Askonim from the year-round Viznits community (Gibbers) have informed YWN that they have arranged with the local Wal-Mart and ShopRite stores to have a few check-out aisles that are magazine & newspaper free. As many readers are aware, the magazines and other reading material on display at the check-out counters is found to be offensive by many, and not appropriate for many Frum families.
After much hard work, the Askonim were able to convince the store managers that this would be a splendid idea.
LOCATIONS:
In Wal-Mart Monticello location: Registers 22 and 23 are free of such material.
In Shop-Rite Monticello & Liberty locations: Registers 2 and 5 are free of such material.
The Askonim who spoke to YWN stressed that if there is no one at those locations, please see a store manager, and a person will be sent over to that aisle at once. Additionally, the people responsible for this new concept feel that it’s important for the Frum community to use these check-out aisles – and show the stores that it was a necessity.
The Askonim also thanked the store managers for their understanding and cooperation in this project.
(Dov Gordon – YWN Sullivan County News Desk)
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50 Responses
What is next? Separate hours for Men And Women!
I used it last week. only one register was open. can’tthey open the self checkout
What Is Next? Separate Hours For Men And Women?
#1, Not a bad idea! Speak to the store manager.
can’t wait for seperate isles
This is an amazing accomplishment. Attention to number one- maybe you don’t care to see terrible, goyish pictures while you wait on line (up to 20 minutes sometimes)or maybe you are so protected from shmiras einayim that you have no problem looking away.
I, for one, found those offensive magazines a way to pass the time, against my will, of course. I am very glad not to have that nisayon again.
Boruch HaShem! FINALLY a news item that really belongs in a Yeshivishe Velt. It’s like the moshol that in Shomayim the map looks very different, and Vienna was a shtetl but Radin a large city.
The truth is that shmiras ha’aynayim is badly overlooked (pun intended) and this is a huge Kiddush HaShem.
Frum Yid, if the women in the catskills look or dress like the people on magazine covers, separate hours should be a requirement!
I find walmart on thursday night looking more like a mealmart than a walmart. I’m expecting walmart monticello to be the 1st walmart to sell cholent on thursday nights (now that I cant get mine in sloatsburg anymore thanks to the askonim)
The Magazines are horrible. This is a great Idea. The fact is there are still women who dress very bad up there in the summer who are not Jewish. Getting rid of the magazines is not enough. It is a step in the Right direction, yet the other check out counters have them and the non-Jewish women are walking down the store aisles dressed not tznius at all. Instead of looking at pictures a person can see the real thing. The only solution is to have seperate hours for men and women.
to #1, frum yid..so what is your shita l’gabay “lo susurah achrey eynaychem..” when, lets say, you go to any supermarket and go to checkout where there is a full array of shumtz s’he beshmutz magazine pictures? wont even mention the names, but the worst starting with the letter P and H. We always made sure not to take the children to supemarket so not to be matamey their eyes and thoughts. not that we adults have heter. “ee ika darckai achrina rasha hu..” so all who go to supermarkets, which is everyone incl. me, have a big problem of histaclus. but i guess,we have the “heter” of Rova(?) “kiven sheavor adam avairah pam achas “hitrah” lo..” you know the rest of the memra.. now mr FRUM yid, your comment and your signature are a little bit soiser.. Now of course there will be those who will come with same heter like women going in pants ,uncovered hair, will probably not find anything wrong (its only a picture,not the real thing)but you have your signiture…and then there will be others who will remark “so dont look..” (way back in one of the articles, think it was the big picture of nashim accross from mesifta chaim berlin, remember the guys sig. of the poster there but wont repeat ..he’ll come with all his pilpul shel havel..)but “ein apitropos l’aroius..” chulin 10b..”mah yaseh haben shelo yechta..” brochos 32a
Is it such a good idea to tell Bnei Noach how to run their businesses. People who are careful about Shmiras Einaim don’t belong in Walmart altogether. They usually end up shopping for things they never needed anyway
#13, No one is “telling” them. We are advising them that if our business and money is valuable to them, and if they would like to continue enjoying our patronage, it would benefit THEIR bottom line to take some measures that will allow us to shop there.
We don’t have to shop there. They know that. Then they can make an intelligent decision, either yea or nay. Its their decision. And obviously they decided it is financially prudent to accommodate us for the benefit of THEIR shareholders.
frum yid,
Interesting screen name for someone with such ideas and koach habitul vehalaitzus.
Even if the stores have women not dressed tzniusdik, there is no reason to see more pritzus while on line (not the internet) that these magazines can pull someone into that olam hasheker vehevel.
Walmart is being innovative and accomodating to help the local community at no cost to them.
Simply a good business choice.
May the yidden who worked on this project have continued hatzlocho
we shouldnt just worry about tznius in walmart, we should worry about running over people, cutting in line and returning everything we brought up from Brooklyn that we didnt need.
OY VEY IS MIR..This is beyond words..
What is the fum and chasidic world coming to?
What will they ask for next?
Talk about reasons for anti semitism…THIS IS ONE BIG REASON.
THIS IS AMERICA NOT FRUMERICA! If you want special treatment move to Israel..
Anyone who is having trouble with Shmiras Haeynayim should carry a pocket Mishna, or Tehillim (or Tanach, Chitas or whatever sefer you like). Imposing on other people to cover or remove something because YOU can’t control YOURSELF is asking them to be frum for you, because you can’t be bothered to work on yourself.
I would think the Askonim could have other priorities.
It’s nice that the askonim took care of this major problem in klal Yisrael. Perhaps they might want to address some minor issues as well? How about things like dishonest business practices in the frum velt? How about welfare fraud in the frum velt? How about the rapidly rising divorce rate and family breakdown rate in the frum velt? How about the ever abiding poverty int he frum velt? I know that these issues pale by comparisson to the great avleh of Time Magazine and Newsweek on supermarket shelves, but some fring elements in the Jewish community might benefit from addressing them.
this may be wonderful on our end, but i hope its not a chilul Hashem on theirs
What if the “Jewish line” gets overwhelmed by goyim who share our disgust over the pictorial and intellectual filth of some of those magazines?
This is the begining then as an extra chumra to Shemeris Einayim there will be separate aisles for men and women, then separate check in counters for men and women, then ultimately separate store hours for men and women!!
instead of worrying about this insanity why don’t the rabbonim talk to the klal about NOT returning air conditioners after the summer is over.
Unbleiveable!
That there are ‘Frum’ Yidden protesting such an accomplishment.
Shame.
Even the store managers / officers undrestand the concern – for a decent person.
What’s wrong with you guys. Is a little Kedusha worth fight over so much.
Hey – what does עם קדוש stand for? Ever wonder???
To #18,
The magazines in question are not Time and Newsweek. They are gossip magazines whose covers have EXTREMELY inappropriate pictures. Please don’t minimize it by using Time and Newsweek as examples.
To #7. “I, for one, found those offensive magazines a way to pass the time, against my will, of course” –
Why is it that nobody takes responsibility for their actions? Who took the magazine off the rack? You! Who is fingering through the magazine? You! Why is this against your will? Is a poltergeist forcing you to do all these things? No! YOU ARE DOING IT. Don’t blame anyone else, or anything else for your shortcomings.
Maybe if people take responsibility for their actions you wouldn’t need to resort to such ridiculousness.
jphone/28 — If they willingly agree to “heimishe yidden only” (as you put it) hours (and if it were legal), I’m all for it. If they think it will financially benefit them and agree to it, go for it!
Obviously they felt it was in their financial interest to make this arrangement (reported above.) No one forced them.
Frum yid #1 should be ashamed of himself for making such a comment! You must think that your on a high enough madreiga to go and not get effected by inappropriate magazines. Well guess what, most people do get effected. So instead of saying thank you, you go and make a joke out of it. If i were you i would switch my user name, because a ”frum yid” would never say such a thing!
jphone and the few others upset over the loss of their favorite magazines:
If you really miss your copy of your favorite pritzus magazine, simply choose one of the 23 other lanes available with all the shmutz you desire! Why are you so upset over losing the shmutz on 2 out of 25 aisles? What is killing you about this? You can’t allow those of us who keep hilchos tzinius just 2 aisles?
to #21 flatbusher.. which “denomination” do you belong to. you dont seem to know of the lav “v’lo susurah achrei eynychem…” see post #11…so its not from the taliban..but of course, those denominations consider the whole taryag from the taliban…
to #18..here he is again with “the frum velt…” (against) anyway see post #11, you are conviniently not mentioning the other smut magazines displayed…
Why does every positive article have to bring loads of criticism?
Most of the Askonim from the year-round Viznits community (Gibbers) who arranged for the magazine free check out don’t even shop at Wal-Mart. As far as I can remember, (their Rov asked them not to shop there). They did this just to help the frum Yidden that come visit in the summer, they did it ONLY l’shem Shomayim.
Do you think that there are more important things to worry about? Possibly, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they shouldn’t try doing LITTLE thing. Everyone does what he is capable of…
I personally don’t see what’s so wrong with asking a favor from a store that has so many frum customers. They only made a KIDDUSH HASHEM!
Also, one more thing, to all FRUM supposedly ehrlicha people who go to Wal-Mart just to hang out or see what they shouldn’t: Shame on YOU!
And to all of you who go around the store and act like goyim, SHAME ON YOU! And to all of you who push into a long waiting line with a wagon full of things saying that your “friend” was in line for you: SHAME ON YOU TOO…
Have a SAFE summer
This story really takes the cake. Another great reason for us to throw our weight around and cause the goyim to hate us. Get out of your sheltered bubble and move to yerushalayim or bnei brak. Besides, anyone who has hirhurim from any of those magazines should be put away till he can seek counseling. I bet its all same people ranting over here how much of a great idea it is are the same ones who cant peel their eyes away from some girl walking by in WalMart or in the street. I have watched their uncontrollable oogling and staring while wearing the “levush” and these slobs are sickening. As far as WalMart agreeing; They probabley think were nuts! They did it because it makes business sense just like carrying kosher products for the summer makes business sense. And hypocrites! The same people who find magazines objectionable see nothing wrong with returning AirConditiones and bicycles after the summer. And dont think that they dont realize it. I had a conversation with a manager from whom I bought a stock of used A/Cs. They know exactly whats up! No one is that dumb! With the chillul hashem that I see caused in WalMart by the heimishe olam, its yotzo schoro bhefseida. People need to learn to be plain mentchen.
#36
anything else we should be ashamed about?
Give me a break, so now you are telling people how to dress? There are other people out there in this WORLD that rae not JEWISH. NO ONE SAID YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE MAGAZINES.
It is not a new concept of asking for and receiving “xyz free” aisles. Years ago their were protests about all the candy by the registers (not from Yiddisha shoppers – just parents that did not want to buy candy and go through the hassle with the kids each time they checked-out). I have noticed in other stores where they put a title display card in front of the magazines.
here is how it works:
someboday asks
the answer is yes or no
if yes, great for the asker and those that he is asking for and great for the store because they did their job and made the customer(s) happy which means more $$$ for the store.
if no, not-so-great for the asker and those that he is asking for and not-so-great for the store owner because they did not make the customer happy which means less $$$ for the store
and, neither great nor not-so-great for the rest of the customers in either scenerio because they will probably not even notice the difference and if they do notice, not care.
lma`asa geredt we won`t have any problems with such things while waiting on line if we just shop online.
regarding the above comments, i am in shock! i truly believe that these magazines do not belong in any of the aisles. even for a decent gentile that considers themselves moral. why are we fighting for this in walmart? in my opinion, if it wrong and inappropriate,it should be banned from public view.
These Askonim should be looking into their Gemoras, not at these magazines! If you don’t like what you see in these stores, don’t go there. Nobody is forcing you to go there! What a chutzpa to tell someone else what to do with their store. Does wal-mart tell visnitz how to run the Yeshiva???
Re #37
“The same people who find magazines objectionable see nothing wrong with returning AirConditiones and bicycles after the summer.”
Oh. You know this? Like, for a fact? The very same people? I’m impressed.
Sarah, you’re my gal 😉
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
(From a fellow gal)
I don’t understand this whole TUMEL… There is a community that lives upstate year round, they don’t want to go into Wall-Mart during the summer months because of the PRITZUS over there; but for the winter fall and spring months, when the PRITZUS is not so bad (not that it is great…) they do need to do some shopping for there families… They did this for themselves and are asking our fellow Jews a favor “please can you show the managers at those local stores how KOL YISROEL AREIVIM ZE LOZE and use those isles for your own benefit as well?!
That’s how I look at it…
The only chesaron is the lost revenue for the frum stores that don’t have a hava amina of this problem
#49, True, but we still want to decrease whatever nisyonos we can, even if cannot (unfortunately) remove them all.
Remember the stores voluntarily agreed to this change (because they believe it will help their profits.) No one forced them to offer these 2 lines (out of however many they have.)
Nothing like a superficial fix to make people feel good………I, for one, find all the unsupervised kids hanging out in Woodburne to be offensive, I find these kids driving around recklessly and c’v getting into accidents to be even more offensive. And how about possible inappropriate conduct on the part of adults who are seperated from ther spouses during the week….you cant get more offensive than that. Taking a few magazines off a checkout counter rack is like slapping a band-aid on a coumpound fracture. But hey, it sure feels good.
It seems that Haman was right.
“Datayhem shonos mikol am.”
Can’t we agree on anything?
In Monsey Path Mark there is a Kosher Bakery owned by a Jew, he had asked the Managers of the store to remove the Magazines entirely from the cash registers isles; he promised increasing sales (as PathMark is the only 24 hour store open in the Monsey area…) this is what the Manager told him after a few weeks of not having the magazines next to the cash registers!
We were required to hire a person to change the magazines each and every week, it was a store expense of several hundred dollars per month just to keep up with the Magazines… we sold on average three (3) magazines per week and made approximately $2.5 on the sales… since we took the magazines to a separate (closed) isle sales have been increasing!!! That is after the Askonim of Monsey have asked the Managers of PathMark to cover the Magazines in PathMark a couple of years now. They have covered it with a black piece of paper stating MAGAZINES SOLD HERE… same here with Wall-Mart; if you’ll talk to any Gentile older then fifty years old he’ll tell you the same thing about the magazines we think about it…
They did this same idea in Lakewood shoprite, but unfortunately, it did not last too long.
I can’t understand why we don’t have a va’ad that uses our block consumer power.
The Rabbonim should make it clear to them and to us that they will issue a proclamation disallowing our shopping at such stores until they remove objectionable material.
I’m not talking so much about shoprite than I am about Target in Howell. Right when you walk in you pass a huge not tznius poster that informs everyone that your a rasha for walking in there.
I don’t envy those who are able to do something about it but don’t.
Hello YeshivaRodefKesef from comment number 37: We are living in a world where the pritzus is so common that we are immune to how terrible it is, as can clearly be seen from your comment. As we all know, the pictures on the covers aren’t simply women with short sleeve shirts, the pritzus today is mamash maavir al harayon!
Everyone, even the goyim know that is’s disgusting. Even the bnos moav were exempted from bringing bread and water to Klal Yisroel because they had an excuse of “Kivoda Bas Melech Penima”, which indicates that even though they enticed Klal Yisroel to znus, they still had that excuse, because deep down they didn’t want to go out because of “kivoda bas melech penima”. Even the lowest echelon of society feels that acting in a pritzus fashion is against there natural beauty. So don’t worry that the gentiles feel that we are extremist.
And to say that someone who has hirhurim from this needs counseling, is self denial. There is a story of a student who went to Reb Elya Lapyan z”l and told him that he’s traveling to a distant city for a relative’s wedding. Reb Elya asked him if there would be pritzus there and the student responded, “it won’t effect me.” Reb Elya responded, ” I’m almost 90 years old, blind in one eye and can’t see so well from the other eye and it would effect me, so don’t say it won’t effect you!”
Wow! I guess living on the better side of the ocean, has caused me to forget what living in the US is like. I am shocked to hear any yid complain about a decreese in tznius standards. Every inch of tznius and kedosha which is brought into the world is something to celebrate. If a non frum Jew who is addicted to smoking, stops smoking on shabbos, but doesn’t take on all of shabbos aren’t we happy? and why does using our charedi “buying power” cause the goyim to hate us? and if they hate us for clinging to dveraim shbkedusha- who cares? they hate us anyways, since when is the main consderation if goyim hate us? Ki he chochmaschem – Torah and practicing everything holy is what makes us find favor in the eyes of the goyim. and since when is it our objective to find favor in their eyes?
Hodu LaHashem that I was never in “the mountains” to see what #51 described, but please realize that every improvement in this area can have a big effect on the olam.
and to chacham #41 I like your sense of humor!
sorry about the typo I meant
increase in tznius standards
to 15..and who is keeping you from worring about about those other pointers you made