This Asian kid really has a future as a New York tourist.

Some folks just need PROFESSIONAL help!

Why do I have to be a professional Shrink in this school?? Today, I was forced to hold a Bochur down for about 25 minutes, repeatedly telling him things like "It's okay... Take deep breaths... Stop crying... Stop hyperventilating... We don't call cops just for the HECHT of it... I don't want you to run away now."

... I'm not even going to get inot the story now!

But, onto better news. There's a new song which I probably listen to on an average of 5 times a day. It's my new "Mima'amakim". It's from Chaim Israel. Obviously.
I'm trying to upload it onto the blog. Any ideas??

Past couple of "Ottawa" days

Once again I find myself sitting here in my room, hitting this wierd board with my fingers, making a flickering box on the desk spell words and form little crazy pictures and thoughts that are NOT meant to be shared. Like for example, the fact that it's 2 in the morning and I'm eating french fries. Again I can't sleep and just decided to doodle with this electronic machine and then to post it on my favorite cyber home!
Anyways, this past Shabbos was great. I actually got Tehillim done early this time. Only by Krias HaTorah! But then after Davvening, there was this Kiddush where all the other Bochurim went. It was sort of an engagement party'ish Farbrengen for Harav Dovi Small. It was real nice and we fianlly got to finish after Shabbos. I said lots of L'chaim and was in very good spirits afterwards (Ha! Get the pun?? very good spirits?? Hey! Tell that joke to my mother, so she can know how funny I can be!!). The good mood only lasted several minutes. Before I totally passed out in bed for about an hour or so...
Motzaei Shabbos at nine "pee emm" (Ha! Again with a funny joke. *giggle giggle*) began the most amazing Peulah so far in this Yeshiva session. HaMashpia Shneur hayes decided that in order to be "Shtus Dekdusha'd" and all strapped up and ready for Yud Shvat, he's going to make a Basi Legani marathon. It basically was this 24 hour period, where each Bochur sees how long he can survive with learning Basi LeGani. It was amazing. I showed up at 9:30pm and there were several Bochurim throughout Zal learning Maamorim. I taught some Bochurim various Oysiyos over the course of the night. The marathon lasted all 24 hours from 9 to 9 with a total of about 8 Bochurim sitting in Zal for 24 hours Retzufim and (almost all the time) learning Basi Legani solely for the Rebbe Me"Ham! I was so impressed. Really! It must've been a massive Nachas Ruach for the Rebbe! Kol Hakavod to them. I myself stayed up the whole night and only went to sleep for like 5 hours in the morning after Davvening. I then finished my quota for Smicha. Free'd myself from the stress and kicked off the rest of my day.
Tommorrow afternoon I go home. YAY!

p.s. Shoch didn't want to upload the pictures of the past few days from his computer onto my hard drive. He claimed that he was too tired. Therefore I wasn't able to put any pictures up on this post. If anybody has any problem with this (Which, I hope they DO!), please post it freely on the comments. Obviously, this site is not censored by any Hanholo members and therefore anyone may be freely trashed as pleased... Unlike some other folk who are carefully scrutinized in their every blog movements... *cough cough*!

KUNG HEI FAH CHOY! (did I say that right?)

Happy 'chinese' new year everyone! 'kung hei fah choi, fai si dai loy!!' Loosely translated: happy new year, give me presents... or something along those lines. My fond memories of this memorable occasion exactly one year ago... Eli Golan going around acting like a maniac, the famous, or shall I say infamous "scavenger hunt" (I think the boys won!!), the fireworks from the boat, pizza, acrobats.

These pictures are some scenarios I would love to have been in now!

KUNG HEI FAH CHOY! (Did I say that right??)

"Steven of the week"

Have you read your "Insight" this week?? Steve did. He reads it every week without fail. He's such a devoted friend!


I'm going to try to begin posting this "shtik" weekly. He's my closest friend and companion. His name is Steve.
Mean people are always teasing me and telling me that he's just a simple lion. But I know that there's something alot more to him than just being a lion. Yes, he's my friend!

Diary of an Ottawinian Bochur

Sheesh this place can sometimes wear a person down! A very crazy week indeed was spent here in Ottawa. I honestly don't know why it was that crazy. It may just be the mood that I'm in now. Learned lots and lots of Smicha this week... Again!
Me and my Chavrusah made this quota to finish before I take my 'almost' 2 week break. Next week I'm outa' here and headed to "Kahn Tziva" for a couple of days. Of course everyone here is going to get weird Machshovo Zore's as to what the purpose of my journey is, as to why I am all of a sudden in need a new suit and shoes. Regardless of what they assume, the real reason I'm heading into New York with all the polished garb is for my nephews Bar Mitzvah.
I'll be in for his party, then I'm staying over Shabbos as well, where my (Oholei Toireh'nik) nephew will read his Bar Mitzvah Parsha and recite his Bar Mitzvah Ma'amor. Of course, at the conclusion of both, I will appropriately walk over to him, shake his hand and recite the famous, traditional words that every Bar Mitzva boy recieves... (*must say in a typical New York yenta's accent*) "It was absolutely the most gorgeous Laining and Ma'amor I've heard in my life!" ... Gosh! I'm so outdated and unoriginal.

Anyways, I have a crazy schedule for the week afterward too. But, I'm worried I won't have anything to update on my next posts. So, I leave that for another occasion.

Nothing else to write... other than: I love listening to music! It is the only REAL friend. It cries with its listener in his time of sorrow. It dances and laughs with its listener in his time of delight. It thinks together with its listener. It's just such an amazing creation when you think about it. I'm SO not a poet or a skilled writer who can express my feelings and thoughts on this matter adequately. But the fact is, whatever Kabbalah says about music, I can really feel it BeMuchash. It's so amazing. Oh! also, guitar rocks!!!

Hillarious clip

I don't want to turn this blog into one of those 'funny video clip and cool links' blogs. But this video clip definitely is one of the 'cake takers' for funny Jewish videos. I was on the floor with hysteria whilst viewing this one.

NEVER BEFORE SEEN FOOTAGE

Well, as can be expected. Now that I've made my youtube account. Many different videos will start shooting up on this blog. Various videos which may in some remote way be connected to me or my aquaintances.
Here is one that was never before released. It dates back to Chanuka, while we were in Florida. We had this rap which Yehudah Maccabi and King Antiochus sang before the play. This clip is one of Yehudah's stanza's. I know the quality is 'Kak', but that's what you get from digitals in the dark :)

Nothing new, Just trying this out

Aaight, nothing really is happening lately. Except that they just put in a new ceiling in my room today. I felt so bad that I forgot to take pictures of it. Maybe I'll take pics of the new ceiling and post it someday.

Meanwhile, I just signed up to www.youtube.com It's real cool and I'm trying out this video thing-a-bob. Amidst all the controversy involved. (*cough 'asheryotsar' cough*)!!

You know you're in Canada when...

You're looking at things like these.

(Again.. Thanks to Yaacov Lefton's camera)

Snow in Ottawa and life in general.

Here is a photo of a Bochur from Ottawa Yeshiva Davvening Shacharis. Of course, he'll claim that the digital clock in the photo was definitely broken, or it's plain camera tricks.

Well, this past Shabbos it snowed in Ottawa. I was too busy enjoying myself in Montreal. Thus, I missed the wonderful white flakes which blanketed this city. Here is a gorgeous photo of the street right across from our Yeshiva building which is called "Dovercourt."

Pictures are courtesy of Yaacov Lefton. Thanks to Shoch who spent the whole afternoon loading up my hard drive with 20gb of Ottawa Yeshiva videos and pictures.

My Rosh Yeshiva.

There he is standing. Standing alone. Alone in Ottawa. Alone in the snow. Alone... so alone.


Keep up the blogging dear Shoch! Don't be influenced by the negative forces which are desperately attempting to "bring you down!"

Interesting note:

Just thought Shoch might appreciate this post.

This afternoon, my roommate went with all the Bochurim to vocational. He took our computer together with him, so that it can be operated on, thoroughly disected, and then put back together again in working condition. Well, that didn't turn out too well, as to the fact that the instructor B'hashgocho Protis didn't show up today. But, the point is. While my lovely roommate was in vocational, he decided to check out my blog. However, when attempting to open my page. Surprisingly, the computer told him that being that it was a vocational school computer, there was material on www.hershky84.blogspot.com that couldn't be viewed as it was not appropriate and was therefore censored by the vocational. When my roommate took a 'far chance' shot at being allowed onto www.yamamai.blogspot.com though, he WAS easily allowed entry to view the very offensive and disturbing material posted on there.
I think that this is all a setup. Shoch must be paying the vocational school to censor my site. THIS IS ABSURDITY!!

Ottawa composition video'd

Here's a video of two Bochurim performing "Ke'ayol Ta'arog" as composed by Harav Hachoson Dovi Small. It's not the best recording, but the song is real nice though.

Thank you Shoch for supplying the video!

Funny clip

Check this out!! You just have to shout with him!

I thought this was hillarious!

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have the sudden urge to holler that at top of my lungs. YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!!!

Dont' ask how excited I am now... (... no don't ask. Steve, I said NO!) I had this really wacked out Shabbos. I ended up leaving my beloved family and making the 15 minute trip to my brother's place in Downtown for Shabbat. I finally was able to bask in the wonderful memories of Chabad house Shabbosim. Those sweet Friday nights back on MacDonell Doe. (Chat hoe MacDonell Doe, M-Goy). Those wonderful and sweet Niggunim we would sing together (Tov Lehodos, V'Liyerushalayim, Kol Mekadesh etc.) and then the not so wonderful Niggunim we would sing (Ta'a'a'roiich... Lefonai Shul'chaan). Everything just flowed back and really inspired me this past Shabbos. I found myself shouting out loud "Revach Vehatzalah" when this Sefardi guy whispered kaddish. I also remininced calling out pages!! It was so wonderful.
I really was overwhelmed with these memories. But it was an amazing Shabbos. Chabad house Shabbosim are the absolute greatest. A bit on the extreme note: "It's worth going out on Shlichus and opening a brand new Chabad house in middle of nowhere, just for the Shabbosim experienced there." Man I loved it so much!! Zvi and Co. You people's really made my Shabbos!! Thanks so much!! (Oh! I'm sorry for eating up all your cake and pop corn.)

Anyways, my story is not even half over. I'm pumped about Shabbos and I'm missing Hong Kong like 'heaven' (Why?? Does missing like 'hell' make it sound any better??). So, I get back to Ottawa, which is a whole story in itself *pictures to come* and settle in. When I check the computer, I notice that there's a new program installed on our already "SARS and bird flu diagnosed" computer. I find out from my roommate that we have this new "free phone internet thingy" installed. It's sorta' like Skype, but you can call land lines with it for free. It really rocks. (www.voipstunt.com for those interested) So I decided that I'm going to call Hong Kong and speak to peoples. After trying several numbers, I finally called Daniel Metoudi's cell phone. Anyways, to make things short, Daniel picks up, and they had just gotten off the Wanchai train from a Bar Mitzvah club Bowling trip. So, I ended up speaking to Daniel Metoudi, David G., Mendy A., Duddy S., Benny G. (The 'real benny"... ugghh) and... check this... ENZO! I spoke to Enzo for like 20 seconds before someone else grabbed the phone away. I was so touched hearing his voice. The feeling after that phone call was unbelievable. I'm in the 'freeking' craziest mood now.


I think I'm going to sign off now, go wake some guys up and tell them that Moshiach's here and all they have to do is open their eyes and wash Neggel Vasser!! (hehe)


Cheerio!

Back home for Shabbat!

Well, I'm typing this all amidst the warm feeling being back home again. Aaaaaahhh (*Hershky84 stretches and yawns very comfortably*). I'll be here till Motzaei Shabbos.

I realy don't know why I put up this picture. Again!

Kugel!

I may be going home for Shabbos this week. There's a real exciting feeling that runs through me every time I think of that.


That's all!

Good night.

(Sorry about the picture.)

Exciting

Gee, I'm the worst at putting headings that are connected to the content of the actual article. I wanted to let everyone know some old news that I just got excited about, so I posted the heading as "Exciting"... Again, it's VERY early in the morning.

The old news is... (drumroll)... (off tune clarinet being played over the horizon)... (Somewhere in the distance a horse 'winney's')... (Okay, this is getting real stupid)... (From somewhere downstairs, my mom howls "SUPPER'S READY!!")... (I frantically type)... My brother, for the past couple of weeks [I think 2 to be exact] has been the only religious Jew living in Downtown Montreal. Yes, he's been working at Chabad house of Downtown Montreal for awhile now. Shlichus BABY!
He's living downtown now with his newly aquired Aishes Chayil (Metchembadir) and rocking up McGill university, Concordia university and the students who study in Montreal. They say that the Hillel house shul, named "the Ghetto" has risen big time in popularity recently and Chabad house barely has any attendance from the Youth. So, my brother is recruiting everyone back to 'the fold'. I just got inside information that he wants me to crash his place for a Shabbos and see what he's got going on there. I personally think college Chabad houses are the Coolest places on earth. Then again... it's 2:36am.

Now, really good night.

Sick of Racheim??

Aaight, so I'm reading my posts and just spending quality time on this computer (yeah right). When it dawns on me, that all my posts written over the past three weeks or so are so drabby and boring. I don't know what's come over me. Perhaps it is the fact that I stopped writing my posts at two in the morning. That's one of the reasons I'd work a night shift. I honestly believe that the brain thinks up better ideas and works better in general when it is dead tired. Or at least they seem like better ideas when you're overtired.

There really is not much action happening here in Ottawa. Even our government has escaped off to Edmonton to do their election promoting/public speaking/other party bashing thingy (I don't even know what it's called). But lately it's been -20 celcius outside. I'm guessing it's something like -10 Farenheit or something (Watch some geek give the exact mathematical equasion on the comment page). Basically, if you haven't gotten the point; It's freeking freezing outside!!! Sucky weather, but great outdoor hockey weather. So tonight, being that I had finished my Smicha quota for the day, I decided that I would hoist my skayes over my shoulder, put on *gasp* a t-shirt and sweatshirt and some more warm clothing and I would head out with some other folk to the outdoor skating rink on Dovercourt road to play some outdoor hockey.
Well, I went, I played, I scored, I checked, I got checked, I froze, I sweated and pretty much had a great time. Then I came back to yeshiva, Davvened Maariv and now I'm back in the dorm.

- I glance down at the right bottom of my flickering and now blurring screen... I notice that the digital clock (which I love so much) says 2:22am. I wonder if it's really true... YES! I read this post over and actually thought it was funny and fitting enough to be posted on the blog. I must be overtired! My brain MUST be in working order again!
In the recesses of my brain (*I have lots of recesses hidden away there*) I have a warm and fuzzy feeling run through me. I feel like I've just embraced a long lost friend whom I've been in silent contact with for eternity. YES, Hello my long lost friend "early morning"!!!

... Good night

Farby in ZA"L tonight

Tonight, we had this awesome Farbrengen in Za'l with Harav Goldfein from Philly (I don't even know his first name). But the Farby was great. We heard lots of stories about his risky and dangerous operations in Communist Russia during communism. The point is, the best part of the Farby is that I now have two bottles of booze sitting in my room. HA! Aybei, want to come over??

Ke'ayol Ta'arog.

My disclaimer (Now Shoch can't bash me): This picture is courtesy of Yaacov Lefton's camera which was graciously put online by This website!!

SHOCH'S ENAGAGED!!!

Na, just kidding. But Rabbi Dovi small is. He is a beloved teacher/4 year Y.A.M. veteran/Ottawa Beinuni's ice hockey coach and wonderful composer and he just got "officially" engaged to Sarah Caytak from Ottawa. The L'chaim/concert was realy nice.

I think it's real important to mention that there was lots of awesome food!!

Into New York

Unlike the impression of many, I am heading into New York in like 2 minutes. Just thought everyone should know. I'll be in NY for one day. (Shloimy, get ahold of me and Aybei, you know what's it's about!)

Video... I get clobbered by my roommate

Bock-sing MIATCH!

Tonight, after our pre fast food snack'age, which consisted of old noodles and horrible tuna fish (Yechhhhhh). Some Bochurim decided to casually begin a boxing match in the room next door. I was calmly chatting on the phone to my beloved Mammy, when the whole racket began. After hanging up, I went into the other room to quiet down the squaggle (huh?) and somehow got swept up in this prepostrous petty game. Leave it to some crisply burned out Ottawa Bochurim's brains to make up this game. Basically, it consists of putting on a pair of hockey gloves and beating the KAK out of your opponent. Uh, don't take that literally. The rules are: No hitting above the neck or below the belt (Why obviously). Trust me it's so much fun!!

Chinese thought of the day:

"Man who stand on toilet is high on pot"

From an article on Shmais

Chabad Lubavitch of Hong Kong has recently added "the Bar Mitzvah club" to its venue of programs and activities.
The club is being operated by Chabads youth directors Duddy Shagalov and Benny Greenberg under the directorship of Rabbi Mordechai Avtzon, the Shliach to Hong Kong.
Participants convene at the Chabad house Bi-weekly for a Bar Mitzvah club Minyan, outings and general classes on basic Yidishkeit. Bar Mitzvah boys also recieve private classes from Hong Kongs Talmidei Hashluchim preparing them for "the big day".

Back in Ottawa

Just got into town this morning. Going to spend my first Shabbos back in Yeshiva since the Chanuka break.

Am I really looking forward to this??

Our country sawng!


The pre play Rap...

"The name is Antiochus
I'm sick of all their Brochas
I don't want any Passover or Chanuka or Sukkos!"

"So I show them how it's done,
I know how to how fun
We play Freeky greeky things on our television."

Most hillarious clip ever

This clip seems to always remind me of Hong Kong "Al Ha'Esh Besh" on Sukkot. It's so freeking hillarious. Click right here for it

It's over!

It's officially over. I'm officially back in Ottawa now (Unofficially, I have no idea where the hecht I am). We had our last play last night at Gershon Selinger's wedding (Oh right... welling). Here is the rough itinerary we went through over the past 2 weeks:

Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Vayishlach, December 17 - play in Cosmic Adventures Ottawa for a whole bunch of kids. "non Lubavich" (Went very well for our first public performance)

Sunday, December 18 - Play for all the Bochurim in Yeshiva and some members of the community.

Monday morning, December 19th - Play for all the kids at the Chabad Rambam school here in Ottawa. Went very well. The kids loved it.

Monday night, December 19th - Play for a women's Shiur in the Young Israel of Ottawa. The remaining Bochurim who hadn't seen the play the night before came to watch it and again... big success.

*Intermission! we were supposed to leave to Miami on Tuesday morning after Shacharit. We didn't get out of Ottawa until Wednesday afternoon. That was our infamous two days of hell*

Friday Morning, December 23rd - Arrived in Miami, Davvened and did our first peformance at the Hebrew Academy of Miami Beach. (It was a Shtickle messed over, because our mic's broke in the middle of the show. But a nice performance nonetheless) "Non Lubavich"

Sunday night, December 25th - A show for Chabad of Sunny Isles. Very successful. Met Nadav (Reise) at the party.

Monday morning December 26th - Chabad of Hollywood (A nice show. About 30 people)

Monday Afternoon - In Golden Beach. Outdoors, serving pizza in the middle of the show... most of the Bochurim were ticked off after the show.

Monday Night - Back in Hollywood, this time to the unofficial Chabad center. (Yeah, we like being controversial) We performed in front of about 200/250 people. A very good performance and people absolutely loved it.

Tuesday morning, December 27th - two shows for Hebrew Academy of Margate. Very successful, except that during the second play, someone in the school pulled the fire alarm, so there was like a 20 minute intermission right in the middle. Otherwise, the kids absolutely adored it.

Tuesday afternoon - We drove about an hour to Jupiter, where we did an outdoor performance again. This time though, it was extremely successful.

Tuesday night - We drove about two and a half hours to Kendell. They had told us that we would be able to make it to him in an hour and a half. We got stuck in traffic and missed the Chanukah party. He was so ticked off at us. That was our first and (basically) only screw up!

Tuesday late night - We put on a performance for the family who was hosting us. The Horowitz's from Coral Springs who by the way, totally rock the casa!!

Wednesday morning, December 28th - Three shows at the Landau Yeshiva in Miami. It's the big Lubavich school they have there. We did three shows. Amazing performance and the kids loved it. (Our second show was for these 2/3/4 year olds, so the staff asked us not to scare the kids. We had to freeking put on an uncle Moishy show for them. But it was fun for us, though some kids still managed to burst out in tears...)

Wednesday afternoon - Back in Coral Springs mall. Public Menorah lighting performance in the mall. People loved the show.

Wednesday night - The Shul in Bal Harbour. We performed in front of about 400 peoples. It was yet another great performance.

Thursday Morning, December 29th - A play in some really rich area. Don't even know what it's called, but I do know that it was for a Rabbi Rosenberg. Outdoors on someone's driveway.

Thursday midday - Aventura Chabad had some massive kids program and we performed for them (Gosh! I'm getting bored of all this) Again... a very good show!

Thursday evening - Boca Raton mall Show. Not the best show, because the echos and accustics (I think that's misspelled) in the mall were not the best and nobody could here a thing.

Thursday night - Our last show at the Moshiach Center on Inverary. It was an awesome show. Even the adults got totally involved. I loved it.

(We left Miami Thursday night and arrived in Raleigh North Carolina for Shabbos Friday afternoon)

Motzaei Shabbos Parshas Mikeitz, December 31st - Play for Chabad of Raleigh North Carolina. It was probably our most successful one. They were only expecting about 25 people due to new years eve, but 100 showed up. They told us that in the history of Chabad of Raleigh, they haven't had a Pe'Ulah like this one. I don't know if that's true or not, but it sure was an ego booster. and by the way, Rabbi Herman is so far the coolest Shliach I have ever met!

(We leave Raleigh and head for NJ at about 2am, after this awesome night of 45 minute, full contact go carting. It was awesome)

Sunday midday, January 1st - Show in the Rabbinical College of America for the whole Morristown community. It was a nice show. Except, that at the very end of the performance, the fire alarm goes off because of our fog machine. Horrible ending and it ticked me off. Everyone had to leave right away... At least the fire alarm waited for our play to end before it went nuts!!

Sunday night - In front of about 3/400 people, we performed at Rabbi Gershon and Simi Selinger's wedding. One of the people in charge of the wedding went nuts at me when she found out that it was 40 minutes long. She started screaming at me "If it was a 10 minute play I'd understand. But are you crazy?? a 40 minute play in the middle of a Chassunah??!!" In the end though, she came over to me and apologized. It was awesome.


And thus concludes our travelling Chanukah Production of 5766. 25 shows in only 2 weeks. We only performed for 11 days. AWESOME!!!

Obviously. Hakodoish Boruch Hoo is the one Hoo gets all the credit for it all. Nothing would have happened if he would have been in a bad mood. BARUCH HAHSEM!

Some more

Where is the FREEKING OIL??!!

Our first play in Hollywood. It was like 12pm midday.

Finally some pictures

Jew Da Maccabi performing right before our play, at the outdoor Chanuka party of Golden Beach. "Give me 'da mic and move 'em back..."

Uhuhuhumm *uncomfortable cough*... We must'be mistakenly taken this one while quickly passing through the area on the way to Mivtzoim!

Together with Nadav... It was seriously Chazak UbaRuch


Here a picture with us and Jew Da Maccabi.