And now it's not even you and me anymore...

Remember this?

The Shower Room.....

wawa wewah!

Very Cute...

but maybe they aren't chipmunks...

Chipmunks Galore

Ok, so now that there aren't that many folks running around the yeshiva property every day, the chipmunks are getting much more comfortable, inviting their friends and family and making a mess. There must be 100 munks running around the place.
So I go online to find out how to "humanely" get rid of these visitors, and I see a few ideas. First I try cayenne pepper. They are supposed to hate that smell. I spill it into all their cute little holes. Next morning I come back and smell baking, cayenne powder pie. They're loving it.
OK. Next idea is Juicy Fruit candies. The smell will make them run away. But make sure not to touch it b/c if they smell the human smell (what's that?) they won't want to smell the candy, and they won't run away. So I go around filling all their holes with about 10 boxes of Juicy Fruit. The next day, the chipmunks are there, but the neighbor Hmong kids are all vomiting from eating about 10 boxes worth of Juicy Fruit.
Next idea: baby powder. They hate the smell.....so I empty three containers of baby powder into their holes, and I go home happy. The next morning I come back, and about fifty chipmunks are pointing at me and laughing. And on the side, one of them is changing her baby, using my baby powder.
I give up.

Mazal tov to Yosef and the Angster family and the MyYeshiva family on the engagement of their son/brother Yehuda!

May it be a binyan adei ad!

Gimmel?

Many people are asking me now, "What did you do for Gimmel Tammuz?".

They want to know.

This is usually preceded (or directly followed) by something to the effect of "I just got back from the Ohel, gosh the lines were long and I am exhausted. I am on the way now to a farbrengen (had one last night too) and I went to an excellent shiur this morning. So, what did you say you did?"

I don't think they intend to brag or compare, I think they just want to know.

And I answer-"Me? I davened with 4 Jewish kids this morning. Then I took them to the park. Then we went to an old age home and we sang for some elderly Jewish women. I also washed these children's hands and faces and gave them fresh chocolate cake. Then we played a game and colored on plastic papers. Oh! You mean what did I do specifically in honor of the day? Well, I made sure to say all 12 Pesukim with the kids. I tried to get Daniel to daven. I explained to a 3 yr old and a 4 yr old what it means to write a letter to the Rebbe, and then they wrote it. I prompted Leibel to shout 'we want moshiach now' and I clapped along encouragingly when he sang/demanded "ad mosai, do we have to wait, we want moshiach now, we don't want to wait.'

And then they say-"Oh, that's nice."

And they really think so, but they don't know what that has to do with their original question-what did I do for Gimmel Tammuz?

And I say (as if I hadn't been interrupted)- "And I wore my nice gold shoes in the sand. And I chatted with people I wanted to run away from. And I held the baby even though I didn't want to. And I started learning a maamer. And I said 'oh, it's my pleasure' when it wasn't (and then I spoke to myself till it really was my pleasure).

And then they say- "Oh, that's nice. That's really beautiful."

And again, they really think so, but again they don't know what that has to do with Gimmel Tammuz. (except maybe the maamer part)

And I say- "Wait, I'm not finished. I also chopped cucumbers, stirred green beans, and set out cold cuts and rolls for a bris."

And they say-"Oh, that's nice. But what does that have to do with Gimmel Tammuz?"

And I didn't say they were smug or smirking or provoking. They just want to know.

They want to know? So I tell them.

---

I tell them 'For me, every day is Gimmel Tammuz."

Huh?

"Every day, the Rebbe is not with us physically. Every day it's unfair and hard that the Rebbe is not here. Every day in golus is painful. The Rebbe wasn't taken away from me in Nun Daled. The Rebbe is taken away from me each and every day. And 'whichever day does not see the Rebbe, it is as if that day took him away'. It's day after day, month after month, yom tov after yom tov, year after year.
Every day is Gimmel Tammuz for me.
And every day the Rebbe is with me more and more.
My Rebbe wasn't ever taken away from me cuz I (barely) had a Rebbe before then. It wasn't 'here and then gone'. It's the same forever.
And since a neshama can do way more when it is not in a guf, I'm with the Rebbe more than you ever were.
The Rebbe guides my every day; The Rebbe tells me what to wear, what to learn, what to say and what to think.
For me, "Gimmel Tammuz didn't change a thing".
The Rebbe wants me to hold the backpack of a 4 yr old Yiddishe kinde, today like yesterday and tomorrow.
Every day is Gimmel Tammuz for me."

"Ahh", they answer, "But Gimmel Tammuz is not just a random mark of time. It's a spiritual mark of time. It's a yarhtzeit. An auspicious time when the neshama has an aliyah.."

And I burst out - "Aliyas Neshama? Vus fahr a aliyas neshama? The Rebbe has been standing outside of Gan Eden for thirteen years, yes thirteen years now, stubbornly refusing to enter until we are all taken out of golus!"

---

So what did I do this Gimmel Tammuz?
I tried getting the Rebbe a little closer to his goal.

(reprinted without permission)

Back in Miami

Now that I am back in Miami I took a few seconds to send a pic from our Roadtrip to New York...
Any one realized that Yossi Smoller is leaving comments all over crownheights.info but hasn't even shown his presence here?
He came to mind today when I heard that dollar bills were falling from the sky at today's San Diego Padres' game. Whatever the case...How's everyone!??!

Music Update

OK, so you were wondering which CD is the next one that you should purchase: The Next Project X with Lipa Schmeltzer. Lipa sings 31 songs, taken mostly from other singers, and shows how they should be sung. It's the kind of CD you can't get bored with, because the medleys keep changing. Remember: stealing music and stealing grapes in the supermarket are still stealing!

Happy Thursday

For YHSTC Bochrim Shluchim & Hanholoh

You are invited to an exclusive YHSTC Farbrengin

for

Gimmel Tamuz

Tuesday night 9:00 pm

551 crown street between kingston and albany

Thank you Tzfasmans for generously hosting us!

Hello from Crown Heights!

For those of you who have not heard... I'll let you in on my recent happenings.
This past Wednesday night Rabbi C Friedman decided he wanted to drive into Crown Heights from Minnesota. Now, I already had a ticket from MSP to MIA but since it was my only chance to actually be by the Rebbe for Gimmel Tammuz I took it. So came Thursday afternoon, we packed into the Suburban (when I say we I mean Rabbi Friedman, Mrs. Friedman, Doba, Sholom, Yankele, Sarale, Mushakale, and myself) with all our luggage and headed on our way. I must say although it was a long ride the kids were very well behaved. Rabbi Friedman drove the first 5.5 hours and I took over from there. I had thought I could make it all the way to Pittsburgh (where we planned on staying for Shabbos), but at 4 in the AM I just couldn't drive anymore. We pulled into a motel, had a quick 5 hour nap, and got back on the road in the morning.
We arrived in Armpits Burg at about 5 o' clock, after a total of over 14 hours driving, with still a few hours to spare before Shabbos. Shabbos was nice...I met up with Chaim Shollar, Eden Einav, and a bunch of other people I haven't seen since I was there six years ago.
Sunday afternoon we began our final departure to New York...7.5 hours and 2 'asleep' legs later we arrived in crown heights. What a feeling?!? We finally made it...Just in time for Levi Grossbaum's Lchaim!! Me and Rabbi Friedman farbrenged with Levi & friends until roughly 4 A.M.
Today...I caught up with Rabbi Eizicovics & Family at the Bagel Shop on Kingston. We walked and talked a bit and now I am back in the house writing it all down for you.
Anyway, hows everyone else?? I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL BY THE FARBRENGEN TOMORROW NIGHT AT BERRY'S HOUSE...
Til then stay well!

Help, Anybody?

watup im bored n e sugestions 4 wat i shud do 2 day

hopefully we will have all the good times again,

im gana miss all of us together, be in touch guy

all the good times we had in myyeshiva im gana miss alot 'snow,gym,trips to wisconsin & the gas station & paintball sooting' be in touch guys.

Cheeriet! Cunin! Sang one Chong! KIIIAAA!!!

GIMMEL TAMUZ -you're invited!

vacation

...protecting my neighborhood is what i do best!


...i missed Super America but i guess 7/11 is alrighht





nothing like having friends with cars

3 Tammuz

Emes-P

Count me in for a 3 Tammuz Farbreingin.
Great Idea.

A little poem of my own...

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WOULD RATHER LISTEN, I'VE CREATED THIS

Sitting here, This empty room, Sweat rolling down my face,
Wondering what you'd be doing if you were in my place.
Stacks of papers piled high, Names from old old ads,
Typing up a database, Think I've caught 'the gads'. (you can click this to find out what it means)
Rabbi Weiss inverting, His face almost blue,
"If I held him upside-down...what could he do?"
Music is blaring from Rabbi M Friedman's desk,
The lil voice says "TURN IT OFF! Dedi is grotesque".
The grass is green, the sky is clear, yet my glasses are foggy,
If I am soaking wet down here then Rabbi C is definitely soggy.
The big grey van has been sitting idle ever since you left,
It's a good thing it's Cottage Grove, cuz it aint got anti-theft.
Lately I've been taking the Volvo for a spin,
From Yeshiva, to Holiday and then to Country Inn.

Something tells me life is better wherever it is you are,
But I still have fourteen cheesesticks and a Granola Bar.
So enjoy the days you have to fill, the next few months to come,
And don't hang out with those loser friends, cuz they help define 'dumb'.
My final words I'll say to you, and I'll say em with a grin,
Eagles may fly, but foxes don't get caught in jet engines...

A poem (By Mikael Drruk)

Summer has lots of heat to bring.
It is the most scorching yet splendid of things. A light from the essence of the sun. We drink ice water, as we melt away.
Summer has lots of heat to bring.
Summer has Sun burn to give. Heat stroke like the brightness of gold. As the scent of trees in the rain. It is the essence of a G-dly refrain, and arms that will love and will hold. Words of a spirit’s delight are thoughts that star in the night. Spend your time in holiness. It is the breadth of ecstacy, and the bringing of Messiah. And all, we as a people, can, and will ever be, a light unto all of the nations, for
Sumemr has lots of heat to bring.
* * * * *

Breaking News

A couple of MyShluchim will be going to Buenos Aires, Argentina on Merkos Shlichus. Details will follow.
Even though it looks like the Washington Monument in D.C., really it's something in Buenos Aires.

3 Tamuz

Hey peoples,
Wouldn't it be great to have a YHSTC Farbrengen?!
Whoever is planning on being in Crown Heights/Ohel for Gimmel Tammuz please post when you're coming in and for how long so we can work out details.

WELCOME...

Hey Yigal!! Can't believe you actually made it here...
Still waiting on your post...
(Hey, Rabbi Weiss...)

Whoa!

Hi Sholom.

Hummer brand new?

The Raffle Winners are in...

guys i realy had a GOOD year all the trips we had 2gether and the farbrengensssss and the lessons (the ones that i was ther lol) and the chats i had with r m'friedman and r c'friedman, i was nervose some times but i liked them,hopefully i come and visit nxt year or 2,be in touch guys spk 2ya ltr


moshe chaim (brit)................

Rabbi Moshe Feller 70 years (kein ein horoh)! Mazal Tov! May he continue being matzliach in fulfilling his shlichus!!

When Faith Trumped Baseball The day Sandy Koufax refused to pitch and made major headlines. Rabbi Moshe Feller recalls that day back in 1965

Using good-old fashioned chutzpah, a young Minnesota rabbi walked up to the desk clerk at the grand St. Paul Hotel and asked to see Sandy Koufax. The Dodger lefty was baseball's best pitcher and just hours away from taking the mound at Met Stadium for Game 2 of the 1965 World Series against the Twins. He was limbering up in his hotel room after declining to pitch Game 1 the day before because it fell on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the most sacred of Jewish holidays. That ultimate athletic expression of faith 40 years ago has become - and remains today - a hallmark source of Jewish pride, making the not-so-religious Koufax a reluctant hero. But his act of faith forever identified the '65 Series as the one where faith and principle transcended the national pastime. Rabbi Moshe Feller, director of Chabad Lubavitch of the Upper Midwest at age 28, felt divinely inspired to try to see Koufax that Thursday in October 1965 so he could personally thank him for what he had done the day before. "I figured I'm going to go down there - I said a little prayer - and I'm going to ask to see him," the rabbi remembered with clarity 40 years later. The desk clerk "probably figured I'm his rabbi. He gave me his number, so I called him up." For the rest of the story please click here

hey whats up

could someone please post some video footage from yeshiva

remember this?

BTW the guy sitting on my father's right recently went to learn in Morristown, the guy sitting on my father's left will be going to learn in Mayanot this summer. How cool is that!

Two words.

Hi guys.
What's up?
Here nothing.
No school.
No bochurim.
No trips.
No noise.
Not fun.
Raffle's over.
Weather's hot.
Freezer's cold.
Chef's gone.
No food.
We're starving.
Janitor's gone.
Place's messy.
Shmulie's here.
Still tired.
Making videos.
Taking pictures.
Selling soda.
Jipping me.
Mail's coming.
Just junk.
And bills.
Bochurim rule.
Vacation drools.
Blog's quiet.
Pretty bland.
Few posts.
Nothing exciting.
No comments.
No comment.
All right.
Lunch time.
Gotta go.
Byerly's sushi.
Only veggies.
What-ever!
That's all.
Please post.
Seeya later.
Tuck in your shirt.

Hey Shalom!! I was waiting for you to show your face here...
Correct smoking is terrible and if you ever see someone smoking just let them know.
If you do find someone with the karate test video please let me know as somehow it was misplaced and I never had a chance to post it...
How's your summer working out so far??!

Reward money offered

The City of Cottage Grove is looking for several people who fled the city with no trace. Their names are: Bentzion Anati, Yosef Angster, Sholom Bindell, Aharon Cohen, Yoni Eizicovics, Zalman Goldblatt, Moshe Chaim Goldsobel, Shmulie Lipszyc, Yigal Rosenberg, Chaim Shollar, Yossi Smoller, Berry Tzfatman, Eliezer Wrightman, Shua Goldstein.
Anyone who can either track down or supply information regarding one or more of these people will be rewarded by the City of Cottage Grove...

But honestly, where are they?? We waited long enough there is no reason they are not on this blog by now!!

Now they're memories...

Hi people. I think it would be nice if the posts were longer than the comments! Hopefully this little bloggy thingy will keep us updated on your summer, which means you will post a bit more than "wazup." Things here have been quiet. Rabbi Weiss just got stuck on his Elevation Table for over six hours, until Rabbi E. finally came and freed him. Which is weird b/c that was the same day that the cleaning lady got stuck climbing through the window into the kitchen, and we had to call John down from the foyey to help free her.

The neighborhood kids finally worked up the courage and came in to the office and challenged us to a basketball game, which we agreed to, and two Rabbi Friedmans and a Rabbi Weiss began losing badly to four little Cottage Grovers. But then Shmulie Bortunk woke up, had his coffee, posted on the blog, and came outside to help us and we creamed them.

Right now I'm going to take Rabbi E. and his family to the airport.........our last airport run :-(
Keep us posted, posters!

shmuely home has been so exciting i did not have time to go on the blog

I'm Jewish

wazup people

Where'd everyone go?!?

Make it happen!

WOW! This is terrific! Keep posting guys!! Get your friends to post as well, and this is the place to be all summer long!! Thank you Shmuli! This is the best idea since squirting cameras!! Where's Shua? Hasn't he heard about this? Everybody keep in touch now, and keep MyYeshiva posted on whats happening in your summer! 'Cause remember: your summer is My yeshiva summer!! We're thinkin about you.

Count me in!

What a great way to connect.
Count me in.

Hi Guys. This is Rabbi M.

This building has an echo it's so empty.

I don't know why I get listed as "Blog Guy." I'll have to ask Shmuli.

Don't worry, none of you accidentally left any money around. Trust me. I'm sure. Nowhere.

Thanks Shmuli for creating this blog.

And thanks for you guys that have posted and the guys that will post. It's such a good way to make good use of the internet.

Keep it coming.

so I get home and its like "great meirs home! can you give me a haircut?"

Really now?

Yehuda, so much for "Home is so much more exciting than here..."

IM BORED

go ducks

Well, the year is over, but the blogging has only just started...
Stay Tuned for more Pics & Videos

Oh Yeah!! Please post as often as you can. Let's make this page the place to hang out TOGETHER...

hey whats up its meir here

Hey What's Up? It's Yehuda here...