Reply To: Kiddush Clubs

DY: They can’t choose another Rav. There is no board for this shul – the Rav runs the shul. He (or his family) put up the money for it. It’s his shul.

If people want to find another shul – let them! If every Rav would put down his foot about kiddush clubs, they wouldn’t be able to find a place!

Frumguy: You make a good point, although I still believe it’s sinas chinam that’s preventing Mashiach from coming.

I’m reminded of a story that my Rosh Yeshiva, R’ Bender, wrote about. It was in the Chinuch Roundtable, and then in the sefer “Chinuch with Chessed” which was published. I have it in front of me, so I can write it word-for-word how R’ Bender wrote it:

A parent came to me to complain about the lack of decorum on the part of his third grade son during davening. We shmuessed for a while about much of the aforementioned and that was the end of the story, or so I thought. Ten days later, I found myself davening in a local shul. After the seventh aliyah, I found myself literally pushed over by someone in a hurry – the protagonist in the story himself. Where was he heading with two children in tow? To a kiddush club!

R’ Bender’s point is a great one. Your children will never respect davening if they know you go to a kiddush club!