Brother, Can You Spare A Kugel ?!?
Just a quick thought,
I went to daven maariv at Shomer Shabbos tonight, and I was finding it very difficult to concentrate.
The aromas wavering about were not very appealing.
Now I am all for helping people, really I am.
Rides to Lakewood, or Seattle Washington are a wonderful thing, all the other great services that this beis hamedrish offers are truly phenomenal, but a soup kitchen in the middle of a shul? What started out as a coffee station might have gone a bit too far.
The menu consists of ancient potato kugel, aged cholent, antique bakery goods, pizza that has seen better days and leftovers from approximately 89% of the simcha halls in Boro Park etc. etc. (to name but a few items)
The sanitary conditions of these gastronomical delights (?!) are not even the issue, it just strikes me as a bit odd to see people milling about balancing plates of food, while others are trying to daven.
Some might say that this is the epitome of “avodah” helping others even though it might cause you some inconvenience, (in my case unsavory scents, and characters) but on the other hand, there might be a proper place and “setting” for this kind of chesed, and I wonder if a shul is that place.
What thinks you?
posted by Chaim Chusid @ 11:37 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
I DAVENED THERE YESTERDAY NEAR YOU AND I SAW U LOOKING AT THE WHOLE THING, I AGREE THAT IT IS GRAWSOME! BUT U WERE MAKING ONE BIG JOKE OF THE WHLOE THING, HOW COME YOU'RE SO SERIOUS NOW?
IF U REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM THERE R PLENTY OTHER PLACES TO DAVVEN
HATZLOCHE ANY-WAY, KOL TUV
Anon, I don't recall seeing you there,,, let alone talking to you!
I B'h don’t have a problem; I was just interested in what other peoples opinions might be on the subject.
Any-way, hatzloche, and kol tuv to you too!
Chaim
I can definitely see where you're coming from though I kind of disagree. Of course a shul is'nt the best place for a soup kitchen but where else will people feel so comfortable using it?
M'Lady RR,
A shul is a place to daven, not munch.
Now if there was a different room set aside for eating and drinking, I would agree with you.
The food, however, is set up in the same room as where the minyanim take place, and don't think it's a very large room!
(with exaggerated hand flourishes)
I remain,
Chaim Chusid
Shomer Shabbos is known to be a haven for all sorts of characters, not only the ones who only have time to daven at the oddest hours of the day and night. I'm a woman so I've never actually been inside the shul, but watching what goes on outside the building is a pretty good clue as to what you can expect to find inside. And like "they" say, "if you can't take the heat (or the smell in this case) get out of the kitchen (or the shul). Of course, where else will you find such convenient minyanim???
Iz all good,
You are right, if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.
The comment however refers to a person that is going into a kitchen and is expecting a shul.
In this case, I go into a shul, and end up in the kitchen.
I believe that there is a distinction, but hey who am I?
I remain,
Chaim
NEA Chosid
L'chaim!
Chaim
i can see why it would be annoying.. but..
deal with it :)
how can you complain when youre not the one who needs the food?
anyway i see poele davening in all kinds of places, airports, offices, services areas, airplanes, bus stops.. and none of these are any better than a smelly shul..its not ideal, but if its necesaary..
Amousookie,
There is a difference between one that brings the shul to the airplane and one that brings the airplane to shul.
I can not stand the pesky fellow that insists on waking me up on a long trip to, say Israel, 3 hours into the flight, nuuuuuu,, minyan.
Is it my fault his Ritalin ran out?
On the other hand, I don't like people chomping down at a place that I go to daven.
Each in their proper place says I.
But your right I am in no position to judge others, or to complain when my simple comforts are being overridden by the simple necessities of life.
I remain,
Chaim
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