(NY Daily News) A hasidic rabbi in the religious community of the Williamsburg section in Brooklyn, NY, who want to stop racy flyers from landing on the doorsteps of this community says that his pleas to halt the distribution is falling on deaf ears.
Advertisements from Sears featuring woman in racy garments have been causing dismay and outrage among devoted hasidim from Williamsburg.
“I would be disgraced to hold it in my hand,” said Rabbi Sam Weiser, an activist in the community. “I understand that they want our business, but they are hurting us,” said the rabbi, who has repeatedly asked Sears to stop distributing the material. “Why can’t they respect our religion?” He said.
In September, the community started to get similar flyers from J.C. Penney. But after the rabbi sent letters expressing concerns, the company halted distribution last month, Weiser said.
Sears, however, said the matter was beyond its control and it is the responsibility of Newsday, the Long Island newspaper which circulates the print ads with the newspaper.
“Sears respects the opinions of our customers,” said the manager of public relations for Sears. “We are unable to selectively distribute within each Zip Code.”
But Weiser says that he is puzzled by the company’s explanation. “We are not asking them to stop distribution in all of the Zip Code [11211], we just want it stopped in our community, which is not very big,” he said. “J.C. Penney listened to us; I don’t understand why Sears cannot. It makes no sense,” he said.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
54 Responses
We should do this in flatbush and boro park too.
Hire a shabbos goy type individual and have him collect the flyers that are distributed, and destroy them.
Let them just throw it out in the garbage! Why dot they have to make a big deal? We all get these dumb flyers and mailers and just throw them out.
#1 DONT COMPLAIN ABOUT GETTING THOSE FLYERS IF THEY ARE SUBSCRIBED TO NEWSWEEK. MY BROTHER IS EXTREMELY FRUM & WOULD NEVER EVER LOOK AT SUCH A THING BUT HEY HE NEVER GETS SUCH THINGS TO HIS HOUSE WHY?? BECAUSE HE DOESNT ORDER FROM SUCH PLACES & HE DOESNT SUBSCRIBE TO ANY NON JEWISH NEWSPAPER!!
#2 I GET GARBAGE LIKE THAT & SOMETIMES WORSE (FROM THE GOY WHO LIVED IN MY HOUSE B4 HAND) WHAT DO I DO?? I THROW IT OUT
SHOIN FINISH!! END OF STORY
these are the things that cause anti semitism
there are different degrees of fearing chait in this world, different levels of sensitivity. sometimes it is nearly impossible to understand someone else’s. nevertheless we should try to be aware that it may be different than our own.
Bnei Brak never has these issues…
said the manager of public relations for Sears. “We are unable to selectively distribute within each Zip Code.”
may be true – but we can select where we purchase merchandise
I’m not sure if I understand what the problem is with a Sears advertisment.
Because VESH they dont want to even casually see it and they dont want there children being exposed to it. The mere fact that you dont see why they dont want it in there community is quite frankly just disturbing.
Because the pritzus reeks from them, even before you touch the shmutz.
Besides who says they order it the goyim leaves them laying around the streets
To FrmThWoods2WindyCity:
You wrote “DONT COMPLAIN ABOUT GETTING THOSE FLYERS IF THEY ARE SUBSCRIBED TO NEWSWEEK”.
WHAT does being subscribed to Newsweek have to do with sears distributing unwanted flyers in their buildings?
Perhaps you meant NewsDAY? Noone is subscribed to Newsday in that neighborhood.
They just SHOVE these flyers into the buildings without asking.
There was a similar type story in London about 6 months ago – a flyer from the local gym (used by many yidden), was delivered through hundreds of front doors, and had a pritzusdikke picture on it. Enough pressure was put on the gym, so that they changed the picture.
in response to FrmThWoods2WindyCity, I beg to differ. We don’t subscribe to the Newsweek and still receive the circulars. They come in their own bag each weekend together with a bunch of other stores advertisements. It has nothing to do with subscribing to a newspaper. What people should do is take the bag and throw the whole thing out before emptying it of its contents. This way they won’t have to look at the Pritzus that’s in there.
IMO-Some people here have been surfing the net too long and became immune to the garbage online.There are still sensitive people who dont want their children even glancing at such dispicable papers,flyers and magazines which come to the door.If your’e not sensitive to these people,you don’t respect THEIR views or you don’t comprehend what i’m saying-you better check yourSELF out.Stick to the YW and you’ll see what should be seen-and maybe some sensitivity will grow on you too.
AND NO-I don’t work for the YW.
We always get unsolicited ads, flyers from local stores, that come bundled together, and they have undesireable pictures in them. I just toss them in the garbage. Why make a big fuss about them. Maybe the advertisers should be requested to put such pictures inside the flyers, so they can be thrown out without having to see such pictures.
this is the MARKETEER that newsday dumps by every house, subscriber or not.
The Sears fellow is not honest. I NEVER have subscribed to Newsday nor has the house to my right or left, etc… I find it deplorable that they include these items in the flyer. If they want to distribute garbage, atleast remove the offending material.
Was this sent with the newspaper or as a stand alone? If it comes with the paper they shouldnt be buying RagDay in the first place! If it is something mailed, they could contact the prust office to find out how to stop it. Finally, if it handed out by chaleriyas stuffing them in mailboxes etc., they should contact Newday AS WELL as Sears and complain. Tell them you will not buy their products. Good Luck!
some people here seem desensitized to pritzus. the ointernet perhaps the cause?
As I read this responses to the news, I think the solution is really a simple one. What I did 3 years ago was that when they came on my block to deliver the flyers, I told them please do not put them at my door. And they would leave sometimes 3-4 flyers at my one family house. The problem was that every week some one else would deliver it. I found out where the warehouse is where these flyers are sent from (61st Between 15th & 16th Ave), wrote a letter stating that we do not want them on our block. I then went to my neighbors and asked them to sign them, which everyone did then made 2 copies. I then brought one it to the warehouse, where are gave it to the manager, explaining our situation. He said that he would take our block off his list. He kept his word and B”H to this day we do not receive any flyers. BTW, the copies that I made one I kept the other I sent it to him via registered USPS mail.
Situation solved.
Firstly, I echo the sentiments of the earlier posters who pointed out the wonders of a garbage can and some common sense. Generally, the flyers that I receive don’t have the undergarments section on the front cover, and can be disposed of in less time than it takes to post comments about them.
Secondly, the irony of a bunch of people with internet access worried about a PG-rated Sears flyer is too delicious to ignore. Many, if not all, of us, get 10 pieces of junk e-mail a day that are many orders of magnitude worse than anything the postman delivers. Maybe we need to get a “Shabbos Goy” to check our e-mails in the morning.
I guess people can boycott Sears, and the poster who once informed me that Charedim have more per-capita purchasing power than any other group may rear his/her head, but I don’t know how effective that will be.
As HellllooNewman points out (I’m elaborating here), when the overwhelming majority of a particular society is ok with something, and a minority group attempts to impose its views, it generally is not taken well. The line of what it is acceptable to oppose and what is counterproductive is difficult to pin down, and it changes with time. In the past, opposing swimsuits may have been perfectly legitimate; in the future, opposing alternative style marriges may not be.
Before I get taken to task for proclaiming that we should give up our Jewish names, throw off our Kippas, and blend in with the Goyim — this is not what I am saying. I am making a very discrete point, namely that in secular societies, it is important for religious minorities to balance the pros and cons of attempting to impose its will in instances where such will is out of step with mainstream society.
That is all.
NOR IN VILAMSBURG CAN DUS GESHAIN FARVOS DARF MEN TROGEN DI VELTS DAGES LOS LABEN ZITS IN BAIS HAMEDRESH OF RODNEY ST IN DATS OLL.
GOOD JOB
GROW UP!!
Flyers arrive weekly throughout Brooklyn free of charge, to every doorstep in a thin, white, plastic bag. If you are not interested, walk the bag over to the garbage. If you are in need of particular coupons or advertisements for food and clothes, then use them..
On our free time we can protest the trains, buses, airports, billboards, (& what did I leave out!) to stop their inappropriate ads, (Jos, that doesnt mean that I am not sensitive to it) but maybe instead, let’s choose your battles and work to mekadash shem hashem berabim.
I am all for pictures of chassideshe men in gym suits. I belive that it will accomplish a few things:
1. Pictures wont be pritusdik
2. It will encourage others to do excercise.
I also suggest the following: every house should have 2 separate mailboxes: One for secular flyers, the other for Jewish flyers. Our postment can be offered specail courses in distinguishing between the 2 and thus upon retriving the mail, they can stick thier hands in the secular mailbox (with thier heads turned of course, reminiscent of Shem and Yefes), pull out the garbage and run to the nearest garbage bin.
I belive that I may be on to something and if there is anyone out there – from Shmeckel to The Knish to Fest283 to Chassideshlitvakman – please let me know what you think.
Thanks!!
BUBBY
Well said!
Chareidim, you seem quite desensitized to pritzus by saying ‘PG rated’ pritzus is okay on the cover/outside. Firstly PG stands for ‘Parental Guidance’. Secondly what goes for ‘PG’ these days is shocking. Thirdly your comment that the people with Internet shouldn’t worry about ‘PG’ flyers further demonstrates your lack of sensitivity towards pritus. And as an aside, the Satmar chassidim protesting the dumping of pritzus on their personal property (which they have a legal right to decide what may or may not enter), generally do NOT have any Inernet.
Another issue here is private property rights. Anyone has a right to disallow others from dumping anything on their private property. Period. So don’t bring te junk about this is America, this is pretty lame stuff anyways, or we must live with the goyim. Many goyim too agree this is trash. And everyone agrees about private property rights.
JOSEPH — Unfortunately, but perhaps predictably, you are misrepresenting my post. I realize that this makes my opinion easier to attack, but it also necessitates me posting a reply to point out where you are mistaken, which is tiresome.
1) I do not say that “PG-rated Pritzus is ok.” I merely contrasted the level of obscenity present in a Sears flyer with that available on the internet, and pointed out the irony of people on the internet discussing flyers. I think that there is quite a difference between the two, unless you are getting different Sears flyers than I am.
2) Thank you for informing me what PG stands for. I had not known this, as I recently came out of a coma that I entered in the early 1970s. Please advise who won the last 30 World Series?
3) With respect to whether PG is shocking, some would agree with you, and some wouldn’t. I don’t know how this could be objectively settled. I certainly agree with you that the trend is downhill.
4) As far as Satmar Chassidim not having the internet, they may or they may not. However, the subjects of my comments were the posters on this board who were getting worked up about it. These people presumably have access to the internet.
NU VOS VET ZISN
“no big deal
just throw it out”
it depends on what it is
would any of you like that response if every few weeks someone deposited a smelly bag of human waste in your doorway? just throw it out? what’s the big deal?
to those in williamsburg that’s what these “flyers” are.
as i said in an earlier post:
there are different degrees of fearing chait in this world, different levels of sensitivity. sometimes it is nearly impossible to understand someone else’s. nevertheless we should try to be aware that it may be different than our own.
Interesting is this the same neighborhood that defaced the Oorah billboard,,,,which was found totally unacceptable & inappropriate and now flyers that are deposited outside your door or in the lobby of an apartment bldg (where many residents live in this area), nu, what shall be done?.
JDSPERO — An old person would be even better.
BKYLNMOM — Maybe they can paint beards on the flyer models.
Chareidim, my primary point was exactly that. You should not be making contrasts between ‘PG rated’ pritzus and far worse pritzus. You must not let ANY pritzus obtain a toehold in a Yiddish home. Period. That, and your further comment that it is debatable whether ‘PG rated’ pritzus is shocking or not, clearly indicates you are desensitized to pritzus.
bklynmom, drop your anti-hasid bigotry. the ‘neighborhood’ didn’t defce the sin. it was a single yodle.
Chareidim, an old person has no taivos? Retun to reality.
apologies for the typos. the keboard on the blackberry is quite small.
maybe we put up a portest up in front of sears? with both Rabbi zalman leib and Rabbi ahron T. coming.(maybe on this issue they will unite)
JOSPEH — I was referring to the Miami Kol Koreh. Sorry the joke was missed.
I don’t think any of us ‘got the joke.’ Pritzus is no joking matter.
FIRST THE NUMBER TO CALL NEWSDAY IS 1-877-886-5992 OR 718 821-1196 SEARS CUSTEMER SERVICE 1-800-549 -4505 PRESS 1 THEN 5 .
I HAPPEN TO BE VERRY INVOLVED IN THIS WHOLE ISSUE .THE NEWSDAY COMPANY KNOWS VERY WELL HOW TO STOP DISTRIBUTING THE SEARS FLYERS IN THE CHAISIDIC WILLIAMSBURG, BECAUSE IN THE SAME PLASTIC BAG WAS ALLSO THE J.C PENNY ADS AND YHEY WER PULLED 4 WEEKS AGO , SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO TO STOP IT.
WHEN HOMEOWNERS CALL NEWSDAY, THEY ARE TOLD TO CALL THIS NUMBER 1877-866-5992 AND TO GIVE NAME AND ADDRESS AND THEY SAY THEY WILL STOP DELIVIRING THE SMUZIGE FLYERS .PLEASE ANY BODY WHO HAS CONNECTIONS TO SEARS TO LET US KNOW HERE, THIS DISTRIBUTION HAS TO STOP RIGHT NOW.
B’SEM HASEM NASA V’NATZLIACH
ok chevra mcan shoin gein lernen
Kol Hakavod to the residents of Willi for trying to rid their community of Pritzus. May all other frum communities follow in their lead. They’re the prime examples of tznius as it should be!
I second the motion. We should all learn a few lessons regardig tinius from our brothers in Williamsburg.
KINDERLACH
STOP THE FIGHTING
JDSPERO
What about “artzeinu hakdosha’?
In my humble opinion, people seem to have too much time on their hands and that is what is leading them to get stuffy under the collar. I say, please cut the biting comments.
Williamsburg residents are to be looked up to for fighting goyishe circulars, and I really don’t think it causes a chillul Hashem. On the contrary, we have seen time and again how people have looked up to our nation as the leading examples in modesty and purity.
I’m afraid am yisrael as a whole has become desensitized in areas of how to define pritzus in galus edom.
OK, everbody, let’s retire to our respective corners for some “Time Out”.
Morah YW? Bring out the whip!
1. if they come in a bag why do they have to see it? throw out the whole bag including the supermarket fliers and you won’t see anything. 2. r’ matisyahu once said in a speech to women that it is a mitzva for a wife to in get the mail first to censor out anything her husband shouldn’t see. 3. you didn’t say any reasons not to live in lakewood!
seems like a hot topic, wonder why…
to real klur.
the bags are seethrought so if their is a picture you dont even have to open it .