Queens, NY – Update: Photos From CitiField

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    Stefano Giovannini for VosIzNeias.comQueens, NY – Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men attended a rally Sunday at the New York Mets’ stadium on the dangers of the Internet and how to use modern technology in a religiously responsible way.

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    The rally was organized by a rabbinical group called Ichud Hakehillos Letohar Hamachane, which means Union of Communities for the Purity of the Camp. Published reports have put the cost at $1.5 million.

    Photos credit: Stefano Giovannini for VosIzNeias.com

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    162 Comments
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    Torahjew
    Torahjew
    11 years ago

    So what was the advice on using the internet?

    kanga
    kanga
    11 years ago

    Unfortunately a waste of yiddish gelt and time no real progress came out of this we all anticipated a major reform but we ended up hearing the same old words that we’ve been hearing till now!!!!!!!! the internet is always gonna be “tameh tameh tameh”!!!!!! we know that already!!! give us some different ways 2 deal with it!

    lanny
    lanny
    11 years ago

    What a Kiddish Hashem. Whould surely br mikarev beias mosiach

    philosophy
    philosophy
    11 years ago

    Did they end up using The Tennis Field?

    tattale
    tattale
    11 years ago

    Mi k’ancha Yisroel

    itzik18
    itzik18
    11 years ago

    Someone said on comments to another article that the Kosover Rebbe was against the asifah, but I see him in the pictures

    philosophy
    philosophy
    11 years ago

    Who are we kidding? Because they were able to bring out so many people, doesnt mean we accomplished something. Is this called Achdus? Where were The Safardim, Modren orthdox? Women? This Whole thing is a joke. One of the reasons they did this was to keep us busy so we dont think on our own. I have to agree that this so Called Echid was historic in only one way. It devided Judaism at the lowest level.

    kanga
    kanga
    11 years ago

    After being from the beginning here’s my thoughts: Their ad said “big solutions for a big problem” no one seemed to come out with anything solid. They should of had younger and more dynamic speakers. The only speaker anyone was talking about was R’ Wachsman, and he spoke in english. People were looking for guidance, and all they got was “we have to do something” it was a real good opportunity missed

    SammyL
    SammyL
    11 years ago

    Very inspiring. The English speakers were gevaldic. I don’t know Yiddish and the oilem in general seemed bored during the yiddish speakers. Ma’ariv was amazing. Very worthwhile. No chiddushim. Just inspiration.

    kanga
    kanga
    11 years ago

    Its like the the boy who cried wolf! the rabbanim are crying but they are not doing anything really productive about it. (No real reforms) How many more times are they going to be able to try convincing klal yisroel until noone will look at them??? They totally ruined a golden opportunity tonight! Its a sad joke!

    blackandwhite
    blackandwhite
    11 years ago

    where are all the ‘litvikers’?

    woofer
    woofer
    11 years ago

    Glad we have these photos. Wouldn’t dream of stealing them (for what, I wonder?). It would sure have been nice, though, to read an article summarizing what was said at this gathering. I am dying to know what pearls of wisdom were worth $1.5 million. That’s a lot of money that could have been spent on Jewish education.

    springvalley
    springvalley
    11 years ago

    42,000 good, decent jews gave up their sunday cause they want to do the right thimg. What did they get on return? A danish

    Member
    11 years ago

    Amazing photos! Klal Yisrael never looked better!

    davidw
    davidw
    11 years ago

    If the purpose of the event was to see or hear Gedolim then it was a success. However, if it was supposed to be inspirational and guide us how to handle the internet then it was a failure. The speeches of Skulener Rebbe, Rabbi Wosner and Rabbi Don Segal was a pure waste of precious time.

    maitiv
    maitiv
    11 years ago

    It was a beautiful sight, perfect weather, an attendance of well-behaved fine people and no shouting or pushing. Wonderful audience. Tragi-comic clowning acts on stage as burly chassidim fought the way through for their mighty leaders, and sophomoric speakers mercilessly blew their own trumpets. One man spoke three times! I think they said he was Master of Ceremonies but he delivered very long speeches…. I know they are against the internet, but were watches also banned? They finished Maariv at 11:40 p.m.!!!!!!

    shmiell
    shmiell
    11 years ago

    After all the Chareidi-bashing and Gedolim bashing here and on other sites, it was refreshing and a big Kiddush Hashem to see 40,000 Yidden all stand up out of Kovod HaTorah for each Rebbe or Rov as they got up to speak. 40,000 voices by each “Yehei Shmei Rabbo” and Tefillas Shela mila b’mila is also a tremendous Kiddush Sheim Shomayim. Hotz gepoilt alles gut, and remember what R Waxman said, that this is just the beginning; don’t lose the momentum!

    11 years ago

    Yes. The Internet can and will do immeasurable harm to your neshama!
    Yes. The Internet is an invaluable resource for business & education.
    Let’s see……If I drive my car at 100 miles per hour I will kill someone, maybe myself. But if I drive carefully I will get to work or to school safely. Drive safely…………..Surf safely……..

    Trolly_McTrollerston
    Trolly_McTrollerston
    11 years ago

    To all those that went:
    Was it worth it?
    Was it worth the 2 million dollars to run the show.
    Was it worth the hours of bittul Torah and the aggravation in traffic?

    What did you get from this that you wouldn’t have gotten from the Siyum HaShas in August?

    And, most importantly, are you going to change now that you heard what the Asifa had to say?

    ChaimTovim
    ChaimTovim
    11 years ago

    So now how many young bochurim will become sports fans now that they have been introduced to a stadium?!

    Did they use Arthur Ashe stadium as well? If so, how was it connected: via the internet? LOL

    berelw
    berelw
    11 years ago

    not all can say they’ve been to shea stadium….was it worth the 2 mil? hmm…..

    11 years ago

    Why were so many bochurim and kollel yungerleit mavatil Torah for this event? Surely they would have accomplised more for kal yisroel be going to yeshiva and learning today.

    menachemwh
    menachemwh
    11 years ago

    very colorful gathering.

    shlomozalman
    shlomozalman
    11 years ago

    I live in Israel, never been to Citifield. It is truly a beautiful ballpark, and now I’m sure that thousands of yeshiva boys can’t wait to go back there and see the Mets play. So, the Asifa was worth something after all.

    JacobN
    JacobN
    11 years ago

    Where were all the non chasidim? There were a couple guys in 1 pic but that seems to be it

    11 years ago

    It’s a bit like playing “Where’s Waldo.” All these black hats…did anyone spot their husband or son?

    Professor
    Professor
    11 years ago

    Nixe to see 40,000 yidden gather beachdus. A beautiful kiddush hashem.
    Otherwise pretty much nothing, except one great speach by r waksman

    sasregener
    sasregener
    11 years ago

    kiddush hashem but besides rav wachsman very boring. did it end yet?

    pushkin
    pushkin
    11 years ago

    i have very mixed feelings even though it was nice to be part of such a crowd looks like the event was made for hasidim if its ichud hakechilos we didnt know what they saying we need english

    Shaul in Monsey
    Shaul in Monsey
    11 years ago

    Hi guys, just want you to know I’ve decided to stay away for another 100 years. You couldn’t even manage one minyan for mincha? That’s achdus? Regards, Moshiach

    ALLAN
    ALLAN
    11 years ago

    Nice gathering…but the huge anmount of gelt spent on both the function itself and the transportation there should have been donated to Masbia or any other reputable organization…feeding the hungry would have been a bigger mitzvah.

    mbaumgarten
    mbaumgarten
    11 years ago

    Some of the speakers at the Asifah flat out said that, L’chatcila, no one should use the Internet at all because of the dangers that it poses for children. By that logic no one should have a swimming pool, or stairs in the house or furniture with sharp edges or a stove, because they are dangerous for children! Obviously, one needs to have safeguards to prevent children from being injured by these things and most people understand that. So too one needs to have safeguards to prevent children (and adults) from the dangers of the Internet. But to say that the Internet should be banned outright is not necessary and not realistic. You had me at filters. Then you lost me.

    Rabbi_In_The_Know
    Rabbi_In_The_Know
    11 years ago

    No one ever went off the Derech because of the internet. After going off the Derech as a result of being boxed in and squared off by a suffocating environment, they end up afterwards on the internet. Satmar and Bobov Rebbes were right to advise their followers not to participate, because these two Rebbes work in their kehillos to stem the problem where it really is, not by screeching dramatically against some make belief bogeyman.

    sholkramer
    sholkramer
    11 years ago

    Really nice to see so many yidden trying to do the right thing. Really unfortunate to see a few rabonim leaving those yidden with a bad taste. It was obvious from the speeches that in order to please certain factions and since we could not burn any flags we had to mention zionism. Why no mention of the maskilim or shabse zvi.

    LEEAVE
    LEEAVE
    11 years ago

    Turns out the big satmar rabbi R’ Aron was 100% right,
    there was nothing accomplished at the entire kinus! every1 only talked about the danger of internet which you can much better explain for your own people in your own shil!

    Time and again he has been proven right when it comes to any major issue concerning torah and klal yisroal!!

    i think im getting a seat for shvuas in KJ, with thousands of yiden id like to hear what else he has to say thru ought the 3 day yomtov

    Oyvey
    Oyvey
    11 years ago

    The asifa accomplished three things
    1) By joining at a place promoting filters, the were admitting that we can’t stop the internet.
    2) Looking at the pictures, it appears that a very large contingent were Satmar. All those who joined to fill citifield participated in giving a victory to R’ Zalman over R’ Aaron.
    3) A few weeks ago the majority were either ignoring it or outright opposed. In a few weeks time they were turned around. This is a victory for those who know how to manipulate our Rabbonim and manhigim.

    anonymous123
    anonymous123
    11 years ago

    BECAUSE THE GEDOLIM SAID TO GO!!!! and this is one of the problems they mentioned about internet: lashon hora and badmouthing gedolim on internet! Anyone who spent appreciate the event or the importance of it, is lacking basic fundamentals in yiddishkeit!!

    Rabbi_CS
    Rabbi_CS
    11 years ago

    it was billed as “A Big Problem Needs a Big Solution”

    As a gathering to EDUCATE people on the latest filter technology

    There was supposed to be a technology expo

    It was NOT billed as a “Kinus on Shemiras Einayim” (which is what it turned out to be)

    There was NO solution proposed.

    There was NO education

    If they billed it as “A Big Problem has NO solution”, if they did bill it as a “Kinus on Shemiras Einayim”, then, as a gathering of 40,000 people for that purpose, it would have been Emes and a success.

    Instead, having billed it as a “SOLUTION” it can only be called a failure in its original goal.

    Before anybody accuses me of Gedolim-bashing, I would like to remind you that all the Gedolim signed on to an event that WOULD have a technology expo; The Gedolim signed on when there WAS going to be a women’s section, and the Gedolim signed on when they promised to discuss solutions.

    maxedout
    maxedout
    11 years ago

    All I can say BH this stupid thing is over with. Can we all get on with our lives now? ALl those who attended, I hope it was uplifting and that we will never see you posting here again – if you do, then you’re a hypocrate. A web site like this is precisely the reason the “gedolim” dont want us to have internet. As soon as one of them says something stupid, like lubavitch is not part of klal yisroel, the world hears about it in no time. When another tells everyone in his shul – if you dont attend, dont come back here, well, anyone who returned to his shul is a fool.

    CampRunamok
    CampRunamok
    11 years ago

    $1.5 million of community Kupa funds wasted. How many people could have been fed via Tomchei Shabbos with a tiny fraction of that money? How many Batlanim could have been given professional training to help them earn a living for themselves and their families? Yeshivos supported?

    Bottom line; I suspect few minds were changed and few hachlotas were made that will survive into next week. But it takes a lot of effort to fill Citi Field and leave few empty seats.

    anonymous123
    anonymous123
    11 years ago

    I hate to break it to you, but he’s one out of many gedolim. Unless you follow everything he says… This is what our Rabbanim felt was necessary. Who are you to say its better to hear from the rav in shul? R u also one of those people that walks out in the middle of your ravs speech?

    brooklynjew
    brooklynjew
    11 years ago

    Its amazing to read all of these nasty comments, bad mouthing an event attended by thousands of holy neshumas of klal yisrael, all of you couch potatoes who didn’t attend should at least keep your twisted helanist thoughts to yourself, and beg G-D that he should shine a little light into your souls…
    Its one thing if one listened to his rebbe’s instructions not to attend, for they have their own way and me’sorah (chabad/satmar kj) but to sit home and constantly dropping opinions about everything and anything gedolei yisrael decide?
    What have you the bad mouthers done for klal yisrael lately aside from sitting with your i phones and stating opinions which contradict torah and the jewish nations history?
    When moshe rabeini called klal yisrael together and spoke to them that which they have already heard at mount sinai, would you go, or would comment on vin, saying why go, nothing would be accomplished, we already heard that?
    If you would know anything about Judaism you would understand that when klal yisrael is faced with a problem which does NOT have a solution, the first thing gedolei yisrael would do, since the times of moshe rabeini, neviem,mordchei hatzadik etc. They would gather klal yisrael and say divrei hisorerus and say tefilos just like they did last night, and that was always what had turned the tide for the better, do you know why? Because if you think for a moment that you can accomplish anything holy without all of klal yisrael pitching in in a form of k’ish achod b’lev achod, then you are all mistakin’…
    what are we going to accomplish by coming together and saying thilim, is the dumbest question in the universe, this is not to say that we should sit back now and do nothing b’poiel mamash, but one who ever asked such a question should first find out what it is being a jew! The jewish nation never accomplish anything before first tapping into the spiritual realm and connecting with g-d, the internet is a super KLIPA, therefore it needs a counter attack in the same measure, and that is what last nights event was….
    Unfortunately some are running around protesting and shouting that first we should fight child molesters, you know what? Our hearts go out to these people, some of them are clearly victims, as we can see they have left everything jewish behind, it is unfortunate, because every victim deserves compensation, and by running away from g-d they are running away from the light they so much deserve, the fact that their community hasn’t given it to them does not mean that must give up, if anybody has any consul to offer, then its Judaism the father of all religions, Judaism when properly connected to, is the greatest healing power that exists, but unfortunately it wasn’t introduced to them in the right way, but that does not mean that every issue klal yisrael takes on must be addressed in the manor they wish, internet filth is connected to everything immoral, that includes child molestation as well, and a fight for the filth of the internet is a fight for child molestation as well…
    Moreover, just as you don’t follow the president when he attends the G8 summit and protest that he must address first more important issues facing the nation such as child molesters, the same here, there is a time and place for everything….

    Shimon
    Shimon
    11 years ago

    Now, if all the T’fillah and good will can somehow translate to that yiddishe boy, Ike Davis improving his hitting, it will prove to be worthwhile.

    mewhoze
    mewhoze
    11 years ago

    did anyone notice the budwiser ad on the big screen with the rabbis image on the screen?
    kinda comical.
    oh and speaking of beer….the stadium is in CORONA , queens.
    ok, i cant be the only one who noticed this…am i?

    11 years ago

    I wasn’t there but one the one hand most all of us agree that there should be no TV in the house (even people that have it often agree they would prefer no to) .
    To average American the idea of no TV is mind boggling (reference Oprah interview if needed)
    Internet for many is the same. ie: we think we need it but then again….

    On the other hand we use it for so many resources at this point.

    My personal advice get a good filter. Learn how to use it properly. Spend $ if needed to pay a computer expert to help you with setting it up, etc.

    NEVER give cell phones to teens with internet access. Better to send them to the movie theater and let them pick the movie. Atleast that ends after a few hours.

    chaimme
    chaimme
    11 years ago

    Can someone answer this question honestly. Did anyone profit( in money terms) from yesterdays events

    OpenMindedJew
    OpenMindedJew
    11 years ago

    People are not educated at all. I’ve said from day one that this was a waste of time. And while I’m being berated for not going to the rally or to the Aisfa, it’s important to do the research before you go and know the issues as well. This was basically a show for the rabbanoim to speak by putting everyone in one room. However, I find it very hypocritical that a forum about banning the internet streamed the whole damn thing on the internet.

    Also, you can’t speak Yiddish when there are people there who only speak English. That doesn’t get the message across when no one understands a word of it. Be considerate towards others.

    concerned_Jew
    concerned_Jew
    11 years ago

    would have been cool if they could have combined it with a Mets game afterwards. Take me out to the ball game! Would have been the most fans in a while in Citi Field.

    11 years ago

    Fred Wilpon and the New York Met who are laughing all the way to the bank today!~

    OscarMadison
    OscarMadison
    11 years ago

    The emperor was unable to convince his subjects that he’s still wearing clothes. Yehezkel 34 and Zecharya 2 are right in front of us.