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I lived in Givat Shaul (right above the entrance to the city) for 5 years, but that area is anything but anglo. Just 100% Israeli chareidi (note many residents wouldn’t like being called Israeli though!), mostly Hebrew/Yiddish-speaking.
That said, there are some Americans, Britons, South Africans, and in the new area (Kehati) a lot of French.
It’s very mixed, everything from Edah (Satmar etc) to Mizrachim, some dati leumim, Litvishe, everything in between you could possibly imagine.
I absolutely loved it there and it was very difficult for me to leave there and move to Gateshead.
As for other neighborhoods: Har Nof has a lot of Americans, as does Bait VeGan. They are further away from the city though, whereas Givat Shaul is exactly 30 mins walking from Kikar Shabbat and less than 1 hour from the Kotel.
I agree with Moi. I also don’t like it. My wife uses this also and I refuse to participate in it. As you say, it’s just a disease and there should not be any shame/fear or whatever in calling it by its name.
“You dont want to go to Gateshead at least as a tourist, if you want to visit the seminary thats another story
Gatesheads is a drab industrial city in england, very drab and nothing to do and no distractions, thats why the yeshiva was put there Its also about 200 miles from London so you cant stay in Gateshead and visit London on day trips.
Look on a Map of England and see where Gateshead is to London, its far”
Then:
“I have not been to Manchester only London.”
So all the negative things you write about Gateshead are only based on what you heard from others, or the papers?
I have been in Gateshead for 2,5 years now and strongly disagree with what you wrote (as I wrote before).
Gateshead itself is not so interesting, but it’s not nearly as bad as you write. And if you like nature, this is absolutely the best part of the UK, far superior to London or Manchester. Me, personally, I prefer to get out of the city, which is pretty easy here.
I disagree with what was said about Gateshead.
While the city of Gateshead itself is definitely nothing special, the area is very nice. Newcastle is a nice city, and the countryside surrounding us is amazing. You have the North Pennines, Northumberland National Park (Kielder, the Cheviots), the Lake District, and the Northumberland coast all within easy reach for day trips.
(I must note however that many places are rather difficult to reach without a car. That said, renting a car is pretty cheap here.)
Here’s another Daniel Yehuda.
TBH I very rarely use my second name. Asked my rov about that and he said it’s fine, there is no requirement to use both your names in daily life.
I agree with all of these points. And I am glad to see haifagirl is not the only one who cares.
I’m not even a native speaker of English, but I can’t imagine ever making the kind of mistakes many people make online.
I don’t attach too much value to this.
Especially after all the various proclaimers of “I promise you Moshiach will come during my lifetime!” (Chabad, Rav Kaduri…)
If you start focusing on this too much, what will happen when that day comes and Moshiach does not yet come? On day 6000 +1, will you join another religion since ours must (R”L) have been false?
That’s what many Chabadniks did, by the way.
I see, so lying is fine. Well, that’s nice to know. And silly me just thought one should always be honest, especially facing government officials.
I definitely want Sunday off! Being able to go on day trips for a WHOLE day instead of having to be back before shabbos would be amazing. I’ve been working Sun-Thu for 4 years now and I really miss working Mon-Fri (which I did for a while in Israel, supporting customers in chu”l – right now, I do exactly the opposite).
Traitor, indeed.
Governments need to keep secrets. In particular intelligence agencies, military, etc.
It is absolutely forbidden with anyone with even the slightest forms of epilepsy, I believe.
I know someone with epilepsy who was given this medication by a dermatologist who did not ask whether she had epilepsy, and she suffered a seizure resulting in a severe fall; she had 5 surgeries and will have a minor permanent disability as a result.
I absolutely agree with rebdoniel, charliehall and others. It is absolutely shocking that such supposedly intelligent people let themselves be captured by the populistic conspiracy theories on the supposedly horrible side effects of immunization programs.
I will have all my children vaccinated 100% according to the NHS guidelines without a single exception, and I very much hope others do the same.
Here in Gateshead measles is also widespread now. I must note though that it is also widespread amongst the non-Jewish population of the wider area (North East England) for a few months already. Haven’t looked at any statistics, so I don’t know whether the percentage is higher in the Jewish community, but I feel this might very well be the case.
And, rebdoniel and charliehall: Shkoyach for not hiding your identities. I also don’t really hide my identity (everyone in Gateshead knows who I am) and maybe I’ll switch back to using my real name some time as well.
Get a job working 10 hours per day without any breaks like a slave and travel for 2 hours, having to get up at 6:30 every day and getting home at 19:00 (7 PM).
Trust me, it works.
playtime: he said he cooks a lot himself.
I also cook quite often, but not nearly on that level. As a matter of fact I cook most of the week, including for shabbos quite often. This despite me working 9 and travelling 2 hours per day. I do it intentionally, because I like it. I’m also quite lazy though, so my culinary creations tend to be a bit less fancy.
Welcome! Great to hear such things. I hope you have a great shabbat!
Well, I do wish more chareidim in EY were pro deo. Traveling on buses would be a lot more pleasant on hot summer days.
Bowwow/Toi:
The links do work if you go to the address and load them (again).
I also have some yekkishe background.
As sem613 and Best Bubby say.
When we moved from EY to the UK, we shipped almost all of our belongings by mail, including all of our seforim except for a handful.
I have trouble believing there is any cheaper way. I definitely recommend the mail. However as sem613 says, get the boxes from the post office and reinforce them with lots of tape. Use the extra strong brown tape for all corners and in several directions around it, and use see-through tape for all other areas such as the addresses. Also we put some stickers with the FROM and TO addresses on several sides, covered with see-through tape, again. Just to be sure nothing gets lost, you can write your phone number on it as well.
ZD – Same here, I already did that as a child. For me, Google Earth / Maps / Street View is just the BEST invention ever.
Better to listen to music. Also, what can be fun and is much less addictive, is to study maps (of Israel, for example). Add Street View to that. I’m a map addict combined with a pretty good topographical memory – I love studying maps.
Not for everyone, though.
“Whether any Rav supported the medinah between 1948 and 2013 is irrelevant now, since an agreement to exempt yeshiva students from the military was in effect then, and it no longer is. An analogy would be to quote someone discussing how we view Germans from the second reich (1870-1918) and saying that was how the person felt during the third reich (1933-1945) when the policies changed.”
Great, you’re probably the first reasonable intelligent (beginning to have my doubts…) English-speaking internet-using frum person who seriously compares the Israeli government to the Nazi government. Well done. I’m just out of words.
The rest of your comments, suggesting maybe it’s OK for yeshiva bochurim to kill the military police who would come to get them…. well, again, I’m just out of words.
I have a Sony (Ericsson) Xperia Arc S (LT18i) running Android 4.0.4.
A smartphone is good for email, following the news and weather, checking maps and finding info on public transportation, and listening music and taking pictures/videos whenever you want. I don’t see anything wrong with any of that.
I spend the way to work updating myself on the news and preparing for work; I get to reply to almost all mails from my phone before I get to the office (I travel by metro/foot) and the same on the way back. Also in the evening it lets me be aware of important things going on. I have a great sense of responsibility for my job and don’t mind putting in some extra effort.
STOP the games.
I never played any games at all.
A smartphone is good for email, following the news and weather, checking maps and finding info on public transportation, and listening music and taking pictures/videos whenever you want. I don’t see anything wrong with any of that.
Me and my wife used kosher phones for a couple of years. Then as soon as we had some more money we bought decent smartphones and never looked back.
I shake from fear at the thought of ever having to use a kosher phone again… it left me traumatized.
They were borderline Chechnians and Dagestanis. Both are mostly Islamic places. Dagestan is still part of Russia, Chechnya a little bit less. (On Google Maps you’ll see Chechnya marked as a semi-separate part of Russia, while Dagestan is not). They were from Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan.
Regarding Dagestan – search Wikipedia for “Shariat Jamaat”, says enough.
These guys however seemed to be acting on their own. If it’s true the older brother was there for 6 months last year that does sound a bit suspicious, but even then, I agree with the general consensus that it is highly unlikely that the Caucasian Islamist terrorist groups would want to target the USA intentionally. They have enough problems with the Russians – they don’t need another enemy.
Most likely these were just “lone wolf” terrorists, not affiliated with any group.
I could be wrong, though.
Vogue – do you have any idea how many IT people work for security agencies? Let me assure you, tons. They have very complicated secret, secure IT systems that need to be kept running. I’m quite involved in that world in another country.
It’s very challenging. You may definitely want to consider such a career, if those are the two things you’re considering. These systems are absolutely critical and I think that even when they may occasionally involve having to work on Shabbos, you might be able to get a heter for that if it is really an issue of national security (which it very well might be). For example, if you are the one in charge of the CIA’s internal communications systems and something completely crashes – this might very well endanger people’s lives.
I must note though that some disagree with me on that, regarding Shabbos (disclaimer).
Baruch dayan ha’emes.
Indeed a great loss for all of us. 🙁
“old man” said it very well.
Also – “Without vayechulu, the brachah on the wine is unattached to any context.”
There is a certain inyan not to say any brochos without saying some sort of psukim before it. Most people don’t do this, but maybe this is involved for kiddush as well.
@kollel_wife – I think the OP knows that…
@rebdoniel – true, but I haven’t seen any current posek who actually holds by that.
I have 3 cats, so “in”.
Yes, many people are indeed careful with that.
In many places on many products you will see stickers on many products: ???? ???? ???
“Hello, this is the voicemail of xxx. Please do not leave classified information. Thanks!”
I agree with rebdoniel on that. You don’t need a lot of background, but you do need some. Learning there means being dropped right into a very serious environment in Bnei Brak. It’s not for everyone.
I don’t know those other places so well.
As dovve says. I know some people who did that and they didn’t have any issues.
I recommend that route only to those who are of Jewish ancestry and/or otherwise already fall under the ‘Law of Return’ – such as the OP (dumlat).
I replied with an extensive post on Friday but it was deleted by the mods….
The answer: Marbeh Torah, absolutely. You cannot even compare it with Aish or Or Somayach. Anyone familiar with MT can confirm, but most people in that circle don’t have internet.
To add – even if you’re not 100% chareidi, the Bnei Brak beis din may still be able to help you. They will not require a 1-year waiting perioid. If your knowledge is good and you are sincere, they will accept you immediately without any delay. And you won’t have any problems getting anyone to recognize your geirus.
In Israel the most common way of converting is via the Rabbanut, which imposes a strict 1 year requirement: you must spend at least 1 year going to courses organized by them, supervised by them.
Machon Meir does a special conversion track, I believe.
*However* in your situation, seeing that you are already an Israeli citizen, you *can* also undergo giur through a private orthodox beis din. This is more relevant if you want to be chareidi, really. (From the way you describe it I’m guessing you’re more like Modern Orthodox).
There are several chareidi botei din in EY that deal with giur, without necessarily being recognized by the state. The most prominent is the beis din of Rav Nissim Karelitz in Bnei Brak. If you undergo giur there, you *can* subsequently get registered as Jewish by the Rabbanut and get married via the Rabbanut. (However, you cannot get apply for Israeli citizenship/residency – ‘aliyah’ based on that; but that doesn’t apply to you since you’re a citizen already.)
I fully agree with charliehall and Gamanit.
I’m at work now, Monday. Should finish by 16:00 (4 PM). That’s life.
Some say I should take off. But if I am going to take off for Purim, for Erev Pesach, Chol haMoed, Tisha b’Av, Rosh HaShono, Erev Yom Kippur, Hoshana Rabba, I am going to end up with no holidays left, being a slave to the company.
Now some people may be absolutely fine with that – but unfortunately I am not at that level, so I’m working and taking off in the summer (and sometimes winter) for a 2-3 week holiday which allows me to work for the rest of the year.
Not really affiliated with the Edah, more Litvish, but quite chareidi: Marbeh Torah in Bnei Brak.
Not quite for absolute beginners, but relative beginners yes.
Also I know Belz have a yeshiva for BTs in Jerusalem.
Anyway, for current recommendations, you need to find someone in the know in Yerushalayim. Plenty of Americans in the Edah world there.
guy-ocho: “r boy and girl the only options?”
Torah613Torah: “I can tell you right now: It will be a boy or girl.”
Actually, no. Issues there do occur – whether physical or other, and sometimes even much more complicated than that.
I cannot disagree with that. In general I see the American frum world seems to have a very major tznius problem. This is much less apparent in the British and Israeli frum worlds. In America, it seems to be a very serious problem.
“but the security at Elal is the best.”
That’s what many people say. Based on what? Sure, security at El Al is absolutely the best.
And the risk is absolutely the highest.
If you’re an Islamic terrorist wanting to make a nice attack, and you have one El Al plane in front of you and one Swiss plane, which would you be more likely to choose to attack?
The only reason El Al has so much security is that it is the world’s most threatened airline.
I’m not saying anything pro/anti El Al, just pointing out the facts.
I have heard frum people say:
“Isn’t Germany next to Eretz Yisroel?”
“The Netherlands is part of the USA, right?”
“I thought Scotland is in Australia.”
Being quite fond of maps myself, I do find it shocking. There is nothing wrong with learning basic geography. Not learning it make us look like a bunch of idiots.
(For the record, I’m not saying those who don’t know anything about geography are idiots – because they know plenty of other things. But we do look like idiots that way.)
Even as a child I used to spend hours studying atlases and maps for fun. Now, still, I love Google Earth/Maps. I dare to say I know the USA (which I have never visited) better than many frum Americans.
I must side with ifti99 and mdd here. Tor those who oppose, feel free to do so. That’s my opinion and so be it.
Is this a joke or serious? I’m having trouble figuring it out. I assume it’s a joke, but with today’s chumros it just might be serious.
Regarding your point about money: yes, it is expensive here, but you’re seriously exaggerating as to *how* expensive it is.
As for language: Gateshead is indeed 100% English. Yiddish is almost non-existent here – barely used by anyone. That said, quite a few people do know it (at least somewhat), but it just isn’t used very much. The daily language is English.
The accent first of all has nothing to do with Northampton (that’s very far away from here), and further, it applies to the non-Jews only, really. The frum people speak normal, proper, neat English. As for the non-Jews, if you speak with them, they’re perfectly understandable, I haven’t had any trouble understanding what they say. (And I’m not even a native English speaker at all.)
Gateshead has two major negative points: 1) the weather, and 2) the local non-Jewish population. Regarding point 1, that’s obvious. Regarding point 2, the problems here are mostly with the native white British population – not the immigrants. The Jewish area is surrounded by not such very nice non-Jewish areas. However, it is generally safe (especially inside the Jewish area) and any problems are usually minor, not really serious. I think France, Belgium or London are much more dangerous. That said, I’m glad the sems have a curfew (22:00 I think).
Positive points: it’s a relatively small but very tight kehilla. Now obviously I don’t know much about the sems, but I do know that the new sem has a reputation for being very international, as DPEST wrote above. Also, I do know they do take the students on trips, and the area around here is really nice. There are also plenty of shopping opportunities around (there is a bus to Newcastle right next to the sem every 10 minutes, and there is also another bus to a giant shopping center called the Metrocentre right next to the sem as well).
The kehilla is one of the best I’ve ever seen, and as many people say, it is the only remaining real European kehilla. The only places which would come close would be Kiryas Joel and New Square, I suppose. Also, it’s almost 100% Litvish/Yekkish.
Toi: 1) I don’t like alcohol, 2) I don’t like drunks (the type that make a chillul hashem).
If my rov in Yerushalayim, who is one of the 6 dayanim of the Badatz, says there is absolutely no chiyuv to drink wine (or to sleep), that’s good for me and I do not see any need to take other deos into account.
My rov in Yerushalayim who is a member of the Badatz of the Edah (for those who wonder – yes, I am different now from how I was in the past) told me this:
* Even half a cup of grape juice is enough.
* There is no need at all to sleep.
I myself have never been drunk and intend to keep it that way. The only thing I use on Purim, as well as for Pesach and every other shabbos/yom tov, is grape juice.
This is not true. I personally know the IDF most definitely has a manpower shortage (as well as a money shortage).
And indeed, as “lesschumras” writes:
“Part of my wife’s chiloni cousins objections is that Chareidim live at home, are free to come and go .they feel that if learning is the chareidi form of national service, the students should be the living with the same conditions and restrictions as IDF soldiers.”
I agree with that. Soldiers are not free to go and leave their base whenever they want. They need approval to leave their base. Make it the same for yeshivos. Any bochur who wants to leave the doors/compound of the yeshiva needs to have a stamped ishur, and these must be strictly controlled. (This could tie in with the proposed system of using smart cards to check in/out to confirm attendance.)
Of course kitzvat yeladim is not the same thing.
I assumed the poster was talking about benefits for the unemployed.