Showing posts with label chassid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chassid. Show all posts
Aug 2, 2022
Asking Chassidic Jews what they do for a living! (video)
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Nov 9, 2021
Anu Ratzim v'Heim Ratzim (video)
Tweet from the NY Marathon..
לויפט צו שחרית pic.twitter.com/xDOLzhnXGz
— Hasidic_3 (@Hasidic_3) November 7, 2021
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Jun 15, 2021
Facebook Status of the Day
Full text of Post:
There's something I need to get off my chest.
I'm an Ultra-Orthodox, Chassidic, Hareidi Jew. I live in Jerusalem, in an area that is exclusively Ultra-Orthodox Hareidi for street after street, suburb after suburb, for miles and miles. In all of these neighborhoods where the roads are blocked off and no cars drive on Shabbos, each black-hat-wearing family has many many children and literally no TV’s. I personally only ever wear black and white clothes, my wife only dresses in Chassidic levels of tznius (modesty), and my boys and girls all attend mainstream Hareidi Chassidic schools where the main language is Yiddish. My kids don’t and never will have smartphones, nor have they ever been on the internet at all. Period. They don’t know what social media is and they’ve never seen a movie — not even Disney animation.
Having lived exclusively immersed in this culture for the last 21 years, I think I'm sufficiently qualified and well-researched enough to state that the consistent depiction of Hareidim and Torah Judaism by mainstream media, from Netflix to the daily news, is somewhere between delusion, slander and the literal equivalent of racism. If you consider yourself less closed-minded than how you imagine we Hareidim to be, then permit me to share a few personal details about my family, and other families in our neighborhood, to see how well your mental narrative matches up to reality:
- Besides learning Torah each day, most of the men in our neighborhood work full or part-time.
- Many women in our area work. Some even manage their own business or company. These are not special or “liberated” women — it’s so normal here it’s not even a discussion point.
- My wife is a full-time mother by choice, who despite attending an Ivy League College, finds it a profound and meaningful thing to dedicate her life to. If she didn’t, she’d go get a job. Mind you, she also attends Torah classes each week, works out with both a female fitness coach (who’s gay) and a frum Pilates instructor, writes and edits articles for a couple global websites and magazines, and personally mentors a number of women. None of this is seen as unusual.
- Kids in our community go to Torah schools where they learn (surprise!) Torah. They are fluent in three languages from a young age and the boys even read and understand a fourth (Aramaic). All the kids learn grammar, math and science. Weekly after-school activities have included music (violin, drums, piano), Tae Kwon Do, swimming, art, woodworking and robotics. The girls' school teaches tools of emotional intelligence. The principal of the boys' school doesn't hesitate to refer to kids to OT if needed. I practice meditation with my children multiple times each week. None of our kids think the world is literally 6,000 years old. They devour books about science and think it’s cool. They know dinosaurs existed and don’t find that existentially threatening. They have a telescope with which they love to watch the stars.
- The women in my family (like the men) only dress modestly according to Hareidi standards. The girls don't find this burdensome or oppressive. Period. They aren't taught that beauty is bad. They're certainly not taught to hate their bodies, God forbid. Each morning when they get dressed, they are as happily into their own fashion and looking pretty as any secular girl is. They just have a different sense of fashion than secular culture dictates. (Unfortunately for me, it's no cheaper.)
- The local Hareidi rabbis we receive guidance from are deep, warm, sensitive, supportive and emotionally intelligent. If they weren’t, we wouldn’t go to them.
- My boys assume they will grow up to learn Torah, as much as they want to, and then when they’re ready, get a good job or learn a profession to support whatever lifestyle they choose. My girls assume they’ll be wives and mothers (which they can’t wait for) but they're also warmly encouraged to train in whatever other profession they desire. (My 9-year-old daughter, chatting with her friend in the living room, just commented, "I want to be a mother and a teacher and an artist." Her friend replied, "I'm going to be a ballet teacher.") All options are on the table, and their future seems bright.
- We love living in modern Israel, feel proud and blessed to be here, and frequently count and celebrate its blessings. Everyone in my area votes. Sometimes not even for Hareidi parties. I pay taxes. (And they’re expensive!)
- As a Hareidi person, I’m glad we have Hareidi representation in the government — though I don’t always love or approve of how the Hareidi politicians act, or what they choose to represent. For the record, I'm equally dubious about secular politicians, as well.
- While I don't spend much time in Tel Aviv, I do have a few close Hareidi entrepreneur friends who have founded high-tech start-ups there, and are — Boruch Hashem! — doing very well.
- We don’t hate all non-religious people. Our kids don’t throw stones at passing cars on Shabbos. I doubt they even know anyone who would do that or think that it’s ok. We frequently talk about the Torah value of caring for and being compassionate towards everyone. As a family, we proactively try to find ways to judge others favorably (even those people who throw stones at passing cars on Shabbos.)
- We invite all manner of religious and secular Jews to join our Shabbos meals each week and the kids are open, happy, and confident to welcome everyone. (No, we're not Chabad.) One of the many reasons for having such guests at our table is to teach the kids this lesson.
- While we would technically be classified as right-wing and we don’t at all buy the modern “Palestinian” narrative, we certainly don’t hate all Arabs, nor do we have any desire to expel them all from the land. We warmly welcome anyone seeking to dwell here with us in peace and we are pained and saddened to see the suffering and loss of lives of all innocent Arab families and children — as would any decent human being.
- Of the few local families I know whose kids no longer identify as religious, none at all chose to disown their kids. The very thought, in such lovingly family-dedicated communities, is hard to imagine. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I'm just saying it's not as common as it's made out. Rather, these families have tirelessly, profoundly, compassionately committed to maintaining any connection with their children, and to emphasize that, no matter what, family is the most important thing. Because it is.
- We aren't just living our life blindly, dogmatically following empty religious rules; rather, we are frequently engaged with, exploring and discussing Torah's richness, depth and meaning. Our kids honestly love learning Torah, praying and doing mitzvos. They’re visibly excited about Shabbos and festivals. This lifestyle is in no way oppressive or burdensome for them. If you suggested to them it was, they’d laugh and think you were crazy.
- We Hareidim are normal people: we laugh, we cry, we buy too much Ikea furniture, and we struggle with all of life's daily ups and downs, just like the rest of you. Some of our communities are more healthy and balanced, some are less so; some of our people are warmer, nicer and more open, some are more closed, dogmatic and judgmental; some of our leaders are noble and upstanding, and some are quite frankly idiots…JUST LIKE ANY SECULAR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE WORLD TOO. But having grown up living a secular lifestyle myself, and today being Hareidi-by-choice, I can testify that in these communities there is generally a greater and more tangible sense of well-being, warmth, tranquility, connection and meaning. We love and feel blessed to be living this life and wouldn’t want any other.
If this description of Hareidi life is hard to swallow, be careful not to push back with the often-used defenses like: "Well, you're just an exception to the rule...", "You're just American Hareidim", "You're baalei teshuvah", "Well, I know a bunch of Haredim that aren't like that at all"....because the truth is, while there might be many Hareidim who aren't like what I described above, it's still an accurate description of literally hundreds of thousands of Hareidim in Israel and the US — a decent portion of all Hareidim in the world. Which is my very point — how come you never see this significant Hareidi demographic represented in the media, television series, or the news? How come we mostly see the darkest and most problematic cliches instead?
And finally, if all the facts I've listed above about our communities are hard for you to accept as true, then perhaps the image you have in your head about Hareidim is less based on facts and reality and more based on stereotypes, fear, hate, and discrimination — like any other form of prejudice in the world.
Care to prove me wrong? Well, you're welcome to come argue it out with me and my family at our Shabbos table on Friday night. It would be a joy and honor to have you.
I'm an Ultra-Orthodox, Chassidic, Hareidi Jew. I live in Jerusalem, in an area that is exclusively Ultra-Orthodox Hareidi for street after street, suburb after suburb, for miles and miles. In all of these neighborhoods where the roads are blocked off and no cars drive on Shabbos, each black-hat-wearing family has many many children and literally no TV’s. I personally only ever wear black and white clothes, my wife only dresses in Chassidic levels of tznius (modesty), and my boys and girls all attend mainstream Hareidi Chassidic schools where the main language is Yiddish. My kids don’t and never will have smartphones, nor have they ever been on the internet at all. Period. They don’t know what social media is and they’ve never seen a movie — not even Disney animation.
Having lived exclusively immersed in this culture for the last 21 years, I think I'm sufficiently qualified and well-researched enough to state that the consistent depiction of Hareidim and Torah Judaism by mainstream media, from Netflix to the daily news, is somewhere between delusion, slander and the literal equivalent of racism. If you consider yourself less closed-minded than how you imagine we Hareidim to be, then permit me to share a few personal details about my family, and other families in our neighborhood, to see how well your mental narrative matches up to reality:
- Besides learning Torah each day, most of the men in our neighborhood work full or part-time.
- Many women in our area work. Some even manage their own business or company. These are not special or “liberated” women — it’s so normal here it’s not even a discussion point.
- My wife is a full-time mother by choice, who despite attending an Ivy League College, finds it a profound and meaningful thing to dedicate her life to. If she didn’t, she’d go get a job. Mind you, she also attends Torah classes each week, works out with both a female fitness coach (who’s gay) and a frum Pilates instructor, writes and edits articles for a couple global websites and magazines, and personally mentors a number of women. None of this is seen as unusual.
- Kids in our community go to Torah schools where they learn (surprise!) Torah. They are fluent in three languages from a young age and the boys even read and understand a fourth (Aramaic). All the kids learn grammar, math and science. Weekly after-school activities have included music (violin, drums, piano), Tae Kwon Do, swimming, art, woodworking and robotics. The girls' school teaches tools of emotional intelligence. The principal of the boys' school doesn't hesitate to refer to kids to OT if needed. I practice meditation with my children multiple times each week. None of our kids think the world is literally 6,000 years old. They devour books about science and think it’s cool. They know dinosaurs existed and don’t find that existentially threatening. They have a telescope with which they love to watch the stars.
- The women in my family (like the men) only dress modestly according to Hareidi standards. The girls don't find this burdensome or oppressive. Period. They aren't taught that beauty is bad. They're certainly not taught to hate their bodies, God forbid. Each morning when they get dressed, they are as happily into their own fashion and looking pretty as any secular girl is. They just have a different sense of fashion than secular culture dictates. (Unfortunately for me, it's no cheaper.)
- The local Hareidi rabbis we receive guidance from are deep, warm, sensitive, supportive and emotionally intelligent. If they weren’t, we wouldn’t go to them.
- My boys assume they will grow up to learn Torah, as much as they want to, and then when they’re ready, get a good job or learn a profession to support whatever lifestyle they choose. My girls assume they’ll be wives and mothers (which they can’t wait for) but they're also warmly encouraged to train in whatever other profession they desire. (My 9-year-old daughter, chatting with her friend in the living room, just commented, "I want to be a mother and a teacher and an artist." Her friend replied, "I'm going to be a ballet teacher.") All options are on the table, and their future seems bright.
- We love living in modern Israel, feel proud and blessed to be here, and frequently count and celebrate its blessings. Everyone in my area votes. Sometimes not even for Hareidi parties. I pay taxes. (And they’re expensive!)
- As a Hareidi person, I’m glad we have Hareidi representation in the government — though I don’t always love or approve of how the Hareidi politicians act, or what they choose to represent. For the record, I'm equally dubious about secular politicians, as well.
- While I don't spend much time in Tel Aviv, I do have a few close Hareidi entrepreneur friends who have founded high-tech start-ups there, and are — Boruch Hashem! — doing very well.
- We don’t hate all non-religious people. Our kids don’t throw stones at passing cars on Shabbos. I doubt they even know anyone who would do that or think that it’s ok. We frequently talk about the Torah value of caring for and being compassionate towards everyone. As a family, we proactively try to find ways to judge others favorably (even those people who throw stones at passing cars on Shabbos.)
- We invite all manner of religious and secular Jews to join our Shabbos meals each week and the kids are open, happy, and confident to welcome everyone. (No, we're not Chabad.) One of the many reasons for having such guests at our table is to teach the kids this lesson.
- While we would technically be classified as right-wing and we don’t at all buy the modern “Palestinian” narrative, we certainly don’t hate all Arabs, nor do we have any desire to expel them all from the land. We warmly welcome anyone seeking to dwell here with us in peace and we are pained and saddened to see the suffering and loss of lives of all innocent Arab families and children — as would any decent human being.
- Of the few local families I know whose kids no longer identify as religious, none at all chose to disown their kids. The very thought, in such lovingly family-dedicated communities, is hard to imagine. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I'm just saying it's not as common as it's made out. Rather, these families have tirelessly, profoundly, compassionately committed to maintaining any connection with their children, and to emphasize that, no matter what, family is the most important thing. Because it is.
- We aren't just living our life blindly, dogmatically following empty religious rules; rather, we are frequently engaged with, exploring and discussing Torah's richness, depth and meaning. Our kids honestly love learning Torah, praying and doing mitzvos. They’re visibly excited about Shabbos and festivals. This lifestyle is in no way oppressive or burdensome for them. If you suggested to them it was, they’d laugh and think you were crazy.
- We Hareidim are normal people: we laugh, we cry, we buy too much Ikea furniture, and we struggle with all of life's daily ups and downs, just like the rest of you. Some of our communities are more healthy and balanced, some are less so; some of our people are warmer, nicer and more open, some are more closed, dogmatic and judgmental; some of our leaders are noble and upstanding, and some are quite frankly idiots…JUST LIKE ANY SECULAR NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE WORLD TOO. But having grown up living a secular lifestyle myself, and today being Hareidi-by-choice, I can testify that in these communities there is generally a greater and more tangible sense of well-being, warmth, tranquility, connection and meaning. We love and feel blessed to be living this life and wouldn’t want any other.
If this description of Hareidi life is hard to swallow, be careful not to push back with the often-used defenses like: "Well, you're just an exception to the rule...", "You're just American Hareidim", "You're baalei teshuvah", "Well, I know a bunch of Haredim that aren't like that at all"....because the truth is, while there might be many Hareidim who aren't like what I described above, it's still an accurate description of literally hundreds of thousands of Hareidim in Israel and the US — a decent portion of all Hareidim in the world. Which is my very point — how come you never see this significant Hareidi demographic represented in the media, television series, or the news? How come we mostly see the darkest and most problematic cliches instead?
And finally, if all the facts I've listed above about our communities are hard for you to accept as true, then perhaps the image you have in your head about Hareidim is less based on facts and reality and more based on stereotypes, fear, hate, and discrimination — like any other form of prejudice in the world.
Care to prove me wrong? Well, you're welcome to come argue it out with me and my family at our Shabbos table on Friday night. It would be a joy and honor to have you.
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May 25, 2021
The Ultra-Zionist and the Anti-Zionist
I have nothing exciting to say about this, but it is an interesting human life story that you might be interested in hearing..
Yesterday in Mea Shearim a young man married a young woman.
That sounds like not much of an exceptional story. Dozens of young couples probably get married in Mea Shearim every week.
the interesting part of this story is that the wedding was in Mea Shearim because the Admor of Toldos Avraham Yitzchak was the rabbi who officiated at the wedding -he, a staunch anti-Zionist, was the mesader kedushin. It was in mea Shearim because the elderly rebbe is unwell and generally does not leave his immediate surroundings, especially not leaving Mea Shearim.
The chosson, the groom, is not one of regular chassidim of Toldos Avraham Yitzcha, but is a student learning in the ultra-Zionist yeshiva of Merkaz HaRav, originally founded nearly 100 years ago by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook, the first [Ashkenazi] Chief Rabbi of Israel (was the British Mandate of Palestine then).
So how did the Toldos Avraham Yizchak Rebbe become the mesader kedhushin for a student of Merkaz Harav? It seems that the chosson has being going regularly to the tish of the rebbe on Friday nights, and sometimes bringing friends along. he took a liking to the Rebbe and the tishes, finding it enchanting, became a regular and even a talmid of the Rebbe. When he was set to get married, he asked the Rebbe to officiate, so the wedding was performed in the Rebbe's beis medrash.
During the kabalas panim before the wedding began, the groom's friends from his yeshiva all went into the beis medrash and sat with the chassidim and sang together, hassidic and knitted kipa together, and then went out to the wedding.
Here are some images:
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Dec 27, 2020
getting the COVID-19 vaccine in NY
According to news reports, Parcare Community Health Network is under investigation for fraudulently obtaining doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and violating the distribution plan of prioritizing healthcare workers and the elderly. They allegedly vaccinated non-qualifying people in Boro Park and Williamsburg.
There is a reasonable debate, or complaint, about the distribution plan, with the governor of NY and the mayor of NY not putting the Jewish neighborhoods high on the priority list for receiving the vaccines. They were definitely among the harder hit communities - restrictions along the way even recognized that with Jewish neighborhoods at times being singled out with restrictions because of their high infection rates. Yet now that the vaccine is being distributed, the Jewish neighborhoods aren't being counted among the harder hit communities and aren't being given priority for receiving the vaccinations. That is a fair complaint. The mayor of NY, and the governor, should have to respond to that and explain.
Regardless of that, I do fid it funny that in the communities that until now have been accused of, and defamed for, refusing to take vaccines, now they are in trouble for running to be the first to take vaccines.
What a strange world.
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Nov 1, 2020
the look of anarchy
Yesterday the Vizhnitzer Rebbe spoke at his tish about people who report on others who violate CoronaVirus regulations. The Rebbe spoke very harshly about these snitches and said they should be banned and excommunicated from our communities.
Today, Professor Chezi Levi, the Director of the Health Ministry, took umbrage at what the Vizhnitzer Rebbe said. Professor Levi said that such words should be rejected and they are unacceptable - there should be enforcement. Levi said Corona doesn't differentiate between communities nor between this or that holy person - not Vizhnitz nor the sheikh of Majdal Shams - we cannot accept anarchy.
Tonight MK Yaakov Litzman (UTJ) criticized Levi saying a government clerk, no matter how important and high ranking he might be, has no right to speak out against holy instructions. MK Yaakov Tesler (UTJ) also spoke out against Levi but less harshly, protesting what was said and calling on Levi to retract his words.
Anyone and everyone has the right to speak out against the government decisions and guidelines. Calling for not following the rules, and for punishing those who want rules enforced, is some form of anarchy. No matter who it is coming from. the government does need to do better at figuring out where the spread happens and why, and be better about keeping dangerous places closed and safer places open, and finding ways to keep at least essential needs, such as education, religious services, businesses, etc, open in as safe a way as possible. Still, that does not give anyone the right to call for anarchy. And for members of the government to criticize the calls from within the government institutions to enforce is strange. And then the Haredi community will complain about the widening gap in Israeli society that is going to leave them far behind and punish them socially and economically in some way (weekend Hebrew magazines have had numerous articles analyzing this trend of the widening gap). This entire situation is crazy. Everybody says what they want and they all demand immunity - not just from the law but even from criticism (this is not unique to the Vizhnitzer Rebbe or other Chassidishe Rebbes - the courts, Justices and Justice Ministry officials - also bridle at criticism directed at them as do others.)
Anarchy, chaos, or as Pirkei Avos says when the government has no power, people will consume each other - society cannot function like this
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Oct 20, 2020
Picture of the Day
Gerrer chassidim in Arad held a protest/demonstration yesterday, with full compliance of health regulations, against the recent vandalism that included destruction of some stores by fire.
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Oct 13, 2020
the Belzer Rebbe WAS treated for Corona by Hadassah, but at home
Haaretz just reported last night on the veracity of a big rumor a little while back that was vehemently denied. (note, I can't post to the Haaretz article because of their paywall, so I am posting to Kikar's republishing of the article instead)
The rumor back then was that the Belzer Rebbe had caught the CoronaVirus. It was even said at one point that he was in serious condition and was being treated in the hospital. The rumors were flying, the Belzers were denying the report, and a little while later the rumors died down as people got interested in the next hot information and the Belzers continued ont heir merry way ignoring the guidelines, holdingh large weddings and services with the Rebbe even more recently telling people to ignore the rules as "guard your life" also includes spiritual life and that is more important.
ok. It is what it is.
According to Haaretz, the rumors back then, that the Belzers vehemently denied, were all true.
the one aspect I don't remember hearing about back then which is part of what actually happened is that Hadassah Hospital actually sent all the necessary medical equipment to the Belzer Rebbe's house and treated him their, at home instead of in the hospital, under the supervision of Professors Weiss and Rothstein, the heads of Hadassah Hospital.
According to the article, even though they denied it a couple of months ago, the Belzers are now confirming it as true and say the Rebbe was even in very serious condition and Baruch Hashem recovered fully.
There is a lot that can be said about that story. But I am not going to say it. Everyone else is, so I am not going to bother. I do want to comment on the next part of the report.
According to the article, Professor Rothstein responded vaguely regarding the Belzer Rebbe, as every patient has the right to confidentiality, no matter who the patient is. The interesting part of what he said is "Here at Hadassah, at least ever since I am here, each person is a person and each person gets the individualized treatment he needs. Our policy has proven itself - within the hospital and outside of it. I think it is the right policy that the hospital places the interests of the sick patient above its own interests.... we treat everyone, as well as those we treat outside the hospital, in the best way possible. That is the only thing I am prepared to say, without speaking about any specific Admor or person or this or that important person."
So I might ask, only the Belzer Rebbe would benefit from treatment sent to his home from the hospital? All those laid up in the Corona ward should also get the individual treatment they need and would benefit from. Surely the percentages of successfully treated patients would go up if everyone was treated with such care and attention, as the good professor suggests they do. Why would anyone want to stay in the Corona ward and be treated there if Hadassah treats those who need it outside the hospital equally? It is in the interests of every patient to be treated in the best way possible, and for very many of them that would also be at home rather than in isolation in a hospital with nobody around to say hello and give some personal attention. Who does he think he is fooling suggesting that special people, this or that Admor, aren't treated better?
.
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Sep 30, 2020
the different approach of the Chassidim to wearing masks
Haredim10 is reporting on something said by the Vizshnitzer Rebbe, after the police went to the Vizshnitz beis medrash at the end of Yom Kippur and broke up a mass Corona party, of sorts - they had basically broken all the rules with no distancing, thousands of people beyond what the rules allowed, and no masks at the post Yom Kippur tish and the police broke it up.
On Tuesday the Rebbe went to the mikva and found it locked, as per Corona lockdown regulations. He immediately contacted the person in charge of the mikva and instructed him to open it immediately. He said that he wants to see the mikva open, one full water cistern, and the opening should only be form the side and not the front so they can make it look like it is closed, and the bochurim should all be able to toivel. The Rebbe said he will not allow the closure of the mikvas, batei medrash or schools, and he will turn it into a war if necessary.
Today, in a phone call between the Prime Minister and the Rebbe, the Rebbe says he told the PM that these 3 are essential for them and cannot be closed, and that if the PM would ensure that the entire country keep Shabbos, at least publicly, he would guarantee Corona would disappear from the world.
To that end, Yehuda Shlezinger is reporting in Israel Hayom that the Vizshnitzer Rebbe, along with some other Admorim and chassidic groups, have decided to take a different approach. Shlezinger adds that it makes no sense so far into Corona they still don't get it and need more hasbara about the importance of masks and distancing, etc so he went and spoke to Vizshnitz chassidim, among others, along with people close to some Admorim, and what people don't know is that they have decided to take the approach of obtaining herd immunity - they are trying to get everyone sick and then be immune.
Part of their approach is that people in high risk groups and the elderly should protect themselves and stay home but everyone else should live their normal lives, catch the disease and effect herd immunity.
He says this approach started with Belz a while back, during the first wave, and has now been taken on by a number of other chassiduyot, including Vizshnitz.
Shlezinger explains that they have accepted the fact that they cannot avoid Corona, and the price to be paid in trying is too high - they cannot close their mikvas and yeshivas and shuls - the price of so much destruction among the Haredi yeshiva world because of Corona is not worth it. Many boys are stuck at home with little to keep them busy, and many are leaving the fold or going through some sort of spiritual death with no connection to shul and yeshiva.
So, when people complain about those chassidim who don't follow the rules, it seems they have chosen intentionally not to follow the rules because they are takign a different approach.
The problem is that they do not live in a closed ghetto. They go mingle with other people, in other shuls, in stores, on buses, and wherever else they go. They get sick and go to the doctor with other people in the waiting room. And all this time they are all getting themselves infected, they may very well be infecting others.
Further, this is the definition of the mishna in Pirkei Avos, Ethics of our Fathers, that warns people to pray for the government, for without it there would be chaos with each person doing whatever he wants and each consuming the other. I am not sure one group of a sub0sect of society, or even a few groups, has the right to take such a vastly different approach, no matter how much sense it makes (and I don't know if it is a good approach or not, but even if theoretically it were, they are doing it on their own against the greater society).
And lastly, this is really the result of the semi-autonomy the State of Israel has always given to the Haredi community. In so many aspects of life the Haredi community does not feel beholden to the local rules and that they can do what they want and nobody can tell them otherwise. Why should this be any different? They can do what they want. Netanyahu spoke with him today - did he say we won't tolerate this - You are endangering the rest of us? There is no report of this. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't, but we basically continue to see these groups doing what they want and basically getting away with it (with maybe a few fines passed out to some individuals)...
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found a boxload of cash... did he keep it or return it?
Behadrei has the story of a Satmar chossid, Avraham Rottman, who owns a couple of makolets in Bet Shemesh and Mea Shearim, who found money in his warehouse among the cartons of yahrtzeit candles.
His employee, also a Satmar chossid, was pulling out the boxes of yahrtzeit candles and when he opened one of the boxes he found more than half a million shekels in cash! 500,000NIS instead of yahrtzeit candles!
Mr Rottman asked his rabbi what to do with the money. The rabbi paskened that it is likely the owner had already given up hope on ever getting his money back, so Rottman could keep the money he found. Despite that he decided to try to find the owner and return the money. Somehow he found the owner and returned the money. The owner, a Dati leumi fellow, cried from emotion and praised the Satmar chassidim.
It does not tell us who the owner was - someone from the manufacturing plant or in charge of the deliveries, or some other person? Nor does it tell us how he found the owner. Both would be interesting parts of the story. Additionally, I wonder how this story will go down legally - we all know the government is phasing out cash. Reading a story like this in the news and seeing a stockpile of that much cash is sure to raise some eyebrows and get an investigation started.
Regardless of that, kol hakavod to Mr Rottman and his employee, either could have taken the money and not reported it further and not looked for the original owner. Starting off the year with a kiddush hashem like that will surely stand in their merit.
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Sep 13, 2020
end of the pandemic might be nigh
Kikar is reporting that by the Vizshnitzer Rebbe's tish on Shabbos, the Rebbe told someone there, when discussing some arrangements for the yomim Noraim, that the tzaddikei hador have the power to stop the plague and that he should pass along the message to the Gerrer Rebbe to do so. And, fi the Gerrer Rebbe should respond that he wants me to take responsibility for this, tell him it is on him because he is older, but "obviously I am willing to help".
I don't know how that stuff works, but if they think they have the power to stop the pandemic, what are they waiting for? Yalla, get to work! 7 months and nearly all the holidays in a year isn't enough? Why are we shlepping this out if they say they have the power to get rid of the plague? What's with all the closures and fines and fighting and craziness? Just do it already!
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Aug 27, 2020
Pictures of the Day
After much debate, Ukraine decided to end the discussion and shut the borders of the country to everyone from now until the end of the month of September. Nobody will be able to fly in, so besides for people that live there, the pilgrimage to Uman will not be happening.
To many though that did not mean give up, but go now before they close the border. No matter that the trip will now become 4-5 weeks, plus quarantine upon return, instead of 1 to 1.5 weeks.
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| Chassidim rush to Ben Gurion airport to get on flights to Ukraine before borders are shut |
It didn't help as when they arrived, Ukraine did not let them in. A bunch were turned around and immediately sent back to Israel, while others are still being held in the airport.
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Jul 9, 2020
Tweet of the Day
this is a series of four tweets together...
Neither genius, fame, nor love show the greatness of the soul. Only kindness can do that.— Hasidiminusa (@hasidiminusa) July 8, 2020
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The rain during yesterday's shoot with brought me to an incredible, never seen before scene, and a moment of inspiration.@hasidiminusa @MordyGetz @bariweiss @EdwardNeiger #kindness #love pic.twitter.com/TbHabCJslN
I had seen an enormous street puddle accumulated by the rain 20 minutes earlier, and decided to go back to that puddle hoping to capture some children playing in the puddle, but instead i saw a very bizarre scene.— Hasidiminusa (@hasidiminusa) July 8, 2020
I was completely shocked by his response.— Hasidiminusa (@hasidiminusa) July 8, 2020
For a person to get down and dirty, get his shoes and clothes soaking wet in the dirty water so that strangers can cross!
It was a true moment of inspiration..
I'm so glad i was there to document this so I can share it with you all.
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May 26, 2020
in Bahush, if you snitched on the minyan, you are now banned from it
The Bahush beis medrash in Bnei Braq suffered during Corona from people, neighbors, reporting them to the police for holding illegal minyanim and for continuing to operate the mikva.
While I am sure nobody had it out for Bahush and simply reported them out of concern regarding the CoronaVirus, Bahush feels it is now time for payback, rather than a time for the mending of fences.
The Bahush administration put up a sign in their shul announcing that anyone who had a hand in the reporting of their minyanim and open mikva to the police, even if they did so based on some hetter, are now banned, with all the force of a full din torah, from benefiting in any way from any of the Bahush institutions. This includes using the beis medrash, the mikva, the coffee room, the social hall for events, the free loan gemach and from receiving kimcha dpischa funds.
source: Kikar
I guess it is their right to do so, but personally I would want nothing to do with them anyway. Besides for their flaunting of the rules in such an open and negligent way, they were willing to play with people's lives and put everyone around their shul at risk. I expect they won't ask for donations from those people either.
While I am sure nobody had it out for Bahush and simply reported them out of concern regarding the CoronaVirus, Bahush feels it is now time for payback, rather than a time for the mending of fences.
The Bahush administration put up a sign in their shul announcing that anyone who had a hand in the reporting of their minyanim and open mikva to the police, even if they did so based on some hetter, are now banned, with all the force of a full din torah, from benefiting in any way from any of the Bahush institutions. This includes using the beis medrash, the mikva, the coffee room, the social hall for events, the free loan gemach and from receiving kimcha dpischa funds.
source: Kikar
I guess it is their right to do so, but personally I would want nothing to do with them anyway. Besides for their flaunting of the rules in such an open and negligent way, they were willing to play with people's lives and put everyone around their shul at risk. I expect they won't ask for donations from those people either.
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Apr 30, 2020
What should De Blasio have said about the funeral in Williamsburg?
Mayor of New York Bill De Blasio came under criticism for a tweet he sent.
Caveat: I have no idea if DeBlasio is doing a good or bad job at anything. I do not know if he is popular and well-liked or not. I do not know if he is good for the Jews or bad for the Jews.
Mayor de Blasio tweeted about a hassidishe funeral from Williamsburg that broke social distancing regulations and had too many people participating. it was the funeral of hassidic rebbe called the Admor of Tolaas Yaakov, and his followers and adherents crowded to the funeral, drawing the ire of de Blasio.
Here is de Blasio's tweet:
People got upset that the Mayor called out "the Jewish community" when it was really just a problem by a small group of people. This is generalizing and stereotyping, racist and incitement as it will cause people to be angry at the Jews.
I am not going to defend de Blasio, but I would like some clarification.
De Blasio is criticizing a group of people who broke serious health regulations, and he is warning them that this is a serious violation.
What should he have said instead of "Jewish community"? He added "and all communities" - does that not temper it? This violation was by Jews, so why should they not be called out for it? Should he have said the Hassidic community - but that is also generalizing against all Hassidim, many of whom are following the guidelines? Should he have said the Tolaas Yaakov community? Has he even ever heard of them - I never heard of them until this incident. Should he have left it generic - people are breaking the rules and should not as we will enforce - that does not seem to make the point and most people probably would not even know what he was referring to.
What should he have said instead of what he did say?
Caveat: I have no idea if DeBlasio is doing a good or bad job at anything. I do not know if he is popular and well-liked or not. I do not know if he is good for the Jews or bad for the Jews.
Mayor de Blasio tweeted about a hassidishe funeral from Williamsburg that broke social distancing regulations and had too many people participating. it was the funeral of hassidic rebbe called the Admor of Tolaas Yaakov, and his followers and adherents crowded to the funeral, drawing the ire of de Blasio.
Here is de Blasio's tweet:
My message to the Jewish community, and all communities, is this simple: the time for warnings has passed. I have instructed the NYPD to proceed immediately to summons or even arrest those who gather in large groups. This is about stopping this disease and saving lives. Period.— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 29, 2020
People got upset that the Mayor called out "the Jewish community" when it was really just a problem by a small group of people. This is generalizing and stereotyping, racist and incitement as it will cause people to be angry at the Jews.
I am not going to defend de Blasio, but I would like some clarification.
De Blasio is criticizing a group of people who broke serious health regulations, and he is warning them that this is a serious violation.
What should he have said instead of "Jewish community"? He added "and all communities" - does that not temper it? This violation was by Jews, so why should they not be called out for it? Should he have said the Hassidic community - but that is also generalizing against all Hassidim, many of whom are following the guidelines? Should he have said the Tolaas Yaakov community? Has he even ever heard of them - I never heard of them until this incident. Should he have left it generic - people are breaking the rules and should not as we will enforce - that does not seem to make the point and most people probably would not even know what he was referring to.
What should he have said instead of what he did say?
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Apr 26, 2020
MK Eichler threatening UTJ won't join coalition
Despite UTJ getting a sweet deal from Netanyahu to join the coalition without even having to fight or negotiate for keeping their power, while the rest of the Netanyahu bloc all has to accept the fact that they will get less this time around, MK Yisrael Eichler is now threatening that UTJ will not join the coalition, unless...
According to Behadrei, Eichler wants the government to found an entirely new stream of schools for the Haredi educational system and fund it 100%.
According to Eichler, there are two officially recognized Haredi streams right now - Maayakn hachinuch Hatorani (of Shas) and Chincuh Atzmai (of Degel). Since 1992 these chains have been funded 100% just like the official State school system.
According to Eichler, the hassidic school systems were not granted the same recognition because they always wanted to preserve 100% control over the hashkafa of their educational system and have made do with their system of schools being classified as mosdot ptur - exempt, with diluted funding from the State.
The financial state of the educational system has caused a major problem for the parents and the schools, with donations drying up and parents unable to pay much and tuition rising. And that was before the Corona crisis. Now everything is much worse as people have lost jobs and businesses and even people before who had money now do not necessarily have and parents cannot be expected to pay hundreds of shekels each month.
If a new stream is not founded and funded completely, UTJ will not enter the coalition.
Interestingly, he seems to be speaking for the entire UTJ when he says this. I wonder if the others in his party agree and would hold out for this.
Eichler is forgetting about a third Haredi stream of education that already exists. that is, the State Haredi Education. UTJ refuses to recognize it and fights against the opening of school under this system wherever they can. The schools that do get opened have so far, supposedly, been flourishing with a very happy student and parent body.
Of course, it then will nto be enough to star a Hassidic stream of schools, as they will need separate streams for Belz, and for Gur and for Viznitz and for Dushinsky and for any others that operate their own schools and want to get in on this.
According to Behadrei, Eichler wants the government to found an entirely new stream of schools for the Haredi educational system and fund it 100%.
According to Eichler, there are two officially recognized Haredi streams right now - Maayakn hachinuch Hatorani (of Shas) and Chincuh Atzmai (of Degel). Since 1992 these chains have been funded 100% just like the official State school system.
According to Eichler, the hassidic school systems were not granted the same recognition because they always wanted to preserve 100% control over the hashkafa of their educational system and have made do with their system of schools being classified as mosdot ptur - exempt, with diluted funding from the State.
The financial state of the educational system has caused a major problem for the parents and the schools, with donations drying up and parents unable to pay much and tuition rising. And that was before the Corona crisis. Now everything is much worse as people have lost jobs and businesses and even people before who had money now do not necessarily have and parents cannot be expected to pay hundreds of shekels each month.
If a new stream is not founded and funded completely, UTJ will not enter the coalition.
Interestingly, he seems to be speaking for the entire UTJ when he says this. I wonder if the others in his party agree and would hold out for this.
Eichler is forgetting about a third Haredi stream of education that already exists. that is, the State Haredi Education. UTJ refuses to recognize it and fights against the opening of school under this system wherever they can. The schools that do get opened have so far, supposedly, been flourishing with a very happy student and parent body.
Of course, it then will nto be enough to star a Hassidic stream of schools, as they will need separate streams for Belz, and for Gur and for Viznitz and for Dushinsky and for any others that operate their own schools and want to get in on this.
------------------------------------------------------
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Feb 10, 2020
The Ger Hassid in Israeli medical school
this is major headlines in Israel because in the Haredi school system, and even more so in the hassidic system, secular education is shunned, yet entry into medical school requires a high level background of education and has very spots available to a large number of applicants...
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Dec 12, 2019
Malchuyot shel Mata: Final Episode (3)
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Dec 9, 2019
the difficulty of choosing a date for elections
The parties have spent the past day or two dealing with finding an acceptable date for the next elections, should an agreement not be reached to form a government before the deadline on Wednesday night.
Various dates between the end of February and the end of March were proposed, and many of them had problems. By law elections are to be held on a Tuesday, creating a bit of a difficult time scheduling the elections with limited options. The final date agreed upon for elections will be March 2, 2020 - again, if no government is formed in the coming days.
Some of the potential dates for elections were rightfully shot down - one day was Purim, another was Memorial Day for soldiers whose burial places are unknown. It is legally possible to hold elections on these days, but there is broad agreement not to.
One of the dates proposed was March 17. This date was opposed by UTJ because the Hebrew date of March 17, 21 Adar, is the yahrtzeit of Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk - author of the Noam Elimelech, and many chassidim travel to his grave in Poland on his yahrtzeit, which would handicap UTJ and cause them to possibly lose many votes. I find that humorous, as pretty much every day is the yahrtzeit of someone important - just go daven in a hassidic shteibel on any given day and ask why tachanun is not being said that day. But I guess if someone was important enough to not say tachanun for but not important enough to get a party at his grave it is his own fault, so those days don't matter.
So, it seems the agreed upon date will be a Monday, on March 2, and will require a special vote to allow it to not be held on the Tuesday.
Various dates between the end of February and the end of March were proposed, and many of them had problems. By law elections are to be held on a Tuesday, creating a bit of a difficult time scheduling the elections with limited options. The final date agreed upon for elections will be March 2, 2020 - again, if no government is formed in the coming days.
Some of the potential dates for elections were rightfully shot down - one day was Purim, another was Memorial Day for soldiers whose burial places are unknown. It is legally possible to hold elections on these days, but there is broad agreement not to.
One of the dates proposed was March 17. This date was opposed by UTJ because the Hebrew date of March 17, 21 Adar, is the yahrtzeit of Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk - author of the Noam Elimelech, and many chassidim travel to his grave in Poland on his yahrtzeit, which would handicap UTJ and cause them to possibly lose many votes. I find that humorous, as pretty much every day is the yahrtzeit of someone important - just go daven in a hassidic shteibel on any given day and ask why tachanun is not being said that day. But I guess if someone was important enough to not say tachanun for but not important enough to get a party at his grave it is his own fault, so those days don't matter.
So, it seems the agreed upon date will be a Monday, on March 2, and will require a special vote to allow it to not be held on the Tuesday.
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Dec 4, 2019
Malchuyos shel Mata: Episode 2 (video)
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