Rabbis Named
The rabbis included Saul Kassin, 87, chief rabbi of Sharee Zion, a synagogue in Brooklyn, New York; Eliahu Ben Haim, 58, the principal rabbi of Congregation Ohel Yaacob in Deal, New Jersey; Edmond Nahum, 56, of Deal Synagogue in Deal; Mordchai Fish, 56, of Congregation Sheves Achim in Brooklyn; and Lavel Schwartz, 57, Fish’s brother. They were charged with money laundering.

As some one who is very involved with the SY community …
these comments are not so far off!
“Enclaves”? “Tight-knit, wealthy communities”?
as a Ashkenazim jew- I have experienced much insults from the SY community from deal & Brooklyn.
They act as they are better then any other Jews!

The following is excerpted from an official press release from the Department of Justice on today’s charges of public corruption, money laundering and brokering the sale of human organs. Visit the url for the full article.
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Law enforcement personnel, with the assistance of a cooperating witness, first infiltrated a pre-existing money laundering network that operated internationally between Brooklyn, Deal, N.J. and Israel and laundered at least tens of millions of dollars through charitable, non-profit entities controlled by rabbis in New York and New Jersey.
The money laundering conspiracy involved high-ranking religious figures and their associates in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Deal, N.J. Among them was Eliahu Ben Haim, of Long Branch, N.J., the principal rabbi of Congregation Ohel Yaacob in Deal, N.J. Typically, according to the criminal Complaints, Haim received bank checks in amounts ranging from tens of thousands of dollars up to $160,000 at a time made payable to a charitable, tax-exempt organization associated with Haim and his synagogue. To complete the money laundering cycle, Haim would return the amount of the check in cash to the cooperating witness, less a cut for Haim, typically 10 percent.
Haim’s source of cash for funding the money laundering was, according to the Complaints, an Israeli in Israel who, Haim said, he had worked with for years. For a fee, that source would make cash available through other individuals charged today who ran cash houses in Brooklyn. Hundreds of thousands of dollars were regularly available from the cash houses for Haim to return to his money laundering clients, including the government’s cooperating witness.
Similar circles of money launderers in Brooklyn and Deal, N.J. operated separately but occasionally co-mingled activities and participants. In most cases, the rings were led by rabbis who used charitable, non-profit entities connected to their synagogues to “wash” money that they understood came from criminal activity like bank fraud, counterfeit goods and other illegal sources, according to the criminal Complaints. Since such large amounts of cash were being transacted – tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars per transaction, often multiple times in a week – the rabbis made significant sums in fees, which typically ran between five and ten percent per transaction.
One of the other money laundering operations was allegedly led by Saul Kassin, a leading Brooklyn rabbi, and another by Edmund Nahum, the leader of a synagogue in Deal. In one secretly recorded conversation, Nahum tells the cooperating witness that he should launder his money through a number of rabbis. “The more it’s spread the better,” Nahum said, according to his criminal Complaint.
In another conversation, Kassin allegedly asked the cooperating witness – who at the moment was conducting a $25,000 transaction with Kassin – why he didn’t do all his business with Haim. The cooperating witness replied that he had by that time already conducted between $600,000 and $700,000 in money laundering transactions with Haim.
Another group of alleged money launderers was led by Mordchai Fish, a rabbi at a Brooklyn synagogue. Fish’s brother, Lavel Schwartz, a rabbi, was also charged with money laundering.
Also arrested today was Levi Deutsch, an Israeli living in Israel who, according to the Complaints, was a high-level source of cash from overseas for funding the bank checks that passed through charitable entities. Deutsch, who traveled frequently between Israel and New York, explained to the cooperating witness that the source of his cash was the “diamond business (and) other, other things,” according to the Complaints. He further explained that he was associated with a Swiss banker who charged “two, three points” per $1 million laundered through him. (Deutsch is a different person than the Israeli working with Haim.)
Finally, another alleged money launderer was Moshe “Michael” Altman, a Hudson County real estate developer who, according to the criminal Complaints, “washed” more than $600,000 in dirty checks to cash for the cooperating witness through charitable, non-profit entities. Altman is also the intermediary who introduced the cooperating witness to Jersey City building inspector John Guarini, who allegedly took $20,000 from the cooperating witness in July 2007, and $40,000 in total over time. That initial bribe is what gave rise to the public corruption portion of the investigation.

Are they better than any other Jew?
If they are good for them, and if they are not why do you care?

Rabbi, these Jews practice an Orthodoxy far superior to your own. I know that’s hard for you to accept, but it’s a simple fact if you truly understand Torah. And they do. It is only natural that those who are truly righteous should be materially blessed, and it’s only natural that those who envy them would generate false charges and accusations. They will be found blameless, and their stature as the true Jews will only be enhanced by this brief episode.

Hey thi sis New Jersey what do you expect – clean government?

Well said Rabbi!
The news today is a disgrace and a major chilul Ha-Shem (desecration of God’s name). It’s upsetting to know that anti-semitism is lurking right below the surface and all around us.
And to Karen Whitaker (or whoever you are); the Jews arrested today are a TERRIBLE representation of Orthodoxy, as is your ridiculous, offensive comment. Ugh.

Karen, whether you’re being sarcastic or not (and I pray you are), please watch this video http://openmindedtorah.blogspot.com/2009/07/turning-hatred-into-mitzvah-thoughts.html

Unless searches the net about criminal activity and rabbis, one would have no clue just how rampant criminal activity is associated with the Jewish faith, no surprise, wouldnt even looked had it not been for that news story.

Stereotypes and pre-judgements hurt. I’m not Jewish but I can give the Catholic view. Bishops shuffled sexually abusive priests around rather than seeking justice. A lot of people were molested and psychologically scarred by predator priests. Sometimes I’ll tell someone I’m Catholic and they’ll tell me my church is corrupt and describe priests using vile language. I get pretty angry with these people. I know that there are great priests, and I’m strong in my faith. My faith has been strengthened by the spiritual guidance of good priests, and I’m grateful for their wisdom. But I feel like a part of me is being denigrated for no reason other than hate.
So, wouldn’t a Jewish person also know that there are great rabbis in their lives as well? I’m sure they’d be angry to hear people tar most rabbis as greedy embezzlers. Wouldn’t stereotyping hurt that person as well? Just because someone doesn’t say something right away doesn’t mean that stereotypes cut at their sense of community and belief, as well as dignity.

Read the story on CNN, it does say the Rabbis got arrested and even stated specifically what they are charged with
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/23/new.jersey.arrests/index.html

Now is not a good time to whine about anti-Semitism, Rabbi Hirshfeld.

“Enclaves”? “Tight-knit, wealthy communities”? Could it be that the Star Ledger harbors deep resentment against Jews who they see as over-privileged, stand-offish people who operate as a law unto themselves?”
The Star-Ledger labels these communities correctly – Lakewood and Deal are extremely closed Jewish communities who pass budgets (selfish misuse of tax dollars) and laws that cater strictly to their isolationism, excluding non-Jewish residents of those communities. Deal in particular is home to a nice swath of NJ coastline, whose public use is “guaranteed” by the Public Trust Doctrine but thwarted by absurf parking policies and very restricted beach access.
I dearly hope the Feds and the State of NJ turn their collective attention to the municipalities of Deal and Lakewood and end religious protectionism at the expense of the public.

Actually, this is an example of the local newspaper treating leaders of a certain faith with kid gloves and being very diplomatic. This is how professionals handle sensitive stories.

I understand completely. I am a southern white 50 something male republican. We are portrayed in the media as Satan’s right hand.

To paraphrase Napoleon, “I care not who writes the news stories, so long as I can write the headlines.”

Why is this news story being politicized?
If the story had read Muslim leaders arrested or Latin-American leaders arrested, no one would bat an eyelid.
After a nearly ten year investigation by federal agents in NJ, it just so happens in this case that it was Jewish community leaders arrested.
If people in the community feel discomfort as a result of these arrests, then maybe they ought to consider that indeed Jewish leaders are capable of committing such crimes. They are not immune from the human condition where those holding privileged positions sometimes abuse the trust placed in them. And if this be the case, it is reasonably expected that such people will drag their families and even their communities into disrepute.
Anti-Semitic reporting? I don’t think so.

The photos on TV and newspapers focused on rabbis, not others. The impression that they are the biggest criminals. Images are very powerful. For some reason photos of the politicians mostly omitted.

You know, Rabbi, with all due respect, I think you have read way too much into this and appear too ready to be offended. There is nothing in that article that is anti-Semitic. It appears that the journalist was very careful about leaving out specific names of Rabbis. A non-Jew could read it as Pro-Jew biased reporting that tries to cover up specifics on which Rabbis were arrested.
You also question whether the Star Ledger harbors deep resentment against Jews who they see as over-privileged, stand-offish people who operate as a law unto themselves. Again, I think you are reading too much into this. The Jews in this particular case were from “enclaves” and “tight-knit, wealthy communities” I would have rather seen an essay from you on this topic that didn’t have you throwing punches and turning it into something that it’s not.

Please understand this is nothing new in New York synagogues of coures is a small amount that do this but is has been going on for perhaps more then 20 years plus.
There are no barriers as some think between middle east Rabbis and European Rabbis because both are guilt althoung the number of syngogues are small it is allot more then anyone would believe.
I beleieve some people will become very defensive about this but instead should pray all of this is uncovered because we need a wake up to the deep rooted criminals in our religion.
In New York City a multi billion dollar fraud took place in the diamond business and was covered up big time by the federal prosecuters office. Money laundry in the 100,s of millions and fraud on consumers and other business globally.
I am Jewish and proud but wait for the time when more Rabbis will wake up to the lessons taught in ancient times and walk away unless they are allowed to teach and obey the Jewish laws of the past.
The old testament is taught but often never with the passion and purity it need to be and we are not the only religion that teachers are abusing.
I know so mnay wonderful religious Jews very well who live a life of honesty and helping the poor . They also tell me how few religious teachers in the 70 years have been what one may call pure.
Please understand only a very small group are involved but the numbers are massive

two things come to mind. First, “The Synagogue of Satan” which explains the ‘chosen people’ gambit. Chosen indeed by the one they serve and this other Polish proverb. “the Jew cries out in pain as he strikes you.”
This is the apocalypse and it is all coming out. All the lies are being exposed. I, for one, am grateful.

I enjoyed reading your blog. Keep it that way. rjciqijroyihlfpq