Comments for Cross-Currents

Comment on The Earth Trembles by sara maimon

sara maimon — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:43:58 +0000

btw there was a very mild earthquake in israel 1995 or thereabouts- i woke up with my bed shaking. it was extremely mild.

Comment on Not a Zero-Sum Game by Zachary Kessin

Zachary Kessin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:01:12 +0000

I will be the first to admit that my Gamara skills are totally non existent , but I have been a professional programmer for 15 years or so.

Anyone who can hold kop in Rabbi Akiva Eiger can be taught to be a highly skilled computer programmer. The problem is that you have to learn to be a computer programmer, and that takes years. Most people in this biz have at least a BA or BSc in computer science or something similar (mine is actually in physics) and even so spend the first 2-3 years working at pretty low level jobs. To become a top notch programmer takes at least 5 years of work experience and a fair bit of on the side learning time.

Also remember that Programming is an art that changes very fast. The technology that you learned 5 years ago may well be totally gone today. There is a reason that the book I am currently proofreading for the publisher is the 6th edition of a programing book.

Comment on Advice for the Job Forlorn by Zachary Kessin

Zachary Kessin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:41:13 +0000

A few tips for job seekers:

1) Yeshiva Standard English will not get you hired!
2) Don’t use a nickname, a Hebrew name is fine in most cases but the name on your CV should be your full legal name
3) Keep your CV to 1 page.
4) Don’t misrepresent yourself. People will find out sooner or later
5) Don’t make your needs their problem. You might not like what your female co worker wears, but shut up and be polite about it, if you start causing problems that could open up your boss to a law suit he will respond by firing YOU.

Hit the local Bookstore or Public Library and go read a bunch of books on finding a job. Your librarian will be glad to help if its a good library.

Comment on Advice for the Job Forlorn by Zachary Kessin

Zachary Kessin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 19:35:36 +0000

I think part of the problem is that many young people have very unrealistic ideas about how the work world works. I expect that many of these CV’s end up in the trash after the HR person reads the first 4 lines. Remember the HR guy has a stack of several hundred CV’s for that job. If you can not look impressive in the first 4 lines or so I promise you someone else does. (My CV starts out with a list of publications).

The Job of your CV (or resume if you are in the US, same basic thing) is to get you an interview, the job of the interview is to get you the actual job. And if you can’t be the world’s biggest mentch at the interview and show the skills that are needed you won’t get the job. Even in a good market and right now its even more so!

I say this having been in the internet biz since ‘94 and having interviewed a number of people over the years.

Comment on The Earth Trembles by HESHY BULMAN

HESHY BULMAN — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:52:17 +0000

Re: Sinas Chinam – points well taken. However, I would like to see Agudath Israel on the offensive from time to time, as well, vis-a-vis Reform. Those slanderous cartoons must be answered strongly and convincingly (at least to ourselves). As has been noted, the reply we make to the Ben Ha’Rasha in the Hagada is not directed towards him directly. “Va’Amartem Zevach Pesach Hu … “, even if it falls on deaf ears, must be said clearly and forcefully nontheless !! The question must be asked of our Reform Brethren – in which Orthodox publication will they find like-minded smears? Where will they find, either in print or in speech, the wholesale condemnation of their comportment as human beings ??? Where is to be found the “Chareidi” (I hate this expression, but can find no other to distinguish those of us who still follow “Daas Torah”) Rabbi who devotes his weekly sermon to the disparagement of the Reform Jew ?? I realize that the “centrist” Orthodox may disagree (he perhaps thinking himself protected from the Reform onslaught because of his modernity). But he knows, in his heart of hearts, that this is not the case. I have davened in “Chareidi” shuls all my life, and the only references I have ever heard, were not condemnation, but rather the expression of yearning that all Jews may one day return to Sh’miras Hatorah as it was transmitted to us from Moishe Rabbeinu through the Anshe K’nesses Ha’Gedola. One may say – but isn’t this in itself condescension? Shall we pretend then that we respect and peacefully accept the outright distortion and diminution of Toras Moshe ?? We don’t scream at the non-frum – we cry for them !! I defy any right-minded Jew who calls himself Orthodox to prove that this is not the case !

Comment on The Earth Trembles by Ken Bloom

Ken Bloom — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:04:19 +0000

L. Oberstein seems to be right. See http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1192380813365&pagename=JPArticle%2FShowFull

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Bob Miller

Bob Miller — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:56:25 +0000

Does this mean we have to use tefillin without modern circuitry?

Comment on The Earth Trembles by David T.

David T. — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:58:24 +0000

Maybe the quake happened because of people causing evil with their power of speech by NOT using it where necessary – such as with rabbinic leaders not speaking out against evil in the community? Do bad things ever happen as a result of Agudah loyalists, or is it only non-Agudah followers who have to do a cheshbon hanefesh?

Comment on The Earth Trembles by Sarah Elias

Sarah Elias — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:30:11 +0000

Joe Hill, what were you told otherwise? It’s not news that Israel lies on a fault line; after all there were terrible, devastating earthquakes in 1847 and 1927 – and based on the 80-year time gap between those two quakes, seismic experts say Israel is ch”v overdue for another one. Hashem yerachem veyishmor. Certainly cause for concern and prayer.

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Dave Weinstein

Dave Weinstein — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 07:29:59 +0000

It is the airlines that bear the ultimate responsibility to familiarize its personnel regarding the habits of significant subpopulations of the flying public.

What percentage of the flying public do you think are going to lay Tefillin?

You’re effectively talking about half of the Orthodox population of the United States as an upper bound.

Comment on The Earth Trembles by Shira

Shira — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 07:21:30 +0000

Potential earthquakes, Muslim extremists, Torah commandments, olam hazeh, olam habah – there are many reasons to get out of one’s armchair and get to work.

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Joe Hill

Joe Hill — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:41:31 +0000

Rabbi Chaim Pinchas Scheinberg, shlita, when asked if one should pray with a minyan on an airplane, said yes, adding that he does it “all the time.” While strictly speaking it might be permitted to pray at your seat, Rabbi Scheinberg prefers that one pray with a minyan, but quietly in a way that doesn’t disturb others.

Comment on The Earth Trembles by Joe Hill

Joe Hill — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:39:55 +0000

L. Oberstein — I was told otherwise.

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by lee

lee — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:45:39 +0000

Thanks for a good laugh!!

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Phil

Phil — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:39:15 +0000

A couple of rabbis I know were once questioned by airport security, not too long after 9-11, because of “ropes” hanging out of their shirts.
Where can I find good quality tsitsis like that?

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Observer

Observer — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:13:31 +0000

The kind of profiling needed is NOT racial profiling; in this context it makes no sense. What you do have to look for is behavioral issues, plus better connection to data in the pipe-line. For instance, young men buying one way tickets for cash should raise a question mark.When he is going on a visitors visa, that should make the question mark even stronger, as should the fact that he spent time in places like Yemen (where al quaida is known to have bases). And, when a man tells the American Embassy that his some has become redicalized, and is likely to try something bad, then you check to make sure that you check to see if this young man’s profile matches the profile of the young man who spent time in Yemen, who is traveling on a one-way ticket purchased with cash.

Comment on The Earth Trembles by dr. bill

dr. bill — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 01:26:52 +0000

The Rav ztl suggested “what” but not “why” as the response to tragedy. The CC ztl personally fasted. Introspection/tshuvah ought be directed inward not outward. Criticizing others, is a form of “why” regardless how couched or even how deserving.

Comment on The Earth Trembles by L. Oberstein

L. Oberstein — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:57:57 +0000

I was told that Eretz Yisroel is on a fault line and that an earthquake could occur at any time. This is a cause for great concern and for prayer.

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by L. Oberstein

L. Oberstein — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 23:54:35 +0000

It would seem that one could daven on the plane and put on the tefillin later and recite the Shema. Why start up? I agree with Myron “we’ve reached the point that we have to suspect explosive ‘gatkes’, who’s to say what is or isn’t a legitimate fear? “. The problem underlying all of this is that we do not want our gentile friends to start thinking that the Jews are the problem, if we didn’t have the Jews we wouldn’t have explosive ‘gatkes’.

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Yehoshua Friedman

Yehoshua Friedman — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:02:23 +0000

The olfactory went bankrupt years ago because nobody was buying their prophylactics. It can’t be that. Any danger of frum passengers being detonated has been blown up beyond proportions. This is an issue which has been going on since before the days of Napoleon Blownapart. That said, tefillin do look suspicious because they look like some kind of junction box with connections. Since explosives don’t have to contain metal any more, people who don’t know are suspicious. People who don’t like us will cynically use that fact. Perhaps this event will make tefillin more famous in the world. Let the bad guys fear us because Hashem’s name is on us!

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Aharon

Aharon — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:38:43 +0000

Rabbi Adlerstein,
I presume you mean “phylacteries” and not “olfactories”"?
[YA - Nope. That's what the officer said. Watch the YouTube]

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Ori

Ori — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 18:35:39 +0000

Melanie: If only Americans would consent to profiling – but since they won’t, even those little boxes will become suspect and soon require xrays and silly “precautionary measures.”

Ori: How do you propose to do this profiling? Even ignoring converts, Muslims range from black Sudanese all the way to pure Caucasians (for example, in the Caucasus). Racial profiling will give us a false sense of security.

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Myron Chaitovsky

Myron Chaitovsky — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:51:38 +0000

Flying in the Bible Belt with my lulav esconced in an architect’s tube evoked a query from the technician at the scanner. Upon hearing my explanation, he smiled “Oh, Tabernacles…”

Maybe the Gideon Bible shouldn’t only be stashed in hotel rooms but in TSA break rooms, too.

FWIW, I’ve davened on any number of airplanes (usually seated, Mr Cohen) and –puzzled looks aside–never any hassle. Of course, when we’ve reached the point that we have to suspect explosive ‘gatkes’, who’s to say what is or isn’t a legitimate fear? Some readers may be old enough to remember when drugs were smuggled into Israel in hollowed out seforim by individuals dressed as haredim.

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Ziv Carmel

Ziv Carmel — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 16:43:54 +0000

As someone who flies on approximately 70 or 80 domestic flight segments a year, I was very surprised to see this headline. I have donned tefillin and davened shachris in airplanes countless times (always seated) and no flight attendant or fellow passenger has ever said anything to me. I don’t stand while davening in an airplane specifically because of the attention that it would draw.

While I don’t know all the details of this specific incident, I wonder if this toung man was standing or shukling. Might a lack of regard for the psak in post #3 have contributed to this whole ordeal?

Comment on Tefillin Terror! by Garnel Ironheart

Garnel Ironheart — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:40:43 +0000

But remember that a couple of years ago a group of Muslims purposefully antagonized the system by acting as suspiciously as they could both before and during a routine American flight. Then when they were finally called on it, they screamed racism.
As a result, anything other than “Miss, can I have more peanuts?” is going to attract negative attention these days.
However, there’s always another way to deal with this. Explain to the stewardess (am I still allowed to call her that?) about what you’re about to do and even see if the galley is temporarily free so you can do it there. It’s always worked for me.

Oh, and they’re “phylacteries” which means that those who like them are “prophylactic”!