What nails?

 

http://www.haaretz.com/israeli-convert-from-judaism-named-to-catholic-church-s-highest-court-1.365676

 

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/experts-question-claims-of-crucifixion-nails-discovery-1.359256

 

I think both news item converge to remind me of the story I heard about the retired builders merchant, Mark Steinberger whose son decided to expand the business.  Whilst his father reclined in Miami, he went on an advertising spreee, putting up huge billboards in all airports across the united states.  The posters depicted yoshkee on the x, with a message emblazoned underneath: "he's still ahnging on there, because they used Steinberger's nails".  A huge rucus breaks out, condemning Steinberger Builders Merchants for insulting the "hooley fate" Steinberger senior gets a call from his stockbroker, requesting him to jump on the first plane to N. Y., to sort out the mess. Descending from the plane, his face turns ashen as he realises what his boytchik has done to him.  Storming into the CEO's office he forces his son tor order a complete recall of the advert IMMEDIATELY!  His son complied and the father returned to his hole in California hoping to put the fiasco down to his son's lack of tarining.  Now that his son got the message he looks forward to a restful summer, only to be calledback again.  This time his trusted advisor begs him in a hoarse voice to please come back and try to explain to his son why the new advert is even worse than the original one.  Before he has a chance to ask about it, the 'phone at the other end is terminated and he's left booking a return ticket to N.Y., where upon arrival he manages to read the following message whilest the plane is slowly taxiing to the terminal: "he's not hanging anymore, because they didn't use Steinberger's nails".  This time though the x is empty and yoshkee's crumpled body is seen, lying on the ground, face down . . .

Beis Yaakov Girls School - A Milestone to Remember

Date: 20 June 2011 17:52

By: Menasche Scharf

The newly formed Beis Yaakov Girls School in Stamford Hill will be holding its first reception on Sunday Parshas Chukas 26^th June.  The Bays Yaakov Maydel Schule, as it is fondly called by the locals, has gained its sterling reputation in no small part because Yiddish is part of the curriculum.  The recent Ofsted inspection vindicated the schools' founders and supporters  when the inspectors gave the school a resounding thumbs up 

The school was founded by a group of young askanim who felt the acute pain and heartbreak of many a parent in our midst whose child could not be placed in a Jewish school, as an attempt to address  the lack of space in all the girls' schools.

This much needed facility is now turning to the community for help in ensuring the material requirements are met for both  the long and short term future.

A fund raising evening will be held at  the home of Mr Shlomo Sinitsky,  who is a trustee of this new school, in addition to his other communal commitments.

Dayan Padwa, shlita, the nasi of the school, will be in attendance to promote the core values of the school, which are being staunchly upheld by the staff and Acceptance Committee. The financial burden is carried by the school's finance committee whose tireless efforts have kept the school afloat, while the disproportionate expenses versus pupil ratio are currently unsustainable, due to the small number of children enrolled.

The school's management committee is full of hope that the community will take up this chance to help a new school with small beginnings which is set to grow into an award-winning educational powerhouse, producing real Yiddishe Mammes to shine forth in Klal Yisrael.

The planned September intake will reach the legal space limitation of the currently premises and the Building Committee is actively looking for larger premises for possible purchase in the near future.

Appeared in HaModia & The Jewish Tribune Parshas Chukas 5751 Edition

Below is a letter that I penned to Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald, following his article in KINYAN - the HaModia supplement,under the rubric "Ask the Mechanech":

Dear Rabbi Zecharya Greenwald

Re:  Solving the Acceptance Debacle (16 April 2015)

Your proposal for a new central database is an excellent idea, but it will not address the root cause of this debilitating illness.

We had the merit to start a new school for girls, which addressed the urgent need for more learning places in our town.

The acceptance process is pretty much the same as other - more established - schools, with the exception that we give parents space to grow with their child: most of the education committee's time goes towards ensuring that parents become more involved in Yiddishkeit.

What you write about the endemic problem with seminary age girls is applicable to any age group.

Menasche Scharf