After the discovery that tefillin and mezuzos written by the non-observant and disqualified sofer from Ukraine are still being sold on the market, the Crown Heights Beis Din has hired an expert to identify invalid Sta”m that many people are using unknowingly.
By Anash.org reporter
Last year, as reported on Anash.org, rumors began to surface about a skilled sofer, whose beautiful tefillin and mezuzos were being sold on the American market. The sofer, Yaakov Shlomo Itzkowitz, hailed from Russia, and after becoming frum, he trained as a sofer in Eretz Yisroel. Now, he was living in the remote Ukrainian village of Zinkov in the Poltava district, completely disconnected from any Jewish infrastructure.
Rabbi Levi K., a G-d fearing Sta”m vendor in Eretz Yisroel, grew concerned how a sofer – who is expected to be exceptionally yirei Shamayim – could live among non-Jews without any shul or mikvah. After further inquiry, it was discovered that Mr. Itzkowitz was sadly living with a non-Jewish woman and was not Shomer Shabbos. As a result, all the tefillin and mezuzos he had written since abandoning Yiddishkeit were declared pasul.
The sofer’s Tefillin and Mezuzos – written in both Arizal and Alter Rebbe’s ksav – have been widely distributed over the past two decades in Eretz Yisroel and Crown Heights, with many homes, shuls, and bar mitzvah boys unknowingly using his invalid Sta”m, R”L. After confirming the seriousness and scope of the issue, Harav Avraham Osdoba and Harav Yosef Braun of the Crown Heights Beis Din issued a letter urging anyone who may have his items to return them to the place of purchase for replacement.
A year and a half later, the Rabbonim of the Crown Heights Beis Din have discovered that these possul tefillin and mezuzos are sadly still being sold on the market, with many counting on these tefillin and mezuzos for their mitzvos and heavenly protection.
To assist the public in identifying whether their Sta”m was written by this individual, the Badatz has arranged for a Sta”m expert to be available at the Beis Din office every Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. He will examine Tefillin and Mezuzos and determine if they were written by this sofer. Additionally, he will be available to clarify other general questions concerning Sta”m.
In addition, the public may contact the Badatz office by phone at (718) 604-8000 ext. 7, or send pictures for review via WhatsApp at (347) 522-2050.
The following is the full letter issued by the Badatz:
To Whom It May Concern
Following our letter of 4 Shevat last year, regarding the kashrus of Tefillin and Mezuzos written by Mr. Yaakov Shlomo Itzkowitz (from the town of Zinkiv, Poltava region, Ukraine),
Whereas it is known to us that Tefillin and Mezuzos written by the aforementioned are still present in the market (the blame for which rests squarely with the sellers and dealers in Stam, whose sacred duty it is to guard diligently against causing the many to sin ch”v¹) —
It has been decided by us for the public good to arrange on behalf of the Bada”tz an expert in Sta”m, who will sit in the Beis Din office every Wednesday between 5 and 7 pm. There will be an opportunity to bring him tefillin and Mezuzos to clarify (among other things) whether they were written by the aforementioned.
Similarly, one may phone the Badatz on their regular number (718) 604-8000, extension 7. Pictures can be sent for inspection via WhatsApp at (347) 522-2050.
Due to the seriousness of the matter, we hereby repeat our warning that it is appropriate that one finds out the name of the Sofer who wrote a given mezuzah or pair of Tefillin before making a purchase, in order that one should at least be able to clarify that individual’s Yiras Shamayim (as explained in our previous letter).
And may it be His Will, that in the merit of being appropriately careful with the Kashrus of Sta”m — we should merit to see the fulfilment of the promise “And all the nations of the world shall see that the name of G-d is upon you and they will fear you”, “And Evil you will finish off with smoke”, and may only kindness and good find us all our days, in a revealed and apparent manner, with the true and ultimate redemption by our righteous Moshiach, literally right now.
HaRav Avraham Osdoba
Member of the Beis Din
HaRav Yosef Yeshayah Braun
Member of the Beis Din
1) It is appropriate to quote here from a proclamation that the Frierdiker Rebbe signed, that was published in connection with the founding of the Shomrei Sta”m in Poland organization in Warsaw 1935:
“It is incumbent upon those who sell Sta”m in our land and elsewhere that they realize and appreciate that they are the ones who are guilty of the many stumbling blocks before thousands of Jews. For they are the ones who allow the forgers and conmen to “do G-d’s work with trickery”. They are the ones who buy from such people because it is cheaper, selling their souls for a bowl of lentils. Thereby, they accept upon themselves the responsibility for thousands of Jews who then miss out on these mitzvos and recite brochos levatalah ch”v. They are the ones who cause this, for if they would stop buying from such people, with Hashem’s help we’d reach our goal.”
The soifer could not sell his merchandise on his own. He must be collaborating with a distributor/agent in Israel (and possibly ther US as well).
The livelihood of a Jew is not to be trifled with, but if the the distributor knowingly sold his stuff then it might be necessary to make public his identity.
The culprit’s name is Miki Alpern from Kfar Chabad.
When they exposed this, he even called up those who helped expose and threatened them!
Can someone clarify a few points
1. Which vendors sold / sell them
2. How many years back should we be checking?
3. What price range were they?
As shluchim we have bought many mezuzos and tefillin for others as well as mivtzoim tefillin. Is there any way to know what we should be looking for to know if we need to go back and check if it was from him and if it was after he unfortunately left yiddishkeit?