The Zionist Conspiracy |
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A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews. 
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Thursday, March 30, 2006
Likud and Greater Israel An analysis of the Israeli elections in today's New York Times states that "only Likud remains committed to the idea of Greater Israel, comprising the full biblical land of Israel." While Likud has done a poor job of articulating its political position, it clearly is not committed to the idea of Greater Israel. Indeed, when he was elected Prime Minister in 1996, Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu accepted the Oslo Accords, which call for territorial compromise, and later implemented withdrawals in Judea and Samaria. Today, Likud is committed to territorial compromise in the context of a peace process, but it rejects unilateral withdrawal. The parties that are most committed to the idea of Greater Israel are National Union and the National Religious Party, which ran on a joint list and received 9 seats in the Israeli Knesset. Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Challenging Yeshiva Expulsion Policies The following is an excerpt from a column by Marvin Schick appearing on the front and back page of this week's Jewish Press. I am appalled by the announcement by Lakewood yeshivas and Beth Jacobs that all children in homes that are Internet-accessible and have not received the requisite approvals from local rabbis will be expelled. All children! The very thought should be repugnant. In order to possibly prevent some children from being at risk, we are prepared to take innocent Jewish children and make certain that they will be at risk! Not only is this wrongful policy announced, it is lauded in the recent Jewish Observer issue devoted to the at-risk problem - and by a respected Torah personality. Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Radio Interview Of Dan Brody A friend sent me a link to a radio interview by Nachum Segal of ex-Apprentice candidate Dan Brody. Click on the Dan Brody interview, and then fast forward to a little after the 2 hour mark. While Segal and an apparent co-host bizarrely tended to interrupt Brody, who presumably was the star of the interview, a number of interesting tidbits of info came out. -Brody and fellow candidate Lee Bienstock did not get along. Furthermore, while Brody emphasized his own strict observance of halacha, he declined to confirm that Bienstock is Orthodox. -Brody was fired on erev Yom Kippur. That's why he immediately looked at his watch upon his exit. Indeed, he rushed from Trump's boardroom to Kol Nidrei at Fifth Avenue Synagogue. The taxi scene in which he offers his final thoughts was not filmed the night of his exit. That would explain his cheerful demeanor in the taxi. -Brody was provided with kosher food throughout the show, including food from expensive midtown kosher restaurants. -He is not sure how he would have handled missing tasks on succos. He appeared to think that his teammates would not have accepted that. Overall, in his interview and on the show, Dan Brody came across very well. He did not appear to compromise Judaism's standards, and acted as a mentsch during the show and after he was fired. The End of Likud And Netanyahu - And Probably The Israeli Right This post is being written at 3:30 P.M., after the release of exit polls showing that Likud will only receive 10-12 seats in the next Knesset. For around a year, Binyamin Netanyahu very reluctantly and conditionally supported the planned unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. That support, however grudging, resulted in cynicism and distrust toward Netanyahu from those on the right. As a result, most of those people did not vote for Likud, including most who voted for Likud in the last election. A week before the commencement of the withdrawal, Netanyahu resigned from the government and expressed strong opposition to the withdrawal. That opposition resulted in cynicism and distrust toward Netanyahu from those in the center. As a result, almost none from that political sector voted for Likud, including most who voted for Likud in the last election. It's easy and convenient to say that Netanyahu is a mere opportunist. But then what does one make of Ehud Olmert, who radically changed his policies in what is now a successful effort to gain power, or Shaul Mofaz, who switched from Likud to Kadima during a Likud primary race in which he was a leading candidate, or Tzachi Hanegbi, who switched from Likud to Kadima even as he was serving as Likud's interim leader? Netanyahu chose to run a right-wing campaign, and it backfired. The reality is that Netanyahu and Likud were in a tenuous position once Ariel Sharon founded Kadima. Secular Israelis care less and less about Judea and Samaria, and Likud's voters have historically been mostly secular. For those people, Kadima's vague promise to keep the main "settlement blocs" sufficed. Religious Israelis who do care about Judea and Samaria repeatedly feel betrayed - rightly or wrongly - by Likud, and therefore mostly vote for parties further to the right, or religious parties. Once Kadima was formed, the Likud was left with hardly any constituency. Without Likud as even a viable opposition party, the right-wing is in shambles. There is no mainstream party to promote the Israeli interests in Judea and Samaria. Unless the exit polls are wrong, the best approach of the settlement movement and its supporters is to negotiate with Ehud Olmert over which settlements will stay and which will go. This may seem odious, unbecoming and pathetic. But it is the best way to ensure that Israel will have a future in an least a little bit of Judea and Samaria in the decades to come. Election Day Observations The polls close in a little more than five hours, at 3 P.M. EST, but in the meantime, here are some observations about the Israeli elections: - Turnout is light, which will likely hurt Kadima the most, and also Labor, Likud and Yisroel Beiteinu. In contrast, Shas, United Torah Judaism, National Union-NRP and Meretz should benefit from a light turnout, since its supporters tend to be more ideological and therefore more likely to vote. Also, small parties like Tafnit, the Pensioner's Party, and Green Leaf will have a better chance of meeting the minimal threshold for Knesset representation. - Charedi extremists in Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh who are boycotting the elections interfered with those trying to exercise their right to vote. This, combined with the tendency of some in the religious right to waste their votes on far-right fringe parties, will likely cost the right-wing/religious bloc one or two crucial Knesset seats. -Binyamin Netanyahu stated today that Likud's goal is to ensure that Uzi Landau has a place in the Knesset. Considering that Landau is number 14 on the Likud list, that does not bode well for Likud's prospects. Netanyahu presumably has access to exit polls which show that Likud is not faring well today. -If indeed Likud does not gain at least 20 Knesset seats, then even if Kadima falters and the right-wing and religious parties do significantly better than expected, it will be impossible for the government to be led by a right-wing leader. Likely, the best that the right can hope for is that a Kadima-Labor government is too weak to fully implement its political plans. UPDATE: 11:50 A.M. - Reportedly, turnout is particularly low in areas that previously were Likud strongholds. Netanyahu and Ruby Rivlin have pleaded with voters to vote for Likud to save the party. It appears increasingly likely that Likud will have its worse result in more than 50 years, and will become a small marginal party. We'll know in a little more than three hours. Monday, March 27, 2006
Jets Get Another Pick The NFL has announced that the Jets will receive a compensatory draft pick at the end of the third round. Compensatory picks are granted to teams who have lost free agents the previous year. The principal free agents lost by the Jets last year were Kareem McKenzie and Lamont Jordan last year. Jason Ferguson and Anthony Becht also left, but had less of an impact in 2005. The additional third round pick gives the Jets eight draft picks in the first five rounds, with an extra pick late in each of the first, third and fourth rounds. Thus far this offseason, the Jets have not succeeded in their efforts to replace center Kevin Mawae or offensive tackle Jason Fabini. The draft will therefore be absolutely pivotal in determining the future course of the team, and whether the Jets can solidify their offensive line. Whether or not they draft D'Brickashaw Ferguson with the number 4 pick, the Jets should draft at least three offensive linemen in the first five rounds. Ohio State center Nick Mangold is a player who the Jets should seriously consider if he remains available at their number 29 pick. Memories From The 1996 Election The night is long. Wait and be patient. Now it is time to go home, and hope - and also to pray - that in the morning, there will be a better hope, a better plan, a better way, to a secure peace. -Binyamin Netanyahu at Likud campaign headquarters at midnight on May 29, 1996. At that time, exit polls predicted a narrow victory for Shimon Peres. A little more than two hours later, revised exit polls suggested that Netanyahu had pulled off an upset. Those of us with right-wing political views had waited a long time for the 1996 elections. Four years earlier, Labor, led by Yitzhak Rabin, deposed Likud and Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. In the next four years, settlement construction would be significantly curtailed, Israel recognized the PLO and signed the Oslo Accords, terrorism became rampant, Israel allowed the PLO to operate in Jerusalem, polarization in Israel sharply increased and Rabin was murdered, Meretz took control of the Education Ministry, Israel offered to cede the Golan Heights to Syria. I was a few weeks into a summer associate position at a large law firm. I remember speaking with a classmate of mine throughout the day who was working at another large firm. I told him that I was "cautiously pessimistic" about the elections. He confided that a bigshot he knew had inside info that Peres won the election. In the early afternoon, I was given an assignment. There were lots of tedious agreements to review on an urgent basis. At 3 P.M. the election ended. I went downstairs and listened to my portable radio. I learned that exit polls predicted a narrow victory for Peres. I checked the Internet, but ten years ago there was scant information available in real time. I started working on the assignment. I checked the news every hour. Nothing had changed. Exit polls still indicated a Peres victory. It became apparent that I would be in the office very late. At 7:30 I again went outside. I believe Robert Berger was reporting live from Jerusalem. He said that pandemonium had broken out at Likud headquarters after new exit polls showed that Netanyahu had won. I was ecstatic. I went back upstairs, and started talking about Israel with the second year associate who had given me the assignment, and who then seemed like a senior attorney to me. She wasn't Jewish but was rather knowledgeable about Israel and Netanyahu. When I left the office around 10:30 I was told to be ready to "go to the printer tomorrow." I did not know that going "to the printer" entailed anything of significance. I went home and watched Nightline. Ehud Olmert, then of Likud, was extolling the virtues of Netanyahu. Yossi Beilin, then of Labor, was lamenting the apparent Labor defeat. The election was still too close to call, and I stayed up most of the night, watching and videotaping the live election coverage on CNN. I went to sleep at 4 A.M. The next day, I discovered that "going to the printer" was quite grueling. We were to review tens of thousands of pages of documents and stay until the closing of a securities offering two days later. They were kind enough to order kosher food for me, albeit from the Second Avenue Deli which I could not eat. When at around 2 A.M. I discovered that neither I nor anyone else was going home anytime soon, I told the second year associate that in a few hours I would need to go home to get my phylacteries (tefillin) so as to fulfill my obligations to properly conduct the morning prayer service. When she realized that I was serious about getting my tefillin, she let me go home at 3 A.M., so long as I was back by 7. When I woke up after 2 1/2 hours of sleep, CNN had confirmed that all of the votes were counted and Netanyahu had won. I went back to the printer, but was sent to the office after a few hours since I would have to leave early that evening for shabbos. Another summer associate replaced me. I got home just in time for the 6 P.M. news. Christiane Amanpour was reporting live from Jerusalem. Walter Rogers reported from the Kotel, where Netanyahu was greeted shortly before shabbos. Election Predictions Following are my predictions for tomorrow's elections: Kadima - 32 Labor - 20 Likud - 17 Shas - 12 National Union/NRP - 10 Yisroel Beiteinu - 10 Arab parties - 8 United Torah Judaism - 6 Meretz - 5 Government coalition: Kadima, Labor, Meretz, Shas and United Torah Judaism Thursday, March 23, 2006
Is My Take On Israel's Election Relevant? I can write a long post about why Israelis should vote for Likud in Tuesday's election, why Likud under the leadership of Binyamin Netanyahu, Uzi Landau and Natan Sharansky is the party that would best serve Israel's interests. I can explain that Likud is the only pragmatic right-wing party, that National Union and the National Religious Party completely failed to have any political impact in previous governments, except to bring down Likud governments which were replaced by Labor governments. I can attack Kadima and its leadership for having no ideological values, Labor and Meretz for retaining an ideology that has completely failed, and Shas and United Torah Judaism for consistently selling out for power and money. When it comes down to it, though, it really matters little what I think. I've always lived in New York, have never served in the IDF, and as much as I am emotionally invested in Israel's fate, I am living my life elsewhere. Ultimately, Diaspora Jews like me have every right to express their opinions about Israel, but must accept that Israelis are the ones who have to choose their country's course. Even if we think that the course chosen is a terrible one. Stupid Europeans An op-ed in today's New York Times by Gideon Lichfield, the Jerusalem correspondent for The Economist, illustrates the willful naivete of Europeans toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Lichfield writes that "some fear" that "Hamas in fact harbors long-term plans to destroy the Jewish state." Hamas has repeatedly expressed its desire to destroy Israel and never budged from this position. It's European media outlets like The Economist and European governments that refuse to listen to what Hamas says, instead labeling those of us who do take Hamas seriously as overly fearful and paranoid. Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Kudos To Tanginibaum The new Jets regime faced their first serious challenge in the negotiations for John Abraham. They did fantastically well. Patiently waiting for the Falcons to increase their offer of a second round pick, the Jets will receive the Broncos' first round pick - 29th overall - in a three way deal that sends Abraham to the Falcons. In an offseason in which other teams declined to place the franchise tag on marquee players like Edgerrin James, Drew Brees and Adam Vinatieri, instead watching those stars leave for nothing, GM Mike Tannenbaum franchised Abraham and quickly brought back a late first rounder. The trade frees up lots of cap room, and gives the Jets three of the first 36 picks in next month's draft, and seven picks in the first five rounds. The Jets might also pick up another draft pick as compensation for last year's losses in free agency of Kareem McKenzie and Lamont Jordan - that will be announced in the next week or two. The big question now is whether the Jets will move up to the second pick in the draft to acquire Matt Leinart. With the Jets desperately needing to fill holes on the offensive and defensive lines, I tend to feel that trading multiple draft picks to move up would be a very questionable move. If the Saints don't significantly lower their current asking price of the Jets first, second and third rounders in exchange for the number 2 pick, the Jets should take a pass. Instead, offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson or defensive end Mario Williams should be the players the Jets focus closely on. Ferguson could be an anchor on the offensive line, while Williams would serve as a great replacement for Abraham. Latest Maariv Poll Maariv's website (in Hebrew) has published its latest election poll. According to the poll, Kadima will receive 35 Knesset seats, and a bloc of Kadima, Labor (20) and Meretz (5) would receive 60 seats. The right-wing and religious parties, consisting of Likud (17), Yisrael Beiteinu (11), Shas (10), NRP-National Union (9), and United Torah Judaism (5), will receive a combined 52 seats according to the poll. The Arab parties would receive 8 seats, and while they won't be part of a coalition government, they would support a government with left-wing policies in the Knesset. It's no secret that polls typically underestimate the support for the right and the religious, so it remains possible that those parties could gain a majority of Knesset seats. Planning for that possibility, Binyamin Netanyahu has been putting out feelers to the other parties on the right in an effort to form a narrow coalition after the government. Such a government, however, would not serve the interests of the right. It would fall upon any dispute in the coalition, and Netanyahu would be under constant pressure from his left and from the international community. Therefore, even under the scenario in which Kadima and the left-wing don't gain 61 seats, I'd expect for Kadima to at least initially form the next government, with Shas and UTJ part of the coalition, albeit leaving Kadima too weak to carry out its plan of a massive unilateral withdrawal in Judea and Samaria. At this point, a government initially led by a weakened Ehud Olmert is probably the best-case scenario for those on the political right. Monday, March 20, 2006
Upper West Side A friend of mine e-mailed me Godol Hador's recent post about the Upper West Side. I agree with much of, though not all of, GH's analysis. In any event, here are my thoughts about the UWS. I lived in the UWS for five years, from late 1997 until I got married in late 2002. The other places I have lived are Brooklyn and Queens, and I very strongly prefer the UWS to either of those places. Alas, housing costs are rather high in the UWS, and this blog doesn't pay the bills. Before moving to the UWS, I attended law school at Columbia, so I had a pretty good idea of what the community was like. I never really cared much for the UWS singles scene. While I didn't completely avoid the scene, I participated in it very little. This was made easier by the fact that I lived in the West End Avenue/Riverside Drive area, not the Columbus Avenue "dorms" in which hundreds of frum singles reside. There were two things about the UWS that I liked a lot. The first - having little to do with the Jewish community - was simply all the basic benefits of living in the city: The short commute, the convenience of everything being within walking distance, the energy on the streets at night, the parks. Before moving to Manhattan, Boro Park was the only place I lived. I remember looking out of my tenth floor apartment on Riverside Drive and watching curiously as people jogged in Riverside Park. Soon I joined them, until pain in my knees, laziness and the fear of dogs that I brought from Boro Park made running only an occasional activity. The second aspect of the UWS that I especially liked was that the charedim in the UWS are, generally, much more intellectually open, tolerant (at least on the surface) and worldly than those who I have encountered elsewhere. There is little preachiness or self-righteousness, and nor is there much condescension. For better or worse, I never had any misgivings about going to a shiur and then for a drink. Indeed, sometimes, I actually had a few beers after work and went straight to the local Kollel to learn - in retrospect, perhaps not the best idea. I find shabbos in the UWS to be a unique experience. Maybe it's just me, but walking on Broadway on Friday night or Saturday afternoon when the streets are jammed with people doing all sorts of things on the weekend, while it is shabbos for me, was always a spiritual high. Paradoxically, since I was never really interested in the singles scene, with the exception of my first and last year on the UWS, I went back to Boro Park the majority of weeks for shabbos. While I didn't really participate in the UWS singles scene, there is no question that being a single observant Jew is a much different experience in the UWS than elsewhere. When I moved to the UWS, I was 24 and already was feeling some angst about being single and living in Boro Park. Within weeks of moving to Manhattan, that angst largely disappeared. It is probably fair to say that unless dating someone who is pressuring them to get married, one can live in the UWS for years and experience little if any external pressure to get married. While that is not ideal for a community that so heavily values marriage and children, I think that overall an older single (and "older" can sometimes mean people in their late or even mid-20's) is better off living in the UWS than in a community that makes them feel isolated because they are not married. Those living in the UWS can enjoy a full social life and be active in the community, and not be reminded (in a manner that usually is not positive) about their single status on a routine basis. The Jericho Raid All the hoopla surrounding the IDF's raid of the Jericho prison last week seems rather exaggerated. To be sure, the raid was an impressive feat by the IDF. There were no Israeli casualties, the PFLP terrorists who murdered Rehavam Zeevi were captured, and Israel avoided a humiliating spectacle in which the Hamas-led PA was to release those terrorists. However, all the talk about the raid "restoring Israel's glory" sounds very out of place, and serves as a reminder of how far Israel's deterrent ability has fallen. I remember covering a Rangers game for The Jerusalem Post two or three nights before the 1991 Gulf War. At the time, there was concern that Israel would respond to any Iraqi attack with massive force, potentially interfering with U.S. military operations. In the press room during an intermission, reporters were debating whether Israel would have the right to respond in that manner to an Iraqi attack. Ultimately, one fellow said something like, "It doesn't matter what we think. The bottom line is that the Israelis are crazy. If Saddam Hussein attacks them, they'll probably nuke Iraq. We'll just have to deal with whatever the Israelis decide to do." Of course, Saddam sent 39 Scud missiles into Israel, without any Israeli response. After Oslo, suicide bombers attacked Israel time after time. After Ehud Barak's withdrawal from Lebanon, he warned Hezbollah that if they dared to attack Israel, it would respond with disproportionate force. Instead, Barak did nothing when, a few months later, Hezbollah kidnapped and murdered three IDF soldiers. When Zeevi was murdered, Israel acquiesced to an arrangement in which his murderers were protected by the PA. The excitement about Jericho is primarily relief that Israel was not yet again humiliated, that it finally acted preemptively and caught the enemy off guard. The Jericho operation was a success for the IDF, but Israel still has a very long way to go to restore the fear it once stirred in its enemies. Thursday, March 16, 2006
Hiatus I'm quite overwhelmed with personal and professional obligations, and haven't been feeling very well, so I'm taking a short break from the blogosphere. I hope to be back posting next week. Tuesday, March 14, 2006
NFL QB Shuffle 1. The Jets lost out to the Lions in the negotiations to land Bengals backup QB Jon Kitna. That's a little surprising, since Joey Harrington has been guaranteed the starting job in Detroit, whereas Kitna would have had a chance to depose Chad Pennington had he come to the Jets. Likely, Kitna's decision came down to more guaranteed money in Detroit. 2. The Saints have signed Drew Brees, which could open an opportunity for the Jets. Now that they have Brees, the Saints won't draft a quarterback with the second pick in the draft. If the Jets want to move up and take Matt Leinart, they could have a partner in New Orleans. That said, the Jets have many other needs and are clearly planning to build via the draft, so they should only move up if they are convinced that Leinart will be a star and if the price is relatively moderate. I find it shocking that the San Diego Chargers simply allowed Brees to become an unrestricted free agent and just leave. Brees had two very strong seasons in '04 and '05, and now the Chargers will find out whether Philip Rivers, their first round pick in 2004, is ready to step up. 3. Nice job by the Dolphins acquiring Daunte Culpepper for a second round pick. If Culpepper is healthy, the Dolphins will be a real contender next season. 4. With Kitna out of the picture and the Jets showing no interest in Kerry Collins, who was cut by the Raiders, it's likely that the Jets will soon trade for Patrick Ramsey. Anything more than a sixth round pick would be too much for Ramsey. Monday, March 13, 2006
Haaretz's Ari Shavit: Kadima Must Be Defeated Ari Shavit of Haaretz is no right-winger. He supports a withdrawal from almost all of Judea and Samaria in the context of a peace agreement, and favors a limited unilateral withdrawal too. But in a blistering column in Tuesday's Haaretz, Shavit absolutely rips apart Ehud Olmert's plan to unilaterally withdraw from almost all of Judea and Samaria, and parts of Jerusalem. If Olmert is unable to form a coalition strong enough to carry out his plan, Shavit's column may be seen as a watershed moment, in which one of the most prominent and influential members of the Israeli media - and a bona fide leftist - challenged the mindless drive toward ceding to Hamas the heartland of Israel in exchange for nothing. Here are some highlights from Shavit's piece: In September 2000, the Palestinians began a terror offensive against Israel. They did this because they refused to accept the Camp David proposal, which promised them the entire Gaza Strip and 91 percent of the West Bank in exchange for full recognition of Israel and an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. If Ehud Olmert is elected prime minister and implements his convergence plan, then in September 2010 the Palestinians will have sovereignty over the entire Gaza Strip and some 91 percent of the West Bank, and all this without recognizing Israel and without ending the conflict. Sunday, March 12, 2006
Alienated Mets Fan I've been a very big Mets fan since they were the worst team in baseball in the late 70's and early 80's, but I'm having a hard time getting interested in - let alone rooting for - the 2006 Mets. I really can't stand GM Omar Minaya and manager Willie Randolph. Randolph spent much of last season demeaning his best player - David Wright - and his best reliever - Aaron Heilman. In his second spring as Mets manager, Willie's apparently in mid-season form. As Monday's Times reports, speaking to the media about infielder Jeff Keppinger, who is having a strong spring, Randolph said: "Keppinger really wasn't in the mix. Keppinger was kind of a long shot, and he's still kind of a long shot, but he's there." Keppinger was the last to hear about this - he heard about it through a friend who had seen an interview of Randolph on TV. I don't know how successful Keppinger would be if given a chance in the majors, but I do know that Minaya and Randolph are very unlikely to give him that chance. In sharp contrast, former Mets managers Davey Johnson and Bobby Valentine were responsible for launching the careers of a number of unknowns, such as Kevin Mitchell, Roger McDowell, Lenny Dykstra, Jeff Innis, Terry Leach, Rick Reed, Matt Franco, Todd Pratt, Benny Agbayani, Ty Wigginton and Melvin Mora. Would any of those players be given a chance on a Mets team run by Minaya and Randolph? Friday, March 10, 2006
Jets and Free Agency With the increase in the NFL's salary cap to $102 million, the Jets will have a little bit of room to dabble in the free agent market. They are now approximately $15 million under the cap, which will increase by $8.3 million after they trade disgruntled malcontent John Abraham. Here's a position-by-position analysis of the Jets' approach to free agency, which starts tonight at midnight: Quarterback - Rumor is that the Jets are about to acquire Redskins QB Patrick Ramsey in exchange for a 5th round pick in next month's draft, and a conditional pick - potentially as high as a third rounder - in next year's draft. If these reports are accurate, the Jets will be overpaying for Ramsey. I'd prefer Jon Kitna or Kerry Collins. Kitna is a free agent, while Collins will likely be cut by the Raiders, especially if they acquire Vikings QB Daunte Culpepper, as is also rumored. Ramsey has not been impressive with Washington and I just don't see him as more than a stopgap for the Jets. If Chad Pennington is healthy, Ramsey should not pose a challenge (though head coach Eric Mangini appears intent to depose Pennington under any circumstances). If Pennington is not able to play, Ramsey is a below-average starting quarterback, who might be the difference between going 4-12 with Brooks Bollinger and 6-10. As for the draft, the Jets might have a chance to draft Vince Young or Jay Cutler. My view, however, is that a franchise left tackle would be a better bet than either of those two. Running back - While the Jets need help at running back, it's not a high priority in free agency. The Jets will likely go with Curtis Martin, Derrick Blaylock and Cedric Houston. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Jets sign a fullback, though B.J. Askew should also get a chance to step into that role. Wide receiver - The Jets could use a number 1 receiver with speed, but there are few such players on the market, and the Jets' other needs make spending a lot on a WR unrealistic. Tight end - With Chris Baker an unrestricted free agent, the Jets will have to either pay enough to bring Baker back, or find someone else. Relying solely on Doug Jolley is not the answer. Jeb Putzier, recently released by Denver, would be my choice at TE, if the price is right. Offensive line - With the release of Kevin Mawae and Jason Fabini, the Jets are in dire need of help at offensive line. LeCharles Bentley and Kevin Shaffer are the best center and tackle on the market, but their price will probably be too high for the Jets. I'd like to see the Jets sign a free agent, and if he's available at the 4 spot, draft D'Brickashaw Ferguson, along with at least two other offensive linemen in the first four rounds of the draft. Defensive line - The Jets will probably look to replace John Abraham, and can use a nose tackle too. The free agent market has a decent number of defensive linemen, and this is an area that the Jets should make a priority. In the draft, Mario Williams is a possibility, though he may be a stretch at the fourth pick. Secondary - With the departure of Ty Law, the Jets will likely have a bunch of young players at cornerback and safety. They should look to add a veteran who is available at the right price, but it doesn't make sense to spend big money at this position. Linebacker - Willie McGinest, released by the Patriots, might be of interest to Mangini, but the Jets have a pretty good group of young linebackers. I doubt LB will be a high priority. Conclusion: The Jets free agency priorities should be at offensive line, defensive line, quarterback and tight end - in that order. At the other positions, they should wait until the top tier of free agents are signed, or rely on the draft. More On Day School Expenses and Tuitions The following material, from September 2003, sheds more light on the debate regarding day school expenditures and its impact on tuition: 1. Jewish Week report by Jonathan Mark, in the September 5, 2003 issue: Rabbi Marvin Schick, Avi Chai's senior consultant and researcher, told The Jewish Week that "In the Orthodox community, with some exceptions, an intensive Jewish education is not seen as an option but a necessity. But as you get away from Orthodoxy, day school education is seen as more optional. 2. Letter to the editor by Rabbi Haskel Lookstein of Ramaz, in the September 12, 2003 issue of the Jewish Week: As someone who grapples with these problems on a daily basis, I challenge Schick to find the element of greed in day school tuitions. No day school is turning a profit, and no board members are collecting dividends. It is unfair to attach the word "greed" to tuitions. 3. Column by Marvin Schick, in September 19, 2003 issue of the Jewish Week: Last week's issue contained a letter from Rabbi Haskel Lookstein critically commenting on what I was quoted to have said in an article reporting on a study I conducted on the impact of the economic downturn on Jewish day schools. Rabbi Lookstein, a man who deserves respect for his leadership of Ramaz, claims that "most of the day schools that charge a high tuition also have a very large scholarship program." As I have written to him, the truth is exactly the reverse and there is an inverse relationship between tuition costs and scholarship availability. Because of economic, social and psychological factors, the priciest schools are the most parsimonious when it comes to financial aid to needy families. Thursday, March 09, 2006
Rangers Slump Last night's shootout loss was the third straight loss for the Rangers. Gold medal winning goalie Henrik Lundqvist hasn't seemed quite as sharp in his two games since the Olympics. He was uncharacteristically horrible in the shootout last night. We'll see whether the Rangers make a trade for a defenseman before this afternoon's deadline. Hopefully they won't repeat past mistakes by mortgaging the future. UPDATE - 2:55 P.M. The Rangers have reportedly acquired defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh from Anaheim in exchange for the third round pick picked up by the Rangers last night from San Jose for Ville Nieminen. Gang Green Hires Associate, Leaving Elster and Schick Green With Envy I'm not complaining about my job, but it would sure be nice to go work for the New York Jets and get paid to help them win a Super Bowl. How then, should quite competent attorneys like me and Elster feel today, upon reading the news that a David Socie, an associate at Akin Gump's DC office, has been hired by the Jets to negotiate contracts and handle the Jets' salary cap? I'm pretty sure that my credentials and knowledge of the cap are as good as Socie's. With a little studying, Elster too could master the nuances of the cap, albeit perhaps not quite as well as me. Truth be told, Socie might well be an excellent lawyer, and I doubt that it would be realistic for someone who is shomer shabbos to work in the front office of a professional sports team. Still, I can't help but feel a bit envious. Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Olmert: Kadima Has Already Won Ehud Olmert has always been arrogant, but I never thought he was stupid. Today, Olmert boasted before 700 Russian immigrants that "the question of who will win has already been decided." Rule 1 in election campaigns is not to express overconfidence, lest one's supporters feel unmotivated to vote. In Israel, where there are so many parties from which to choose, Olmert's speech was especially foolish. Many who might have voted for Kadima will likely vote for a smaller niche party if they are confident that Kadima will win by a wide margin. This is especially true for Russian immigrants, many of whom remain undecided between Kadima and Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party. Likely, Olmert has ensured that Lieberman will get a large portion of those votes, a good thing for those who oppose Olmert's plans for a massive unilateral withdrawal from Samaria communities. A Parent's Perspective On Yeshiva Tuitions The following thoughts were sent to me by a parent of children in charedi yeshivas: Having three kids in Yeshivas/Bais Yaakovs, having spoken in detail about this to a Yeshivah principal, having a brother in chinuch and a father on the board of directors of a school (board members are NOT compensated and are the first to be approached when the yeshivah is short of funds) I have had some exposure to this issue and note the following: 1. The notion of an administrator making $250K in a charedi yeshivah is, I suspect, non-existent. I do, however, believe that many of the larger schools would be better off financially if they did hire an administrator who was capable enough to command that salary. 2. I am aware of charedi yeshivas where rabeim are making between 29 thousand and close to 70 thousand (the 29k figure is current and includes rabeim with over 20 years experience, the close to 70 figure is about two years old and if I recall correct was closer to 60 at that time and was the maximum paid by that school to rabeim with some base level of seniority). I don't know about chasidishe yeshivas, but I understand that in many of these you are lucky if you get paid at all - forget about on time. Also, my understanding is that in the chasidshe yeshivas due to the fact that many student don't pay full tuition (for obvious reasons) services are non-existent (forget about special ed). 3. In my view, any Rebbe who works 9-3 should be fired. None of my kids' rebeim (my oldest is 11 so I went through quite a number) worked 9-3. 9-3 was the time they spend in class. They also had to prepare and mark exams accept calls from and make calls to parents. I've spoken to my kids' rabeim at all hours of the night. They don't earn anywhere near the 70k noted above (though my kids' school pays well above the 29k). My kids' school is considered one of the better paying schools I think and has one of the better facilities and services (e.g. special ed - don't recall the costs of special ed but my understanding is that they can at times be astronomical on a per student basis and which most often is not covered by the student receiving the service). Every rebbe I know struggles to make ends meet, is probably capable of making more by taking any 9-5 menial job and is in the "business" for ideological reasons (not for the free ride). Many I know work two jobs - either teaching in the afternoon or tutoring - then prepare, mark tests and make/return phone calls in the evening. 4. I pay a little over $5,500 per year for each son (not including dinner). Having been through the expenses, actual cost per student to the school for bare essentials (i.e. facilities and salaries) is approximately $1,000 more (assuming everyone pays full tuition). If I recall correctly this does not cover non-essentials which I will define as special ed needs, outside consultants to evaluate and train rebeim and teachers (defined as a non-essential for this purpose only, but is I believe essential), etc. Yeshivas could easily spend between 10-15 thousand per student without spending on anything extravagant. 5. Don't know what the principal makes, but I can tell you he puts in as many hours as I do (which as you know is quite substantial). I don't want to paint the greatest picture about yeshivas. I have my share of complaints, most notably secular education. But people making some of the comments made in response to your blog - e.g. $250k salaries or references to the rebbe position being a cushy part-time job - to the extent they are referring to charedi yeshivas, obviously have their heads buried so far up . . . (feel free to complete the sentence as you see fit). Tuesday, March 07, 2006
September 12 In a post about the sad passing of Dana Reeve, widow of the late Christopher Reeve, Elster concludes that this is a reminder that "you are not going to live forever and your world can get blown apart in a manner of seconds." Upon reading Elster's comment, I instinctively thought back to my experience on September 12, 2001. Early on that afternoon, I checked my voicemail, expecting that nobody was looking for me, especially since I had hardly any work for nearly a year. I was surprised that not only was there a voicemail, it also was urgent. Turns out that the firm I then worked for was representing Cantor Fitzgerald, the company whose offices were atop the World Trade Center's north tower. Nobody who was in Cantor's offices at the time the airplane crashed into the north tower survived. There were a whole set of legal issues to grapple with, most of them quite tedious, and this work was to be my task for the next month. While on a very senior level one might feel as though engaging in this kind of work was a way of helping a company and people in distress, for me the work was emotionally draining and added to the misery of 9/11. For one thing, very shortly after getting this assignment, I learned from another lawyer on the project that a law school classmate with whom I had worked at another law firm had been at Cantor and was among the dead. How Should We Approach Serious Non-Orthodox Jews? Yesterday's New York Times article about Conservative Judaism's upcoming vote to allow homosexuality concluded with the following: Many students at the seminary say they find the gay ban offensive and would welcome a change, said Daniel Klein, a rabbinical student who helps lead Keshet, a gay rights group on campus. "It's part of the tradition to change, so we're entirely within tradition," he said. Mr. Klein said that even if the law committee did not lift the ban this week, change would come eventually. Putting aside the question of whether Klein is representative of JTS students, it is clear that younger Conservative rabbis and Conservative rabbinical students are, overall, far more liberal and less committed to even the appearance of fidelity to halacha. Many serious non-Orthodox Jews who have identified as "traditional Conservative" or "right-wing Conservative" will, sooner rather than later, likely find the Conservative movement to be too liberal and ahalachic for them. Some of these people might become modern Orthodox. Others, however, won't. These people are likely to find themselves on sort of a border between traditional Conservative and modern Orthodox. Already, in places like the Upper West Side, Cambridge, Jerusalem, and elsewhere, there are services at which women read the Torah, receive aliyos and lead davening, yet there is separate seating. (I am not referring to separate women's prayer groups, but to services attended by men and women.) Should those of us who identify as Orthodox encourage participation by non-Orthodox Jews in these types of activities? On an individual level, it would certainly seem preferable to the "anything goes" mentality of the Conservative movement. Yet on an ideological level, can we support activity that is regarded as inconsistent with halacha by virtually all rabbinic authorities, whether modern or charedi? Further, the Conservative movement does not represent a real threat to Orthodoxy. But perhaps activities and services that blur the lines between Orthodoxy and non-Orthodoxy do. Services that are non-Orthodox but have separate seating can and do attract those who identify as modern Orthodox, and thus present a challenge to mainstream modern Orthodoxy. It is almost inevitable that as Conservative Judaism continues to move to the left and become increasingly indistinguishable from the Reform movement, many who are not Orthodox will look for more traditional religious expression. I'm not sure whether there is an appropriate Orthodox position on this, but the issues are important and should be grappled with by Orthodox Jews. The Times and Kirby Puckett I don't have any profound thoughts about the unfortunate passing of Minnesota Twins great Kirby Puckett. But how on earth did today's New York Times sports section have nothing at all about Puckett? Instead, the Times published a bland obituary about Puckett on its obituary page in the A section. The Apprentice After getting home from work at around 8:45, I watched part of The Apprentice last night. I found the show to be quite boring, and many of the contestants to be egomaniacal. At around 9:20, after what seemed to be an hour of this slow-paced program, I switched over to the end of the Rangers game. Lee Bienstock seems like a nice guy who is willing to accept professional criticism and modify his approach, but who is probably not yet qualified to manage and lead a group of others. NCAA Office Pools Why is it that people who know nothing about college basketball insist on holding NCAA tournament office pools? Monday, March 06, 2006
Why Yeshivas Don't Receive Communal Support Note: The following views are solely my own, and should not be construed otherwise. There are many reasons why yeshivas and day schools do not receive significant communal support. Among them are the financial support for kollels, the many chesed charities that tug at the heart, the support for Jewish outreach activities, the fact that many give much less than 10 percent of their net income to charity, and the failure of Roshei Yeshiva to stress that tzedekah should be allocated to Jewish education. I believe, however, that even many who in the abstract strongly agree that yeshivas and day schools must receive much more communal support still do not give more than a small amount of tzedekah to schools. I think there are two primary reasons for this. Take an observant Jewish family that by most standards has enough income to be described as upper-middle class. If they live in a predominantly Orthodox neighborhood, their housing costs are likely to be high. Add to that tuition costs for their children, and they may struggle to maintain a middle class lifestyle. Still, let's assume that these people are sure to give 10 percent of their net income to tzedekah. Will they give much to yeshivas and day schools? Likely not. If they have children in school, they are probably not getting any discount on tuition. Plus, they may be squeezed into contributing to their children's school's annual dinner fundraiser. They likely will feel that this is more than a sufficient contribution to our schools. Almost certainly, they won't give more money to the schools attended by their children In this regard, the problem is circular: As long as tuition is high, many in the community who pay such tuition will balk at giving more to schools. Yet if people who allocate and give money to tzedekah won't give to schools, tuition will remain high. There is a second reason for why many people don't give very much to schools: Other than their children's schools, the yeshivas most of us are familiar with are the ones we attended. For whatever reason - justified or not - many people have a negative or neutral (but not positive) attitude toward the schools they attended as children. They might feel that the school was too strict or too modern, they might feel they were treated poorly by a particular rebbi, or they might feel that the school has completely ignored them because they aren't wealthy, and see no reason or need to initiate contact by making a contribution. If they don't have a positive attitude toward the schools they spent years attending, they won't give very much to those schools. One solution to all of this might be for schools to formally establish scholarship and financial aid programs, and to solicit communal support for these programs. While money is fungible, there are many who would contribute toward a scholarship who would not otherwise give money directly to the school. When the money is going directly to actual people who really need it, the tzedekah would have the feel of chesed toward the beneficiary. Of course, for this to work beyond the short-term, there would have to be assurances that the money was going directly to those who need help. Otherwise, if these programs were not properly run, cynicism among many in the community would deepen, resulting in a loss for the school, for those who could benefit from aid, and for the community generally. Jets Clearance Sale Cheap jerseys are available over at the Jets shop. Kevin Mawae jersey are on sale for $19.68, and are available in green or white. A John Abraham jersey can be had for a mere $5. Santana Moss jerseys are also going for $5, available in toddler, youth, or junior. Ty Law youth jerseys are $10.24. I purchased a white Mawae jersey, along with a Moss toddler jersey. Ode to the USFL On January 23, 1983, a young boy's dreams were dashed. Eight days earlier, on his tenth birthday, the New York Jets had stunned the Oakland Raiders. Led by two late 4th quarter Lance Mehl interceptions, the Jets' 17-14 victory gave them a berth in the AFC Championship game against the Miami Dolphins. But on a soaked and muddy field, the Jets lost to the Dolphins. They would not be playing in Super Bowl XVII against the Washington Redskins. The boy knew that his talented Jets team would soon make it to the Super Bowl. But what would he do until the NFL season came back in September? He suffered a terrible case of the flu just when his parents visited Israel for two weeks, and missed two weeks of school. And during those two weeks, he learned that football would be back much sooner than he had known. A new league called the USFL was starting up, and the local team had made a splash, signing Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker. The New Jersey Generals could never be the Jets, but for 18 weeks, they filled the void left by the Jets' bitter defeat. Even Giants fans could join in rooting for the new football team in town. The Generals first played 23 years ago today, on March 6, 1983. They lost to the Los Angeles Express. Aside from Walker, the 1983 Generals weren't very good. But the next year, they were acquired by Donald Trump, hired ex-Jets coach Walt Michaels, and signed Brian Sipe to play quarterback. Michaels, Sipe and Walker led the '84 Generals to a 14-4 record and a trip to the playoffs. The next season was fun too, when the 1985 Generals signed another Heisman Trophy winner - Doug Flutie - and finished 11-7. But the 1986 season never came. There was a lawsuit that had to be decided first. One day in the glorious summer of '86, when the Mets were better than any other team in the world, the lawsuit was decided. There were all sorts of legal jargon that the now 13 year old boy would one day understand. But all he cared about then was that they said on the radio and in the newspapers that the USFL would be gone forever and never come back. For too short a time, we lived in a world in which real football was played in March, April, May and June. Sundays were better then, and the wait for the Jets to come back and finally make it to the Super Bowl didn't seem quite so long. Friday, March 03, 2006
Obligation to Support Torah Education Until the affluent recognize that chinuch, including basic Torah education, must in this period be regarded as the top tzedakah priority and contribute the share that they are obligated to contribute, our schools will continue to operate in a state of penury and the bulk of the financial burden will be on parents who are already struggling to meet their obligations. Thursday, March 02, 2006
Parcells Era Only A Memory ESPN is reporting that the Jets have released center Kevin Mawae. Unless I am forgetting someone, the releases of Mawae, Jason Fabini and Jerald Sowell, along with the retirements of Vinny Testaverde and Wayne Chrebet, mean that only Curtis Martin remains from the Bill Parcells era. Parcells did draft Chad Pennington, John Abraham and Shaun Ellis in 2000. I am not happy about the Mawae release. While he is 35 years old and may not be among the best few centers in the NFL anymore, he was still a very effective player and a team leader. ESPN also reports that the Jets and Chad Pennington are negotiating over a one year deal worth between $3 million and $4 million. That report makes no sense, since a one year deal would have severe salary cap ramifications, resulting in a $15 million salary cap hit. It's frustrating how ignorant people who cover football are about the cap. I really should go work for the Jets as Mike Tannenbaum's replacement as salary cap guru. I'm the only person I know who understands the cap. Finally, ESPN also reports that the Raiders will release QB Kerry Collins. The Jets apparently have no interest in Collins, but he is a durable quarterback with a strong arm who was good enough to get the Giants to the Super Bowl. UPDATE: The NFL has extended the start of the league year to Monday, with talks over a new collective bargaining agreement to resume. As a result, the Pennington and Mawae situations will remain unresolved until Sunday night. Indeed, all of today's player cuts are now void, and those players can be brought back by their original teams. Unfortunately, by deciding to cut Mawae today, the Jets may have already burned their bridges with him, by making it clear that he's not wanted by the new Tanginibaum regime. Blogger Pseudonyms and Lashon Hora Very perceptive comment by Charlie Hall, who wrote yesterday that he will be blogging under his real name because "I figure I'm less likely to publish lashan hara if I am accountable for what I write." I believe the most negative aspect of the Jblogosphere to be the personal attacks on others. Often these attacks are not even over significant substantive issues. As a medium, blogging is highly susceptible to lashon hora because bloggers tend to write quickly upon hearing or reading something that causes them to react strongly. I am certainly not immune to this, though I have tried hard to improve in this regard. In the early stages of this blog, I was not careful enough about what I'd write. Over time, several people who I criticized (and presumably came across my posts mentioning them via Internet searches of their name) took me to task over what I'd written. In some instances, I felt that what I wrote was appropriate, such as where I might have disagreed with an article they had written. But at other times, I had to admit that what I'd written had crossed the line and was inappropriate. The majority of Jbloggers are anonymous and therefore have no such accountability. I believe that such lack of accountability is part of the reason for the unnecessary nastiness that too often permeates the Jewish blogosphere. Big Day For Jets Today will be a significant day in Jets history. The decisions made in the coming hours will have a significant impact on the team's success in the coming years of the Tannenbaum/Mangini regime. It sounds as though the Jets will release Kevin Mawae and Pete Kendall. I disagree with releasing Mawae. Kendall is worth keeping if - and only if - he takes a pay cut. The Jets also might be getting set to trade John Abraham. Today's Bergen Record reports that a trade of Abraham is "pretty much done." The big question is what will happen with Chad Pennington. Most local papers are reporting that the Jets and Pennington will probably come to terms on a new deal at a lower base salary. My intuition tells me otherwise, that sometime today Pennington will be cut, ending his Jets career and leaving the team with $12 million in dead salary cap money. I hope I am wrong. Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Netanyahu Economic Policies For all the populist claims that Likud leader hurt Israel's poor during his tenure as finance minister, Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics states that in fact, unemployment reached a five-year low in 2005. 93,000 new jobs were created in 2005, and since Netanyahu became finance minister in 2003, more than 200,000 who were jobless returned to work. During that time, Israel's economy grew by more than 4 percent annually. Netanyahu's severe cuts in social welfare did have an adverse effect on those who remained without jobs. But many others in Israel's lower and working classes benefited from his reforms. Charlie Hall Charlie Hall's insightful (and often contrarian) comments have long been a valuable asset to the Jblogosphere, and over the last few months, this site has benefited from Charlie's thoughts. Now, Charlie has started his own blog. His blog is already rather unique among Jblogs, because he actually uses his real name - Charlie Hall. He's off to a strong start. Let's hope he continues to contribute to comments on other blogs too. Another Jets Update Last night, Chad Pennington held an informal conference call with the media, in which he expressed hope that he will remain with the Jets, while stating that he understands that the NFL is a business and that things may not get worked out. All of the media appear to be taking the Pennington interview as a sure sign that a deal is imminent. Maybe they're right, but I'm not so sure. If I deal were really imminent, wouldn't Chad just keep quiet for a few days, and then say lots of nice things about the Jets once a deal is in place? It sounds to me more like either a negotiating tactic, with Pennington taking the position that he wouldn't be devastated to leave, and/or a goodbye to Jets fans and the New York media. Complicating the Pennington negotiations are the breakoff in negotiations over a new NFL collective bargaining agreement. Without a new CBA by tomorrow night, it becomes virtually impossible to sign players to incentive-based deals, because 2007 would be an uncapped year, and therefore any incentives earned would accrue on the cap immediately rather than in the following season. Thus, the Jets probably cannot sign Pennington to a new deal with a low base salary and a chance to make millions more in incentives. Furthermore, in 2007, players cannot get raises of more than 30 percent from their 2006 salary, and Pennington is not likely to agree to a low base salary when even if he comes back strong, he would remain at a low salary in 2007. The media are also reporting that the Jets will likely release center Kevin Mawae. While I'm not necessarily averse to trading Mawae, who is now past his prime, releasing him makes no sense. It would only save the Jets around $1.1 million in cap space, and they would have to find another center. If the Jets are going to get rid of their entire offensive line, Pennington and other quarterbacks would be wise to stay as far away from the team as possible. | "
