honestly I find some of what is said to be somewhat distasteful. First, what is considered vacationing moderately for me is different than what you might consider a moderate vacation and that might be different than what the next guy considers moderate. What I consider lavish and exciting is different than what you or the next guy consider it to be. Who is to say that some people are overspending and are too ostentatious and should vacation or enjoy leisure time only moderately? And second, if they arent with hookers and drugs and just going skiing or legal (and halachically legal) gambling or skydiving or whatever and flying to the vacation spot on a private jet, they earned their money and can spend it how they want. It does not mean the community should idolize them or whatnot. And if someone puts himself out there as a community model then he has a responsibility to live appropriate for a community model, but I think mostly we are not talking about people who are designated as our models.
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I thought I heard a comment that big donors live big lives?
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This podcast episode had the wrong host. Wasserman is admittedly totally (and embarrassingly) clueless about this culture, so he should not be the one discussing it. In addition, of all the rabbis to have on as guests, interviewing a Harry from a shul of Harries in Harryville (a.k.a. Silver Spring, and not even Kemp Mill) was an odd choice.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the first point and also thought it would have been a better episode with DL as host. I even think he has discussed these issues before. I have no idea about your second point. I was not familiar with these rabbis and never heard of them before
DeleteI refer specifically to the last rabbi. All you need to know is that he is the rabbi of the Woodside shul in Silver Spring.
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