Toykyo - Inspired by the success of the Unity music video which featured Jewish music’s best and brightest working together to raise funds and awareness for Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, singer Shloime Daskal decided to embark on a similar project of his own.

He contacted Unity producer Danny Finkelman and suggested another video, this one to be filmed at the Japanese prison where Israeli bochurim Yoel Zev Goldstein and Yaakov Yosef Greenwald are still being detained after suitcases that they were carrying for someone else were in April 2008 were found to contain drugs.

Joining Shloime Daskal for this blockbuster project is Jewish music superstar Avraham Fried and the two will sing a cover of Yaakov Shwekey’s “Tatte”, which was in and of itself a remake of Abie Rotenberg’s “In A Vinkele” from Dveykus Volume 2.  The project, which is produced by Teltech Entertainment of Toms River, New Jersey, will be produced and directed by Finkelman who will be joined by Unity veterans Ilya Lishinsky (musical production)and Mauricio Arenas (film cinematagrophy).  New lyrics in both Yiddish and English were written for the song by Moti Ilowitz and Moshe Kravitzky.

“While we all daven for these boys to a certain extent we have all become oblivious to their plight,” explained Finkelman in an exclusive interview from Japan with VIN News.  “We need to keep this on the front burner.  These boys need both our donations and our tefilos.”

Finkelman was quick to point out that while he is hard at work finishing up his documentary on Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, the two cases are really part of the same whole.

“In both the Rubashkin case and the case of the bochurim who are incarcerated in Japan, the punishment does not fit the crime.  The Gemara tells us that if you daven for someone who has the same need as you, your tefillos are answered first, so I think that by helping other prisoners in need, it can have a positive impact on the Rubashkin case as well. In fact, I visited the boys in prison today and Zev Goldstein mentioned that not only did he write a letter to Rubashkin but he prays for him as well.”

Shlomah Daskal at the prison speaking to one of the teens

New York - As first reported exclusively on VIN News, an all new music video starring Shloime Daskal and Avraham Fried is being released to benefit the two Yeshiva boys that are still serving time in a Japanese prison.  The bochurim are currently having their cases appealed in Japanese Supremem Court.

The song, Tatte, was originally titled “In A Vinkele” on Dveykus 2 and was redone as “Tatte” by Yaakov Shwekey on his L’shem Shomayim album.  The video, featuring music by Eli Lishinsky and cinematography by Mauricio Arenas is produced and directed by Danny Finkelman of Sparks Productions in conjunction with Teltech Entretainment and co-sponsored by Aaron Teitelbaum Orchestra and The Meshoirerim Choir.

Please help bring the bocherim home by posting a link to thejapansong.com/donate  page to help raise the funds needed for the boys’ defense. 

To see more photos from Japan click here http://thejapansong.com/ 

Boys in Japan Jail Thankfully Unaffected by Earthquake and Tsunami

With the massive earthquake in Japan, all of Klal Yisroel is wondering how it has affected our dear brothers in prison over there.  R’ Aron Nezri, and R’ Meilech Bindinger, the main askanim in the case, have been in constant contact to make sure everything is okay.

R’ Aron reports to Matzav.com: “We have been, and continue to be in constant contact with those in Japan. The Chiba detention center has not been affected at all. Even if water does come off of the shores of Chiba, it will not hit the district, as it is high up on a hill. I have had someone go a number of times already to the prison to make sure the boys are ok and he will continue to go over the next few days to check on the boys as well.”

Rabbi Binyomin Edery, the local Chabad shliach, who often visits the boys, related, “Today we had a major earthquake, but thank G-d we are all fine. All the houses and buildings literally swung, trains are not operating, highways have been closed and phone lines down. There hasn’t been such a strong earthquake in the Tokyo area for at least 70 years. This is a very strong tsunami.” He added: “One of the signs of the geulah is that the earth will shake and get worn out like a garment. We hope and pray that G-d will continue to protect Japan and all the people that no harm will befall anybody.  Thank you to all those who called, emailed or prayed for us. May Hashem give you only good tidings.”

Bochrim In Japan Not Affected By Horrific Quake & Tsunami

These days, when we hear about an earthquake in Japan- all of Klal Yisroel are wondering - has this affected the two Yeshiva Bochrim in prison over there at all?

R’ Aron Nezri, and R’ Meilech Bindinger, the main keyplayers in the case, have been in constant contact to make sure everything is ok.

R’ Aron reports to us: “We have been, and continue to be in constant contact with those in Japan. The Chiba detention centre has not been affected at all. Even if water does come off of the shores of Chiba it will not hit the district as it is high up on a hill. I have had someone go a number of times already to the prison to make sure the boys are ok and he will continue to go over the next few days to check on the boys as well.”

Rabbi Binyomin Edery, the local Chabad shaliach who often visits the boys said “Today we had a major earthquake, thank G-d we are all fine. All the houses and buildings literally swung, trains are not operating, highways have been closed and phone lines down. There hasn’t been such a strong earthquake in the Tokyo area for at least 70 years. This is a very strong Tsunami.”   and added “One of the signs of the Redemption is that the earth will shake and get worn out like a garment. We hope and pray that G-d will continue to protect Japan and all the people that no harm will befall anybody.

Thank you to all those that called, emailed, or prayed for us. May Hashem give you only good tidings.”

IMPORTANT NOTE: CLICK HERE TO BE MEKAYEM PIDYON SHIVUYIM IN ASSISTING THE BOCHRIM STILL IN JAPAN PRISON!!

The tzibur is requested to continue being Mispallel for Yoel Zev ben Mirel Reesa Chava and Yaakov Yosef ben Raizel.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

New York - The Japan Song, an all star video to benefit the two bochurim that are still serving time in a Japanese prison,  as was first reported exclusively on VIN News, is being released today with the hopes that it will raise both funds and awareness for the two incarcerated boys.

The seven minute long video, featuring superstars Shloime Daskal and Avraham Fried was produced by Danny Finkelman,  contains sweeping footage of Japan and the Chiba Detention Center, filmed just two and a half weeks before the devastating earthquake and tsunami struck Japan.

The song, with lyrics in both English and Yiddish, is a remake of the Dveykus classic In A Vinkele, later re-recorded by Yaakov Shwekey, relates the plight of Yoel Zev Goldberg and Yaakov Yosef Greenwald, who are being held in a Japanese prison almost three years after suitcases that they were carrying for someone else were found to contain drugs.

In an interview with VIN News, producer Danny Finkelman admitted to being deeply moved by the time he spent both at the prison and with the two bochurim.

''I personally witnessed the conditions that these boys live under every single day.  Aside from remembering these boys in our tefillos, it is important that everyone participate in the Pidyon Shevuyim campaign so that these boys can be reunited with their families.''

Rabbi: Tsunami result of haredi arrests

Leader of Rachmastrivka Hasidic dynasty says Japan punished for imprisonment of two yeshiva students convicted of drug smuggling

Ynet

Rachmastrivke Rebbe: Tsunami in Japan Result of Bochurim in Jail

Rav Dovid Twersky, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe of Eretz Yisroel, says that the recent tsunami in Japan, which has left thousands of people dead, was the result of the arrest of the two yeshiva bochurim, Yaakov Yosef and Yoel Zev, by Japanese authorities and jailed.

“The Japanese don’t understand why they keep on receiving blow after blow, and it never ends. If they want it to stop, they must release the two boys jailed in their prison immediately, and then experience salvation,” the Rebbe told chassidim this past week.

The Rebbe then said tefillos for the two boys.

{Yair Alpert-Matzav.com Israel}

Rachmistrivka Rabbi: Tsunami result of Haredi Arrests in Japan