They don't have rights or the freedom to break our laws to practice their "culture." ---- Last week a federal judge ruled that the New York City Department of Health can require mohelim to obtain parental consent before they perform circumcision involving the ritual of metzitzah b’peh (MBP). http://nysd.uscourts.gov/cases/show.php?db=special&id=255
MBP, as defined by the Court in this case, is a “practice among some observant Jews in which a ritual circumciser, or mohel,” places his mouth on the place of circumcision in order to draw blood away from the wound. (The halachic background behind MBP will be discussed briefly below, and at greater length in an upcoming post.) The regulation at issue is § 181.21 of the New York City Health Code, which: defines “direct oral suction” as it relates to circumcision; requires that written parental consent be obtained before “direct oral suction” is performed during circumcision; and requires the person performing the circumcision to keep the consent form for at least one year. Before the regulation took effect, several Jewish advocacy groups, along with some mohelim, sued the NYC Dept. of Health to prevent its enforcement. However, they were dealt a big setback last week when U.S. District Court Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald denied their request for a preliminary injunction. Continue reading → ---- Filed under American Law, Halacha / Jewish Law, Health & Medicine, News Tagged as circumcision, free speech, metzitzah b'peh, religious freedom AUGUST 6, 2012 · 7:08 PM Rabbi Sues Pennsylvania over Funeral Laws >From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: An Orthodox rabbi from Pittsburgh has filed a federal lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Board of Funeral Directors and two other state officials, saying that the board is violating Jews’ religious freedom by insisting that licensed funeral directors oversee all burials. The suit from Rabbi Daniel Wasserman of Shaare Torah Synagogue in Squirrel Hill accuses the state Board of Funeral Directors of intimidating rabbis, synagogues, grieving Jewish families and funeral homes that cooperate with rabbis, in a quest for profit. It was filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, based in Scranton. Beyond what he does for his own synagogue, Rabbi Wasserman leads the group that organizes ritual mourning and burial for the wider Orthodox Jewish community in Pittsburgh. The lawsuit is “to preserve and restore the historical right of clergy to conduct religious burial and funeral rites free from interference and harassment by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and professional, secular funeral directors who serve no health or safety interest,” according to the lawsuit, which cites state and federal constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion. “Plaintiff — unlike some clergy from other religions — is now being threatened with civil action and criminal prosecution, including stiff fines and even imprisonment, for conducting religious funerals in place of licensed funeral directors who, under color of state law, interfere in purely religious observances for no other justification than personal profit,” according to the lawsuit. The rabbis comply with all state health rules for treatment of dead bodies, and the State Department of Health, not the State Board of Funeral Directors, is responsible for seeing that those rules are followed, according to the lawsuit. Continue Reading –> Leave a Comment Filed under American Law, Halacha / Jewish Law, News MAY 2, 2012 · 9:56 PM Medical Marijuana and Jewish Law By Dr. Wallace Greene On April 16, Greenleaf Compassion Center in Montclair was issued a permit by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services to begin growing medicinal marijuana. A permit to dispense medicinal marijuana will be issued to Greenleaf when its dispensary is operational. That is expected to occur in about six months. A physician’s task is to heal and to do no harm. Jewish medical oaths as well as the Hippocratic oath constantly emphasize the palliative aspect of medical care. Jewish law has codified the role of the physician, and prescribes strict standards regarding the treatment of patients. It has been documented that marijuana is an analgesic for sufferers of nausea related to chemotherapy, appetite, and weight loss related to AIDS, migraine headaches, Alzheimer’s, muscle spasms, fibromyalgia, arthritic pain, glaucoma, and other conditions. If marijuana is superior to other drugs, and concerns raised about its continued usage, we need to analyze a number of pertinent halachic issues. We need to determine whether it is permissible to prescribe marijuana according to Jewish law. We are not dealing with legal issues from the perspective of secular law. Other states have legalized medical marijuana and New Jersey is only months away from doing so. Our discussion is framed by strictly halachic considerations. Even where marijuana has been legalized, do its dangerous side effects militate against its use? Does compassion for the patient override concerns of possible long-term harm? Under which circumstances may a patient put himself into a potentially harmful situation? If the non- medicinal properties of marijuana promote a feeling of well-being so that a patient feels relief, does that constitute a valid reason to prescribe it? Continue reading → 1 Comment Filed under Halacha / Jewish Law, Health & Medicine, News Tagged as medical marijuana APRIL 25, 2012 · 12:20 PM Court Addresses Anti-Semitic Discrimination on Eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day Last week on April 18th, while Israel began its observance of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), a New Jersey court addressed anti- Semitic discrimination in the workplace in the case of Cowher v. Carson & Roberts. The law at issue, New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination, N.J.S.A. 10:5-1, et seq., was originally enacted in 1945––the year that saw the end of the Holocaust––to “eradicate the cancer of discrimination.”(1) This case of harassment, though, is somewhat unique. Myron Cowher was a truck driver in New Jersey. For over a year, two of Cowher’s supervisors continually uttered slurs about Jews, directed at him. After he stopped working at the company due to disability, Cowher sued under New Jersey’s Law Against Discrimination (LAD). The problem: Myron Cowher is not Jewish. Continue reading → On Feb 16, 6:02 pm, Mustang <[email protected]> wrote: > They don't have rights or the freedom to break our laws to practice their > "culture." As to antagonize... they wake up each day painfully agonizing > over what to be antagonized about today. Their rights end where mine begin. > Their cultural and religious values are vastly different from our > Constitution, Bill of Rights, everything our country was created for, and > just plain common sense. Regardless of any belief system, it doesn't take a > rocket scientist to figure out "Do unto others as you would have them do unto > you." > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esrKEQB6p7k > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujqmv-VPN6I > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTUd-rWncuw > > In response to your question, I ask... Why do they antagonize us? Why do > they block busy public streets to pray? Why apply for driver license > identification fully covered except for the eyes and be offended? When > walking into a bank fully covered in a burka, expect to be scrutinized and > watched carefully. In Texas, muslims bought land next to a long established > hog farm and then decided their rights and culture should be respected by > demanding the farm shut down. Women and men walking on public streets have > been threatened for being in "muslim territory." Why do they segregate > themselves, exclude American customs and culture while demanding their > inclusion and our obedience to their quaint ways? > > It's not up to me to assimilate into any foreign "culture." It's up to them > to respect and accept American culture. They had a good idea what things are > like here. Don't preach to me. Don't beat, maim, throw acid at, marry for > an hour, or kill women. Don't marry, abuse, or chop off the hands of 6 year > old children. Don't hang, whip, or stone people to death in the public > square... or privately. Don't tell women how to dress. Don't try to tell > tell me what I am allowed to eat, how my food should be prepared, when to > pray, etc. > > To someone who refuses to be a gracious and polite guest... if America isn't > what you are looking for... go somewhere else. Don't travel around the world > obsessively complaining about... everything. You don't have to like me, but > my country and I do deserve respect. I have rights too. > > > ________________________________ > From: Brian Bednarek <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2013 5:54 AM > Subject: Re: Fw: Kentucky Man Says His Watermelon-Eating Obama Sculpture > Ain't Racist > > Again, you ave freedom here that you would not have anything else ... why > would you purposely do something to antagonize another person??? > > On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 5:01 PM, Mustang <[email protected]> wrote: > > If it's against their teachings, then they should follow and obey... up to > the point when it is against our laws such as honor killings and chopping off > heads and hands. Everything seems to offend and incite them into screaming > that they are victims. > > > > > > > > > > >Every religion has their own teaching, yet they don't require that everyone > >on the planet follow along. Portraying someone, anyone, eating watermelon > >is not racist. It's a fact of life. People eat watermelon and even chew > >watermelon flavored gum. > > > >Ultra-Orthodox Jews in my neighborhood have stopped me on the street and/or > >knocked on my door many times to ask me to adjust the lights in their homes > >on Friday nights. They don't care if I had porkchops for dinner. They > >sincerely thank me and offer a token of appreciation - a treat from dinner > >or for tomorrow's meal. > > > >People need to stop claiming to be "bullied" because they choose to be > >different and "offended" because I am also different. Political correctness > >is absurd. It's mind control and people control. Your rights end where > >mine begin. Self proclaimed victims need to grow some thicker skin, or > >better yet, go pray. > > > >Mustang > > >----- Forwarded Message ----- > >From: Brian Bednarek <[email protected]> > >To: [email protected] > >Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 10:14 AM > >Subject: Re: Kentucky Man Says His Watermelon-Eating Obama Sculpture Ain't > >Racist > > >Of course there are no restrictions against depicting the President in any > >religion I am aware of, but we all know that it is against Muslim teachings > >to represent humans and their prophet, I am sure you can see how that would > >be inciteful and REALLY not be the same thing!!! > > >On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 1:11 PM, Travis <[email protected]> wrote: > > >I think it is great. I thik he should have another one of MoHAMhead eating > >a pork chop. > > >>On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:08 PM, Brian Bednarek <[email protected]> wrote: > > >>There is a touch of racism, but I agree that it falls under freedom of > >>speech (expression)!!! > > >>>On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 11:59 AM, Travis <[email protected]> wrote: > > >>>>http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/kentucky-man-says-his-obama-eating... > > >>>>-- > >>>>-- > >>>>Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > >>>>For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > >>>> > >>>>* Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > >>>>* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > >>>>* Read the latest breaking news, and more. > >>>> > >>>>--- > >>>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >>>>"PoliticalForum" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to mailto:politicalforum%[email protected]. > > > > > > > > > > >>>>For more options, visithttps://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > >>>> > >>>> > > >>>-- > >>>brine > >>>http://brineb.blogspot.com/ > >>>-- > >>>-- > >>>Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > >>>For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > >>> > >>>* Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > >>>* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > >>>* Read the latest breaking news, and more. > >>> > >>>--- > >>>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >>>"PoliticalForum" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to mailto:politicalforum%[email protected]. > > > > > > > > > > >>>For more options, visithttps://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > >>> > >>> > > >>-- > >>-- > >>Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > >>For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > >> > >>* Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > >>* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > >>* Read the latest breaking news, and more. > >> > >>--- > >>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >>"PoliticalForum" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to mailto:politicalforum%[email protected]. > > > > > > > > > > > > >>For more options, visithttps://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > >> > >> > > >-- > >brine > >http://brineb.blogspot.com/-- > >-- > >Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > >For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > > >* Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > >* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > >* Read the latest breaking news, and more. > > > >--- > >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >"PoliticalForum" group. > >To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > >email to mailto:politicalforum%[email protected]. > >For more options, visithttps://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > > > > >-- > >-- > >Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > >For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > > >* Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > >* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > >* Read the latest breaking news, and more. > > > >--- > >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >"PoliticalForum" group. > >To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > >email to mailto:politicalforum%[email protected]. > >For more options, visithttps://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > > > > -- > brinehttp://brineb.blogspot.com/-- > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help seehttp://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community athttp://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. > > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "PoliticalForum" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visithttps://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PoliticalForum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
