLY !)

The History of the Yemenite Jews