No, I dont want your yeshiva's water - go away!

First off, I heard this morning that Dunkin Donuts isn’t kosher anymore, but my Rabbi is looking into it. Now, im not sure if it’s only the one on J but all over Flatbush, but this is a major drawback. What is one to do with out their chocolate frosted and crappy eggs and cheese croissants? Life will go on. The second point I would like to make is which brilliant Yeshiva came up with this brilliant finance campaign. Let’s do as the homeless do and harass people at red lights on Ocean Parkway right before the Prospect Expressway and demand them to buy water from you. Oh, and if you see someone with a yarmulke on, knock on their window until they acknowledge you. Oh, and if they don’t open the window a second later, why don’t you try and attempt to open the person’s frigin car door. That should work. Not for me. Me shaking your wet and icy hands and introducing yourself and your cause isn’t going to cut it.

Learning demands time off!

As i was driving around Flatbush yesterday on my day off, I happened to pass by some Yeshivas. I was remembering what it was like not to be off for a legal holiday or even Sundays. Now, I dont know what i would do if I didnt have that day once a week to wake up late and relax. I remember by sundays begining at 7.30 and ending at 3.00. That is almost a full day of work. Strict yeshivish yeshivas are so against their boys ever having time off. I remember dreading it everyday of the week of every month. Which, of course, caused me to come late on shabbos morning davening so I can have that once a week feeling of waking up a little late.

The Rabbis used to always tell us 'there is no time off from learning'. I hate the say this, sometimes one needs a day or two to to recuperate after putting 40 hours of learning in a week. I used to look forward to the few times a year, we were completely off. They think they are being nice by letting us out at 3.00 on Memorial day. What the hell can i do that late. Let alone, my HS was about 45 minutes away from my house. I'm glad those years are over. I have no idea how I would be able to handle that these days.

Shavuos is for sleeping.

Is it wrong of me to look forward to this holiday so I can catch up on my sleep? In fact, I remember last year being the first year in a really long time that I didn’t stay up on Shavuos night and I remember having one the best nights sleep. I have no idea why. I remember the years I actually did stay up all night, I barely learnt 30 minutes through out the night. I enjoyed it because it was a great social gathering and get to meet up with my buddies and catch up on good old times, but then, by the end of the night, I always felt very unproductive as if I wasted my night away doing nothing and of course really tired. The best part of my night was when i came home and layed down and was out cold as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I notice that’s what most young people in Flatbush do that anyways, stay up all night for the sake of it. They barely learn an hour then hang around the coffee and donut stations gossiping about life for the rest of the night. I love the people that stay out all night to hang around outside smoking and make their shabuos night crawl from shul to shul and see what kind of goodies their offering.

At least last year I attempted to learn for an hour so i can be aware of what’s going on, despite being overly tired from putting in a full day of work,. So, I went to my shul, got some goodies, then sat down and tried to listen to a shiur. Ten minutes in, having not really listened all that much and I all was thinking about was my bed. So it got me thinking, I could be home sleeping. I book out and was back home in my bed with in 15 minutes – best shavous ever. Maybe that’s what I need, a really boring shiur at 12 a clock to really get me tired and all set for sleep at 12.30. Bring it on..

Fat frum kids are everywhere - put down the shnitzel!

I have many fears in life, as im sure many people have, but one in particular is a fear of having fat children. I look around and all I see are fat kids every where. They are taking over every where; the schools, the fast food joints, the ice cream shops, etc. you get my drift. But, I want to have skinny kids that remain skinny for their whole life and not give up at age 10 because of laziness and lack of a healthy diet, but as you all know in this day and age and obesity rate sky rocketing across the nation, chances are of my child remaining slim is much slimmer what it used to be.
Now, you may ask what does frumness play a role in this fat factor. Well, these kids sit in their ass’s all day in class until the wee hours of the afternoon and evening, hours after a normal public school lets out. So, by the time they get home, they then sit on their fat ass eating and doing Homework and maybe watch some TV. You see, public school kids get out so much earlier, so they can actually pick up an activity to run around for a few hours before assuming position on their couch. I remember back in HS, I would get up at 6 am and not be home till 10 at night. Yes, we have recess, but some are too lazy to play sports and that’s only for like 10 min. where’s my soccer practice or varsity football teams? Yeshiva leaves no time between learning and more learning for kids to be more active in sports.
One would think in this day and age with obesity on the rise, yeshivas would require much more exercise. I feel an hour or two a day in school or after-school daily is needed . Because of the lack of a regular gym class at yeshivas, I will require my kids to jog with me every night a mile around a track, once then will I allow my child to play his/her Xbox and watch tube, even maybe their Homework. This is my view. Till next time.