Zwiebel chooses to speak up now

This thread has been sitting in the "drafts" section for a while now.



According to this story in Yeshiva World there's a statement out by Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, the Agudah counsel, about the city's plan to recognize domestic partnerships of alternative lifestyle couples. In other words "Faygelech" will be able to get married, or something to that effect, at least in New York City, and an opinion has been agreed upon by the leaders of the Moetzes. It seems from CDZ's words that he's of the opinion that we need to worry about non-Jews here too, and the effect that such unions will have on the non-Jewish children of such partnerships.

I wonder why this is. Why - without the concept of LeSakeyn Oylum - why we need to worry about what Joe Goy does, and how his children may or may not be affected. I also wonder why we were always told - when the Rebbe would speak about how School Prayer is NOT Unconstitutional, and how the Supreme Court must allow it - that abolishing school player and effectively banishing G-d from Public Schools is not our concern, and we should not speak up about it. We were told to worry about our own children; that we had enough trouble caaring for our own, and that we needn't worry about maintaining a perfect world.

Then again; maybe it all comes down to our children, not the perfect world, in which case CDZ is being untruthful by telling the media that he worries about children of such relationships. I think he worries - and maybe rightfully so, I'm not sure - that OUR children will begin to see such relationships as "normal," and begin to think that it is an "alternative lifestyle" for them too, in which case the foundations of our Chinuch system are on shakier ground than I thought. If all those precautions and Chumros and rules by the schools, and regulations how mothers are allowed to dress, and what's allowed as entertainment, and where the family's allowed to spend the summer, and where the children are allowed to attend summer camp; If all that won't be enough to keep our children - and ourselves - in check, then we're in a whole heap of trouble.

Sedorim Sponsored!

I have just received a phone call from two Lubavitcher Chassidim in far-away Sydney Australia that they've taken it upon themselves to sponsor the two Sedorim in honor of Yud Aleph Nissan, the Rebbe's 105th Yom HoLedes. May Hashem repay their kindness, a hundred times over, and may we merit to eat the Korban Pesach with Moshiach in the Beis HaMikdosh Hashlishi.

Sponsor a "Sixth Son" for the Seder

(A Seder in Kremenets)

The Rebbe would always speak of bringing a "fifth son" to the Seder, the son that does not even know That he needs to join one. I think we may have ourselves a "sixth son"; one who knows about the Seder, but doesn't join for reasons we can surely understand. They're just not comfortable there. I asked one of the "chulent" members where he plans to spend the Sedorim, since I knew that he'd want to fulfill those Mitzvos BeHiddur. He told me that he had no place, since he wouldn't be comfortable at home with his parents, nor with any other family member. I asked him if he has a "leader" for the Seder, were he to make a group Chulent/7FC Seder, his answer was "Heshy." Heshy is a Williamsburg kid from a respectable Satmarer family who left for greener pastures. He's the unofficial Rebbe of the group, he'd be the leader. What about a place? He said they'd have a place if they had all the ingredients necessary for a traditional Seder.

So here's the pitch: We'd like to organize a little fundraising drive here; we'd like for our readers to join together and make this Seder happen. All it takes is a few bucks from all of us and these young men and women would have the Seder mit alle Pitchivkes! Think of the Nachas Ruach you'd cause to Hashem to have him see his precious children join together and fulfill his holy will. Think of the joy this seder will bring by having Jews of all stripes - Willy, BP, Crown Heights etc. - join together in perfect harmony singing the praises of Hashem for all the miracles that he did and does, and it would be in your Zechus. So open your wallet just a wee bit and get in touch with Mr. Schonfeld, he'll arrange the rest of the shlepping and setting up so you won't have to. He can be reached at Isaac18@gmail.com. Then after Yom Tov iy"h we'll get a full report of the Chiddushim were said at the Seder. Thank You and G-d bless.

Harry's at it again

Caring for the Rebbe's legacy.

I wonder if he realizes what people think of him...
Here's a guy who devotes his life to attacking everything he sees, (I know, I know, I do too) and does it very openly, everybody knows who he is, no pseudonym necessary. He davens in a shul daily - out of sheer convenience of course - and attacks all its members, claiming to have uncovered the "secret opinions" of every Lubavitcher that davens there. (I speak of the Bnei Ruven Shul in Chicago.) That alone calls for an investigation. Then the he reads a newspaper article by The Forward and finds more proof for his theories. Wow! What a find, give this guy the Pulitzer Prize...

The point here is not to debate whether or not every Lubavitcher REALLY is a closet Meshichist waiting for the right moment to out himself. There's absolutely no point to that, in my humble opinion, simply because it makes no difference. DGMW, I despise Meshichism and all it entails, but all I see when it gets attacked by guys like Harry Maryles is what all of you see when you see a Grobbe Goy attacking Jews for being cheap or for ripping him off in business; an anti-Semite, plain and simple. Why? because he never misses an opportunity to attack, even when the details of the story are unclear to him, and even when he has absolutely no idea about the mindset and culture of the people he attacks.

Photo of the Day

The previous Skulener Rebbe arriving from behind the Iron Curtain. The others featured in the photo are unknown to me, Maybe one of you can help us out?

Photo courtesy of The Zeirei Forum.

Da'as Torah - 1971 edition (Part II)

As promised.... (sorry about the sloppy scan)

As usual; click on images to enlarge. It'll take you to esnips.com, where the image will be slightly larger. I couldn't upload them through blogger, for whatever reason, something's wrong with their uploading option.

Image 1

(Defiance for Yiddishkeit)

Image 2

(a good word about Breslev too)

Image 3

(the kicker.... and on the same page yet!)

Daas Torah - 1971 edition (Part I)

Recently the above publication was loaned to the Circus Tent in order to publicize its contents to our thousands of readers. We appreciate it, and thank the anonymous loaner for his help in spreading the truth all across blogosphere.

In 1971 the movement to free Soviet Jewry was in full swing, at least amongst a large segment of the Jewish population. Activists such as Meir Kahane would harrass Soviet diplomats, and make theie life here a living hell. Large scale demonstrations took place in Washington, DC. and abroad, and all sorts of pressure was placed on all sorts of world leaders. The frum world was nowhere to be found when it came to these issues, and those who were active did not like it one bit. They accused them of not caring about the suffering of their brethren in the CCCP, something the frummies adamantly denied. "We have Da'as Torah, and that's who we follow," they said, and we have our own ways of caring about Russian Jews. Demonstrations, especially loud ones are only detrimental to the plight of our brethren, so we won't have any part of it.

One of the publications put out to plead the cause of the frum was the above special edition of "The Tzeirei Forum" by the Zeirei Agudas Israel entitled "The Russian Jew," by a young team of Agudah writers and stam Yeshivishe guys who cared about their reputation and the reputation of their leaders. They banded together to put forth a response that would once and for all show the secular and Gentile world that we do have a voice and do speak up. The booklet goes into great detail explaining the history of Russian Jewry since the rise of the Bolsheviks until today (1971). Was I surprised to see that much of what was written there seems to have come straight from the offices of 770 Eastern Parkway! Articles about the Mesiras Nefesh of the Frierdige Rebbe and his Chassidim, and the Rebbe's view on what should be done to free Russian Jews. All this in 1971, not 1951.

What exactly changed from 1971 till, say, 1991? not much really. The Rebbe had made all the so-called sensational statements already, and the meetings with Shazar had taken place. The six-day war was proclaimed a miracle, and the Sichah of not sleeping in the Sukkah had been said that Tishrei. So what gives? Who in the American Agudah decided that Lubavitch and the Rebbe were to be marginalized? Or was it not the American branch that decided this? All this bears some investigating, IMHO. In the mean time take a look at these pages from the Tzeirei Forum.

Tuesday Morning Links

A Mashgiach Speaks Out

Restaurant then sues Mashgiach for defamation

Martha joins Shimshon



Chabad bakes Matzos in Tunis

Today, nothing personifies Mesiras Nefesh like Reb Nissen Pinson in Tunis. Living in the former home to the PLO for close to 50 years has not been easy, especially with his health not being what it used to be, and age creeping up on him. Yet, he continues to provide services to the Hundreds of Jews still living in the Arab State, including these beautiful, big, round Matzos.

זיידי, מיר בענקען זיך נאך דיר

Read the tribute I wrote last year

And the comments some of you made

I figure writing about my family twice in one week would be a bit much......

Sam Chanin's "Schneerson Centers"

I saw a blip in the JP that Mr. Sam Chanin, (Tchanin) aka Mule Chanin, (חאנין) made a Hachnosas Seyfer Teyreh on Wall Street some time ago. He helps disenfranchised youth by giving them skills and finding them jobs. He has a Shul there in the Wall Street area. Very nice. But what's with the "Schneerson Centers?" Why would a Lubavitcher Yungerman (albeit with a trimmed beard and named Sam) name his project like that? I don't think you'd see Teitelbaum Centers in Williamsburg, or Twersky Centers in New Square, now would you?

Help me out here.

Apologies for recent e-mail

I sent many of you an e-mail last night informing you of the latest post. What I did was CC all of the names, instead of BCC. Many of you were upset that I compromised your privacy, and rightfully so. Please accept my heartfelt apologies. The person responsible was terminated.

Just Kidding. (about the firing.)

Simkhas Teyreh with Sholem Aleikhem

(Photo via Jewpostcard.ru)

A picture that should bring tears of joy to any parent's eyes, a father spending quality time with his young daughter, helping her with her Simchas Teyreh flag. But wait! what's this? Who are these western-looking gentlemen whose photos adorn the walls of their humble home? Are they Rabbonim? Roshei Yeshivah? Ayskim BeTzorchei Tzibbur? nooo! It's Sholem Aleykhem or some other Shvartz Yohr! Now why would a frum-looking Yid with a Bord un Kaften have such individuals as his role models?

Commenter "A Yid" had this to say on Circus Tent: :א בחור צו די שחיטה

"There is a card with the photo of "Sholom Aleichem" (Rabinovich) on the wall. As far as I understood it depicts some scene from his books, that why his picture is there. Most probably, the designer wasn't frum. But he wanted his publishing house to cater to a wide variety of customers. At least part of maskilim of that time didn't have hateful feelings towards Yiddishkayt. They fell in the trap of Haskoloh, Communism or whatever else, but they still could have some (positive) sentiments and feelings (towards Yiddishkeit) I assume. It wasn't so black and white, like evrey Maskil being a hard-core hater of Yiddishkayt. Life was hard. It was like a Klipoh of Avoydoh Zoroh before. We can't really imagine how hard it was not to fall into it."

I thank "A Yid" for the link.

Goyishe Matzohs and Yeshivishe Goyim

Recently two events thousands of miles away and seemingly unrelated came together to prove a point made 3 to 4 decades ago. If you're confused I'll explain.

A woman from the FSU working as a baker in the Crown Heights Matzoh Bakery was "accused" of not being Jewish, thus deeming all the Matzohs baked while she was there unfit for the Mitzvah. [ Now I see that the New York Sun has picked up on the story, I'm not sure how they sniffed this out. Do they read COL? ]

The Matzohs may be Mutter BeDieved according to some Shittos, and we may say they're Bottul BeRoyv, but who would want to use such Matzohs for his Kayreh at the Seder? It turns out that it was a libel created by her soon-to-be ex- husband who was looking to create trouble for his wife. A Document provided by the Shliach in Minsk later proved that she was Jewish.

Meanwhile, across 2 oceans in Israel, a Bocher in a prestigious Jerusalem Yeshivah, a Bocher, whose mother wore a Tichel to her eyebrows, and whose family lived in the Torah'dike city of Kiryat Sefer, has been discovered to be a full-fledged Goy! He was engaged to be married to a nice Jewish girl too. The story first appeared last week in the Israeli newspaper HaTzofeh, and was picked up in In This HydePark conversation. It turns out that Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt of Moscow gave his family a certificate confirming their Jewishness, they must've duped him good. Somebody must've decided to make sure the Chossen was Jewish before they got married. ( I wonder why they didn't think of this earlier.) The whole family underwent a Kosher conversion after they were exposed, but the girl has changed her mind, she doesn't want a Russian Ger. The repercussions continued; as The Beis Din of Rav Nissim Karelitz was also implicated in this story, as they too confirmed the Jewishness of this family when they arrived in Israel. Maybe it was Al Smach Goldschmidt. The point here is not condemn Rav Nissim Karelitz, a Choshuver Rov, but to show how important MiHu YeHudi was and is now. Obviously Israel and the USA are quite different in this regard, in Israel all are considered Jewish, simply because they live in Di Yiddishe Medinah. In America people wouldn't take it for granted.

Anyway, Somebody in Lubavitch heard about this story and discovered a Sichah of the Rebbe on 20 Av 5731, 36 years ago, at the height of the campaign to change the MiHu YeHudi law and implement Giyur KeHalochoh, something most others deemed unimportant for some reason. [ Maybe if the Rebbe had left it for others to do they would've eventually picked up on it, but being that the "Chabadsker Rebbe" is calling for that Muz es zein treyf.] The Rebbe obviously foresaw the coming catastrophe, and told an unnamed Rosh Yeshivah about the consequences that the situation will bring; That Yeshivos will be full of Goyim! Like our friend Berl, CH told me: איז דען א ספק ווער נשיא דורנו איז אפילו אזוי פיל יאר נאך ג' תמוז
?

Read for yourself.

א בחור צו די שחיטה

POLAND 1900's Picture postcard "Examining the Groom" - depicting the groom being examined prior to the decision whether the match is suitable. In the background are the bride and her sisters hiding behind the door and listening..

Verlag Jehudia Warschau [Warsaw]. fine condition - sides are slightly worn small stain on bottom right.

Yours for $49.99 plus S&H

It seems like the old-time Maskilim had a problem with almost every aspect of Jewish life back then, including examining the Bocher before agreeing to a Shidduch. I'm not quite sure what the problem is; after all, wouldn't you examine a horse before buying it from a pushy salesman singing its praises, so why would a husband for your daughter be any less important?

Food for thought.

(hattip: A Simple Jew)

Yungeleit like in Di Alte Heim

(Reb Yaakov Yosef of Skver, whose Yohrtzeit is today, Beis Nissan)
(Photo by Alter Zeide, Bechatzroys HaChassidim)

Friend of Skver responds to Circus Tent: Mein Shtetele Skver

Your take on Skver is remarkably trite, with an odd udercurrent of irrational dislike. Skver has many problems, some unique to their community, some in common with other Chasidim/Charedim. But you mentioned very few substantive issues. The way you protray it, you'd attribute no merit at all to a community that is--as a whole--largely devoted to higher ideals of Yiddishkeit.
Skver has committed some egregious blunders over the years, and the leadership has shown itself quite myopic in many respects. The PELL grant fraud was one such instance. In addition, the Skverer Rebbe and his sons are extremely insecure--an insecurity shaped and fostered historically by aides committed to delusional visions of grandeur for the community--and they fear loss of control to the slightest degree, which impels the imposition of draconian ordinances to reinforce the community's homogeneity.

But none of this discounts from the remarkable fact that Skver has managed to sustain a core of yingeleit and bachurim who are committed to "avodas hachasidus" as very few other communities in the U.S. Contrary to your outright ignorant assertion, the shtetl was not built for housing purposes. The previous Skverer Rebbe had a vision for establishing a community that would mirror that in which he was raised in Eastern Europe. His stated motive was to build a shtetl "vie es velen oifvaksen yingerleit mit pnimius." For you to doubt that fact is to know absolutely nothing about its founder and his legacy. You might find ome Netflix customers in NS. You'll certainly find plenty of residents swept into 21st century materialism on par with the best (or worst) in BP, with their Lexus SUVs and their complete disregard for matters spiritual. Heck, nowadays I wouldn't be surprised to find a TV or two. But the overall atmosphere in NS is by far one of living simply and being dedicated to ideals of Torah and chasidus--Chabad's patronizing moniker of "poilesher chasidus" notwithstanding.

Skver has its challenges, no doubt. And perhaps they're at times over-romanticized by their sympathizers. But the problems aren't the boots or the gender-separated streets or the Netflix customers. It's most significant shortcoming is a failure of vision to re-imagine their ideals in the face of 21st century challenges; a problem for which, it just so happens, few other charedi communities have proven any better.

I wish I had a "Chulent"

Ever since I linked to that NYT article about the Chulent gatherings of the disenfranchised in Manhattan I've been accused of being insensitive, overreacting, and everything in between when it comes to accepting those that choose to live life outside the realm of Frum society. They tell me that I don't understand how difficult it is for some kids growing up in Boro Park, Williamsburg, and Crown Heights, who think differently than the mainstream and cannot voice their opinions. "This is their only avenue of getting what they have off their chest," they say, and you just don't get it. Believe me, I sure as heck can relate to that, I've been running from society my whole life, and in some ways I'm still running. I know and understand the need to get together with other like-minded people and just talk about nothing, I just wish I could find that group. Just going to the same Rebbe or Yeshivah doesn't mean you think alike, thus you may still be lacking that camaraderie you so desire, no matter which group you may join.

Many of the people who I see in the pictures there on Purim have ben abandoned by society; they've been forgotten by their peers who now have families, simply because those people have families and jobs to worry about. That leaves little time for old friends who still need to be hooked up, and those friends resent it. That's not to say that we can wipe our hands clean of our responsibility to these young men and women, but it's tough to be an employee, husband/wife, and father/mother, and at the same time still worry about old friends. Something's gotta give, and usually the friends are the ones left out. When you're in that kind of situation you aren't very understanding anymore, and you need to find companionship somewhere. Gatherings like these are the perfect solution.

Back to the Chulenters: We can see that society has failed these people; We just don't know if society's very upset about it. Most people you speak to will give you the built-in excuse that every society has such misfits that'll never fit in, and nothing we can do will stop it. If we're super nice they'll just say that we're insincere. If not, then we're just a bunch of no-good bums. Often times it's the family situation that causes these youngsters, and not so youngsters, to drop out, and they'll build a case against society for not being there for them. Every person I know that was featured in the NYT article falls into one of these few categories. It's that family support, and the strong foundation at home that keeps people, inquisitive and non-conformists as well, in check and in the fold. Were it not for strong, close-knit families the dropout rates would be exponentially greater.

Aish ambiguity

Israeli Aish has a different tone

It seems like Chabad-bashing doesn't go over very well in Israel, so Aish ran this beautiful article, singing the praises of Chabad in Nepal, and the great public Seder they organize for the masses of Israeli backpackers that travel there.

I guess I should be happy about this.

My Bubbe's 7th Yohrtzeit

(My elter-zeide and Bubbe in 1902.)

My grandmother's Yohrtzeit was on 27 Adar, this past Shabbos. With this week being Shabbos Mevorchim, and Chof Zayin Adar to boot, maybe it didn't get the attention it deserved from me.

My Bubbe was born on 27 Adar 5674 (1914) in the town of Sajoszenpeter, Hungary, just outside Miskolc. Her father, pictured above in Tzilinder, frock, and white gloves, was a Talmid of the Shevet Sofer in Pressburg, and received Semichah from him. Her parents married in 1902, and this is the picture they took for that occassion. They traveled to Miskolc, and had their picture taken looking like a royal couple. He was Niftar in 1924, when the Bubbe was only 9 years old. Four years later, after suffering for years, her mother also passed away, and the Bubbe was left alone with her sisters and brother. In other places a Kaylichdige Ye'someh would have found consolation in the movements of the time, or even would have left Yiddishkeit for good, but not her. The Bubbe was raised by her sister, not in Bais Yaakov or Bais Rivkah, attending state schools her whole life, but she put any of today's girls to shame.

She married my Zeide, a local man, in 1942. The Zeide was soon after "inducted" into forced labor for the Hungarian army, and was taken as far as Vitebsk, Belarus, which is where the connection to Chabad probably started. (kidding.) During the war the Bubbe and her husband's sister were taken deep into Poland and were put to work making bombs for the Germans in Leiptzig, among other places. They were prime targets, as allied bombers bombed the dickens out of the German war machine. Miraculously they survived. After the war the Bubbe went to the Tziyun of Reb Levi Yitzchok in Berditchev to pray for the safe return of the Zeide. There she overheard some Jewish soldiers conversing in Hungarian, and asked one of them if he knows anything about other Jewish Hungarian soldiers who may have survived. he did better than that, he told her that her husband went back home, and that she should go there and meet him! My zeide and bubbe were the Unterfihrer for most couples rebuilding their lives after WW2.

Three years later they were on their way to America, first settling in upstate New York, as my zeide got his visa based on the fact that he was a farmer, and then two years later on to Chicago, where the bubbe had a brother living there. Despite her lack of Jewish education, and despite the fact that there many Chassidim and Yeshiva'leit from Europe's finest Yeshivos, there too, the bubbe was the only one who covered her hair at all times. There were others there who were bigger Talmidei Chachomim than the zeide, and who wore fur hats on Shabbos and Yom Tov, but their wives somehow weren't part of their Chassidishkeit. They looked like any other women on the street. I'm proud of that fact. I guess we need to chalk up that fact to her fine Ashkenezishe upbringing, with no Chochmes, just the basics.

Her devotion to G-d and Yiddishkeit never waned. After zeide passed away many years ago she moved to New York to be closer to the only family she had. That's where I saw what an emese Yiddene is like. She lived next door to a shul, and would daven with a minyan three times a day, that's more than I can say for myself. She cared for elderly women younger than her who were disabled by disease, caring for them like she would for her own mother. She fasted on every Yohrtzeit of every single family member, including her parents and her sisters, who perished at Auschwitz, until her dying day, no matter the time of year. Every spare moment was spent uttering words of Tehillim, and reading Tze'enah U'Re'enah (in Hungarian of course :-). The Eybershter was Memaleh her years, and she passed away on her 86th birthday, BeMisas Neshikah on her den couch, waiting for her supper to cook. She was healthy and strong to her last breath. We miss you terribly באבי, even after all these years.

(more to come on the occassion of the zeide's Yohrtzeit, iy"h.)

Mein Shtetele Skver

Has anybody else seen LAST week's English HaModia magazine cover story? it's not the Sunday NYT, but it still bears discussing a bit. They discuss the Village of New Square, dubbing it an "American Shtetl," waxing poetic about a village that's really consumed by poverty, corruption, and lack of values. They see it as some kind of utopia, where all people grow up innocent and pure, and all they ever know is Washington Avenue (where the main shul is) and Skverrer K'peydes. While it's true that it's an American Shtetl, I'm not quite sure the rest of us who live in the terrible "big city" (as if Boro Park and Willy are big city) need to feel so bad that we didn't see the terrible danger we're all in. After all, the Satmar Rov was just as frum as the Skverrer Rebbe, and the only reason they went upstate was for lack of housing, not the imminent danger the city posed.

The HaModia looks at a village where all streets are a dead end, and they see opportunity and light. If you think Sue Fishkoff was a K'deysha (to quote those other blogs) then she doesn't hold a candle to the HaModia. The parts where they discuss the history of the village were sort of interesting, until they made the fact that had unpaved roads in the beginning some sort of Mesiras Nefesh. I guess every Yid that lived in Kfar Chabad is on Mesiras Nefesh too, because there were no paved roads? You read the article and you're told that all there is in NS is Torah, Chesed, (evrybody bakes cake for each other) and Rebbe. The Rebbe goes to every Upsheren and Bris, and each Yungerman looks forward to the Tishen every week, his eyes transfixed on the Rebbe's every move.

What we really have is an upstate ghetto of the worst kind. A mass of people, 95% of whom don't work, and have no skills whatsoever. Not having skills would not make them any different than any other Frum group, and wouldn't make it so terrible, but this is different. The cloistered living makes it even worse, with them having little interaction even with the rest of the Chassidishe world. The fruits of this lifestyle are everywhere, and they're no good. The living, which I assume was supposed to be one of clean air and wide open living, has become reminiscent of some of the worst cluttered living known in the United States. Illegal apartments one after the other, with 5-6 families living in what was zoned to be a one family home, and overpopulation of those already tight spaces. Is all this worth it just to be away from Boro Park and Williamsburg?

If only the parts hwere they speak of the devotion to the Rebbe would be half true. Yes, Skverrer Chassidim are very big Mekushorim, and they have Mesiras Nefesh to wear those boots in 100 degree weather just because their Rebbe does. But not for nothing do they say that New Square is the only place outside of Cuba and North Korea that has full-blown Communism these days. Attendance at all davenen and Tischen are mandatory, even if they start at eleven and last for hours. Haircuts must be taken only at prescribed times, a Simchah is the only exception. They had this genius idea to have separate sides for men and women on those tiny streets, and did I mention it's a dead-end town? Every day tens of people from such places as the Five Towns and Teaneck pull up with their fancy cars and well-dressed occupants coming to see the Rebbe to discuss some important business or medical matter, leaving litle time for the distressed locals to discuss their issues with their beloved Rebbe.

I also don't buy the nonsense of the palpable Kedushah everpresent in New Square. The houses not having mirrors, even for the women, and that nobody owns a radio there. Let's go and ask the mailman there how many red envelopes (Netflix, anyone?) he delivers there and the cable guy how many houses are hooked up for broadbad and such. Yes, I know all about Crown Heights. I guess the HaModia wasn't exposed to that side, eh? All they saw was happy kids riding big wheels, and women baking cakes for another Kiddush being held this Shabbos. Some job this repoterette did, she'd be without a job if I was running the paper.

Satmarer BT frei again!

(NYT, via mentalblog. pictured here with the genius Sholom Keller.)

The guy was back to his old tricks

Was it the same night that he did Tshuveh?! Did he go there for one last hurrah?

I recognize some other faces there, I would have never guessed, not in a million years. I guess you never can tell about some people. I feel their pain, I really do, I just think there are better, more Kosher ways to vent.