Friday, September 29, 2006

Trailer for Paul Mazursky's "YIPEE".

(a.k.a. אומן ר"ה)



Famed Hollywood director (Not that I ever heard of him, but what do I know? - HT) Paul Mazursky traveled to Uman, Ukraine to make his first feature-length documentary, YIPPEE.

Paul is there as 25,000 Hasidic Jews from around the world come to celebrate Rosh Hashanah as the grave of Rabbi Nachmann. (25,000 already? not too shabby - HT)

(Paul also makes time for some real pleasure, with his usual crowd, although I'm not sure if that happens on Rosh Hashonoh as well. I mean the beer drinking and dancing with non-Chassidim. - HT)

Those that care will notice lots of Lubavitcher Taleisim in the footage, I find that quite compelling. - HT.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

I wanna learn in Kolel too!



My boss is on the phone with his "prize" son-in-law who's living in Eretz Yisroel and learning in Mir-Yerushalayim. They're discussing a shtikkel Teyreh that he heard in a Shiur to BaaleiBatim by a certain well-known Rosh Yeshiva from Upstate NY. To be able to talk Teyreh during work . איז ממש מעין עולם הבא

The איידעם sits in the Mirrer Kolel in Yerushalayim and has all his expenses paid, including a couple of R/T tickets to the States twice a year. He probably does learn, not just "Kvetching di Bank", although it probably is אף די אמעריקאנער שטייגער, without too much effort. The Eidem calls the patron of this nice יששכר-זבולון venture, his shver, and reports on his so-called progress, telling him a Vort he read in either לקח טוב or a similar Sefer, and the coming week's expenses are in the bank.

All this time I sit here and listen to this conversation where the Shver (I presume) is shepping buckets of Nachas of his Tchachke. Instead of me having the "best of both worlds" I have none. Nisht all expenses paid and nisht swimming in the ים של תלמוד, worse than that, my dream of making some kind of difference, whether by Shlichus or Chinuch never materialized either.

The eidem has weeks of בין הזמנים where he gets the time to prepare properly for all of the Yomim Tovim, aaaaand spend time with the family. Us working zhlobs need to work Erev RH, Erev YK (although not this year with YK on Monday) Chol HaMoed and even Hoshana Rabboh. Imagine riding the train to the city when all good Jews are basking in the glow of Hashem in Shul!

If I had the chance to do it all over again I would insist on being able to learn in Kolel for at least 15 years, when by then it would be too late to start going to work already, and I'd continue to live in spiritual bliss for all eternity.

אמן כן יהי רצון

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

א ליכטיגע צורה



הרה"ח ר' שמוא-ל (מולע) פרוס ע"ה

בצער רב נתקבלה הידיעה על פטירתו של הרה"ח הרה"ת, איש מסירות הנפש ר' שמואל (מולע) ע"ה פרוס. המנוח נפטר היום בערב, ליל ו' בתשרי, והוא בן 91. ר' מולע נולד ביום ט' באלול תרע"ה בעיר הורודוק, ומאז ילדותו התחנך בישיבות "תומכי תמימים" בפולוצק, נעוול וויטבסק. זכה להתאבק בצלם של גדולי החסידים ולהיות 'מקבל' ו'מושפע' מובהק שלהם: הרה"ח ר' זלמן משה היצחקי, הרה"ח ר' ניסן נעמנוב, הרה"ח ר' איצ'ה דער מתמיד, הרה"ח ר' פרץ מוצ'קין, הרה"ח ר' יצחק רסקין ועוד

פעל רבות למען אחיו החסידים, והוזיל ממון רב בשביל לעזור לזולת בשנים הקשות והטרופות. כמו כן היה תורם סכומים עצומים לאחזקת רשת ישיבות 'תומכי תמימים' המחתרתית. נאסר כמה פעמים על ידי אנשי הנ.ק.וו.ד. ואף נשלח למחנות עבודה בארץ גזירה למשך שלוש שנים.

היה מעמודי התווך של קהילת החסידים בריגא, ותמך רבות באחזקת מוסדות היהדות שם.

בשנת תשי"ט עלה לארץ הקודש עם בני משפחתו, ומיד נרתם לסייע לאחיו החסידים שנשארו מאחורי מסך הברזל, אם במשלוח מזון, בגדים ומצות לקראת חג הפסח – וזאת על פי הוראה של הרבי. בגין פעולותיו אלו עמד בקשר רצוף עם אנשי ה"מוסד" וראשו שאול אביגור, וכן עם אנשי ארגון "נתיב" החשאי, שפעל מטעם משרד החוץ בקרב יהודי רוסיה.

שימש שנים רבות כגבאי בית-הכנסת 'בית-מנחם' בכפר-חב"ד, והיה ראש וראשון לכל דבר שבקדושה.

הותיר אחריו ארבעה בנים: הרה"ח ר' בערל פרוס מכפר חב"ד; הרה"ח ר' זושא גרוס, מפקח בתי הספר "אור אבנר" במדינות חבר העמים; הרה"ח ר' חיים פרוס, שליח הרבי בבוסטון, והרה"ח ר' ישראל פרוס. .

ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.

.........אזעלכע אידן מאכט מען מער ניט

Death comes to a traitor



Tokyo Rose dead at 90

Monday, September 25, 2006

Never underestimate the power of a Rebbe



Get a load of this:

We have here a person who claims for the last 20 years or so to be totally disillusioned with a movement and its leader. He goes as far as "digging up dirt" on all his predecessors, publicizing any little-known facts about them for all to see and read. He criticizes every silly thing he reads about the movement and belittles all their accomplishments.

Yet, on Erev Rosh Hashonoh, where does his Neshomoh pull him? To the Tziyun, to the Ohel, because that's where a Neshomoh goes to cry and plead, especially before the new year.

Yes, he was accepted with open arms and his prayers will be "forwarded" just like the greatest Chossid's, simply because the Tzaddik, the נשמה כללית, intercedes on behalf of EVERYONE, regardless of who you are and what you say.

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Is Rosh Hashonoh in Uman all you need?



A good friend of mine left for Uman ysterday to spend Rosh Hashonoh there. He also took his 3 sons with him, it's quite a task to deal with 3 kids for a week in a foreign land. Before he left we we're discussing the trip and it's benefits, as perscribed by Reb Nachman himself:

1) That Rosh Hashonoh is עולה על כולנה and he'll go all out to draw the man out of the deepest spiritual depths if he spends Rosh Hashonoh with him, which now is done at the Tziyun in Uman.

2) That a child who comes to him before the age of seven (I'm not sure if that needs to be Rosh Hashonoh too) is under the full responsibility of Reb Nachman zt"l, and is guaranteed to come out OK.

Not knowing much about Breslov, (but a big fan of their music!) I asked if that was all it took, just come to the Tziyun and say the Tikkun HaKloli and you're good to go? He wasn't absolutely sure, with himself out of the Breslover scene for a while. It seems like there's a Kaboloh in Breslov that after a Breslover Chossid is Niftar they tell him to "demand" to see the Rebbe in his Heichal in Gan Eden, where supposedly the Rebbe "vouches" for him, but only after "passing a test".

Can any of my Breslover readers verify any of this?

Watch the "מעמד תיקון הכללי" on Erev Rosh Hashonoh in Uman LIVE!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

NYT: Friction in the 5 towns

At Odds Over Schools

I wonder how the "assimilated Jews" there would feel if they paid all that Property Tax and got no school funding for it.

("hattip" Yiddish Wikipedia)

Monday, September 18, 2006

Hey, it's only an Esrog, OK?



HaRav Moshe Sternbuch choosing Esrogim in Kfar Chabad

I always thought he never liked Chabad, being a descendant of the Vilner Gaon and a שטארקער בריסקער, maybe I was wrong.

I don't think I've ever seen the man smile....


(who's on the right?)


(who's on the left?)

Andy Statman on NPR



- Andy Statman made a musical name for himself as a pioneer of progressive bluegrass. But his eclectic approach to recording and performing has often kept his music from the public. But two new CDs are on their way to the market. -

Worth a Listen

Dovid Sears hits the proverbial nail on the head when he says that Andy's music, some of the greatest Jewish music out there, is unappreciated. Instead the masses listen to Shwekey and Fried.

Sad.

Saturday, September 16, 2006

?סליחות מוצאי שבת



It seems that those who say the 1st Selichos on Motzoei Shabbos don't have it right. They're missing out on the way it should be done, it's just not the same.

Take case 1:

Reb Yid goes to shul at Mincha, eats or doesn't eat a big 3rd meal, hears שאלישידעס תורה or a מאמר חסידות, sings Niggunim and so on. When he gets home there's not much he can do to prepare for Selichos, since he has to wrap up the Shabbos and attend to the mundane chores of Motzoei Shabbos. The מלוה מלכה is a hurried one, and if he's really religious he Chaps a Mikveh before Selichos since G-d knows what he did since the morning Mikveh. At 1am he says Selichos, usually without as much as a word of preparation from the Rov or Rebbe, watches the clock all Selichos, and is in bed by 2:15 or so, barely mumbling Krias Shema, and as tired as can be. The next morning he can barely get up, misses זמן תפלה, and the 1st Day of Selichos's davenen has יענער פנים.

Now imagine this:

Reb Yid (2) has the same schedule up until Motzoei Shabbos, but his night is different. [He's nervous about the next day and not getting enough sleep, so he rushes through the Motzoei Shabbos rituals, yes, but all for a good cause, after all he's gotta be up at 4am!] The next morning he's up at 4am, rushes to the Mikveh, and listens to an impassioned Droshoh than can melt a heart of stone. (Anybody heard the קלויזענבורגער רב'ס דרשה פון תשכ"ז?) The Selichos obviously goes accordingly, and the Davenen follows suit. He may even fast half a day, since he already had his coffee in the pre-morn hours, so that he's good to go till 1pm, and especially since he may eaten at the Atrium in Monsey 4 years ago.

See if you can figure out to which group or קרייז Reb Yid #1 belongs to, and where Reb Yid #2 belongs. I apologize to my father in adavance if he may take offense to this post. It's all in good fun.

א גוטע סליחה

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Klezmer Modzitz

Not half bad for a guy playing by ear. 2 hands, and using the pedal too, wow! It beats the Casio or Yamaha anyday, 'cause there ain't nothing like the real thing.



More Modzitz Piano from this dude.

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

FDR begs to differ

Book: Roosevelt didn't ignore calls to bomb Auschwitz

For years historians argued about whether allies knew what was happening at Auschwitz. New book claims: Those who say Roosevelt ignored Jewish calls, refusing to bomb the camp – are left-wing, anti-Zionist liars


Washington: A new book has opened old wounds about the question of whether President Roosevelt ignored Jewish requests to bomb the Auschwitz concentration camp.

The book, written by a Jew, Robert Rosen, protects President Roosevelt and claims that Jewish leaders in the Land of Israel and the rest of the world, dispatched contradictory letters to the president - for and against the bombing of the concentration camp. Rosen writes in his book entitled "Saving the Jews, Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Holocaust," that from Roosevelt's point of view, all that could have been done for the Jews of Europe was done." He opposes those who say Roosevelt ignored the requests to bomb Auschwitz and calls them "Anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist left wingers, people who always seek the worst in America, who in their eyes is responsible for slavery, for the killing of Indians, imperialism and the rest of the world's evils."

The letter of protest

Fifty-five historians, from Israel, the US and Canada, recently signed a protest letter against the new book, saying that it doubts the patriotism of learned scholars who thought it necessary to bomb Auschwitz, to take in more refuges and to take additional measures in a bid minimize the genocide carried out by the Nazi regime. These historians argue that Rosen's claims are false and should be renounced, "they have no place in serious discussions over the Administration's response to one of the 20th century's worst moral crises," they wrote. They support the historic claim that Roosevelt was guilty of abandoning European Jewry. Rosen adds that "the majority of people in the US today believe that the government should have bombed the camp, and that American Jews begged to do so, however the Roosevelt administration refused because of John McCloy, the assistance secretary of war who was anti-Semitic. I think this is simply not true." Rosen told the Washington Post that he got the idea to write the book after visiting the Holocaust Museum in Boston and seeing a sign next to one of the displays which read: At the end of 1944, the US and its allies knew about the concentrations camps and did nothing to destroy them.

Perpetuating a falsity

Rosen argues that not only is this claim false but that it also maliciously perpetuates a falsity. He notes that there is a letter on display at the Holocaust Museum in Washington from the World Jewish Congress dated August 9th, 1944, asking Roosevelt to bomb Auschwitz."They put this letter on prominent display while ignoring two earlier letters asking not to bomb Auschwitz, so as not to kill the Jews. The truth is American Jewry was disputed over what to do and few asked Roosevelt to bomb the camp," says Rosen. The historic truth, as in many cases, is somewhere in the middle. Experts say that that the accepted historic stance states that the Jewish leaders of the Land of Israel initially opposed bombing the camp, because it was a labor camp and not a concentration camp until 1944. However, in July of 1944, the Jerusalem based Jewish Agency received eye witness reports of mass murder, and from that moment on the Jews of the world began calling on the American administration to bomb Auschwitz. The outrage to the accusations made in Rosen's book continues, which obviously is adding to its sales. Rosen's publisher says the book is "selling steadily," and that some 6,000 copies have been sold so far.

Monday, September 11, 2006

Haredim can do no good


Photo by ?

"Kosher Pyramid Scheme"

It seems like Haredim are bad no matter what they do, at least according to YNet, even when they take care of orphans and widows. Oh well.

No hate, just mistrust



re: My, how times have changed!

Please don't confuse not eating a Hechsher with hating the Rav HaMachshir. I understand there are plenty of people who don't trust the יאקע רב'ס הכשר, and I can tell you that as someone who went to Yeshivah with many of his grandchildren I know it can hurtful. Imagine people telling you that they don't eat your Zeide's הכשר!

Anyway, like Berl has so eloquenly put it, not trusting a Hechsher is not a statement of hate, no matter the amount of Chesed that group does. Besides, after today's scandal, statements by SATMARER CHASSIDIM in certain forums about the trustworthiness of the Hisachdus Hechsher would shock you all.

Berl also made the great point of how Lubavitchers are in awe of the great Satmarer Chesed institutions, whether it be Bikur Cheylim, Hachnosas Kallah etc. No questions asked, and even if some "genius" would tell the Bikur Cholim that they eat only Lubavitcher Shechita. A disillusioned Satmarer, from the important families way back in Satmar, once told me about his experience in Cheder as a child; the harassment etc. When he finished he made mention of the Bikur Cholim and Tzedokoh that they do, and on the other hand the beatings that many suffered at their hands. His words were:

קודם וועט מען דיר צוברעכן די ביינער, דערנאך וועט מען דיר געבן געלט, ביקור חולים און וואס דו דארפסט נאך

A Tale of 2 Satmars to say the least.

Should the "ban" on Hisachdus have been published in the OT Handbook? I don't think so, others would disagree with me. Then again there are lots of things there than can and should be changed, and foolish decisions are plentiful there.

Sept. 11th



Watch Foxnews coverage from Sept. 11, 2001

Timeline of events and pics

Sunday, September 10, 2006

בדחנות

Speak Hebrew well?
Know what Amnon Yitzchok sounds like? Heard his revivals?
Ariel Sharon?
Tommy Lapid?
Aryeh Deri'i?
Uri Zohar?

This piece is for you!

Saturday, September 9, 2006

Thank you לשון הרע


What would the Chofetz Chaim say to this story?

The owner of the grocery in Monsey (Hatzlocha) spoke to his BIL in Kiryas Joel (KJ Meats) and asked him about his tenant (Shevach Meats): "How's business there, we stopped delivering chickens to him weeks ago!" Hatzlocha says "it's business as usual", "he's selling KJ like always." The BILs get together, bust open his fridge, and find the contraband, thereby busting Shevach and bringing to light the greatest Meat Scandal in history.

Now imagine if these 2 were good frum people, and spoke no Loshon Horah. Imagine if they took upon themselves in Chodesh Elul to tone down the gossip, would we ever know? Would Shevach still be contaminating holy Jewish souls? Am I condoning Loshon Horah as a whole? no. I guess sometimes it is a good thing though, and this here was one of those times.

Thursday, September 7, 2006

Quote of the day



“My husband and I had to leave everything we were doing,” said Esther Herzl, 61, a Hasidic grandmother who lives here, “and all we did was scrape and scrape and scrape — from the cutlery to the glassware to the countertops, oven and stove. I’m beat. We’re truly religious, so we don’t cheat in the cleaning.”

As quoted in the NY Times

Wednesday, September 6, 2006

ניגון 459

[As suggested by Mottel to Snag]


(A group of Alexander Chassidim in a Novardhoker Yeshivah)


פרעגט דער מתנגד צו דער חסיד
?וואס איז ג-ט , וואס איז ג-ט
"ענטפערט דער חסיד דער מתנגד "חמור דו, חמור דו
לית מחשבה תפיסא ביה, לית מחשבה תפיסא ביה


פרעגט דער מתנגד צו דער חסיד
?וואו איז ג-ט , וואו איז ג-ט
"ענטפערט דער חסיד דער מתנגד "חמור דו, חמור דו
לית אתר פנוי מיני', לית אתר פנוי מיניה

לית מחשבה תפיסא ביה, לית אתר פנוי מיניה


Now, I'm not one to believe that "Snag" is a Misnaged, he knows too much, I think he's a Lubavitcher, either current or former, who's having a good time at my expense. איך פארגין אים מיט'ן גאנצען הארץ

I also don't believe that Chasidim get a free ride based on the Chasidim of yesteryear, nor should we judge Misnagdim based on what their forefathers did. (Although most of today's Misnagdim are descended from Chassidim.......)

Tuesday, September 5, 2006

Poof! You're "Chassidish!"

Eli Gerstner's making "Chassidishe Music"

As if recent Chasidic compositions haven't been bad enough, with such listless "hits" like

1) פתח שערי שמים
2) וידעו
3) הכל יודוך
4) קדשוהו רוממוהו

recent non-Chasidic compositions, or better yet adaptations, from Pop music have now been made Chasidish by SINGING IN A HUNGARIAN/SATMARER הברה/ACCENT! That's right, now all it takes for music to be called Chasidish is to take a song you ripped off from a popular "Boy-Band", put Hebrew words to it, and VOILA! You've got a "Chasidishe tape"! Of course if you sing it with a "Litvishe" accent the דין of "Goyishe/Nisht Heimishe/מאדערנע music is still חל, and the music may not be listened to....

Now, why didn't I think of that?!

My son, the fanatic



YNetNews:My boy turned Orthodox

(Photo by IC Creations)

Meet Carlos from Mexico City

Think you have a lousy job?

and he left his comfy desk job to do this!

Sunday, September 3, 2006

Uh, excuse me? that meat you just ate?


Monsey Treif Butcher

I wonder what the response would be if this was a CHK butcher that did this......

Urgent meetings forthcoming.......

Who will be to blame? the women's Tznius?

Friday, September 1, 2006

"On the ramp at Auschwitz-Birkenau"

A series of photographs taken on the ramp at Auschwitz-Birkenau right before the "selection". The photographer needed the same people from different angles for some reason. These Yidden kept their צלם אלוקים till the end were probably all sent to their deaths.




(any ideas on who the Rabbinic figure on the top left was?)


(Left is Reb NZ Weisz of Bilke hy"d, - son of the Chakal Yitzchok of Spinka-Sejlish - who was also murdered at Auschwitz on 13 Sivan in the terrible year of 5704. )

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE US HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM