As part of a Special Edition by the Yiddish-language publication “A Blik Arim Dee Velt” (A Look Around the World) commemorating the two-week mark since Leiby Kletzky A”H was laid to rest, Political and Community Leaders provided me the following statements. (It is available in Yiddish in the latest edition of A Blik):

By: Yossi Gestetner

Eric Schneiderman, New York State Attorney General: “Our thoughts and prayers are with Leiby Kletzky family as we collectively mourn the devastating loss of an innocent life. To his family and the people of New York, they shall be assured that the law enforcement community stands united in bringing Leiby’s murderer to justice for this horrific and unspeakable crime.”

Rabbi Chiam David Zwiebel, Agudah Yisroel: “The question we need to ask ourselves is not just what we should do to better protect our innocent young kinder’lach from the dangerous outside world, but also what we should do to better ensure that the next troubled young person in our midst will receive the attention he needs — medical attention as well as human attention — to prevent him from becoming a menace to himself and the community.”

Rabbi Abe Friedman, Community Representative to Law Enforcement Agencies: “This catastrophic tragedy is nothing short of another 9/11, affecting not only the Jewish community, but every parent of every faith. It is a wake-up call to every parent and child: The world as we know it has changed and we must make our children aware of our new reality. Klal Yisroel is to be commended for the unbelievable display of Achdus that was displayed during this time, as countless individuals, communities and organizations came together to contribute in any way they could. Be it searching, donating money, assisting volunteers and the NYPD, and at the levaya in showing support for the Kletzky family. Additionally, the NYPD and other members of law enforcement should be recognized for their swift response and sensitivity throughout this ordeal. While hundreds of children go missing on a weekly basis, it was clear that they took this case very personally. In fact, after learning of Leiby’s brutal murder, I personally saw numerous officers who kept their police shields covered, a gesture of respect normally displayed for a fallen officer.

Dov Hikind, New York State Assemblyman: “I was and still am amazed at the tremendous show of unity in our community and the unbelievable effort on the part of the Shomrim and the NYPD. I am hopeful that this achdus will last well into the future. I am also absolutely in awe of the strength and courage of Leiby’s parents and family. When I asked Nachman how he was, this man, who just lost his son less than two weeks ago, had the presence of mind to ask after my well-being. That, to me, is simply incredible. I continue to pray for the continued healing of the entire Kletzky family and all those who have been forever impacted by the devastating loss of Leiby.”

NYC Council Member David Greenfield: “The tragic death of Leiby Kletzky, a”h, shook the frum community, and all of New York City, to its core. During this difficult time, the achdus of our community that was displayed during and after the search has given us all strength as a community. In Leiby’s memory, I am introducing legislation that would establish a citywide safe haven program allowing businesses and homeowners that pass background checks to display a sticker letting children who are lost, hurt or afraid, know that there is someplace safe to go for help. I continue to keep the Kletzky family in my thoughts and prayers and I will do whatever I can as a member of the City Council to ensure that Leiby’s legacy endures.”

Yakov Daskal, Shomrom: “The hurt that caused will always linger. A call to Boro Park Shomrim about a missing child will take on a completely different meaning.”

Yankee German, “Two weeks later the world is still up with the Kidush Hashem that we had the Zechuah to find the body and berry the corps, and to bring together Klal Yisroel to do Teshuva together.”

Meier Hersh Berger, Chesed Shell Emes: “To the community I say: As much as we sometimes see infighting, deep down we are one. No one asked which Sekt Leiby belongs, or to which fraction of a Sekt he belongs. Everyone just went out and gave away hour in extreme weather to search! So the infightings are just smoking screens and on the top, but deep down we are ONE! “To the Father Reb Nachman I say: Leiby must have had a tremendous Zechus, that he was the one to show us the above message, and your Hesped was the topping of the Kiddush Hashem.

Zev Brenner, Talk Show Host: “The only possible silver lining in the horrendous killing of Leiby Kletzky was the sense of unity displayed by 5000 volunteers who really didn’t have much connection to one another except they wanted to help in finding a little boy who had disappeared. They wanted to do something concrete and they came from all over to do whatever they could. Groups that normally don’t work together set aside their differences for the sake of helping Leiby. If that sense of unity can continue to prevail that would be a wonderful legacy for the soul of Leiby Kletzky.”

Ezra Friedlander, CEO, The Friedlander Group: “The community comes together when there is a crisis, now what’s required is to continue the atmosphere of unity and channel it towards an endeavor of with the widest possible reach.”

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Get this: The twelve year Republican Congress (which started in 1995 and concluded by 2007) raised the Debt Ceiling by $4 trillion. During the following four years that the Democrats had the Congress, the Ceiling was raised by a total of $5.3 trillion.

Here it gets juicy: The Debt Ceiling under President Reagan was raised eighteen times to a total of $1.85 trillion (See Table 7.3). This is less than the $3 trillion-plus already raised under President Obama! Raising the Ceiling 18 times during the eight Reagan years meant a Ceiling battle every 5.3 months (on average), with an average rise of only $102 billion per increase. So… does Obama really want to get the Reagan Treatment? Well… Em, ah, er.

(Even after adjusting for inflation, Reagan got way less per increase than what Obama got — $1 trillion per pop for Obama, on average! In terms of the amount of times Reagan needed to ask for an increase, well… a year still has only twelve months in it just as it did twenty-thirty years ago. Reagan was forced to stand before Congress every 5.3 months asking for money, but Obama is not happy with the Republican House offer of a seven-eight month extension)

An honest debate about the Ceiling is NOT how many times it was raised by this Congress or under that President. Instead, let’s see by how much it was raised; by how much more will we raise it, and how fast will we burn through the new debt.

RELATED: Only 12% of Each Dollar in New #Debt is From Bush Tax Cuts (27% if You Add ALL Tax Changes Since 2001) http://t.co/eI32TvW 

DEAL: $23.3 Billion in Bogus Monthly Cuts for GOP; $155.5 Billion in REAL New Monthly Debt for Obama http://bit.ly/r88JwO

THINGS GOT BETTER? FDIC Closed More Banks in 2011 Than the Eight Bush Years Combined http://t.co/d4ddxmA

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The Leiby Kletzky Memorial Fund went public Wednesday July 20, when The Kletzky Family concluded Shiva. Since then, the fund raised almost $200,000. This is a remarkable amount as is, especially when factoring in that the Shabbos prohibited its mostly Jewish donors from contributing for a stretch of more than 25 hours.

At the time of this writing, Sunday July 24 6:39 PM, the fund already raised a total of $194,216 from between 4,266 donors. This brings the average contribution to $45.53; which is slightly lower than the first few hours last Wednesday when the average contribution topped $51.00.

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Based on available information, the FBI is not anymore involved in the New Square Arson Attempt case. Why? It was never a Federal Case to begin with! “The Feds” never took it over; they only “assisted” the local Police Department in the investigation. This is a routine move by the Feds anytime something out of the ordinary takes place, (such as a Hasidic kid trying to burn down a house…). Once the FBI does not see any evidence beyond the headline story (in this case that someone tried burning down a house), they pack their bags and skip town. If they see potential evidence of a larger story, they may take over a case altogether. Federal boys aren’t the type of being half-in/half-out.

Additionally, based on available information, the case is (back) in the hands of the Rockland County DA’s Office, instead of it being in Westchester County.

The story is still an open book and more information and/or evidence may emerge one way or another. However, the recent developments as is will certainly lead the detractors of the Hasidic Community to conclude that “the power” of New Square successfully got in the way of Justice. But, claiming that a Grand Rabbi of a large Hasidic sect – or his responsible deputies – would send a youngster to kill others or to “only” burn down a house, was bizarre to begin with. It was a charge reflected in hate and/or a misunderstanding as to how a Hasidic Community runs on a day to day basis. No, I won’t deny that the New Square Leadership had issues with the victim; a controversial issue on its own. However, from “having issues” with someone to sending people burning houses with people in it, is a large leap, and something that – based on the current evidence – does not hold up in a Court of Law, regardless the one-sided reports from bias journalists.

Additionally, claiming that a local Police Department, a County District Attorney (for whose 2007 campaign I did some translating work), or Federal agents will look the other way in a potential murder case based on “power” from a Community, is stepping into uncharted territory that should not have place in objective reports or in mature conversations regarding this sad event. The case on its own – that a family was nearly killed – is disastrous for the Community as is. Generating conspiracies based on wishful thinking or on some anecdotal hearsay, does not serve well anyone at anytime, certainly not the standard of journalism.

UPDATE: The Feds may be “involved” in the case such as following the outcome, but based on my understanding they do not have an active role in the ongoing investigation.

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This article was also posted by The American Thinker

Reports have it that America’s current longest-serving Governor Texas Republican Rick Perry may enter the 2012 republican presidential primary race. While Tim Pawlenty is my favorite of within the group who already declared that they are seeking the Republican nomination, I hope that Perry gets into the race. If he does, Republican voters and Americans in general should want to see the Governor of America’s second largest state and the current Chairman of the Republican Governor’s Association to go and win the Republican Primary and then the White House too.

Here is why:

ü  2011 was the seventh year in a row that Chief Executive.net after surveying 550 CEO’S rated Texas as the most business friendly state. Other studies, such as CNBC in 2010, also placed Texas at the top of its list.

ü  Texas was of the first states to emerge from the recent recession (they emerged in 2009, a year when Texas spent the fourth least per capita between the other forty nine states).

ü  Only nine states had a net gain of jobs in the five years from March 2006 through March 2011. Texas gained 539,500 jobs versus a combined 134,400 jobs gained between the other eight states. (Other states – as PolitiFact notes in the above link – ‘created’ more jobs than Texas, but lost more too…  As for having a net gain of jobs, Texas won the battle).

ü  “Since the recovery began, 38% of all jobs created in America have been created in Texas,” according to Richard Fisher, the President of the Dallas Federal Reserve. (This is the Reserve’s 11’Th district, 96% of it is the State of Texas.)

ü  As for expected 2011 spending as a percent of a state’s GSP (Gross State Product, its economic size), Texas is tied for the best place with Colorado to each spend only 6.60% compared to its economic size.

ü  2011 expected spending per state combined with spending of local governments – who due to State cut backs may increase spending on their own – places Texas at the forth best when measuring state/local spending as a percent of the State’s economic size.

ü  Texas is only one of seven states that do not punish people for working (meaning, the State does not collect Income Tax).

ü  For 2010, only eleven states (most of them with Republican governors…) had smaller deficits per capita than the one of Texas. The average states’ deficit per capita (per person) was more than three times larger than Texas.

ü  In dollar terms, Texas – as the nation’s second largest state by population and territory – indeed has one of the largest expected state deficits for 2011 and 2012. It is expected to be between $15 and $26 billion over the next two years. However, the State has a $9.6 billion Economic Stabilization (rainy day) Fund that can be tapped to use without raising taxes or increasing spending. Few states have this size of a luxury.

ü  Based on a March 9, 2011 analysis by the Center on Budget and Policy, Texas’ deficit for Fiscal Year 2011 – before trying to close the  gap with measures such as tapping the Rainy Fund – is 10.8% of the overall budget size. At least thirty other states have larger deficits as a percent of their overall budges size.

The budget numbers change as the weeks go by because negotiations and votes are ongoing to complete current and future budget expenditures. The bottom line however is that Texas beats most states in terms of spending per capita and spending compared to its economic size, yet the state is still the most successful in terms of the recovery and jobs. Its deficits are relatively low compared to most other states (looking at the pure dollar sums of deficits is a misleading tactic by Liberals who want to put down the anti-Labor Unions State of Texas. Objective economists however look on deficits as compared to the population and compared to the economic size; Texas shines by these measures). Perry’s economic and fiscal record of the last ten-plus years beats the reckless policies of the Democrats and President Obama in Washington who – since taking power of the Congress in 2007 and control of the White House two years later – have ushered in a cascade of economic misery with no end it site.

Perry will have some explaining to do as to why Texas has bad ratings on the Health Care coverage and access front. Furthermore, few Conservatives will be happy when they will learn that in the 1980’s Perry was a few times elected to the Texas State House as a Democrat and that he was the Texas Chairman of Al Gore’s 1988 failed presidential campaign. (Perry switched parties in 1990.) However, Reagan too was a Democrat, and no candidate or chief executive is perfect and stainless on all issues. At a time when most Americans rate the economy as poor and when 48% in a CNN poll expect an economic depression in the next twelve months, it is time for Obama to pack his bags and let Perry take over.

The following was cross psoted by www.vosisneias.com Direct Link:  http://www.vosizneias.com/85700/2011/06/17/rockland-county-ny-spring-valley-village-clerk-says-assaulted-by-chasidim-threatens-to-sue

Local media are reporting that an African America from Spring Valley NY may sue after her children were hit by Jews moments after – as she says – one of her children accidently threw a water balloon on a passing car. The stories suggest that the driver jumped out of the car, ran after an 11 year old and started hitting the kid. Soon, dozens of Jews joined in the attack.

This narrative is false. Here are the facts:

Wednesday June 15 at 10:45, a motorist took a turn off Monsey Blvd onto Fletcher in Spring Valley New York. The driver, a Jew, suddenly got physically hit by something that flew into his car through an open window. After swerving and then gaining controlling of his car, the driver pulled into a Parking Lot in the area and contacted Chaverim of Rockland; a volunteer service organization of the local Jewish Community. After arriving, the members noticed it was a water balloon that was thrown at the car. After speculating if it was a mistake or a dangerous game by some, Chaverim observed from a covert location that youngsters are indeed waiting alongside the road, inching for trouble. However, cars driven by non-Jews were not attacked until a Volunteer of Chaverim passed and his car was hit by water balloons and small stones too.

After observing this, the members contacted the Police Department and ran after the perpetrators to try identify them for PD. Not wanting to physically hold down a minor and be subject to chargers, a few Volunteers obstructed the entrance of a house in an effort to prevent the youngsters from disappearing inside. At the same time, many African Americans at the scene started pushing and shoving the Jews in an effort to permit the perpetrators – who obviously were not supervised by responsible adults – to enter inside, and thus make it difficult to hold them accountable. This caused a physical struggle between the sides. At the time the Police arrived, they charged one member of the Jewish community and ticked another one for this scuffle.

Based on media reports, the parent is working with the NAACP and considering suing. In the mean time, some locals – including myself who was raised in a single parent household yet B”H never threw stones at passing cars - hope that instead of lawsuits, parents will spend time 1) keeping tabs on their youngsters at the night hours; 2) teaching them to not play dangerous games against motor vehicles, and 3) to give them an upbringing that does not cause them to racially distinguish between Jewish and non-Jewish drivers/people.

contact yossi@yossigestetner.com

Click here for the Yiddish Page to read my statement surrounding my work following the New Square arson attempt. I didn’t get to writing it in English yet…

Check our Twitter Account http://mobile.twitter.com/yossigestetner to see the results and updates of the Budget and School Board elections that took place Tuesday in East Ramapo, NY

In its editorial this week, Dee Tzeitung Editor – between others – asks something along this line: ‘Who is the real Taliban: us Orthodox Jews/Hasidim who don’t dictate how other people should lead their lives, or is it those who jump up and down to dictate how Hasidim should or should not lead their lives?’

Indeed, he makes a good point. And again, from the storm regarding the photo, few would know that the Editor’s wife is the one that mostly runs the paper, and that the Editor was all for Hill in 2008 vs. Obama…

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As written here, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), filed a complained with the Civil Rights Office (CRO) of the U.S. Department of Education against the Board of Education at the East Ramapo Central School District in Rockland County NY. Based on the nature of the charges, the CRO opened an investigation in the matter.

After reviewing their three allegations of Civil Rights discriminations, one would see that none of them holds much in it, besides for climbing on straight walls to smear a group of people on the Board who are working to enhance the education and accommodations for special needs children.

Allegation One is that the District provides Private School placements for White, but not to non-White, disabled children. Fact: Because – in many cases – The District cannot provide fair and appropriate education to some (such as Yiddish-speaking, culturally different) students, the District therefore pays for the severely handicapped and developmentally challenged kids to enroll in private institutions that fits their needs. This service is provided to any student on a case-by-case review if so requested by the parent.

Allegation Two in the complaint is that The District segregates students on the basis of race by providing a “white-only” kindergarten. Fact: The District has a class of six severely handicapped and developmentally challenged Jewish kids who understand each other based on language and culture, not race. In fact, The District has similar – and perhaps lager – such classes for Haitian American kids with special needs. In addition, following the Haiti earthquake, The District put together a few of classes where only Haitian American kids were placed to make it easiest possible for them in this new country.

Allegation Three: the complaint alleges that the District fails to recruit and hire a sufficient number of non-white teachers and district wide administrators such as assistant super attendants. Fact: 1) The current Interim Superintendent is a member from a minority group, he is Jewish. 2) Two of the five current Assistant Superintendents were hired by the Jewish-led Board, and both hires are minorities. One is an African American Woman, and the other is from Puerto Rico communities. 3) More than fifty percent of the School Principles are members from minority communities. 

Apparently, the NAACP in this area has more interest in steering up racial fights than to actually lift a finger to help advance the needs of people.

I would like to say a few words regarding some forces who ‘Kvetch’ often about the Board of Education of the East Ramapo (NY) Central School District: They are driven by hate!

They – The mid-Hudson and Westchester regions director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) , and the President of the Spring Valley, NY chapter of the NAACP – work officially to fight discrimination and to protect Civil Rights, but it is likely hate that drives them to file complains and publish negative reports against the Orthodox Jewish/Hasidic Board members who have a majority on the nine-seat School District’s BOE.

A sample of a disgraceful anti-Jewish move by the NAACP is the Press Release the Spring Valley chapter published in the afternoon of Monday, April 18, announcing that the US Department of Education’s Civil Right Division opened an investigation against The Board in response to a complaint filed by the NAACP. The problem? Well, the Federal DOE notified the NAACP and The Board in a letter dated ten days earlier – April 8 – about the inquiry. In fact, Wilbur Aldridge, director for the mid-Hudson and Westchester regions of the NAACP, told LoHud.com, the online edition of the Journal News, that news about the investigation came “last week,” (the week of April 10), yet the NAACP produced its Press Release only on Monday the 18′th, hours before the eight-day Passover holiday kicked in. With this deliberate delay, the NAACP limited  the ability of The Board to respond to the allegations in a timely fashion, since the Board adjourned for the holiday with its majority Orthodox Jewish/Hasidic members about to fully observe – without cell phone and electronic communications means – five of the following eight days starting with Sun Set of the 18′th.

The shameless act by the NAACP went a step further, including strongly misleading the press as to the will of the U.S. Department of Education. Wilbur Aldridge, the NAACP Mid-Hudson Director was quoted by the Journal News that “We cannot release any information as to what they’re looking at or what they’re looking for, but we do know that they have begun an investigation into the functioning of the East Ramapo School District,” and – reported LoHud – “adding that the U.S. Department of Education has asked [The NAACP] that the particulars of the investigation be withheld.”

The above information is contrary to what the Civil Right Office wrote to the ERCSD Board in its letter informing them about the Investigation. The Letter writes, “Under the Freedom of Information Act, it may be necessary to release this letter and related correspondence, and records upon request.” But again, the NAACP told differently to the press, likely with the goal to paint the Majority Jewish Board members in a dark light at a time when they hat limited-to-no reasonable chance to respond to the allegations.

It is a shame that people working for The NAACP, a group out there to advance the needs of minorities, uses religion and race to undermine members of another minority group while using severely handicapped and developmentally challenged kids as pawns. The disgrace grows even more when considering that the NAACP Spring Valley Chapter is located in one of New York’s most diverse villages whose Orthodox Jewish and Hasidic members shaped history eighteen months ago by making possible to elect New York State’s first Haitian American Mayor!

The Board Members at the ERCSD are using the success of the Private School system (where 2/3 of the local students are enrolled), to enhance multiple parts of the Public School system, most notably the Special Education division. This was done while keeping tax increases to a minimum; a move away from the past and a helpful move for locals in the troubling economic times of recent years. But from local groups and individual mouth-pieces, the Board gets mostly only complaints, fights, arguments and attacks, and at last this shameful act by the NAACP.

I hope the national NAACP will move to denounce its Spring Valley chapter and the Director of its Mid-Hudson and Westchester regions, and instruct them to work hand-in-hand with members of all communities for the good and the education of children in The District.

Contact: yossi@yossigestetner.com

Regardless your party affiliation, please write in less than 100 characters whom you would support/want to see as the Republicans Presidential candidate for 2012. Be it a person that is running, be it a person you want to see run. Regardless, please email it to yossi@yossigestetner.com. (add your Party affiliation and age if you wish to do so.)

The article that I posted Friday on my Blog was automatically sent to the email list Saturday afternoon. I apologize for not adjusting the delivery time that it should arrive Friday afternoon or perhaps Saturday night.

Yossi Gestetner