50 Cent & Jewish Lawyers

By now, many people are aware of 50 Cent's recent comments on the radio (on Hot 97 [here in New York]) where he mentions Jewish lawyers:

50 Cent: When it comes to civil, you don't gotta worry about the G-Unit, worry about the Je-Je-Je-Jew-Unit. They're the real goon squad. And when the lawyers come out, you gon' see what it is. I don't pay nobody but the lawyers.
Miss Jones: And I need a real good, aggressive one because these little ?pinny-anny? lawyers I've been biggin' up and dealin' wit' - all they wanna do is walk in the courtroom with $2500 suits to overcompensate for their swagger they do not have.

While this has only been discussed in the J-Blogosphere (to the best of my knowledge) on Jewschool and by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, most of the blogosphere discussion of this is on celebrity, hip-hop, and music blogs (no, I'm not going to bother linking to the dozens of various sites where this is discussed, but you can click here for a search). Most blogs discussing this issue touch upon it only surficially, claiming 50 Cent to be somehow anti-semitic. I'm going to wholeheartedly agree with Reb Shmuley on this where he states, "I think Jews will perhaps take offense to the comment, but I take no offense to it whatsoever." He goes on to state

It’s an acknowledgment of the Jewish Community’s emphasis on learning and knowledge, and of the law. The term ‘Jew Unit’ has the connotation of respectable legal experts…and I welcome it. In general, we have to minimize the whole ‘culture of offense’ here in America, where people sit around, waiting to be offended. There is real racism and real anti-semitism in America but we cheapen both terms by finding such examples where they don’t exist.

It's beautiful.
Firstly, I agree that 50 was not trying to be anti-semitic, but, if anything, trying to praise his legal counsel. Moreover, this quote is not the first of rappers rapping about Jewish lawyers (albeit in a positive way) (I would be interested in reading an article one of these days as to how Jews are represented and/or referenced in hip-hop - an interesting nexus of cultures.), so it's not such a surprise.
In a related vein, when I went to pick up the engagement ring (both to pick it out and to pick it up), I was pleasantly surprised at the numbers of Jews involved in the industry. There was some sense of pride of Jews being highly represented in such a lucrative field that occurred to me. I figure, similarly, too, here with Jewish lawyers - it's little surprise or secret that there are a lot of Jews in the legal field, as well as in the entertainment business.

Back in NYC and thoughts about being home

Being back in my hometown of Gahanna (as well as Columbus), the amounts of changes that were going on in Gahanna especially, though also at Easton, were quite numerous. Growing up for most of my life in Gahanna, I got used to the way things were. I suppose that many of the changes that occurred while I was there did not seem so jolting simply because they were gradual.
Nevertheless, even when I was still living there, I noticed the decreasing amount of trees, especially the latter years (and increased development). This time, (especially with the development near Stoneridge Plaza east of Hamilton Road,) I notice a lot less trees growing. Not only in the more commercial areas, but also here and there in residential areas, as well.
Oh well, I suppose it saddens me each time I return, but I have little say in this matter.

Setting Out for Ohio & Lost My Cell Phone

Rachel and I are now departing from her family's house in Rochester, NY, where we were for the beginning of Passover and are headed toward's my family's house in Gahanna, OH.
One very sad note: I lost my cell phone at her family's house. I do not have people's cell phone numbers written down or otherwise recorded (even though I had been thinking about pursuing such a course of action in the past months). Feel free to e-mail me (drewkaplanis@yahoo.com) your phone numbers. Moed tov.

Knee Update: Off of Crutches, but Hobbling

Since my initial inability to walk (or reinjury of my lateral meniscus) two and a half weeks ago, I was on crutches for the first week week following that. Although I briefly hobbled, not using my crutches for the first time that week, during my engagement (video) on the Thursday of that week, it wasn't until the following day through the rest of that weekend (23-25 March) that I was utilizing just one crutch.
For the last week and a half, I have been able to get around crutchlessly, though for the first several days, it was more hobbling, per se, than walking. However, since then, I have been now walking with a limp.

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' רופֵא כָל בָּשָׂר וּמַפְלִיא לַעֲשׂות

Engaged!

I'm engaged.

Recent Goings-On In My Life: Renewed Injury, Insurance, & Civil Marriage

A lot has gone on in my life these past two weeks, focusing on the three topics listed in this posting's header.
It all started with my waking up last Tuesday morning (13 March 2007) and trying to get out of bed. Whilst in this process, I moved my leg in such a fashion as to reinjure it (see here for the [continuing] story of my knee and its injury). I then found out, in the process of contacting my insurance company (Aetna) of trying to find out who my doctor was, that I had been uninsured since the beginning of March since I hadn't renewed my insurance policy (the cover letter I had received two months before had warned me about ending my insurance policy were I not to renew on 1 March 2008, so I figured I was fine for the time being - little did I know it was merely a typo, meant to be this year).
I then spoke with my girlfriend about my situation and we contemplated about me getting on her insurance policy (she's a public school teacher). We then figured how might one go about such a thing? You need to be married. What does one need to do to be married? So, looking it up online, we then went and applied for a marriage license. Afterwards, we then went to pick out an engagement ring (we had planned this part since before the preceeding weekend). Two nights later, we then had a civil marriage performed and were legally married (but not Jewishly/halakhically). So I was one step closer to getting insured and getting my knee looked at.
Then came Saturday night when, as I was getting up from laying down, my knee pained me once again and I waited and waited and waited for it to get better. It was not to be immediate. For over twenty hours, I moved very little until Sunday night. I still was rather immobile the following day, Monday, and missed school that day, though a classmate of mine picked me up crutches, which allowed me to move around, albeit with difficulty.
However, throughout the rest of the week, with each passing day, my knee has improved, though, as of this posting, I am still not yet quite walking on it.

Finally Responding about YCT

It's been nearly two weeks since I first read a certain article printed in a certain haredi (ultra-Orthodox) paper questioning my school, that had been widely disseminated across the Internet and popping up on various blogs. While I had initially wanted to respond to the article in a thorough way, I was concerned, however, of not being properly able to respond to the concerns and questions brought up by the author of that article. In addition to that, I was also wondering about the time that that would take up. My sense of wanting to properly respond to various concerns were not being helped by reading the proliferation of blogs covering this issue - this topic was waiting to be addressed.
After a week of waiting and thinking it over, reading other blog postings, and reading comments threads, I wanted to put in my two cents' worth on this issue (if this had happened a year ago, I would have responded much earlier - trying to get a lot of readership, but have realized that that's not so important). I think there's a certain value to hearing from one within the institution under discussion, even if it is only from a student. However, fortunately, I held off and there are multiple responses to the issues brought up in the article. Most notably is the recent response composed by one of my rebbeim, Rabbi Nathaniel Helfgot, wherein he deals with several of the issues brought up in the article. For a couple of other responses in the blogosphere, see Jonathan Baker's critique of the article as well as Rabbi Josh Yuter's posting.
Anyways, I think people were waiting to see if I had a response to the article. At this point, it's really not worth the effort as the Yatedniks are probably not going to be convinced, and a lot of Modern Orthodox people, like many I know have just laughed at the article, some saying it was a good promotional tool for YCT. However, I think there are a number of people who sincerely do not know what to make of the attack or of the school (perhaps they don't know much about the school or something) and would stand to benefit from a thought out response. Anyways, I'm satisfied for the time being with Rabbi Helfgot's response and I don't really feel like bothering to respond to the article (lest I legitimate it (hamevin yavin)).
----------------------
Postings discussing the recent article:
"YCT: Time To Take A Stand" | "Glass Houses Alert" | "Conflicted about YCT, Yated and R' Harry Maryles" | "Yated's YCT Critique Critiqued" | [untitled] | "Not Taking A Stand" | "The Challenge of Constructive Criticism" | "Yated Ne'eman's Latest Against Chovevei" | "Rabbi Chaim Rapoport -- Open Letter to the Yated Ne'eman" | "In Defense of YCT" | "A Letter from R. Nati Helfgot" | "In Defense of YCT" | "Is YCT Treif or Not?" | "Strange Bedfellows" | "Taking Each Other Down A Peg" | "Paradoxical Faith" | "What Makes A New Movement Acceptable?" | "Yated Exposes YCT as a 'Threat To Halakhic Judaism'" | "How mighty are the righteous...." | "Yated" | "YCT-Yated Ne’eman Dustup" | "The Yated - a Mamzer?"

Hamapil, etc.

As I had mentioned before, I have been working on an article on ברכת המפיל (blessing before going to sleep). I finally finished up the first draft of it earlier this week. On Sunday, I hope to work on editing it a bit before the next editors meeting next week.

PS - I may still yet comment [perhaps on Sunday(?) or Monday (?)] on the Yated article - I've been holding off on it, not sleeping on it (pun intended).

shabbat shalom

Bowling

Saturday night, I went out with some friends bowling in Queens. I realized I hadn't bowled in years(!). This was sad as I grew up for many years bowling (although my father can correct me, but roughly before I started elementary school and stopping before high school (which is about eight, give or take)) in a weekly league. It was a regular part of my life (oh gosh, I sense a huge posting at some point on how baseball used to be part of my life and I miss it every spring, summer, and fall...) and for 10-11 years, it has been missing.
Anyways, I realized I hadn't bowled since I moved to New York(!) (I need to get out bowling...), which means that in least two and a half years, I hadn't bowled, but it's probably been 3-4 years.
So, I got about 133 in the first game, but then I shook off some of the rust and scored a 161.
I know I at least still have some bowling skills, but it'd be nice to retain it a little (now, if I can go back home and get my bowling ball...).

Recent Commentator Article on YCT

A few weeks ago, an article came out in the Commentator on YCT (my school) entitled, "Who is YCT? A Look at Upper Manhattan's Other Orthodox Seminary", written by Zev Eleff. I was glad there was something written on it, the last article since Avi Robinson's of four years prior. So it was nice and there were also good little quotes sprinkled throughout. I saw two things in the article that I thought I may correct.
1) The article states, "Second year students study laws of family purity and mourning; the third year students focus on Sabbath and laws and the following year concentrates on kashrut." In truth, years 2-4 study these topics, but do so on a three-year cycle. For instance, I am studying נדה (menstrual impurity) this year, כשרות (kosher food) next year, and שבת (Sabbath) the following [and my last] year. Previously, the menstrual impurity section was done along with mourning, but it has now become part of our lifecycles curriculum.
2) The article states, "Only four students have left the school without graduating since its inaugural year." I do not know at how this figure was arrived. I can immediately think of at least a half-dozen students who have left the school in my two and half years there. Unless the number was arrived at by considering just the rabbinical students and not including the mechina/beit midrash students.
Just thought I'd set a couple of things straight. Shabbat shalom.