Some of you may have seen this Yiddish game mentioned on Blog In DM, and also elsewhere. Most of the hullabaloo was about the fact that the game is a rip-off of Monopoly, and that the Yiddish is very cute to see on a board game. Some also mentioned the approach to teaching kids Torah values, namely to make them feel like worthless pieces of garbage for very small infractions. OK, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but you get my drift. Then again; that was always the way things were done in those circles, so it really shouldn't surprise me. I guess if that's the way you're going to raise children start early and make it educational and fun... Infractions like laughing on the street or ven Mener Hubben GeHert, Reden English Tzvishen Zich, or Geholfen Di Tziyunistishe Medinah are way up on top of the list of Aveiros Chamuros and send you straight to Gehenom! To be fair, infractions such as "OopGenart a Goy" are also listed there, not so much for the Etzem Zach, but more so for the Chilul Hashem that may come out. Sort of like the Chilul Lubavitch reason some things are done in Chabad; basically "Ma Yomru HaBriyos."
There are many ways to raise children - Yiddishe children - and this is a manner that is still used by many today; Myself included sometimes. What can I say? Old habits die hard, and it takes many years of hard work to knock that out of your head. My cheder education was not as extreme, but still along those lines. Part of keeping old traditions is maintaining their methods, and never deviating from even the worst of practices, be they Melamdim beating kids for minor distractions during class or berating them for being children. The fact that they used this method in Williamsburg should surprise nobody, it's no different than maintaining dress codes or other Takonos, and just like they're kept to so too are the education methods. Whole books are published, and major meetings are called for in Willy when a cheder changes things like saying Kometz Aleph OOH and begins to teach the kids "OOH BOOH GOOH" instead, (If you don't get what I'm saying skip it.) so you can imagine what happens when they're told that the way they've been educating thousands of kids is wrong or needs to be changed. I just wish they'd see that educating with threats and Petsh and the whole "Gei MiChutz LaMachne!" approach is detrimental to everything they're trying to do, which is raise nice, good Yiddishe Kinder. But hey, it's their lives, right?
Then there's the issue of the musician author of the Blog in Dm being paranoid and believing those silly stories he heard as a kid. Here's what he says: This is a board game called "Handel Ehrlekh". It's hard to translate the title accurately. Idiomatically, it means "Dealing Ethically", but "handel" often has somewhat of a negative connotation as well, as in financial wheeling and dealing, or "bargaining down". Mr. DM, you need to stop believing that nonsense, it's not very becoming of an educated member of the musical elite to believe hearsay like that. Yes, you may ocassionally hear stories from that neck of the woods that conjure up images of unscrupulous Jews taking advantage of the less fortunate, but Ad K'dei Kach? to think that they LeKatchilloh educate their kids to bargain and be dishonest? That's a stretch, don't you think? the good people of Williamsburg deserve to be judged better by yourself. Besides, it was one guy who made the game, not an official production.
that's why Lubavitch has no dress code...
ReplyDeletewhat's why?
ReplyDeleteWhich one is jail, Gei-Hinom or Michutz L'Macheneh?
ReplyDeleteSo why is it that the yiddishi tochter burns in gehenim when she tantzes and men see her, but she only goes go gehenim when see sings????
ReplyDeleteAnd what is this burning exactly, does it hurt>? Physically. Wow.
Another conundrum, the cost of the chilul hashem of stealing from a goy is only $20, but when you just "want" or are jealous from another yid you lose a sum of $600, that just doesn't seem fair, even from a heimishe.
Williamsburg puts out great teaching materials in Yiddish, which are used by many Lubavitchers too, and I would like to be makir tova to them for this.
ReplyDeleteIf some cards in this particular game really bother you, you can pull those out and play with the rest.
Where does the word Gehenom come from? Is it two words Gay Henum? What does Gay Henom mean?
ReplyDeleteGei Hinnom was the garbage pile in Yerushalayim. Gehhenom is the Great Garbage Pile of Heaven.
ReplyDeleteMore than a garbage pile, it was a cemetery where dead people went, and it was also a place where avodah zarah was worshipped, so the physical Valley of Hinnom was also metaphorically pischo shel Gehinnom.
ReplyDeleteDM is wrong about the game never ending. The payout from tzedaka when you run out of money is only $50, and the max loan from Gemach is $300; in the end game of Monopoly rents are way higher than $350, so it's easy to bankrupt yourself.
ReplyDeleteIs there a "shygetz aross" card that you can use to throw someone off his own property for building a competing shul?
ReplyDelete"it was a cemetery where dead people went"
ReplyDeleteI am glad it was dead people that went there...
"Whole books are published, and major meetings are called for in Willy when a cheder changes things like saying Kometz Aleph OOH and begins to teach the kids "OOH BOOH GOOH" "
ReplyDeleteTzig, the Rebbe was very staunch supporter of this system of learning, . . . The Frierdiker Rebbe says gevaldike things about it.
Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for all of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars. Transfered FROM US TO THEM. Over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They will never settle for a reasonable share of ANYTHING. They will do whatever it takes to get even richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductable crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. So don’t fall for all of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductable contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah, Ellen, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don't fall for their 'good will' BS. ITS A LIE. If you fall for it, then you're a fool. If you see any real difference between the moral character of a celebrity, politician, attorney, or executive, then you're a fool. WAKE UP PEOPLE. The 1% club will always say or do whatever it takes to get as rich as possible. Without the slightest regard for anything or anyone but themselves. Vioxx. Their idea. Sub-prime. Their idea. NAFTA. Their idea. Outsourcing. Their idea. The commercial lobbyist. Their idea. The multi-million dollar lawsuit. Their idea. $200 cell phone bills. Their idea. $200 basketball shoes. Their idea. $30 late fees. Their idea. $30 NSF fees. Their idea. $20 DVDs. Their idea. Subliminal advertising. Their idea. The MASSIVE campaign to turn every American into a brainwashed credit card, pharmaceutical, love-sick, celebrity junkie. Their idea. All of which concentrate the world's wealth and resources and wreak havok on society. All of which have been CREATED AND ENDORSED by celebrities, athletes, and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ' good will' ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTABLE PR CRAP. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. EXTREME WEALTH HAS MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socio-economics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
ReplyDeletewhere can I buy this game?
ReplyDeleteBCC
ReplyDeletetry Toys 4 U