Ari Mandel - Attempts at Cyberbullying

Ari Mandel (AKA: Rachmuna Litzlon)

Attempts at Cyberbullying 

For years various individuals have set their minds on cyberbullying, harassing and cyberstalking Vicki Polin, who is the founder and director of The Awareness Center.  The attacks began back in 2004, when The Awareness Center was assisting survivors of a few alleged, confessed and convicted sexual predators.  The attacks against Ms. Polin was created as an attempt to discredit her and to create a distraction from the real issues, which involved a long history within various Jewish communities of covering-up sex crimes, obstruction of justice and witness tampering.  It's obvious that Ari Mandel amongst others, are unaware of the history of the attacks, yet choose to continue with the discreditation of one of the pioneers in the Jewish anti-rape movement.

Ari Mandel is an untrained, yet self-proclaimed expert in the Jewish anti-rape movement.  Through experience if someone cyberbullies one person, the odds are they have cyberbullied others.

For more information on Adults who cyberbully, please read the following articles:

• Bullying and Depression
• Cyberbullying Over Fifty: The Facebook Drama
• Cyberbullying

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Disclaimer: Inclusion in this website does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement. Individuals must decide for themselves if the resources meet their own personal needs.

Table of Contents


2013

1. Oy, if he were a rich man, but not by selling heaven on eBay  (05/29/2013)
2. Ari Mandel tries to sell his spot in heaven on eBay (05/31/2013)
3. Man jokingly puts his place in heaven up for sale on eBay and bids reach $100,000… before it gets taken down (05/31/2013)
4. eBay Pulls Auction For Spot IN Heaven After Bids Reach Nearly $100,000... (05/31/2013)

Cyberbullying Attempts

1. Facebook (09/07/2013)
2. Facebook (09/08/2013)
3. How To Beat Cyberbullies

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Oy, if he were a rich man, but not by selling heaven on eBay
By Suzanne Choey
NBC News - May 29, 2013

There are some things that are never for sale, not even on eBay. A place in heaven is among them. A New Jersey man posted such a listing as a joke, he says, but was inundated with bids that reached $100,000 before the listing was pulled by the online auction giant.

"I didn't think anyone would take it seriously," Ari Mandel, who put up the listing, told NBC News.

"It's gotten way more attention than I expected. I really didn't expect it to blow up and go crazy the way it did."

Ari Mandel served in the U.S.
Army from 2007 to 2011.

Mandel, an Army veteran and student at New York University, said with school now done for the semester, he decided to post the "low-burning idea" he'd been kicking around on eBay Tuesday.

But the listing was removed the same day it went up. An eBay spokesman told NBC News the offer of heaven was in violation of the auction site's "No Item" policy. That policy, spelled out here, says: "We don't allow listings that aren't offering anything for sale or those that have intangible items (generally things don't physically exist)."Little did he realize that 181 people would not only bid on it, but he would get hundreds of emails, phone calls and Facebook messages. Many were from people asking him what the heck he was doing, but he also got equal numbers of responses from those who thought the listing was funny.

Under "listings with no items," eBay goes on to say that intangible items are "things that people won't be able to use or be able to confirm whether they've received the items."

Other intangibles including the selling of one's soul: "Listings that offer someone's 'soul' or a container that claim to have someone's 'soul' are not allowed." And, forget about trying to sell magic potions, spells and curses: those intangibles are cursed as sale items.

Mandel posted "My Portion in Olam Habaah (Heaven)" with bids starting at 99 cents. Among the bidders' comments, he said, were these:

Need to know more b4 I can bid on it.  What's the approximate square footage, with that amenities does it come with, and what's the location?  Is it in the prime are or more in the back?

Can you tell me where in heaven this portion is?  For the price you are asking, I want to make sure I am in prime real estate somewhere over a rainbow, right between the lord and a few angels.

"I really didn't expect it to blow up and go crazy the way it did," said Mandel, 30, who said he has received calls from around world, including from a reporter in Israel. "It was a goofy little joke."

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Man jokingly puts his place in heaven up for sale on eBay and bids reach $100,000… before it gets taken down

Daily Mail - May 30, 2013

• Ari Mandel posted the prank auction item as a joke but quickly received more than 180 bids
• As a former Hasidic Jew, he was happy to give up his 'Portion in olam habaah [heaven]' and promised to live a life free of sin
• But eBay removed the item because it was 'intangible'

Former Hasidic Jew Ari Mandel, 31, 

claims he posted his 'Portion in olam habaah [heaven]' 

on eBayas a joke

A New Jersey man who offered $100,000 for his spot in heaven by an eBay bidder before the auction site took down his proposal.

Ari Mandel, 31, who identifies himself as atheist lived in an Orthodox Jewish community until he was 23. He posted his 'Portion in olam habaah [heaven]' on eBay on Tuesday.

Since Mandel no longer considers himself a member of the Hasidic community, he was happy to give up his spot.

He promised the winning bidder a signed contract guaranteeing his spot in Habaah, plus another contract guaranteeing that he would live free of sin in order for that spot to be secured. He also promised never to return to religious life and steal the spot back for himself.

‘I didn't think anyone would take it seriously,’ Mandel told NBC News.

‘It's gotten way more attention than I expected. I really didn't expect it to blow up and go crazy the way it did.’

Mandel posted his prank auction on Tuesday and the price quickly grew from 99 cents to $100,000, with more than 180 people bidding. 

He also received emails and phone calls, some asking what he was doing, other telling him they thought it was a fun thing to do.

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Ari Mandel tries to sell his spot in heaven on eBay

ABC News-15 - May 31, 2013

NEW JERSEY - Turns out not everything is for sale, not even on eBay.

According to the New York Daily News , the site has pulled a man's auction for his "portion in olam habbah (heaven).

Ari Mandel, a Jewish man from Teaneck, N.J, posted the prime spot on the auction's website Tuesday morning.

The winner would have won two signed contracts, one guaranteeing Mandel's "timeshare" in the skies and the other promising Mandel would keep the spot open by abstaining from sin.

Bidding started at 99 cents and skyrocketed within hours to nearly $100,000.

Once eBay got word, they shut down the auction after receiving numerous complaints from people who thought Mandel's post was offensive.

An eBay representative called Mandel and reminded him that users aren’t allowed to sell intangible items.

Mandel said the auction was a "harmless prank."

He told the Daily News: “To those of you who took this seriously, chill out. It was just a joke,” he said. “Whether or not you’re a believer in this sort of thing, chill out.”

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eBay Pulls Auction For Spot In Heaven After Bids Reach Nearly $100,000

Huffington Post - May 31, 2013

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Cyberbullying Attempts

Facebook - Elyahu Fink

September 7, 2013

Facebook - Elyahu Fink

September 8, 2013

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How To Beat Cyberbullies

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Speaking the truth will keep us all safer!

The New Generation: How young adult hassidim are changing

The New Generation: How young adult hassidim are changing

by Vicki Polin

Examiner - June 26, 2012

http://www.examiner.com/article/the-new-generation-how-young-adult-hassidim-are-changing

It’s hard to believe that a month has passed since the historic rally in Queens where over 500 Jewish survivors of sexual abuse and their supporters joined forces in protest outside of Citi Field. Their goal was to shine a very bright light on the plight of ultra-orthodox Jewish children growing up in hassdic communities in which their civil rights have been taken away from them by rabbinic leaders. These are the very same religious leaders who organized a rally to control the lives of their followers by reiterating their ban of the internet. 

The survivors historic “Asifa” (gathering) against child sexual abuse was created as a reaction to the chassidic communities gathering of an estimated 60,000 mostly hasidic men and boys, which filled Citi Field in Queens for the highly publicized, mandated to attend program.Attempting to ban the internet is nothing new to the Jewish orthodox world. The first rabbinic round began back in 2005 when the cases of rabbis Marc Gafni (AKA: Mordechai Gafni, Mordechai Winiarz), J. Hershy Worch and Mordecai Tendler broke –– and bloggers Jewish Whistleblower, Jewish Survivors of Sexual Abuse Speak Out, New Hempstead News, The Committee For Rabbinic Integrity and organization, The Awareness Center were building momentum in educating the orthodox world of the prominence that sexual abuse had in their communities and the ramifications it has on its people.

One can only guess that over the last seven years since rabbonim started censoring and banning the internet in the homes of ultra-orthodox Jewish followers, and the estimated 3 million dollars spent were spent on the more recent Asifa against the internet that hassidic leaders are feeling they are loosing control of the monopoly they had over the lives of their followers. Why else would they spent so much money and demanded that every hasidic male over the age of thirteen attend the Asifa?

The chassidic leaders newest actions has brought about another new wave of activists who are demanding accountability from their leaders. This fourth wave of advocates include Ari Mandel, his brother Eli and Chanie Friedman. All three are a part of the OTD (Off The Derech) community, which is made up of individuals who grew up orthodox and chose to move into the secular lifestyle.

Ari Mandel is dedicated to protecting chassidic children

Twenty-nine year old, Ari Mandel describes himself as “the leader of the pack . . . King of the hell raisers”. Eight weeks prior to the survivors rally, child molestation and the frum community was way down on the list of important things in his life. Ari had left the ultra-orthodox world back in 2006. 

The following year he joined the United States Army. Mandel stated he joined the military for a multitude of reasons, but mostly because he wanted to go to college, and was up for an adventure. What’s amazing about Ari’s desire to be educated is that having a secular education of any kind is frowned upon in the hasidic world. A world in which most do not know how to read or write in English, even though they are going to schools in the USA. As Ari stated, “I’m not the same human being I was 10 years ago. I taught myself to read and write.”

Ari Mandel during his years living in the chassidic community

When Ari Mandel returned back to civilian life, he began to look back at his chasidic roots. About nine weeks ago he went to his sisters home for shabbos dinner (Jewish sabbath). During a conversation that evening he learned that one of his cousins attempted suicide at the age of 15, after being sexually abused by a camp counselor. During that meal he learned about the internet ban and the gathering being organized by chasidic leaders. With all his anger and energy, Ari knew he had to do something, stating “I was at the right place at the right time perfect storm.” Right after shabbos, he signed himself on to Facebook, while thinking to himself “Where’s the rabbinic Asifa (gathering) about child molestation?” 

Once online, Ari started to talk to his Facebook friend, Chanie Friedman. During their conversation Chanie suggested in jest that they should protest the rabbis. A light went off in Ari head and started organizing. Within 12 hours after creating a special page on Facebook for a rally –– “everything thing exploded.” Over night there were over 10,000 invites to the group. Ari pulled in his younger brother Eli for help, along with Motie Weiss and Sue Donim to help organize an event much bigger then Ari could have ever imagined. 

Ari Mandel believes that this protest rally was so successful because, he and his partners have all walked away from the chasidic lifestyle, yet know it inside out. If they were still part of the community they wouldn’t have been able to pull it off. Not only would they have been threatened and kicked out of shul (synagogue), their children would have been kicked out of camp and school. Ari currently works part time for the government.

Eli Mandel, Activist for children's rights

Twenty-seven year old, Eli Mandel is very proud of his big brother Ari for putting together the protest rally, “internet is not the problem”. Eli, who is an observant Jew and currently lives in Cleveland, stated that “in the early stages we weren’t that focused on child abuse as being the main point . . . We also were considering focusing in on the fact that all too often hasidic families don’t stick together when a child no longer doesn’t want to stay religious or if their religious views differ then their parents." Eli stated it was his idea to keep the groups focus on child molestation within their community. 

Eli didn’t realize that his cousin was being molested when he got involved it wasn’t until a few weeks later that his brother Ari, disclosed to him what had happened. Eli’s younger cousin, at the age of 15 overdosed on drugs in an attempt to kill himself. This knowledge made him really want to put everything he had in doing what he could to protect other kids from his cousins fate. 

One of the Mandel’s younger brother’s was also at the rally at citi field. With his parents blessing, the third Mandel brother missed a day of school to be a part of this landmark event. When he returned to school the next day he learned his rosh yeshiva (principal of the school) gave a lecture to his classmates regarding the harm his older brother Ari was doing to the Jewish people, by organizing such a rally. As soon their mother learned about what happened she dis-enrolled her son from the school stating “we don’t have to put up with this crap.”

Eli went on to explain that the whole dynamic of the OTD movement is made up of mostly of individuals who walked away from ultra-orthodox world. Some of the individuals who originally helped to organizer the initial rally were angry and wanted to make drastic changes in the frum world, and not involve other movements of Judaism. Each person came to the rally from various different types of experiences and had their own personal reasons to be there. 

Eli, went on to say, “I’m still frum, yet not like how I grew up. Ari’s friend said I didn’t know Ari had a brother that’s still frum. I’m not chassidic... There were way to many problems within the community . . . An example is like the way they tried to cover things up like in the murder of Leiby Kletsky.” I also think it’s ridiculous to have to go to a rabbi for everything. . . I really didn’t know much about the issue of sexual abuse, yet the Institutional power structure gets me very angry.”

"I was talking to one of the rabbis Cleveland, he told me that if a young man is a molester he would tell the offender to go to the mikvah, it would help with with his problems. This rav is an American gadol (a rabbi’s rabbi). I’ve been very fortunate to be a member of a synagogue that is very supportive of what I’m doing. I come to New York from Cleveland for each of the rallies with the blessing of my rabbi.

Eli Mandel protesting outside of Citi Field

"In the future, our groups goals include having Agudath Israel of America to change their policies when it comes to dealing with law enforcement, to ensure all schools do criminal background checks on all employees at schools, camps and anywhere else children are present...Our main goal for now is not to allow survivors of sexual abuse to be victimized again and to show our support to them in courtrooms.” 

"I am the director of a program within Jewish Family services in Cleveland called, Mesila (providing a path to financial stability). My organization provides financial education to adults, we basically teach budgeting. During seminars I pull out a picture of an ostrich with head in sand, to make a point about the importance of budgeting I’d like to do the same thing with the frum community, when it comes to many topics, including sexual abuse. It’s obvious they are too afraid to look.” 

"I wear my yarmulke with pride. At the rally at Citi Field various frum men came up to me telling me that they really wanted to stand along side me if they could. These men fear they would be retaliated against if they did. One rabbi said that he was even symathetic to the cause, yet stated wasn’t in a personal place to stand beside the protesters at this time...Let’s not open that can of worms.”

Chanie Friedman, mother, student and activist for the rights of children

Chanie Friedman is a thirty-four year old divorced mother of two and a full time student. Recently she finished her associates degree in fine arts, and is hoping to transfer to Columbia College to continue her studies She sends her kids go to public school, yet her nieces and nephews attend frum schools. She worries about her relatives, fearing that one of them could be abused. 

Chanie grew up in the hasidic community of Crown Heights and started leaving the observant world when she was around the age of sixteen or seventeen. 

Chanie’s parents were baal teshuvas (BT’s), and because of that she always had ties to the secular world. Chanie shared that growing up that she wasn’t “super sheltered” and that unlike most girls growing up in Crown Heights, she “was raised to speak up for herself.”

Because Chanie’s parents were BTs she was exposed to the idea of independent thinking.

“Growing up I didn’t make trouble, so I didn’t get in trouble. I attended all of the major chabad school in Crown Heights." 

Chanie Friedman and Ari Mandel at the Brooklyn DA's Office

Chanie originally met Ari Mandel in OTD circles. While talking on the internet both Ari and Chanie became outraged at all the money and time the rabbonim were spending on banning the internet while ignoring the fact that hasidic children were being abused. 

"I’ve always been outspoken about this for years." Chanie also stated that she never thought she would get involved with something like a protest rally, yet everything just seemed to happen and it was the perfect moment for it. “Once you come to a point and realize what’s going on, you can’t really NOT get involved . . . with the politics, the double speak . . . .it’s amazing and shocking but I’m getting immune to it.

Chanie went on to say that “I’m the younger crowd that is changing, more aware and more enlightened . . . So much you hear from rabbonim that an alleged child molester has changed or being watched . . . you know that’s not the truth and something has to be done to protect children.”

View slideshow: The next generation of young adult hasidic children

Suggested by the author:

• Community members protest fundraiser for alleged serial child molester
• Internet, Censorship, Sexual Abuse and the Ultra - Orthodox Jewish Community
• Gathering of 8,000 Hasidic Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse At Citi Field
• Jewish community members in Australia taking action against sexual abuse