The Struggle Podcast EP22- Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg - Speaking Up for Child Safety

I only had a fight with Aru that would call me up. Take him off. He's my friend. He gives me what he gives for you, that's yours. I don't want to hear about it. We have so many children that took their lives because they've overlasted. >> Yeah. >> And it's unbelievable. >> Unbelievable. >> You leave your child to the Mika, >> there's so many people who are ready to grab them. >> So be very careful. >> Now these now these Rabun never sat down with you to hear your side of the story. >> I wanted to tell them. They didn't want to listen. It's already 14, 15 years. I don't have a shoe where to die yet. >> What message do you have for the victims who suffered and they're afraid to come out or who already came out and they want to move on with their life? >> Okay. Today uh we have an unusual guest who paid a uh heavy price for doing the right thing. >> I'm still paying. I don't have a price. >> I don't have a min right still paying a price. His name is Rabbi Nam Rosenberg. Um he stood up alone. He was mish alone in the world like he was one person who ran around and and stuck his neck out. And it was mish mam the you wanted to protect the people who don't have a voice and those were the little children the innocent children. Welcome to the struggle podcast. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So where I want to start with you is your history and then we'll get into this uh your entire uh all the work that you're doing. First of all, where were you born? was born here in Brooklyn. >> You weren't here in America. >> In Brooklyn, New York. >> In Brooklyn, New York. And um and where did you grow up? You grew up in Williamsburg. >> Yeah. >> Satma. Satan. >> You went to Yeshiva. So you remember the very well? >> Very well. >> Very well. You were Mish from the first not first. First first from the beginning. >> He used to give us for our the children that ded with his minion. He used to give us the bottom from his thrill and whoever got it was the one that was able to put together >> to roll it together. So your mom should remember him in the Hilty in the years that he was was running the streets not just like you remember those days. Now you're so passionately involved in this >> and this is about child protection, child safety, right? >> And this took over your life. This took a big part. So how did you get involved? What was the first phone call you got that you got involved in child molestation? >> New tenant comes I the story goes like this. He moved in into the building where I lived in Brooklyn. He moved in downstairs. So if new tenant comes I go over and I say shalom and I want to tell you something that I'm a neighbor here and anytime you need something please come up and I'll share with you. So I told him, I don't have a million dollars to share with you, but if you need a little sugar in the coffee or something like that, come in and we'll be very, you know, good neighbors. So one day it was summer and he knocks on my door. Hello. Yes. Who is it? So I opened the door for him and I said, yes, what is it that you want? He says, I have something to discuss with you. I couldn't talk to you until now. I have something to talk to you. I said talk to me to me anybody can talk anything. So he tells me that he was a us. His father died. His mother remarried with a step's father and he didn't care too much. And the Reb threw an eye on him and he says, "You know, you have a cop. You don't understand good the Talmud. I will teach you privately without taking money from your parents. So who can get a better deal than that? So he used to come to the Reba one time again again every every day of the week and instead of teaching him gimmicus he taught him sex. >> This is a shame. So you know it came to a point where he felt that his life was worthless. That's what they all feel. and he went out and he bought a gun Friday afternoon. No, not Friday afternoon. He bought a gun one afternoon and he took a car. He used to drive trucks. He was a trucker and he took it and he went down to Long Island someplace. He pulled over in the parking lot and he shot himself with a pistol in the head. >> And he left a note. The note consisted of three things. I'm taking my life because I'm they don't have what to do instead of teaching me. They know I'm a use so they pick on me. And that's one thing. The other thing is he was already sick at that time. And the third thing is that my mother was an old lady. She suffered heart attacks and everything. think she should be able to go through this and I really feel sorry for her. >> Unbelievable. >> And he kissed everybody goodbye and he blew his brains. >> So this is the story with this man. And then I didn't really pay too much attention to it because I didn't I wasn't involved that molestation brings sexual. >> You didn't even know. I mean who knew at that time? >> Yeah. Nobody knew. So, >> so anyway, so I tried to be to to to take care of everything that had to be taken care of for and that's it. >> Yeah. And you found that note. >> I had a note. I I gave it to the house. I gave it to them. They should learn what kind of misery society we live in. >> Unbelievable stuff. This is a sick story. This is nuts. Now there was also you were in the middle of working on a famous mikvah on a big famous mikvah and some mother uh came over to you and told you a story and then you went to the raunam or to the kahila to the anula and there was a lot of push back is that's where it started your whole when you saw the more push back you saw that you're getting about talking about this subject you saw that you just opened up a can of worms that's what it was >> and every day was a little can of worms every day >> and And you the the push back was even worse than the story. The story was a horror story. But then you went and you said, "You know what? Let me do something about it." And you got tremendous push back. They told you just sit back and do nothing and let us handle it. >> And you didn't you didn't buy that. >> No, I didn't. I said there's nobody else to do it. Who's going to do it? >> Right. So So um what happened is later you opened up a hotline. >> Yes. Now this hotline if I remember correctly was um originally about mikvas. You talked a lot about about this mikvah, that mikvah, the building part of the mikvah and the importance of the mikvah >> and how and how the mikquas summer have to be. >> Yeah. Have to be. Yeah. It was like an awareness hotline that you made for mikvas. Exactly. And then when you found out that just by accident some mother came over crying to you or whatever it was, you started talking about stuff on the hotline >> and that even blew up like even even crazier. >> It's still blowing up. I still it's already 14 15 years I don't have a sho they don't let me >> in paying a price because of that >> they don't let me into any sh in Williamsburg >> right now this is because they they put you in right they they put out a whole paper and newspapers about a couple of raun did that >> now these now these raunam never sat down with you to hear your side of the story >> I wanted to tell them they didn't want to listen >> they just got together and they put together a days I'm in mind that they going to fight and they're going to win. >> Right? >> But when they saw that they're not winning, some of them started to refraining. We came back maybe we can talk. We have nothing to talk to anybody, >> right? So the hotline was really your only weapon that you had. >> You didn't have anything else. This was your >> cha was the only thing you had a phone number and then you had something what to say and uh and you shared this with with with people. Now what people don't recognize is that thousands of people were listening to this hotline at that time and but nobody did anything. People said he knows what he's talking about. He's 100% right. The awareness is important. A lot of people didn't know and they you know there was a big fight to explain them. But you were the one who's sitting over there and putting your neck out and everybody was sitting behind and just having an from it. I mean they had a pleasure. Yeah. So, so you were mish for for right. That's what happened. No one stood up. You didn't have one person or one lar or somebody who uh told you that um you're doing the right thing, you're doing something. >> A lot of them called me up, but they didn't want to be in public. They couldn't do it. >> Yeah. They would didn't want to be publicized because they were afraid for their positions. Everybody has either a job or a shul or something, >> right? So what was the real reason that they hated you so much that you brought out that in them that they were >> because they wanted that I should not talk about all this news that went on and that I should not say about which >> and everything will be smooth >> right >> no because people will say he's making up stories I want to know I want you to know where and how and what's happened >> yeah because what happens is there were names mentioned from from Rabun kahillas and yedum and do you think that if it wouldn't be for that the the the message wouldn't get across the same. >> It would have been a joke. >> It would have been a joke. People would think he's talking >> and nobody would no actions would have been taken, >> right? >> You you felt that this is the most important thing that you have to do. So originally you started off with um talking about because and you know what >> quietly everybody agreed that you know this must take us this must take an end. I mean this must stop. And then what happened is the push back made you um shift the fight from the pedophiles to the raun. They came to a point that you were saying >> no because they were the ones that stopped. You don't understand. I had no fights with the pedophile. >> Right. >> I only had a fight with Aru that would call me up, take him off. He's my friend. He gives me what he gives to you that's yours. I don't want to hear about it. >> Right. Right. So, so you got so upset with the idea that the coverups was going on in in the community for different reasons >> and you were acting alone. You were a person who was uh doing their own thing and they did not um it did not go well by them. >> No. >> Now you you went through um you went through a lot. You feel that if anything is happening a child. >> Yeah. Right away. >> Only 911. There's no other solution. And you had also you had plenty of times that you came up with. >> Yeah. And you feel that this is the reason that it's going to stop it because it stopped it. It stopped you know a serious case at the mikvah. you couldn't go into mikvah. Haz would not go into mikvah. He knows he has a weakness. He goes away. >> Right. So this is all your credit because what's happening is that um the mikvas were bad. You always talk about the mikas about children going with adults and going a wrong timing and >> they don't first of all most mikas today don't even let children go. You go >> they have cameras I think. No >> cameras. It's also my work. >> Yeah. >> They they who watches these cameras >> the police. If somebody says I was raped in the mikvah, so they take the police and they open it and they they see it right away. >> You wanted cameras on buses. >> Buses also. But I I was the one that made the cameras in the mikas. >> Yeah. Because I know there's a lot of cameras in the mikas. So it's all over. So what you're saying is by you doing what you did as far as the hotline, as far as the names, it may sound harsh because a lot of families uh were affected because they have it was their families, but you were saying things wouldn't have get got done if it wouldn't be like now a malam scared to touch a child >> literally petrified. >> There was a story somebody called me up a few weeks ago. I was in the tomato. So the child pulled up his zipper after going to the toilet and it got stuck in the >> Yeah. >> called his mother. His mother had to come down. >> He wouldn't even want to he wouldn't want to go there. >> What? >> He didn't want to go close to that. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> That's all I need. They should say that and everything is on camera anyway. So they would have seen everything. >> No, no, no, no, no. He says call your mother and your mother came. They had to come down. she had to open it. >> So the awareness that that this brought to people is you think it's a small thing but people are today people don't they know that this is there's going to be a price to pay. >> Yeah. 10 that gave up malimdus because of this >> who gave up mimus told them listen it's not my thing I'm staying away from >> that's it I don't want to be accused >> and you want to tell me that if if if that if someone had some kind of whatever you want to call it some tendency or whatever some kind of pull towards children which I don't understand they took jobs in camps and in places because of because they because >> because they need and they're close to the children >> this was intentionally Right. Somebody told me, somebody said, you know, you killed my life. What happened? He says, I became a malama because I knew I had free sex with the children >> and you stopped the whole thing. So, what do I do now? >> Yeah. >> So, he had to look for a job. >> Had to look for a job. >> Unbelievable stuff. I mean, this is this is you made that evolution. Um, you were also threatened physically, emotionally. I'm not even talking about you were thrown out of shield and and they >> I don't have a shield till today. >> I don't have a shield today. 10 15 years I don't have anything to say to that one. There's not one person that would let you. They make you uncomfortable when you come into the show. >> No, they to they call up the rabbi. If you let him in, we're going to burn down your place. >> So yeah. Wow. Unbelievable. So you were threatened. You were also shot at one point. you were walking the streets in the in in the city and some cars and then you were throwing bleach in your eyes. >> Right >> now, what's interesting is that that this is this is where it's very very interesting is that you never made a fight about yourself, >> which means that you you explained it on the hotline. And you were saying that um if I starting to fight with with with people who attack me personally, then you're taking me away from the mission, right? >> I have a mission >> and I have to focus on this mission. Exactly. So you going to jail or this guy or doing it >> makes no difference. >> It makes no difference. It's not going to change anything because there is a mission and you had that focus and and you never lost it. How where do this where where did you take this ko from to to uh to focus and and and to continue to do this and see the results today. This is a tremendous kas that you had that that you you could do that. >> Now what you're saying is that also parents parents is very important that parents should talk to the kids >> and schools should talk to the kids. I think I saw I'm not sure where but it's getting a little bit better. I teach in all the schools they send in curriculums what they teach the kids what they have to teach them. How does a child know if you don't teach them? >> Right. Right. So so you were saying that the awareness is more important than fighting with the pedophile. Let the pedophiles do whatever they want. >> Yeah. Because the the the if the child knows then you're safe. Child knows you can't get close to a child in the mik and he starts to scream get out of here. Yeah. >> That's all you need. You'll never see him again. >> You're right. It's it's just that they take advantage of the children who don't >> of their innocent and and quiet. >> Now, let me ask you something. What's your advice? How should parents talk to these kids the kids? Now, it's a relationship. You have to be a certain closeness with the kids. So, so what's your opinion as far as uh parents should sit down with the kids and make a meeting about this and talk about it? >> Sit down with every child's extra not a group, >> right? Boys and girls. >> Boys and girls. He has done a private places. He has she has her private places. >> And this is not allowed to be touched by anyone. Nobody. Even with the doctor only if the parents are there, >> right? >> And then they start getting the feeling that somebody's trying to get to them, >> right? >> And that's how it stops. So communication with the parents and communication is the biggest thing >> right >> now if the parents don't know how the parents also need an education how to talk to the >> so they should listen to my hotline that's what my hotline is made for it teaches them >> it teaches them how to do it >> how to do it >> very very important stuff now I must tell you after all this um that you went through physical and emotional abuse because you were the Rava mcu you were a guy coming to shul every a regular family in Williamsburg and you paid a dear price for this and your family also and everybody around you paid the price for this. Now I wonder who was your who was who was you like your parents or who put in this amina and this emis and this uh standing up if I see that something is wrong I'm going to stand up and I'm going to say it who instilled that in you that because I remember those years there were there was push back big time push back and you were standing there and saying I remember I'll tell you what I remember that it was like before a yont or before Anything else? You were talking about I think at that point in time you you had your son and your other kids that you were looking for and you were mainly talking to yourself. You were telling yourself and you should know it was like besides all these things your foundation was very solid as far as you're not going to move me. I'm not going to break. I have a mission and I feel I'm doing Hashem's work. I'm doing the right thing. We who would you give credit for that for that self-confidence that you had >> basically to the my to some of the rebels that I had and >> do you remember which ones? >> Not really. >> And they were just putting in a certain saying there's >> right your father was not a big talker. Right. I think that he was like [Music] to the family. He spoke he spoke and he gave it over to the after. >> Wow. >> Wow. So, so what you're saying is that just by you growing up in you were absorbing the way the malam used to say just believe >> don't be afraid do your thing if you stand up for what's right and that's what took you through the the any particular rashiva that any particular person who made a tremendous impact on you >> not really >> not really you just did your thing you were always learning you're always uh >> more or less he gave me a cipher of miku Look, where can someone get the side for everyone? >> Yeah. It's all It's all star. It's all over. >> Yeah. Yeah. Now also um besides not having a shield where to go in, which is mammish. I mean, if you think about it, it's a crime that the world never saw. A person who was fighting for the kids, fighting for for everybody's kids, putting the neck out there is being the nerd now instead of instead of being the hero. But I want to ask you something about um they also they they they stripped you from your membership. You were a member in you remember they me they did everything. Now, now you don't you had to go buy a piece of meat and an airline ticket also for the viewers >> because they they didn't even want to have you uh part of this. They didn't want to know about you. >> No, >> mama. >> Yeah. >> It's amazing stuff. Now let me talk about your family. Your wife and your kids and whoever knows you, whoever is close to all your loved ones, they were standing there for so many years behind you and you came home every time. Every time they there was a fight on the street, someone was spitting at you or someone was yelling at you with another kum and another paper and another garbage was been thrown at you and your wife was there standing by your side and just took it quietly because she saw she saw a side of you that you mean it and you want it. What message do you have for your wife and the kids? What should they know that you did what you did and you meant it and as a role model? What do you what a value you you want to leave for them? >> Well, my wife, she used to get phones, threatened phones, you know, >> because she also got phones from the victims. >> Uhhuh. >> She got phones from parents from the victims. They did this to my child and that's why he went OTD, you know. Because if somebody takes their life Yeah. nobody wants to take him in. You wouldn't believe where in a few pieces the the missed a few pieces 30 40 plus >> and guess what this goes back three four years ago. How many places do you think I have now? >> I can't imagine. >> Can't imagine. At least the whole 30, right? >> Not even one place. We have so many children that took their lives because they've overlasted. >> Yeah. >> That it's unbelievable. >> Unbelievable stuff. Unbelievable stuff. And and you fought for them and you buried them. >> Right. And and and my wife and the children obviously they used to listen to all this because the telephones are telephones. >> Right. Right. >> And they saw that I'm fighting for the good cause. >> Right. Right. So what do you want to say to your wife for for doing this for standing next to you for so many years and taking this this the brunt of the you know standing there and giving you every shabas and every week and and being there for you. >> What I want to say I want to say she she should be blessed you know she's burak she's a special person. She always in everything that she does she's very special and we should have a lot of nakas from all our children together. Oh my. Oh my. Unbelievable stuff. >> You were filing politicians. I remember the name Charles Hines. I remember this name. Like >> he was going to go to jail because of me. He was going to go to jail. >> But you took it's it's you went on all fronts. It was not It was not that you were against a cahila and you were fighting a cahila. You were fighting that was against Right. >> Yeah. It's not like because sometimes you can say that someone is like, "Oh, he doesn't like the roof. He doesn't like a kahillis. I'm a snagot." But this was not yet. You were fighting the world and then you went from the Rabun and the community. You went to child. You went to the source. You felt that the power that Charles Hines at that time was was was taken over by by and he was a powerful man. He could do the craziest things. And you went there with a sign standing in the front and you were not afraid. Mameish. It's it's mindboggling how a one-man person can do something like that because for the for the cause for for for meaning >> and and he didn't win the votes. >> He didn't win the votes after. Right. And >> he was a played out man. >> Right. Right. And then somebody else came in and everybody was laughing at that time and you were like Charles Hines Charles Hines. But uh but you know what? You didn't give up and you always mentioned that I have the bun with me. I don't care and I don't it's not about a game. I don't need ratings. I'm not doing this for money. I'm not doing We We used to hear this all day and all night that you were fighting for this for for this for this tremendous cause. >> You also show up used to show up in court. >> You used to go with the victims. >> Sure. >> And it's not like you were just talking. You were standing there and helping them because they got a lot of pressure >> not to go and back off. Sure. There was once a story with money moving around and they were like they wanted to accuse you for taking money and stuff had to be very sharp. One of your ideas was that you were saying that uh I went to the same school as you guys did. >> So they don't teach me I know because you knew who to deal with. >> It's unbelievable stuff. Unbelievable stuff going back so many years. And also what you were saying is that mothers before Yant you also used to say don't go to don't go to these all these mitzvah and if the kids are if the kids are then it it's what's the whole thing worth it's not what are you doing you're going to you're going to the kids you're leaving the kids uh babysitting babysitting sleepovers all this stuff that you were mentioning was like the awareness And is going for shabusim to friends and everything. I keep >> You're going into strangers houses >> you don't trust anybody in front of whatever. >> Yeah. >> It's the the worst thing that can happen, >> right? And u what they're saying is the professionals what they're saying is there's a lot of uh things that are happening from family members. >> Everything is family members. 90% >> 90% is family members. >> Family members because nobody goes over tough child. Hey, come I want to touch you. So when you were saying mikas in the all these fights that you had all these years only >> was 90% was family members >> my the used to bring the child the head and shoulder shampoo in the shower meanwhile the child was playing in the mikvah >> right >> that's no good >> and that's you know you can't find today a child in the mikvah >> when a child >> you don't find them anymore >> no >> they don't exist because I teach them mothers I have a hotline >> right >> uh I keep on teaching them when you leave your child to the mikvah >> there's so many people who are ready to grab them >> so be very careful >> what message do you have for the victims who suffered and they're afraid to come out or who already came out and they want to move on with their life what words of can you give to those victims that you are so close >> everybody needs an extra word of every story is different people who are lurled into unwant wanting some people, you know, they got paid. They used to give the money >> like a who wanted money or a girl who wanted money. >> They tried everything. >> But what the main thing that you have to teach them is they should know that you are nobody's play girl or playboy. You can't let them do what they want. And if if you have if you need you have courage, scream or run. That's all. >> Yeah. >> But also Sadi, he ran out. And guess what? He had he had the coat with him. >> Yeah. >> So why didn't he leave the coat by her? He was so enthusiastic to get out that he took the whatever he had, he took along. You have to be very careful what you're doing. Today you can hear a lot of times get away. >> You hear it? Yeah. No, but I mean and the cameras to put in cameras is also mine. I was the one that in introduced it. Right. What message do you have for people for the raun or people or call it whatever you want to call it who hurt you and your family? >> What message I have for them? >> You don't even want to >> I don't even want to get involved. You have your own you have you know the truth and the truth is on your side and you're confident and you're not worried. When you come up to Shamay what would you say to the what did you do in this world? >> Well I did me a lot of things. First of all I did a lot of mikas >> right >> I built about 200 mikas the whole Eastern Europe where nobody was everybody's afraid to go. I was the one that built mikas over there >> in Russia in Ukraine all over. And then I have uh you know all the uh things that I did to make to make them more mid and everything. So I did did a lot of things in in a lot of aspects. >> Right. And also you you were an advocate. You helped children innocent children was the future from the >> future 90% children don't go into the mik anymore. >> Yeah. >> Because I taught the mothers child is a victim. That's all he's there for. Not for kadisha, not for nothing else. >> He's there. He's a victim and that's it. Take him out. >> So what you're saying is for the go like the 13 year olds >> till what? When >> right? You don't think it's important for a to >> I think it's the most least important thing that a should go to the mikah. There's a million other things before that that this is the this should be on their uh >> right first of all we should naked you go without there's no there's no nothing >> right >> shouldn't be like that >> uh you would think that and the moas and the people who you were fighting were just fighting because of they have a different way how to approach it or you feel that they from this >> no no They they have revenue from this. This is their revenue >> which means if they find a victim money >> but as if there is like a >> there is there was a lot of money involved in that >> millions of dollars. >> They used to come over you did this and this and this $100,000 and if the guy didn't pay oi >> and I said he doesn't deserve $100,000 he deserves to go to jail 10 years. >> Yeah. But what did they do with this $100,000? The >> pocket money. It was collecting the tash. >> Mish and everything went on just like that. >> Yeah. >> And everybody was afraid to open their mouth. >> Wow. >> They threatened me. They shot me once also. They did whatever they wanted >> to close that hotline. >> Yeah. >> That was the purpose of it. To close the hotline. Come to us. >> Right. >> And you did not give up. >> No. Now which uh which are you into? Are you because you used to talk about used to go to Oman and you used to know and you know and you know and on one hand you're you're like you're aesh. I'll tell you why you're aesh. I'm going try to analyze you because you're a very because you were talking about the I remember you used to talk about the you with tears in your eyes. You were so you you like was everything by you you like he was and then the you used to talk about because there was a time that you you learned in vision it's also so which are you connected to? What drives you? Which which are you like what's your thing? Where's where's your heart connected to? >> Yeah, that's your >> that's every week I learned them. >> Yeah. And also you were talking about being misedra. >> Yeah. >> There used to be times that you you didn't only talk about um um you know what was going on. Of course, but they >> taking it took over. I had >> it took over because there was so much stuff to it. >> Yeah. You are also known to be an expert in halas of mikvah. If I remember correctly correctly, you had a letterhead that said, >> right? >> And you were like um mikvah is you got involved with the aluka part of building mikvah for for women and also the construction part. Exactly. >> How did you get involved as a young man? I know you had a rebik. I had an >> from he was your rebu. But how did you get involved in mikvah as far as uh you know doing what because while you were doing the mikvas you still had a job right? This was not a money maker. This was something a passion that you that was very close to your heart. How did you get involved in >> because I learned McVoris and I had a feeling to it and I used to go around checking mikas to see what the story is with them and I saw that there's a lot of problems so I decided to speak up. if I wasn't going to be quiet about it. So, I have a few people who helped me the helmet. He was a big mim and when I used to say something, he used to listen and he used to make an issue out of it. And then I had my pos who is known to be our world's renowned miku mikva builder in in England, but he's all over the world. He's not so much now anymore because he's like I'm 95 or something plus >> but he used to be involved in every shil that I had I would speak with him and write to him and we went over a lot of things. >> So you you you you're the type of guy that if you see something so let's say you were learning hik and you saw that this is not right and that's not right. You're the type of guy who's going to get up and do something about it. It's not just you're going to go with the flow you know you see something you let other people do it. You're taking action is what you're saying. >> So explain us a little bit about what is what goes into a construction of a nush mikvah. I mean boral gaba bar and from the roof and this to people to understand the significance of a of a women's mikvah. >> Okay. First of all we have to start the the water comes from the rain. >> Yes. >> The rain comes from the roof. The roof comes from a building. So now we have to make sure that the roof does not have any bykles doesn't have not have any place where it can hold water can maintain water because then it's a kay even though it's a bign still considered the kay. So this is very very hard and especially the old roofs they start cracking up and chipping you know the tar. It's it's a it's a whole story. Usually when I come to an old mikvah I take there's such a thing is called silver paint. I buy a bucket of silver paint and they have some that have fiber inside. So when you mix silver paint with fiber and you paint the roof with it, it becomes thick, nice and thick. And then even if there's any biski it disappears because you covered it up. That's the den. The den is that if you have a biski so you put on a layer of cement and it's become it becomes okay by skiibble. So this is a very very hard situation. Now in the olden times when I started the mikas I was mainly busy with country mikas. the country because in my dictionary 90% are pusal that I not >> this is upstate New York you're talking about because the winter >> not yeah because of the winter not only upstate New York is I used to travel in the gy United States all over >> you were involved in the Monro the the the Kir monro mikvah also yes I was you were mish the the go-to guy for every mikvah that was built in the the in the highish community right >> right I the square I was also involved I did scarik also the plans and everything I made them. >> So uh >> so where's the problem? So if you know how to build >> the problem is aging. It's called aging. That's the problem. I can build the best miku, the nicest mik, no kakikas, no scratches, no nothing. And all of a sudden you come back a year later. Boom. >> So how many years do you say you have to inspect those mikvah? every every time you're going to use it like every winter goes by the summer comes you have to inspect it and fix it. >> So why don't people inspect it from money? >> I have mus in the country which would puzzle the eyes they were zoo they used to they used to leak a foot and more water and I would hold the rabbi and he would say it's okay it's okay. >> That's it. So you can't go fight to them. You were only one man. >> Well, after a while, they all started listening because, you know, I would take order upon him to help me along and whatever. >> This was before email. You were sending letters and knocking on people's doors. And you made this your mission. And while you did this, you had a business. You had a job. >> A job. Sure. I was an accountant. >> So, you did this in the side or whatever, right? >> During the day, in the in the morning, >> right? Wow. Amazing stuff. Now, as far as um explain a little bit for people who want to understand what is the importance, what does a a young couple who is just getting married, what does the mikvah do? I remember you were telling stories with people had mira from Russia and from for years they were like a million stories. You always had what why the significance and the importance of what mikvah is. Well, then what the mikah really does is it's what it does. >> Where does it where did the mikvah start? When is this whole when this whole idea of so learns that means >> right >> starts way back. Every time Hashem gave us something he gave us. In other words, before we had to go to the mikvah and everything, every y everything we went a mikvah where's the where's the concept that women have to go to the mikvah after they >> so it's it's it's a it's a mitzvah that it says in the that that >> that you can't have intercourse. She can't go to the before she goes to the >> right. How do you see today? Do people um are do people know does the the callus do they know the halas the the >> Let me tell you something. We put so much effort the past 25 years. We put so much effort into it that they should know the no today would give if the kala didn't show that she went to the mikvah. Nobody the mikah you didn't had to call up yes she did come to the mikah and there's tens of stories that I must >> where is this happening in which circle in everywhere >> in everywhere >> so a person with msadic condition wants to see >> he has to see it in a writing or he knows the rabbi or the roof and the rabbi called him up that she went to the mik and she did everything like it's supposed to >> otherwise they're not mad condition >> now >> this is still happening today >> today Yeah, >> it's happened the whole time because otherwise what drive does that have, you know, to >> to be misic? There there's a story that when I one of the mikas that I confronted when I uh had a problem in Ukraine uh the rabbi the the woman said that she went to the mika and she wrote a letter to the rabbi from the balanit that she went to the mika and the rabbi did not believe it I don't know why he had or something must have been a holy man >> didn't believe it so he said to her, uh, g get tell her to come here. I want to talk to her. So, she comes to the basin and she says, "Tell me, did this woman go to the maker?" She starts, "Yeah, but I did didn't I not give you a piece of paper?" >> She says, "I want to know, did she go to the maker?" And she starts to cry. She says, "She didn't." She paid me 50,000 lelay, which was a lot of money then, and I shouldn't have to go to the maker. So then the rabbi calls her and she says, "If you're going to lie to me, then what do I need you for? What do I need you for?" >> So by saying this curse, "What do I need you for?" She fainted and she died. >> Yeah. And this this is a known story in in Europe a lot of years. So with these things, you don't play games. As far as um they're teaching the they're teaching the kala the alas before who is responsible between the couple who should know more because some places the the wife it's it's the woman's job >> and usually the woman has to know more because she the doesn't even know what what oa mukum is. It doesn't know anything >> but she knows she's not naive she's a woman. >> Yeah. So she has to manage the calendar. Manage the calendar. Now managing the calendar, I used to give out calendars. I don't give it out anymore because all the mikers are copying. They ask me permission years that they want to copy it. I have a system that I made >> that you shouldn't make any mistakes and uh it's it's now known worldwide and every mikah you get it for free. >> Mhm. is that what what what would you say about alas the complicated alkas that people don't know like major mistakes that people may make as far as alas go >> the easiest mistake that they make is the simplest in counting the five days and the seven days >> that's where they have hundreds and hundreds of mistakes why simple >> because when you count five the day that you is included in the five days. Okay? >> 1 2 3 4 5. >> Then you make a dah and the next morning starts your first days of the clean days. The confusion between these is is very very very hard. Why the first day they start counting the >> sometimes they would use the first day as sometimes they would use the first day of the five unclean days >> and sometimes they would use the have six days as a day they there's so much confusion >> now I remember you also were saying that as far as construction goes and what you guys did you did mikas for dis disabled women also >> yes >> and every community has that >> in every community we First, I want to build a disabled mikah also because otherwise it's not worth anything. Now, we have a few kind of disabled women's mikas. I have one mikra that the whole mik goes down. >> I had I had in Israel a woman she got in in the spine. She got a bullet. >> So, she's crippled. She can't she can go to the mik. She can function the house, everything, but she can't move. Mhm. >> So we made it a mikvah and I designed it and it's made that the whole mikvah goes down. So all she does is she lays on a platform and the whole maker goes down and she's toyled. >> And then when it came out there was such a fight over this and I said to everybody show me why it's not not good. Show me. >> There was nobody that was able to show me. So at the end of the day, so this mik that was built, it was built in in one of the kibutim and they oed it and it's being used now by a lot of handicapped women. Now this handicap is handicap number three. There's handicap number one. A woman goes in the street, she falls down, she breaks her ankle, and she needs a cast. So you put on a cast. But if you put on the cast, if it stays there two weeks or three weeks or four weeks, how's the husband going to go? How's she going to go to the m the husband? So they put on what they call a removable. >> You do it. It's a it's a common thing. You go into the hospital, you get a removable cast and you put it on >> and thousands of twers are done because they're able to remove this worldwide. And if you want to real be realistic, you can find a solution. >> And this is a very interesting thing. So now we have a woman that she lives in one of these. Her husband is the man in our big development over there. And she got in the she got a bullet. So she became paralyzed. She can't move. >> So I told them we're going to make a mikah. And the rabbanut paid the whole money because he works for the rabbanut in it's a kibbut. >> They paid the whole amount of money what it cost to make the mikvah >> and they were they finished item and what how it works is that the whole platform goes down. Amazing, amazing stuff that you're involved in all the details and all the >> every detail because they they can't do it without somebody knowing what they're doing. >> Yeah. >> Because you have to know is this the is this the go? You have to know everything. >> There's a lot of involved. Now I want to ask you about um if you can share a little bit how important this is and how uh what a sensitive issue this is what this what this does for a family and what happens if the husband is not on the same level as the wife. He takes it serious but she doesn't and she takes it serious and and and and he doesn't. What do you have to say about that? There's nothing that I can say that it's just something that they should really unite themselves to be on one level because if he wants it and she doesn't or vice versa. So they're bringing children to the world which are not really healthy but not physical mental uh god healthy. So it's it's very very very bad position. >> You hear a lot of situations like that. Yeah, but most of them they straighten out. Most of them we talk to them. We talk the special professional people and they talk to the women, they talk to the men and most of them straighten out. >> Right. So that brings me to the Husenala lessons and I know that at one point in time when you were younger I guess you at one point gave Husen lessons. Yes. >> Right. Now, what was um give us a little bit of a uh view of how your lessons went down as far as what were the what were the foundations that you were pushing and um >> the foundations I was pushing is the rest of it they come with I said leave all that out because that makes you should be because you can't really be mamum that you have no kiches. >> Make sure one thing your twer has to be kosher without any kichas. That's all you got to worry about. The rest leave to hashem. >> You made it simple. Now as far as you were only teaching the kasana, that's what your thing was or you were teaching a little bit about life also and >> a little about life but not too much. >> Not too much. You were mostly concentrating on alas. >> Onlo. >> And how did that go? Was that successful? >> Very success. Not only that, there's so many I I still got a present this week or two weeks ago, a big sid from somebody >> and he writes in there that if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have known anything. I used to go in Yeshir 30 years ago. >> Wow. >> And uh that's that's the reward that I have. >> Yeah. And that that that's what makes you uh live. You feel like you're living, >> right? >> But um why did you stop that at one point? >> I never stopped it. It just came to a point where the mikquas took over and the mikas are very important and I have to be there every day in different mikas and I just couldn't handle everything. I have a lot of that I trained in. >> Yeah. >> I knew I wasn't going to be able to do it all myself. >> Yeah. >> Let me tell you something. I don't have what to say. You left a mark on this world. There's no two ways about it. You debunked the myth that says you can't fight Syri. You show the world that you can't fight Syri. You can fight and you can win and you can win also. >> This is one person who can show that. >> And you know how they say they say you know why >> because nobody else will only is going to do it. So what I wanted to say is much good. >> Yeah. Thank you so much for coming and I really appreciate giving us your time. You're welcome. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. [Music]