How to alienate more Frum Jews

(Thank You J.L.)

It's been a long time since I've felt so passionately about an issue. I don't go to concerts, neither does my family. I've been to one in my life, The Helfg-tt concert in Lincoln Center. I don't plan on attending the Lipa Schmeltzer concert "The Big Event" at MSG next month, but I think what's happening here - the Issur issued by a variety of Rabbonim - is a terrible waste of time and money, and will ultimately come back to bite them where it counts. I don't think most of them know what goes on at these concerts and were probably fed a pack of lies by the so-called Askooonim, but that's beside the point. THE KOL KOREH WAS AN OLD, RECYCLED ONE FROM LAST YEAR, WHEN THEY WENT AFTER FRIED AND MBD IN ISRAEL!!! (read the line that begins הוא עצת היצר, and read the next line.) Lipa is fair game - he can attacked and banned - because he highlights what's so wrong with frum/charedi/Hungarian society; that you can walk the walk, talk the talk, and be so full of crap that you couldn't drag yourself five feet because of the heavy load you'd be shlepping along. That's why he speaks to so many young people today,, and that's why the Alte Zetzers hate him so. He's no different than a Yankel Miller, he just does his thing with a little more pizazz. What this Issur does for middle of the road people is tell them that all Rabbonim want to do is keep them from doing anything joyful. The concert is no different than The Ohel or HASC concert, it just doesn't have down syndrome kids singing like those do.

The concert is separate seating, the Ohel and HASC are not. The concert is to benefit a Tzedokoh that "Oysshtuffiers" Chasanim and Kallohs in Eretz Yisroel, - Simchat Tzion - although it's not very prominent in the ads, they should've put it front and center. Most people I spoke to think that there's no Tzvek behind it, and it's only for the sake of Letzonus and Lipa's pocket. Nothing can be further from the truth. The only difference is that this concert doesn't have the fat cats who write the checks to Ohel and HASC making sure that nobody gets in their way. Are we that flimsy with our Yiddishkeit that a silly concert will destroy everything we taught our kids? The whole Puretz family (the ones that run Simchat Tzion) is a frum, fine Yeshivisher family of tremendous Chesed, and this is what they get in return, a hatchet job of monumental proportions. I know for a fact that nobody - none of the arrangers, organizers, performers etc. - were approached about the concert. They just went and put this together and are trying to destroy the man and the cause. I imagine tomorrow all hell will break loose. The organizers will walk to shul in the morning - or to the pre-davening Daf Shiur - and will have a full-fledged freak attack.



First they'll approach some of the Rabbonim that supposedly signed and will demand to know why they did this without ever speaking to them and finding out what the concert is all about. The Rabbonim will probably say that they never signed the Kol Koreh, or signed under duress, and they won't be lying if they say that. Most of them were fed a great big pack of lies. What we have here is a full-blown case of Askonim out of control; people with zero Da'as, forget about Da'as Torah. These are people who don't fargin anybody any bit of enjoyment simply because they were never allowed to enjoy themselves. I say that because I know at least one of them, and his old man is a tough son-of-a-gun who would throw his own kids away if they stepped outta line, and I don't mean Chilul Shabbos. No good can come from people like this, and this not a case of good intentions either, their intentions are anything but good. The KK speaks to nobody. Most people that would listen to such Kol Korehs would never attend in the first place, Issur or no Issur. Those that wanna go will go anyway; they won't believe the KK or won't care. The only thing that may happen is that either the organizers will get cold feet and will back out, in which case the Tzedokoh loses and subsequently the Yesomim Chasanim and Kallohs. Or, the concert will go on B'Yeser S'eys, and the only ones with egg on their faces will be those that signed, whether or not they were under duress. And please; spare me the מאי אהני ליה רבנן speech, this is an attack against the Askonim, not the Rabbonim.

When I mentioned this to a very well-rounded intelligent man, and that I thought this will only further alienate the already alienated youth of today, I was surprised at his response. He believes that the Charedi approach to preserving Yiddishkeit is basically "survival of the fittest." We need to do what we need to do, and if some fall by the waysides, if many fall away, if most fall away, none of that matters - as long as the few remain with which to rebuild. He seems to think that even while 70,80,90 percent of Jews were going off the derech that no attempt was made to bring them back or to keep them because the Rabbonim didn't care, and BeShittoh they didn't. As long as they had their small enclaves the rest could all go to Alle Ruchos. Today they invoke the same logic when it comes to senseless banning etc. All they want is that their small, little pristine enclaves stay pure and holy, untouched by alien influence. The fact that many of their own fall away doesn't really bother them (unless it's one of their own close relations, and then again, maybe not even then) as long as they have their little groups to continue with. The fact that those who till now would seek such forms of Kosher entertainment will now say "the heck with all that, it's all Treyf anyway" doesn't rally bother them. If they fall by the wayside it's all part of the plan anyway, so why bother to save them... What can I say? I need to start my day now so I'll sign off, but that's how I feel, Kol Koreh or not. VeIm Shogisi Hashem HaTov YeChaper Ba'adi.