A meeting recently took place between community leaders from Williamsburg and the NY Newsday regarding the distribution of unclean flyers in the Williamsburg neighborhood (as was reported HERE on YW).Newsday was responding to the outcry from the Frum community which made thousands of phone calls to Newsday, Sears, and the JC Penny companies to stop inappropriate flyers from being distributed weekly in their community.
The meeting to place at the UJO (United Jewish Organization) of Williamsburg, and was attended by Rabbi Moshe Dovid Niederman [Executive Director], Rabbi Joseph Weber, Rabbi Shaya Schwartz [from Pupa], Rabbi Shimon Weiser [from Satmar].
Representing the Newsday Newspaper Company was Mrs. Sidney Spilman [manager in the Distribution Department.]
An agreement was reached that the newspaper won’t distribute flyers from Sears and JC Penny which contain ads which have apparel content.
Maps where then drawn and distributed to show where the Frum community lives. Although its not easy to single out all the new areas of the Frum population, as the community has spread into adjoining areas, the Newsday promised to accommodate their concerns.
The Williamsburg leaders thanked Newsday for their understanding of this very sensitive issue, and for taking the time to come down and settle this issue in a very diplomatic way.
(YW Editor)
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22 Responses
Once again diplomacy is proven to work. Unlike the rabble-rousers who love making a tumult on any issue they can.
what a real kiddush hashem for tznius. Other and all Jewish commuities should follow – kedoshim tehu mammash and so apprpriate at the anniversary of our geula from the 49th level of tuma from mizrayim.
yasher koach;
why dont we do it in lakewood?
The real kiddush Hahsem would be if the residents of Williamsburg or any other community, would just dispose of those flyers discreetly!
Joseph
Rabble rousing’ or diplomacy! Its a noise no matter how you slice it!
why don’t we just throw it in the garbage instead of making a federal case out of it?
Very impressive.
If people are willing to understand that the other side is not always “a bunch of anti-Semites”, and may have legitimate priorities that differ from those of the frum community, a lot of issues could be resolved more peacefully.
I disaggree with nameless:
Advertising that we adhere to tznius is in itself a GREAT kidush HaShem. It IS something to make noise (peacefully) about. Besides, once the flyer has penetrated into one’s home, damage has already been done. How do you want to have to trust family members (and oneself) to always dispose of it immediatley without gazing at it – אל תביאינו לידי נסיון. They have done something of the utmost Kidush HaShem and Kedusha. I really applaud them. May the rest of us follow their lead!
Yochi:
What happens when a scandal erupts, whether its about money or anything else and makes the front page of the New York Times,?
The typical reaction of Goyim would be to attack us for on one side being cautious on Modesty issues, yet lax when money or other type of swindling is involved….THAT contradiction would NOT be a kidush Hashem!
just move out of williamsburgh is the biggest kidush hasem u can do if
u dont like it!!
I dont live in Williamsburg.
Secondly I suggest you submit your posts without ‘Butchering’ the English language. Iliiteracy is certainly not a Kiddush Hashem.
Nameless –
You are wrong on this point. Sorry. I know, from past posts that you will defend yourself, but you are wrong. You have to fight, for that which is important. Thses type of Tznius issues are different for us men, then for you women.
nameless,
Its far better that the Yidden never receive this pritzus, than for them to “just dispose of those flyers discreetly” as you suggested. The children may Chas Veshalom get hold of it first. And even barring that terrible possibility, why should any Yid, adult or not, have to come into contact with such shmutz?
Diplomacy is always preferred to raising a tumult, as some rabble-rouser are fond of doing. It is usually far more effective as well.
bisult_treif doesn’t sound like he was talking to you. He seems to be attacking the Yidden in Williamsburg for being to frum. I stand to be corrected. (I don’t see any butchering of english by him, aside from using some typical keyboard shortcuts and a grammatical error that wouldn’t qualify as a butchering. He doesn’t make clear who he is talking too.)
nameless, even the goyim admit this trash is wrong. Instead of defending this immorality, you would be better served protecting our children from this in all jewish communities.
Nameless,
I’ve worked professionally in kiruv and am very sensitive to not “seeming” to be righteous in the eyes of the goyim and fry Yidden whenever possible, but I would have to add myself to those who disagree with you here. We’ve become desensitized to what is “normal.” Nearly clothless people is not only affront to us; it’s an affront to humanity. They’ve forgotten what it is to live with dignity, and if we handle ourselves with the derech eretz that these Yidden seem to have done, then it seems to be a great Kiddush Hashem. Because the goyim will have more fodder to hate if we are, chas v’shalom, caught in a scandal is not a strong argument. If a frum Jew is caught doing wrong, it is a Chillul Hashem. Should we never stand up for anything because it will make us look worse? Huh?
Nameless
I must say-your’e wrong.There’s no reason residents shouldn’t be allowed to voice their opinions when something bothers them.This-adhering to the tznius laws- is something to be proud of.
I give theses people credit.In fact, i’m jealous of this groups zechusim on this one…
Hey Hey easy easy easy! I never said that these flyers are beneficial Chas Vishoelom and THEY should NOT get into the wrong hands.
All I am saying is for us to make sure we are consequesnt in our complaints. Dont forget we are ALL responsible for eachother. There have been sooo many scandals lately that have been publicized, do our Frum communities stand against our own(as they should) in THOSE cases? Or do they try to defend the guilty because they are Jews???
As WILLIMASBOGEN says, EVEN GOYIM admit this is trash and they know that tzinus is an issue in our case. There is no need for us to remind them.
Joseph
Bisul treif was talking to me.
Read his post again…he writes’just move out of Williamsburg IS the
biggest kh YOU CAN DO……
Susshow
Who gave you the right to ‘blow my cover’?
ps Susshow
I will defend myself with a quote from our Wise, ‘Miloh bisela ushtikeh btrei’
Quietly disposing of those flyers iNSTEAD OF verbally requesting to have them stopped, is the BEST DIPLOMACY.
Apparantly our Chachomim feel the same way, Fell free to counter that!
nameless, you didn’t adress any of the many points above by the commentators above.
Especially glaring is your cavalier attitude to the terrible threat of Yiddishe kinderlach coming into contact with such sheer pritzus. Not to even mention all the many pitfalls even an adult faces when having to confront such shmutz. The leaders in Williamsburg were far wiser than you in taking action trying to prevent this immorality from appearing in their midst in the first place. They set a example for all of Klal Yisroel.
Williamsbogen
I think I summed it all up by when I say that Jews are ‘Bayshonim, Rachmonim and Gomlei Chasodim. A city like New York with so many Yidden BH is very well aware of our tzinus issues. A Jew has to walk on the street and he is recognized because of his or her modest attire.(at least thats how it should be). How does it look when you make a verbal complaint like that and THEN keep silent when one of our own makes a Chillul Hashem for fear of intimidating him?? Does that make agood impression.? The advertisements on city buses are flithy,do we complain or do we just ignore it? why is this different? Those who want to control their youth from coming in contact with this shmutz, can do so either way!
Your right, the leaders in Williamsburg have more authority and take wiser action however as I quoted our Chachomim in the previous post…SILENCE IS GOLDEN.
ps.. Williamsbogen
‘especially glaring is your cavalier attitude to the terrrible threat……..’
I take offene to that even if its totally untrue but I cant resist asking you, with a criticism like that, what are you doing on the internet?? Apparantly that is the worst poisen for the youth……..
The reason why they were able to do it in Wmsbg and not Lakewood is because despite what you are led to believe, and even with all the court cases and eiruv fights, whenver there is an issue that affects them all, there is ACHDUS!! When there is ACHDUS, things get done!!
We should do the same with “ALL” the newsstands in the streets, which are put in our streets. Youl be supprized how much “SIATA DE’SHIMAYA” YOU’L HAVE by just trying to do something right. I B”H succeded to have 5 newstands removed from 5 different locations in BORO PARK. Its not so hard to accomplish since there is only 1 company that owens the vending machines, you dont have to contact each newspaper company individually!! TRY TRY TRY!!