31 May 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.
HEAR YA
Dear Vues Master:
With Sefirah ending, the noise increases. The days of mourning
are replaced by weddings, B’nai and B’not Mitzvah and
other simchot. With these events comes loud ear-damaging
music. The earbuds and headphones go back on the head
and the loud music is back in style. Summer camps feature
frequent music events with loud music blasting from big
speakers. All forms of loud music have the same harmful
effect on one’s hearing. I have spoken to several audiologists
all of whom told me that in the past few decades they have
seen a tremendous increase in hearing loss in teenagers and
even in children as young as two years old. Hearing loss is
irreversible. Much of this damage is caused by loud music
through headphones and attending events featuring loud music.
Deafness and hearing loss is more than just an individual
inconvenience. It immensely affects one’s emotional and psychological
health. It also affects the entire family dynamic,
permanently. Hearing loss can be largely prevented. Lower
the volume of music when wearing headphones. The volume
should be lower than what you would need if you were listening
to the music in a quiet room, not louder. Avoid simchot
that play loud music. If you can’t hear your friend when
you speak to him while standing or sitting next to each other,
then the music is certainly damagingly loud. Ear plugs do not
sufficiently help. The best solution is to not be in the same
room at all. If your friend won’t cooperate by lowering the
volume to a safe level, I recommend not attending the event
at all. Your health I smore important than your friend’s feelings.
Seriously, if your friend won’t consider protecting other
people’s hearing health, what type of friend is s/he? I am
shouting out to all rabbanim, community leaders and anyone
with congregational influence to prioritize speaking about the
effects of hearing loss, while their community still has the
ability to hear your words. Simchot and fun occasions do not
require loud music to be enjoyable. Emphasize that everyone
take care of their own as well as their attendants’ hearing
health and safety by lowering the volume in their personal
smartphones, digital devices, conferences, shul / yeshiva dinners,
weddings and other simchot. Camp directors should
also practice similar procedures to protect campers’ hearing
health. There is no excuse for apathy or neglect. Let’s be safe
and smart during the summer so that by the time the Yamim
Nora’im arrive when we say Lishmo’a El Harina V’el Hatefila
it will be more than just a request to G-d, but a benefit to
ourselves and our community.
D F
Vues Master’s Note:This letter is ringing in my ears. Hope it
does not serve as white noise.
AMERICA’S RESPONSE TO WAR CRIMES IN
UKRAINE—THEN AND NOW
Dear Vues Master:
“Terrorizing, torturing and killing civilians” … “a sadistic
days-long killing spree” … “victims buried in mass graves” …
“pillaging and destruction of homes.” These are among the
descriptions of war crimes committed near Kyiv, which appear
in the Ukrainian government’s recent indictment of eight
Russian soldiers and mercenaries. But they just as easily could
have been taken from the reports about anti-Jewish atrocities,
in the very same region, that reached America 80 years ago
this week. Nazi death squads, known as the Einsatzgruppen,
accompanied the German army as it advanced through Soviet
Ukraine in the summer of 1941, terrorizing, torturing and killing
Jews in town after town. Today that first phase of the Nazi
genocide, involving the slaughter of an estimated one million
Jews, is known as the “Holocaust by bullets.” Unlike today,
when images of atrocities in Ukraine are broadcast around
the world almost in real time, news of the German massacres
emerged only gradually. The first fragmentary reports about
the mass killings were published by the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency in early October 1941, and in the New York Times
later that month. Similar reports appeared sporadically in the
months to follow, including news of the slaughter of 52,000
Jews in the Babi Yar ravine, on the edge of Kyiv (then commonly
spelled “Kiev”). However, such news was difficult
to confirm and sounded to many Americans like the usual travails
of war. The turning point came in late May 1942—eighty
years ago this week—when a courier from the Jewish Socialist
Bund of Poland reached England with a shocking report. It
began: “From the day the Russo-German war broke out, the
Germans embarked on the physical extermination of the Jewish
population on Polish soil.” The Bund Report described
how in villages throughout Poland, Ukraine, and Lithuania,
German troops marched the Jewish residents to nearby forests
or ravines and machine-gunned them into giant pits. The report
stressed that the killings were not isolated outbursts, but
part of a systematic plan to “annihilate all the Jews in Europe,”
town by town, country by country. The Bund also detailed the
killing of Jews in the Chelmno camp in mobile death vans–
trucks whose exhaust fumes were pumped back into the passenger
cabin. Some 700,000 Jews had already been murdered,
the Bund Report calculated. (The actual total was about two
million by then.) The response of the American press left
much to be desired. The Chicago Tribune, for example, relegated
the news to eleven lines on page 6, reporting vaguely
that the Jews had perished as a result of “ill treatment” by the
Germans. The Los Angeles Times gave it two paragraphs on
page 3. The coverage in the New York Times was particularly important because many other newspapers looked to the Times –as they still do– to decide if a particular story deserves attention. On June 27, the Times buried the Bund’s report at the end of a column of short news items from Europe. The following week, the Times published a news analysis claiming that the Germans “treat the Jews according to whether they are productive or nonproductive,” and that the high mortality rate among “nonproductive” Jews was due to “starvation and ill treatment” rather than mass executions. The article also claimed that some reports of mass graves “appear to have been based on hearsay.” New York Times publisher Arthur Hays Sulzberger, who was Jewish, feared that giving prominence to Jewish-related news would provoke antisemites to accuse the Times of promoting Jewish interests. The content and placement of articles related to Nazi atrocities against Jews reflected Sulzberger’s mindset. The Roosevelt administration, for its part, actively tried to suppress news of the mass murder. A few weeks after the Bund Report arrived, officials of the U.S. Office of War Information decided to withhold reports about Nazi massacres of Jews, on the grounds that the news would lead to “hatred of all members of the races guilty of such actions” or provoke German retaliation against American POWs. Roosevelt administration officials were worried that publicity about the slaughter would lead to demands that they do something about it. If the news got out, “the way will then be open for further pressure from interested groups for action which might affect the war effort,” R. Borden Reams, head of Jewish affairs in the State Department’s European Division, confided to his colleagues. “The plight of the unhappy peoples of Europe including the Jews can be alleviated only by winning the war,” he insisted. Under Secretary of State Sumner Welles claimed that Jewish organizations’ calls for rescue actually were sponsored by “the German propaganda machine,” which was “using the misery” of the refugees in order to “create confusion and doubt within the United Nations [as the Allies were then known].” Another senior State Department official in 1943 derided Jewish rescue activists as “emotionalists.” And when refugee advocate James G. McDonald complained to President Roosevelt about the suffering of European Jews who were trying to escape from the Nazis, the president dismissed it as “sob stuff.” Fortunately, much has changed since the 1940s. Although there are still some isolationists who think that atrocities in Ukraine are none of America’s business, such thinking is to be found only among a small minority of the public. Today’s news media, unlike their predecessors during the Holocaust, have kept the American public informed about Russian war crimes. And, most important, the U.S. government has so far responded much more forcefully to Russian savagery in Ukraine than when atrocities were committed there by another aggressor 80 years ago.
RM
Vues Master’s Note: As much as things change they still stay the same
REGENTS
Dear Vues Master:
Last Tuesday, the New York State Department of Education canceled the 2022 Regents Exam in U.S. history and government because the content could traumatize students. Betty Rosa, the commissioner of the New York State Department of Education, announced the cancellation last Tuesday in a letter to colleagues. She wrote that department staff reviewed all June 2022 Regents Exams for content that could compound the trauma students have felt since the Buffalo mass shooting that killed ten. Staff determined that the U.S. history and government exam could be traumatizing given the context. The letter didn’t give specifics as to what parts could cause trauma. The department has decided to cancel the exam since it has already been printed and couldn’t be altered before the June 1 test date. “To appropriately support our students and their well-being, the Department is canceling the administration of the Regents Examination in United States History and Government,” Rosa wrote. My son has been in high school for three years now & still has not taken a regents!!! We are living in crazy times!!!!
DH
Vues Master’s Note: Now you woke up!
JUDGEMENT
Dear Vues Master:
At the conclusion of a divorce trial the Judge said: “Mr. Katz, I listened to the testimony very carefully and I’ve decided to give your wife $1200 a week.” “That’s very fair, Your Honor,” Mr. Katz responded. “And every now and then I’ll try to send her a little something myself.”
MB
Vues Master’s Note: Judgement day!
GEMACH
Dear Vues Master:
The 2022 Flatbush Chametz Gemach is now done and filling the pantries of Brooklyn families. This year, we gave out over 8,700 pounds of food in just seven days to those in need in Flatbush. In thirteen years, the Gemach has been fortunate enough to collect and distribute over 60,000 pounds of food, and you all are part of that. While I may be the guy who puts stuff in boxes, you donated the food and money, helped with distribution and helped with supplies and logistics. Thank you all for that. I could not do this on my own. It was made even more successful due to your help. Big thank you to Leah, Shoshana, Yoni and Mrs. Rosenberg. You know who you are! and how much you keep this chesed project moving smoothly. A special thank you to Reisman’s Bakery for providing 1,000 pounds of bakery goods. Families were very excited to receive these treats. Thank you to The Jewish Vues for helping to spread the word. Finally, thank you to Malka Kalimi of Prospect Park Yeshiva. It was amazing that Ms. Kalimi collected from her friends, family and neighbors a car full of food. Prospect Park Yeshiva should be very proud. If you see her, let her know her efforts are much appreciated. Thanks again for helping Brooklyn’s needy families and making the Gemach a success.
Y R
Vues Master’s Note: Mi Keamcha Yisroel!
HATE
Dear Vues Master:
When Shimon referred to a business competitor as a mamzer, his wife said: “You shouldn’t talk like that. We are children of G-d. After all, every living person is descended from Adam and Eve. We are all one family.” “I can’t deny that,” her husband responded, “but this guy must come from your side of the family.”
FS
Vues Master’s Note: This sounds like a common fight!
MENTAL HEALTH
Dear Vues Master:
I was dismayed this past week to see a letter/ Joke ( entitled: “Season” p. 83) which jokes about mental illness. Do you not understand that many people suffer from serious mental illness (psychosis, bipolar disorder etc)? Their emotional pain is real and causes untold grief to them and their families. Silly stories about a psychiatric hospital and the use of pejorative terms like “fruitcake” are demeaning and inappropriate. Not only did you print this silly so-called joke, but then added a flippant response that evidences total ignorance. I am saddened that a frum publication can be so insensitive or callous.
J V, PhD
Psychologist
Vues Master’s Note: Basically no more jokes about anything just be PC! Jews have the ability to laugh at ourselves. That is how we coped all these years!
LICENSE
Dear Vues Master:
Beginning in late June, New York state residents will have the option to select a gender-neutral “X” marker for their driver’s license, birth certificate, or any other official identification document, the governor’s office announced Friday, Newsmax reports. New Yorkers will also be able to self-select their gender designation for the first time, according to Democratic governor Kathy Hochul. “Every person, regardless of their gender identity or expression, deserves to have an identity document that reflects who they are,” said Hochul, in a news release detailing the state’s “Gender Recognition Act,” which goes into effect on June 24. Under the measure, signed into law by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo last year, state-issued licenses and IDs can be amended to display M (male), F (female) or “X” gender markers, upon request with “no additional documents required.” In New York, current state law requires residents seeking changes to their preferred gender — or away from their “predominant” gender — to provide documentation from a doctor. In other states, though, people must fulfill more stringent requirements to get their preferred gender on official documents, such as a driver’s license or birth certificate. All I have to say is WHAT IS GOING ON IN THIS WORLD?? This is sick!!! We are living in crazy times!! How can someone pick their gender? Are men going to have babies soon???
SF
Vues Master’s Note: Time to switch the siddur!
SHAVUOS
Dear Vues Master:
It is going to be a very difficult Shavuous for me. I have no idea how I’m going to handle a three day Yom Tov with 90 degree weather. On top of that, my in-laws are coming in from Florida. What should I do?
JK
Vues Master’s Note: Sodom and Amorah!
TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION
Dear Vues Master:
A man asked a librarian where he could find a book titled “The Man is the Boss of the House.” Thinking for a moment, she responded: “Try the second floor. It may be in the fiction department.”
LR
Vues Master’s Note:Let me guess the gender of the librarian? Or maybe not!
FAMILY
Dear Vues Master:
Twenty-four years later, Rabbi Akiva came back accompanied by 24,000 students. Everyone went out to greet him and Rachel’s neighbor said to her: How can you greet him dressed so poorly? She said his deeds are greater than his wisdom and he will treat me accordingly. Rabbi Akiva students tried to fend her off and R. Akiva said leave her as my Torah and yours are hers. Afterwards, R. Akiva became wealthy and fulfilled the promise he had made to Rachel long before to give her a Jerusalem of Gold. According to Ben Yehoyada, R. Akiva himself fastened the tiara on her head. This evoked a complaint from his disciples: “Our teacher, you have embarrassed us by what you did for her!” R. Akiva replied, “She suffered with me greatly for Torah” (paraphrase from Artscroll, Nedarim 50a). The words of the righteous are carried out and this is especially so when they are followed by deeds. His students should have taken heed of his words, my Torah and yours are hers, and treated her with utmost respect. Not doing so and protesting when he publicly crowned her could have sealed their fate. If she is demanding of herself then she is going to be demanding of “her” students. It could well be that R. Akiva’s life was also on the line as there is an opinion that we celebrate Lag BaOmer because he survived. Perhaps Shimon bar Yochai died years later on that date in lieu of his rabbi, R Akiva.
DG
Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for your inspirational letter.
OLD AGE
Dear Vues Master:
Besides the story of R. Akiva and Rachel it seems that G-d is provoked differently when it comes to a righteous man and women Pinchas’s words were: “Like an error that proceeds from a ruler” (Ecclesiastes 10:5). As soon as he uttered them they come true, even though he did not intend them. Shortly after Pinchas made his comment, something unpleasant happened to Shmuel, and one of his close relatives died. Pinchas, his brother, entered to ask him the reason, to offer words of comfort. Shmuel, upset at him, said: Do you not know the principle that a covenant is made with the lips? That what one says influences future events (Moed Katan 18a). Rav Rechumi was accustomed to go home, every year, on the eve of Yom Kippur. One day he was particularly engrossed in studying and he remained in the study hall and did not go home. His wife was expecting him and in her distress a tear fell from her eye. At that exact moment, Rav Rechumi was sitting on the roof and it collapsed under him and he died. This teaches how one must be careful not to anguish his wife even inadvertently (Kesubos 62b). It appears that G-d responds to a man’s words and a woman’s weep. We do the same, would anyone take seriously a crying man and a cursing woman, besides someone woke? A woman came before Rabbi Ami and requested a divorce due to her husband’s inability to father children. She said to her husband: Give me the payment for my marriage contract. He said to her: No, as you are not commanded to be fruitful and multiply and have no right to demand a divorce. She said to him: if I have no children, who will take care of me when I grow old? The Gemara relates a similar incident: A woman came before Rav Naḥman and requested a divorce… She said I want children to take care of me in my old age and bury me when I die. Rav Naḥman said: in such a case we certainly force the husband to divorce her (paraphrased from Yevamos 65b).
DG
Vues Master’s Note: I always say I gotta be nice to my youngest as he will pick my nursing home!
REWARD
Dear Vues Master:
As Rosie was removing a pot of boiling water from the stove, she slipped and fell and the boiling water burnt her face. After receiving emergency treatment, the doctors determined that she needed a skin graft and plastic surgery. Her husband agreed to provide skin from his seat. The operation was successful. Afterwards, Rosie said to her husband: “I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate what you did for me.” Her husband replied: “Dear, I did it because I love you and, truthfully, because of the pleasure I’ll have every time your mother kisses your face.”
GU
Vues Master’s Note: Not Nice!
JEWISH
Dear Vues Master:
Jews are not white, including Ashkenazi Jews. We are a distinct ethnicity, as proven by DNA tests. Sure, we have some white ancestry, but so do many Black people and most Latines. Of course, the white/POC paradigm is itself a construct made up by racists; back when racism was socially acceptable, some pseudoscientists pretty much decided that ethnicities they like are white and ones they don’t like are not white. Though it is sometimes relevant whether or not someone is part of a group that has historically been racially oppressed, we should consider it a social fact, not a biological one.
JW
Vues Master’s Note:Sounds like a bigoted view!
MEMORIAL
Dear Vues Master
Memorial Day in America commemorates America’s fallen heroes. These brave men and women knowingly put their lives on the line for their nation. With great courage they did the impossible – rushed into battle, putting themselves at risk for the safety and well-being of their fellow citizens back at home. With every instinct screaming to retreat, these brave souls ignored their fears and rushed to fight. For reasons only G-d knows, they were chosen for the ultimate sacrifice, and for their great act we are forever in their debt. America’s first soldiers didn’t fight to conquer land, or for wealth and booty. The freedom fighters of the Colonies fought for freedom from tyranny. They fought so their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and most importantly, their children, could lead the lives of the free, enjoying life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Throughout the 245 years of American soldiers fighting, they didn’t just fight for America, but to spread the idea of freedom throughout the world. Nations ruled by Kings, Czars, tyrants and dictators looked to America as a beacon of light to follow in their dark world. They knew that as long as America was free, they too had a chance to experience their own personal redemption. American soldiers landed on the shores of nations throughout the world and spread freedom wherever they set foot. From the shores of Japan to the gates of Auschwitz, when American boots landed, freedom was soon to follow. America lowers its flag to half-staff to honor the memories of our fallen soldiers. The truth is today of all days the flag should be raised higher. The American flag boasts of the freedom its fighters have spread throughout the globe. This past Monday, our flag, our people and our soldiers stood tall for the good they have achieved and the world they have made brighter.
RUP
Vues Master’s Note: I’ll try to remember this next year!
WEAPON
Dear Vues Master:
This isn’t a political letter, and it’s not a commentary on gun control laws or the second amendment. This post is about education and teachers. I’m asking readers not to comment about school shootings or policy but to focus on the point I’m making – teachers need to focus on teaching. I’m an educator who carries a gun every day from the moment I leave my house in the morning until my return home at night. Yet before I teach a class, I put my gun in a safe. Putting my gun away when I teach might seem counterintuitive, after all, the point of the gun is to protect people, and who needs protection more than students? In the aftermath of each school shootings, the idea of arming teachers is repeatedly suggested as a means of stopping the next school shooting. Advocates of arming teachers imagine a scenario where a shooter enters a classroom and an armed teacher draws a firearm and shoots the shooter. As most shooting incidents take 3-5 seconds and requires a high level of firearm proficiency, teachers wouldn’t just need to be armed, they’d need to be trained as well. If advocates had their way, teachers would play a dual role, educators and safety officers. Carrying a gun is a serious responsibility. The worst scenario would be if a student accidentally got their hands on the gun. The gun would have to always be on the teacher’s person. Since the teacher would have to draw their weapon quickly in a caser of a shooter, it wouldn’t make sense to keep the gun in a safe. A gun isn’t an accessory like a wallet or watch, it’s not enough to always wear it, one must be aware of it and constantly check to make sure it is in a safe position. Carrying a tool that can end life requires a mentality that is prepared for the most consequential of situations. A teacher is tasked with educating and inspiring their students. To successfully fulfill their responsibilities a teacher must be fully focused on their students’ needs both inside and outside of the classroom. Teachers must prepare their classes before they teach them and review them after they deliver the class. Although good teachers make it seem like they’re teaching their lessons “off the cuff,” they require hours of preparation and a mind fully focused on their lesson. If teachers carried guns and had to act as a safety officer, they’d have to split their focus between teaching and being a safety officer. Students would have a constant reminder at the front of the classroom that they’re not safe, causing even more distraction than students currently face. Teacher training would need to include weapons and situational training. Cops train for months for these scenarios, how long will teachers have to train to be qualified? Schools will also lose qualified teachers who don’t want to carry arms or teach in a school where teachers are carrying weapons. People without expertise on weapons, armed conflict and teaching shouldn’t comment as if they are experts in these areas. The famous line, “Those that can’t teach must do,” should be instructive to those assuming they know what goes into teaching. Education is an expertise that requires full focus, carrying a weapon and being responsible for safety will take away from that expertise. It’s only a lack of understanding of what goes into properly carrying a firearm and how to properly teach that allows people to think you can do both at an excellent level simultaneously. I want to reiterate, my point here is not political, it isn’t about school shootings or guns. I wrote this long post to remind non-educators how much effort and focus great education – at any level to any age – requires. Asking teachers to play an additional role of safety officer will significantly detract from the teacher’s ability to be an expert educator.
RUP
Vues Master’s Note: Oh Shoots!
GUN LAWS
Dear Vues Master:
The topic of gun control came up once again, due to the recent school shooting in Texas. As the Frum community migrated to the political right, beginning from the Bush era, many of us have picked up the whole package deal, although it most likely began with morality issues, and eventually Israel. However, it is probably a better idea to have your own opinions on each topic, rather than leaving it up to your subscription. I don’t think our community has a real dog in the fight. We aren’t the gun types, anyhow. If anything, we just don’t like seeing more government prohibitions. That said, I think things should go in both directions. There’s no reason people should object to background checks, but I believe that is already in place. Maybe gun manufacturers should be required to make the barrels even more pronounced, in that a bullet should be able to be traced to its licenced owner without having to get hold of the gun first. On the flip side, I do believe it is very irresponsible to have large unarmed premises for children. Every (large) school or camp, or perhaps any large gathering place, should be required, or at least encouraged, to have armed personnel. This doesn’t necessitate hiring new guards. It means getting a gun and taking a few simple courses on how to use it. Teachers spend much more time than that on teacher reacclimation day or whatever they call them. One thing to keep in mind is, unless you make the gun laws extremely prohibitive, you’ll only affect those whom you aren’t targeting. The guys who shouldn’t be getting it will find ways to have it, as long as it remains possible.
HL
Vues Master’s Note: Laws are only for law abiding citizens If you want to impact criminals first thing is knock off Bail Reform!
POLITICS
Dear Vues Master:
Why every time there’s a tragedy is there more people know about the political arguments resulting from the tragedy then the tragedy itself. Of course we need discussion on how to prevent it but that’s not what’s happening, it’s just politicians labeling other politicians and using tragedies as shields. If it can’t be discussed respectfully can politicians at least wait till the mourners stop mourning before turning the mourners’ loved ones into politicized symbols?
TS
Vues Master’s Note: Because they don’t care about the tragedy they just pander to their base!
EVERY JEW AT 22
Dear Vues Master:
After the horrible shooting in Texas, I urge every rebbi in every yeshiva, and every gabbai in every shul, to buy themselves a pistol. One shot in the mamzers’ head will stop these tragedies cold in their tracks. Any opinions?
MK
Vues Master’s Note: Until someone gets shot by mistake. Uch un Vey!
RECYCLING
Dear Vues Master:
Is recycling a scam or myth at best? Are there any benefits to recycling when it costs more to recycle an item than to produce a new one? Most recycling ends up in the same place as garbage so is it mostly just a way to increase revenue by ticketing people who dont separate recycling items? What are some better or additional ways to minimize waste and unnecessary junk? I’m not a save the whales kind of guy but the environment does matter at least a little seeing how we eat the fish, animals and plants that all get contaminated by hazardous waste and items. It doesn’t seem that recycling is the answer.
RW
Vues Master’s Note: Only recycling letters serve a purpose.