I don’t mind dancing around the bimah in Friday night, in fact its nice to see some folks getting their only physical activity in the week, but if your sweaty hand is grabbing me into some Carlebach poser circle around the bimah – do me a favor and keep it up. It bothers me immensely when I am pulled into one these circles at a non-Carlebach style shul trying to be retro and the circle just dies, or turns into one of those butt bumping affairs like at weddings.
You know everyone is going all fast and suddenly someone stops and everyone bumps into each others butts (hate to think about what that would look like naked) and hence the reason why I do the whole hand on the dude in front of me back instead of holding hands, it allows me to brace myself from butt bumping.
The problem with these fake Carlebach circles is that they are always half assed, a couple people start it and pull unwilling people into it with them and quickly deteriorates into one of those outer circles at a wedding, you know the one’s that just end for no reason? It kind of reminds me of hoshanos when the line just peters out and you are left outside the circle, well here you have people who get pulled in and just leave because they were unwilling in the first place.
I think a big determining factor in whether people will allow themselves to be pulled into the circle is what the mood was like before, was it a bumping lecha dodi or was it that lame dying cows ending?
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Great Post!!!!!
West they went,
Money spent,
Who cares ’bout rent,
When ‘appiness’s sent?
Anon what does that have to do with anything?
I must say I’ve never been a victim at any such Carelbach-type shul since I’ve never seen this happen. Is this a common occurrence? Jeez, it sounds so annoying…
That was one of the reasons I determined never to go to one local shul for Simchas Torah, Chanukah or Purim. As one person sharing my sentiments said, “Misnagdim can’t dance”. They keep thinking how they could be spending all this time learning another blatt Gemara.
Very true. All of it. And I’ll add “Misnagdim can’t dance AND ex-Misnagdim can’t rock” which can be seen at a any Carlebach-inspired rock concert ala Moshav. Those are the people that think they’re cool because their dad is some Rav in Lakewood, but they are wearing jeans and sipping a beer SITTING DOWN at BB Kings and bopping their head.
I guess growing up in the Carlebach shul I am kind of a Carlebach connoisseur
At least Carlebach style has a few tunes, I’ve seen similar in a Lubavitch shul in my neighborhood, every Friday night Lecha Dodi goes well until Boi Vshalom, where it deteriorates into “yechi hakafos” around the bimah.
I remember the first time it happened, many people freaked out, the yechi guys just kept dancing and getting louder. Still goes on every week, same few “quacks”, same song over and over until they get shushed. I haven’t been there for Shabbos for close to 10 years.
You guys get to have all the fun! Quit complaining! While you’re dancing (or not) around the bimah, I’m home with two kids and my Korban Minchah siddur trying to get to “Bo’i v’shalom” before my infant wants me to feed her again.
good post ..
I like it, and its soo true
its all about the atmosphere you set during the davening… I mean why FORCE dancing? Its not worth it
Still goes on every week, same few “quacks”, same song over and over until they get shushed. I haven’t been there for Shabbos for close to 10 years.
Maybe they stopped 10 years ago.
On the other hand, Mashiach still hasn’t come — so maybe not. Well, who cares (besides the quacks)?
CA,
They haven’t stopped yet, I daven across the street now so I still know what’s going on. It only got stronger, more new recruits join the yechi ranks when they become BT’s, they don’t know any different. These are the same guys that add the 3 yechis at various intervals during davening, bentching and God knows when else.
good post
to me these guys are all posers.