The Yeshiva Moves In

It has been shocking to hear the attitude of many in Westchester County, New York after a Yeshiva moved to town. When a local Roman Catholic convent went up for sale, many in the community were naturally concerned about who might buy the property and what type of development might go up. Westchester has a way of over-developing it's beautiful communities leaving them over-crowded, over-taxed, and architecturally ugly.

But some years after a yeshiva moved in, I detected something else. Not so long ago a friend directed me to take another route rather than the more usual one for a shopping trip. She told me construction was underway in her vicinity. So, instead I chose a route leading us past the new yeshiva. As we passed by it, my friend commented that she wished the ultra-orthodox Chabad had not bought the property. I asked her "why?" She said "they will begin to ask for all sorts of accommodations from the community, including financial. They will slowly take over the entire community with their markets, their Sabbath hours and before you know it, our property values are down the tubes!"

As the conversation continued, I felt as if I was reliving some ancient tale that would end in us grabbing torches and pitchforks and marching towards that yeshiva. Wow, was I getting a history lesson. My friend who herself was a reformed Jew seemed to have a visceral hatred for anything to do with the Chabad. At the time, I assumed her overreaction was some kind of rebellion against her own Chabad roots since I had seen a picture frame depicting her grandparents in some distinctive Chabad garb.

However, as this topic started to be discussed around town, I saw that people from all walks of life and religions seemed to be all worked up about the topic of the Yeshiva. They had all sorts of things to say about it. When I tried to gently disagree, it did not go well for me. Here came the torches and pitchforks again. "Do you want a measles or Covid-19  outbreak in this community?" I certainly could not answer in the affirmative to that one. All my protestations to the contrary seemed to only get people more angry.

Then there are the explosive feminists who will tell one and all of how the Chabad is oppressing women and setting feminism back fifty years. Fancy telling that to me a Westchester Christian Housewife! After all, I am the feminist nightmare, a college educated woman who chose to stay home with her children and cook for church bake sales.

My overriding concern as I listened to all this debate about the yeshiva was the intensity which seemed to have been generated by this group of orthodox Jewish believers who have developed a presence in Westchester County, New York. I just hate it when people scream and yell and can't even have a reasonable discussion based on the facts.

Suffice it to say, that all the terrible things that were supposed to happen when this invasive species moved in, has not occurred. Housing prices are still ridiculously over-priced and show no signs of letting up especially since people from Brooklyn and Manhattan are leaving those areas in droves and are looking to Westchester for a haven from the violent crime wave and contagion that Covid and BLM represents. Besides, what do you do in the city when you can‘t go to restaurants, broadway shows, and museums? I wish there was a few Jewish restaurants and markets in the area because I love that food, but that hasn’t happened. There has also been no special sabbath enforcements or financial handouts from the local government that I know about. 

If the Chabad were to ask for something, I suggest an order of protection from some of their hostile neighbors or perhaps they should look into some insurance against being tar and feathered and run out of town. Seriously folks, have we learned nothing from history. There always seems to be someone whipping up wild theories about the Jews. Same old, same old. They were once blamed for the plague now even the New York governor seems to be blaming the ultra Orthodox Jews for Covid breakouts. I don’t think so.

All of this cruelty isn’t Bible. (For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed-Malachi3:6) I honestly believe that if it wasn’t for God, the Jewish people would not even be here such has been their persecution. But, the Jewish people are the apple of God’s eye. He has said so. He has chosen them as HIs people and they have suffered greatly because of that. It is only the forces of evil that messes with what God has called his own. 

Let’s not be part of that if we wish to be blessed by God. (And I will bless them that bless thee: and curse them that curseth thee- Genesis 12:3) The Jewish people were frequently unwanted in the countries where they lived in the middle east, and Europe. They were run out of countries many times, or constantly moving from place to place in Eastern Europe and Russia to avoid persecution and even death. Routinely they were robbed and extorted. (For thus saith the Lord of Hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye-Zechariah 2:8)

In all of these travails, they longed to return to the land that God had promised them oh so long ago. God said that would happen one day and it miraculously has. It is nothing less than miraculous that people of Jewish descent from all over the world have returned to the land of Israel. They resurrected their dead language of Hebrew. Against all odds they created a thriving nation out of a pile of sand. This is all part of God’s plan. (That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel-Ephesians 3:6)