Chabad Tefillin at the Machane Yehudah Market
Na Nach Breslover at the Machane Yehudah Market.
Chabad Meshichistim
Entrance to the Machane Yehudah Market
And again: Chabad
Photos: Miriam Woelke
Showing posts with label Breslov Na Nach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Breslov Na Nach. Show all posts
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Independence Day: "The Breslover Na Nach Nachman Movement in Tel Aviv"
B"H
Every year on the eve of the Israeli Independence Day (Erev Yom Ha'atzma'ut), the Breslover Na Nach Nachman Movement Chassidim are dancing around in downtown Tel Aviv. Tonight I spotted them waving Israeli flags right next to Kikar Rabin where the main celebrations took place. Not too many Nanas, as quite a few of them got arrested due to the Ambash scandal:
One of the Breslovers was waving an Israeli flag and blowing the Shofar.
Photos: Miriam Woelke
Monday, March 5, 2012
Ambash News
B"H
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The Wives of Daniel Ambash
B"H
The head of the Breslover Na Nach Nachma Nachman Movement, Daniel Ambash is the husband of six wives but only the first one, Ilana Ambash, is married to him according to Halacha. Ambash himself states that all the other five wives are not really his wives but are being referred to as his wives. On the other hand, I have heard, that there actually is a Rabbi in Mea Shearim or Ge'ulah who works for the Na Nach movement as Mohel and is said to have carried out all of the Ambash weddings.
Almost half a year ago, Daniel Ambash was arrested by the Israeli police. The background of the arrest is that he accepted a seventh potential wife into his large household. The woman claims that another Ambash wife had stopped her in the street and asked whether she needs a place to live. The woman responded with YES and accompanied the wife in question to the Ambash house. First she agreed to live with Ambash but some of the household members started abusing her. Furthermore, she claims that a dialy torture took place in the Ambash household. The wives jumped on each other and that Daniel Ambash is a rapist. The police and social workers stormed the house and now this "seventh" wife who fled the household has become the main witness of the Ambash case. Daniel and a few other of his Chassidim are in jail, the 15 kids are taken away by the social workers. Actually the kids have never been to a regular religious school, as the Na Nachs only trust their own ideology.
At first I thought that the wives, or at least some of them, may get back to their normal lives and admit their mistake living with Ambash. Obviously I was wrong, as the following videos appeared on Youtube.
The videos of several Ambash wives are in Hebrew only. Each of the wives accuses the police of running false accusations against their husband Daniel. They want their kids back and claim that everything is nothing but a conspiracy against them.
Here is the video of CHANNAH MIRIAM AMBASH, the daughter of Daniel Ambash:
The video of SHIRAN AMBASH, the sixth wife of Daniel Ambash:
Here is the video of AZAMRA AMBASH, the third wife of Daniel Ambash:
The video of ILANA AMBASH, the first wife of Daniel Ambash:
The video of SIMCHA AMBASH, the fifth wife of Daniel Ambash:
Further Link:
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Katot - Cults
B"H
Believe it or not, there are plenty of cults (sects) existing in Israel. "KATOT" is the Hebrew word for CULTS and HERE is the Israeli website for "Nifgae'i Katot - People who used to be cult members". Unfortunately, the site is only in Hebrew but shows, in addition to other cults, also many religious cults. Christians as well as Jews. Among others, Daniel Ambash from the Breslover Na Nach Nachman movement also appears.
The "Edah HaCharedit" strongly opposes the so - called "Taliban Women". A group of extreme women, mainly of Sephardi origin and Breslover Ba'alot Teshuva.
I am curious why people join cults. Especially religious Jews who should follow G - d and the Torah instead of religious leaders whose only goal is to gain power over others and thus use people for their own purposes. How can you call yourself religious when you gather a group of people with a weak personality around you ? It basically shows that the cult leader has a serious problem with himself and lifts up his self - esteem while stepping on others who are even weaker than him.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The latest Daniel Ambash Update
B”H
Tonight, Daniel Ambash was on the TV news on the second Israeli channel. He apparently had called the press and told them that him and his families were beaten by the police during the investigation. He claimed that he personally heard his wives screaming next door.
On the phone, a reporter asked him whether he thinks it is okay to have six wives and if this is a good example for the kids. Daniel Ambash said that no family member minds his six wives and everyone accepts it open – minded.
Furthermore he denied that any rape or abuse had taken place in the family and that all accusations are nothing but lies.
The TV broadcasted the phone conversation with Ambash but still neither mentioned the name of the family nor showed the true faces in the short documentary. The police denied any beatings of the Ambash family and stated that a regular investigation is taking place.
Link:
Dutch TV Report about secular Yoni staying with the Ambash family
Monday, September 26, 2011
Dutch TV Report about secular Yoni staying with the Ambash Family
Five Jewish young people, without first knowing where they end up, at five different special and exotic Jewish communities sent. Examples are Israel and America. On site, they will rotate in a family with very different cultural and religious customs in the Netherlands than they used to. They must thereby adapt to the local lifestyle. That is not always easy, is to follow. The Amsterdam based Yoni residing in Tiberias. He is staying with a family whose members are followers of Rabbi Nachman's eccentric. Yoni is not religious but does depend on the traditions of the Jewish people. How does he deal with the ultra-orthodox, but in communal living nomadic Nachman family connection?
Yoni is being send to the Ambash family (then staying in a house in Tiberias near the Kever of Rabbi Me'ir Ba'al HaNes). Usually the family lives in Jerusalem.
The report was filmed before parts of the family got arrested and the wives and kids taken into social institutions.
The report is partly in the Dutch language but has many parts in English as well !
You can tell me whatever you want but from the six wives Daniel Ambash has, his first wife Ilana is definitely the boss of all the wives. At least, this is the impression I am getting.
Link:
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Simcha Ambash is giving a Message
B"H
Simcha Ambash, one of the wives of Daniel Ambash, has published a video on Youtube where she speaks about her worries.
Three months ago, the Jerusalem police together with social workers busted the Ambash house, took out all the wives of Daniel Ambash and the children as well. All of them were separated and Ambash himself together with a few other guys got arrested. They are accused of rape and all kinds of abuse. The strange thing was that the Israeli press avoided mentioning his name.
Simcha Ambash says in the video that the only task of the family is spreading the message of Rabbi Israel Odesser and his Petek (the Na Nach Nachma Nachman me'Uman note). They were a happy family until the police came. She, Simcha, doesn't know where all the other family members ended up and her own child was taken away from her.
I suppose that the court prohibited any publication about the case, as they intend to protect the other Ambash wives and the children. All of them were probably put into social institutions in order to receive help getting out of the cult. The same happened a while ago with a guy called Go'el Ratzon and his cult. Ratzon lived in South - Tel Aviv and had 21 wives. As a comparison: Daniel Ambash has six wives and fifteen children.
Simcha Ambash doesn't know what to do and recorded the video with her cellphone. However, the present situation is very hard to judge, as we outsiders, don't know what the court says and what is really going on regarding social workers and the mental situation of the family members.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
News from the Daniel Ambash Case
B"H
Last Thursday, Israel's Supreme Court was discussing the Daniel Ambash case. Whether he is allowed to return home and if the entire family (his six wives and all the children) will be together again.
The Israeli press doesn't report anything but Natan Ambash, one of the sons of Daniel Ambash, has been posting updates.
אי חברים אנא התייחסו להודעה זאת ברצינות היום התנהל דיון בעליון לגבי מעצר עד תום הליכים ההחלטה תינתן בעוד כיומיים ואני מבקש ומתחנן מכולם להרבות בתפילה שאבא שלי והמשפחה ישוחררו והתשובה תיהיה חיובית בבקשה תפתחו שערי שמיים והשם יגמול לכם את כל הטוב
I just sent him a message if there are any further news and hope he will answer me.
However, it is an amazing how he and one of the wives (Simcha) stand behind Daniel Ambash despite all the accusations. It looks like they could not get used to the idea of starting something new in their own lives.
Links:
Daniel Ambash & Rabbi Israel Odesser
Daniel Ambash and his six wives
The Ambash group dancing in Ge'ulah (Jerusalem) on Purim 5771
Daniel Ambash and his six wives
The Ambash group dancing in Ge'ulah (Jerusalem) on Purim 5771
Monday, August 29, 2011
The Lubavitcher Rebbe and Rabbi Israel Odesser have arrived at the Tent Demonstration
The tent demonstration at Tel Aviv's Rothschild Boulevard is still around but abandoned. No people except for some Junkies and Hippies. The heads of the demonstrations as well as their leftist organizers follow other goals and were just using the slogan "Social Justice" for their own purposes to overthrow the government. However, Communist ideas are not very popular in Israel. It goes without saying that rents are too high and it is extremely hard to make a living; but getting the extreme left involved is not a solution.
The demonstration has killed itself right from the beginning. The organizers are planning a last huge demonstration for this Mozzaei Shabbat (Saturday night) and want about one million people participating. Last Shabbat, however, the nationwide demonstrations only had a few thousand demonstrators. In Eilat only 100 hundred people or less.
Today I went to Rothschild Boulevard and what I found was the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Rabbi Israel Odesser. No doubt, the Chabad Meshichistim as well as the Breslover Na Nach Movement have been around spreading their messages.:-)
Rosh Hashana 5772 poster from the Na Nach Movement.
And here comes the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
Copyright / Photos: Miriam Woelke
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Breslover Chassidim dress up as seculars and travel to Aharon's grave in Jordan
A dressed up Breslover at Aharon's grave
B"H
Tonight, the Israeli TV channel two news had an interesting report:
Several younger Breslover Chassidim in their 20ies were planning a trip to Aharon's grave in Jordan. The only problem was that Jordan is not too excited about letting religious Jews into the country who intend to pray at a certain site. Even if it is the grave of Moshe's brother Aharon.
The Chassidim had the idea to dress up as secular Israelis. A baseball hat covering the Peyes (sidecurls) and Kipot, for instance. The guys wore colourful shirts and if I had met them in the street I would have thought they were secular. Although the TV channel mentioned Mea Shearim as the place where they come from, I couldn't believe that. The Chassidim looked like unmarried Ba'alei Teshuva who truly knew the secular lifestyle. Ashkenazim and Sepharadim together.
Strange but when I look at the photos from my report last year, everything looks exactly the same as in the TV report tonight. Even the young Jordanian guide.
However, the Breslovers got to Aharon's grave near Petra in Jordan. The Kever is located up on a mountain and you can basically only get to the top when you "rent a donkey". All of them were riding up and the to Jordanian travel guides couldn't believe their eyes when the Breslovers suddenly took off their baseball hats, shook out their Peyes and started dancing, singing and praying around the grave. Several times they asked whether those wild guys are really Jews.
Personally I don't always believe that a Kever of a Zaddik is the true grave but rather a legend. The same with Kever Aharon: Honestly, I don't believe that it is Aharon's grave but, as a blog reader once commentated - "It all depends on the Jewish tradition. Even if there is no proof for the original grave, Jews still pray at a grave when they have done so for hundreds of years".
Example: Kever Rachel outside Bethlehem.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
The Ambash (Na Nach) Family dancing in Ge'ulah / Mea Shearim
B"H
There hasn't been any further news in the press for weeks. Thus, I cannot tell you what is going on with the arrested Daniel Ambash and whether his six wives left him and have found shelter provided by the Jerusalem Municipality.
Nevertheless, here is a video from last Purim when the Ambash clan danced through Jerusalem's haredi Ge'ulah neighbourhood. You can see the Ambash kids Natan, Naftali and some more.
The guy wearing the white shirt and the sunglasses is nuts. He is not part of the family but I know him from the Ben Yehudah Mall and the Na Nach Nachmans standing there. He is so deranged that he is even going on the Nana's nerves.
Link:
Monday, August 15, 2011
Na Nach Nachman at Tel Aviv's Rothschild Demonstration
B"H
Guess who is also demonstrating at Rothschild Boulevard / Tel Aviv:
Copyright / Photos: Miriam Woelke
Saturday, August 13, 2011
How a young woman escaped the Na Nach - Ambash Cult
B"H
HAARETZ has the story of a young woman who escaped the Daniel Ambash cult
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Daniel Ambash and Rabbi Israel Odesser
B"H
Why I haven't continued writing about the Na Nach Nachma suspects being arrested due to abusing women and children ?
The reason is very simple: The Israeli press hardly reports anything on the case and even if, the name DANIEL AMBASH and further suspects are not mentioned. I don't have an explanation why, as most people know anyway who the main suspect is. Especially in religious circles.
Daniel Ambash was born in France where he once met Rabbi Israel Odesser and was so impressed by him that he made Aliyah and became a disciple of the controversial Rabbi who had, according to his own words, received a letter from heaven. The famous note including the Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'Uman Mantra.
There are different versions on how Rabbi Israel Odesser received this Petek (Hebrew for note). The legend says that in 1922, Rabbi Israel was attacked by his Yetzer HaRah (negative side within a human being) and the result was that he ate on 17 Tammuz. Afterwards he regretted his failure so much that he fell into depression. Some sources claim that a student of his wrote the Petek and through it from a balcony at the Synagogue where the Rabbi was standing. Others say that the students wrote the Petek and put it into the book "Likutei Hilchot", Rabbi Israel was reading. He found the Petek and thought that Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (who died in 1810) had sent him a message. Thus, Rabbi Israel was forgiven for eating on the fast day 17 Tammuz.
Rabbi Israel Odesser. After some Ba'alei Teshuva started following him, they began calling him SABA (Grandfather).
Rabbi Israel Odesser passed away in 1994; at the age of 106. Shortly before he died, he claimed to be Rabbi Nachman of Breslov himself. The Rabbi has quite a weird history. He was born in Tiberias in 1888, and the legend says that, one day, he found a book of Rabbi Nachman. Originally, Rabbi Israel Odesser was born into a Karliner family but thrown out of the house when he decided to switch to Breslov.
The question is whether he was sane. Many people say NO. Especially after the Rabbi proclaimed himself as Rabbi Nachman from Breslov.
Today's Na Nach Nachma movement in Israel is mainly run by Daniel Ambash. A Ba'al Teshuva who is also making money with the Nana pop songs we always hear. As far as I understood, the movement considers Rabbi Israel Odesser as the Meshiach.
Here is a brief video with a song promoted on Daniel Ambash's website. The song is about Rabbi Israel Odesser !
At the concert of the last Yahrzeit of Rabbi Israel Odesser. Location: The parking lot across Jerusalem's Sacher Park / Supreme Court. The singer is NATAN AMBASH, a son of Daniel Ambash.
I have to stress that Rabbi Israel Odesser and his later Na Nach Nachman Me'Uman movement do NOT represent the entire Chassidut Breslov. The chassidic group today consists of many branches. The original Breslovers whose ancestors were the followers of Rabbi Nachman. However, the new Ba'alei Teshuva movements such as Rabbi Eliezer Berland, Rabbi Lazer Brody or Rabbi Shalom Arush rather remind of cults where Rabbis publish themselves and run after money. Everything goes into their pockets on the back of Rabbi Nachman. By the way, Rabbi Israel Odesser and Daniel Ambash today fit into the same "money and being famous category". Giving a bad reputation to the original Breslovers.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Who are the NA NACH NACHMANS ?
B"H
No mentioning of the "Daniel Ambash Scandal" has appeared in the haredi press. Rather everyone is still concentrating on the murder of Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira. Even the secular press doesn't jump on the abuse scandal regarding the "Na Nach Nachman Me’Uman" movement. The leftists have discovered their counterparts organizing the mass demonstrations protesting high rents and costs of living.
In order to write about Daniel Ambash and the whole environment, one has to know some details about the "Na Nach" movement. Not everything what it says on Wikipedia is correct and Rabbi Israel Odesser was a controversial figure himself.
On Tuesday night, after Tisha be'Av is over, I am going to publish the first article of a short series regarding the Breslover "Na Nach" movement. I wanted to do it tonight but the article includes two videos where also music is being played. Tisha be'Av is the reason for the delay, as we don't listen to music until, at least, Tuesday night.
The Breslover Ba'alei Teshuva, New Age, groups are anything but romantic. They love to appear friendly and spiritual but when you have a look behind the scenes, you see a cult about Rabbis such as Eliezer Berland and Shalom Arush as well as money issues. Selling books, DVDs, CDs or bumper stickers under the name of Rabbi Nachman in order to make money for themselves.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Daniel Ambash and his six Wives
B"H
Daniel Ambash was arrested due to women and child abuse. Here you can see a TV report in HEBREW !
I haven't seen any reports on haredi news sites. Maybe because the majority of the haredi world considers the Nana Movement as nuts.
The real true original Breslovers you find in Mea Shearim. They don't accept Ba'alei Teshuva among themselves and this is the reason why split offs designed for Ba'alei Teshuva exist. Just look at Rabbi Eliezer Berland, Rabbi Lazer Brody, Rabbi Shalom Arush and the Na Nach Nachma Nachman Me'uman movements. Especially Rabbi Berland as well as Shalom Arush accept many "former" criminals. People who were in jail but then did Teshuva. Nevertheless, born Haredim don't really won't to be neighbours of former criminals and who says that those guys have changed their ways ?
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