London calling: "Shavuos or Purim?" IMPORTANT UPDATE!

To the Editor of Ajnwatch.

I am one of your loyal fans who lives in London. Despite the  mainly local content on the blog, I really enjoy it, its style, great photographs and cartoons.

I especially shep nachas when you give the local Jewish (belaaz) rag 'in pippik arein'.

To the best of my knowledge we don't have anything like it here in the UK. (Probably because those who could and should be doing such work, aren't enamoured by the whole internet thing. While I understand them, I feel that there is a necessity for the "Veda mashiv shetoshiv le'apikores" - something which your blog does VERY well.

Keep up the great work!

Meanwhile I attach an ad in a recent issue of the 'frum' weekly The Jewish Tribune (published by our own Agudas Yisroel organisation).

I was not the only person here who was upset that the publishers allowed this advertisement which disrespectfully downgrades the holy Yom Tov of Kabolas Hatorah and Maamad Har Sinai to a 'festival' for 'boozing'.

"Counting the days to Shavuos" with wine and liquour! What next?

Now, had it been in the Jewish Chronicle, which has about as much feeling for Yiddishkeit as your Jewish News, 'hechrashti'. But to see this in our most frum of publications - 'es passt nisht'.

Update - 5th June 2012

It seems that our London Correspondent was not the only one to be upset at the inclusion of the above advertisement in the JT. The following issue of that weekly carried this apology from the publishers:

ומודה ועוזב ירוחם



Prime real estate - Advertised in London

The following advertisement is from London's religious weekly "Jewish Tribune"
(25/02/2010 edition).                        CLICK TO ENLARGE

The Hebrew publication date for the newspaper - 11th Adar, may somewhat explain things...

(Hat tip - SBA)

CSG Advert – What the?

Further to the above-captioned piece in Galus Australis re the CSG [ http://galusaustralis.com/2009/09/csg-advert-what-the/ ], an English reader has forwarded to us the following cutting from the London Jewish Tribune talking about that city's Jewish security group known there as the CST.

It seems that problems associated with these types of outfits are universal.

This got us wondering if there any rabbinical approval or advice sought by or given to the CSG? Knowing that they are following halachic rulins would do much to pacify those who find it quite galling seeing Jewish youngsters outside Shuls - often blatantly being mechalel Shabbat.

We gleaned another similarity between Melbourne and London from that JT article, ie, that these boychiks (and girlchiks) don't service purely Charedi areas. Just like they are not seen outside Adass, Beth Talmud, Heichal Hatorah, Gerrer Shtiebel, Merkaz Hatorah, neither do they operate in London's Stamford Hill district.

"A grave and monumental error"

"This is indeed a grave and monumental error."

(Observation by Rabbi Chaim Ingram re the misprint in advertisement published in the London Jewish Tribune.)