Friday, March 28, 2014

Yeshivas Hijacked Purim!

I always looked forward to Purim when I was growing up. I would find a long coat and an old hat in the closet, buy a beard somewhere and went around collecting for an uncle in Israel, who had just emigrated from Rumania and couldn't make ends meet.

Lately, I've been noticing that the Yeshivas pay their students to rent costumes that run in the hundreds of dollars and then rent limos so fancy that ill bet Michelle Obama who is visiting China didn't ride in one of those things.

This year I had the privilege to be Motzei Shabbos, Purim Night, in a rich man's house where I saw 6 Roshei Yeshivas salivating over this G'vir, pandering and chanfining him and of course  drinking the liqueur on his table.
The one hour that I was in his house, I noticed at least 6 different groups of boys all dressed up, matching, in the most luxurious costumes,  all running out of these double decker limos, and running  into the house, all collecting for their prospective yeshivas. 
This Gvir just put his hand in his pocket and gave them hundreds of dollars!

So what's wrong?
Well, this morning a man who davens in my shul, poor as a church mouse, divorced, gets food from Tomchei Shabbos, told me that he got a call from a guy who is on the Tuition Committee of Shaarei Arazim, a school for challenged children, and told him if he "doesn't come up with the $5,000.00 before Pesach, I'm going to send your child home with embarrassment!"

This poor soul works like a dog, all his money goes to his ex wife, to support his children, and he is left with about 200.00 a week. The bully, the guy from Shaarei Arazim, wants to take the 200.00. 

Now, don't get me wrong, I agree that the school is doing a great job and has huge expenses....

So please give me an answer to this question? ... 
Why in the world did Shaarei Aruzim collect money  this purim? 
Why in the world is Shaarei Arazim making dinners? They had a "Split the Pot" raffle that ran to $100,000.00!

Aren't you raising money for parents that cannot afford the massive tuition fees? 
If your answer is yes, why are you torturing this guy? Isn't that why you collected?

If this guy had walked into the Gvir's house that Purim, how much do you think he would have gotten? 
He had no costume and no limo waiting outside. 
 He would have gotten $36.00

So my dear readers, a poor broken guy would get 36.00, but the Yeshivas get hundreds?

What happened to the Purim that I grew up  and looked forward to, where poor people were getting the $$$?

When did "Matonas L'evyoinim" become Matanos l'Yeshivos?
Our sense of Purim is now warped, our understanding of what the Shlchan Aruch specifically says is "matonas l'evyonim"  has been hijacked by the Roshei Yeshivas that abandoned their families to sit around the table in the Gvir's house with their mouths foaming every time the Gvir put his hand in his pocket!

8 comments:

  1. Mi kamcha Yisroel. Faltche daigos for all

    ReplyDelete

  2. Hey anon #1...
    Please finish the posuk... MI Keamcho Yisroel Goy Echad B'AARETZ...! In Israel. This isn't my pshat, I'm just bringing it down.
    Faltche daigos, huh?
    Sure, you're probably in Lakelala being supported ,and momentarily not in kollel because of Shabbos prepping, and uh, between you and me, between 4 eyes only ... Nobody's looking... Sneaking a look into an Internet blog assured by many rabbonim, and surreptiously making a quick 6 -word post before wife catches you here.

    I wasn't born yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
  3. How's about offering your readers a way to donate to cover your friend's tuition bill?

    Matanos Layeshivos. Great line.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I do not always agree with you position on current issues. This particular point you make has validity in practice and history.
    I was a part of one of the original groups that went collecting on Purim. It was not an extravagant Limo driven affair but a low rent cargo van and no costumes.
    We collected for aniyim (needy families ) only.
    This has now turned into a major fundraiser for various institutions.
    As you pointed out, this does not strictly follow the Purim Mandate

    ReplyDelete
  5. To Anon 9:00 am
    If you agreed with all my positions , you would be as crazy as me.
    For those who want to donate some money to my poor friend
    Make out your check to
    yeshiva Shaarie Aruzim
    Tell them it's for Mr A whose little boy will be thrown out if he doesn't come up with 5,0000 before Pesach
    Give as much as you can thanks

    ReplyDelete
  6. "a man who davens in my shul, poor as a church mouse, divorced, gets food from Tomchei Shabbos"

    The desperate situation you just described is fairly common for divorced Jewish men who have been used as sperm donors by their ex-wives. Afterwards these men are dumped and cleaned out in family courts by their wives.

    Yet you chose to terribly bash Mr. Meir Kin who was also a victim of his wife cleaning him out in family court.

    Quite a double standard you exhibit here!

    ReplyDelete
  7. To Truth Be told
    Are you insane? Double Standard?
    what the hell are you blabbering about?
    Meir Kin is a monster! The guy in my story granted his wife a divorce, you meshiginer!
    Meir Yemach shmo, is seperated from his wife for NINE YEaRS>>>>>
    Double Standard?

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am the tuition bully you refer to in your post. If you or any of your readers wish to help Mr. A. who so "accurately" portrayed the numerous conversations I have had with him please feel free to call me so that we can arrange funds to credit his account which has deprived the yeshiva of meeting its payroll obligations to at least 1 Rebbi every month for the last 2 years.
    My telephone number is 914-263-3964 and I await your calls and generosity.

    ReplyDelete