I grew up in a Chabad House. Chabad of Tidewater to be precise. Throughout the years, hundreds upon hundreds of different people have come and gone. Some we remember quite well. For others, it may take a moment. But only a select few are etched in our everlasting memories.
Today is primary day in New York City. Each party will be picking their candidates for the general election, which will be held November 5th. Some of my friends have been asking me, whom I think they should support in the Democratic primaries. I thought it would be nice to share my view on the primary election from the perspective of an average voter in Crown Heights.
In a day’s time New York City will settle one of the most interesting mayoral races we have seen in a while.
I just arrived home from a routine bike-ride, but it was not without the generous help of a special group in our community.
It is cliché to rebrand a label into a more politically savvy digestible form. But please indulge me in the opportunity to identify one ill-articulated phrase: “Kids at Risk.” A child who is rebellious does not merit that slanderous label.
Writing for the Times of Israel, David Brent, a NASA engineer, explains why he loves Chabad, despite his disagreement with Orthodox Judaism on so many issues:
Writing is a fantastic tool. It imparts knowledge and unlike direct speech, which may only impact a handful of listeners, writers can reach millions. But we need to review before we click that “send” button.
It’s a challenge just to walk through the door of my kosher supermarket in Crown Heights on a Thursday night—someone’s kid is usually standing in the entrance, blocking me. Inside, the place is jammed with shoppers, all making their pre-Shabbos purchases. It takes a veritable pas-de-deux for two people pushing the store’s old, unwieldy shopping carts in opposite directions to pass each other in the aisle.
Musician Moshe Yess was best known for his hit song My Zaidie. But Moshe has a treasure-chest full of songs. In his repertoire are songs he wrote and sang for children. I mention him now because his words are so appropriate to address my topic. To the Women of the Wall, I present an excerpt from one of Moshe Yess’ cherished children’s tunes with an adult message:
My parents raised me and my six siblings in Norfolk, VA, in essence, as the only “Haredi” kids in our day-school classes. As the “ultra-orthodox” kids who kept strict kosher, never drove on Shabbat, and who were wildly different from (and significantly shorter than!) the others. But yet, we were welcomed by our peers because we welcomed them.
Dear Mother, I am writing this open letter to you because I feel it’s too important for you and your children to ignore what I saw. I meant to approach you and speak with you yesterday, but my utter shock rendered me speechless, so I am reaching out to you this way.
I’m wide awake, but I know the route so well I may as well still be sleeping. I walk quickly, I’m a bochur, no one walks faster. My lips murmur what I remember by heart, anything to save a few minutes. I try not to look around and see what I should not.
To say that this past week has been a week from hell, would be an understatement. I say that from a wholly selfish standpoint, however this has been a very long and emotionally draining week.
Nearly 20 years after a Hasidic Jewish boy riding across the Brooklyn Bridge was killed by a Muslim fighting jihad, a British soldier was hacked to death and reportedly beheaded on the streets of London by Muslims fighting jihad.
Today’s youth, as the youth of yesterday and the day before, have many complaints. The complaint heard loudest is about the lack of role models.
Is City Hall about to take action against the dress codes at Manhattan’s top-flight restaurants? Of course not. And that only underscores the hypocrisy that all too often animates this administration. Because the city is going after Hasidic-owned store-owners who ask their patrons to dress modestly.
This morning my sister called to ask what she should do about the parade on Sunday. Her children were so excited about it but considering the recent bombings, she was reconsidering whether it was wise to go. Having two little children of my own I didn’t know what to say.
4
