Amazing Scoop at Roter.net: What is the Real Reason That Danny Rosen Wants to Sue Eli Yishai?

There is an amazing scoop on Rotter.net. You may have heard about what happened at a memorial ceremony for the victims of the Carmel fire:

Minister of Interior Eli Yishai had to be escorted out of an official memorial ceremony at Beit Oren Wednesday for the 44 people who died in the Carmel fire disaster. Yishai left, accompanied by Chief Sephardic Rabbi Shlomo Amar, after several family members of the fire's victims loudly interrupted Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu when he got up to speak.

The shouting was led by Danny Rosen, who was the life partner of Brigadier-General Ahuva Tomer, the female commander of Haifa Police who died in the blaze. Rosen, a retired member of Israel's security forces, stood up and singled out Yishai in the loud verbal attack, which he carried out from one of the front rows of chairs that seated the bereaved families. He said that Yishai had no right to be present at the ceremony and demanded that he leave. He then threatened that he and other relatives would leave the ceremony if Yishai did not.

Eli Yishai, together with Chief Rabbi Amar, nobly left the ceremony. However, Rosen's outburst was just the start. Now he wants to sue Eli Yishai:

Danny Rozen, the life partner of former Haifa Police chief Ahuva Tomer, told Israel Radio on Thursday that he would sue Interior Minister Eli Yishai.

"Eli Yishai has to pay" for the Carmel fire, Rozen said. "I will do whatever I can so he pays out of his own pocket."

I'm not a lawyer, but it doesn't seem to me that this suit has much merit. I was puzzled by the issue until I saw the following scoop by Moshe HaLevi a.k.a. "Halemo" at rotter.net . Here is what Halemo claims (I've translated it into English):

In the year 2010 "open door" judicial proceedings took place in the Haifa District Court. In the proceedings a property and financial separation was requested between Ahuva Tomer and her partner for life Danny Rosen, his son and his daughter. (This was not a proceeding in the court of family matters which take place behind closed doors). During the proceedings it was revealed that Danny Rosen has serious financial problems since 1993. He sold his apartment in '93 to his partner Ahuva Tomer.

The banks wished to place a lien on his possessions because of his debts. They wanted to put a lien on his apartment in the city of Nesher, the very apartment that he sold to Ahuva Tomer.

During the proceedings it was revealed, by means of an affidavit that Rosen presented, that the sale of the apartment was done without a lawyer and without informing the tax authorities. Rosen and/or Tomer chose not to pay the "appreciation tax" on the deal. The tax was payed many years later after this flaw was revealed.

The tragic death of Tomer, Rosen's partner, places him in deep financial problems, since the couple decided to live a partnership life style that is not anchored in the law, separating their property and money, in order that it would not be confiscated by the banks.

Check out Halemo's scoop, along with the relevant legal documents at rotter.net.

Fasting and Praying For Rain

Tomorrow, I will, (without making a vow), fast for the first time on a day that I am not absolutely required to fast on. The drought here in Israel is very serious, and the Chief Rabbis have called for prayer and repentance:

In light of the continuing drought in Israel, Chief Rabbis Shlomo Amar and Yonah Metzger have declared Monday as a second day of prayer and repentance, in which Israelis will be asked to fast and hold special prayers for rain. The Chief Rabbis called on everyone who is able to fast on Monday. Individuals who plan to fast should accept the fast upon themselves when praying Mincha on Sunday. The fast will begin at dawn Monday, and end at sunset.

The Chief Rabbis will participate in special prayers at the Kotel on Monday afternoon at 3:30 PM, and they called on those unable to get to the Kotel to hold prayers of repentance in their local synagogues. A similar day of fasting and prayer was held several weeks ago.

Secular Jews are also joining in:

The Head of the Regional Council Center, Shmulik Rifman, a member of secular-socialist kibbutz Revivim, called upon residents of all regional authorities to take part in the prayers and ask for rain.

May God answer our prayers with a lot of the wet stuff!

In Thy Blood, Live!!!

Rabbi Yitzchak Dadon, the author and Torah scholar who killed the terrorist in Merkaz HaRav, entered his son Elkannah into the Abrahamic covenant today. The brit took place in the Merkaz HaRav library where the Arab terrorist murdered eight young Torah scholars in cold blood. The mohel was non other than Tzemach Hirshfeld, the father of Yonadav Haim Hirschfeld z"l, one of the students that was murdered.

Arutz 7 has the video. It's in Hebrew and it is a must see!

Update: Now in English.

Rav Amar on Rav Shapira

Rabbi Shlomo Amar visited the Chicago area and Yaak was there. Rav Amar was one of the Rabbis that eulogized Rav Shapira at his funeral.
(I have a picture of Rav Amar at the funeral, but Blogger is having some technical problems. Perhaps I'll post it later.)

Update: Here it is! Rav Amar with one of his rabbis, Rav Rosental from Haifa:



I posted this comment on Yaak's blog:

Shalom Yaak!

I heard the following story recently about Rav Amar:

A yeshiva student saw him and blessed "shechalak mechomato levasar vadam".

Rav Amar expressed his displeasure with the student and told him that although he does know much Torah, he has not reached the level where that blessing can be said on him. He added that there are only two people in the generation that are on that level: HaRav Avraham Shapira (who recently passed away) and HaRav Ovadiah Yosef (sheyibadel lechayim arukim).