CrownHeights.info comments crack me up. Or make me mad. Or sad. Or proud. Or embarrassed. Or happy. Usually makes me snort.

They all go something like this:

First you get a set of:
“Well said”
“Thanks for finally speaking up”

Then you get some:
“I disagree....”

Then comes the heat:
“It's all because of those wacko flag wavers”

Op-Ed: Comments, Comments and more Comments!

CrownHeights.info comments crack me up. Or make me mad. Or sad. Or proud. Or embarrassed. Or happy. Usually makes me snort.

They all go something like this:

First you get a set of:
“Well said”
“Thanks for finally speaking up”

Then you get some:
“I disagree….”

Then comes the heat:
“It’s all because of those wacko flag wavers”

Then comes the Rebbetzin:
“Come on, let’s unite. Look at all the tzoros happening… we must have Ahavas Yisroel”

Then comes more heat:
“I have plenty of Ahavas Yisroel – tell those nuts that they need it!”

And more heat:
“Listen to yourself – you’re telling them to have Ahavas Yisroel and that’s the way you talk??”

Then this all goes on repeat for hours… sometimes days…
Everything gets blamed on the politics of Crown Heights, and the bottom line:
Everyone yells at each other for not having Ahavas Yisroel when they comment.
Ridiculous. This goes on in cycles and nobody seems to get bored of it!

Yidden, Chassidim, listen up.
Mir zainen ein mishpache. We’re one family.
Siblings fight. Ok, so now we’ve proved we’re really family.
Now let’s get passed that.

Mishechist, anti-mishechist, flag wavers, Ohel visitors, upstairs 770, downstairs 770, Israelis, Frenchies, Russians, Americans, Vaad this and Vaad that, Rabbonim, Bochurim, Yungerleit, Shluchim and all of Anash:

Let this year’s Tishrei be one of true Ahavas Yisroel.
(I said the word – don’t snort… keep on reading…)

I’m a driver. A typical NY driver. I used to speed like a maniac. I was always in a rush. To where? To the next light – to get there before the car ahead of me. Then I once came up with a brainstorm. I was about to race, when instead I rolled down my window and politely asked the car beside me if I can skip in front of him. He was so taken aback, that he eagerly said yes and waited so patiently for me to pass ahead of him. It was that simple. I won the race, but he was happy. So was I.

You know what we’re going to do this Tishrei when those Frenchies and Israelis are pushing their way in front of us and squishing us to the back as if we’re a piece of garbage? Instead of yelling, we’re going to tap them on the shoulder, smile and say: “Ehem, slicha… Chag Sameach… would you please be able to move over a bit so that I can also see?”

Try it. It works.

I tried it last year with a group of Israelis that were shouting and pushing. They suddenly smiled and made room for me.

A little bit of patience and self control on our part and we will have a peaceful and freilichen Tishrei.

May our true Ahavas Yisroel bring us all the Brochos we need B’gashmiyus and B’ruchniyus – a year of health, happiness and only revealed good for everyone.

May this Hachlata alone break the gates of heaven and bring us Moshiach – before this Rosh Hashana!

(So yeah… now you can all go ahead with your comments…!)

This Op-Ed reflects the views of its author. It does not necessarily reflect the views of CrownHeights.info nor of its Editors.

A reader that wishes to make his or her voice heard on any topic of their desire is welcome to submit his or her Op-Ed to News@CrownHeights.info.

38 Comments

  • Mishulem Zusya from Detroit

    This author didnt use a name.

    And…. Everything is the fault of the “wacky flag guys”… Kookoo. Pookeee…

    If only there was kovod harabanim, and respect for the shopkeepers, and the shopkeeper on the corner of President on Kingsotn….

    Actualy, what does one think have to do with the next…
    Kovod Harabonim: They need to deserve it. Dont demand respect. EARN it. Be mentshlech and true.

    Flag Waivers: Tipshim… They nebach dont know better, but they live in a false world and cause a lot of false and problems amongst us.

    Clean streets: If Kingston Avenue was clean and smelled nice, we would all get along nicer.

    Housing: right now my feet are sticking out of my birth-controled house… If I had something better, we wouldnt have time to leave these garbage comments….

    Anyways, I was shopping outside 770 plaza. Between the kookoooo’s over there selling their combination underwear… CONCLUSION FROM ALL THE ABOVE: It is the kookoo flag guys, their leaders, and the chikens that lead the smelly chicken-head revolt!

    Oy vay on us….
    Anachnu maaminim bnei mmamininm.
    In truth we are a bunch of khackers… We are aimlesly running around without any sense of direction… But we are not looking for the right way… Again, because of the crazy flag guys.

  • stop preaching

    So I guess I belong in the first category…well said!

    And the next…I disagree because that’s the American thing to do.

    And the heated category…If only those crazies wouldn’t knock on my door speaking a language I don’t understand & asking for some handout or another.

    And I’m definitely the Rebbetzin…Oh, but I must work 24 hours a day taking care of all the strangers my kids drag home because that’s Ahavas Yisroel, never mind I snap & grunt at my own family.

    And finally…IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY THAT’S SO IMPORTANT, SIGN YOUR NAME!!

    I think I’ve covered everything.

  • I call an end to the commments!

    I’m tired of comments. A lot of times they make me sad. I think CHI would be a better place without them.

  • levis

    This whole article sounds remarkably like those typical comments, just in the form of an article. That withstanding I still think this article is cute and has a lesson for us all, thank you.

  • from florida!

    this is the best op-ed yet! i whole-heartedly agree with the anonymous author! and a very well written and witty article too. thank you for speaking up!!!!

  • My Comment

    It’s all because of the Israeli and Frenchie flag-waving nuts who need ahavas yisroel!

  • Dovi

    I wear a flag on my jacket, and the reason i do it, is to bring out the truth in people.

    reading your comment i realize it has done for you what it has done fore many… it has Captured the Essence of your Psyche…

    All you have to do now is start dancing…

    Moshiach might come a bit sooner then you think…

    i know you have it in you…Say some L’chiem and go to 770…

    look for the me there, ill be wearing a black hat…

    and please remember to have a HAPPY Tishrei.

  • FlatbushDad

    LOL according to the authors thesis we’re out of order already. I mean there is one simley and one och in vey – what happenned to the order we usually have.
    rofl.
    Gut yor

  • for the petty things - read this...

    you can feel the hatred from some of the above comments…so sad.

    People have to start finding inner peace.

    Nothing can get someone mad, unless he allows it to. People, some self control. Please.

    What I allow to upset me, is the fact that there is such high pricing for apartments and condos.

    It’s funny (I really mean sad), I speak to people, who sit there feeling bad for people like me, who are dying to find an apartment for a reasonable price(2 bedroom), and then 1 month later they put a place up for rent – and they go for the maximum amount they can possibly try to rip off young couples. Like everyone else in this community.

    The rich get richer, the poor get poorer.
    What in Hashems name is going on here. Why can’t people rent apartments and sell condos for a decent price.

    I only have a couple of years until the CH schools come knocking for tuition. IT would be nice to be able to put a penny away, rather then budget my food spending.

    This should be the next open ed.

  • a suffering chassid

    HERE WE GO AGAIN ! EREV ROSH HASHANAH & THE VENOM THE SINAS CHINAM CONTINUES TO SPEW UNABASHED IASK THOSE WHO ARE QUICK TO BLAME & DISRESPECT THE FOLLOWING? 1. IN REGARDS TO THOSE WHO WHERE A MOSHIACH FLAG ON THEIR JACKETS THOSE WHO SAY YECHI IT IS THEIR BELIEF BASED ON TH REBBES WORDS IN THE REBBE’S SICHOS THEY’RE DOING WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS THEIR PART TO BRING THE GEULAH WHY BASH THEM JUST SAY POLITELY I DISAGREE WITH THEM & THE WAY THEY EXPRESS THEMSELVES ETC. AS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO BASH THE RABBONIM YOU ARE MAKING FOOLS OUT OF YOURSELVES & NOT ONLY A BIG CHILUL HASHEM & CHILUL LUBAVITCH BUT YOU ARE OVER A MITZVAH MIN HATORAH OF NOPT ONLY AHAVAS YISROEL WHICH IT’S CLEAR YOU HAVE NONE & YOU NEED TO LEARN OR RELERAN SOME OF THE MAAMORIM OF TH REBBE RASHAB BUT WE CAN LEARN FROM THE BIGGEST MISNAGDIM THE KAVOD THEY GIVE TO RABBONIM & FROM DOVID HAMELECH & MANY OTHERS WHO GAVE THE GREATEST RESPECT SOMETIMES TO THEIR” ENEMIES BECAUSE THEY LEARNED AT LEAST ONE THING FROM THEM & CONSIDERED THEM THEIR REBBE!!! IF WE ALL DID THAT & REALIZED WE ARE ONE KEHILLA WE ARE ALL THE REBBE’S CHASSIDIM TRYING TO FULFILL THE MISSION THE REBBE GAVE & ENTRUSTED US WITH THEN WE CAN HAVE SHALOM & STAND AS ONE & OVER COME ALL OUR ENEMIES & ALL OUR PROBLEMS ISH ECHAS B’LEV ECHAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Pintele Yid

    Reading comments on this website… Sometimes I want to cry, but mostly I laugh so hard I can’t stop. What a world we live in. Ksiva Vaschasima Tova to the whole world, whatever you do and whoever you are. This is the year my friends. Lishona hazos biyirushalayim.

  • zelig

    unbelieveable the author writes flag wavers , ohel visitors … equating flag waving to going to the rebbes ohel !! rachmono litzlan

  • TEHILLIM CALL

    HELP! SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME THAT MESHULAM ZUSHA IS JUST JOKING. after such a beautiful and proper op-ed he couldn’t possibly be serious. IF HE IS COULD HE PLEASE FORWARD HIS MOTHERS HEBREW NAME AND HIS FULL HEBREW NAME SO THAT I COULD SAY TEHILLIM FOR HIS SOUL AND HIS “SHTAINERNE HARTS”!

  • someone laughinh really hard

    ahh…the comments on crowhnheights.info! I actually find them amusing…they are what make ch.info more interesting…and you know what? no one is forcing you to read them! so keep em coming!

  • ship without a captian

    I like others have had negative experiences with the Rabonim (incidently, not only of Crown Heights ), enough for me not to respect them, but as a chosid of the Rebbe, respect them I must. By the same token it is my understanding that a ship without a captian can’t stay afloat, even if the captian may not be the best. for that reason alone we must respect the Rabonim.

  • CSC

    I read the comments here & think, “Wow, so many disgruntled people.”

    I feel like telling them: folks, there’s no greener grass. The kooks & crooks exist in Lakewood & elsewhere. Maybe these other communities know how to put up appearances better.

  • CHI Comments... oh I meant to say Comics

    no offense to the editors – but i usually spend most of my time on this site reading the comments- or what i like to call it – comics.

    This article was so refreshing b/c it WAS the comments. And then – afterwards – almost like a free bonus – we got some real authentic “unscripted” comments.

    Just a great laugh – they should charge for such entertainment!!!

  • Zvi in Russia

    WOuld be cute had this article been signed “the Rebbetzin”.

    Nonetheless, good point. :)

  • nochum schapiro

    This article and the reactions to it, prove that nothing can take the place of real personal face to face interaction one to another. All that the internet, blogs, anonymous op-eds and comments have done, is to allow each one of us to say whatever we want without any reservation about how my colleagues and others will react or interpret my views. So please go out and talk to someone!

    this is my first comment and iy”h the last one.

  • The Rebbetzin

    Come on, let’s unite. Look at all the tzoros happening… we must have Ahavas Yisroel

  • go ch

    this site cracks me up…anonymous author u are so write…we are all one big disputing family

  • anne

    Comments are what is exactly cool about this website. It shows that there are many different kinds of people, and that is what is beautiful about Chabad. Believe me, you wouldn’t wnat everyone to think exactly like you.. so please… keep up the comments.

  • ...

    I’m laughing at some of these comments. After reading this article, you’d think people would have something a little more profound to say other than “those crazy flagwavers cause all problems” or “i hate crazy Israelis and Frenchies” (because ALL Israelies and Frenchies are crazy)…
    I do like this article though, and yasher koach for pointing it out! And just for the record, it is so not the flagwavers that cause Lubavitch politics..just thought I’d add that one in.
    Gmar Chasimah Tova to all!

  • more comments and more comments

    u forget the comment on the spelling – theres always one which tells people to go learn some english – its right not write, etc… :)who cares if u went to oholei torah… oh and theres usually one more who says this is the reason i left chabad… whichc cracks me up cuz if they left what are they doing o crownheights.info?