Attendance at “Blue Claws” Event – Not Exactly a ‘Parking Lot’

"  ובמקהלות רבבות עמך בית ישראל " could hardly be said in good faith about the Lag B’Omer celebration this past Erev Shabbos afternoon.

When a friend of mine drove by during the finale – the puppet show at 3:00 p.m., the crowd appeared to number about 200. “Even if my estimation is incorrect, there were no more than 300 people there,” he said.

There were black frocks present and also empty seats piled up in stacks – that sounds like BMG’s Botei Midrashim during Bain hazemanim.

Obviously, the organizer’s ‘Anash’ – party faithful where those who showed up, not much of anyone else.

These individuals who were “sellout hopeful,” and ended up with, basically a family get together, probably had the same sentiment as Benny Begin when he was unsuccessful in a bid for a Knesset seat. He ruefully remarked, " אני חזן בלי בית הכנסת !"

This is a tribute of Kiddush Hashem, to the parents of Lakewood’s mosdos, who stayed the course,   און האבען געפאלגט די ראשי ישיבה שליט''א ,who enjoined all to take a rain check.

One of the knocks on our community is that with so big a populace, has the Yeshiva lost traction with the לייקווד תושבי ?This event shatters the myth.

The parent body of Lakewood’s kids,  כן ירבו  ,showed uncompromising fealty to השקפת התורה – the vision of this community since its founding! Our signature trait – from young cheder children to mature baalei batim and yeshiva people alike, is that ‘Lakewood’ means  אמר רבא ,אמר אביי  – and lots of chessed and maasim tovim!

 So shall it always remain – אמן כן יהי רצון

(Submitted)