Happy New Year - Let's Start on a Fresh Note

Happy New Year to all that celebrate and look forward to it!



I would like to take this time to thank all my followers, believers, and non-believers on their contributions to the Blog whether it was intelligent or grade school like...for a mouse!



Although us Jews do not believe in New Years Day, we should however acknowledge it as a day off to spend time with the family, and look forward to the business year..for those of us that work!!

As a new President looms...B.O. will filling the air in Washington...I recommend that we all take the precautionary measures from protecting ourselves from B.O.

1. Don't work as hard
2. Don't "Socialize" with your friends and fellow citizens
3. "Guard" yourself "Right" from B.O's attempt to drain your Dollars
4. Look out for B.O.'s smelly politics as evidenced from the armpit of America..Chicago

Do not "change" your greetings to B"O from B"H...

Results of having a Kiddush every Shabbos at Shul

According to the poll taken People are not so interested in having a Kiddush every Shabbos.

For the people who Free-Load... I honestly don't care what you think... you are a bunch of blood sucking parasites.. If you do not like the Shul enough to become a member go start your own!!

And if you do start a shul let me know!!

The "CHEVRA Kidisha" - Is it worth it??

Okay, by now I hope I got your attention. If you live in Silver Spring and you know of the potpourri of Minyanim in YISE, there has been a shortfall of $$$ to provide a Kiddush every single Shabbos at the 8:00 Minyan.

For those of you that are from out of Maryland, the CHEVRA is a anonymous (mmm... maybe there is something wrong with that) group/club that pays a certain amount of money every month on top of their membership dues to be able to supply a Kiddish every week.

Most recently, there has been an appeal to recruit more members and increase the "CHEVRA Kidisha" membership by + $100 or something.

Wow...what blatant Chutzpa! What a bunch of fiscally irresponsible fools!

This is the same type of thinking for the Mikva....Yes the Mikva!!
Let's get our priorities straight!! Why not appeal for each member to pay their regular membership dues in on time!!?? Why do we need a kiddush every single shabbos????
Let's cut spending not increase!!! This is the problem with today's thinking!! It is all about the luxury not about the basics!

Let's get our priorities straight!! Get ready people! the Gematria of CHEVRA = OBAMA!

Comments?

MAD"e"OFF with alot of money - How does this affect SILVER SPRING

Another one bites the dust....just a few billion dollars...nothing much..

How does this effect the Silver Spring Community?...and forget about other cities because frankly they do not even know we exist.

Well for starters there has been mention that the Federation has lost a nice sum of money. This will definitely effect school budgets all around the Greater Washington area.

On top of all that is the poor economy that has strapped every ones wallet to their pocket.

BUT WAIT!!! I HAVE A GREAT IDEA!!

LET'S RAISE MONEY FOR A MIKVA!!

Now would be the perfect time when things are rosy!

Schools need to start reconsidering their fundraising or methods of cutting costs and raising money now!!

I truly hope that the intention of the fundraisers and Boards of the schools think about the future of TORAH in community and not lining their own pockets with percentages, bonuses, and raises.

I think now is a better time then ever to approach our local government for assistance as we are paying a seat for each of our children in the local public schools and not getting anything in return. We need to ask parents to advocate and take any measures necessary to push the county in providing more assistance. Why not consider sending our children to schools in the community and opening up Jewish Day programs in the afternoon? Advocate for buses, supplies. Conceptualize the idea of having a public school filled with Jewish children. Perhaps have teachers who currently teach English apply for positions at the various public schools.

I think schools need to be creative and aggressive with the county.

I would like to hear your thoughts, any??

To Light or Not to Light---This Channukah/Xmas - Nittel Nacht

A Channukah approaches I have been hearing many shaylas of lighting one's menorrah at a hotel while they are t'urid in the casino.

Questions that are being asked:

1. If I get a free suite at Atlantic City but it is on the 40th floor should I light in that suite or request a suite on a lower floor but have to pay $250

2. Dealer is showing an "2" and I am showing a "9" and "2"(blackjack), and Zman Hadlaka has just approached, should I double down and then light or allow the chassidishe guy next to me to play my hand while I go and perform the mitzva.

3. If Zman Hadlaka approaches and a $5 table opens up that I have waiting for 1 hour, do I go and light and allow my fellow brother take my spot or sit down?


4. Am I Yotzai Hadlaka with my Cigar(which lasts 30 minutes) that I just bought at the gift shop? Persumai Nisa and there is
30 min, and Holchai Drachim in the market place.

5. Would it be a bizayon to play and sleep at Ceasar's Palace on Channuka/Xmas?

A lichdika Channuka!

Back by popular demand!! The Vote is still on

The Vote is back

Breaking News!! Dig your own hole!! No matter what you choose

I just had a great idea: Dig your own Mikva hole in your backyard! Customize it to your own specifications!!

OR shell out $2500 and dig you own money hole!!

The idea is endless, get a group of families together and knock down the costs. Let's produce jobs for people in education to monitor the Mikvas (sort of like Mikva Czars or regulators)

This is from the Mikva site http://www.homemikvah.org/ Check out the Pictures. If you build it they will come---LOL

Ethical Dilemma: Pay for a Mikva or Pay in my Tushin(tuition)

Which one of these important Jewish entities should I shell out for?

Below is a copy of a letter I sent to the initiators of the Mikva proposal. I do not want to waste my time with repeating it so here it is:

4/13/08



Mr. xxxxx and Mr. xxxxxxx,


After reading the letter of appeal for the Silver Spring Mikva many thoughts went through my mind. In particular, the statement that references the importance of funding a vital facility that is so “dependent” on the future of this community. The troubling fact is that many hard working families are over burdened with other significant contributions that also play a vital role in the future of this Jewish community.
School tuition is through the roof and I do not have to tell you of the current numbers, as I am sure you already know. I have heard a number of younger members of the community state that they may not be able to have as many children as they like to due to the price it costs to teach them Torah. This thinking is quite alarming and pretty sad but also contradicts the main objective of the Mikva as you eloquently put in your appeal.
In your letter of appeal there is a point to request “all income-earning families” to support the new Mikva. In reading this statement I assume that “all income-earning families” includes the staff of day schools, rebbeim, rabbi’s of the community, lawyers, doctors, etc. To sum it up, the significance of building a facility that would support the “future” of the Jewish community is again at risk requiring the financial support from “all” income - earning families.
The years learning in different Yeshivas has taught me that Talmud Torah k’negid kulam. However, there is no requirement for “all” income families to pay tuition or at least something that they could afford. We have rebbeim and administrators that have many beautiful children who go to Jewish schools absolutely free. Does this make sense? We have Rebbeim and Adminstrators earning more money then some hard working families in the community who struggle to place their children in Jewish schools and on top of it must pay for the many children who get the “benefit” of free tuition. On the one hand everyone is urged to contribute to the Mikva (a vital facility for the future of the community) but when it comes to Talmud Torah the “everyone” is some how forgotten.
I support the building of a new state of the art Mikva for this community; however, our priorities are out of synch. It is heart wrenching to hear young families using the price of Talmud Torah as a method of “birth control”. It is unfair to see many heads of Jewish schools receive executive salaries for the most significant mitzvah of learning and teaching Torah. Let’s rethink the priorities and the unfortunate truths that many community members feel.

Chag kasher V’sameach

Concerned community member

What does Kemp Mill Shopping Center Need Next??

I was recently informed that an optician will be joining the ranks of the Kemp Mill Armory in the Shopping Center...Great..

We need something exciting..Something different..Heck if we are planning to build a GLORIOUS MIKVA than why stop there? With this New Mikva we will be compared with other major cities and yet we do not even have a Kosher Sushi store, let alone a flashig restaurant in the shopping center!!

What is it about Kemp mill??

We have 2-3 store fronts at the Shopping Center that are begging for something nice!!!


Wait I have it......... A Mikva!

VERY SAD NEWS - Rabbi and Wife Among Dead in Mumbai, India

It is hard for me to post such terrible news but CNN now confirms that the Rabbi and his Wife were among the hostages in the barbaric act at Chabad house, India.

May Hashem comfort the famiy and provide chizuk to their poor child who was saved.

Happy Thankgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends!

It is quite unfortunate of what is happening in India, especially now that a Chabad house may have been a target Very sad, may Hashem save them from these barbaric animals and invoke Justice on them. Please add extra tehillim for our brothers in India

On that note Things To Be Thankful For:

1. We live in a safe and secure country
2. Look around us and see our family and friends who are still with us
3. Silver Spring Jewish community is made up of so many different types of people who have
great opinions whether they are anonymous or not.
4. The American government takes care of us Jews and has the most just judicial system on this
earth.
Things to Pray for!

1. The Obamaniacs don't push our economy even further into debt.
2. Fannie and Freddie stocks increase
3. The Obamaniacs don't turn our healthcare policy into socialized medicine
4. The Kemp Mill Mikva gets put on hold until tuition gets taken care of.

Did I forget anything?? Please let us know

MC

Yonason Pollard - To free or not to free Is that the Question??

In another forum this issue came to a big discussion.

I think we need to step back a minute and ask the question " Do we have enough information to make this decision"? or even speculate.

The arguments are: He is a Jewish Neshama and we all should have Rachmonis and the issue of "Pidyun Shvuyin", and of course whether or not he deserves such a "harsh" punishment. On the other hand we have no access to any/all classified information that was compromised.

I think we need to first look into the Halachos of "Pidyun Shvuim", which I am not so well versed in. I would like to know the implications and when to apply Pidyun Shvuyim. If someone could provide us with this information.

Get out and VOTE!!

Hi all,

I thought this would be a good start to our blog. As many of you know there has been ongoing reaction to posting anonymous messages to a community list-serve. this would be a way to get some "numbers" together.

As Mark Concerned, my idea of posting anonymous posts is to enable people to stick to issues, protect themselves from bias opinions and so forth. I would love to hear your reactions. I am hoping we should have some results in soon!

Greetings to all of the Jewish Community of Silver Spring

This Blog has been initiated for all my supporters and non-supporters to voice their "concerns" in the community. I will try and moderate this as fairly as possible. Harsh critique is accepted as long as there will be intellect behind it.
Please look for the posts and of course if you have anything important to say that will help our community please share it.

And Yes.... Anonymity is totally accepted