Q:
Considering the moral and social climate in New York City, should people move to Monsey?
A:
Should people move to Monsey? I say no.
Now if you want to move to Monsey, don’t be hindered by me, but in Brooklyn there is so much opportunity to come close to the neshamah of the Am Yisroel. Remember, it’s the numerical numbers of the Am Yisroel here that make it so important. The more Jews, the more Shechinah. The more Jews living in close quarters, the more Presence of Hashem. And so a person who says, “I’m going to move to Monsey,” but maybe there aren’t as many Jews there crowded together, so you’re missing the Shechina.
When you walk through Boro Park let’s say or even here, in Flatbush, there are blocks and blocks and blocks and blocks of frum houses. You walk down East 7th Street, all frum houses! Bedford Avenue, frum houses! You see so many people with big mezuzos, women with their hair covered of course, children, all frum children. So you’re walking where the Shechina is. No question, that’s the Shechina. The more people there who belong to the Am Yisroel, it’s more Shechina. And the closer you are to the ribuy the better off you are.
That’s why I say you shouldn’t move. No. No. I think that you’re better off where there’s a bigger population of frum Jews.
If you’ll ask me should you move from here, let’s say to Meah Shearim, it could be Meah Shearim is more crowded with frum Jews, I can’t tell you. But between here and Monsey – Monsey is an excellent place; it’s an ir kadosh – but I say Williamsburg, Boro Park, Crown Heights and parts of Flatbush are also very much kadosh. I’m going to say it without any limitations. Very much kadosh! The Shechina is there. And therefore you should think twice before you forsake such a good neighborhood.
TAPE # 898 (November 1992)
