I find it very amusing when people bring up the challenges of the country, living in such tight communal quarters, etc. Yet I have never seen so many Yidden squished together like sardines as they are in Boro Park and in Williamsburg. Families are living on top of each other and the construction is no better than in the country. You can hear and practically see everything that is going on next door, upstairs and down stairs.
Please don’t say you know everything about another’s shalom bayis in the country and pretend that you don’t know what is going on in your own backyard at home. In addition, if you are a Yenta in the country you are probably a yenta at home as well. If you avoid Loshan hora at home you avoid it in the country.
Yes it is true that some people let their guard down in the country, but then those people are not that true and emesdik at home either, they are only putting on a show because of where they live. So let’s not blame the country or the bungalow colonies, lets blame people for not understanding and remembering it doesn’t matter where you are or where you go “HASHEM IS HERE, HASHEM IS THERE, HASHEM IS TRULY EVERYWHERE”.
Families that live in places like Boro Park and Williamsburg (the concrete jungle) need to get to the country for some fresh air and green scape. Kids need some place to run around in a safe environment where cars are not the biggest danger. The country has always been and will continue to be a place where families and friends gather to reclaim the basics, fresh air, space and some freedom from the constraints of the city.