A group of Chabad Yeshiva Bochurim who were stuck in an 8-mile-long traffic jam got out of their car and started dancing yesterday on Interstate 80, about 3 miles east of West Middlesex, Pa.
The weather reporter who captured the scene said that she had never seen such a thing in her 20 years in broadcasting.
Miles of east traffic was stopped for hours in Mercer County during the afternoon because of a series of weather-related accidents.
(YWN Desk – NYC / Crown Heights.info)
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36 Responses
possibly the best post on YWN ever. yasherkochache!
What a big kiddush Hashem! Kol Hakavod to the bochurim.
michali: While there is seemingly nothing wrong with dancing, can you tell me what is the huge kiddush hashem.
the kiddush ha’shem is that they did not cheat on their taxes, abuse children entrusted to their care, swindle people, or make excuses for those who have
they simply demonstrated joy at, incogruously, an inconvenient moment
such warmth of the human spirit represents the best in us
unfortunately, we’ve seen worse too frequently
What a big CHILLUL HASHEM!! Why do we have to be different and single ourselves out in public like this? This is why people hate us because we act differently then them. No, it’s not right for them to hate us for this, but why put ourselves in situations that will allow people to look down upon us. We should not expose ourselves to possible ridicule by being “different.”
While I may not have classified it as a “kiddush hashem, per se, its surely a better alternative to road rage!
I did detect a bit of cynicism in the reporter’s voice. She made it a point to mention that the boys were celebrating at a time when a real bad accident had just happened. I’m in no way saying that she implied that the boys were celebrating the accident itself obviously, however, it seemed that she took a stab at them for being celebratory in the face of a tragedy. I’m not saying either that the boys did anything wrong….my point is that it may not be more of a chilul Hashem than a kiddish Hashem.
I mean, it may be more of a chilul than a kiddish Hashem
#5 outoftownjew:
Jews are SUPPOSED to be different than goyim!!
I’m not able to access the video, but it sounds like neither a Kiddush Hashem nor a Chillul Hashem.
chilul hashem!!! they were not wearing heavy coats and it is clearly cold! it begs the question, what will the nations of the world think of such disregard for the elements?! they also clearly conversed and said they were having fun in response to what seems to be an immodest female voice from above! forget madoff, rothstein and co. these dancing chabadsters are where the real chilul hashem is at folks!
If they were Chabad bochurim, where was their Menorah?
what where these bochurim thinking?????
they should be ashamed of themselves
Why it’s not a Kiddush Hashem –
Think about it if it were slightly different, you (the frum Jew) are stuck in traffic and some Christian Missionaries get out of their car and start singing and dancing…would you be like, wow they have great values and reflect some form of holiness or would you be like these stupid, weird, meshuganas are holding up traffic? Be honest!
outoftownjew: Do you really think hitler ym”s tried to wipe us out because we are different to the goyim?
Why is it a Chilul Hashem? First, how were they supposed to know why the traffic was stopped? Second, the dancing was only noticed because the Traffic helicopter was above. Third: They were different! – as the reporter said that in her TWENTY years, this is a first!
Why do some people always have to find a negative? Take it at face value:Four boys were stuck in traffic and they decided to make the best out of it and dance. Did they dream a helicopter would see them?
Answer to #3: The kiddush Hashem is the bochurim did not pout and whine about their situation as most (including myself)motorists do. Instead, they took a bad situation and used it for good and, OH MY GOODNESS, in public. When goyim observe the good middos of yidden, they can only be impressed as observed by the reporter. That is a kiddush Hashem. BTW, I did not detect any cynicism at all from the reporter.
To #5: Why do we have to be different??? Because Hashem wants us to be different. He did not choose us so we can act like the goyim, c’v.
why is it a chillul hashen? in Israel its very normal for ppl to dance while waiting in traffic. we are different then anyone else! Kol hakovd
Nice, but not a good idea…
The first minute i read the article i knew there will be at least . Person that will say that it was a Chillul Hashem. You guys always look on the negative side..
I just have 1 Q. I would like to know if somebody has an answer. If they’re Lubavitch Buchrim then why does the music sound like a Na Nach song…
to #5 and #11, you guys are so wrong! we are supposed to be different from the goyim! i think this is the biggest kiddush hashem we’ve seen in a long time! hashem should bless us all this chanukah with health wealth and happiness( and stigeing) always! happy chanukah!
I personally don’t see how ANYONE would think that Hashem chose us to be different from the voting by dancing on the highway. Maybe I’m a bit weird but I had always understood that Hashem told us exactly how to differentiate ourselves – 613 mitzvos. I don’t think this is one of them. Walking around unclothed would also be different.
Sorry any the typo (auto correction) – should read “different than the goyim”
If they didn’t pull over to the shoulder and dance their, they are lucky a trooper short on his quota didn’t see them. Even the shoulder is for emergencies only, the need to dance doesn’t qualify.
Can every body grow up and relax. the reporter loved it. Why does every action have to microanalyzed. They had a good time everyone watching had a laugh and move on. Think positive.
It sounds like the Na nach because that’s exactly what it was.
Its a kiddush hashem I think and good entertainment instead of sitting and doind nothing
To answer all the questions that people have to my (#5) comment. First of all yes, we ARE supposed to be different than the goyim. No one argues with that. My point was that even though we are and should act and be different than the goyim, do we need to express it so dramatically? The helicopter/newscaster was not the only one that saw it, the other drivers saw it as well. Not only that but now that it was on the news many many others saw it also. We do NOT have to flaunt our differences at every opportunity. This brings hatred towards us. To the one who asked about hitler y’s: that might not have been his reason but it definitely played a big part in his evilness. Why look “weird” and put ourselves in situations to have people single us out in posible negative ways? It is not right and should be avoided at all costs.
The only one that is “Weird” is the writer of #5 and #28. It is people like you that bring so much negativity to the world. When will you get a life?
Which imodest woman? the reporter? please! did I miss something?.Thats not an issue even. And “no coat”, of course, does anyone here work out with a coat on? And be carefull of some opinions that are here just to confuse or cool off the orthodox jew.And all over the world I’ve seen even goym barbecuing when stuck for such a long time. And the goite reporter found it cute and positive so please lets not be self hating jews by our own brothers. I say: definitely no Chilul hashem at all
. And Im not lubabvitch.I think: kidush hashem. Yes better than road rage or any Kaas. Yes think positive.
We are here from difererent backgrounds. In every religious town this might be viewed slightly
different. Definitely nothing majorly negative! I see only positive on the reporters voice. Agree: Relax. Glad you boys are over with the traffic.
OutoftownJew (#5/#28) —
“that might not have been his reason but it definitely played a big part in his evilness”
While this has nothing to do with this particular event, your premise that Jews being different played any role (and certainly “a big part”) in Hitler’s hatred or in antisemitism throughout history is just plain ignorant. Actually, the Jews in Germany before World War II were the least different from their host country than the Jews anywhere else in Europe. Many lived by the motto “Be a Jew at home and a German on the streets”, and even among those who were shtark in their Yiddishkeit, German Jews as a group had much more secular education (many went to universities), and dressed in a much less distinctive way then the generally more Chassidish communities in Western Europe. This did not stop Hitler from hating them, or planning his “Final Solution”. In general historically areas with higher rates of assimilation, when Jews were more a part of a the culture and “less different” did not result in any less antisemitism (Remember Spain in the early 1400’s? Somehow the fact that Jews had high positions in government, business, and science, and looked and acted like the Spanish nobility didn’t stop the expulsion or deter the Inqisition. . .) The goyim hate us because that is how Hashem designed the world, and the best way to prevent it is to do what Hashem has commanded us to do — keep the Torah and Mitzvos proudly, and act with Middos Tovos and integrity — not by trying to be “less different”.
These negative posts just go to show the difference between Chassidim & the rest. Chassidim view the world with joy & try to turn difficulties into the positive. The rest of frum Jews tut-tut, shake their heads, & retreat back into their doom & gloom (which, incidentally, you must love or you wouldn’t see the negative in everything, all the time!)
Lighten up, you miseries!
There is a time and place for everything in life and this was not one of them.
What I truly believe that many of these commenters’ in here never even thought of is sometimes making a kiddush hashem can be achieved by just behaving and keeping quiet and humble and modest. We expect modesty out of girls, men too should act as a dignified and quiet way in public. This is the reason the the menorah in chutz l’aretz is preferably lit indoors and not outdoors.
I am not a Rabbi to comment on the boys dancing. I personally thought it was adorable! My legs get cramped if i sit for too long. I think it was great for their circulation after sitting in traffic. And a lot easier than just jumping up and down. Perhaps being stuck in traffic can lead to fights and what a nice memory rather than remembering feeling sick in a car, trapped and fustrated, even scared. A person could get quite depressed not knowing how long they will be there, and it was hours. I have two words for all the negative comments, BASELESS HATRED! What unbelivable discrimation! If they were non jews no one would have commented here about it. However since jewish world news decided to post a happy video, rather than all the horror we have today. Some people saw fit to go and whip out thier seforim. It is amazing how many people are so haughty to comment here. If you want to be a Rabbi go and open a shul, perhaps? So many other “MITZVAHS”. Available to you rather than making obnoxious comments. Even for the sake of heaven. If your sefer is enough to keep you company, in hours of traffic. Be happy and be humble and dont judge another person. Personally, I feel NEGATIVE comments here should be only based on HALACHA. My comment is positive, LOVE ALL YOUR FELLOW JEWS. It is so much easier!I wish my daughter would marry such a happy boy!Rather than some Talmud who sits home writing negative comments on Jewish web sites! Peace and love to all!
Number 28, wearing hats indoors, wearing strings out your pants, being in separate beds for 2 weeks, washing your hands in the morning because of evil spirits, not shaking hands with people or kissing them on the cheek, wearing long clothes in summer… all these are weird.
You obviously have a serious case of golus mentality. America is a country of all its citizens and nobody should feel weird or different in the way you mention – at the same time we are PROUD to be different.
I can see why people might find this a bit OTT but the fact is as several ppl pointed out what a change from hearing about molestors and fraudsters.
It shows people who poshut are ENJOYING life – and to those who asked what the mitzvah is – IVDU ESS HASHEM BESIMCHO!!!
As for the hitler comment that is beneath contempt, again typical golus mentality, sorry we exist, we’ll just retreat into our shell because if we stand out we deserve to be exterminated! I only hope #5/#28 does not meet any real people in their everyday life as the hashkofo espoused here would seriously put off any nonreligious or nonJew