mentalblog.com comments:
The Deitsch family (R'Dovid's - the Crown Heights Deitsche's are special as well) is a special family of balei tzedakah, at least the first 2 generations in the US beginning with Reb Dovid, who, single-handedly undertook all the financial aspects of Oholei Torah for close to 50 years. His children too follow in his footsteps, tho' probably not as magnaminous donators. What remains to be seen is the grand-children of Reb. Dovid. I'm not sure they have what it takes to give of themselves as their grandfather did - most of them know how to take tho'.
If you spent 5 minutes in New Haven then you'd see that the grandkids know how to give jus as well as their grandfather.
You fail to give credit to Westville Syangouge who amongst its members is Joe Leiberman
Westville synagogue , although headed by a fine rabbi is hardly the dynamic synagogue, although it is basically the only active "large" Orthodox synagogue left in NH. Many of its members have dual membership with BEKI, and others are aging.
As far as I am aware Joe Lieberman no longer resides in NH in a de facto sense. I believe he sold his home in Westville and has a de jure residence in a downtown hotel. His chief synagogue relationship is with Kesher Israel in Georgetown headed by Barry Freundel.
If you wish to get something done religiously or procure religious "services" you are advised to deal with either Chabad or the Greer (yeshiva of NH) community, and BEKI in the non Halachic sphere.
Joe moved out of New Haven to Stamford a few months ago. See the story here http://
www.newhavenindependent.o...doesnt_live.php
With r' dovid's grandkids it seems their personal comforts come before anything else, unless they are big into donating anonymously which would surprise me. they opened (didn't build) a yeshiva that they take a premium in tuition for. In contrast R' Dovid was a selfless man having built Oholei Torah from scratch keeping it going for so many years. He was a true Tzadik is every sense of the word. Grandkids don't come close (save a few shluchim amongst them).
benarye
You could not be more wrong about Reb David's einiklach. There are 5 in New Haven, unless I have lost count. They have carried the community for years, and they are tremendous ba'alei chesed.
Without naming names of people who would be embarrassed at their own praise, I can tell you that they are very active in chesed in every facet, and in a very personal way, not just with money. Among them, they take personal care of people who need them, and they seek out those who need them, not just waiting to be asked.
It reminds of an old story about Lamar Hunt, who made a fortune speculating in silver. His sons drove around nice cars and he drove a very well used vehicle. When asked about the difference, he said, they had something I never had, a rich Daddy." I do not begrudge them a summer in the country or a car that is not falling apart. If you are implying that they live ostentatiously, I have never seen it, and I have known them since they were children.
I hope benarye that you are speaking from ignorance. If so, let me assure you (and I am not related to them in any way nor employed by them) that the einicklach of Reb David make Reb David (and the Rebbe) proud. They are the real deal, and I do not give that type of praise lightly. In the age of Chabad decay, civil war, and inventive theological ranting, they kept doing (not preaching or fighting over nonsensical dogma), and I mean Reb David's children and their children who live in New Haven, individually and as a group. They have moved responsibly to help the community grow, to bolster chinuch (which is in a sad state) and to maintain the community institutions, like the shul, the mikveh, the shluchim, and YES, I can tell you they give b'saiser when they think someone might be embarrassed to take otherwise (and I do not mean only money).
If you speak from ignorance, I hope you are more educated now. If you speak from "knowledge", then I cannot know from where your experience comes. It is repaying good with evil.
Did you ever consider that the chief cause of the declining Jewish population in NH is the white-flight due to NH's social and economic deterioration. Afterall, what's left of any serious industry beyond Yale University.
A good example of that deterioration, Truman, is Winchester. At one time Winchester employed 19,000 people in New Haven, and over 140 years the plant produced tens of millions of excellent rifles and countless rounds of ammunition. It gradually declined and then was sold to a foreign firm.
Life is not static, demographics and jobs move. Its just frum Jews for varies reasons have a tendency to hang around while the rest of the Jews long gone. Like here in Brighton, MA. On the other hand there is a growing community in Waterbury, CT.
I seem to remember seeing a weekly ad for a Mesivta in NH, seems like a Litvisher one. I would imagine that they have a tremendous positive influence there, no?
HT
Not really, certainly not tremendous. I think you refer to the Greer organization. They have had a limited effect and tend to be more insular. They have recently tried to start armed patrols through a park near them, but that was in response to a criminal home invasion against one of their members. They have stayed out of community affairs for the most part except when their interests are directly involved.
thanks, but why then did they choose NH if they choose to have no influence?
Rabbi Greer is a YU talmid and has been in New Haven for many years.
What influence have you had ,HirshelTzig, wherever you may live?Don't know you but you sound like an arse hole.
HT
I did not say they have no influence. It is simply that they tend to be more interested in being insular than in outreach.
The Greers have a very limited influence in the city of NH. They are a small elitist community dedicated to excellence in learning. They really are not interested in outreach, but certainly are not strictly insular.
Perhaps by their very existence they have some impact on NH.
In fact as i wrote the NH Orthodox community is very fragmented and is currently falling ppart.
I thought Rabbi Greer presided over the decline & fall of the NH orthodox community,
Rabbi Greer presiding ? If anytihng Rabbi Greer has tried to stem the downfall, with a yeshiva high school, summer program , shiurim, etc.That honor goes to the Chabad family that has been running the local day school since the late 1940's . While the school remains in their hands the orthodox community in NH is basically going under.I could write a book about the local day school , but cares ?
it is sad when communities fall apart
however there is light now that the yeshivah has a nice building and is doing nicely
yes there are wonderfull people to thank also
ie katz deitsh etc
Just a word of clarification- Rabbi Ponet is a Conservative Rabbi. The Slifka center also employs a Reform rabbi and an Orthodox rabbi, the latter through the Jewish Learning Initiative. However, Rabbi Ponet is the senior rabbi at Slifka, last I knew.
I worked for the family through high school and some college over 30 years ago. They were an extraordinary family. David Deitsch was a wonderful man and always treated all of his workers with respect and dignity.Always said hello to me when he passed me by. I still have a smile on my face when I remember the way Mr Deitsch with his accent would get on the factory's intercom and say 'Yossel , pick up intercom, Yossel, pick up intercom". They are a credit to Judaism , the world and society as a whole. G-d bless the whole family.
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