Ukraine Delays Burial of Rabbi Yitzchak Almakiess for 54 Days Amid Bureaucratic Hurdles
תומצת מתוך Kikar HaShabbat על ידי baba
The body of Rabbi Yitzchak Almakiess has been held in Ukraine for 54 days due to bureaucratic delays, prompting international efforts for his burial. In a separate issue, Rabbi Baruch Rosenblum criticized the use of photos in modern matchmaking, arguing it diminishes authenticity. The program also explored psychological phenomena and a complex halachic ruling regarding conversion and firstborn status.
הידיעה ב-6 שורות · תקציר של baba
- Rabbi Yitzchak Almakiess's body has been delayed burial in Ukraine for 54 days due to bureaucratic and legal issues.
- International rabbis and activists are working to secure the release of Rabbi Almakiess's body for burial in Uman.
- Rabbi Baruch Rosenblum condemned the use of photos in matchmaking, calling the current generation "a madhouse."
- Matchmaker Chaim Shaler supported Rabbi Rosenblum, stating photo exchanges dehumanize individuals and lack authenticity.
- The program discussed the Dunning-Kruger effect and psychological resilience.
- A halachic discussion addressed whether a child born after a mother's conversion is considered a firstborn.
The body of Rabbi Yitzchak Almakiess, who died or was murdered in tragic circumstances near Rosh Hashanah in Uman, Ukraine, has been held by local authorities for 54 days without burial. An activist from Uman, Elimelch Zusha, described the "unbelievable ordeal" of bureaucratic and legal delays, with Ukrainian police in Cherkasy and Kyiv repeatedly postponing the release of the body for "new investigations" and autopsies. Ukrainian law allows police to hold a body for up to 30 months before a formal suspicion must be filed.
Rabbinical and community leaders worldwide, including Rabbi Schneibelg of Adzher, Rabbi Weiss, and Rabbi Moshe Bransdorfer, are working tirelessly to secure the release of the body. Rabbi Almakiess left behind seven young children, placing the burden of legal action on his friends and activists. The intended burial site has been determined by Uman rabbis to be the old cemetery in Uman, in a newly prepared section, as per his explicit wish.
Separately, Rabbi Baruch Rosenblum sharply criticized the modern practice of exchanging photos via WhatsApp and social media in the matchmaking process, calling the current generation "a madhouse." Matchmaker Chaim Shaler agreed, lamenting that the exchange of hundreds of photos turns individuals into commodities and that advanced AI and filters distort reality, leading to superficial rejections based on appearance.
Shaler advocated for a return to traditional methods, emphasizing in-depth character assessments before physical meetings. The program also touched upon human behavior, including the Dunning-Kruger effect, illustrated by the story of Arthur Wheeler who robbed banks believing lemon juice made him invisible, and the concept of psychological resilience in the face of insults.
Finally, Rabbi Assaf Razon discussed a halachic point from Tractate Bechorot, concerning a gentile woman who converted after giving birth. The discussion revolved around whether her subsequent child would be considered a firstborn requiring redemption, with the ruling that while conversion changes spiritual status, it does not alter the physical reality of the body, meaning the womb had already been opened.
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