Mezuzah decision in Texas

Legislation currently on the desk of Texas Governor Rick Perrywould protect the freedom of Jewish homeowners to follow the Torah’s injunction to “write [these words] upon the doorposts of thy house and on thy gates.”

Perry’s office has not indicated how exactly the governor will decide on the issue, but if he signs the bipartisan bill into law, homeowners associations would be forbidden from prohibiting the display of a mezuzah – the box-encased scroll of parchment affixed to doorposts in keeping with a positive commandment mentioned twice in the Book of Deuteronomy – or other religious item.

“This bill is very much important,” said Rabbi Yosef Levertov, director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Austin. “Now people can keep this aspect of the Torah without any fear of interference from their neighbors.”

First drafted in 2009 as H.B. 3025, H.B. 1278 comes in response to the case of a Houston husband and wife who in 2007 were asked to remove their mezuzah from their apartment’s entryway or face fines. The condominium association claimed the display was against regulations.

They brought suit, and after a failed hearing in a U.S. District Court, their lawyer contacted their state representative, Garnet Coleman.

“When I looked at the situation, I immediately said it’s wrong,” the legislator told the Jewish Herald-Voice in 2009. “Our country is founded on religious freedom, the freedom to practice the religion of your choice without impediments.”

While the word “mezuzah” is not mentioned in the bill’s text, it allows for one or more religious items of no more than 25 square inches – large enough for a typical mezuzah – to be displayed on the entry door or doorframe.

“I filed this bill to extend religious freedom in situations where it may not exist,” explained Coleman.

State Sen. Kel Seliger, who sponsored the bill, said his choice to get involved was a simple one.

“Religious expression is a cornerstone of our freedom and American citizenship,” he said. “If we do not respond to the infringement of the rights of one family, we endanger the rights of all families.”

State Reps. Scott Hochberg and Debbie Riddle joined Coleman in authoring the current bill. It passed both the State House of Representatives and the Senate and is now waiting to be reviewed by the governor.

“The governor thoroughly reviews every bill that he receives,” said Perry spokeswoman Lucy Nashed. “He will make a decision when he reviews the bill.”

Similar legislation became law in Illinois and Florida in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Coleman was optimistic his bill would likewise be signed into law.

“Thanks to this family’s courage and willingness to share their story,” he said, “other Texans will not have to go through a similar experience.”

May 22, 2011  (JTA)

The Texas state Senate has passed a bill that would require homeowner associations to permit religious displays on their doors, including mezuzot.

Under the bill passed late last week, the religious item must be under 25 inches and remain in the doorway, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The bill will return to the state House of Representatives for a wording amendment.  In 2008, Florida’s state Legislature passed a similar bill.

Mezuzah

by Molly Resnick

Last week, I heard a truly touching story. Of all the exploits of Lubavitcher shluchim,         the following one does not rank in the top tier. But it’s a true testament to the                         movement and     the vision of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, that an inspiring story like            the following is almost unremarkable – that small miracles have almost become the            norm.

This story takes place in Lusaka, Zambia. A son of one of my very close friends – all of 22 years old - Dovid Kotlarsky, was sent to this city in the middle of Africa and with the help and guidance of the Chabad shliach in the Congo, Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, conducted a Seder and celebrated Pesach with the Jews in the area. (This was part of a project of the Lubavitcher educational arm – Merkaz L’Inyonei Chinuch – that sent out over 650 rabbinical students this year to share Pesach with Jews all over the U.S. and the world.)

Dovid, together with fellow shliach Yaakov Yosef Raskin, arrived in Zambia a few days before Pesach and, armed with Haggadahs, shmurah matzah, and wine, they took advantage of their “free” days to visit various Jews in their homes and offices and offer to put tefillin on their arms and mezuzos on their doors.

One of the places they visited was a Zambian government company where a few Israeli Jews work. As Dovid was standing in the lobby, a white man was coming down the stairs (in Zambia white faces are the exception) and he figured he must be one of the Israelis. And yet, as the man passed the black-hat, bearded, smiling young Lubavitcher, he completely ignored him. Before Dovid could gather his wits, the man suddenly turned around and said, “Shalom. Listen, you’re not going to get anything from me,” and promptly walked away.

Well, Lubavitchers, like all idealists, are used to rejection. So the young shliach overcame the encounter and continued his work.

On erev Pesach the two went back to the same company for another visit. Figuring he had nothing to lose, Dovid stopped by the office of the gentleman who had spurned him the other day. Surprisingly, he acted nice. He disclosed that he used to work in the Israeli Consulate in Manhattan, where Lubavitchers also used to try visiting him. “But I would never go to see them,” he told Dovid in a typical Israeli tone “I’m a chiloni (secular), I don’t put on tefillin, and I don’t say any berachot.”

“That’s fine,” Dovid replied. “I really came by to say hello and wanted to ask you if you would like us to put up a mezuzah on your door just like we did with your colleagues upstairs.” To his surprise, the man said, “OK.”

Not only that, he even agreed to put it up himself. As Dovid rushed to put a yarmulke on his head the man recoiled. “I don’t do that,” he said.

“Fine, no problem,” Dovid responded, as he affixed the mezuzah on the office doorpost while explaining its significance.

That night Dovid and Yaakov Yosef helped prepare what they were later told was the largest Seder in Zambia since the 1970s, with close to 100 people attending. And among the guests, who should appear but the gentleman from the office? Nor did he come alone. He brought along a non-Jewish black woman, whom they learned was his girlfriend.

Dovid honestly didn’t think he had made that much of an impression on the fellow who seemed to have exhibited mixed feelings about his visit to his office. And so it came as a surprise when the man approached him at the Seder and thanked him for his visit, and then requested another mezuzah to place on his home door. “Even in my father’s house in Israel, there is no mezuzah,” he said.

“Today, in the morning, I must tell you, it was the first time in my life that I ever did something religious. And then with great emotion, he said, “Today you saved a soul in Israel.”

Dovid was truly shocked at the man’s words and responded, “I haven’t saved! I only reconnected. A Jew only needs to be reconnected because every Jew is really a diamond. All one needs to do is shake off some of the dust.”

The man looked at the young Lubavitcher and said quietly, “It’s only because of people like you, that people like me are around today!”

Miraculous? Not necessarily. The man, as far as we know, is not wearing a streimel today nor is he living in Yerushalayim. He quite likely still has a non-Jewish girlfriend. But he was touched. His Jewish neshamah was sparked. He put mezuzos on his office and home and attended a Seder. Who knows what the future will bring?

Lubavitch boasts thousands of miraculous, hair-raising, amazing stories of hashgacha, transformation and courage. But it’s the small stories like these – perhaps above all – that makes the movement so special, and will surely help to hasten our geulah.

From: http://www.jewishpress.com/pageroute.do/48257

Israeli Embassy in Australia Installs a Mezuzah

The Israeli embassy located in Canberra, Australia had their Mezuzah

installed in a ceremony lead by Rabbi Dan Avital.

Having recently renovated their offices, they called on their local Chabad Rabbi to provide the finishing touch on the establishment with the instalation of the mezuzahs.

Rabbi Avital noted ”the Mezuzah is a symbol of the Jewish people’s eternal connection to G-d, and through that connection one is afforded spiritual support and protection.”

A mezuzah, mounted on the doorpost, designates the home as Jewish reminding us of our connection to G d and to our heritage. Although Many use the term “mezuzah” referring to the decorative case in which the Mezuzah is often housed, the mezuzah is essentially the parchment scroll within, on which the “Shema” – a biblical passage declaring the oneness of G d – is handwritten by a trained scribe.

The mezuzah is also a symbol of G d’s watchful care over the home. The name of G d, Sha-dai, which appears on the reverse side of the parchment, is an acronym for the Hebrew words which mean “Guardian of the doorways of Israel.” The placing of a mezuzah on the doors of ones home or office protects the inhabitants – whether they are inside or outside.

In an address to the nation on May 1st, 2011 President Barak Obama confirmed that Osama bin Ladin, responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans and countless others, has indeed been Killed. The terrorist leader was killed in an operation in Pakistan. Although Bin Laden has not recently been involved in the daily operations of the Taliban, his death is seen as a symbolic victory in the war against terror. As the President put it in his message, “Justice has been served”.

With all the buzz about Justin Bieber’s latest trip to Israel, his desire to “visit the places that [he] always dreamed of” and his frustration with the paparazzi for bombarding him when he went to pray at the Western Wall, one wonders, is Justin even Jewish?

While it is true that the Canadian singing sensation is known to say the “Shema” – the prayer that is in the Jewish Mezuzah- before his concerts, he is in fact, not Jewish.

While I can speculate on why the teenage singer feels a connection to these Jewish places and rituals, I may never know. I do know that it is not uncommon that many in the Christian community choose to adapt some innately Jewish practices such as the Mezuzah. The Mezuzah is a small, handwritten scroll that Jews place on their doorpost as a symbol of Jewish faith. Of late, more and more Mezuzah Cases have been installed on the doorposts of non-Jewish homes.

Perhaps it is the deep roots that Christianity has in Judaism, or just that Israel, the Jewish homeland, takes up many pages on the history books of many of the worlds major religions. No matter why, many of Israel’s avid supporters and patrons are devout Christians.

Either way, we hope that next time Biebs makes a concert in Israel, he actually meets with the Prime Minister and perhaps even he’ll  sing him his hit song “Bibi, Bibi, Bibi Ohhh”