This new obituary for Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski was posted on Feb. 2, 2021
Chasidic rabbi, acclaimed psychiatrist, prolific author, founder of Gateway Rehabilitation Center underlying all his accomplishments was Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski’s intrinsic belief in the value of humanity.
“He would say, ‘We have to recognize that every individual is a gem,’ that was his favorite word,” remembered Rabbi Moishe Mayir Vogel, executive director of The Aleph Institute in Pittsburgh. “He would never throw anyone away. He would say, ‘We just have to polish them off and wipe away the dust.’”
Twerski died Sunday, Jan. 31, in Israel from COVID-19 at the age of 90.
Clemency for more than a dozen Jews
January 29, 2021
(JTA) In the final hours of his presidency, Donald Trump awarded clemency to more than a dozen Jews who had been convicted of crimes but not Sheldon Silver, the disgraced former New York State Assembly speaker.
Silver was not on the list of 143 people granted clemency, a traditional act for outgoing presidents. That means the former Democratic power broker will continue serving a prison term on corruption charges.
The New York Times reported that Trump abandoned a plan to give clemency to Silver at the urging of New York Republicans and the New York Post.
Florida businessman convicted of $1BILLION Medicare fraud spent NYE dancing at his daughter s wedding days after Trump commuted his 20-year prison sentence citing his declining health
Philip Esformes was among the slew of convicts pardoned by President Trump in the final days of his presidency
Esformes, 51, was convicted on 20 criminal counts in a $1billion Medicare fraud scheme in 2019
The healthcare executive was sentenced to 20 years in prison but only served 4
White House claimed the move had been supported by a number of former attorneys general and said Esformes is in declining health
Just days after his release, Esformes spent New Year s Eve dancing at his daughter Serena s wedding held in his backyard
Jews who made the cut included several whose crimes affected Jewish communities or who had support of Aleph Institute, an organization that works with Jews who are incarcerated