02 Jun SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER
Please note that the author of Speak Your Vues is in no way affiliated with the publisher of this paper.
The author of this column is an independent third party contributor. The views and opinions expressed by
this author may not reflect the views and opinions of the publishers. If one has any issues with any of the
views, please write a letter to the Vues Master.
THE PROBLEM WITH GRADUATION ROBES
Dear Vues Master
I would like to express how much I enjoy watching the gradu-
ation ceremonies at Yeshiva University & Touro University
each year. It is inspiring to see young Jewish men and women
reaching such important milestones while combining Torah
values with academic success. The pride of the families, rab-
beim, and students themselves is truly uplifting for the entire
community.
At the same time, there is one part of the ceremony that has
always troubled me: the long academic robes worn by the
graduates and faculty. While many people may view them as
standard university attire, to me they appear completely for-
eign to Jewish tradition and culture. The flowing ceremonial
garments come directly from non-Jewish academic customs
and feel unnecessarily “goyish” for a Torah institution.
YU & Touro are unique because they represent a blending of
higher education with Orthodox Judaism. Precisely because
of that unique mission, I believe it should strive to create cer-
emonies and traditions that reflect authentic Jewish dignity
rather than copying the formal styles of secular academia.
Why should a yeshiva-based institution need to imitate cen-
turies-old European university customs in order to celebrate
achievement?
The graduates deserve tremendous respect and admiration for
all they have accomplished. Nothing should take away from
their hard work and dedication. Still, I believe it would send a
stronger message if Yeshiva University developed a more dis-
tinctly Jewish style of ceremony and attire, one that reflects
Torah values and Jewish identity proudly and independently.
RDB
Vues Master’s Note: As long as everyone is dressed modest-
ly and appropriately, I do not see the issue. Graduation robes
are modest, dignified, and respectful. Wearing them does not
diminish the significance of the occasion or the Jewish values
that Yeshiva University or Touro seeks to uphold.
HEARING LOSS AT A SIMCHA
Dear Vues Master
I attended a family simcha this past weekend and left with a
question that I believe many people are asking: Why do DJs
and orchestras have to play the music so loudly?
The simcha itself was beautiful. Family and friends came to-
gether to celebrate a joyous occasion, and everyone wanted
to participate in the dancing and festivities. However, the
volume of the music was so overwhelming that I found it
impossible to remain in the room where the dancing was tak-
ing place. Instead of enjoying the celebration, I had to step
outside just to get relief from the noise.
Music is an important part of a simcha. It creates energy, ex-
citement, and an atmosphere of happiness. But there is a dif-
ference between lively music and music that is played at a
volume that can be physically uncomfortable. Many guests,
especially older individuals, young children, and those with
hearing sensitivities, are affected by excessive noise levels.
Medical experts have long warned that prolonged exposure
to loud sounds can contribute to hearing loss and tinnitus, a
constant ringing in the ears. Unfortunately, hearing damage is
often gradual and irreversible. What seems like a few hours
of loud music at a wedding or bar mitzvah can have lasting
consequences.
I would like to ask DJs, orchestra leaders, and simcha hall
managers to consider lowering the volume to a reasonable
level. People should be able to dance, celebrate, and still car-
ry on a conversation without shouting. A simcha should bring
joy, not hearing loss.
NP
Vues Master’s Note: What? I can’t hear a word you’re say-
ing!!
KNICKS TICKETS
Dear Vues Master
Growing up in New York, I always dreamed that if one of my
favorite teams, the Knicks, Mets, or Jets, made it to the cham-
pionship round, I would be there in person to witness history.
It was a promise I made to myself as a kid. I imagined saving
up, buying a ticket, and sharing the unforgettable experience
with my family.
That dream came crashing down when I learned that the
cheapest ticket for a Knicks NBA Finals game at Madison
Square Garden was selling for at least $4,000. I was stunned.
By the time I would buy two tickets so I could take my son,
pay for parking, food, and other expenses, the total cost
would approach $10,000.
How can an average fan afford that?
What makes it even more unbelievable is that courtside seats
are reportedly selling for more than $250,000. Think about
that for a moment. A quarter of a million dollars for a basket-
ball game. In many parts of the country, that amount could
be used as a down payment on a house. For
most working families, it represents years of
savings.
Sports are supposed to bring communities to-
gether and reward loyal fans who have sup-
ported their teams through good times and bad.
Instead, championship games have become
luxury events reserved for the wealthy and cor-
porate clients.
As much as I would love to attend a Finals
game, I have come to realize that I would rath-
er give that money to tzedakah and watch the
game with friends. At least then I would know
the money was making a positive difference in
someone’s life while still enjoying the excite-
ment of the moment with people I care about.
That said, I haven’t completely given up hope.
I recently bought a raffle ticket through Flat-
bush Shomrim for a chance to win Knicks Fi-
nals tickets. Hey, you never know. Maybe luck
will be on my side and I’ll get to experience
the dream after all without having to spend a
small fortune.
As a lifelong Knicks fan, I should be celebrat-
ing this incredible moment. Instead, I am dis-
appointed that loyal fans are being priced out
of experiencing it.
KL
Vues Master’s Note: You’ll enjoy the game
more knowing that you gave the money to tze-
dakah! Go Knicks!
SEWER ISSUES
Dear Vues Master
I could hardly believe what I was reading when
I saw the report about multiple individuals
emerging from a manhole on McDonald Av-
enue near Kosher Korner Supermarket at 2:00
in the morning.
For many residents, this sounds more like the
plot of a movie than something that would
happen in our neighborhood. According to re-
ports, approximately six people spent nearly
two hours underground before climbing out
of a manhole, while another individual report-
edly stood watch above ground. Naturally,
people who witnessed this unusual scene were
alarmed, and it is no surprise that the incident
sparked widespread rumors and speculation.
The explanation provided by the NYPD—that
the individuals were allegedly searching for
lost gold and jewelry in the city’s drainage and
sewer system—may have solved the mystery,
but it only raises more questions. Who would
willingly spend hours underground in a sewer
searching for valuables? The idea sounds un-
believable, yet apparently such incidents have
occurred before.
This incident also serves as a reminder of how
quickly misinformation can spread. Within
hours, rumors circulated that a body had been
discovered beneath the street. Thankfully, po-
lice quickly clarified that those reports were
completely false.
While the story may seem amusing to some,
it also highlights the dangers involved. Enter-
ing a sewer system without authorization is il-
legal and potentially life-threatening. Between
toxic gases, flooding risks, and other hazards,
no piece of jewelry is worth risking one’s life.
This was certainly one of the strangest neigh-
borhood stories I have heard in a long time.
BT
Vues Master’s Note: It’s amazing that some
people are willing to spend hours in a sewer
looking for treasure that may or may not exist.
Most people looking for gold start with a job
application, not a manhole cover.
A STORY OF TRUE HASHGACHA
PRATIS
Dear Vues Master
I finished work at 2:00 p.m. and picked up my
wife at 2:30. We decided, “Why not go to the
Israel Day Parade?” We figured there might be
a concert or some type of after-party once the
parade ended at 4:00 p.m.
I checked the MTA website to see how to get to
the end of the parade route. We found parking
near the 50th Street subway station and took
two trains into Manhattan.
Things didn’t go exactly as planned. Once we
got to Manhattan, we missed our stop and had
to get off at the next station and take a train
back in the opposite direction. When we finally
reached our destination, we realized we were
actually at the beginning of the parade rather
than the end. By the time we would have got-
ten to where we wanted to be, the parade would
already have been over.
I turned to my wife and said, “Let’s just head
home and call it a day. At least we tried.”
While waiting for our train back, we noticed
two Chabad bochurim. My wife made some
small talk and asked if they had just come from
the parade.
We ended up boarding the same subway car.
The bochurim got off at the 36th Street station,
and shortly after the train doors closed and we
started moving again, my wife noticed a shop-
ping bag left behind where they had been sit-
ting. She quickly picked it up and discovered
that it contained a pair of tefillin. There was no
name or contact information anywhere on the
bag or inside it.
We began thinking about how we might track
down the owner. Thankfully, about 15 minutes
later, our train was delayed at a station. Sud-
denly, an R train, a completely different train
line from the one we were on, pulled into
the same station. To our amazement, the two
Chabad bochurim came rushing off that train
in a panic, clearly searching for the missing
tefillin.
My wife and I immediately recognized them
and were able to return the tefillin. They were
incredibly grateful.
Looking back, it is amazing to see how every
little thing that went wrong that afternoon,
missing our stop, ending up at the wrong part
of the parade, and deciding to head home,
placed us exactly where we needed to be at the
right moment. It was a beautiful example of
true Hashgacha Pratis.
One important lesson from this story: always
make sure to write your name and phone num-
ber inside your tallis bag or tefillin bag. You
never know when it might help reunite you
with something so precious.
NAC
Vues Master’s Note: Sometimes it’s all about
being in the right place at the right time! How
fortunate that you were able to participate in
this mitzvah of hashavas aveidah all because
you missed your train. You ended up in just the
right place after all!
MAMDANI WAS M.I.A.
Dear Vues Master
The old saying goes that actions speak louder
than words. If that’s true, then New Yorkers
should take a close look at the public actions of
Zohran Mamdani.
Over the years, Mamdani has made appearanc-
es at countless cultural, ethnic, and community
celebrations throughout New York City. He has
attended the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Pakistan
Day Parade, Lunar New Year Parade, Puerto
Rican Day Parade, Dominican Day Parade,
Bangladesh Day Parade, Sikh Day Parade,
West Indian Day Parade, African American
Day Parade, and Pride Parade, among many
others.
Yet one parade appears to be missing from that
list: the Israel Day Parade.
For a city that is home to one of the largest Jew-
ish populations in the world outside of Israel,
his decision not to attend this major celebration
sends a troubling message. Jewish New York-
ers have every right to ask why nearly every
community seems worthy of recognition and
support except theirs.
No one is required to attend every parade.
However, when a politician consistently seeks
visibility at a wide range of community events
while avoiding one that celebrates the Jewish
state’s heritage and the strong ties between
New York and Israel, people will naturally
draw conclusions.
Many New Yorkers viewed Mamdani’s ab-
sence as more than a scheduling decision. They
saw it as part of a pattern that raises serious
concerns about his attitude toward Israel and
the Jewish community. I believe that the man is
a big anti-semite.
BT
Vues Master’s Note: And yet… Mamdani’s
presence was impossible to miss. Judging by
the number of cardboard cutouts and signs
bearing his image, he may have received more
attention than some of the people who actually
attended.
THE KOACH HANEGINAH!
Dear Vues Master
We all face challenging times in our lives, and
with Torah and tefillah we can succeed, iy”H. I
also feel that Jewish music, when done ehrlich
and with the right spirit, can help put a person
in the proper frame of mind.
These days, after sefirah, I’ve been listening
to some especially powerful songs. One is “Al
Tira,” composed by Yossi Green, sung beauti-
fully by Baruch Levine, with narration by Rab-
bi Paysach Krohn and music by Doni Gross.
Another is “V’Zocher” by Hershy Weinberger,
performed together with Ishay Ribo and MBD.
“I Am a Prayer,” sung by Shulem Lemmer on
Chananya Rottenberg’s new USB album (Abi
Rottenberg’s son), is guaranteed to make you
cry. “Shivisi B’veis Hashem,” composed by
Hershy Weinberger and sung by Naftali Kem-
peh, Baruch Levine, and Hershy himself, will
get you dancing. My eineklach danced around
and around my car to it on Purim!
Then there is the emotional masterpiece
“Achron Achron Chaviv – Baleuchtet Der
Velt,” composed and sung by Hershy Wein-
berger. The message is so powerful: when a
simple Yid lights Chanukah licht, it can tear up
a harsh gezeirah in Shamayim. As Hershy cries
out in Yiddish: “It doesn’t matter who you are,
where you are, or what you are — ven a Yid
tzindt Chanukah licht, es baleuchtet di gantze
velt!” When a Jew lights Chanukah candles, it
lights up the entire world.
Everywhere my son took me in Toms River on
Purim, they were singing this song. My einekel
even came home from Denver Yeshiva saying
the whole yeshiva was singing it!
When Torah Vodaath sent out our “Shteig”
video highlights, we used Hershy Weinberger’s
“Shivisi” as the background music.
There’s a famous legend that the Kotzker
Rebbe once told the Modzitzer Rebbe: “If you
would sing less and learn more, you would
become a bigger talmid chacham.” The Modz-
itzer answered, “We only say ‘Habocheir
b’divrei Torah’ once a week before the haftorah
on Shabbos, but every single day in Yishtabach
we say ‘Habocheir b’shirei zimrah!’”
The koach of neginah is real.
RMS
Vues Master’s Note: You should be in charge
of the playlist on long drives with your family!
THE BATTLE AGAINST
BNEI TORAH
Dear Vues Master,
When the Jews were in Egypt, the pasuk states,
“As they were pained and afflicted, so did they
increase and spread out.” This famous line ap-
propriately describes much of our history and
has repeated itself many times throughout the
generations.
Unfortunately, in our day, you can see it in
Eretz Yisrael, where every day self-appointed
court rulers come up with new ways to tor-
ment and afflict the bnei Torah. Someone in the
government even mentioned that certain Arab
Israeli families connected to terrorism are now
eligible for housing subsidies that chareidim
are no longer eligible to receive.
You won’t find an Islamic prisoner in an Israeli
jail being interrupted during his prayers, but
you will find yeshivah boys being subjected
to ridicule and scorn as they attempt to put on
tefillin. To me, it is hard to understand how a
country that cannot get a moment’s rest from
its enemies can spend so much time and re-
sources persecuting the very people whose To-
rah and mitzvos bring merits for Klal Yisrael’s
survival.
Unfortunately, every war we wage seems un-
finished. Every enemy we knock down pops
its head back up, and new threats continue to
emerge on different fronts. Hashem is showing
us that persecuting our “spiritual defenses” re-
sults in a lack of siyata d’Shmaya. The Torah
and mitzvos are not coming from the secular or
Arab sectors of society, so where else are they
coming from?
We are talking about people who willingly
choose to live with limited means so they can
raise Torah families, sheltered from secular
influences. Yet they are pursued relentlessly,
with traps being set to bring them into deten-
tion facilities where some seek to strip away
their religious commitment.
It is important to remember that this is not
the elected government behind all of this, but
rather a judicial system that many believe has
assumed control over major areas of state pol-
icy and operates according to its own agenda.
For over 75 years there was a legal exemption
for Torah study, and virtually overnight it dis-
appeared due to rulings by judges viewed by
many as hostile to religion.
Chas v’shalom to follow these ideologies or
allow emotions to override what our holy rab-
banim have unanimously ruled regarding these
spiritual dangers. They understand what we
are up against and have been following these
trends closely for decades. We all know people
who have been affected.
Those who continue to berate and degrade the
gedolim for their decisions should consider the
consequences of distancing themselves from
Torah leadership. It pays to be a friend and sup-
porter of our gedolim and Torah institutions.
If I had the means, I would make sure they
never again had to board a plane and travel
the world raising money. Unfortunately, I do
not. But these words will reach many homes,
including those of people who may be able to
do more than I can. That alone makes writing
them worthwhile.
KLMY
Vues Master’s Note: Your letter presents a
complex national debate as though only one
side cares about the future of Klal Yisrael.
Many of the soldiers risking their lives in
Gaza, Lebanon, and elsewhere are themselves
observant Jews who deeply value Torah and
mitzvos.
Reasonable people can disagree about military
service, but it is unfair to portray everyone who
supports broader participation in national de-
fense as enemies of Torah. We should be care-
ful not to assume that every court ruling, policy
disagreement, or military setback is a sign that
Hashem favors one political position over an-
other.
At a time when Israel faces threats on mul-
tiple fronts, a little more humility and a little
less certainty about Hashem’s intentions might
serve us all well.
ADIREI HATORAH “CONCERT”
Dear Vues Master
I recently viewed footage and photos from the
Adirei HaTorah maamad at the Xfinity Mobile
Center in Philadelphia and found myself won-
dering: Where exactly is the line?
Not so many years ago, many in our commu-
nity would have declared such an event prob-
lematic because of the glaring concert-style
lighting, flashing effects, and overall produc-
tion atmosphere. The argument would have
been that these elements resembled secular en-
tertainment venues and were inappropriate for
a Torah gathering.
Yet today, many of the same Ziknei H’Edah
and community leaders appear comfortable
participating in and endorsing events featur-
ing sophisticated stage productions, massive
video screens, dramatic lighting, and profes-
sional-quality presentations. To be clear, I am
not criticizing the event itself. Thousands were
inspired, Torah was honored, and tremendous
kavod was given to lomdei Torah.
My question is a sociological one. What
changed? Were previous concerns overstated?
Has the community evolved? Have standards
shifted because technology and presentation
methods have become unavoidable parts of
modern life? Or is there a distinction being
made that many of us simply do not under-
stand?
Every generation must balance preserving tra-
dition with navigating contemporary realities.
Understanding where our leaders draw those
lines is important for anyone trying to follow
their guidance consistently.
Perhaps this is a conversation for an Orthodox
forum, a panel discussion, or a thoughtful essay
by our communal thinkers. As for me, I may
just have to ask Dad for a sociological analysis.
Tzarich iyun.
RDF
Vues Master’s Note: We are often afraid of
what is unfamiliar. As we become more com-
fortable with something and grow accustomed
to it, it tends to feel less intimidating. I believe
that is the psychology at work here. Initially,
the idea of a concert-like atmosphere may have
seemed unsettling, but over time, as people be-
came more familiar with it, it no longer felt so
unusual or concerning.
CANCER CURE
Dear Vues Master
The recent report about the experimental pan-
creatic cancer drug daraxonrasib is truly inspir-
ing and offers a much-needed ray of hope to
patients and families battling one of the deadli-
est forms of cancer.
For decades, pancreatic cancer has carried a
devastating prognosis, often being diagnosed
only after it has already spread. The fact that
this new medication nearly doubled survival
time for patients whose cancer had stopped
responding to prior treatments is nothing short
of remarkable. Even more encouraging is that
many patients experienced
less pain, improved quality
of life, and fewer severe
side effects compared to
traditional chemotherapy.
Reading that veteran on-
cologists were moved to
tears by the study results
speaks volumes about the
significance of this break-
through. While researchers
rightly caution that this is
not yet a cure, it represents
a major step forward in
the fight against a disease
that has taken far too many
lives.
Cancer has touched nearly
every family in some way.
Too many mothers, fa-
thers, spouses, children,
relatives, and friends have
been taken from us far too
early because of this ter-
rible disease. Every advancement that extends
life, reduces suffering, and brings hope to pa-
tients deserves recognition and celebration.
I sincerely hope that this breakthrough is just
the beginning. May researchers continue mak-
ing discoveries that lead not only to better
treatments for pancreatic cancer, but ultimately
to cures for all forms of cancer. The world des-
perately needs that day to come.
LT
Vues Master’s Note: Amen!
MOSQUITO BITES
Dear Vues Master
Mega Kudos to Rivkah Cohen for her letter
last week abut the danger of a toxic chemical
sprayed by multiple mosquito control compa-
nies.
As she so rightfully points out, eliminating
standing water (found in garbage cans, pails,
and other containers, even quite small ones),
can be done with no outlay of money, and is
very effective with this, as mosquitoes breed
in it.
We recently had much rain, and now tempera-
tures have gone up (mosquitoes are not on the
prowl for us in cold weather), so now is the
time for action toward the goal of a mosquito
free summer, with G-d’s help. Please eliminate
standing water near you and deny the mos-
quitoes use of your property for a breeding
grounds, and gain your neighbors cooperation
as well.. You will thus be a shachein tov and a
good citizen.
Sincerely,
Once bitten, twice shy
Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for the tip!