Letter: Sickened and Disgusted

As a victim of Eli Weinstein, I must say, I am sickened and horrified by what I’m seeing.

And that is the way some of my brethren have responded to his release.

Let me start off by letting you in on a secret. I lost quite a bit of money through him, though he may not be directly aware. Money I wish I still had. And there are other victims too.

That being said, I am utterly disgusted by what I’ve read on some “Jewish” websites – some comments too despicable to even include in this letter.

Let’s make something clear. There is no excuse for theft, there is no excuse for deception, and there is no excuse for ruining someone’s livelihood. And that is why they were put away.

But reading some of the comments written about this man sickens me to the core, almost convincing me we were reading about the release of a mass murderer. It’s frightening to watch people stoop to such a level.

But I, and other victims I know, are glad this man was released.

You ask why?

Because I believe there is a G-d in control, and higher authority. Does it hurt to lose money? Yes. But I also know my financial status – including how much I should lose and how – is determined on Rosh Hashana. And the same way it was taken from me, it can be returned to me, in whichever way G-d wishes to disguise it.

But to watch a living Almana and living Yesomim is not something I wanted on my Achrayus, nor was it something I could bare. A wife deserves her husband, and innocent small children deserve a loving father.

And President Trump and the others who reviewed the merits of the case, obviously felt the same.

Let’s not forget, every pardon case brought forth to and weighed by the President has victims, and I’m sure many are pained by their releases too. But we are Klal Yisroel, and should be acting that way.

Is this man a hero? Absolutely not. And others know that too, including the many attorneys, the activists, the Rabbonim, and the many victims who pleaded for his release.

Losing money isn’t fun, it’s painful. But I know a family ripped apart forever isn’t the answer.

President Trump, Hagoen Rav Chaim and other Gedolim and victims felt this man deserved a second chance at rebuilding his life with his family, and so should we.

A victim, and a fellow Yid.

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17 COMMENTS

  1. I agree. Perhaps Mr. Weinstein never intended to defraud anyone, and his money making schemes got out of hand. I don’t know anything about him or what he did, but, to put people who did white collar crimes in prison for so many years when murderers go free, makes absolutely no sense. The Torah doesn’t mandate such punishment. Money comes and money goes and how much one makes is all in Hashem’s hands.

    • Observing the pardoning process is a serious Mussar lesson in appreciating even just a fraction of the Teshuvah process.. When we come before the Aibeshter and ask Slach Lanu, Mchal Lanu, Kaper Lanu, He in His infinite kindness, observes the person and his family and decides that so many people depend on the individual, and his family should not have to suffer because of his misdeeds.. And when H-shem erases our sins and debts, He takes into account what we have done wrong and still allows us to do Teshuvah and accepts it from us! And allows us to start with a clean slate! What a Chasodim Yidden survive on!

  2. No Jew, should ever sit in prison according to Torah values, we and our rules are and I for an eye, you steal money your punishment is you need to pay you back. The idea of prison it’s not a Jewish value. With that being said we should not fantasize a ““ criminal”

    We should be thankful he is out prison reunited with his family, we should pray that he doesn’t do bad again and hope for the best

  3. With all due respect, I am also intimately familiar with some of the victims. As you mentioned, there is no excuse for vile comments etc, however, a full on apology video is the least mr. Weinstein should have done, thanking everyone that was involved in his release is and was necessary but not before offering up an empathic apology directly to his victims

    • Excellent point. I didn’t know the victims but I knew Mr. Weinstein and how he conducted himself, so I can dispel any notion that “he didn’t know what he was doing, etc.”. What he did was wrong. Period. But he served a significant part of his sentence and we should always welcome mercy, especially to the innocent wife and children. I pray that Mr. Weinstein has learned from he experience, has done sincere Teshuva and goes on to live an exemplary life.

  4. There is a phrase that has been used alot lately, maybe it’s been overused. But when I read this letter and when I hear how hard people worked behind the scenes to have Eli Weinsten pardoned, EVEN HIS VICTIMS, I am just overwhelmed with awe. I don’t know if I could have that same attitude in that situation. This is an attitude on an exalted madreiga. Now I have to use that often overused phrase myself. MI KE’AMCHA YISROEL!

    • NO. We DONT all “sin differently”.
      It is entirely untrue that everyone has their moldy cheese in the bag.

      That does not mean that people dont make mistakes, as chazal tell us. but what you insinuate is that everyone has their issue. That is simply untrue. Its time for you to do teshuva!

  5. Maybe a therapy home. Or some other creative idea, to help people reassess their situation and change for the better. Jail a real one is not the correct place for a white collar crime. The system needs to be changed especially since it is used for political purposes. Dangerous people is a different story.

  6. Who am I to say anything if an actual victim has in his heart to forgive, so I will remain silent.

    But what I find extremely vile, is the publication of videos showing family and friends dancing in celebration as if they were at a chasena!

    We can be happy for their families and we can feel that the commutations were appropriate.

    But where is our modesty? Where is our shame that there are those among our people who have committed such serious crimes?

    Anybody who happens to find this story on the public internet and sees such jubilation and dancing could easily conclude that those is the video are giving these former prisoners a hero’s welcome and that they are making light of their past crimes. That would constitute a Chillul HaShem.

    Let the families be grateful for their loved ones’ new found freedom, but let’s keep the video cameras turned off. To publicize them is simple gross and disgusting.

  7. The real truth is, that we don’t need to over-promote his release either as a “miracle”.

    On the other hand, we truly saw Nissim with the release of Weiss, Samet & Rubashkin. TYH and your Shaliach President Trump!

    Having this comment pass the mods will prove that TLS is truly an independent unbiased media site.

  8. I agree with Simcha 1000%. This should also be a time of real introspection for our entire community – are we promoting an affluent lifestyle that is driving some people to do wrong things in order to be counted among those who have “made it”

  9. To Simce:
    You are spot on. You read by my mind. Let’s be happy that they are back home with their Families but let’s not glorify them as celebrities

Comments are closed.