More on Rabbanit Keren thanks to Rafi at Life in Israel, who has been posting regular updates on the story. Here you can watch as the Israeli investigative program Uvda (fact) interviews Bruria Keren’s mother, sister, and neighbors. According to her sister, Bruria was abused by her father as a child, and Bruria’s mother admits that her relationship with Bruria was always strained. Bruria’s explicit dress and provocative behavior as a young adult embarrassed the sister. Bruria met her husband at a party while they were both in the airforce. The couple gradually became more observant, with Bruria taking on more and more absurd levels of tzniut. The sister wrote many letters to authorities pleading for intervention with the children. When the social services representative was shown the correspondence on the air, she pointed out that the letters were sent to the education ministry, and that her department was not informed of the accusations.

When asked about Bruria’s childhood, her mother mentioned that she had four girls one after the other but nevertheless tried to give Bruria enough love. The producers chose to end the program on a similar note, with the mother guiltily repeating that she tried to give enough love. Somehow I suspect that the father’s abuse–the sister said he had hit Bruria with a rolling pin–would have been a more important factor.

In most cases of abuse both parents play a role, even if a non-violent parent “only” fails to protect the children. But it’s much more fun to blame the mother.

In the current situation, there is plenty of blame to go around.

On a happier note, check out Haveil Havalim #160, the Waffles edition of the great Jewish blog carnival also at Life in Israel.

Here is Leora’s flattering post about my new header.

I have gotten some delicious submissions for this month’s KCC on April 7. Don’t be left out.

Finally, it seems that Treppenwitz has a fan in Kenya trying to visit Israel, but the Israeli embassy is reluctant to grant a visa. Only Trep can help, but will he?

Read more on Israeli TV show interviews Keren’s sister, mother…

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A new mikveh recently opened near my house.

You enter through a long, covered walkway. The walkway is unsightly on the outside and caused quite a bit of controversy because the proper municipal approval hadn’t been obtained. It turned out that the walkway blocks the view from someone’s front window. Considering how much money must have already been “sunk” into this mikveh, I can only imagine that the apartment owners were somehow compensated, and the matter died down.

You already get a hint of grandeur inside the walkway, which is decorated with rocks and plants; there is even is a fishpond.

When I got inside the building, it was nearly empty. In the other neighborhood mikveh, which contains about 14 rooms, it isn’t unusual to wait 30-60 minutes.

This time the balanit told that I was going to be “mitpaneket” (spoiled), and led me to the bride’s room.

Most Israeli mikvaot don’t provide toiletries, but this one does. You still need to bring your own towel, or pay extra. By the way, this is a sink (I had to identify it for my husband).

Here is the best shot I could get of the small preparation room. The translucent glass doors allow sound to come through. But the other mikveh has an inefficient air-conditioning system causing unbearable noise in the summer.

I haven’t figured out yet what made this room so special that it is reserved for brides. Every preparation room has the same elaborate fixtures. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen any brides at the new mikveh yet. It’s probably because in the other mikveh, brides (and anyone who is willing to pay extra) get a large room with the mikveh (immersion pool) right inside. Here there are only two mikvaot and five separate preparation rooms.

After you are finished, you push a button on the wall to notify the balanit (mikveh attendant). It looks just like a light-switch, so it took me a while to figure out what to do. Immediately the sound of an electronic version of Mozart’s 40th began blaring. (I had to hum that one for my husband in order to identify it for you. He’s the music expert around here.) In the other mikveh, you push a buzzer which sounds briefly and turns on a light on a central board with your room number. Here, the balanit tells you to turn off the music yourself before everyone goes insane.

For the record, this mikveh is supervised by the local religious authority and costs the same as every other mikveh in town- NIS 15 (about $4).

Read more on Mikveh tour…

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I have been wanting to update the design of this blog for a while, but I am graphically challenged (as I may have mentioned). Help arrived in the form of the talented Leora, who blogs at There Here in Highland Park. She designed this lovely new banner and suggested switching to a more readable template. I hope you all like it.

I have had fun emailing back and forth with Leora. It turns out that one of her best friends from high school became my first friend after making aliyah (and she reads this blog). Yet another of Leora’s friends was my college roommate, who still visits me on her occasional trips to Israel.

Leora often highlights her artwork in her blog: See Garden slideshow, Garden watercolor, and Broccoli. And here she explains why her family attends a Sephardi synagogue.

When she’s not blogging, commenting, and gardening, Leora works at http://jewishstudies.rutgers.edu/ where she puts together free online courses on Jewish topics. Currently two courses are available, The Israeli Political System and the Bible and History.

She also enjoys small freelance jobs like this one: http://www.treatmentnj.com/, and is always looking for new projects.

Leora, it has been a pleasure to work with you. My readers and I thank you.

Read more on My new look…

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I’ve had enough of the Keren story, at least for now. While gratified by the 1500 page views I received yesterday, I hope to attract visitors through my own writing on parenting, Israel, and the Jewish community. I’m still interested in the hyper-tzniut phenomenon, and I’ll continue to provide occasional updates. But I won’t be speculating about the truth of the abuse allegations and the reasons it may have occurred, nor will I be scouring the press for details.

Read more on The Lesson to be Learned from Keren and the Rest…

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Update: I noted below who was already “yotzei.” I received many fantastic contributions from a variety of blogs; if you got a receipt you can assume yours arrived. Please try to get it in by late Saturday night.

In my previous post I wrote about strengthening our local community. Now I am offering you a chance to strengthen your cyber-community.

On April 7 I will be hosting the next Kosher Cooking Carnival. Thanks to those who have submitted posts already, especially Frumhouse, who located a slew of interesting Pesach posts from a variety of blogs.

If recipes aren’t your thing, you can submit a post on Pesach preparations, kashrut, Pesach memories, food traditions and more.

I’m naming names! We’re looking forward to your contribution.

Ima Shalom (consider this a joint invitation)
Ill Call Baila
Therapy Doc
Juggling Frogs (Come back, please)
Hydrangeas are Pretty
Trilcat
Leora yotzei! (obligation fulfilled)
Frumhouse yotzei!
Sephardi Lady
Pesky Settler (who submitted a chametzdik post)
ProfK yotzei!
Raggedy Mom
Aidel Maidel
Around the Island
Mommy’s Going Meshuggeneh
Ima on (and off) the Bima yotzei!
Sylvia-Rachel
Jameel
Rafi
Soccer Dad
Jack (There’s your link and my request.)
Kallah yotzei!
West Bank Mama
Emahs
Safranit
Square Peg
Coffee and Chemo
My Shrapnel
Lion of Zion
Raanana Ramblings

It’s Friday (despite the date of the post) so I’ll stop here but please consider this a personal invitation, even if I didn’t mention you.

If you like you can paste the following straight into your blog–see how easy I made it for you? I hope it works–Blogger wouldn’t let me paste in the actual html.

Read more on Turning up the Heat–In the Kosher Kitchen…

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Haaretz confirms that Rabbanit Bruria Keren herself was arrested. I pretty much expected it, as the suspect’s age and that of her children matched Keren’s (even though the number of children was off). Also, the fact that the lawyer claimed that the whole thing was a conspiracy meant that the suspect was well-known. And the reports made it sound like she was the dominant personality in the home, and the husband was not too involved. Although this is all speculation on my part.

Rafi has more information here and here.

Link to another TV news story
Last night’s links

Read more on Update–Suspected Abuser Confirmed to Be Keren…

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According to news reports, a mother of twelve from Beit Shemesh was arrested for severely abusing her children, who were having incestuous relationships with one another in the home. The woman was covered in several layers of clothing and initially refused to reveal her face to the judge.

Trilcat wrote to me suggesting that this might be Rabbanit Keren herself, but there is a discrepancy regarding the number of children; previous news articles reported that she had ten.

Batya and Trilcat both emailed me the Jerusalem Post report:

Read more on Layered Beit Shemesh mother of 12 arrested for severe child abuse…

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This video is clearly and obviously a fake. There are many clues, sprinkled throughout the video, showing the lack of modesty among these wanton women.

1. Because they are not wearing “shalim,” the contour of their shoulders and arms are clearly visible. At one point one of the ladies shockingly lifts her arms up in the air .

Read more on Fake Burka Video posted…

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Today the high in Tel Aviv is scheduled to be 36° Celsius, or about 97°. Those of you who are new to Israel might think that summer has started. But spring is still ahead of us, albeit interspersed with a few more chamsinim (hot, dry spells followed by a fierce wind sprinkling a thick layer of sand over everything). My sister-in-law told me that the word chamsin comes from Arabic for 50, because it occurs during the seven weeks between Pesach and Shavuot (we’re talking about Jewish Arabic speakers here, obviously). Remember that Pesach is late this year and as the first full moon after the spring equinox has just passed, we should have had our seder already. That’s why some others are already celebrating their spring holiday. That crazy leap year. Anyway, we shouldn’t give up on spring, my favorite time of year here in the “suburbs” of sunny Tel Aviv.

There are only three seasons in Israel: summer, winter and spring. The Hebrew word for fall, stav, means winter in ancient Hebrew. Fall doesn’t exist. Spring, though, is wonderful, with cool evenings and warm and sunny days.

So while it’s probably safe to put away the warm undershirts and flannel sheets after the coldest winter in years, you’ll likely want access to your long-sleeved t-shirts well into May. Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty of time to miss them come June.

I’ve read that because of desert expansion, the hamsinim have not been sticking to the calendar lately. We have experienced them in December, but nothing as severe as today. In the meantime, here are some suggestions for dealing with a hamsin, or sharav as it’s known in Hebrew. Feel free to add more in the comments.

Read more on A post about the weather, and a bit about the Jewish calendar…

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Some organizations sell ready-made Mishlochei Manot (Purim food packages) as a fund-raiser, and last year I let my son A (now 11) buy one through school. Unfortunately he thought the goodies were for him and opened it as soon as he brought it home. This year, although I succumbed to pressure to buy another from Y’s school, I was able to keep it intact.

I send packages to my English-speaking friends collectively, so I only trade actual misloach manot with a few families — mostly parents of my children’s long-term friends. I know that they appreciate homemade goods, because they generally send me the same. So I was not happy when I came home from hearing the megillah Friday and found that in return for a package containing challah and potato kugel, A had given the deliverer the prepared package from the organization.

I wanted to be able to let this go, but I couldn’t have my friend think that I sent her a package of junk that I didn’t even wrap myself. And the ramifications would be felt next year, when she wouldn’t know whether to send me a homemade package or not. So A, who had already done quite a bit of delivering without a word of complaint, made another trip.

Sometimes Pesach is a lot easier.

Read more on In which we send mishloach manot twice to the same family…

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