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Most of those here in the CR who condemn MO hashkafah are still able to do so with a degree of intellect and civility. However, as I have followed these posts over nearly a decade, those who do so with a degree of contempt and with an absence of civility are no longer a “fringe” or “random” minority. Likewise, there are too many episodes of both natural disasters and personal tragedy where we immediately read stories about certain rabbonim (echoed by certain posters) linking them to failures in adherence to tzinius, toeavah marriage or other breakdowns in observance of halacha, frequently focused on “conservative/reform” but increasingly sweeping in MO as well.
Yes, it is an emotional issue and hard to be dispassionate when we have some ostensibly adult and cogent posters discussing the “evils” of girls being taught talmud or several other regressions of MO hashkafah that individually or collectively are held up as the rationale for a wide range of problems and tragedies that have befallen klal yisroel. Its become the norm after many tragedies for certain regular suspects to immediately call for teshuvah and blame women’s failure to adhere to hilchos tzinus as a major cause. Obviously my use of the familiar “kinder and kirchen” hyperoble and Taliban analogies are deliberate efforts to make a point and that is the frum tzibur has much to do on its own w/o expending so much energy on the evils of MO and “feminisim”.
“Rabbi willig acknowledges that there is widespread sinfulness in MO on a communal level, why can’t the rest of you??”
Perhaps its because many of us reject the mindless notion that if we stopped educating bnos yisroel and locked them at home to cook and make babies, the geulah would be immediate and most of you (except for those davening in YIs or sending their kids to Ramaz) would heading to EY for z’man moishiach. The apikorsus you project on to the MO tzibur sounds like youwould prefer to impose what we are hearing for the past week or so from the women of Afghanistan who are terrified that their lives are about to revert to the horrors of the Taliban era circa 1980-2001.
Health: If you really believe Trump knew what he was doing on ANY national security issue, I’d really lose much respect for your frequently brilliant trolls. He appointed some competent people who quickly turned on him after they realized the absolute intellectual void he was.
For several years (pre-Covid) we returned to New York for shabbos before RH and went to Selichos at the Park East shul with Chazan Yitzchak Meir Helfgot. You can call it a “concert” but nothing like it to create the mood for the yamim noraim . I would agree that some of the “new age” acoustic concerts have zero nexus with the purpose and themes of Selichos.
Biden’s optics have gone from bad to a churban but the substantive metrics governing most economic and strategic issues of concern have really not materially changed. Markets, income and employment have continued their steady recovery, short term inflationary trends are moderating and as terrible as it sounds, the tragic loss of life yesterday in Kabul is probably less than what we have sustained had he not pulled the troops out quickly (albeit with really inept execution). The Orange Blob can keep issuing press releases on faux “Presidential Stationary” that no one reads and do mock-up press conferences from a make-believe oval office at some Golf Club in New Jersey that no one watches but the nation and the world are better off with he and his chevrah left yelling gevalt at one another on OAN and NewsMax.
“The [YU] Counseling Center will also ensure that its staff includes a clinician with specific LGBTQ+ experience….”
The REITS rabbonim agree that LGBTQ is clearly asur m’dorisah
its the “+” that is the subject of considerable debate
ArivahDeRah: I grew up in a YI whose Rav’s shver was Irving Bunim, ZTL. He had sterling chassideshe yichus including the Noam Elimelech, the Rebbes of Ropschitz, and the B’nai Yisosschor. He was a musmach of Chaim Berlin and served as a gabbai to the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Yitzchok Hutner, ZTL.
That Rav who served his shul for half a century personified the MO ethos in terms of himself being a talmid chacham but also working tirelessly in the political sphere to establish a legal structure in NYS for enforcement of Kashrus law statewide. While doing all this, his endearing personality, brought many families (including my own) closer to Yiddeshkeit. Like many shuls in that era, that YI (once among the largest) suffered a declining membership but through a merger is today experiencing a renaissance with a thriving membership of young torah-observant New Yorkers.As rational so elegantly noted, If you can’t handle the heat stay out of the CR.
We have a hard core group of posters here in the CR whose hatred for yidden whose hashkafah differs from their own is deeply entrenched and are unwilling to focus on the much wider areas of agreement. Their vile disparagement of someone who davens at a YI shul or whose children attend a MO yeshiva somehow makes them feel superior and they virtually cloak themselves here online with the purity of their vision of “true torah judaism”.
Let the haters hate.
Their hatred is like a boomerang which in the long-term will take them down rather than their intended targets.The only gemstone proven to have “healing” properties is a diamond, preferably set in platinum or 18K gold and worn on the finger, wrist, or ears of the recipient. While not a “cure-all”, it has been shown in clinical studies to mitigate or eliminate some of the most serious side effects of acting like a jerk to your wife.
Syag: Nowhere in my post did I reference anything about”frum people going to shul” nor is that the only issue. I referenced a “lockdown” such as imposed previously which applied across the board to concerts, soccer games, and large gatherings of any type, NOT just focused on shuls. I personally plan to daven in person this year (whether outdoors or indoors) given that I have been vaccinated and will be wearing a mask along with all the others (except the baal tefilah). However, we live in an area where fortunately, the level of infection and community spread has been VERY low. Our shul also has the ability to set up for large seating outside with some modest spacing if the weather permits. Given the recent numbers in EY, they may have to consider more extreme measure before things get out of control. Politicians at this point seem to be reluctant to act quickly and decisively in advance of the yom tovim.
As to funding, of course the funds should be released asap. However, my understanding is that the amount of funding that is being debated with the hospital administrators will come nowhere close to expanding the ICU capacity nor are there sufficient trained nursing staff to manage the worse case scenarios. Hopefully, the current 4th wave of the Delta variant will decline quickly, as it seems to have done in the UK, before the yom tovim but if not, it could be a really massive challenge to avoid a much bigger problem than Bennett et al. seem prepared for.
At this point in time, the only options we have are to adopt those protocols and strategies which are proven to have some positive effect on mitigation of transmission and hospitalizations (aka vaccination, masking, social distancing, limiting large gatherings, etc) but sadly there is no silver bullet that will effectively eliminate the virus. As of this AM, EY reported 9,831 new diagnosed cases, nearly equal to the worst daily figure ever recorded —10,000—at the peak of the third wave. More than 300 Israelis have been niftar from Covid in chodesh Elul. On Sunday, the directors of seven public hospitals announced that they could no longer admit any coronavirus patients with nearly 700 COVID patients requiring critical care overflowing their ICUs.
The government seems torn between following the guidance of the public health officials versus the politicians worried that Israelis will rebel against any lockdown over the yamim noraim. This impasse seems like a formula to guarantee full employment for the chevrah kadishahs.Do the Trumpkopf acolytes really believe this stuff about 2020 or is it just a bunch of grifters looking to fundraise off their seemingly endless stream of voting machine conspiracy theory meshugaas. Last night the pillow guy Mike Lindell (aka Nostradumbaxx), coming off his cyber-symposium fiasco moved the goal posts for the fourth or fifth time and predicted that the Supreme Court would remove Biden from office this fall and “reinstate” the Trumpkopf by the “end of 2021”. (He also offered a special discount on his doggie-beds for those contributing to his forensic chavurah). In turn, Trump gave him a shoutout from the bimah calling him a brilliant patriot who was “ready to die for his country”. Its the only show in town that will provide temporary comic diversion from the tragedy evolving from Biden’s misguided Afghanistan withdrawal.
Be very careful since HKB”H does not want you making a bracha lvatalla. Chazal bring down that those who are follically challenged have an easier time learning since there is less vegetation limiting the flow of divrei torah into their heads.
Assuming it is a chiyuv, then gadolei yisroel should repeal Cherem D’Rabbeinu Gershom, and all the ehrliche CR posters could be marbim b’mitzvah.
Just switch over to one of several wonderful cholov yisroel yogurts made in EY. Much healthier than B&J’s 600 calorie/serving offerings.
rational: I’d be the last person to suggest ALL segulot are new age meshugaas but some of those we read about (and advertised with guarantees of success contingent upon a modest donation) see to stretch the bounds of both emunah and rationality.
In virtually all cases, the so-called “expediting services” will be unable to move your applications faster in the Covid era. Instead of the pre-Covid wait time of 6 to 8 weeks to get a passport, I read a story recently that the time is now closer to 3-4 months with nearly a 2 million application backlog. I believe that those with a life-or-death emergency can still contact the passport office and then will need to provide proof of the emergency (aka death certificate or letter from a hospital) along with copies of their airline reservations to initiate an emergency application. Even then, it will take several business days to process and issue, assuming your documentation is legit. I would be very suspect of any “service” claiming they can move you to the front of the line and get you a new or renewed passport faster than you could on your own.
P.S. If you contact your Congressman or Senator’s office they might have some ability to help in a true emergency. Attending your nephew’s chassanah in EY or joining the NaNaNachmanites in Uman for Rosh Hashanah are not considered emergencies.Its funny watching Trump sitting in that little room in his NJ Golf Club behind a desk and backdrop designed to make it look like he is still in the WH and issuing mindless press releases with the Presidential Seal that even Fox ignores. Its hard for him to accept that not even his long-term supporters really care what he has to say although they will still show up for a MAGA Rally as a form of entertainment by the orange blob. Biden’s screwup of the implementation of Trump’s surrender to the Taliban won’t really have much in the way of long-term effects.
Don’t take any advice from someone who tries to rush you into a relationship. Trust your own judgement and rely upon your own instincts. And most importantly, ignore those who promote the big lie (aka the “shidduch crisis”) designed to provide full employment for shadchanim and sell phony segulahs.
Make aliyah so you can lockdown in Eretz Hakodesh.
Chirp, chirp chirp…..
Same fix for most brands of printers…if cleaning heads doesn’t resolve the problem, try removing the black ink cartridge and after re-inserting it, check to see if the printer recognizes it or not. For some brands, if a printer does not recognize the cartridge, then hold the “stop” button for a few seconds and try again. Holding the stop button help to disable the Cartridge and after you start up again, it will sometimes recognize the ink cartridge. Also check to confirm your printer driver software is current.
Six months too late….sadly, the Republicans will squander an opportunity for putting forward one of a number of talented young Republican leaders in the state legislature and instead allow a shvantz like Crazy Rudy Jr. or some other Trump-loving political hack to grab the nomination. The Dems should not take the election for granted since the electorate is really fed up with corruption and abusers in Albany on BOTH sides of the aisle
Jet Blue is generally a great alternative. Its not a true “deep discount” airline anymore and fares are higher than Spirit although a bit lower than major carriers. They have the best wi-fi of any of the airlines .
Again, its all in your flexibility, degree of risk tolerance and what are the secondary consequences of an extended delay. In my current life, I’m fortunate to be able to walk over to another airline counter and buy a ticket to my destination and/or rent a car and drive (assuming these days there is availability of another flight or rental car). I’ll call my Amex Card rep for a refund on the cancelled flight. Many years ago, with kids and fewer resources, and with only a few “discount airlines” that wasn’t an option but neither was being stranded at an airport somewhere over shabbos so we had to weigh the higher fares with the “savings” of a cheap flight. Its all fact dependent and no single answer. However, among the “discount” airlines, Spirit and Ryan air seem to have the most frequent issues (perhaps because they are among the largest and we just hear about it more).
Data can be misleading. Spirit has more frequent catastrophic events with less redundancy than other non-discount airlines. If you are comfortable sitting on an airport floor erev shabbos waiting for the local chabad shaliach to show up with some frozen deli sandwiches, than go for the discount.
I give up….this debate is insanity. Clearly the vaccines work really well, albeit we don’t know exactly how well. C’v some of you will be arguing at the levayahs of your friends and family who are niftar from Covid as to whether they should have been vaccinated or their tragic loss should be quietly accepted as the outcome of hashgacha pratis. I hope all of you ultimately get vaccinated and stay healthy but I won’t be surprised if some continue their mindless anti-vax rants till the very end.
With Spirit, you cannot book a flight on Mitvach and have reasonable confidence you will be home before licht benchen on Freytik. Call U-Haul, rent a mule and pack a few bales of hay and hope for the best.
Rightwriter: Per my post, I agree with your distinction between legal entities who directly participated in the atrocities, and those that were simply facilitators or stood by with their implicit anti-semitic beliefs. The issue I was trying to raise was for the first group of companies, who were directly involved, when (if ever) does the dilution in their upstream ownership, changes in domicile and control reach a point where the “zachor” element becomes moot as a practical matter. Otherwise, I have a very long memory and trying to convey that memory to the next several generations.
As time goes on, it gets more problematic to link certain German-owned companies that had a direct and active role in Shoah-era atrocities with their modern ownership. In many cases, multiple change in control transactions have diluted the original ownership to a point where its really not the same company. In other cases the assets have been purchased and the original legal entity no longer exists. I would not drive a BMW or Mercedes but should I stop turning on the lights or opening the faucets if I live in a city whose electricity/water is supplied by utilities where German companies are the ultimate upstream owner? Should I not purchase an American-made electric vehicle i more than 50 percent of the value is sourced from German battery and motor companies. What about a German company listed as an ADR and the majority of its shareholders are American and other non-German investment funds. Its really an individual choice of where you draw the line and how “pure” you want to be
The “weather” and “operational” problems are not unique to Spirit Airlines. What is unique is their breathtaking incompetence in responding to and fixing those problems, at least in part due to cutting O&M expenses to the bone, maintaining zero redundancy and backup systems, hiring the cheapest talent they can find (well below industry averages) and offering virtually no customer interface when their systems collapse.
“Why take the risk”
Aside from the public health benefits, which you discount, proof of vaccination may soon be a prerequisite to a number of daily activities which may or may not be a concern for you. If you live a fully sheltered life, don’t fly, don’t work for a large Fortune 500 company, don’t eat out, don’t go to a gym, etc. than it probably won’t be an issue. Otherwise, retain a good civil liberties lawyer and enjoy the litigation.Shimon: I’m glad you are vaccinated and agree entirely with your thought process as to why others should also do so. Sorry you had a negative response to the shots but global data indicate such responses are still relatively rare and almost all who have after-effects recover quickly. As more private businesses mandate vaccination, it may soon become a necessity for all who want to travel and participate in the economy. Slowly, the holdouts will be dragged into vaccination, especially after the CDC grants full approval in the next month or so for Pfizer and later for Moderna.
Syag: No one (especially the Chief Rav of the CR) is “cursing” anyone. The OP clearly states he believes he is “safe” w/o the vaccine and by implication, willing to accept the risks and consequences. As noted above, those consequences for anti-vaxers can come very quickly and with tragic finality. If that is an individual’s choice, so be it and let the cards fall where they may. Getting vaccinated, even for those who experienced prior Covid infections, doesn’t guarantee safety but certainly provide some additional level of protection
BDE
August 5, 2021 (Houston, TX) 11:51 AM CDT
Texas Republican leader dies of COVID-19 five days after anti-vaccination post
A Texas Republican leader who was hospitalized with COVID-19 died Wednesday evening, just days after he shared a post on social media questioning the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccine. The Republican Party said that Scott Apley, a member of the State Republican Executive Committee. had died.
While the party did not specify the cause of death, his family said he was admitted to a hospital Sunday with “pneumonia-like symptoms and tested positive for COVID.” “God remains in control although this is yet another tough one to swallow,” the organization added.
Apley, had shared a post on Facebook just two days before he was hospitalized that questioned the credibility and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. Apley had also previously vocalized his opposition to vaccinations and mask mandates, and in May shared a flyer for a mask burning event.
Its your decision. Likewise, its the gabbai’s decision to keep you out of shul if the membership has voted to require ALL mispalalim (regardless of prior Covid infection) to upload a copy of their vaccination card before entering the building. Freedom of choice on both sides.
Listening to Ted Cruz this AM in a TV interview make some valid points on federal on excessive ederal mandates on business closures,etc. and instead advocates for allowing each business to make its OWN decisions. Yet, he immediately follows by blasting companies who have made their own decisions to require vaccination in the workplace as a condition of employment, which he says violates “civil rights”. If an employer concludes that the health risks to their employees given prevailing rates of infection, workplace conditions etc dictate having only vaccinated employees, the law clearly allows such mandates and the Courts in at least 7 states (including Texas, Nebraska etc.) have upheld such rules. So has the EEOC which administers federal employment laws. If an employer does not want to impose such a rule than disgruntled employees have the choice to incur the risks or find another job.
Its sad that these issues have been politicized by elected officials on both sides which makes it impossible to focus on a subset of common sense protective measures. Blue states adopted totally irrational and inequitable shutdowns based on absurd definitions of “essential businesses”. Red states are prohibiting ANY mask requirements in the name of “personal liberty” even where local public health officials deem them effective. Cuomo, who was the patron of closures last year now says no closures in a desperate effort to find some popularity to help him avoid impeachment. A well-known Satmar chassid who owns one of the largest nursing home chains in the U.S. has mandated vaccination for all his 75,000 employees following similar ultimatums from some of the nation’s largest employers. There is a common sense “middle-ground”, but politics makes it harder to find it.
“And why stop with the covid vaccine, why dont you make sure everyone gets the flu shot as well as any other vaccine since they are “endangering” you!”
I totally agree with Rightwriter. Flu shots should be required, at least for anyone working with elderly or immune endangered individuals. Likewise, positive IQ test results (at least above that of a carrot) should be a prerequisite for posting pseudo-science in the CR. Neither vaccines, masks, social distancing etc. are a universal panacea or 100 percent effective in reducing mortality/morbidity and the CDC and other public health agencies have never made such a claim. However, there is overwhelming evidence they are effective in reducing infection rates and consequently serious illness and death from Covid (along with therapeutics).“What is the best place to buy home-popped popcorn around the 5Ts…”
Actually, its illegal in NYW to market “home-popped” popcorn or any other foods that were not prepared in a licensed commercial food preparation facility. The stores mentioned are not “home-popped” since they are not someone’s “home”. i don’t think a lemonade stand in front of someone’s home selling popcorn will get busted but when you start scaling up to a bigger operation you may get a fine.
Amil: Not sure how this is even an issue since a few hundred dollars in swimming instruction, if the kids are not at a camp with swimming facilities, is a lot cheaper then taking even the small risk that your kids become a statistic. Eventually, kids will go into the water whether with friends at the beach or a pool. In most cases, even those w/o prior swimming skills manage to stay afloat but there are too many tragedies to even make this a point of discussion. And there are many options for group swimming lessons which are not nearly as costly. The 92nd St. Y offers reasonably priced swim instruction and I’m sure there are other facilities in Brooklyn etc.
Just use bitcoin or other CC. Elon Musk will let you buy a $100,000 Tesla for what may be $50,000 by the time you take delivery….no need to worry about old fashioned paper currency of any denomination.
AA Questions: Obviously UJM has some troubled agenda with women so I wouldn’t waste time responding to his troll. Obviously, in today’s society, a frum woman may choose to forego a career and WORK at home raising a family. That is HER choice informed by the lifestyle she and her husband had agreed to when they married and also perhaps with input from her LRP. However, most frum you and I know do not subscribe to the Rambam’s so called “quota” on their allowable monthly trips outside the house.
P.S. We also get periodic threads here about how yidden are entitled to administer summary execution of other yidden for their having committed certain aveirahs, with the pro forma follow up clarifications about only when having an active sanhedrin, etc. Good troll topics for a slow August news day but not worth engaging.
“the risk of spending a night in the airport can be an adventure…”
Azoy. A real adventure for all. As noted, for two yungerleit and their wives/ BFFs/SOs flying home from a camping trip, pitching your tent in the airline terminal floor close to the restroom might be an adventure and of course, each saved $169 on his/her ticket. For parents with kids in diapers or younger ones screaming “we’re hungary”, spending two days in the terminal with hundreds of other frustrated travelers crowded together may not be such and adventure, especially in the age of covid. I presume your sarcastic comment was a troll but seemed like you were making a valid point regarding the stupidity of booking on Spirit.
“there’s every reason to give the benefit in assuming every Jewish woman would voluntarily and very happily adhere to Halacha” [and willingly stay locked at home]
UJM: Not sure what world you live in but I doubt many Jewish women (frum or otherwise) would “voluntarily” adhere to any arbitrary limit on when they can leave their homes, with or without their husband’s approval. Prior posters have made clear that there is NO such requirement as evidenced by the multiple instances of wives of gadolei yisroel working outside the home. If some baas yisroel wants to live such a life, thats her choice. However, even as a theoretical construct, your assertions regarding what SA requires are making no sense so I’ll just leave it at that and allow you to have the last word. Misogynistic trolls are currently very much out of vogue.
When mindless politicians throw gasoline on the fire of political “resistance” to taking the vaccine, wearing masks etc. and then complain about their “freedoms” being restricted, I could care less. Vaccination does work and reduces (but does not eliminate) risk of infection. At least until the current wave is over, businesses should have the absolute right to limit access to vaccinated only. The unvaccinated can eat outside or at home.
Cruz, Cuomo, Trump along with a bunch of other political hacks on BOTH sides of the aisle, exist solely for the purpose of promoting their own personal aggrandizement and egotistical need for power and adulation. In the case of Cuomo, he should have been removed from office months ago but the Dems in the Assembly slow-walked the impeachment process. Even now, they are saying it may take until October to prepare the articles of impeachment and move ahead on a trial.
As several other posters have noted, some words/directives of SA must be interpreted in the context of contemporary society, norms technology etc. If you mamash adhere to the “literal” interpretation of some words of the SA, you may find yourself in violation of civil and criminal laws in the country where you reside. Holding your wife “captive” to your home and/or physically limiting her trips to the number specified by the Rambam is not a good strategy for shalom bayis .