The following article appeared Friday on the Times Herald Record Website:
CHESTER, NY — The rigors of yeshiva life: 17-hour days of classes, prayers and studying.
It’s no wonder that the 60-plus boys at Yeshiva Toras Chemed off Route 17M act like, well, boys when they get the rare chance to cut loose. But with nowhere to go — their campus is located on the secluded grounds of the former Inn at Chester — they have spent their time wandering local roads and poking about the farms and houses of the nearby community.
And that has residents of the bucolic area grumbling.
“They’re a pain”, said Joe Lipsey, the 77-year-old owner of a farm off Goosepond Mountain Road. “I don’t mind if they walk up and down the road, but they stop in front of my house and talk in Yiddish, and it’s annoying. It’s called loitering.”
Lipsey and other residents of the road said the boys have been bothering their dogs, poking at their farm animals and even peering into their windows.
Town police Chief Brian Jarvis said he has had reports of the boys walking in the woods during hunting season, as well as standing in the middle of the road in packs and not moving for cars.
For many, the wandering of the boys reflects a pattern of disregard by the school for the laws and etiquette of the town.
“The biggest thing they said at the town meeting when they first got here was that the (students) are not going off the property,” said a resident of Goosepond Mountain Road who asked not to be named. “That didn’t last long.”
The town took the yeshiva to court almost as soon as it opened in 2006 to fix the shoddy construction of temporary trailers it set up as classrooms. And the school still has not submitted plans for the construction of permanent buildings and facilities to accommodate its students, who use an old motel as their dorm.
“As far as my Town Board is concerned, we’ve had a tough time with the yeshiva,” said Supervisor Steve Neuhaus. “We’re concerned that we’re going to end up in court again.” He said he also worries about the safety of the boys walking along Route 17M.
Rafael Pollack, the administrator of the school, said he has told the boys not to trespass on people’s property or walk at night in their dark coats along Route 17M. “We definitely tell them; but you know, boys are boys,” he said.
He said the problems would end once the school is completed, hopefully within 18 months.
“When the buildings are full-functioning, God willing as soon as we can,” he said, “the students will have all programs to keep them occupied and not be all over the place.”
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5 Responses
This is not the first time for that Yeshiva to make negetive poblicity in the news, Not to long ago 3 boy’s where Aressted in the Yeshiva area.
I hope the pepole over there see the]is article so they can once in for all keep the Bochurim in Place. & NOT make A “CHILUL HASHEM”.
Loshon Hora?
Just because an article is printed doesnt make it newsworthy(for this site).
I have no conection to the yeshiva or nitra in general, but from the article I dont see anything wrong with the boys.
They talk Yiddish its no worse than spanish. It seems more eisav sonei then anything else.
Am I an apikores if I dont think part of the story is true and the neighbors just plain dont like them??
“They’re a pain”, said Joe Lipsey, the 77-year-old owner of a farm off Goosepond Mountain Road. “I don’t mind if they walk up and down the road, but they stop in front of my house and talk in Yiddish, and it’s annoying. It’s called loitering.” Hey tipish, if they spoke English, would that be better for you? You OBVIOUSLY have a problem with them talking YIDDISH since thats what you said. That says to me that if they were talking any other language such as Arabic, Irish, Italian, Russian, etc., you wouldnt have a problem with them.
“Peering into their windows” I find that hard to beleive as well.
“Town police Chief Brian Jarvis said he has had reports of the boys walking in the woods during hunting season, as well as standing in the middle of the road in packs and not moving for cars.” I could “hear” the part about hunting season as yiddin dont hunt so they may not be aware/understand it. I REALLY doubt the middle of the road stuff.
““The biggest thing they said at the town meeting when they first got here was that the (students) are not going off the property,” said a resident of Goosepond Mountain Road who asked not to be named. “That didn’t last long.”” Please allow me to translate for those who dont understand. You are different than us which means we are afraid of you. You could be here as long as we NEVER see you!!
“Rafael Pollack, the administrator of the school, said he has told the boys not to trespass on people’s property or walk at night in their dark coats along Route 17M.” Can we all agree that’s NOT what he said to them? I would bet he explained to the bocherim that drivers cant see them at night so its a BIG sakona! I have an idea…. REFLECTORS!!
Bottom line here is that there is a lot of resentment and the low lifes in the town would rather have an empty eyesore of a lot than a bunch of old fashioned european looking jewish shtetel looking people around them.
stop blaming the yeshiva and its boys. we take it with a grain of salt as to what the locals have to say about the yeshiva and its boys. deep down they don’t want the yeshiva in there backyard , and they will look for any excuse for that to happen.