Despite the fact that I’m against Chinese Auctions because they make tzedaka into something which there must be immediate reward for, I find myself looking at them anyway. Sure, I feel like a hypocrite whenever I sign up for another $100k raffle to support an organization I’ve never heard of, but I might as well get some fantasy for my maiser money eh. Most Chinese Auctions are doing the same old thing, sheitles, washing machines, a sefer torah, trip to israel, and some electronic equipment.
Today, while browsing Vos Iz Neias for articles that make frum Jews look bad, I clicked on one of those blinking ads that could only be for free porn downloads of some sort of gambling site. Lo and behold, it was for a frum gambling site which made it quite hard to see if it was actual gambling or gambling in the name of tzedaka, kind of like how your lotto money goes to pay for schools. It’s almost like you can invent an organization overnight, get some cheesy free porn web designer guy to make a flashy website and pay for a couple months of ad space on the frum news sites. Then you can keep 40% of the “tzedaka” to pay for your “administrative” costs. A Time happens to be a great organization, but I find that Chinese Auctions cheapen the organization to be known for its prizes rather than its charity.
Enough of my hypocritical rambling, one of the auction prizes is a firstborn donkey registered to you: For Just $36 you may be able to win the strangest prize in the short history of frum Chinese Auctions, I can’t wait to see if Kars4Kids could come up with better.
Peter Chamor – Includes 1 firstborn donkey that will be owned by you at time of birth, and choice of sheep or goat for the redemption of the donkey to any Kohen of choice.
One the bottom of the prize after it says restrictions may apply and must be an authentic Yisroel to win, it also says “for more details see Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 321.
If you’ve seen better or stranger please let me know.
Find out more on 4torah.com
A years supply of bedikah cloths.
A TIME isn’t as good as you think. It’s run by chassidim, and they make sure everyone knows it. A good friend of mine was asked to help recruit Modern Orthodox people to attend their annual Shabbaton. When they cancelled the family seating and insisted that everyone sit apart from their spouse during meals, the MO couples complained. The response of Shaul Rosen, the head of the organization, was “Why should I care about some Modern Orthodox people? There are plenty of chassidim who’d love to attend the Shabbaton, and they see things the same way I do. Why should I care about Modern Orthodox people over them?”
Since my friend told me that, I’ve never given them a penny. It doesn’t stop them from calling me about their stupid chinese auction (even though I’ve told them numerous times to take me off their calling list).
If you’re chassidic, go support them. Otherwise, give your money to Bonei Olam. They also help with infertility, and they don’t care if you’re chassidic, chareidi, MO, or anything else.
What do expect? Chasidim want to help bring more MO babies into the world? Of course not!
That depends on the individual Chassid. Some of them really do care about ALL Jews & want to make a difference for everyone. Of course, some of them are clueless about the rest of the world. Some of US are clueless about THEM.
Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with them. Remember that 1 individual does NOT represent the whole organization, even if they think they do. Even that 1 person may have been caught at a bad moment, finding out he was unable to please all participants, & not knowing how to handle that. It’s not an excuse, just an opportunity to see the reality that we all have moments when we’re caught by surprise & can’t make everything work out right. Chanie
donkey is good but you can’t beat the oorah monkey prize.
“The ultimate hishtadlus, $10k towards a professional shadchan.”
Been like weeks since you posted. What is this? Are you taking off because it’s the 3 weeks and you don’t want to do sinas chinam? Because I’ll hate you if you are, and that will also be sinas chinam.