[By: Isaac Kohn]
Yes. The community has dozens of Yeshivas, Seminaries, Kindergartens and Kollelim. Hundreds of Shuls are dotting every corner, the middle of the block or entire streets. Supermarkets, Glatt Kosher restaurants, pizza parlors, ice-cream and coffee shops, candy outlets and take-outs line 13th Avenue, 16th, 18th and everywhere in between. Clothing, shoes, pharmacies and all sorts of other stores and outlets catering to the growing community. And here is where the problem arises.
Boro Park has become a filthy, over congested enclave, a ghetto. Where once single homes stood, today, multi-floored buildings have been erected. Where once dainty gardens lined the streets, today, new high-rise buildings are built on practically every inch of space. Wall to wall to wall the new construction rises four or six or eight floors with anywhere from eight to twenty-four apartments (more, lately) in each building. Where once a single or two-family house stood, today that same square footage has a hundred-and-fifty people occupying the space. Needless to say, finding a parking space is close to nil and the situation is getting worse by the day as more and more apartment buildings are going up. Where are the in-coming thousands of additional cars going to park? Who cares!
Haphazardly parked cars block the pedestrian-walk and drivers park on the crosswalk without blinking an eye. People clean their cars by dumping into the street empty coffee cups, soda cans, soiled napkins and pampers, leftover sandwiches, cigarette butts, excess French-fries and every other piece of refuse. In some areas the garbage that has accumulated near the steps, or on the gutter near the curb, over the winter months is allowed to sit undisturbed throughout the summer as it enhances the stink and stench of what once was a pretty and pleasant town. What, me? I should clean up this filth? I’m a tenant here, not the landlord. I’m not obligated to clean for him. So until he returns from vacation, I’d rather wallow in the dirt than pick up a broom. Revolting!
Boro Park is not what it used to be. There was a time when you could practically ‘eat off the streets.’ The cleanliness was unbelievable. The lawns were kept trim and impeccable and not a piece of paper or discarded cigarette butt could be found anywhere near a private house. The Italians who lived here, were very particular in keeping their streets clean and swept and the Jews of the time followed suite. Leaves were raked up in the Fall and garbage cans were kept with their lids tightly closed. If a can was broken it was replaced rather than left as is so that the garbage will burst through the broken seams. Did you stop to take a look at the garbage containers today? Over-loaded garbage cans are strewn everywhere, papers, cups, candy-wrappers thrown around and sticky gook oozing out from cracks in the bin. Disgusting!
Why do I need to sweep in front of my house four-five-six times a day because people don’t teach their children that candy wrappers, plastic bags, lollipop sticks and soda cans belong in the garbage can and not in the gutter or on someone’s lawn? Many companies advertise by having pamphlets thrown on the steps or stoop and they are left there for weeks at a time. Aren’t the individuals living in the houses or apartments ashamed to go up and down the stairs every day, seeing the filth and simply ignoring it? It amazes me that supposedly ‘elegant’ people have no compunction of having that kind of filth and rot around them on a daily basis.
Older and stately buildings are ripped down so that cookie boxes can be built in their stead. At times, beautiful, architecturally designed, (e.g. Temple Emanuel) structures are ripped down a step ahead of the sheriff to prevent that building from being designated a landmark and nothing is built as a replacement. Instead, the ugly lot left behind is a filthy sore and a blight on the community. But who cares?
It has become common practice that on holidays (and for many weeks beyond) supermarkets, large or small, want to enlarge their square footage in order to be able to capture as much of the purchasing market as possible. In order to accommodate the tonnage of extra merchandise, they bring in huge containers which are dropped off and parked in front and on the sides of these establishments. Needless to say, each container takes up four or five parking spots. Multiply these lost spots by the quantity of containers all over Boro Park and the number of available parking spaces, minimum as it is, shrinks by 40-60%. Why are they allowed to infringe on the rights of others? Why are they allowed to take over parking spaces which belong to the tax payer, you and I?
Many stores, especially butcher shops, set up larger tents in middle of the sidewalk in order to accommodate their packing and delivery crews and the pedestrian is forced to walk in a zig-zag fashion to avoid over-loaded boxes, crates, delivery bikes, etc. Quite a number of shops have enlarged their space by “stealing” frontage space and erecting permanent four-walled, plastic or wooden enclosures with awning, stretching many feet into the sidewalk, thus perpetually stealing public property for private use. Why are these stores permitted to usurp public property for personal use and profit? Which one of our politicians, I would really like to know, is allowing this to continue unhindered for years? Why is this theft of the use of public property allowed to continue?
Since we are speaking of these stores and businesses, I‘d like to know who gave them permission to take over the entire street in front of their store stretching to the left and right? Who gave them permission to use the sidewalks, on a daily basis, as their own, private warehouse? Why do the pedestrians have to maneuver in and out among the loads of fruit, paper goods, apple bins, soda crates and other grocery? Why do women with carriages need to go off the sidewalk into the gutter because the ‘path’ left for them by the greedy, uncaring, storeowners is just too narrow?
And…why is it that I will be ticketed by the sanitation department if I take out the recycling bin on the wrong day or too early but these stores are allowed to steal the sidewalk with their crates, delivery bikes shopping carts and mountain-high discarded boxes and other garbage? And in order to shoo away any cars looking for parking spaces, the stores reserve parking spaces for their own, private use by placing orange cones in the gutter which cuts off any vehicle from getting a parking spot – a valuable commodity in Boro Park – which was just stolen by the store. Why? This is my tax money being snatched by a private business!
Let’s not forget the school-bus phenomenon. Phenomenon? Yes. The school-bus drivers stop the vehicles in middle of the street, on the corner or anywhere else they see fit while traffic backs up. And they will stop a number of times along the street because Heaven forbid, the five or six children can’t stand together in one spot but rather need private pick-up service at their own front door. And why do I have to wait behind the bus for 10-15 minutes or longer because the mother didn’t get her brat ready prior to the bus’ arrival. Why is the child still in pajamas, hasn’t eaten yet and is not ready? The answer is: Es Kumt Mir. Chutzpa!
Did you notice too that these same yellow-buses who are making the drivers’ life a misery both on the way to and from school are not done yet in their audacity to infringe on the public? Aside from daytime parking which is prohibited, the overnight parking, they park the buses everywhere they can, which is against the law and steals parking spaces from tax-paying citizens.
(5) Bus parking on streets prohibited. No person shall park a bus at any time on any street within the City of New York, unless authorized by signs……. Notwithstanding any local law or rule to the contrary, but subject to the provisions of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, it shall be permissible for a school bus owned, used or hired by a public or nonpublic school to park at any time, including overnight, upon any street or roadway, provided said bus occupies a parking spot in front of and within the building lines of the premises of the public or nonpublic school. Read the law. They cannot park anywhere they choose in defiance of the law. But they do. So why are our politicians silent? Why isn’t the police department enforcing the law?
The absence of decency, the incomprehensible chutzpa, the lack of decorum and politeness is another sore point. Open the door for a young woman trying to enter the store with a baby carriage. Nine out of ten times not a sound emanates from her. You are expected to open the door for this young, uncouth, gift-to-humanity. A ‘thank you?’ Not even a grunt in your direction. Tell a driver that his car is idling on the pedestrian crosswalk and endangering people who need to step into the gutter and he’ll raise his finger and give you the bird. At best, he/she will ignore your outrageous audacity to remark that he/she has no common decency. How dare you reprimand me! Just go away.
Many years ago, I loved this place. I enjoyed this community. It had charm, it had life, it was a fairly decent, clean place where one wanted to grow up and later raise his children. Store owners were friendly and knew us by the first name. We were taught to respect the elders, greet our neighbors, Jew or Gentile and be polite to everyone.
That was once-upon-a-time.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
56 Responses
You don’t like it move out. Supply and demand my friend. If people want to live in the neighborhood they will pay more for smaller living quarters. Manhattan also wasn’t all skyscrapers once upon a time. I agree people should be more considerate but in terms of congestion this is how things work.
Mr. Kohn would you please Relax?! It’s a ברכה that כלל ישראל is growing by leaps and bounds! Just a little over 70 years ago a third of our nation was wiped out. If little things like this bother you to the extent that you publicly Bashed a Whole community, maybe you should seek personal help. Wishing you much הצלחה!
נצח ישראל לא ישקר – Baruch HaShem. והיא שעמדה לאבותינו ולנו שלא אחד בלבד עמד עלינו לכלותינו שבכל דור ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותינו והקב”ה מצילינו מידם. What beauty there is. What once only housed a few, small, 2.5 person per family families, now is the home to thousands of Yidden all declaring והקב”ה מצילינו מידם. What was once considered a חלוםis now a reality. Yeshivos, cheidarim, Beis Yaakovs, . . . Against all odds. The filth? Sign of a vibrant young active population. Crowded streets, no parking, etc. . .? All a sign of constant growth.
I believe you write what is in the hearts of many people. Unfortuatly, it is a sick ‘holier than thou’ mentality that is creating a true hillul Hashem. It is time for thier leaders to get up from their silver filled tables and start speaking up; but unfortunatly they are too busy building huge building, billing the city, and going to weddings to do anything. It’s a rotten shame.
Sadly, well portrayed!
The beauty of our מחנה has dissipated. While many millions in צדקה funds emanate from this same ‘Bura Paak’ the beauty os gone: נאוה אני ושחורה.
Beautifully said. Now you know why I left boro park even though both me and my husband grew up there. ( that and the price of those small apartments with someone over your head)
The tone and choice of words seems to suggest a person who dislike Frum Jews. What about all the good things now in the community? When I grew up in BP the Italian s used to hang opt and start up or hit Frum Kids? Or you choose not to remember that! We did not have all the facilities that the current infrastructure is providing to the younger children.
Maybe you just don’t remember anymore?????
Hi,
Not being from Boro Park I’m not familiar with temple emanuel so I googled it and apparently it’s a reform “shul”. Well, thank G-d that’s not there anymore. I think any eyesore would be preferable to a Chillul Hashem.
You seem to want people to be more respectful and considerate of each other but calling their children “brats” or “uncouth gifts to humanity” is probably NOT the best way of achieving that goal and is also slightly hypocritical I think.
I appreciate and agree with the point of your article but maybe think how to present it before writing next time.
Why is this trash talk full of sin’as Yisroel posted here?
Wow this REALLY sums it all up. Now we need people like Hikind to start addressing all these issues one by one before it’s too late.
Here’s a list
1) the zoning laws or lawlessness needs to be enforced
2) we need daily sweeping crews like the have in Jerusalem.
3) punish those who create the garbage
4) ban cardboard boxes used for grocery deliveries, that’s the biggest messmaker.
5) run massive awareness campaign about garbage and mentchlichkeit. People are not bad they are simply not aware because they’ve become so accustomed to all this
The situation is not only unbearable its a huge chilul Hashem that a neighborhood that a hallmark of a frum community should look/behave like this.
I guess there must be 2 different Boro Parks. I live in a wonderful Boro Park that is truly very full ke”h. When I walk down the street, I sometimes think, what would Hitler yi’sh feel like if he were able to see what’s going on. Here he tried so hard to annihilate the Jews, but he had no more success than the Mitzriyim in Mitzrayim.
I feel so happy to see all the nice, pleasant children playing together. Shabbos is such a beautiful sight, B”H, fathers, bochurim, children all going to daven, with such chiyus..
There is not enough space, but why blame it on the Jews living here? There is truly not enough space, ke”h the families are growing.
The streets are not filthy, there is no smell.
Many houses have gardeners and cleaning helpers, that sweep outside. It is very pleasant to walk thru the streets.
Yes, 13th Avenue is crowded. So what? Ever walked down fifth Avenue in Manhatten? Its a fact that there are many people, but why complain about that?
And to say that people expect things and don’t say thank you? I live in Boro Park for over 40 years, and have rarely met the type of person that you are trying to describe.
Of course there can sometimes be a rotten egg in a community, but here in Boro Park, it’s difficult to find one.
There is so much chesed going on in Boro Park at all times of the year, especially before Yom Tov.
I don’t have the time now, but there is so much good to write about the wonderful, caring people in my warm, caring neighborhood.
The author sounds like he has some personal issue that causes him to see only negative, when there is really so much positive.
Hope everyone has a kosher and happy Pesach, where ever they are. And if we learn to see the good, and not speak negative about others, maybe we might even be zoche to bring the korban Pesach this year.
I grew up in the wonderful Boro Park that you so do miss.
Most of your points if not all are valid.
I’m living in Lakewood for the past 27 years.
I am watching this town slowly but surely begin to develope into what Boro Park has become.
Sad and frustrating!
Isaac,
Please try to look at the good/positive side of things. Face it, Boro Park in the olden days was a ‘park’ more of a dead cemetery place with no life. B’H we are witnessing tremendous growth of Frum families, chesed above & beyond to one another, organizations of kindness enough to fill a UN building, buildings of Moisdus Hachinuch beyond post holocausts expectations. Just speak to the survivors they never envisioned the current so called BP “phenomenon” My Zeida and bubby U”H would cry every-time he saw so many yellow buses lined up.. said with a fist ah Nekama in Deh Yemach Shmoinick!!
Equally this prospective of yours is found with the Mitzreim (Egyptians) as mentioned in the Torah, ויקוצו מבני ישראל they couldn’t stand that we nourished and flourished they were simply disgusted and literally sickened by our growth.
Lets hope we continue to grow by leaps and bounds, bringing up erliche Yiddeshe doris, generations to come that Hashem will be proud of, with the promise to Avraham Avinu והיה זרעך כעפר הארץ and ושמתי את זרעך ככוכבי השמים With the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days Amen!
The writer touched upon so many reasons I thank HKB’H almost every day that I moved out of NYC some thirty years ago.
Rabosi, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
It’s not a mitzva to live like figment slobs!!
Oh, I thought I was on al jazeera website!
Common it’s after april fools. Just stop with the hate! Soon we will iy”h k’ish echad blev echad be mekabel the torah. Just lets start the ahava NOW!
Let’s be honest there is only so much we could do with so many people wanting to live in such a small area How is it in other places that have such a large population ?? Come on deal with it live it it and grow up
It is time to come home to Eretz-Yisrael. Build yourself a nice house in the hills of Samaria. In 7 years from now, separating challah in Eretz-Yisrael will be d’orayta or safek d’orayta. Mashiach is on his way!
That’s not nice. A whole article just to tell us you don’t like us anymore?
Why do you stop with a picture of boro park in the 1970’s? I’m sure Boro park was much calmer and quieter back in the 1920s. Better yet, if you can get a picture of the 1890’s then you will see boro park at it’s finest. Boro Park does have its unique problems such as bussing issues and the many simcha halls. But it irks me when people like you make it seem that only Boro parkers park at bus stops or develop their properties. I happen to be a therapist. I make home visits in almost every neighborhood in Brooklyn and Queens. Any problem you find in Boro Park you find in other communities as well. For starters just walk over to 8th avenue and see how the Chinese live.
Yes. Once upon a time 13 ace was a two way street also.
Listen here, whoever you are….. Prozac or xanax helps. Stop crying about boro park. MOVE if you don’t like it!
too much exaggeration.Yes, most of the problems are due to over population. That’s because Jews must live near the Shuls, and Rebbes, Mikvaos, and most of all each other. It’s not a place to make excuses, but I love my Nation and will forgive them for an occasional lack of proper etiquette.You can move to where there are less Jews and Cheaper.
I hear Marine Park looks like the old days that you describe, why not run there. It’s getting Jewish. Then you can run elsewhere.
I’m afraid that so many Boro Parkers are picking up and moving to Lakewood and doing the same to once beautiful Lakewood as they did to Boro Park.
Thank you.
Yasher Koiach !!!!!!!!!
While I think everything the author writes is true, I think he answers many of his own questions. The issue really comes down to what to do about it.
For example, the author notes the increase in litter and suggests that current residents don’t clean their properties as well as their predecessors. But, the author also notes the massive population explosion resulting in all those high-rise apartments buildings.
Litter is proportional to the density of the population, not just to laxity on the part of homeowners or sloppier pedestrians. The author does subtly excuse the homeowners by acknowledging that litter now needs to be addressed multiple times a day. Previous residents did OK with far fewer sweepings. Who can keep up with the increase in litter while also going out to earn a living?
Sure, people need be more aware and vigilant about reducing litter, property maintenance and sharing roads and sidewalks. But, I think we also need to be more understanding of the plight (blight?) of our neighbors.
BP relax! BP Rocks!
The writer of this article is moved to LW & doing whatever he can to get people to move there.
There isnt another community in the world that is more “giving” than BP & everyone knows that. BP & Willy has the most Chessed orgs than anywhere. BP Rocks! Shabbos & Yom Tov in BP is an amazing feeling of inspiration. Everyone in BP should be proud to have the opportunity to be there.
The author was right on the money however, this does take place on 8th ave, Brighton Beach etc. Too many people in a very tight real estate market. Yidden need to set an example and say thank you when someone holds the door for a mother. Yidden should teach their children to not throw garbage all over the place. We are better then that and most yidden in BP are not pigs. There is no excuse for store in BP and Williamsburg taken up spits with those containers period end of story. Most current jews in BP agree with the author on most points but it’s the DOV Bikinis thatlow the store owners to get away with all these quality of life issues.
I’m from Boro Park and my street looks nothing like you describe in the article so I just checked out Google Maps and went up and down the Boro Park streets it looks like a lovely Boro Park. There might be some overgrown and dirtier streets than others but looking at the whole picture I cannot figure out which Boro Park you’re talking about. Yes there are many things that need improvement but just like you and me nothing is perfect and instead of giving out the smoke on an online Op-Ed get together some friends and come up with a plan, how everyone could live on these few streets near their shul near their community without apartment buildings, what the stores should do before pesach, a plan for the school buses, how to create awareness for children and adults on cleanliness etc….. At this occasion I would like to thank Assemblyman Dov Hikind and Councilman David Greenfield for being from the doers and not from the op-ed’ers.
And the comments are the best!! great entertainment !
mr kohn: in spite off all these comments that are criticizing you for writing such an article, i for one, give you a yasher koach for doing so. i’m 69 today. i moved to boro park in 1959 and lived there till 1985. you are so correct in all the points that you bring up. and it is sad. back then it was so nice in boro park. no congestion, parking readily available, clean streets. the fact that there are many chesed organiztions in boro park does not give anyone a license to litter the streets! we push our weight around a little too much which just adds to whatever anti semitism there already is. great article.
We still loving this place. we still enjoying this community. Its still a clean place where one wanted to grow up and later raise his children. Store owners are still friendly and knew us by the first name. We are still taught to respect the elders, greet our neighbors, Jew or Gentile and be polite to everyone.
Moderators Note: Mr. Kohn used his real name. At least have the guts to use your real name when calling another Yid a “self-hating Jew”.
Yes, your comment was edited.
To all those attacking the writer for his negativity, please calm down, Yiddishkeit is all about self-criticism and making honest cheshbon hanefesh. Yes we have a problem, and, yes, TOGETHER WE CAN do something about it.
To all those who say its not so bad. The truth is there are two BP’s. One the upper 40’s and 50’s between 15 and 19 ave’s, which is relatively nice, but on the other hand there are the lower 40’s the and the lower ave’s there’s its really like the author writes.
All you commentators are youngsters. My family lived in Boro Park beginning in the 19th century. In the late 1800s Boro Park was still farmland. It was soo beautiful. Then all along came the developers in the early 1900s and ruined beautiful farmland and built family housing.
Why couldn’t we keep our farms? That’s where our food came from. There were no cars back in the day. All those automobile buyers ruined our streets. Who needs cars spreading pollution and gas and congesting the streets of Boro Park. What was wrong with a natural horse and buggy?
I Love Boro Park. I dont live there anymore for various reasons but when i come there for shabbosim and yomim tovim i enjoy every second of it.
i live out of town, as you wrote with italians and nice gardens etc… I hate it. When you walk home after ‘kol nidrei’ near open restaurants and bars in my nice town and you walk home in Boro park with thousands of erliche yidden who needs those gardens and lawns (for a plus its fine).
The italians and other(non jews) are preoccupied with their lawns and cleanliness because thats what keeps them busy and gives them satisfaction in life (except of work). ninety percent of boro park cant even think of cleaning streets and other stuff.They have family of children and that alone makes them very busy, plus they have much more to do(than italians, and i know it from close by). For the remaining ten percent, lets say it bothers for five percent as their main issue, its hard, but you have to say too bad.
I understand why the writer wrote most of the issues, and maybe it should bother us a few things but one of the last things on our list!
If Mr. Kohn would like to live in an area that reminds him of the Boro Park of 30 years ago, he should move to South Fallsburg. Of course, for the summer months he should arrange to move back to Boro Park.
The unfortunate decision by YWN editors to publish this vile, rabid piece that could just as well have been written by Goebels, was mitigated by the classy, beautiful responses of those who Choose to see reality for what it is, and to think beyond their own discomfort.
Oh. And I don’t believe anyone has ever been forced to remain in Boro Park…. To my knowledge.
#35 polisher….. That might be a bit offensive towards Italian Jews, don’t you think???? It’s so interesting how everyone here views life as either-or. I learn Torah all day, so my front yard will be a mess. They have 7 kids, so that’s why they double-park. She believes that having dozens of kosher eateries is important, so living “out of town” is not for her. There are yeshivas on every block, so that’s why he stays. It’s unbelievable to realize that cities like Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Boston, Baltimore exists with beautiful ruchnius, and in most instances one still has “kavod” for other aspects in life. I love the eating and davening options in Boro Park, but I am fine with the minyanim and learning options when I travel to Rochester, too (and I even appreciate the flowers in their yards)!
The author clearly hates Boro Park and chareidim. There are other places in the world to live.
To quote “At best, he/she will ignore your outrageous audacity to remark that he/she has no common decency. How dare you reprimand me! Just go away.”
The fact that many of you choose to retort “Move if you don’t like it!” does prove the author’s point a bit.
Fact is BP is sort of bipolar — so much chessed, yet many of the problems the author presented do intact exist.
The beginning of the solution is for everybody to take a step back and a deep breath and realize that this beautiful place has shortcomings that can be addressed, rather than think that it’s just fine and all those who don’t like should move.
אין מזרזים אלא למזורזים
If it was a ghetto or slum neighborhood there would be no hope and the author would probably not waste his breath voicing frustrations.
Fact is it’s a generally beautiful place with a few problems that can be solved if attitudes would be put aside.
Think about it instead of being in everyone’s face.
To those saying that the author hates jews/BP/chareidim/etc because he ignores all the chesed and good deeds that are done – it’s exactly that kind of jews-can-do-no-wrong attitude that fosters this kind of behavior. The fact that store owners give 10% of their income to tzedakkah does not give them license to illegally take over the sidewalks and mistreat their workers. (I know of one store that doesnt give their jewish workers a break. Told to me by one of their jewish workers.) This is just one symptom of an more wide reaching problem – people seem to think that secular laws dont apply to them. Whether its blocking sidewalks/crosswalks, cheating on taxes, or disregarding traffic laws like running red lights, speeding and u-turns (ive personally been hit multiple times by people doing illegal things while driving) people seem to think that they are above the law. Last i checked, chazal teach DINA D’MALCHUSA DINA! Unless it directly contradicts a halachah we are required to follow secular laws. And no, that doesnt mean that you can fly up 13th ave at 35 mph 1 minute before shkia because otherwise youll be mechalel shabbos. (kal vechomer 2 hours before shabbos.) It’s very simple to avoid chillul shabbos in that situation – either be more organized and leave earlier or stop the car wherever you are when it gets close to shabbos. There is NO excuse for speeding like that unless you are a hatzolah memmber on their way to save someone.
Ignoring these issues, as most seem wont to do, will not make them go away. And they ARE issues. Rather than fighting amongst ourselves and making things even worse, we need to get up and demand that they be addressed. IY”H in the zchus of working on our bein adom lechaveiroh (the antidote to the sinas chinom that destroyed the beis mikdash) we will bring moshiach bimheirah beyomainu.
The author loves Boro Park. He just hates the filth. He is chareidi, has chareidi kids, and loves chareidim. You don’t have to love the actions to love the people. If you would have arrived in Boro Park when he did, in 1960, you too would have seen how people who were up before dawn on their way to work and came home after dusk still seemed to be able to clean up after themselves.
Wow. I just moved from bp to kensington, and have not gotten used to it yet. I came from the ‘filth’ you described and went to the ‘quiet manicured lawns’…and I miss bp terribly! You are wearing glasses with terribly black lenses, and I feel bad for you that at your age you are not enjoying life. I’m noticing a scary pattern in the elderly…many of them desist children and anything to do with them…maybe they’re jealous????
In any case, I’m quite shocked at YWN, as I thought they were a frummer website, and would not have posted such a horribly written article. Even if this were true, there is a way to right such things. The guy sounds raving mad, not in any mood to make changes. Then again, if you need to plotz, plotz!
And I take it that the children in your generation were not brats. YOU never missed the bus.
Writer of article, #4 and like minded. Your pilpul and the disagreeers was already debated thousans of years ago. Parohs advisers said ‘Pen Yirbeh’ and ruach hakodesh said ‘KEN YIRBEH”. All your complaints come with that brucheh.
Anyway #4 is a giveaway. Using the term ‘holier than thou’ comes from Christian . also like one mntioned, may it would’ve been better to stay farmland like 100 years ago?
oh yeah, you especially liked the boro park of the 60’s, 70’s when they had the x-mas decorations on 13 and 18th ave’s and one had to contributes to the expense (shaleh of avode zarah)…do you miss that too..after ‘ein hekesh l’machtzeh
41 you soine yisroel….it shines from all your postngs all over. you are like the rishay yisroel…’huish achod yechta v’al kol hoam yiktzof’. you dnt see the overwhelming yidden who are righteous, you just see the bad. may hashem judge you the same.
to writer of article…it will be our pleasure that ‘yidden’ like you move to your liking , so varme ehrlicehr yidden can take your place. when yidden like us live ..its lo tzor lee hamokom’ bot yidde like selfish its the opposite
Just wondering, will one more comment make a difference?
After all is said (and maybe done), here’s some practical advice for Mr. Kohn:
Sell your house for 40x the price you paid for it ‘back in the day’, and move to the Italian neighborhood in Bay Ridge.
While most of what the writer complains about is really just a result of many large young families bli ayin, there are several valid points that he makes. Must advertising flyers and magazines and other trash sit near the front door until it Is blown into street? Is it not possible for parents on a block to have some rachmanus on others and arrange for the bus to stop once on each corner instead of every 3rd house? Menchlichkeit is not reserved for the suburbs or Italian neighborhoods. While it’s true most residents in BP are tenants and not landlords does it mean one must live in a mess because it is someone else’s responsibility to keep clean abduct is their ticket for the mess?
51 please, it not ‘mentchlichkeit’/ when you have 8….children youll uunderstand why we don’t want to send to corners. or maybe your also against 8 plus children….’pen yirbeh’
Why is it that when any author/poster points out the “extra liberties” that are taken by some in our community they are often subjugated to being called a “sonei yisroel” or self hating jew. I argue that you are the sonei yisroel. Perhaps it is more profitable to increase your storage space by taking up parking spots / sidewalk space but your doing it to the detriment of Roiv Yisraelim that are living in your neighborhood. How many ppl will end up coming late to work because your truck needed to deliver good to your store will you ever compensate that genaiva ? How many potential shalom bayis issues will you cause because buses/cars can’t get by will you ever get a chance to ask mechila b4 Yom Hadin ? So again who is the sonei yisroel ???
53… your smokescreen will not help
Just a clarification so often do I see commentators on YWN don’t get it a chilly Hashem is mainly a yid for a yid for goyim it’s a machlokas if there is at all. When Yidden fight between each other that’s a chillul Hashem and when you see so many Yiddish lechtige kids in Boro Park going to cheder that is a kiddush Hashem.
I can’t comment on other stuff living the squashed potatoes there’s no reason
Why does everyone have to live in Boro Park Monsey Willamsburg Lakewood was it like this in the “Heim”??? They had thousands of “Derflech and Shtetlech” like lived spread out there is no reason why somone should pay $3,500 to rent a small little apartment! There are plenty of places close and far that people could pay much less and build up nice communities let’s all get together איש לראהו יעזורו ולאחיו יאמר חזק!