Thursday, June 11, 2009

Doesn't Anybody Have Any SHAME Anymore??!?

The Yeshiva World quotes an article in the NY Post today highlighting the story of a "frum" convict who was allowed to hold a lavish bar mitzvah and subsequently a 'Vort' inside the jail. They were allowed to bring in a caterer, kosher food and cutlery. Cellphones which are usually confiscated were also permitted. Even Shwekey was on hand to perform!

Now I'm not here to debate why somebody who is jailed (ostensibly because his offenses caused him to lose his freedoms) is allowed to do these things. But rather, I'm more astounded that he wasn't ashamed to flaunt his mistakes by holding such affairs. Is being jailed truly no longer a stigma in the orthodox world?? Does no one have any shame?

10 comments:

tnspr569 said...

::vomit::

ProfK said...

GMTA--this one caught my eye as well. Are these people so dumb to think that no one, in an age of instant communication, will find out what is going on?!

Re the jail question, at one point the Allentown PA federal prison had a regular minyan and a daf yomi. Real tzidkos there.

FBB said...

I would like to know who these "Rabbis" are who attended this function.

I may have to ban Shwekey from the house as well.

This man is guilty of 3 frauds that we know of: 1)the scam that got him arrested in 1989, $1.7 million 2)He jumped bail and presumably left SOMEONE holding the $250,000 bag 3)He was jailed for two years in Brazil (that's where he went when he jumped bail)for insurance fraud.

And anyone with the title "rabbi" went to a celebration in jail? SHAME ON ALL OF THEM!!!!!!

ProfK said...

About the only thing I agree with on the comments at YWN are that we should leave the kallah and her choson and the machatonim out of the discussion. If the basherte zivug only arrived to children from families whose hands were lily white clean, a whole lot of kids wouldn't be getting married.

Jewish Side of Babysitter said...

umm...I was just catching up reading posts from MIM's blog, and I saw you commented on his monopoly post that now it's a common thing for Jews to be in Jail. So why the shock now?

I think maybe they were so excited about the simcha, they wanted their father to be a part of it, no matter where he was. Maybe they weren't thinking about what people would think and how it would sound.

frumcollegegirl said...

my dad had a friend who's brother was in jail when he (the friend got married) somehow, the brother was able to get out of jail for the wedding, but in all the family pictures, there was the parole officer. and when they picked the brother up to dance with the chatan, they had to pick the parole officer up to (he was cuffed to the brother)

i know it doesn't have much to do with your story, but it just came to mind when i read your post

Mikeinmidwood said...

What kind of memorable bar mitzvah is in jail?

jack said...

if it would have been chas vshalom
you who would have been in jail,and your child was bar mitzvah or is getting married,wouldn't you try to do the exact same thing? of course you would
why all this viciousnes ans sinas chinam ?
this jew is going to be locked up for a long time separated from his wife and children,and finally his son is getting bar mitzvah and his daughter is geting married,and all he wants is to partake in their simcha for a few hours,WHAT IS SO WRONG WITH THIS?

CHAIM

G6 said...

Browser -
While I fully understand the desire of a father separated from his children to share in their simchas, once he has been convicted of a crime, as sad as it is, he forfeited his rights to do these things.
We, as Jews, living in Golus, must not only obey the laws, but be so far above reproach that we are a light unto nations. We must always evaluate our actions as to how they will be perceived by others.
His original behavior is a stain on the Jews. His subsequent manipulation of the system only compounds that and caused much sinas Yisroel and chillul Hashem.

citizen of brooklyn north said...

G6- I agree with you, but I am not sure he "manipulated the system". Don't you think that John Gotti may have made a party or two whilst in jail?
I am embarrassed for my people, annoyed at the singer, and question the rabbis who attended. But ultimately, he asked for something- and was granted his wish. What irks me is that, as you say, he had no shame or thought as to how, as an orthodox jew, he would be perceived by the non-jewish world. That, however, is part of the make-up of his ilk- I do what I want, who cares what anyone thinks.