A local yeshiva put out advertisements in one of this week's local haredi newspapers. The advertisements ran in English and in Hebrew, and they are a call for the community to support the yeshiva financially.
I have no opinion of the yeshiva itself, and nothing written here should reflect in any way anything about the yeshiva. I have heard the yeshiva is a good yeshiva, the boys are learning Torah seriously, and I know nothing more than that. I am not familiar with the yeshiva first-hand.
Back to the ads. There is a noticeable difference in the Hebrew and English ads, and they, or more likely the person who created the ads for them, is clearly familiar with both the English-speaking and Hebrew speaking communities.
There are two names that appear signed at the bottom of the Hebrew ad that do not appear at the bottom of the English ad.
If your own rabbi is signed on a letter of support, would you withhold support because a different community's rabbi whom you might dislike is also signed on?
Is that dishonest marketing? Isn't all marketing dishonest and only playing to what the viewer/reader would like to see?
Rafi,
ReplyDeleteRBS is no stranger to dishonest marketing by institutions.
I recall a post on your blog from a few years back when a certain organization quoted Rav Chaim Kanievsky as saying that you should only give Matanos L'Evyonim to them.
The truth was that he said you should give to the local tzedaka organizations (which would include a few). That particular organization printed a falsehood for their benefit.
It seems this yeshiva had a precedent to follow.
I would have taken off 4 names from the Hebrew and the English.
ReplyDeleteThe only name which instills confidence is Rabbi Haber's.
ReplyDeleteWhat is such a sane & honest person doing hanging out with the rest of the honorable signatories?
Maybe Rabbi Haber signed before the others, or maybe he (they) were each given an individual page to sign, and then the signatures were put together...
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThe only name which instills confidence is Rabbi Haber's.
What is such a sane & honest person doing hanging out with the rest of the honorable signatories?
anonymous, it is probably an honor for Rav Haber to have been asked to sign with the other more main stream chareidi rabbonim in the neighborhood.
also to the earlier poster, i don't think that there is anything misguiding about these differences. each add has signors that cater to those that will be reading. it doesn't mean to be interpreted that any other rav that didn't sign is not supporting the yeshiva.
anonymous before me - you really think the Israeli haredim reading the advertisement in Hebrew give a hoot what a bunch of American rabbonim signed? 5 out of 6 the rabbonim in the anglo ad, and 7 out of 8 of the Hebrew ad, are anglo rabbonim (I am counting the Pizeczner as anglo as his kehilla is and his wife is).
ReplyDeleteThe real israeli haredim dont vcare what these rabbonim say. they are not different lists of rabbonim for different audiences. that would make sense having israeli rabbonim for israeli readers, sefardi rabbonim for sefardi readers, etc. These are the same exact, mostly anglo rabbonim, minus 2 that a large part of the anglo crowd does not like.
"anonymous, it is probably an honor for Rav Haber to have been asked to sign with the other more main stream chareidi rabbonim in the neighborhood"
ReplyDeleteYou obviously don't know Rav Haber.
This great talmid chochum shies away from the honor that consumes some of the other names on that list.
He is a beacon of normalcy in a community that suffers from identity crisis, acute paranoia and the stiff neck one gets from constantly looking over their shoulder.