Just to clarify (since there seems to be some confusion) some matters about my On Further Encroachment post:
1. I have not seen the letter detailing these restrictions in the school. I simply reported on a post I saw on another blog. That does not guarantee that the restrictions are accurate. Please view my post as assuming that they are, indeed, real restrictions. If they aren't, please feel free to disregard. In addition, if someone can send me some verfication that they are false, I will be more than happy to print a retraction and apology.
2. The second set of restrictions that I mention in my post (playing Scrabble, going to a pet store, etc.) are *NOT* part of the restrictions that the students of the school are bound by. They are the products of my own imagination (although I think that, the last one excepted, they could easily be forbidden by a not-to-great leap of the imagination).
My apologies for any confusion this may have caused.
The Wolf
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
On Good... Nay, Great News
It seems that Heshy is gone!
Personally, I can't say that I'm sorry to see him go. He was sort of a blogger arsonist - just throw something out there on the fire and see if it'll burn. I do, however, have one regret about his disappearing- he never ended up explaining on his blog why he was opposed to the concept of alien life. I would have liked (in a morbid sort of way) to have heard that.
The Wolf
Personally, I can't say that I'm sorry to see him go. He was sort of a blogger arsonist - just throw something out there on the fire and see if it'll burn. I do, however, have one regret about his disappearing- he never ended up explaining on his blog why he was opposed to the concept of alien life. I would have liked (in a morbid sort of way) to have heard that.
The Wolf
On Further Encroachment
Yeshiva Orthodoxy reports that Yeshiva Bais HaTorah in Lakewood sent a letter to all parents detailing their chinuch guidelines. As reported, the letter reads (in part):
General Chinuch Guidlines:
-- In compliance with the warnings of the gedolim about the dangers of the internet, it is prohibited to have internet in your home (even if you feel that you have safeguarded against access by children). In the event that internet access is a business necessity, the computer must have a password and be physically locked. Additionally, the Yeshiva must be told that you have internet in the home.
-- Non-Jewish magazines and periodicals are not permitted in the home.
-- Children should not listen to the radio. (It goes without saying that watching television, DVDs or videos is forbidden.)
-- Children may not visit the public library even with adult supervision.
-- Non-Jewish reading materials must be carefully screened by parents before being made available to talmidim.
-- Talmidim must refrain from following professional sports as it is not in the Torah spirit.
-- Talmidim should not play games on the computer or use a game boy.
-- Talmidim may not own palm pilots or cell phones.
-- Extreme caution must be exercised in relation to trips or visits to non-Jewish places.
While some of these restrictions make sense (hey, I'll give credit where it's due), others are a bit odd and open up the door to restricting just about anything and everything. Examples?
Playing basketball - forbidden. Not in the Torah spirit, borders on Chukas HaAkum and may also lead one to start following professional sports.
Sending email to relatives in Israel (or elsewhere) - forbidden - Internet. In addition, who knows what materials they might receive from the relatives.
Family functions where non-frum relatives might be present - not relevant to our buchrim, of course - if you have a non-frum relative you wouldn't have been accepted into the yeshiva to begin with.
Visit to Museum - forbidden. We all know that dinosaurs were created by evil, atheist scientists solely to lead us astray.
Reading Magic School Bus books - forbidden. Contains magic. In addition, children will be told that the Earth revolves around the Sun instead of the other direction.
Visit to Zoo -- forbidden. Children may become interested in evolution, or even if not, it will surely be mentioned by some of the zoo guides. In addition, during the warmer months, there may be women dressed inappropriately.
Going to a Seforim store - forbidden. Children might see books by heretics whose books have not been removed from the shelves.
Except for maybe the last one (where I am exaggerating, but not by much), I can see all the above activities (and many other similar ones) being forbidden by schools based on the principles stated in the letter above. I'm left wondering why these schools don't just put out a list of accepted activities and say that children who do anything else will be punished.
The Wolf
General Chinuch Guidlines:
-- In compliance with the warnings of the gedolim about the dangers of the internet, it is prohibited to have internet in your home (even if you feel that you have safeguarded against access by children). In the event that internet access is a business necessity, the computer must have a password and be physically locked. Additionally, the Yeshiva must be told that you have internet in the home.
-- Non-Jewish magazines and periodicals are not permitted in the home.
-- Children should not listen to the radio. (It goes without saying that watching television, DVDs or videos is forbidden.)
-- Children may not visit the public library even with adult supervision.
-- Non-Jewish reading materials must be carefully screened by parents before being made available to talmidim.
-- Talmidim must refrain from following professional sports as it is not in the Torah spirit.
-- Talmidim should not play games on the computer or use a game boy.
-- Talmidim may not own palm pilots or cell phones.
-- Extreme caution must be exercised in relation to trips or visits to non-Jewish places.
While some of these restrictions make sense (hey, I'll give credit where it's due), others are a bit odd and open up the door to restricting just about anything and everything. Examples?
Playing Scrabble - forbidden. Not in the Torah spirit to play a meaningless game where one has to memorize and know obscure English words.
Going to a pet store - Use extreme caution - a non-Jewish place. In addition, there has long been a tradition against Jews having anything to do with dogs anyway.Playing basketball - forbidden. Not in the Torah spirit, borders on Chukas HaAkum and may also lead one to start following professional sports.
Sending email to relatives in Israel (or elsewhere) - forbidden - Internet. In addition, who knows what materials they might receive from the relatives.
Family functions where non-frum relatives might be present - not relevant to our buchrim, of course - if you have a non-frum relative you wouldn't have been accepted into the yeshiva to begin with.
Visit to Museum - forbidden. We all know that dinosaurs were created by evil, atheist scientists solely to lead us astray.
Reading Magic School Bus books - forbidden. Contains magic. In addition, children will be told that the Earth revolves around the Sun instead of the other direction.
Visit to Zoo -- forbidden. Children may become interested in evolution, or even if not, it will surely be mentioned by some of the zoo guides. In addition, during the warmer months, there may be women dressed inappropriately.
Going to a Seforim store - forbidden. Children might see books by heretics whose books have not been removed from the shelves.
Except for maybe the last one (where I am exaggerating, but not by much), I can see all the above activities (and many other similar ones) being forbidden by schools based on the principles stated in the letter above. I'm left wondering why these schools don't just put out a list of accepted activities and say that children who do anything else will be punished.
The Wolf
Monday, November 28, 2005
Silly Question of the Day...
From Hashkafah.com
"If you know the name of a person who isn't very well and you don't say tehilim for that person and G-d forbid that person is Niftar does that mean that you killed them?"
Yes, dear. And if you don't personally knock on the door of every single person within 100 miles of your house and alert them to the dangers of not wearing seat belts and carbon monoxide poisioning, then if one of them dies in a car crash from not wearing a seat belt, or from carbon monoxide poisioning, then it means that you killed them.
The Wolf
"If you know the name of a person who isn't very well and you don't say tehilim for that person and G-d forbid that person is Niftar does that mean that you killed them?"
Yes, dear. And if you don't personally knock on the door of every single person within 100 miles of your house and alert them to the dangers of not wearing seat belts and carbon monoxide poisioning, then if one of them dies in a car crash from not wearing a seat belt, or from carbon monoxide poisioning, then it means that you killed them.
The Wolf
Thursday, November 24, 2005
On Giving Thanks
I really don't want to get into the whole issue of whether or not it is proper to celebrate Thanksgiving from a halachic standpoint. Suffice it to say that there are enough arguments on both sides of the issue. Personally, I enjoy having a day off, but, not being a big fan of turkey, I don't have it for Thanksgiving (or for any other day for that matter).
Nonetheless, there is certainly wrong with taking time out of one's day to give thanks for one's blessings. It is, of course, wholly appropriate to give hakaras hatov for the good things that one has in life.
Therefore, I'd like to give thanks to the following people...
... to my wife, for being with me through everything during our many years of marriage. She puts up with me despite mood swings, sloppiness, losing things [boy, do I lose things!] and other general character flaws. Nonetheless, I know that she loves me (because she's sitting right here telling me this while I'm typing) and for that I am thankful.
... to my kids for the joy that they bring into my life. Sure, they can be a handful sometimes, and sure they are responsible for at least some of the white hairs on my head, but I still couldn't imagine life without them.
... to my fellow bloggers, for helping to show me that there are other reasonable Jews out there; that I was not alone with my doubts and rationality. For providing laughs and ideas that provoke and make me think.
... to God above, for all the above mentioned blessings, plus the countless other things that He does for me and for my family on a constant basis.
For these things, and many others, I give thanks every day, whether or not it is Thanksgiving.
The Wolf
Nonetheless, there is certainly wrong with taking time out of one's day to give thanks for one's blessings. It is, of course, wholly appropriate to give hakaras hatov for the good things that one has in life.
Therefore, I'd like to give thanks to the following people...
... to my wife, for being with me through everything during our many years of marriage. She puts up with me despite mood swings, sloppiness, losing things [boy, do I lose things!] and other general character flaws. Nonetheless, I know that she loves me (because she's sitting right here telling me this while I'm typing) and for that I am thankful.
... to my kids for the joy that they bring into my life. Sure, they can be a handful sometimes, and sure they are responsible for at least some of the white hairs on my head, but I still couldn't imagine life without them.
... to my fellow bloggers, for helping to show me that there are other reasonable Jews out there; that I was not alone with my doubts and rationality. For providing laughs and ideas that provoke and make me think.
... to God above, for all the above mentioned blessings, plus the countless other things that He does for me and for my family on a constant basis.
For these things, and many others, I give thanks every day, whether or not it is Thanksgiving.
The Wolf
Thursday, November 17, 2005
On Jumping Elephants and Popes
Gil, at his excellent blog, brings an essay by Rabbi Slifkin (PDF) on the great debate of whether or not elephants are capable of jumping.
The debate seems to be between Tosafos, on the one side, who says that elephants can jump, and modern science, which states that elephants are incapable of jumping.
Of course, as Rabbi Slifkin puts it, some people will take the view that "if Tosafos says that elephants jump, then elephants jump!" End of story. He reasons simply that Tosafos, having lived in twelfth century France, never saw an elephant and never even saw an accurate drawing of an elephant, and so could easily make a mistake as to whether or not it can jump.
Fanatics aside, Rabbi Slifkin then goes on to ask how this matter should be presented to students. At one points, he wonders if we should just throw up our hands and say "we don't know." However, as he puts it:
One might suggest that it is better to simply state that we don't know the answer. That may sometimes work. But the odds are that the student will eventually discover the truth about elephants anyway - it's only a Google-search away.
This, of course (IMHO anyway) is the second (unstated) reason for the internet ban in Lakewood and other places (I know of someone who enrolled his son in a yeshiva here in Brooklyn and was told that an internet connection at home was unacceptale. They relented when the father pointed out that he was an IT professional and that his livelihood [and their tuition payments] depended on his internet connection). It is to prevent people from access to information which might possibly upset their simplistic world view. The same type of people who will believe that elephants jump simply because Tosafos says so, are the same ones who don't want to allow any fact that might upset the infallibility of Chazal.
I find it interesting, of course, that Catholics are castigated for their belief in papal infallibility. Yet, they only extend this doctrine to when the pope speaks ex cathedra. We, on the other hand, in some segments of our population, have extended this infallibility to not just one person, but to a whole class of people, and on just about anything that they utter. And yet, we castigate them for the doctrine of papal infallibility. Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.
The Wolf
The debate seems to be between Tosafos, on the one side, who says that elephants can jump, and modern science, which states that elephants are incapable of jumping.
Of course, as Rabbi Slifkin puts it, some people will take the view that "if Tosafos says that elephants jump, then elephants jump!" End of story. He reasons simply that Tosafos, having lived in twelfth century France, never saw an elephant and never even saw an accurate drawing of an elephant, and so could easily make a mistake as to whether or not it can jump.
Fanatics aside, Rabbi Slifkin then goes on to ask how this matter should be presented to students. At one points, he wonders if we should just throw up our hands and say "we don't know." However, as he puts it:
One might suggest that it is better to simply state that we don't know the answer. That may sometimes work. But the odds are that the student will eventually discover the truth about elephants anyway - it's only a Google-search away.
This, of course (IMHO anyway) is the second (unstated) reason for the internet ban in Lakewood and other places (I know of someone who enrolled his son in a yeshiva here in Brooklyn and was told that an internet connection at home was unacceptale. They relented when the father pointed out that he was an IT professional and that his livelihood [and their tuition payments] depended on his internet connection). It is to prevent people from access to information which might possibly upset their simplistic world view. The same type of people who will believe that elephants jump simply because Tosafos says so, are the same ones who don't want to allow any fact that might upset the infallibility of Chazal.
I find it interesting, of course, that Catholics are castigated for their belief in papal infallibility. Yet, they only extend this doctrine to when the pope speaks ex cathedra. We, on the other hand, in some segments of our population, have extended this infallibility to not just one person, but to a whole class of people, and on just about anything that they utter. And yet, we castigate them for the doctrine of papal infallibility. Mr. Pot, meet Mr. Kettle.
The Wolf
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
On Acceptance
When I was born, my parents were not frum. As a result, for the first few years of my life, I grew up in a non-frum household. Even though we weren't frum, we did keep several Jewish practices - we went to shul somewhat regularly, my mother lit Shabbos candles (somewhat regularly), we kept kosher (in the home) and the like.
One thing that my mother always insisted on was that we have a Jewish education. As a result, when I was six years old, I was enrolled in a frum yeshiva for first grade. I can honestly say that it was one of the best Judaic experiences I had as a kid. My rebbe that year was a phenomenal man who kept the children engaged in learning.
I don't know if my parents had a hard time getting me enrolled there or not, but I was there - and the effects of my year there continue to influence me positively to this day.
The year afterwards, my parents moved out of state and I was enrolled in the Hebrew Academy of Morris County, a Conservative yeshiva in New Jersey. I was there for three years until my parents separated.
My mother took my sister and I and moved to Brooklyn. Shortly after her separation, she became a Ba'alas Teshuva - and my sister and I did so as well. However, she found it difficult to get me into a yeshiva. One wanted to start me in the third grade (I was already ten years old - far too old for third grade). Another was only willing to accept me if I did not have any contact with my non-frum father. I eventually found a temporary home in a yeshiva in Brooklyn that primarily served children of Russian descent. I was one of only four frum kids in the school. After two years there (where I learned every Russian curse word - though I would never speak them) I was finally enrolled in a "mainstream" yeshiva (albeit held back one grade in Hebrew studies). It was in this yeshiva that I had many of the problems that I've blogged about here before.
I find it interesting that the one year I spent in a frum yeshiva as a non-frum kid was far more influential in my life than the years I spent as a frum kid in a "mainstream" yeshiva. While, to be perfectly honest, I can't say that I'd be frum today just by the experience I had in first grade, I can also say that I might not be frum today if not for the experiences of that year.
I find it interesting, however, that my parents (who weren't rich, by any means) were able to get me into a frum yeshiva in first grade, when they themselves (and I too) were not frum at all, and yet, four years later, as a frum parent with frum children, my mother was unable to get me into a frum yeshiva without all sorts of unacceptable conditions. What happened in those four years?
Of course, I realize that the yeshiva world is not a monolithic bloc, and that I may simply have been lucky that my parents found someone with a more open mind back in first grade. But I wonder what the people who turned me away back when I was trying to get into fifth grade would say if they knew that because a frum yeshiva accepted a non-frum kid, that the non-frum kid is a frum adult with frum children. I also wonder if stories such as mine aren't more common - or, more precisely, potential stories - where children from marginally observant families who apply to frum yeshivos and are rejected end up turning away from Judaism altogether.
The Wolf
One thing that my mother always insisted on was that we have a Jewish education. As a result, when I was six years old, I was enrolled in a frum yeshiva for first grade. I can honestly say that it was one of the best Judaic experiences I had as a kid. My rebbe that year was a phenomenal man who kept the children engaged in learning.
I don't know if my parents had a hard time getting me enrolled there or not, but I was there - and the effects of my year there continue to influence me positively to this day.
The year afterwards, my parents moved out of state and I was enrolled in the Hebrew Academy of Morris County, a Conservative yeshiva in New Jersey. I was there for three years until my parents separated.
My mother took my sister and I and moved to Brooklyn. Shortly after her separation, she became a Ba'alas Teshuva - and my sister and I did so as well. However, she found it difficult to get me into a yeshiva. One wanted to start me in the third grade (I was already ten years old - far too old for third grade). Another was only willing to accept me if I did not have any contact with my non-frum father. I eventually found a temporary home in a yeshiva in Brooklyn that primarily served children of Russian descent. I was one of only four frum kids in the school. After two years there (where I learned every Russian curse word - though I would never speak them) I was finally enrolled in a "mainstream" yeshiva (albeit held back one grade in Hebrew studies). It was in this yeshiva that I had many of the problems that I've blogged about here before.
I find it interesting that the one year I spent in a frum yeshiva as a non-frum kid was far more influential in my life than the years I spent as a frum kid in a "mainstream" yeshiva. While, to be perfectly honest, I can't say that I'd be frum today just by the experience I had in first grade, I can also say that I might not be frum today if not for the experiences of that year.
I find it interesting, however, that my parents (who weren't rich, by any means) were able to get me into a frum yeshiva in first grade, when they themselves (and I too) were not frum at all, and yet, four years later, as a frum parent with frum children, my mother was unable to get me into a frum yeshiva without all sorts of unacceptable conditions. What happened in those four years?
Of course, I realize that the yeshiva world is not a monolithic bloc, and that I may simply have been lucky that my parents found someone with a more open mind back in first grade. But I wonder what the people who turned me away back when I was trying to get into fifth grade would say if they knew that because a frum yeshiva accepted a non-frum kid, that the non-frum kid is a frum adult with frum children. I also wonder if stories such as mine aren't more common - or, more precisely, potential stories - where children from marginally observant families who apply to frum yeshivos and are rejected end up turning away from Judaism altogether.
The Wolf
Friday, November 11, 2005
Is It Just Me?
I'll be the first to admit that I haven't read the article. I'm simply commenting on the headline.
The Yated, in it's coverage of the unrest in France has an article titled A Realistic Solution to the Moslem Problem.
Is it just me, or does anyone else have a real problem with this? The headline sounds an awful lot like "A Final Solution to the Jewish Problem." While I don't doubt that the Yated probably has problems with Muslims in general, I find it very odd that they chose just this sort of headline. Mind you, if a Muslim newspaper had a similar headline about Jews, I'm fairly certain we'd be hearing about it all over the media.
The Wolf
The Yated, in it's coverage of the unrest in France has an article titled A Realistic Solution to the Moslem Problem.
Is it just me, or does anyone else have a real problem with this? The headline sounds an awful lot like "A Final Solution to the Jewish Problem." While I don't doubt that the Yated probably has problems with Muslims in general, I find it very odd that they chose just this sort of headline. Mind you, if a Muslim newspaper had a similar headline about Jews, I'm fairly certain we'd be hearing about it all over the media.
The Wolf
On Jews And The Media
I don't know how the anti-Semites can say that Jews control the media. I work for one of the largest media companies in the world. We recently tried to start getting together a minyan for Mincha every day.
We have eight. :)
The Wolf
We have eight. :)
The Wolf
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
On Yom Tov and Shabbos Food
Over Yom Tov, we had my sister and her family over to eat in our sukkah. Before Yom Tov, my wife asked my nieces, nephew and kids what they wanted to eat on Yom Tov. The answers that we got were the ones you might expect of kids - hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. So, that's what we made. We also had some meatballs, sphagetti and other food as well.
My sister made the point (in a totally friendly, non-offensive way) that the fare wasn't exactly what one would term "Shabbos food" or "Yom Tov food." To that I'll agree - usually when one thinks of Shabbos/Yom Tov food you think of chicken, chulent, kishke, kugel and maybe a roast. Hot dogs? Hamburgers?
And yet, the day was a hit. It certainly made the kids moods better that they got food that they liked, rather than food that was, to them, boring. Now, I'm certainly not the type to cater (literally, in this case) to our childrens' every whim - but once in a while finding out what they like and making it for them rather than the standard fare is certainly of no harm. In fact, it may generate some good Shabbos/Yom Tov memories that they can carry forward to adulthood.
And yet, I can't help but believe that there are certain segments in our community that, looking for anything or anyone who is different, would condem this act of culinary heresy. I remeber a converstation that I eavesdropped on (yes, I know it's bad manners - I'm not perfect!) where one person was downright shocked that someone they know didn't serve chicken on Friday night. Apparently, the idea of even the slightest thing deviating from the norm is too much for them.
At least the person never found out about the barbeque Sheva Brachos that I once went to. *That* would have blown his mind!
The Wolf
UPDATE: My wife wants it publicly known that there was more than simply hot dogs, hamburgers and spaghetti/meatballs served that day. There was also stuffed cabbage, honey chicken, kugels and homemade muffins.
I am now back in my wife's good graces again. :)
The Wolf
My sister made the point (in a totally friendly, non-offensive way) that the fare wasn't exactly what one would term "Shabbos food" or "Yom Tov food." To that I'll agree - usually when one thinks of Shabbos/Yom Tov food you think of chicken, chulent, kishke, kugel and maybe a roast. Hot dogs? Hamburgers?
And yet, the day was a hit. It certainly made the kids moods better that they got food that they liked, rather than food that was, to them, boring. Now, I'm certainly not the type to cater (literally, in this case) to our childrens' every whim - but once in a while finding out what they like and making it for them rather than the standard fare is certainly of no harm. In fact, it may generate some good Shabbos/Yom Tov memories that they can carry forward to adulthood.
And yet, I can't help but believe that there are certain segments in our community that, looking for anything or anyone who is different, would condem this act of culinary heresy. I remeber a converstation that I eavesdropped on (yes, I know it's bad manners - I'm not perfect!) where one person was downright shocked that someone they know didn't serve chicken on Friday night. Apparently, the idea of even the slightest thing deviating from the norm is too much for them.
At least the person never found out about the barbeque Sheva Brachos that I once went to. *That* would have blown his mind!
The Wolf
UPDATE: My wife wants it publicly known that there was more than simply hot dogs, hamburgers and spaghetti/meatballs served that day. There was also stuffed cabbage, honey chicken, kugels and homemade muffins.
I am now back in my wife's good graces again. :)
The Wolf
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