The Journal News reports:
The operators of a yeshiva where a cow was slaughtered in the backyard earlier this week have written a letter apologizing to neighbors for the incident.
Neighbors said this morning that the letter was hand delivered last night to people who live near the school at 609 Route 306, bordering the villages of Pomona and Wesley Hills.
“The unfortunate incident that took place on Monday evening on our school property was totally not within parameters of our school charter or mission purpose,” states the letter signed by Rabbi Gershon Bornfreund, administrator of the Bobover Yeshiva of Monsey. “Ritual animal slaughter is beyond the scope of elementary school education.”
The yeshiva, in a Colonial-style house that town officials maintain is being illegally used as a school, will go before the town’s Zoning Board next week to seek variances to allow the construction of a building on the property to serve 250 students. The 2-acre site also has a nursery school.
Ramapo officials have said the yeshiva began using the existing building as a school illegally.
Rodney Wechsler, who lives next door to the school, said this morning that letter was brought to his home last night by a rabbi from the yeshiva.
The apology, coming days after his wife and 3-year-old son looked out of their kitchen window and saw men with knives slaughtering then decapitating the brown and white spotted cow, was overdue, he said.
“It’s better than nothing,” he said of the letter. “It was obviously written by a lawyer to cover them.”
(Source: LoHud.com)
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19 Responses
Emoide v’oizev yerechum.
As someone who lives in Monsey I must say that I know all the people involved, both Mr. Wechsler and Rabbi Bornfreund and the Bobover kehila.
This is an example of an innocent act or mistake being blown way out of proportion.
Mr. Wechsler is a landscaper with a heart of gold. Although he may not be “Chareidi”, he had a yeshiva background and he is a big mentch.
I don’t think I’d want my 3 year old son seeing shechita at such a young age. It’s difficult enough for not-frum people to swallow yeshivos moving in next-door and to add a “beis shechita” on top of that is a bit over the top.
On the other hand, the Kolel people who are learning shechita took the opportunity to privately (they thought) practice what they learned. There was nothing illegal about it, just it was missing some seichel to make sure that it was completely discreet.
When looking at the big picture all I see is the cursed Rockland Journal News once again doing whatever is possible to degrade the frum kehilos in Monsey. I am therefore not very surprised that they would publish such stories.
However, I am a bit surprised at the Yeshiva World News for their printing the story. I don’t go to any other websites for news due to the “other” stories they put in to get my yetzer horas attention. I figure that I let YWN be my filter and I trust their content and decisions. In this case I question the point of printing this story. B”H I haven’t seen any comments about bashing anyone yet.
“Lo Seileich Rochel B’Amecho” is something that a publisher has to be an expert on and not get pulled in to the misconception that freedom of speech is a mitzvah.
Don’t we all ask forgiveness every day in our prayers?
#1- is this a modern version- e-moide? for internet aveirot?
Di Mus Lernen sich Schita, but not where it can be seen publicly.
It really bothers me when school officials are oblivious to local laws, including zoning, land-use, and building and fire codes. They come off as disprespectful of the law which sets a bad example for students and is a hillul Hashem. Please, people, either retain lawyers who know this stuff, or become well versed in the law, and do things 100% within the law. That will make life easier for all frum Jews and especially those who want or need zoning variances.
Dear Reb “Leonard”,
Let me pose a different question to you.
How would you feel if your next door neighbor (who is living there against the rules of the zoning of the town) slaughtered a cow with your child looking on in horror? It doesn’t matter if they’re Yiddin learning shechita or lehavdil a goy preparing for a barbeque, you’re not going to like it one bit.
Looking at it from his perspective (whether he’s right or wrong is irrelevent right now), these people are a) breaking the law by not following the zoning, and b) not being very quiet about it either.
This yeshiva has been there for at least 3 years. Rodney has never once stepped forward to make an eisik about it.
So when an evil reporter looking for a good scoop stuck a mike in his face and asked him his opinion, he said what he said while a bit in anger at the whole story. Had this happened a month later he would probably have laughed it off as a yeshiva prank. I have spoken to Rodney at length in the past of these zoning issues and he the “live and let live” attitude.
When the Mishna states “Al Teraatze Chaveiro B’Shaas Kaaso”, there was a reason for it.
I know you’re going to lambast me for defending him. I’m ok with that. From his point of view, I understand his hisnagdus to the “overgrowth” in the area. As a frum person, I am happy that we can build homes for our large growing families. However, I can also understand the folks who are not-yet-frum who want the quiet that comes along with living in the suburbs. I too have a bone to pick with the town’s zoning issues for schools. I know the property quite well. It’s larger than you think. There’s no reason why there should be a problem. The Pomona Village’s zoning is such that it would be impossible for a yeshiva to exist in that area. So we yidin do what we’ve been doing for century’s, and that is circumventing the law a bit here and there. I know that there’s no excuse to break laws. The question is, what has the town or village done to take into account the growing heimishe population? Nothing. Period. And when we finally have a supervisor (St. Lawrence) that allows some controlled building in strategic areas, he gets flack from the other side.
There is no easy answer to this problem.
All I can say is that we shouldn’t let “them” get to us and cause us more infighting. We have enough trouble as it is. A bit more understanding on each side and before long we’ll all be heading to Yerushalayim where we’ll be zoiche to see many cows, sheep, goats slaughtered in the Bais Hamikdash, Amen!
I commend the Bobover Kehila for owning up to the mistake and I understand that people like Rodney will need some more time to cool down. In the end, they’ll all learn to live together in peace.
I am confused. Who said they shechted the CALF in front of the kids?? They did it around 6pm when I am sure even the chasidishe kids are already home from yeshiva.
To #2: I don’t think that you can safely say that the slaughter of the animal on the yeshiva’s property was legal, unless you’re willing to say that your familiar with local ordinances involving land use. Usually cities and towns do not allow livestock in residential areas, much less the slaughter of said livestock. It sounds like you and the school officials assumed it was legal without really knowing, thinking “what could be wrong with …” Frankly, that’s the same thinking some people do when they eat foods without kosher supervision, and you and I both know that it is an irresponsible assumption.
To all of you, the pro’s and con’s;
Dont you understand that for frum pepole we can not forgive the Chilel h’. if this would be Bernie Madoff, or more modern, or zionist no problem, we will forgive them.
but frum pepole we will try to find any small mistake done by an indavinal and make a big deal and call they
Did the cow stop moving after they shechted it?
How can anyone come to the defense of this Shchita?! There maybe is nothing illegal about it but to have pieces of a dead cow and blood splattered on the wall in a nursery for crying out loud, is insane!!! There is one place only for shchita and that is in a place for shchita!!! I would take my kid out of there in a heartbeat!!
What world do you people live in? Forget about all of the issues concerning the yeshiva. Where in the world would a rational person consider anyplace except a slaughterhouse the proper place to do any type of shechita, even if it was to learn. Why can’t frum people admit when something is wrong instead of trying to justify it or blame a newspaper or the town. THIS WAS WRONG. CASE CLOSED!!
To #2:
To digress from the topic but to comment on your point…you are so right, YWN avoids all those nasty, insulting posts of other sites which raise my blood pressure & lower my standards.
As for the “schechita”: The neighbors are right to be upset. It was a revolting thing to do & totally inconsiderate & irresponsible. Why do people think they can do what they want without ever thinking of the consequences to others?
Leaving the head & kishkes in boxes in the building has to be one of the nastiest things I’ve heard of in recent memory. I am disgusted by the behavior of everyone involved.
bestbubby, you have never been to a schlocht hoiz nor have you ever kashered your own chickens or liver. Until my husband, shlita, was diagnosed with high cholesterol I would insist on kashering all of our liver.
You also have not gone to http://www.theyeshivaworld.com and checked out the video of the tour of the Rubashkin plant. That is absolutely amazing!
Once upon a time children were exposed to all of the “yuckiness” that came with keeping kosher and eating kosher meat. Apparently you never brought a chicken part to your local Rav to pasken a shaila on.
As far as the locals in Monsey go, I refuse to comment…all of the bloggers have argued this point to death, literally.
13, I have seen sh’chita of kaporos in the backyard of my yeshiva. It happens!
When I moved into a new apartment many years ago, my ayno yehudi & probably illegal alien landlord decided shabbos morning/afternoon was an ideal time to roast a WHOLE chazir in our backyard. I didnt call the cops. You live with it (and pray the winds arent blowing the horrendous smell into your house!). Dont think I live out in the boondocks either! Some people refer to this as a city in the metro area.
As far as the room where they butchered it, I am VERY sure they were going to clean up after themselves.
If my kid was in the school, I dont know if I would remove them (although I could not argue with anyone who would want to!) but I would certainly INSIST that they do an excellent job scrubbing that room clean etc.
its nice to see to see that monsey is getting a kosher butcher
Maybe its an eglah arufah for all the kids they murder daily in the schools there and butcher their self esteem.
I live in Yerushalayim , on a dead end street, every once in a while I would see an older man with a beard come and shecht a chicken outside my building and then throw out the innards in the building garbage and leave over feathers and blood on the floor. It was extremely disgusting and selfish thing to do, besides being oiver on the lav of “bal tshaksu”. Unfortunately some yidden are lacking consideration for other peoples feelings and therefore cause big chillulei Hashem.