And Tonight is Ladies Night!

This post is dedicated (wow!) to my friends E & D who Mrs. LFD & I have had the pleasure of having them as guests at our house. E & D are sisters, one of whom I met one summer while she was doing a summer school stint for the NYCDOE. E is an occupational therapist. When I see another orthodox Jew at my school, I always invite them over for a Shabbos meal, and E told me her sister would come over with her the first time. A good friendship was established through cholent, chicken soup, and rotisserie chicken (yes they have come for evening & day meals).
Anyway, E & D are interesting, and well versed. If I was to be forced to categorize them, they would be a little left of center, which brings me to my next point (this is a rambling kind of post). I find that there are two kinds of Orthodox Jews when it comes to learning about Judaism. The first is the kind of person who learns from shall we say, the Artscroll versions of what frum Judaism is all about. These kind of people by their nature, (and I feel I’m one of them some of the time) will move to the right of center. The other kinds end up more like Lion of Zion, who is, in my opinion is extremely well versed, as well as demonstrates a better understanding of early and modern Jewish history. Most right wingers that I know don’t. Now me, I do like to question, and find out. There are some who read and learn and “tow the party line”. I hope that I’m enough of an individual that I can pendulum around left and right to see all points of view. Back to E & D. E told me that she’d had an interesting experience davening at a Ladies Minyan in Flatbush. That she went was kind of cool, in my opinion, although I have to admint it made me uncomfortable. Why? I’m not sure. I don’t know how I’d feel if Mrs. LFD went to a Ladies Minyan. Is it halachically acceptable? From what I have learned, it is. It just is not what I’m used to. Maybe that’s how a BT feels when they learn a new halachah. I don’t know. Last time E & D ate over, E told me she was going to go to the minyan again, and she would guest post. I don’t know if she did yet, but this reminded me: http://www.vosizneias.com/35041/2009/07/15/jerusalem-orthodox-feminist-movement-gaining-ground/.
Well E, if you went, you owe me a post! And when are you coming over again? Hope it’s soon! And you could always bring some Stella Doro cookies.

This Land Is My Land

What is going on with Obama? A two state solution? To anyone who reads this, please explain why a Palestinian state is needed.
Israel is a democracy. You can be a Christan, Muslim, a Sikh or whatever in a democracy, as long as:
A: You don't kill anyone.
B: You don't hurt anyone.
So tell me, in what reality would a Palestinian state be a solution to anything? BTW, since this insanity may be pushed through, Obama, could you get some massive cash pledges from some Arab countries to support them? Oh, wait I forgot. The Arab world doesn't like Palestinians. They hate JEWS.

Kickin' It...so far.

It's nice to see Israel seemingly doing a "no holds barred" attack with it's air strikes. And good for Israel fro taking out some garbage. Here is a quote from Foxnews that I found interesting:

Israel dropped a one-ton bomb on the home of a Hamas strongman Thursday, killing him along with two wives and four children in the first attack on the top leadership of Gaza's rulers. As the aerial bombardment escalated, the army said it was also poised to launch a ground invasion. Israel also appeared to be sounding out a possible diplomatic exit from the 6-day-old military offensive against Hamas by demanding international monitors as a key term of any future truce.

Am I the only one who thinks it's weird that no one would care if an Arab had two wives, but if anyone else did it would be on the front pages of Newsweek as being backward and disgusting... More proof on how no matter what Arab terrorists do, its acceptable. No matter what Jews do its wrong and an overreaction.

Lakewood, Wherefore Art Thou?

Oh, my Rosh Yeshivas, where is your public statement after the Neturei Karta marched with Palestinian Terrorists here in NYC? Is this how the world should view the slaughter of Jews, with acceptance and silence, with only dummies with beards and hats out there to say a "Jewish/Yiddishe" view?! I see movements to publicly denounced remove ourselves from Madoff, but not these guys? We're only concerned when it's about money? Where is the leadership? Weather or not you support the government of Israel, by not speaking up PUBLICLY you are encouraging these actions. Silence implies consent. Remember the silence of the Holocaust (that right wing Yeshivas don't even teach about anymore). There were Kinnos written after the fact. Personally, I'd rather be saying Hallel for miracles. Let's show a bit of Achdus. I'm waiting...

Please Daven

I copied this from The Muqata.
Volunteer United Hatzala EMT in serious condition after this morning's terror attack in Kiryat Sefer. As Jameel is an EMT in the same organization, he notes there is going to be a nationwide prayer service for his fellow medic at 3:30 PM, Israel time. Please add Aryeh ben Varda to your prayers (as well as for the safety and security of IDF soldiers, going into battle in Gaza)

The Hocker’s Strike Back! (Or Why I Hate Simcahs Torah)

To me, when I was a kid, Simchas Torah was a great time. We got to stay up late, dance, get a flag, and pretty much do whatever we wanted. In my shul, since there were so few kids, we got to get up and sing “Ain Adir” if we wanted to. And of course, we got to help hold the Torah. I felt so grown up. Fast forward 20 years and I hate it. Here are some reasons why:

1. Bidding wars. The first issue is the silly grins the gabboim get on their faces when the bidding on aliayas starts. You also can’t really judge how bad the economy is when some Hocker bids $15,000. 00 on Chosson Torah. Many shuls have tried different approaches to stop the madness, but to no avail. And why should they when a large chunk of change will be coming the shul’s way and you get a Kiddush sponsored to boot!
2. Next is the “cool guys” who go out for a smoke with all of the kids milling around. Way to set an example you Hockers.
3. The orchestration. This is a time of year when shul board members and hockers come into their full prime. From telling you where you can dance (or even worse, that you have to dance), to what kind of candy you are allowed to even give your own kids, these guys are in their element on Simchas Torah. Heaven forbid you want to sing a different song after singing the same “Anah, anah anah…” 200 times.
4. The dancing. I don’t really know what non Jews call dancing, but endlessly marching around in circles and occasionally stomping one foot seems a lot more like an ancient druid ritual than dancing. This is what Jews call dancing. Why can’t I stand on the side if I feel like it without some board member or hocker trying to pull me into a circle just so I can get my foot stomped on?
5. The time. There should be a Kol Korei on Hakafos that last more than 15 minutes, and that’s stretching it. I always get so mad, some hocker/board member has stretched the Hakafa out really long and had been holding the heaviest torah, and sweating all over it. They come over and practically dump the darned thing in your lap and go on to more pointless foot stomping. It’s really annoying.
6. No real food in most shuls on Simchas Torah night. I need to have something more that cake if I’m going to be held hostage until 11:00 at night. BTW, I’ve offered to co-sponsor some food along with two other friends, but the “board” doesn’t want it so it will not be happening. And for the record, I’m not davening with my shul on Simchas Torah.
7. The drinking. This is not Purim, get a life people!
8. The sugar factories. When I was a kid, we got peanuts, chick peas, sponge cake and a lollypop. Last year there was so much candy I thought my kids would go into sugar shock. Certain shul members noticed that the gross lollipops that the shul picked out. They looked like a male’s privates with a hole in the center that squirts up goo when squeezed. Thank you Pazkes. I can’t imagine a more obscene candy, yet the Cahreidim haven’t banned it yet.

So do you hate Simcas torah to? Feel free to add to the list. Chag Samayach!

Who's in Charge? (or Mrs. LFD hates fighting)

This post was inspired by Mrs. LFD. This past week, (Parshas Vayelech), when I came home from shul my wife asked me what the Rov spoke about this morning. I said one of the things he spoke about was Moshe choosing a leader for B'nei Yisroel and presenting him to the people. Mrs. LFD was thoughtful and said this is a lesson for anybody who is a "Rebbe". Look at Lubavitch, Bobov and Satmar. Once at least they were respectable (no lashon horah please) coherent sects. Now, they are another news item for any news agency to point out how even the "right wingers and devoutly pious"" fight over power & money. If the past generations of Rebbes would have clearly stated and written down who is suppose to take over, there would be so much less sins chinam, (at least publicly) because the law would be laid down. This is clearly the leson Moshe is teaching us. One of the things that Rashi says is that Moshe told Yehoshua "everything depends on you. If necessary, take a rod and hit them on the head because every generation has one leader, not two." A leader, my Rov said has to be able to be forceful when needed. If Moshe hadn't told us Yehoshua would be our leader, do you think we would have even made it across the Jordan? So from Lakewood Falling down goes out my (our) first Kol Korie! A ban on anyone happy enough to be a leader without the courage to lay out concrete plans for the future.

PS- a thank you to my friend Moshe who provided the picture on a get well card I got 8 years ago after shoulder surgery. The Taco Bell Chihuahua Rebbe has chosen a successor!

Foot in my mouth

Reading the Jpost article posted by Lion of Zion, I felt it necessary to relate this story. Last week, one of the girls who works in my school building comes to ask me a question, as she needs help with a school assignment. FYI, she is a really nice and black girl from Jamaica. Her assignment was to write a report on, in her opinion, which Jew had the most impact on Israeli culture (attending Touro, why Stillwell Ave gave this assignment I don't know). Now I have a blanket rule because I wear my yarmulke and want to keep in a friendly environment. My rule is I refuse to talk about politics or religion at work. I ask her stupidly on my part if she means Jews or Israeli's. What I was thinking was historic Jews vs. contemporary Jews, but it just came out like that. She asked me if there was a difference between an Israeli and a Jew. I carefully back tracked and said I didn't want to talk politics, and she knows my rule. She was respectful about it, but I saw she understood I was uncomfortable talking about it. Articles like this are a part of the reason why.

Why we're still in galus

It's things like this that push normal people away from being religious. I think it's so bad it speaks for itself. Gilmour thought it was funny to tape it to my front door!