Posted to Crown Heights News on

Crown Heights Jews Vs. Their Hipster Neighbors

NY Daily News

Rabbi Joseph Speilman was head of Jewish Community Council. with his wife on their front stoop of their home.

It’s the hipsters vs. the Hasids in Crown Heights. Religious Jews are upset at their new, young neighbors for everything from women wearing shorts; bar hopping and sunbathing.

An anonymous Crown Heights landlord set off an e-firestorm this week when he posted an op-ed calling to stop “these yuppies (who) bring pritzus (immodesty) to our neighborhood.”

The landlord took a shot at fellow Hasids who rent to young people who have increasingly moved into the neighborhood’Jewish enclave near Kingston Ave: “Young, upwardly mobile professionals may seem to be pleasant tenants who bring in reliable income, but they also introduce a very different way of life: new nightclubs and bars, sun tanning on rooftops, bike lanes and an increasing amount of immodesty on our streets.”

The corner of Kingston Avenue and Eastern Parkway is home base of the international Chabad-Lubavtich movement which follows the teaching of spiritual leader Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

Tznius, or modesty, is a top tenent where women are required to wear skirts below the knee and cover their arms above the elbow. Also men and women aren’t allowed to touch each other unless they are married.

“We like to live by a certain set of rules,” said Rabbi Joseph Spielman. “It is an area where we don’t want our children seeing these things.

“Anyone who treasures this neighborhood should know what to do. They should know not to harm the ambience of the area,” Spielman added.

Crown Heights has become a 20-something fave, attracting young professionals and artists priced out of other neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Park Slope.

But the newcomers said there is no crash course on how to deal with their Lubavitch neighbors strict moral codes when they move into their apartments.

“I wear shorts in the winter time with leggings underneath them,” said Andrea Brito Nunez, 24, who came to Sterling Place near Kingston Avenue in September. “I don’t want to offend anyone. It is their neighborhood more than mine. But everyone should be able to dress how they want to dress.”

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43 Comments

  • Congratulation to that Website

    The website that Posted that ridicules Op-ed has caused an untold Chillul Hashem,

    I guess its worth it for another few hits.

  • JG

    I cannot believe that crown Heighters are actually posting such articles online! Take out the word “yuppies” replace it with the word “Jews” and you’ll all be screaming “Antisemitism”!!! How can you be so foolish not to see that this will come back and bite you where it counts?

  • he should hide in shame

    this spielman guy should hide in a basemnt forever,

    he is part of the gamg that tried to destroy our comunity.

    and was subsequently voted out.

    this guy should not be alowed telling pepole what is good or not good.

    he gave 4 aprtment buildungs awy to holess shelters 2 of which were in the heart of crown heights.

  • Gevald! Never Give Up!

    Cover your eyes Moshe. Cover your eyes Mussie! yur in for a big surprise.

  • ex ch-r

    “It is an area where we don’t want our children seeing these things.”

    Too late for that. Focus your energies to the actual pritzus threat that is emanating from inside the walls of your own community.

  • True!

    Interesting! I was just commenting yesterday that you can’t tell the difference now between the yuppies and the Lubavitchers gone astray.

  • with love

    amazing how somwonw who has been out of a job for 20+ years has such a nice house!

  • resident

    mr spielman you were ousted years ago why keep trying to have a opinion of this community

  • various shades of yellow

    Can you tell me where the NY Daily News possibly found this story? Not every shoiteh with an opinion should be posted for the world to see. Particularly under the headline of an Op/Ed. Irresponsible business ventures out for sensational ways to attract eyeballs create the story that wasn’t time and again.

  • to # 12

    there are people who hate chabad and they will find these articles and send it to the big papers who will be happy to print it even if its untrue

  • DaasTorah

    CrownHeights belongs to the people, period. Those who don’t want to see pritzuis should not look. Bike lanes are a great thing and should be built everywhere!

  • I have to thank CH.info

    I don’t always agree with your politics or your content but It was very wise of you guys not to post this oped. I’m sure you were sent it as well and you made the responsible choice, I wish the other website would have done the same.

  • dovid

    hak nisht a chainik…..there is no problem…nothing wrong with yuppies, they are nice decent people. nice to have them as neighbors.

  • FORMER HEAD

    he is FORMER HEAD OF THE COMMUNITY COUNCIL.

    This was his own decision to go to the press. He will not discourage anyone from moving here, Just make a chilul hashem.

    Stop embarrassing us.

  • CHLEAKS.COM

    is this the same Joseph Spielman who was involed in Mesira against fellow CrownHeighters?

    Is this the same Joseph Spielman who is [still] part of the corruption and Fraud that is the CHJCC?

  • in spielmens defense

    I don’t know the fellow from Adam but know the publishing industry fairly well. He certainly said a lot more then was quoted and probably spoke nicely of his neighbors, the paper chose the quotes to use and would not ask him which he wanted to use out of context that is the job of the editor, to build a polarized story. The most you can ask a journalist is to see your own quotes before publishing.

  • berl, crown heights

    How much public goodwill earned by the shluchim is undone by one such moron? I shutter to think… Oh well, there is nothing really new here – Joseph Spielman has been an embarrassment to our community for as long as I can remember (at least since he surfaced as one of our “communal leaders” back in mem-vav). That the Rebbe would NEVER approve of making such insane pronouncements goes without saying. But then again, they don’t really care about the Rebbe, for if they did, they wouldn’t attempt to besmirch his holy name with their stupid yellow flags and lapels, would they now? I do not envy the job Lubavitch media relations people have to do trying to explain these people any time they open their mouths and speak in public.

    I think I speak for all sane Crown Heights residents – all law-abiding citizens are absolutely welcome here as our neighbors!!!

  • My Feeling

    First off it was stupid and irresponsible for that web-site to post that individuals thoughts. That being said, every community in every neighborhood has a right to keep their surroundings according to their values. There are regulations in many environments, (shoes and shirts in hotel lobby etc. or no late night bars blaring music on a residential block) one must respect a local communities values. To outright say don’t rent to anyone is wrong, but understand just because someone wants specific values for their children doesn’t make them evil or racist.

  • to # 19

    if that was all he did he would be a tzadik the answer is yes plus alot more we could write a book about this guy

  • A Man On A Mission

    To our fellow community members, or whatever is left of this a “so called” community. We are no longer the once insular, racially divided community. And I am glad we changed as a whole. We progressed, we’ve become intrinsically accepting and the lines of division has been blurred. Crown Heights is not an exclusive Jewish neighborhood, this is a matter of our inherent rights to land. All our welcome here, just as we were when we first came upon these welcoming shores. We cannot forget, nor take for granted the rights, and liberties invested to us by the is wonderful country, and state. The increase of the cost of living has no one particular group of peoples fault yet, it is an issue we all have to deal with. At this time the neighborhoods is going through a transformation, and I believe there is so much good in it. The blessings of the Rebbe are coming to fruition. The neighborhood is safer, the local businesses are being supported by a broader market base. In addition, we have seen a tremendous change in our education system. Innovative schooling, trained professional teachers and strong interpersonal communication. I acknowledge the increase of rent and cost of living however, don’t point fingers. We are representatives of Gd, we are all Gds people. Sharing a physical space. We have the right to life, liberty and housing as anyone else. Let us learn, to deal with the cost of living without pointing fingers. Speak with your financial people and see where excessive spending can be reduce. We should host financial forums offered by the accountants in the community to discuss how we can consolidate spending, create savings accounts, possible cost of living increase deductions. Let us not fan the flame the evilness in our community, let us unite to together one people, under one gd indivisible.

  • yanki

    is this the guy that spoke out in public agains rabbi shea hecht and tried to sham him in front of 100 pepole

  • Shmuel

    We clearly need to be careful what we say, how we say it and to whom. As Jews we are taught to treat people, all people with the utmost respect. That includes our friends, neighbors and fellow community members. Jews and non-Jews alike.
    I don’t know why anyone would have an issue with Rabbi Spielman’s comments. He was on point. “We like to live by a certain set of rules,” said Rabbi Joseph Spielman. “It is an area where we don’t want our children seeing these things.
    “Anyone who treasures this neighborhood should know what to do. They should know not to harm the ambience of the area,” Spielman added. He is correct. We of course can’t impose our religious rules on others. However if we act in a respectful way towards others, they will surely reply in kind.
    Speaking of how we treat people, it would be remiss not to point out the tremendous Chessed that rabbi Spielman and his amazing Rebbetzin, along with their children do for the poor and underprivileged of our community. I frequently pass their home and see the lines of people who are given food packages and other daily requirements. It is this Chessed that should be celebrated and to allow such disrespectful remarks about a kind family that is so helpful to others deplores the very heart of who and what we are taught to be.
    We as Chassidim need to focus on making ourselves better people by being better people.

  • David Hompes

    Rabbi Spielman, I suggest Ramat Beit Shemesh schuna Beis, Bnei Brak, or Meah Shearim.
    But please don’t spit!

  • nl

    Rabbi Spielman-with all due respect and I know you are a real Chossid but please wake up and smell the coffee. You are in dream land. We have so much Tzar from our own Pritzus so stop looking at everyone else!

  • yechi

    live and let live we dont live in meah shearim thank gd for that just as u have lived side by side with schvartzes all ur life im sure u can get along just fine with these “hipsters” who not only bring in a steady income but also bring in a sense of safeness in this wacked out community u dont have to worry about them bringing in robbery,rape,murder all they want to do is live and let live they come in peace and if u dont want ur kids growing up seeing such things like normal people then i suggest u move to harlem im sure u can open up another moshiach center for the true “jews”.these are people who are trying to make it in this world just like u and me so dont hate what u dont know

  • ari

    the daily news couldnt snap a picture of someone else. all they could find is the spielmans? how did they find the spielmans in thre first place.?

  • Inda Know

    Hey guys, for years we have been going out on mivtzoim to mekarive our fellow yidden, and now, THEY’RE COMING TO US. It’s easier. Get to work. And for the goyim yuppies, there’s the sheva mitzvas Bnai Noach! Look at this as a great opportunity!

  • Chinuch starts at home

    Chinuch starts at home! Teach your children right and wrong. They will come out to the world, so get them ready! Look at so many great Shluchim’s children that having all the wonderful yappy jews at their home, almost growing together, but yet the children know their places and they know how to Mekarev them.
    Rabbi-Did you ever try to invite them for a Shabbas dinner???…

  • i agree with #27

    i agree with you
    either way, there is a lot of truth in that op-ed and there are appropriate ways to go about it

  • jay

    live and let live stop mixing in to people’s lives we constaly want to fight just stop it already

  • my opinion

    #20 i agree.
    everyone else, SHUT UP AND STOP RUINING PPLS LIVES! GIVE HIM A BREAK! HE’S A PERSON JUST LIKE YOU! HAVE SOME AHAVAS YISROEL SO MOSHIACH CAN FINALLY COME!!!

  • DON T LOOK? TOO LATE!

    To advise not to look, although mandatory, I don’t think does anyone that much good. You see, you have to first see it in order to know not to look. But, after getting that glimpse, the image may still linger in the mind. This can fire up a desire for something that’s assur, ch”v!

    Therefore, ladies, won’t please be so kind as to observe the
    tznius laws. Stop this cruelty. It’s like you’re torturing our minds!