On Wednesday, May 2, in a hastily-scheduled RIETS faculty meeting, Rabbi Zevulun Charlop announced that he will step down from his position as RIETS-MYP dean. The meeting included most roshei yeshiva, as well as President Richard M. Joel and Chancellor Norman Lamm. Effective as of June 2008, Rabbi Charlop will become the Special Advisor to the President on Yeshiva Affairs and be named Dean Emeritus of RIETS.
Rabbi Charlop has served as dean of RIETS for the past 37 years. He has taken part in appointing most of the current roshei yeshiva and initiated the Wexner Kollel Elyon. (Source: YU Commentator)
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63 Responses
Why is this Yeshive world news worthy?
Last time I checked “chancellor Lamm” was had semicha and was a rabbi.
what is RIETS
Rabbi Charlop is a tremendous talmud chacham and a fearless leader, and as a bochur in the yeshiva it will definitely be hard to see him leave his post, after he has done so much for the yeshiva.
rabbi yitzchok elchonon theological seminary-yeshivas rabeinu yitzchok elchonon-to ask why is this yeshivaworld worthy-? everytime a jew eats breakfast it seems to be worthy so I dont understand why this is any different
REITS (pronounced “Reets”) is the “Yeshiva” part of “Yeshiva University”, AFAIK.
As for his Semicha, YW may have referred to him as “Chancellor Lamm” and left out the Rabbi, because his professional role in an academic, not rabbinic, one.
What is his relationship to Harav Charlop zt”l of Sharei Chesed and Mercaz Harav yeshiva?
hey chancellor lamm called yeshivah guys who sit and learn torah al pih taharas hakodesh and never went to college – cavemen – so dont expect anyone here to refer to such a man as a rabbi
additionaly harav giftar z”tl specifically did not call chancellor lamm a rabbi so this is just following in harav gifter path
“Frock”
why must you feel the need to make such a senseless comment that only breeds sinas chinam?
Where does the hate in your heart come from?
honest:
Last time I checked rabbi lamm was called much worse by Rav Mordechai Gifter and more recently by Rav Elya Svei!
i sort-of understand y u didn’t post my comment but if we can’t say over what we heard from our roshei yeshiva and gedolim at least don’t let the other side have their say.
“Chancellor” is the official name given to R’ Lamm when he stopped being president.
Frock – this is newsworth cause…….Rav Charlop teaches at a major NY Yeshiva.
frock says: -Why is this Yeshive world news worthy?-
last time i checked YU is a yeshiva, hence the name, and having the menahel of one of the biggest yeshivas in america and one of the biggest harbatzas torah around the globe, retiring, it seems to me that it is BIG news. just because the “yeshivis velt” thinks that YU is a good yeshiva, if you ever walk inside the walls of the beis medrash you will be blown away with the vibrant noise of limud hatorah, on an extremely high levels, with bachurim learning torah from THE BEST roshei hayeshiva and rabbeim around. Rabbi Charlop is responsible for making YU the top-notch yeshiva that it is, and if you would ever speak with him in learning, which i had the zechus to, a number of times, you will see that he is a tremendous talmud chacham, and just because he doesn’t go to a “yeshiva” that you think is worthwhile, it doesn’t change the fact that, that is yeshiva world news that he is retiring. may he be zocheh, with the help of Hakadosh Baruch Hu to have many years of influence on the torah world and be able to be marbitz torah to even more people
frock asked: “Why is this Yeshiva World news worthy?”
Rabbi Charlop is a Talmid Chacham, a student of Rabbi Soloveitchik, and an administrator of a major Torah institution in the United States. One may disagree with YU’s politics and/or its hashkafa, but it is hard to deny that it is a large and influential Torah institution in the US and in the world.
For the head of RIETS (Rabbi Isaac Elchonon Theological Seminary) to step down after 4 decades of shaping and building – working with Rabbi Soloveitchik for 25 years, Rav Dovid Lifshitz for 30 years, Rabbi Dr. Belkin for 15 years, Rabbi Dr. Lamm for 25 years, and with all of the current Roshei Yeshiva since they were learning there for semicha – is most certainly noteworthy. He will be missed.
To frock:
Because it’s YESHIVA University, which was once run by an acknowledged GADOL HADOR (no, I’m not a member of Mizrachi and no, I don’t consider myself Modern Orthodox and no, I don’t even go to YU or another MO institution.) and the “Ilui of Rodin” (R’ Belkin) and now has on it’s staff top students of Reb Moshe (R’ J. David Bleich), The Rav (R’ Aaron Lichtenstein, R’ Hershel Schachter),and The Suvalker (R’ Yitzchok Cohen). Now, Y.W. Editor and whomever posts after this, remember the Chofetz Chaim says not to speak lashon hara even about the dead and please keep comments frum or don’t comment b’klal.
to honestlyfrum:
yeah, but that’s his honorific title.
To kosherman:
RIETS stands for the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (or Yeshivat Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan), YU’s smicha program.
honestlyfrum
“Last time I checked “chancellor Lamm” was had semicha and was a rabbi.”
This is how Rabbi Dr. Lamm was referred to in the YU commentator please dont make problems where they don’t exist.
I won’t get involved in the slugfest that has already been written. Frankly, it disgusts me – both sides showing such hate.
However, I was wondering what the whole issue is to begin with – the name of this blogsite is “Yeshiva World News” NOT “Yeshivish World News.” This item is very appropriate.
Frock, you’re so yeshivish? What are you doing on the internet?
Has anyone posting comments learned in the YU beis medresh, or even stepped inside? I did – and was surprised to find that in a beis medresh that holds probably 300 guys, it was tough to find an open seat during night seder. But that’s OK, because YU has four other beis medreshes on campus (the Shenk Shul, the small shul in Klein Hall, and the mid-size beis medresh beneath Morgenstern Hall, the kollel beis medresh in Furst).
If anyone relies on the O-U when they pick up a bottle of ketchup at the supermarket, chances are the mashgiach for plant was a musmach of YU.
Since I personally find it difficult to sometimes reconcile certain aspects of YU with the “yeshiva,” I acknowledge the tension that exists when discussions of the institution emerge. And yet, with that difficulty acknowledged, the calibre of limud Torah that emanates from those halls earns its respect.
Moshe, just re-read your own post and you can taste and smell the Sinah you have for the right-wing crowd. Your post positively exudes dislike of the right.
To your point: Unless I’m completely naive, I belive the term “Yeshivish” is most generally used and associated with the more right-wing Yeshivas. I didn’t mean at all to use this phrase to the exclusion of YU or any MO Yeshiva – I just used the “Derech Sheb’na Adam Medabrim.” No exclusions were intented. You are way too sensitive.
My comment was taken completely out of context.
I did not question the greatness of Harav Charlap Shlita.
I know that he is a big Talmid Chacham & a Tzadik. I have tremendous respect for him.
I happen to know one of is sons who is a choshve talmid chacham & a Rosh Kollel.
My comment was regarding YU.
i thought the is no loshen horah on YW
Moshe, I have neighbors who are “Haisah” YU people. Two of their sons learn in YU Bais Medrash. Very Choshuva Bochurim. Yet when my sons (who learn in a more right-wing Yeshiva) and them sit and talk, the YU guys call my sons Yeshivish! It is not my term, or something I made up. Even YU people use it as such without feeling hurt or hated as you do.
Once again, you are picking a fight because of your over-sensitivity. A commonly used term like Yeshivish was not invented to hurt your feelings.
YoidiLashemChasdo- don’t forget the “important” posts of the planting of cherry trees.
This isn’t news regarding Yeshiva University (which I might hear your taynah). It’s about Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan (an AFFILIATE of yu)- a makom torah.
Enough of the YRYE bashing
Frok…you are mamash a Lakewood “KANOI” who judges people by the color of their shirt and the type of hat people wear on their head!!!! Get out of your shell!!!!
Moshe, anecdotes are a tell-tale sign of an insubstantive view?! What does the Gemorah (and Medrash) mean every time it states, “Mashal L’Mah HaDavar Domeh,” or “Ma’aseh Listor.” Or what about the famous Reb Yisroel Salanter who used anecdotes to prove many of the points he made? Just look at some of the books out from the Maggidim – they are all replete with anecdotes. The Sefer Chofetz Chaim is full of anecdotes.
Are all these because all of their views are “insubstantive?”
You tend to fabricate these sweeping statements, and then you espouse them like it’s Torah MiSinai.
My first post mentioned hate “from both sides.” So I agree with you that some of the comments didn’t sit well with me. But you seem to be the only one getting defensive about it.
Eliezer, Moshe didn’t like the anecdote given, so he came up with that silly one-liner about it being “insubstantive.”
Hopefully, Mr. Fox will take his words to heart and modulate his very personal reactions to a term with sociological connotations. Or is this the next Washington march- “Yeshivish for All- Don’t Hog the Term!”
Eliezer, I appreciate your balanced view.
I too have friends from across the spectrum of Orthodoxy. The products of REITS that I know are respectful, knowledgeable, and frum. They would also be amused to be called “Yeshivish”.
REITS products are very proudly right wing MO, and are not “Yeshivish”- by choice. They are a credit to their institution. To be “Yeshivish” is not one of their goals, and they don’t need to carve and bend their rightful and worthy place in Jewish society to suit Mr. Fox’s sense of “egalitarianism of terms”.
I think that this debate is missing the essential point, namely, the criteria by which a yeshiva should be judged. Every yeshiva has a mesorah, and how that mesorah withstands the tests of time and the battering of shifting societal mores evidences its true ranking as a yeshiva in the great Litvishe tradition.
Having spent years of Shabbosim at YU, I can attest the YU has such a mesorah: the same dang marble cake and orange juice for kiddush after every Shabbos and yom tov davening, prior to the shiur in the small shul above the dining room. And such was the kiddush menu before I was there, because an old-timer once asked me, “Nu, are they still serving marble cake for kiddush?”
Moreover, the heimishe Shabbos atmosphere does not stop there. What could be more “yeshivish” than faded green beans that have sat since erev Shabbos in a food warmer? Or fat slices of kishke, served Shabbos in and Shabbos out, along with corn-flake crumbed chicken that adorns the Shabbos plate?
And those that say, “mesorah of Shabbos lunch does not a yeshiva make,” then I submit a similar mesorah exists for Shabbos dinner, but I will not bore you here. Suffice to say that from the gefilte fish, to the chulent, to canned fruit, one need to look only at the Shabbos menu to say, “This is a true yeshiva.”
Yehuda Drudgstein,
I too felt frock’s comment was wholly inappropriate.
However, you seem to not only have personal knowledge of his place of residence, you have generalized an entire Mokom Torah with nauseating Motzi Shem Ra.
Do you think that being “anonymous” on a blog absolves you from punishment for such words? The Sefer Chofetz Chaim is for all shirt colors- read it well.
telegrok,
“This is a true yeshiva.”
Yes, REITS has rightfully earned its good name.
Although “Yeshiva” and “Yeshivish” are distinct although related terms, and one is not contingent on the other, I think the bochurim at REITS themselves can give you the best answer to whether “they are Talmidim in a wonderful Yeshiva”, or are “Yeshivish” with the term’s inherent sociological connotations. Due to this amusing thread, I’ve done my asking. Other commentors might wish to do this as well; at the very least, the conversation might promote respectful and thoughtful dialogue.
Telegrok, I quote Moshe Fox, you are falling into the realm of anecdotes, which is a sure sign of an insubstantive view. Moshe will be the first to tell you that if you need to come on to marble cake and Kishka to prove your point, your view is immediately dismissable.
Nuf said.
you know, the minute the close minded yeshivish velt gets past external garbage and looks at what is the ikkur of yiddishkite, which is Torah and Yiras Shamayim, which YU has both, i can promise you that Torah learning will be so much better than it is now, and that mashiach will be right around the corner. when chazal say that when mashiach will come the talmidei chachamim will be dancing with the shechina in the middle, i can promise you that Hashem will not care where each of those WORTHY gedolim learned or where they give shiur but who really is a gadol, and also i can promise you that HaRav Schachter shlita and HaRav Lichtenstein shlita are amongst our gedolei Torah of this generation, even though no one from the “velt” thinks so. i guess real chashivus haTorah isn’t so chashuv.
Reb Moshe, don’t get me wrong, i hold very much of the velt and of the gedolim, it is just that it has to be a two way street and if people don’t see what is really important, they are missing out on so much. it is quite frustrating learning in a yeshiva which half of the frum world thinks is garbage, and in reality it is, as are all the other yeshivas, holding up the world and keeping us all safe, yet people don’t realize we are learning the same ravina and rav ashi as the next guy is, even though we might wear blue shirts and don’t wear a hat during davening, and might learn some math in the afternoon, yet if you put the top YU guys in a room with the top guys of other yeshivas, i can tell you, they will be able to teich up a tosfos just as good, as the next guy.
Looks like Mr. Fox ran out of (bad) defenses.
I wholeheartedly agree with you, yubochur – that is, up until you blew it with your second to last sentence, “even though no one from the ‘velt’ thinks so.” I simply cannot believe that you actually know for a fact that “no one from the velt thinks so.” I’m from the velt, and I think they are Gedolim.
You and Moshe seem to share an affinity for unsubstantiated sweeping generalizations. Your combined insecurity and agitated defensive stance is actually begining to give YU a bad name.
Once the two of you began to comment, you have succeeded in lowering the stature of YU instead of raising it.
Mr Fox,
Yes your last post attracted my attention once again. You say;
‘Watch what you say in defense of YU, Reb yubochur613 – you’re apt to be labeled a hater and get inundated with brilliant anecdotes (all no doubt worthy of the Talmud, R. Yisroel Salanter, the Chofetz Chaim and the great Maggidim). ‘
Aside from Frock, can you please point out a comment which directly attacked YU as a yeshiva? While your at it can you please reread the posts and see how manyw ere critical of Frock’s comment?
Having said that, dont you think your COMMENT
DONT YOU THINK YOUR COMMENT
That your last comment was inaapropriate?
I thought this post was about Rav Charlop, the grandson of Hagaon Harav Charlap Z”TL of Sharei Chesed (stop off at the shul in his memory when in the area), who is changing positions. May he continue in his avodas hakodesh for many years in good health in a yeshivish, i mean yeshiva, i mean Jewish enviornment, yiddisha makoam.. Amen!
Fox – You are a serial personal and community-wide attacker. Your flawed arguments must make your peers cringe.
I will only say that once again, Mr. Fox has succeeded in misstating the facts. I have never attacked anyone personally, and never would in this type of forum.
I also don’t believe that the YW editor would allow a personal attack to get through. I am simply making obvious observations.
One more observation, Mr. Fox states, “stature of the yeshivish world.” Mr. Fox, are you excluding YU in that statement?
I disagree with Eliezer here,
Mr. Fox is not lowering the stature of YU- the last thing YU needs is silly posts like that of Mr. Fox to lend its stature credibility.
My take: YU stands on its own, REITS has choshuva learning going on, and Mr. Fox is an agitator who hangs around like a teen itching for a good fight :).
Mr. Fox,
I am NOT obssessing with your comments. I am a bit taken aback by your constant ‘picking’ on what you perceive to be ‘negative chareidi intentions’. You constantly insinuate that we spout venom and hate at other communities which might not be affiliated with our hashkosfos! THAT IS SO NOT TRUE, AT LEAST NOT IN MY CASE.
Again Frock received DUE criticism for his bogus arrogance, why cant you appreciate that instead of implying that the Chareidim are in the ‘business’ of mocking YU? At least dont generalize…
wow I missed so much (too bad I don’t bother with RSS feed!). I wish i could respond to each dumb comment individually, but i won’t anyway.
whatever else happens to go on in the institute colloquially known as YU, the main issue is its ideology. the main tenet of “torah umadah”, which seeks to equate torah and secular science cholliloh, is the reason why YU is disparaged. No torah institution could ever chas vesholom make such a mockery of the precious torah.
That is as far as I will go in explaining why YU is treif. If you are not satisfied with a purely moral distinction, then you can feel free to look at its history of tolerance for toevah, starting with the allowance of the alternate lifestyle club. There are many examples of the corruption and degredation of torah which are allowed in this facade of a “yeshiva”.
As to the point of how the YU guys are “able to teich up a tosafos” as well as any torah scholar: This may be true on an intellectual level, but the torah is not an intellectual exercise book. Many priests of the church have over the centuries challenged choshuva torah scholars with their “knowledge” of the talmud as well. Not that I am chas vesholom comparing the lomdim of YU to goyishe priests. Rather, this shows how far off the derech one can be and yet still be able to learn a tosafos.
now Let’s See- if the YW editor hadn’t let Frock’soriginal comment through, then there would have been no loshon hora or sinas chinom in these blogs. Ther certainly would have been less bitul zman.!. So perhaps the YW editor is of the opinion that Frock’s coment is appropriate and all of the comments should have been directee to him/her.
my own small comment is that for a long time RIETS is not officially part of YU, but rather an associated institution. That was one of Chancellor Lamm’s innovations, he was scared of losing government funding and the separation of church (sic) and state issue. Of course none of the Goyish Colleges have this problem (S.John’s, Notre Dame, etc) only YU.
So the Gadlus of R’ Charlop is that he headed the Yeshiva responsible for populating almost every Orthodox shul in the country with their shetller Rav. _Maybe not hte “right Wing Yeshivish-Agudist_Chasidish- Betei Midrashim- but certainly the center – left. The Yeshiva that comes in second, by the way, is Chofetz Chaim in Queens.
So- in the Hisotry of the Torah camp in America, Rav Charlop will go down as a major imprateur on the growth of Torah ACROSS THE COUNTY
Why was the meeting “hastily arranged” Did Rav Charlop come to this decision in haste? Was he released from his position, or is there a more innocent reason for this “hasty departure”?
I happen to be a good chaver of the “Frock” and he is not a bad guy!!! Before he went the yeshivishe derech he was a YU’niker. After he was megayer he went to YU. He was booted from YU back in the 90’s and ever since then became Shpitz Yeshivish. Lets not Judge him.
Thou doth protest too strongly, Mr. Fox. LOL
I vote for this thread to be closed. I believe the first rational realistic summary of the issues (totally missing the original piece of news re: HaRav Charlop SHLITA) has been very succinctly made by Bupkiss. Whether or not YU is following the mesorah of Yisroel Sabbah isn’t up for negotiation. Learning Torah & Learning Torah Al Pi Taharas HaKodesh isn’t even comparing apples to oranges. Being Mechabed the Shechina HaKedosha by walking into a Beis Medrash to learn or daven in shorts or any other casual attire for that matter (Beis Medrash therefore equals volleyball court or whatever recreational activity you prefer) no matter the Hasmodah is lacking the proper kovod for the Shechina HaKedosha hence lack of kiddush Shem Shomayim. Which after all is our ultimate purpose.
Y.W. Editor and all, reminder: shmiras halashon for both RIETS and the haredi velt. I could see people getting real incensed at this post, so be careful. But it has to be said:
Eliezer:
“Nobody” never means nobody. Nobody means “just about nobody.” It’s an expression. If you took a poll of how many people in the yeshivisher velt think that R’ Lichtenstein’s a gadol hador with the full implications it has when spoken about R’ Eliashiv and R’ Shteinman, I think you might find that “nobody” is a pretty substantive claim.
What would be more interesting would be a poll about “Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zt’l.”
yes but then again most people in the yeshivhisha velt would not consider the rosh hayeshivas of most yeshivas gedolim they may be big talmidai chachomim but not gedolim so it is no slight to say that most ppl in the yeshivisha velt dont consider r’ lichtenstien or r’ shachter to be a godel like r’ elyashiv or r’ chaim kenievski. there are very few people in any of the dif. orthodox circles that are on the calibur of r elyashiv or r chaim kanievski.
if you said that they arent talmidai chachomim that would be slighting them
Please everyone take note how one stupid comment by one person has led to accusations of a whole segment of Torah Judaism being full of hatred. That sounds to me to be exactly what M. Fox has a legitimate problem with. At first it was truly in one direction. It didn’t take long for the other way to take the lead by far. Open your eyes everyone.
BuPKISS SAYS.
wow I missed so much (too bad I don’t bother with RSS feed!). I wish i could respond to each dumb comment individually, but i won’t anyway.’
Well reread your post, it dont exactly ‘shine’ with intellect either!
Not to mention how ‘far fetched’ your analogies are!
im gonna reply i hope its not too late,
im a bachur in a very chashuv yeshivish yeshiva and i learn bechavrusa with the rosh yeshiva i wont say where obviously my grandfather happens to be on the board of YU. after 3 years of arguing with him constantly i relized that most of my opinions came from the wrong place.number one if ure a YU bachur and ure learning well KEEP IT UP be machazik ureself because I know it must be hard. people have no self confidence and putting u down is the only thing they can do to make temselves feel chashuv. to every yeshivish guy using this website as an excuse to go on the intrenet bein hasidarim u should rethink ure views b4 u put another yid down , YU guys work very hard to keep up their yiddishkeit in a place where its much easier to find things which could confuse oneself.though i am only a bochur i have spent many hours shmuzzing with rabbi dr norman lamm and he is not only bright but deep and has alot of emunah and i was more impressed than i can put into words.thant being said i do not agree with alot of things he writes in his books i read all of them and he has a hashkafa that is very idealistic but is not so practical for yeshivish guys because boys that grow up in sheltered world look at any pesach into modern thought as a pesach into tumah and they are not at fault that is how they were brought up and any person who is involvved wwith young people or is honest with themselves knows that we all have a hard time on our own level keeping up with the mold that our system has created. an example why is a guy considered a “good guy” if he learns three sedarim a day and wears only black and white . im not married but i know enough people who are divorced rachmana lazlan or have had nervous breakdowns solely because of gliches in this perfect system we have created . i have disscused for many hours with many gedolim all of these issues and they all agree with me including r’ hershel shechter and r’ eliashiv and r’shmuel aurbach and r’ malkiel kutler i see a trend that chas veshalom could lead to very bad things in the future . nobody is saying to send ure kids to YU but the boys for the most part that go have grown up in homes which are more modern and they have had to fight soooo hard to become who they are and they deserve do much credit and boys that grow up in yeshivish homes that fight so hard not to get influenced by the unfortunate surroundings in america should be machazeik themselves because they are holding up tahara in the world. r’ avraham shur gives a friday shiur to kemmat only guys from YU and r’ zvi meir zilverberg gave a shiur to boys going to YU during witer break and i have personnaly talked to both of them and they love each boy so much and they daven for them and they relize that if they are there that they shouldnt put it down but make them feel more special. when i was in the MIR in yerushalim for 3 years the top guys were from YU………. nobody knew they went there i only daven that we all start to get close to hasem btmemus and relize we all have such special kochos that only we can use and to be mechazeik eachothr with love only and not put talmiday chachumim down because they are trying to help people that arent growing up in the same sheltered and tahardika world we are hazlacha to u all
by the way im sorry if i offended anyone there is alot i wanted to say that i couldnt because i cant take up the whole page and i really want only the best for all of us i just think we need to see things in the proper light
loveallyids-
Excellent comment. You are obviously sincere, and are a beautiful example of a true Yeshiva bochur.
Hopefully, those who use sarcasm and mockery to denigrate the Taharah of Yeshivish world, as you call it, or mindlessly put down the staunch perseverance and specialness of the REITS Talmidim will cleanse themselves of the hatred and silly superiority, and develop respect as you have. Hatzlacha
loveall
some good stuff you wrote.
Yeshiva World – is a large place with niches for all among the 70 faces of Torah and halachah.
Loveall
Kudos! Loved your post . Hatzlocho in all your future endeavors!
to loveallyids — your post is a true kiddush Hashem. It is emesdik and relevant to every frum Yid. You are SO,SO right about this point of internal inconsistency in chareidi society!! The yeshivish world has to put up high, opaque walls because the cultural trash in these times respects no boundaries and smells so bad. It is EVERYWHERE.
But if it’s everywhere, what are we supposed to do? Hide in a 1950’s cave? As a mother of chareidi teens in the “top” yeshivish places, I can tell you that sometimes I feel it’s a losing battle! I want to be a parent, not a gestapo agent! Can I conscionably tell an 18-year-old bochur or BY girl not to listen to the radio? Not to shop in 90% of the stores in the malls? Not to open a news magazine while waiting a full hour in the (frum) dentist’s office? Should they feel it’s an aveira to open a Time Magazine? But the ads alone are horrific, even for a girl to be seeing. and I won’t even mention the music…. It’s not normal! This could be why so many yeshivish are so dismissive of anything outside the daled amos of 19th and 20th century Torah today, but I am saying to you that it’s not healthy to live this way and since it’s not healthy, what do we expect from our poor kids when they’re surrounded by all the glitter and “fun”? Won’t they soon see how STUPID it is that parents keep saying all these American things are dangerous but “EVERYONE does it today”…
I love all Yidden too. Still, it is SO HARD to put up with the endless “pat” answers, broad dismissiveness of anything exciting, and the endless xenophobia of our so-called different types of Yidden.
Why can’t this site just be about news and not hashkafa? There are so many other blogs where all of the above comments are debated ad naseum. Or maybe YW should leave out the news items that are likely to generate these debates if people can’t control themselves.
These are the most visited sites, where hashkafa and halacha can be debated ad nauseam. Did you notice the posts that do not even get visited, those are the straight forward “sefer torah writing”, “Idf soldier loses leg”, “oorah marathon”, “blue sky in Kansas”….
Ya know, kinda boring! non argumentive!