I was honored to be published in the Jewish Press a couple of weeks ago, but I am even more honored that this weeks Jewish Press features a letter to the editor concerning my article. I am completely honored that someone took the time write a letter to the editor concerning my piece which was comedy – the letter to the editor in also pretty funny, although it wasn’t meant to be.
Kiddush And Derech Eretz
Re Heshy Fried’s “Kiddush: A Timeless Classic” (op-ed, Dec. 26):
I prepared kiddushes for a shul for a number of years. Consequently, I am very familiar with “kids” of all ages like Heshy. They would stand at the door to the social hall, banging to get in – whether shul was over or not. On more than one occasion they pushed their way in, announced shul was over and started helping themselves – well before the rabbi made kiddush.
Children and adults would heap their plates with food without a thought for anyone else. And often they didn’t finish what they took – the waste alone would have fed a small country. Some planted themselves in front of a chulent tray and didn’t move.
I have seen children climb on tables to get candy, and then hit each other with bags of candy until the bags burst and the candy flew all over the place. Drop some cake or a piece of kugel? No problem; someone else will pick it up. Leave your dirty plate on the table instead of walking two feet to put it in the garbage can? Why not? Cleanup is for others. Children are unsupervised while the adults stuff their faces and shmooze.
In some cases, supervision isn’t the problem. I once saw one boy, old enough to know better, preparing a heaping plate for himself. His father saw him and said nothing as the kid began to prepare a second plate. I suggested he finish one before taking more. He ignored me.
To Mr. Fried and others like him, I say enjoy your kiddush in this world. Your lack of derech eretz will surely mean your plate will be less full in the next.
Michael Greenbaum
(Via E-Mail)
What none of you wrote any letters to the editor saying how happy you were that I made it into a real newspaper?
Kiddush Anarchists unite
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
This guy has no respect for comedy. seems like one of those people who would be a good troll.
May be this guy didn’t get sarcasm in the article, but unrelated to that he had a good point – “often they didn’t finish what they took – the waste alone would have fed a small country”…
Sounds like this guy might be married to the “Cholent Nazi”
Telling you you’ll burn in Gehennom for being hungry is CLASSY
I thought the letter was hilarious.
The fact that he took time out of his day to type that and send it in made me giggle. He got trolled hardcore.
I think this guy gave me a a look while I was wolfing down my chulent during kiddish club. He definitly needs to chill. I think the REAL reason why he’s upset it because he was planning on using the leftovers for 1) next shabbos’ kiddush or 2) to take it home so his wife doesn’t have to cook. Kiddish Nazi: let kids (of all ages) be kids. If you can’t beat em, join em!
Is this the same guy who bans booze from kiddushim lest the villagers get drunk and out of control?
I’m not the biggest kiddush fan myself, I can relate to what this guy wrote about. We have a small kiddush every shabbos, not meant to be a meal, usually not hot food at all. Still, one or 2 guys bring their families and fill up on the tiny amounts of food as is they have none at home, their kids push their way up to the front before it starts and fill up their plates to the point of food falling of the sides. I should sponsor some smaller plates, it will keep people honest.
That being said, the guy is way to uptight to take Hesh that seriously.
I can also relate to what the guy wrote – after all I was the sitra achra to him. The fact that someone got a letter published about my piece is very cool.
Yo I read it and loved it.
obviously this dude has no sense of humor
and when he’s at a kiddush he takes his 10 beans and a half a cup of seltzer to make sure theres food in africa
Hey Phil, what do you have against poor people??
I was a poor kid with no food at home, living on the shul’s Kiddush, and I used to punch those long noses, sneering lips and glaring eyes of k’nakers like phil till they were bloody and then I’d watch the spoiled fat bastards run shrieking to their fat Yenta Mommas
In fact, I’m about to go kiddush hopping any minute now; I’ve got to make rounds because not every shul’s got chulent every week
check out a new blog called theshvigger.blogspot.com
when you get hitched you’ll know what to expect….
Levi,
I have nothing against poor people,I think shul kiddushes were originally designed for them in the first place.
It’s just when you have a kiddush that’s not even meant to be a meal, just crackers and some little pot’s of salads just big enough to let everyone have a spoonful to be yotzeh, that’s the wrong place to start loading up. There are dozens of shuls in the ‘hood where these same people can load up if the are hungry and can’t afford a meal.
As far as punching people in shul, you’ve obviously got some issues. I would hate to see you try that around here, you’d end up with some free hospital food for a long time.